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Looking back at 2009

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:12:59 -0800

The Long Goodbye
I guess we were witness to the rumblings of change when we saw Apple shorten their official name to Apple Inc. Dropping "Computer" from their name made it pretty clear that Apple was no longer focused on just the Mac. With the iPhone, the iPod and a ton of success in the software world, they set their sights on technology in general. Helping to shape how we interact with technology in our personal and professional lives since the 1970's, people became accustomed to seeking out new product announcements in January each year when Macworld rolled around. The ever-present centerpiece of it all, Apple was Macworld to many. Until the big announcement that is. Shortly before Macworld 2009 was held, Apple made a public announcement that they would no longer be a part of the annual Mac Mecca that saw thousands of people from all over the world converge to witness firsthand the latest gems unveiled by the greatest technology company of our times. Although Macworld lives on, it’s just not the same. So I bid thee farewell, and say, “Thanks for all the fish...” I will quietly await the big announcement scheduled for later this month and hope to see my predictions come true and rumors thwarted when Steve Jobs takes the stage without the big Macworld banner we have all come to love over the many years it lasted.

Posted by Chris

A Little Bit 'O Magic
I have to say that I was very impressed when Apple unveiled the new Magic Mouse. I was happy to see that the one thing that has kept them separate from the competition over these many years hasn’t changed a bit. True innovation. After the release of the iPhone, we have seen many companies try to replicate the experience. And many people assumed that the next multi-touch technology we would see form Apple, or any other company, would be a multi-touch tablet, or a multi-touch computer screen. But Apple created a mouse that broke the mold. And why not? After all they introduced the world to the idea of a computer mouse to begin with. So I guess it was their mold to break. And now the competition can start the process of finding a way to “create” their own “unique experience”...

Posted by Chris

Thank You Mr. Jobs
The other thing related to Apple that stands out above all else for me from 2009, was hearing that Steve Jobs was going to be OK. I have been an Apple fan from the very beginning, and in turn have a huge amount of respect for Mr. Jobs. When I heard that he had fallen ill, I began to wonder what would happen to Apple if he was unable to return to work. We all remember the dark years for Apple. The years without Steve Jobs. Luckily, we will not need to face that possibility for years to come thanks to some pretty amazing advancements in medicine and his determination to continue on. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2010!

Posted by Chris

At Long Last
If you have owned an iPhone since the first generation you might have seen me, I was the guy in line behind you green with envy. Well in June, when the iPhone 3Gs was released I caved and bought one. It has been the single coolest gadget I have ever owned. So much more than a phone and so much smarter than my ipod. I love my Macbook Pro and my new Intuos 4 tablet but I still have to say the best gadget I've ever purchased is my iPhone. Now if they'd just release it to other carriers . . .

Posted by Ronnie

NIN Gets It!
My Favorite iPhone/iPod touch app of 2009 has to be Nine Inch Nails: Access. It once again showed that Trent Reznor understands not only the times we live in, but the recording industry limitations. The NIN Access application featured amazing content and real time chat about the NIN shows going on around the world with pictures, updated videos and more. And what is by far my favorite feature... every single song/album Nine Inch Nails has ever released over the years. It may not be the most exciting application for non-NIN fans, but truly groundbreaking in terms of a recording artist released application.

Posted by Jesus

My Best Mac Yet
The new MacBook Pro 13" is the best Apple Hardware to be released in 2009. Apple brought a lot of great features to the table with the new MacBook Pro 13". The biggest feature in the new MacBook Pro would have to be the 7 hours of battery life! Apple was able to accomplish this by making the MacBook Pro run more efficiently. The addition of an LED backlit screen and larger battery also helped. Apple also added a faster processor as well as backlit keyboard standard on all models. Another great feature that returned with the release of the 13" unibody MacBook Pro was Firewire. This was absent on the previous version of unibody MacBook. The well rounded features as well as a great starting price point of $1199 makes this the best Apple hardware of 2009.

Posted by Robert

A Better, Faster Mac In My Pocket
For me, the best thing Apple did in 2009 was to release iPhone OS 3.0. This was chock full of great enhancements such as copy and paste, landscape mode for email and text messaging, MMS, support for new calendar types, push notifications for 3rd party apps and much more. iPhone OS 3.0 and the subsequent updates really made the iPhone much more functional and allowed the iPhone to live up to my expectations. Good things really do come to those who wait.

Posted by Cooper

The Biggest Mini Ever
The year's most intriguing hardware introduction is easily the new Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server. This is a very elegant solution for many modest sized offices, priced at a steal. Paired with the Promise Smartstor RAIDs, also new in 2009, these systems have real potential for businesses where rack-mounted server solutions would have been either cost-prohibitive or overkill.

Posted by Brandon

My Must Have Apps of '09
Three iPhone applications assumed permanent positions on my home screen this year. First is Kindle, ensuring that I have a new book in my pocket at all times. Second is Dropbox, for quickly moving around handy files without ever opening my MacBook. And third is Facebook, for the social network addiction that I never thought I'd have. I don't like to think of how I got along previously without these.

Posted by Brandon

Crew Reviews: Favorite Apps

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:35:42 -0800

Evernote
Evernote for the iPhone occupies one of the four "primo" spots at the bottom of the iPhone screen. I use this app for just about everything you could imaging - I leave myself voice notes, send voice notes to my wife, kids, snap photos, type reminders, snaps of receipts through out the day - Evernote is a 'catchall' of just about for the many things that happen during the day.

Since I can access photos from my Camera Roll from inside Evernote, it makes it easy to upload images I've snapped during the day - or I can snap a new photo right from inside Evernote. It also has a web browser embedded into the application, so I don't have to switch back to Safari to go to a site, then switch back to Evernote - it's all done from within this handy application.

Since I have auto-sync turned on, I can search ALL my notes that I've synced to my Evernote account. It's great when, maybe I've entered someone's email address or phone number, but haven't gotten around to actually transferring to to my address book yet. All my notes appear as thumbnails, so I can easily remember which one I'm looking for.

Each entry can be assigned to a specific computer (Home, Work, Macbook, etc) depending on where you have Evernote setup on your other computers. It syncs automatically, so when you get home or back to work, all your notes, reminders and images have sync'd to the servers.

Evernote has different flavors of accounts. There is a Free subscription, and a Premium subscription, which basically gives you more storage space. Check out this fantastic program and associated service. You'll wonder how you got along without it before!

Reviewed by Scott

Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor
As a child one of my all time most favorite children's books was an often overlooked gem by Margaret Bloy Graham called "Be Kind to Spiders" about a little spider who saved all of the animals at the local zoo from the annoying bugs that pestered them. So, unlike most people, I actually really like spiders.

So it makes perfect sense that when I saw "Spider:…" in the App Store I had to try it. "Spider" is a very beautifully crafted puzzle game in which you play a spider who leaves the woods and discovers an abandoned mansion. To progress through the game you must create webs to capture (and eat) a variety of different insects including mosquitoes, yellow jackets, and gnats. Different bugs require different tactics: you have to pounce on yellow jackets, herd the mosquitoes, and turn on lights to catch moths.

The game controls are an absolute synch: to zoom in and out on the level you use the same pinch and spread movements common to all of Apple's Multi-Touch devices, hold your finger on the screen to make Spider walk, flick your finger to make Spider jump, and a tap-flick on Spider to lay webs. It does take a bit of practice to get good at closing webs, so don't rush through the first few levels. Also, make sure you spend plenty of time examining things; one of the goals of the game is to find the "secrets" strewn throughout the levels.

The novelty of the gameplay and the gorgeous old-school sprite based graphics are definitely worth the $2.99 price tag, and when you've completed Story Mode you'll find yourself wishing that there had been a few more levels.

Here's to hoping that Tiger Style releases a sequel sometime soon, Spider could definitely go on some more adventures.

Reviewed by Vanessa

Polarize
Before digital cameras the closest you could get to immediate photo satisfaction was Polaroids' instant cameras (an invention that dates back to 1947). You'd open the film pack and jam it into the camera, take your photo and wait for the motor to slide it out. Maybe shake it a bit and wait a few minutes for your picture to develop before your eyes. The Polaroid camera was discontinued in 2008, but some enterprising iPhone developers have brought it back. The iTunes App Store has a free app called Polarize that allows you to create that instant magic for your iPhone. With it you can take a new picture or even one from your iPhone photo album and give it that funky retro look. You can even add a hand written print look to the bottom of each of your photos. The app also includes an online link to a Flickr page to share your photos with other Polarize users.

It's good to see the famous Polaroid look back, and especially for free (currently). It's also good to know that Polaroid changed their mind in 2009 and has decided to bring the Polaroid instant camera back in 2010. Until then, grab this free app and create some instant art.

Reviewed by Brian

Crew Review: The New MacBook

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:36:38 -0800

The MacBook has always been a value leader for Apple, but since the latest one arrived here at MacForce, we've been surprised by how good that value has become. Sitting next to an MacBook Pro, with it's aluminum exterior, you might see the MacBook and it's shiny white plastic exterior as a cool toy in comparison, but looks in this case are deceiving. The MacBook has always borrowed tech from the MacBook Pros, but this edition of the MacBook is not just for fun and games, even though it also has that covered. So let's see what makes it special.

The Look:
With it's curvier edges, it's definitely sleeker. And it's only 1.08 inches thick and even lighter at 4.7 pounds. The white polycarbonate casing is a unibody construction, which makes it more durable. The bottom is covered with a nonslip material, so it's less likely to slip off a kitchen, desk or airplane tray. The screen is a glossy 13.3 inches and now LED-backlit, at a resolution of 1280-by-800. The LED backlighting is not only brighter but less harmful to the environment. It now has a very spacious glass Multi-touch trackpad, so you can now scroll, pinch, rotate and swipe to control and navigate through your content. And to top it off, it has a full sized low-profile keyboard.

The Inside:
Performance and the environment were two key factors in the design of the new MacBook. Sure it has a fast 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, but it also has one of the best batteries in the industry. It not only keeps your Mac going up to 7 hours per charge, but it lasts nearly three times the lifespan of a typical notebook battery, that means less waste. When you need to get work done, it's got you covered, with Gigabit Ethernet, SuperDrive, Built-in iSight camera, Mini DisplayPort, USB 2.0 ports, Audio in/out and the trusty MagSafe power connector. You can even get it with a 500GB hard drive. But it also has a fun side, with an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor for 3X the performance of the last MacBook. Now you can enjoy games like Spore, Call of Duty and Sims 3 at even higher frame rates.

Apple has managed to make the latest MacBook faster, more functional and stylish, while keeping it affordable and friendlier to the environment. We're impressed. Be sure to stop by and check out MacForce's full line of MacBooks. We've got them lined up so you can compare for yourself.

Posted by Brian

Crew Review: New 27" iMacs

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:12:26 -0700

First Impression:
The 27-inch iMac and it's new Magic Mouse have landed here at Macforce. I set one up earlier this week and I have to say I'm totally impressed! The increase in size is pretty obvious when you first set eyes on it. Visually, I think that the design is improved. Less aluminum, especially at the bottom edge, gives it a more refined and expansive look. It's really nice.

The details:
The 27-inch LCD display, has a 16x9 aspect ratio and 2560x1440 resolution. It is LED driven and thinner than the previous 24-inch display. It is 19% larger and has 60% more pixels. For those not as geeky about stats as myself, this means a bigger, better, crisper screen. The CPU is 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, or a 2.66 Quad Core, coming in November.The standard RAM configuration is 4GB but this imac is expandable to 16GB, another first for iMacs. This is a screaming fast iMac. In fact, it's the largest and fastest ever.

So what does it come with? Let's start with the built-in iSight camera, 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA hard drive, four USB 2.0 ports, an SD card slot, built-in Bluetooth, Airport card, one firewire 800 port and Gigabit Ethernet. It all comes standard in the 27-inch iMac. And, of course, it comes loaded with Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard (includes iTunes, Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools) iLife ’09 (includes iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand).

One more thing . . .

Also included with the new 27-inch iMac is a wireless bluetooth keyboard and the brand new, totally unique, Magic Mouse. Gone are the buttons and scroll ball, replaced by finger gestures.

When I first unboxed the Magic Mouse I thought it was too small. Once I started using it though, I really liked the size and the simplicity of it. The multi-touch area covers the top surface of the Magic Mouse, and the mouse itself is the button. Scroll in any direction with one finger, swipe through web pages and photos with two, and click and double-click anywhere. Inside Magic Mouse is a chip that tells it exactly what you want to do. Which means Magic Mouse won’t confuse a scroll with a swipe. It even knows when you’re just resting your hand on it. It has a right and left click depending on which finger you use and all the other functionality is with gestures. It is all customizable and really fun to use.

After playing with the mouse and marveling at the speed and the gorgeous screen, I'd have to say this is the best iMac yet. Come down and try it out today.

Posted by Ronnie

Full Moon Fever

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:11:26 -0700

Computer technicians are rarely superstitious, myself included. A Halloween themed post is hard to write. It's also something I never considered doing. All of our training and experience guides us to believe that things fail in predictable and explainable ways. Hard drives wear out, capacitors swell, and wine destroys laptops. Easy stuff. No ghosts, no ancient curses, nothing that can't be reproduced and replaced. So with all of that said, here is a weird story from the Service Center:

I really like Numbers, Apple's spreadsheet program in iWork. t can take the data that I have of our repairs and make attractive graphs out of it. I am often asked to run different reports for the service center to look for patterns. Most of these are pretty standard fare with predictable outcomes. You may wonder what the busiest day is for computers to be checked in during the week? Monday morning. What is average turn around time from the day the customer brings in the computer to when they pick it back up? Three to five days. Stuff like that. All very factual and solid. The kind of matter of fact reality that I have learned to trust over the years. Interesting to data nerds, but a strong force of boredom, ignored by most people. So when I was asked to run a report on the number of repairs and sales we do in relation the phase of the moon, I was intrigued to say the least! The reason for this, I was told, was because places like hospital emergency rooms and police stations have a knack of filling up on the full moon and the powers that be wanted to see if we had a similar phenomena on our hands here at MacForce.

Lunar months are about 29.530589 days long. Give or take. This is the distance between the two new moons each cycle. This means that lunar months are alternately 29 and 30 days long. Mapping our service intake to this alternating pattern was a difficult problem to solve, which became more elusive immediately because we were not open on Sundays. This means no new service tickets or sales were initiated on those days. After much research and experimentation, I found a cycle of 413 days to regain balance brought about by the lack of data from Sundays and the alternating lengths of the months considered. And here is what we learned:

The first thing to notice is the spike in sales on the Full moon. While there is a larger spike a couple of days after a new moon, the spike right at the full moon marker tends to support theory of increased activity on a full moon. This is all well and good, but what does it mean? So more people come into MacForce on a Full moon, but the really interesting trend here is the increase in number of computers checked into our service department for various reasons. We discovered that we see about 40% more service tickets started the day after a full moon. Very interesting indeed!

After double checking my numbers and formulas in Numbers, I started showing the graph to some of my friends before submitting my findings at work. For most people, this just confirmed the suspicions that they already held. But a some friends in particular, all computer people mind you, reacted quite strongly in opposition to it. It polarized my immediate circle of friends. An acupuncturist chipped in that they see a build up of anger related symptoms leading up to the full moon each lunar cycle and then dissipating afterwards. A former EMT said that the hospitals do staffing around these lunar cycles. A gardener let me know about the hydrological impact of the moon for planting crops. I read articles about dog bites being more frequent on the full moons. Almost everyone I talked to had some other story to add to list.

Now I really don't know what I believe. Before running the numbers, I was of the persuasion that the moon has no effect on mundane things like computer repairs. Now I have a bit of uncertainty swimming through my brain. In a few more months, the period of time necessary for a new set of balanced numbers will occur again and I can run them again. The next full moon will be on November 2nd, a Monday, and we will be open the day after. It's probably a safe bet to back up your data before that. Just in case. Not that we're superstitious here...

Posted by Ryan

Big Announcements From Apple Today

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:24:10 -0700

Today Apple released a slew of new Macs and peripherals with delicious cutting edge technologies. From new iMacs, Mac Books and Mac minis, to revised AirPort Extremes and Time Capsules; there's a lot to be excited about. They even updated the Apple Remote and added magic to the mouse. So, here's our take on what's new.

Limited Time Deal: Call or stop by to pre-order and pay for your new Mac and get an additional savings: $20 off the new MacBook and iMacs, and $10 off the new Mac mini.

The news iMacs have gone fast and wide, with the fastest ever processors (up to a 2.8GHz Quad Core i7 and a 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo ) and beautiful 16:9 displays (in 21.5" and 27" sizes). The 21.5" starts at $1,199 with a 1920x1080 display and a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics card. It can also be purchased with the ATI Radeon HD 4670 card for $1,499. The 27" models starts at $1,699, with a 2560x1440 display, and can be configured with faster processors (shipping in November). All the new iMacs have an SD card slot and ship with a wireless keyboard and the new multi-touch Magic Mouse.

"The way the mouse should have always worked."
-Jonathan Ives

Apple has brought the same cutting edge tech used by the iPhone, iPod Touch and MacBooks to the mouse. The wireless multi-touch Magic Mouse (available separately for $69, end of October) allows you to use gesture commands to scroll through documents, pan across pictures and swipe to move forward or backward while web surfing or perusing your pictures. And it can be configured for the left and right hand. This will make for a great addition to professionals using older Macs that would benefit most from the speed and ergonomics of multi-touch technology.

The new MacBook has certainly taken on a lot of the innovative features from the MacBook Pro and made them even more affordable ($999): Streamlined polycarbonate design, LED-backlit display, glass multi-touch trackpad and 7 hour battery life. It has a 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and comes with an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics card built-in.

You know that the Mac mini is the most affordable Mac, but it also works great as media player/server hooked up to your HDTV. The new Mac mini is faster, offers more storage and comes standard with double the memory. Starting at $599, the entry level mini has a faster 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of DDR3 1066MHz RAM, FireWire 800, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics and a SuperDrive. The $799 Mac mini has a 2.53GHz processor, 4GB of RAM and a larger 320GB hard drive. But wait, there's more, Apple now offers a $999 configuration (please call for availability) with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server pre-installed. It has two 500GB hard drives, for a total of 1TB (terabyte) of server storage. And it's only 6.5" by 2" tall. To make space for the extra hard drive they removed the optical drive.

The new Apple Remote ($19, shipping in 2-4 weeks) looks slick with it's tapered aluminum design and circular navigation wheel. It's compatible with any infrared enabled Mac made since 2005. And if you have an iPod Universal Dock, you can use it to remotely control your iPod or iPhone.

The new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule have taken a step up in performance. With a revised antenna design, they have 50% better wireless performance and 25% better range than previous models. And when using Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard, the new Time Capsule is up to 60% faster when doing backups than earlier models.

Another great day for Mac lovers waiting for the latest and greatest. These Macs will make a lot of people happy this holiday season, so be sure to call or stop by to pre-order and pay for your new Mac and get an additional savings: $20 off the new MacBook and iMacs, and $10 off the new Mac mini.

Posted by Brian

Deal Of The Week

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:08:24 -0700

For those of you longing for the next MacForce Garage Sale we have a little something to tide you over. We are blowing out some amazing products this week. Hurry in because supplies are limited and it's first come, first serve.

Wacom tablet
We still have a select number of Wacom Intuos3 tablets in stock. Experience this amazing creative tool at unbelievable prices.

Intuos3 6x8: Was $329. Now $179

Intuos3 6x11: Was $369. Now $199

Intuos3 9x12: Was $449. Now $249

Acme bags
Acme Made bags are the ultimate in design and craftsmanship. The original sticker shock scared a few off, but we've taken care of that. These beautiful bags will not last long at these prices.

Cargo/Trixy: Was $129. Now $39

The Courier: Was $249. Now $69

Metro Tote: Was $359. Now $99

Utility software
There is no a Mac user out there that doesn't need a good utility application around to help you out in time of need. We've taken two of the most popular offerings and slashed them them down to an unbeatable price.

Drive Genius 2: Was $89. Now $19

Tech Tool Pro: Was $99. Now $29

Posted by Chris

Search Smarter, Not Harder

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:45:55 -0700

I often find myself needing to search for the same phrase or file type many times. Rather than going through the same tedious process every time I need to run a search, I instead create a Smart Search and save it to either the sidebar in my Finder or to the Desktop for easy access. One more thing that really helps my workflows is setting my Spotlight preferences to more accurately reflect what I feel is important to me, rather than using the system defaults. Let's take a look at how quick and easy this all is.

Saving a Smart Search
First, open a new Finder window. In the upper right hand corner, you will see a search field. Go ahead and type in what you would like to search for.

Right away you will notice some new options appear directly below the toolbar in the Finder window. To the far right you will find a + and a - button. Clicking on the + button will allow you to add more search criteria. Your Mac will automatically start providing new search results based upon the filters you have put in place. If you would like to fine tune the search even more, just add another layer to your search. You may find it best to start with a File Kind, like jpg, or pdf. You will quickly find that this new way of searching will save you a lot of time by eliminating much of the clicking and scrolling usually done when going through multiple folders trying to find what you are looking for.

Now to really make this all worth while. Once you have the search just the way you like it, go ahead and click Save in the upper right hand corner of the Finder window. You will be prompted to give your search a name. If you plan on creating several of these, make sure you are giving it a name that describes what the search does. For instance a search resulting in only jpg files that were created in the last year and last modified in the last 5 days, I would call this 5 Day jpg.

Now the last step. I personally like to keep my saved searches in my Finder Sidebar. If you work from the Desktop a lot, you may find it more helpful to have this folder placed on your Desktop.

Customizing your Spotlight Searches
When I use Spotlight, it is either to find something quickly or to launch an application quickly. So, the last thing I want is too much information bogging me down. I try to simplify my search results as much as possible and make sure that the results are presented in a way that makes the most sense for me. Here is what a typical search would look like.

Now let's go into the System Preferences and click on Spotlight. This is where you can change setting and start to customize the way searching with Spotlight works for you.

Let's start by deciding on how you would like the search results to be displayed. I personally want Applications to always be the first result I see, as I use Spotlight much of the time to launch applications. I do this to avoid having to open the finder, then the application folder and then scrolling down to the application I want. Since I already have a pretty full Dock I opt to use Spotlight to launch many of the apps do have room for in my Dock. I typically do not want to see websites, emails, fonts or preferences in my results, as I am usually looking for a file or an application and everything else is just in the way.

Clicking on the Privacy tab at the top of the Preferences window opens the window you need to be in to alter what your Mac is going to search through before providing your results. If you would like to prevent Spotlight from searching certain folders, click on the + button in the bottom left corner of the Preferences window, navigate to the folder you are wanting to exclude in your searches and drag it in to the white area in the middle of the Preferences window.

Your new search using Spotlight should be much nicer experience now. Here is what a simplified search might look like in comparison.

You can also set which keystrokes you prefer to use for Spotlight in this Preference pane, which is located at the bottom of the window.

Well, that's it! I know this saves me a ton of time and frustration when I'm up against deadlines and need to find things easily, so I hope it helps you too. Please let us know if you have requests for future Help Deck postings.

Posted by Chris

Sixteen Pounds And Twenty Years

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:50:29 -0700

This past Sunday was a special day for a computer in MacForce's Apple Museum, our Macintosh Portable marked it's 20th anniversary. This 16 pound monstrosity is Apple's first Mac portable and was affectionately known as "the luggable". When folded shut, it's 4" thick and more than 15" wide. It's 9.8" active-matrix screen is 1-bit (black and white) and can only display 640x400 video. And it's 68HC000 processor runs at a paltry 16MHz. But this "portable" (originally priced at $6,500) Mac was still cutting edge. Apple knew that a portable computer is used differently than a desktop, so it uses more expensive SRAM to allow the Mac to have a revolutionary power saving sleep mode. And rather than using the standard mouse, Apple built in a removable trackball, which could be placed on either side of the keyboard. But it's cutting edge strengths certainly didn't outweigh it's weaknesses. In 2006, PC World rated it the 17th worst tech product of all time, due to battery and weight issues.

When you look at today's Mac Book Pro with it's lightweight inclosure and long life battery, it's hard to believe that it's progenitor was a 16 pound brick. No doubt though, it's successes and failures are responsible for the Macs that followed.

Stop by MacForce's Apple Museum and check out the Mac Portable and thirteen other Macs responsible for the Mac, iPods and iPhones we own today.

Posted by Brian

Snow Leopard: First Impressions

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:08:33 -0700

It’s a Performance Boost, Not a Roaring Upgrade
The changes in Snow Leopard are, for the most part, invisible. This OS is built to take full advantage of faster 64-bit Intel Macs. That means all apps included with Snow Leopard have been rewritten for 64-bit processors. Apps coded by third-party developers who opt to rewrite their software with 64-bit support will also be snappier.

If your activities are not very processor-intensive, then you won’t notice a huge difference. If you’re editing movies or photos regularly, you’ll immediately be able to feel the improvement. We tested movie exporting in iMovie and photo editing in iPhoto, and both apps ran much more smoothly than on Leopard.

There are a number of other performance improvements that aren’t obvious. For example, when you wake up a MacBook from sleep, the AirPort connection will only take about a second to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network, compared with a few seconds on Leopard. Also, the Finder, which you use to navigate your files, is a lot less laggy than before: Thumbnails display almost immediately, and scanning through folders is smooth.

Not All Third-Party Software Is Guaranteed to Work
As is often the case with OS upgrades, there are going to be some third-party developers who procrastinated on testing their software to ensure compatibility with Snow Leopard. Most applications working on Mac OS X 10.5, aka Leopard, will most likely work in Snow Leopard. Leopard was a 64-bit system that also supported 32-bit software, and Snow Leopard is still compatible with 32-bit applications.

If a developer hasn’t rewritten his or her application for Snow Leopard, that most likely means it’s just not 64-bit capable. It’ll still work, but just not as fast as it could be if it were optimized for 64-bit computing.

However, if you’re running third-party software that you absolutely need, it’s always smart to check the developer’s website to see if the app has been tested on Snow Leopard. Adobe, for example, has already stated that Creative Suite 3 has not been tested on Snow Leopard and may have compatibility issues. We were able to test Adobe Photoshop CS 3 on Snow Leopard and thus far have had no problems. We also tested QuickSilver, App Zapper, Adium, Tweetie and Evernote, and all seemed to work fine. But do some research and pretest on a non production system if you’re concerned.

Apple has promised that after installing Snow Leopard, the OS will note which applications are incompatible with it. On the test machine we saw, none of the apps became incompatible after upgrading from Leopard to Snow Leopard.

In short, if you’re running relatively new software, you probably won’t have to worry. With more dated apps (three years or older) you should consider double-checking.

Minor Tweaks to Interface, Usability
Don’t expect this to be a brand new experience: Most of the UI changes are small. For example, Exposé, the window-management tool, has been implemented into the Dock. Clicking a Dock icon and holding it down will show only the windows of the selected app, which could be useful if you’re a digital clutter-bug like I am.

Another small but good change: When snapping screenshots, the images are assigned a file name containing a time stamp of when they were taken.

The most significant refinement to built-in software occurs in QuickTime, now dubbed QuickTime Player X. The player interface gets a makeover — a gray-and-black gradient (see screenshot at right). Other than that, there are new tools including movie recording from your webcam, audio recording from your microphone, and screen-casting.

Hardware Requirements: No Support for PowerPC Macs
If you own an older Mac powered by a PowerPC chip (rather than Intel), then you’re out of luck: Snow Leopard won’t run on your machine. The requirements are as follows: You must own an Intel Mac equipped with at least 1GB of memory, and the install requires at least 5GB of free hard drive space for the install. And of course, you’ll need a DVD drive to be able to read the disc and run the installation. (MacBook Air owners: We hope you have an external optical drive.)

Not sure what kind of processor you own? Click on the Apple icon in the upper-left corner and select “About This Mac.” If the word “PowerPC” comes up in the “Processor” field, then you cannot run this upgrade. If it says “Intel,” you’re fine.

You Get up to 7 GB More Hard-Drive Space
Snow Leopard is less bloated with system files than its predecessor, so after upgrading to it, you’ll get some free space. Apple promises the install “frees up to 7 GB of drive space.” The upgrade freed up only 3.5 GB of space for our test machine, but hey — we’re not complaining. More space is always better.

The Upgrade Only Costs $29
Apple is advertising Snow Leopard as a $29 upgrade “for Leopard users.” If you’re upgrading from Tiger, Apple advises you to purchase the full Mac Box Set for $169. Of course, the transition isn’t guaranteed to be as smooth as it would be from Leopard to Snow Leopard, and that’s because some older, Tiger-only third-party applications need to be upgraded to newer versions that work with Leopard or Snow Leopard.

Conclusion
This upgrade won’t deliver any radical interface changes to blow you away (not that we would want it to), but the $29 price is more than fair for the number of performance improvements Snow Leopard delivers.

Posted by Owen

iTunes 9: First Impressions

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:07:51 -0700

Last week Apple released iTunes 9. The changes to this latest and greatest version primarily involve support for the new iTunes LP format, some very handy changes to the iPhone/iPod Touch syncing interface, some nice under-the-hood changes, and a few tweaks to the look of iTunes itself.

Visual differences
Most notable of the visual changes from iTunes 8 to 9 is the reworked “grid” view which displays albums by their artwork: the background is now a very pale white-gray with no visible way to change the view options—these now live in the View menu when Grid mode is enabled under “Grid View” instead of hovering over the top of the album art. (screenshot here would be nice...)

Another visual change is in the Column Browser, which has been included in all post-iPod versions of iTunes. The major change here is that the Column can now be set to take up a small section of the left hand side of the iTunes window rather than an upper portion. In concert with the built in library search this could make life much easier if you’re looking through a very large library for specific items; like all of the Beatles psychedelic albums and not their pop albums.

The iTunes Store finally received a facelift and finally looks decent on widescreen Macs, and it no longer resembles the user interface from Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. Otherwise all of the visual changes are refinements, most notably a newer more easily identifiable icon for Smart Playlists.

iPod & iPhone Syncing
One of the greatest changes to iTunes is a greatly improved system for syncing iPhones and iPod touches: you can finally reorganize applications directly from iTunes, and also selectively sync Music, Movies, etc. Being able to directly reorganize apps from iTunes itself has been something a majority of iPhone and Touch users have been waiting for, and an entirely worthwhile reason to install iTunes 9 and download the 3.1 version of system software; which is now only $4.95 on the iTunes store for iPod Touch users on older software.

Another change that iTunes 9 has brought in is the ability to sync over specific artists and genres of music to iPhones and iPod touches. This does make the old-school method of creating a large number of well manicured and carefully tailored Smart Playlists mostly obsolete, which is handy for everyone who wants their iPhone or iPod touch to take care of itself and just sync specific things, be it New Wave or the latest CD from your favorite artist.

Under the hood
Perhaps one of the best changes made to the latest iTunes is the restructuring of the way that iTunes stores files. No longer is it defaulted to an iTunes Music folder which lists out all of your artists and sloppily adds in your TV shows, movies, audiobooks, ringtones, and iPhone apps in a messy jumble—now there are well defined sections: “Audiobooks,” “Downloads” (where unfinished downloads from the Store live), “Mobile Applications” (aka iPhone/iPod Touch apps), “Movies,” “Music,” “Podcasts,” “Ringtones,” and “TV Shows.” Most notable of all is the inclusion of an “Automatically Add to iTunes” folder which lets you dump newly downloaded content to this folder and the next time you pop open iTunes it sorts everything away into its proper home. Why is this awesome? Well, utilizing this new feature iTunes no longer duplicates files that are being added to iTunes, it just moves them. So, that means there is less data being written to your computer’s hard drive, less manual cleanup after you add in new files, and less of a chance for human error.

To convert over older libraries you will need to go under the File menu to Library > Organize Library and check both the Consolidate Library and Update to iTunes Media organization. Definitely back up with Time Machine, iTunes’ built in “Back up to Disc” feature, or a manual clone to an external drive first, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

iTunes LP
From the looks of it, iTunes LP could be an amazing experience for hardcore fans and audiophiles of the represented bands. Being able to read through deluxe liner notes and listen to commentary from the musicians is an experience that most of us don’t get in our daily lives, but not a requirement for enjoying the music. Think about it: how often have you actually watched all of the bonus features on your favorite DVD, let alone the voiceover commentary from the director/actors/whomever. Odds are, unless it happens to be your favorite movie you probably haven’t.

Posted by Vanessa

It's Only Rock n' Roll, But We Like It!

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:53:26 -0700

Steve Jobs Is Back.
It's good to see Steve back on stage announcing new Apple gear and new features. Today's Apple iPod event just wrapped and we've got lots of news to share. Steve and his crew have been very busy. By the way, order a new iPod from MacForce before this Saturday and will give you a *discount: $5 off the Shuffle, $10 off the nano or Classic, and up to $20 off the new iPod touch. And be sure to check out our iPod trade-in program. Please stop by or call for all the details.

The New Nano:
The Nano has always been a solid iPod, in fact it's the best selling one, but today they took it to a whole other level. With the new Nano you can now shoot 640x480 video with audio in portrait and landscape and play it back on a larger screen (2.2-inch) with audio on the built in speaker. You can even choose from 15 real time effects. For you runners, they added a built in Nike Plus pedometer so you have less gear to worry about. And with VoiceOver you don't have to look at the screen to know what's playing, it speaks the names of the songs and artists. For those that like to listen to the radio for their tunes, Apple added a digital FM tuner that allows you to Live Pause what your listening to and even iTunes tag it for future purchase. The Nano has always looked great, but the new polished anodized aluminum case (in nine vibrant colors), is even better. And please make a note of this: You can now record voice memos with it's built in microphone.

iTunes 9:
It's still the iTunes we love, just better with a new design and features. One thing that's been missing since the creation of the iTunes Store has been complete albums. Sure the music was there, but the song lyrics and photos were missing. Well, Apple has brought that experience back with iTunes LP. When you purchase an album with iTunes LP, you'll have a more immersive and interactive experience with animated lyrics, linear notes, photos and video from the artists that made the music. And they've done something similar for movie purchasers with iTunes Extras on select films. Get a inside look at your favorite movies with new special features (interviews trailers and photos), making it more like a DVD. You can now easily share your music, movies and more with Home Sharing. And if you have an iPhone or iPod touch, you are going to love the new management functionality. You can sort and place your iPhone apps within iTunes, saving you the time and hassle of sorting them on the iPhone.

Everything Else:
Also announced today were price cuts for the iPod Classic, now $249 gets you an even bigger 160GB model. New iPod Shuffles are 2GB ($59), 4GB ($79) in five new colors: silver, pink, green, blue and a special edition stainless steel model. The iPod touch also saw a price drop across the entire line, as well as a larger 64GB model. New iPod touch prices are 8GB for $199, 32GB for $299 and 64GB for $399. They announced the OS 3.1 update for the iPod touch and iPhone. New features include improved Genius functionality for both music and apps, ringtone downloads, better video editing, voice control over Bluetooth and more.

All in all a great day for new Apple products, and it's great to see Steve on stage doing what he loves. Please stop by to try out the new iPods and maybe even trade-up your old one.

*Discount is applied to MSRP. Good through 9/12/09.

Posted by Brian

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard: Faster. Smarter. Better.

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:32:41 -0700

It's here! Actually, it's almost here. Starting this Friday we'll have the much anticipated next version of Mac OS X, Snow Leopard. They've taken what we know and love and refined it. They searched for areas to further simplify and speed up — from little things like ejecting external drives to big things like installing the OS. In many cases, they elevated great to amazing. Here are just a few examples of how your Mac experience has been power-tuned:

1. A more advanced, more nimble Finder (including 64-bit support).
2. New look, new features for Exposé and Stacks.
3. Quicker Time Machine backups.
4. Faster to wake up and shut down.
5. Higher resolution iChat.
6. More efficient file sharing.
7. Easier PDF text selection and editing.
8. Restore deleted items to original locations in the Finder.
9. Automatic update for printer drivers.
10. Built in Exchange support.

And a slew of enhancements too long to list here. Stop by this Friday to try it out yourself, enjoy a free seminar and get more info from our helpful sales staff.

Posted by Brian

Summer Blast 2009

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:42:15 -0700

Summer Blast number 6 and fun and excitement continues. The huge crowd of Mac fanatics enjoyed perfect weather, lots of great vendors and thousands of dollars of giveaways every 30 minutes! The seminars were packed, the kids tent was bustling and mass quantities of free food were devoured. Two of the stars of the show were new additions this year. We added the very popular social networking tent and we gave away over 3000 collectible buttons. Hang on to those buttons we have some special plans for those.

Thank you to all our loyal customers and those new to MacForce for making Summer Blast such a success. Each year we try to make it bigger and better then the year before. We'd love to hear from you. Please let us know what you loved about this year and what you'd like to see next year. Please send your suggestions to info@macforce.com.

See you all in August 2010!!

Posted by Chris

Crew Review: App Store Hits!

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:50:04 -0700

iFighter
iFighter is a fun little Game for the iphone and iPod Touch. It's a throwback to the 80's arcade games like 1942. It uses the accelerometer to steer your plane and features tons of enemies to blow up. It's fun and a steal at just $.99! Check it out here.

Reviewed by Ronnie

Things
Just started using Things a week ago. Felt expensive at $10 but it has a great feature set for "to do" listing. You can set up different lists and deadlines. I've set up a list of books I want to read, household chores that need to get done and wish lists for birthdays (and other occasions). It has a polished interface and frequent updates.

The best part, though, is the "Someday" list; stuff that you want to do sometime but don't have a deadline. I won't forget the items but I don't have pressure to complete them immediately.

It's more expensive than a lot of the "to do" apps, but the feature set and polish make it worth the price for me.
Reviewed by David

One of my favorite iPhone applications is Things. Things an elegant, and top rated application on the App Store and one that I use many times a day every day. This application offers a great way to view and organize projects, and a simple way to tag, file and schedule tasks for the future. If you are a GTD minded person it is even better.

The Things iPhone app is well designed and will stand on its own but is even better when using the desktop application that allows syncing between the iPhone and the Mac on a Wi-Fi network. Check it out here.

Reviewed by Sean

PDX Bus
PDX Bus ties into Portland's Metro system and alerts you of when buses are coming. I use this app everyday to find a bus or a bus stop near me. GPS, trip planning, expected arrival time, Rider Alerts all make this an awesome application. Helps me out when I don't have my bike. Check it out here.

Reviewed by Ryan

Scanner Radio
"When I was little, I used to have a handheld scanner radio - you know, the kind you were able to pick up your local police frequencies on, and get to hear the action! Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon a great App on the iTunes Store called "Scanner Radio"!

With Scanner Radio, I am able to pick up major EMS, Police and Dispatch radio transmissions, not only the local broadcasts, but from *all over the country*! - And best of all - wherever I have Cellular or WI-FI signal, I will receive the same crisp, static-free radio transmissions!

The App is $.99 and i found it well worth it, the entertainment value is priceless! :) Check it out here.

Reviewed by Miles

NIN Access
There are a few apps on the App store that are specific for recording artist. They all work in a very similar way, info on the artist, pictures, video’s and a couple songs to listen to. The NIN Access app features a photo blog and tour info on show’s as they happen live! There is also a built in “near by” button to see who near you is also a NIN fan and connect with them instantly and also access to forum’s. But in an age filled with other artist app, what’s so special about this one? Trent Reznor gets “IT”, thats the difference!

 Along with the all the features mentioned above, the biggest ground breaking feature is the Media section, and most noticeably it’s music section. Every single NIN song and release is stream-able for free on the app! So essentially you have the entire Nine Inch Nails catalogue with you inside this app. It would be pretty absurd to own EVERY single NIN song (as absurd it is to breath, i admit it. . . I own the entire catalogue). But I have spent years doing so and now in the time it takes to download this app, you also own the catalogue (Am i bitter. . .NO. . . Maybe. . .OK I AM!). But i am not bitter that this is amazing and revolutionary, in a time where downloading and pirating is headline news, this goes beyond that. There is no need too download and pirate NIN music, if you own an iPod touch or iPhone, you essentially own it all!

I mentioned above that Trent Reznor gets “IT”, he gets what the value of a free app is, gets that music industry has changed and that people don’t want to be treated as a consumer, they want to treated like a Fan! Check it out here.

Reviewed by Jesus

Seafood Watch (a.k.a. Seafood Guide)
Looking for a way that your iPhone/iPod touch can help you live a more sustainable life? Seafood watch is a free app that tells you what seafood is grown and harvested in an earth friendly way. From Abalone to Yellowtail, this app will help you make an earth friendly decision in your aquatic diet. Check it out here.

Reviewed by Todd

Fusion Island
Sometimes I need a good game to help pass the time. Something that's not too easy, but not so hard that I can't enjoy it. Fusion Island is simple, fun, addictive and not your average strategy gem game. Great graphics, fast gameplay and over 70 challenging levels make this a hit in my book. It only costs $1.99 and works for both the iPhone and iPod Touch. Check it out here.

Reviewed by Chris G.

Zillow
Become a real estate expert in minutes, for free. Ok, maybe not an expert, but you'll sure sound like one. With Zillow you can find estimated prices on 88+ million homes in the U.S., instantly. Using the iPhones GPS, Zillow gives you an overhead view of your current location with prices attached to most homes. You can filter your search by price, number of bedrooms and bathrooms and listing type (for sale, Make Me Move and recently sold). It even uses iPhone's new OS 3 push notifications feature so you can auto track your saved searches. Fun and fascinating, I love this app. Check it out here.

Reviewed by Brian

AccuWeather
One of my favorite iPhone apps is made by Accuweather.com. Not only is it great for getting your standard forecast for preset locations, it will also find your current location and provide current conditions and the forecast for that spot. You can get hourly forecasts up to 15 hours out and daily forecasts for the next 15 days. Just swipe your finger across the screen to view a new preset location.

Not too long ago I was at Champoeg state park with my father and I fired up the Accuweather app. A quick look at the animated radar showed a major storm headed our way. Sure enough, just as we got back to the car, the heavens opened up and we narrowly avoided getting drenched. Check it out here.

Reviewed by Chris C.

POsted by Chris

New iPod Sound Systems!

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:40:53 -0700

It's been a while since we last refreshed our iPod sound system line-up here at MacForce. So we have decided to go big and bring in all new products! Some of the best docking stations ever made are on the market right now, offering up amazing quality and great values. One that we are very excited about is called the iTPA-220 from DICE. It combines the precision digital sound of your iPod with the warm analog sounds of years past using a unique dual tube amplifier wrapped in a slick retro design. It has received some pretty great reviews recently and is hard to pass by, well worth a few minute of your time next time you are in the store.

The second iPod docking station we selected is the Tango X2 from XtremeMac. It is a full featured 2.1 audio system with two full range speakers, two tweeters, a subwoofer and a built-in AM/FM radio with six presets. With so many iPod stereos out there today to choose from XtremeMac has done a great job separating themselves from the pack with this revision to the wildly popular Tango they released back in 2007. We aren't the only people who think so either!

We all have those time where we wish we could just take the home stereo with us when we leave the house. There have been plenty of portable solutions over the years, but the InMotion iM600 from Altec Lansing is something different. Sure it gives you the convenience of over 7 hours of continuous listening pleasure with it's new rechargeable Li-ion battery, and it collapses down to a slim 11“ wide, 1.7“ deep, and 6“ high, but it also packs a serious punch in the sound quality department too. Check out one of many great reviews for the InMotion iM600 here.

The last addition we made this week, is the Pure-fi Express Plus from Logitech. These guys have been ahead of the curve from the beginning in the iPod stereo world, and their latest addition to the Pure-fi lineup is pretty incredible considering it's very low price! Boasting advanced omnidirectional acoustics, portable capabilities and Apple's Universal Dock adaptors, this device really is an all-in-one solution whether you are at home, in the office or on the go. And the critics agree.

So swing by this week and take the new toys for a spin. They are all set up and ready to go!

Posted by Chris

Apple Announces iPhone OS 3.0 Beta

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:33:45 -0700

The iPhone 3.0 OS release, due out this summer according to Apple, will offer more than 100 changes, and over 1,000 new APIs available to iPhone software developers. The new API's (Appliction Programing Interface) available to programers allow the iPhone to do things other phones only dream about. Here are a few of the new API's we think are going to be big and a breakdown of what they do.

Users will be able to purchase content or services from different applications using the Store Kit framework. This new framework handles the financial aspects of the transaction, processes payment with the iTunes Store, and provides your application with information about the purchase. Super cool and very convenient!

Seeing just how big the gaming and networking aspects of the iPhone have become, this one is big! True multi-player capabilities can be added to games using the peer to peer network connectivity and in game voice communication features of Game Kit. This powerful new framework allows any application, not just games, to communicate between devices using Bluetooth, no pairing required.

Staying in Sync and connected will be easier than ever before. The Apple Push Notification service provides a way to alert users of new information, even when your applications aren't running. Send text notifications, trigger audible alerts, or add a numbered badge to your application icon.

Developers can now embed maps within applications using the new Map Kit framework. Map Kit works with the Google Mobile Maps Service and features panning and zooming, custom annotations, current location and geocoding. We are sure this incredible feature will find it's way into many apps for you to enjoy.

Using the new External Accessory framework, new applications can now communicate with "Made for iPod" hardware accessories attached to iPhone or iPod touch through either the 30-pin dock connector or wirelessly using Bluetooth.

iPod Library Access now allows apps to access music, podcasts, or audio books in a user's iPod library directly from your application using the updated Media Player framework. You can play, repeat and shuffle songs or whole playlists, or create sequences of songs using custom searches.

API's are not the only new thing about the iPhone 3.0 OS. The new OS also adds some long overdue features to the current iPhone software. Cut/Copy/Paste was added to the new OS and implemented as only Apple could do, providing a simple yet powerful way to preform those functions.

MMS or Picture Messaging has been added to the text message app which has a new application icon is now called Messaging. The messaging app now supports landscape mode, but messaging isn't the only app to get landscape mode Mail, Stocks, and Contacts also support landscape mode now.

A new application called Voice Memo has been added and supports recording in the background. You can also send your voice recordings via e-mail or MMS.

There is now a easy way to find anything on your phone, you may recognize it, it's called Spotlight. A flick to the left from the first screen of apps brings it up, and from there you can search contacts, mail metadata, calendars, media, applications, and more. A search bar has also been added to Contacts, Mail, iPod, and Calendar.

Notes on your iPhone can now sync with your computer via iTunes.

Finally on of my favorite new features Apple has added support for more bluetooth connectivity including support for Stereo Bluetooth headphones and remote control. Allowing you to wirelessly stream music to any Bluetooth device that supports the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (or A2DP) and the Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (or AVRCP). A2DP is the Bluetooth profile that enables your music source and the Bluetooth headset to stream music wirelessly in stereo; AVRCP is a Bluetooth profile that enables your Bluetooth headset to wirelessly control your music source.

Posted by Owen

The Wait Is Over For New Macs

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:10:36 -0700

Apple released revisions to four Mac models yesterday: The Mac mini, iMac, Mac Book Pro and Mac Pro. They're faster and more versatile than ever. And if that wasn’t enough, Apple also made the latest Macs more environmentally friendly and added some extras to the Airport Extreme. Here’s my quick take on the improvements.

Mac mini
I’ve been waiting for a bump in performance, and Apple did not disappoint. Although Apple didn’t put in a faster processor, they did add a wicked fast video card (GeForce 9400M) that hopefully will improve HD video playback. It’s definitely going to be great for video games. It also has a Firewire 800 port, can be upgraded to 4GB of RAM and supports a 30” Cinema Display through the new Mini DisplayPort. This is going to make a great media server at home.

iMac
The iMac has always been about more bang for the buck, and the latest versions don’t disappoint. The best deal of the bunch though is the middle iMac 24” with twice the memory and twice the storage. And it’s priced the same as the old 20” iMac. There are three video cards to choose from, the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 or ATI Radeon HD 4850. All make for a great game system.

MacBook Pro
Apple snuck in some speed bumps on the Mac Book Pros. The high end model can now be ordered with a smoking 2.93GHz chip. The base model has been increased to 2.66GHz. Also, the 15-inch MacBook Pro and both 13-inch Mac Book models can now be configured with the same 256GB SSD (solid state drive).

Mac Pro
Not only is the new Mac Pro up to 2X faster, it also starts at $300 less. And the high end HD 4870 video card has up to 3x the performance of past cards. Work with video, audio or graphics? This is the ultimate solution to a faster workflow.

Airport
The new Time Capsule & Airport Extreme are even more flexible. Not only have they added multiband support (more compatible without slowing you down), but they added super secure guest networking and if you have a MobileMe account, you can now access your Time Capsule files over the Internet.

Apple is Eco Friendly
And here’s the best news of all, Apple’s new iMac exceeds current Energy Star 4.0 requirements. In fact, they’re setting a great example for the rest of the industry by being an early adopter of the more stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements. Also, like the company's latest Mac Books, the iMac lineup has achieved EPEAT Gold status.

Now I just need to decide between the ultimate media server Mac (the mini) or the ultimate desktop Mac (the 24” iMac). So many great choices. Thanks Apple!

Posted by Brian

Extend The Life Of Your Mac!

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:48:18 -0800

A lot of us are holding onto older computers for longer than we'd like to stretch an extra year out of them before upgrading to new hardware. If you are using an older computer, there are a few things you can do to keep your computer running smoothly until your next upgrade.

Routine Tune ups. Just like your car, your Mac needs routine maintenance to run it's best. A poorly maintained computer will become sluggish when doing normal tasks, and applications will crash more often. Having your computer tuned-up at least once a year can go a long way toward keeping your older Mac in stable, optimized condition. A good tune-up will include software updates, disc optimization, directory repair, and hardware diagnostic to look for any hardware problems that might cause your computer to fail unexpectedly. During a tune up your Mac will also be cleaned inside and out to keep dust from accumulating on fans and heat sinks.

Software upgrades. One of the biggest headaches with using an older computer is software incompatibilities. Your older computer might be running just fine, but your having problems sharing files with a client who is using a new MacBook or to a co-worker who is on a different version of Office. You can prevent these incompatibilities from happening by upgrading your operating system and essential applications. Even a Mac that is three or four years old can be upgraded to the latest operating system and the newest version of Office. An upgrade to the newest software combined with a tune-up is an easy way to give your Mac that "like new" feeling. To find out what your upgrade options available for your computer, please call MacForce.

RAM Upgrades. Upgrading the RAM in your computer is an inexpensive way to get an extra boost out of your computer and extend the useful life. Many of the older Macs shipped from Apple with a very limited amount of RAM, if your looking to upgrade into a new operating system this limited amount of RAM won't be enough. Thankfully RAM prices continue to fall and installing RAM is a very easy process that can be done in your office or at MacForce.

Hard Drive Upgrades. A hard drive that is nearly full will start to run slowly and eventually cause your Mac to crash. Hard drives are at all time low prices, it is now possible to buy a 500GB drive for your laptop for less than $170. MacForce can install a larger hard drive and help migrate files and applications onto the new drive.

Posted by Nate

The 25-Year-Old Dent

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:42:11 -0800

Amongst the more than 14 devices in MacForce's Apple Museum is the computer that changed the course of computing forever. Diminutive in size but gigantic in concept, the beige box with the nine-inch black-and-white screen was introduced to the world 25 years ago, and it’s why MacForce exists. It is, of course, the Macintosh.

It had an 8MHz processor, 128K of RAM and featured a 3.5 inch floppy disk drive. But hardware didn’t define it; it was the interface that was revolutionary. Today we take drop down menus, icons, windows and mice for granted, but at the time it was technical magic. Command-line-only operating systems were swept from the consumer market and graphical user interfaces took their rightful place.

But Apple didn’t stop there. They also developed applications, like MacDraw and MacWrite that delivered true "What You See Is What You Get" desktop publishing. And they published interface guidelines so that all developers could develop applications with a consistent look and feel. In one fell swoop, they changed the world of computing, and thus the world.

So I raise my glass to Apple, a company that rarely looks back to celebrate it’s successes, for putting a dent in the universe in 1984. And for continuing to create the insanely great.

Posted by Brian

New Laptops from Apple

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:35:11 -0800

The new 17in MacBook Pro is an amazing piece of enginering, with its new aluminum unibody case, an 8 hour integrated battery, and full size desktop-like LED backlit display, the new 17in MacBook Pro is a welcome addition to the MacBook family.

Following the design standard set by Apple late last year the new 17in MacBook Pro is getting the Aluminum unibody enclosure. Carved from a single block of aluminum, the new unibody enclosure is slim and streamlined, making this MacBook Pro the world’s thinnest and lightest 17-inch notebook — just 0.98 inch thin and 6.6 pounds. But it’s not just for looks. The rigid construction of the unibody also makes MacBook Pro more durable than ever.

The battery in the new 17-inch MacBook Pro lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge and can be recharged up to 1000 times - compared with only 200 to 300 times for typical notebooks. While most notebooks wear down their batteries by charging them at a constant rate, the 17-inch MacBook Pro takes a different approach. Using an Apple-developed technology called Adaptive Charging, a microchip on the battery constantly communicates with the computer to determine the optimal way to charge its cells, adjusting the current up and down depending on a variety of conditions. Combined, these advancements offer a dramatic improvement in battery lifespan: more than three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries — up to five years.

The new battery technology in the 17in MacBook Pro is also one of the reasons Apple is able to get full desktop-quality color in an Apple notebook for the first time. With the high-resolution LED-backlit widescreen display on the 17-inch MacBook Pro, the moment you open your MacBook Pro, you’re greeted instantly by full, corner-to-corner screen brightness. The 1920-by-1200-pixel resolution (133 pixels per inch) means you can view more palettes and windows or watch HD video in its native 1920-by-1080 resolution.

Another quick hardware change that snuck in under the radar this week was the revision of the white MacBook. The white MacBook is still maintaining the $999 price point and same outward appearance, but the changes internally are great. The New White MacBook boasts the new Nvidia 9400m Chipset giving this machine tremendously more power without breaking the bank. Instead of sharing 64 MB of Video Ram with the system it now shares 256 MB with the system meaning your iphoto library will load and scroll faster and your iMovie projects will render quicker. The other big change internally is the frontside bus moving from 800 MHz to 1066 MHz, meaning data and instructions gets from the hard disk to RAM to processor faster. Currently the New White MacBook is also the only Mac laptop below $1800 to have a Firewire port.

Snow and ice can't keep us down

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:56:10 -0800

MacForce is open!

You bet we are. Not even the snow will keep us down. Take a look at our dedicated team clearing a path to our door.

Nate Tack is here to help you with anything you need for your business.

Jamie Liptan is here to help you with any retail needs you have.

So come on down and enjoy some hot cocoa or cider along with cookies while you are shopping. And don't forget we have LaCie 1TB Poulton hard drives on sale for only $99! Plenty of good reasons to join us on a beautiful snowy day. Please be sure you call the store before heading our way to make sure we have what you are looking for and see how late we plan on staying open.

MacForce Crew Review: The New MacBook

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:25:10 -0800

After months of anticipation, rumors, and hoopla surrounding the new aluminum unibody MacBooks, they are finally here. And they are sweet! I was a little skeptical when they were announced. The previous versions didn't have the graphic muscle to render even the most basic 3D games, due to Intel's integrated graphics chip and 64MB of shared video memory.

The new MacBook maintains an integrated graphics card and shared video memory, but it's not even in the same category. The new Macbook has an Nvidia 9400M integrated chipset, and while it is still shares video memory with the main system memory, it now shares 256MB--four times as much as the previous MacBook. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has been my game of choice since I got the machine, and it runs smooth and fast. It also runs amazingly cool. Even after a four-hour kill-a-thon, the bottom of the machine was only mildly warm to the touch.

The glossy LED backlit screen is really bright and vivid. The colors seem to pop off the screen at you, a dramatic difference when shown side by side. Although the gloss is very high on the new screens, the brightness offsets it. Even outside in direct sunlight, the display is crisp and clear. Another feature of the new glossy display is the use of real glass. Real glass made from silica is very hard and therefore very durable and scratch-resistant. This makes for an easily cleanable screen without the need for expensive cleaner.

Moving away from the innards of the machine to the exterior, the new multi-touch trackpad is amazing. Again, I was a bit worried that loosing the button on the top of the trackpad would be a hassle, but it wasn't. It didn't take me any time to get used to the buttonless trackpad. In fact, while showing friends and family, most of them don't even notice until you point it out.

Multi-touch brings a whole new dimension to interacting with your computer. I have already integrated the new gestures into my normal workflow, and I can't wait until more gestures are developed. The feel of the trackpad is silky smooth and hopefully since the trackpad is glass, it won't be susceptible to the "polishing" other trackpads succumb to after a few months of wear.

Overall the new MacBook is a winner. The sleek new styling mixed with some dramatic improvements under the hood have culminated in one of the finest notebooks ever produced. I have a feeling that the MacBook line of products will be on top for a while.

MacForce Gets Cozy

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:24:06 -0700

One great thing about hanging around MacForce and being involved deeply with our user group meetings is meeting some super-cool people from very different disciplines. Last night, we hosted our Creative User Group meeting in which Alicia Paulson presented her soon to be released book, Stitched In Time and her blog, Posie Gets Cozy. Alicia is widely known in the crafting community through her very popular blog and talked to our group about the success she has enjoyed and how it all came together for her. Alicia and her family do it all to make her work come to life on the blog and in her book. She is an inspiration to anyone who wants to use modern tools to make something truly amazing happen for themselves and you should all check out her work.

Additionally, Ian Schray from Softpress came in to give us a great demo of Freeway Pro 5. Freeway is a really great tool for those of you out there that are comfortable in a page layout program like InDesign or even Pages but don't know or don't want to mess with HTML. Freeway creates super-clean code and yet allows enough latitude to design your pages just way you want them to look. Ian has done a few demos of this software for us here and has another one coming up on October 25 at 2 p.m. If you missed his other demos, make sure you put that date on your calendar.

Our appreciation for the guests we've invited in doesn't end there, though. We have had some really great people come in to our Theatre to present products and share their knowledge which in so many ways, is what makes this place a great place to hang out.

So, thanks very much to all the vendors and professionals from all walks of life that grace our space with their presence and thanks in advance to those of you who've yet to pay us a visit.

Saving Money and Time On the Mac

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:48:05 -0700

There are a lot of cheap computers out there, but when you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck, consider what makes the Mac such a great deal. A Mac is more than the sum of its parts. Its combination of cutting edge software and hardware are designed to allow you to do more while spending (and stressing) less. Here are few things that make the Mac the most flexible and affordable computer today:

The complete media center:
At 24” and 20”, the iMacs are great for surfing the Internet, but they’re also an affordable all-in-one solution for a media center. Both can playback television shows and HD movies from the iTunes store, manage and play your music collection, play your DVDs, and allow you to video chat. Why buy a DVD player, HD monitor, and amplifier when the iMac has it all? You even get a remote to control the media on your iMac from across the room using Front Row. And if you need to take your media with you, the MacBook and MacBook Pro make your media portable.

Get two computers in one Mac:
Some people want a Mac and a Windows PC, but they can’t afford both. Fortunately, today's Macs have the same speedy Intel processors as PCs and can run Windows software using Mac OS X’s Bootcamp utility and a separately purchased copy of Windows. Now you can get the best of both worlds without having to buy a Windows computer. The Mac can do it all.

Stay connected faster:
A lot of PCs don’t have WiFi, Bluetooth, or Firewire built in. And even if they do, they might not provide the latest WiFi standard (802.11n). Most Macs come with 802.11n (up to three times faster than 802.11g) and Bluetooth. And all Macs have Firewire built in, while most PCs don’t. This allows you to transfer video from your video camera to the Mac or hook up a fast external hard drive.

Manage your media:
Macs come with Apple's award-winning iLife software suite already installed. With it, you can manage your music (iTunes), create videos and DVDs (iMovie and iDVD), create music (GarageBand), manage and edit your photos (iPhoto), and put it all on the web (iWeb). And they’re all designed to work together. PCs typically come with a variety of crippled demoware that's underpowered and difficult to use.

Safer computing:
Because the Mac is not plagued by viruses like Windows PCs, you can spend more time enjoying your computer and less time worrying. The reliability record for Macs is also the best in the busineess. And all new Macs have Parental Controls built into Mac OS X. With them you can manage, monitor, and control the time your kids spend on the Mac, the sites they visit, and the people they chat with.

In short, the Mac is a complete solution that can save you money and time in the long run. In these uncertain economic times, it's important to get the most for your money and have it last. In the world of computing, that means buying a Mac.

Iron Artist Competition a Smashing Success

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:02:43 -0700

Last Saturday we hosted a truly unique event called the Iron Artist Competition put on by local artsy recycling heros SCRAP (The School and Community Reuse Action Project). Holding true to the "Keep Portland Weird!" mantra, Portlanders flocked in great numbers to see teams battle for the title of the ultimate scrappy sculpture creator.

From the intrigued and unsuspecting passers-by to the families who made an entire day out of it, the Iron Artist Competition was enjoyed by everyone who attended. There were even some rather alien-looking characters watching over:

Using materials that would otherwise have already been added to our landfills, these creative folks donned costumes fashioned from scrap materials to build works of art out of yet even more scrap materials. Think of this as a cross between an Iron Chef competition mixed with Junkyard Wars mixed with Mardi Gras, and you can get a pretty good idea of the kind of energy surrounding the event.

While the teams competed over the course of a frantic three hours, onlookers were free to enjoy themselves and indulge in great food, festival treats, and even a beer garden. Even the kids had plenty of opportunities to take part in the reduce. reuse, recycle approach to art making. From reinventing stuffed animals to giving an old car a makeover, a good time was had by all.

Of course there was plenty to captivate the attention of the adults in the crowd as well. Local bands let their tunes be heard for blocks from the main stage, while the judges of the competition kept up a constant and humorous play-by-play to keep everyone on their toes. And when it was time to get a little shopping done, there was plenty to choose from amongst the many booths run by local vendors and artisans. A great way to help support local, independent businesses while getting to know another side of Portland not seen by many.

If you missed it this year, you should definitely keep an eye out so you don't miss out next year!

Posted by Chris

"Evolutionizing" the iPods

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:47:34 -0700

Around this time every year, Apple announces new iPods, and we at MacForce look forward to another revolutionary iteration for the world's favorite portable media player. Well yesterday's announcements were solidly evolutionary, and that's not a bad thing. After all, there's only so much improvement you can make to an already outstanding product line. Apple is building on past successes with improvements that will effect most iPod owners. Here are some of our favorite new features:

iTunes 8: You can now instantly build a playlist of music that's similar to the song you're listening to, using the Genius feature. For example, if you want an instant techno dance list, just pick a dance song and click the Genius button. You can also now purchase HD TV shows from ABC, CBS, and (returning to iTunes) NBC.

iPod touch: It's new and sleek. They've added a little speaker (with external volume controls), so you don't have to plug in headphones to share or enjoy your music. It also has built-in support for the Nike+ kit, so you no longer need an adapter. They also added the Genius feature from iTunes 8 to the touch, so you can create a great playlist instantly.

If you currently own an iPod touch, be sure to update to the latest 2.1 firmware. The upgrade from 2.0 is free, and there's a fee to upgrade from the 1.x firmware. Note: This won't add Nike+ or a speaker to your first generation iPod touch.

iPod nano: The new nano has an accelerometer so it can change the screen orientation based on the movement of the nano. You can also shuffle your songs just by shaking it. Switch from album cover view to cover flow view just by moving your hand. They also added the Genius playlist feature from iTunes 8 and it's available in eight great colors.

Headphones: These new in-ear headphones ($79), have two separate high-performance drivers (woofer and midrange). It also includes a microphone with a three-switch remote so you can record voice memos and control music playback. The remote and mic are supported only by iPod nano (4th generation), iPod classic (120GB), and iPod touch (2nd generation). Audio is supported by all iPod models.

With this new lineup of hardware and features, Apple is taking a great product line and making it just a little bit better, and that's OK. The complete iPod line, App Store, and iTunes software is already revolutionary. Apple just keeps getting better.

MacForce Crew Review: Simplify

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:39:33 -0700

It's not very often that an app comes along that really makes me stop and say "Wow!" Simplify is just that. I cannot say enough about this sweet little app for the iPhone, iPod touch, and your Mac. Simply put, it is a music sharing application that allows you to stream tunes from your friends' iTunes accounts no matter where you are.

I personally have my 8GB iPhone with me just about everywhere I go these days. I am a music addict, so it is always pretty difficult for me to build a playlist small enough to both fit on my iPhone and satisfy my insatiable appetite for selection. Simplify allows me to keep a smaller amount of music on hand, leaving more room for podcasts, pictures, games, etc., and lets me listen to music I don't have in my own library. It also gives me more to choose from while I am at my computer as well.

Sure there are always other ways to accomplish this kind of music sharing, but Simplify also provides song info, artist/band bios, and even lyrics to the song you've selected. With a clean interface and only a few seconds to stream the song, I haven't encountered skipping or awkward pausing a single time.

Another great feature is the built-in chat client. With the ability to have 30 friends in your network, each with the at least one computer streaming music to you, you will have plenty to talk about.

Currently Simplify is a free download. It won't be free forever so you better hurry up and check it out.

Summer Blast: Bigger and Better Than Ever

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:56:29 -0700

Five years and counting. Summer Blast just keeps getting bigger and better. Once again we broke our attendance record. Despite the heat, we had well over 1,000 people enjoy the fun.

The first couple of years we celebrated with live music and great food. The event has now evolved in to the biggest Macintosh event of the year for Portland and we're bursting with pride. I could dedicate a few paragraphs to thanking everyone who helped make the event a huge success. But most importantly I want to thank our amazing customers. There would be no MacForce and no Summer Blast without your loyalty and support. As a small fish in a big pond, our customers are everything.

As many of you know by now, MacForce throws one hell of a party. Over the past 10 years, we've celebrated system software releases, community events, and plenty of holiday cheer. Always a good time. However, there is nothing quite like what we've created with Summer Blast. Not only does it celebrate our love for the Mac, it represents everything the we believe in. The reason MacForce exists and thrives. It combines passion, relationships, community, and fun.

Thank you again for being part of Summer Blast, but most importantly, thank you for being part of MacForce. We have created something very special here and we couldn't have done it with out you.

Though Summer Blast 2009 is a year away, there will be plenty of reasons to party between now and then. Stay tuned!

Sincerely,
Shane Spiess
President/Owner

MacForce Crew Review: iPhone Apps, continued

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:59:12 -0700

More iPhone/iPod touch application reviews from the MacForce Crew:

Shazam: I like music a lot. Who doesn’t? But I don’t have a good head for remembering artist names or track names so I can buy the song later or check out the rest of the album. Shazam solves that problem neatly. Open it up and let it record 15 seconds of a tune, and it will try and tell you artist and album and give a link to the iTunes store if the song is there. Hard to beat for wow factor. Price: Free. (Reviewed by David)

YPMobile. It has the business listings you’d expect. Also has listings for local events based on your location. Big concerts. Small concerts and venues are listed, too. Great for finding stuff to do when you don’t have plans. Plus you can share plans for concerts or other events with your friends via email straight from YPmobile. Price: Free. (Reviewed by David)

Epocrates Rx: This app is absolutely indispensable for anyone who deals with medications professionally. The half-dozen doctors I’ve shown have been blown away. It allows you to look up almost every possible fact about a drug, including interactions with other drugs and even if the patient’s insurance will cover it. Price: Free. (Reviewed by Jamie)

SportsTap: Are you a sports junkie? Then you know you need to know what’s happening right now. SportsTap give you not only a live scoreboard, but live box scores from all the major sports. Simple, intuitive, and the perfect fix for those times when you just have to know how many hits the Kansas City Royals’ little-used infield utility guy has. Price: Free. (Reviewed by Jamie)

Cro-Mag Rally: I’ve already wasted too much time with this game. It makes great use of the iPhone’s accelerometers for controls. Want to go left? Tilt the iPhone left. Even for a non-gamer such as myself, it took me all of 20 seconds to get the hang of this game. Price: $9.99. (Reviewed by Jamie)

Urbanspoon: This application helps you find new places to eat near your location. Upon launching it, your location is found, and you are then presented with a slot-machine-style interface with the criteria neighborhood, type of cuisine, and price. You can lock any of those criteria to narrow your search or leave them all unlocked for a surprise. Then give your phone a quick shake and the slot machine starts spinning like you’re in vegas. When the wheels stop spinning you will be presented with a restaurant and reviews from Yelp. I give it a big thumbs up! Price: Free. (Reviewed by Owen)

Scrabble: A tried and true classic game that really makes you think. Careful, it is addicting: last Sunday I spent more than four hours playing it! Honestly, unlike most games, I don’t really feel guilty playing for so long. After all, I’m expanding my word knowledge. Price: $9.99. (Reviewed by Robert)

Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D: This game started out on the original Playstation and has now morphed into an iPhone race car game. The graphics are quite impressive. It’s the type of game you can play and turn off your brain. Boy, how we have come a long way from the days of Pole Position. Price: $9.99. (Reviewed by Robert)

Mobile Banking: Bank of America was one of the first adopters of a great, easy-to-use iPhone web app. Now they have an actual iPhone 2.0 application. It allows even quicker access to your bank account. Very handy when you’re standing in line for that new TV and you just realized you need to quickly transfer money to your checking account. Price: Free. (Reviewed by Robert)

Google Mobile App: This little mobile application is like Google Desktop for the iPhone or iPod touch. I found it to be quick and accurate. It searches the web and your device for whatever you might be looking for. The interface is simple which makes it easy to find what I need quickly and easily. You can also gain access to many other Google apps from this one. I do wish some of the functionality of their web-based applications existed in this one, so I will be looking for updates soon. Price: Free. (Reviewed by Chris G.)

NetNewsWire: Amazing! It took a whopping 10-15 seconds to get this one set up. I get much of my daily news from RSS feeds and was pleased to see NetNewsWire as a free download for the iPhone/iPod touch. It instantly syncs with my existing account so all I had to do was sign in. The interface is nice, images are clear, and navigation is easy. Price: Free. (Reviewed by Chris G.)

Twitterrific: I use Twitterrific much of the time on my Mac to stay up to date with my Twitter accounts. So I was happy to see this application released. It allows me to stay connected in real time with all of the people who I follow and who follow me through the Twitter service. Although Twitterrific does lack some of the functionality I like in other apps for the Mac, this mobile version is one of the best for the iPhone/iPod touch platform. If, like me, you don’t care for ads, they offer the ad-free Twitterrific Premium for a fee. Price: Free. (Reviewed by Chris G.)

Movies.app: There are already several options out there for the iPhone/iPod touch when it come to movies. I checked out a few and must say that Movies.app wins hands down. It is the only one that offer trailers, mapping, show times, reviews, unreleased movies and is definitely quicker than all the rest as well. I was able to check out theaters around me, decided on a movie after watching trailers, read up on it at IMDB, bought the tickets and mapped directions all in just a few minutes, and all from my iPhone. Price: Free. (Reviewed by Chris G.)

Aurora Feint The Beginning: I’m not too big into games on mobile devices, but Aurora Feint is cool. It is a pretty simple game on the surface, which becomes more challenging as you progress through the levels. Putting you in control of how your character develops, this game is pretty addictive. It uses all the coolest features of the iPhone/iPod touch, including the accelerometer. I found myself twisting and turning my iPhone to get the pieces to go where I wanted them. It also offers a nice social aspect, allowing you to engage with friends online who also play the game. Price: Free. (Reviewed by Chris G.)

MacForce Crew Review: iPhone Apps

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:30:19 -0700

On July 11, coinciding with the release of iPhone 3G, Apple unleashed the App Store. Wow. Thousands of developers anticipating every conceivable need of iPhone/iPod touch users. Here’s my quick take on a few of the first Apps I’m using.

AIM for iPhone: This thing works. With AT&Ts exorbitant pricing for text messages, this application is going to be very relevant and critical for me. As widely noted in the reviews at the App Store, it does have plenty of rough edges. The most perplexing one for me so far is that I occasionally get a lot of random characters appended to incoming messages. But, the price is right: It’s free.

BoxOffice: I like this way better than the old solution, which was to use the iPhone version of the Fandago site through Safari. This is just a lot more elegant. I do find the organization of the data to be a little lacking though. Price: Free.

WeatherBug: So the iPhone already has a pretty decent Weather application that does the job admirably. You’d think it would be hard to improve on something simple that just works, but WeatherBug does. It gives more information than the built-in Weather app, and even provides weather cameras and radar imaging. Doppler! Price: Free

Cocktails: I didn’t buy too many applications, but I did buy this one. Frequently, I wonder what’s in a drink someone has ordered, or someone I’m with while out and about will want to try a new drink. This database is super easy to use and has most everything. Price: $9.99

To Do: I still haven’t forgiven Apple for omitting what I consider to be basic and critical functionality from the calendar app on the iPhone. Until they come to their senses, this straightforward and free application does the job well enough. Price: Free

Remote: I can’t really rave enough about this to drive the point home. You just have to go try it. Right now, close your browser and get this app. Why are you still reading this? OK, the reason why: If you have remote speakers or wish you could control your iTunes remotely, this application allows you to do so. I’m stunned at how well it actually works. You can select playlists, control volume, change speakers, and more all from your iPhone or iPod touch. It will even control an Apple TV. Price: Free

MacForce Crew Review: Eye-Fi Wireless SD Card

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:20:25 -0700

Every once in a while, something really cool comes along, something that blows you away with its coolness. For me, that takes some doing. I work for MacForce, and am surrounded on a daily basis with incredible technology. Since I love gadgets and own tons of them, I guess I’m a bit jaded. However, the Eye-Fi really is exciting enough to get this old, jaded technology consumer seriously jazzed!

The Eye-Fi Explore is a 2GB SD memory card for use in cameras. OK, not that exciting by itself. Well, there’s more. It has built-in wifi. And geo-tagging, marking your photos by location where they were taken. It turns your camera into a completely automatic photo-acquisition machine, uploading to your favorite photo-hosting service, or directly to your computer at home. All you need is a nearby wifi hotspot. Eye-Fi even comes with a service to help locate hotspots near where you’re going to be.

You just plug it in to your camera, the same camera you may have had for a long time. As long as it has an SD slot, which most do, you’re in business. Amazing technology.

So what did I like and dislike about the Eye-Fi?

The good:
- Very easy to set up: You might have to tweak your wifi setting a bit on your computer, but it only took a couple of minutes before I was taking pictures.
- Great geo-tagging: Accurate to within a few feet. Where you are determines a lot of this, though, so your mileage may vary.
- Loads of photo service options: I set it up to load to my Picasa account and directly to iPhoto simultaneously. Worked flawlessly.
- Simple: It just works, something we Mac users really appreciate.

The bad:
There really isn't much bad. If you have an eight megapixel or greater camera and a slow wifi connection, it might take a while for your pictures to upload. And you have to leave your camera on the whole time it’s uploading. But I turned my camera on and off to test if that would cause a problem, and the upload just continued from where it left off. Like I said, not really that bad.

All in all, the Eye-Fi is a great tool for anyone with a point and shoot camera. I am looking forward to seeing if they come out with a Compact Flash version for people with Digital SLRs.

Put Your Life on a Wall

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:56:15 -0700

I recently returned from an extended trip through Europe and ended up with thousands of pictures from my travels. Even after weeding out the not-so-great shots, I still had hundreds of pictures I really liked. What’s a person to do with that many pictures besides just letting them remain hidden away in iPhoto?

Create a life poster of course. Or in my case, create two.

What's a life poster? Perhaps the best explanation can be found on the Posterino web site: "Posterino provides a solution for the common problem we face in the age of digital images: We shoot a lot of marvelous pictures, bury them deep down in the file system of our computers and most of them never see the light of day again. The solution is simple: Compose a "best of" poster every couple of months and pin it on the wall in your hall. This will make you happy every time you walk by, and it will be a great eye-catcher for your friends and family too."

Posterino is one of my favorite Mac only programs of all time. I’ve created a number of life posters now, and what they say is absolutely true. Every time I walk by one of them, I see some pictures that put a smile on my face. It’s really fun to just stand in front of one of my posters and take in the 100 or so pictures that comprise it.

Tightly integrated with iPhoto, Posterino comes with a number of templates that make creating a life poster a snap. Of course, if you want to modify a template so that some pictures are bigger, smaller, wider or whatever, then the software allows you to customize your layout any way you want.

Download Posterino now and give it a try. I think you'll end up loving it just as much as I do.

Ready for Yet Another iPhone Explosion?

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:13:03 -0700

As is usually the case with Apple announcements, the press focuses on the flashy new hardware, often failing to see the more fundamental software developments that almost always have a larger impact. Apple’s June 9 shindig at the Worldwide Developers Conference has been no exception.

While the new iPhone 3G is a great next hardware step, it’s the new iPhone 2.0 software and App Store that will really change things. As we’ve covered in this blog before, the decision to open the iPhone to third-party software developers is a fundamental one. Apple is, in effect, creating a third platform, adding the iPhone to Windows and Mac as the must-develop environments for software writers. Consumer demand for robust mobile versions of the same applications they are using on their computers will be too strong to ignore.

And the developers are already responding, even before the App Store opens in July. Apple showed off a host of new applications on June 9, including a really cool app from Major League Baseball that will show you almost real-time game clips, and a visually stunning medical training app called Modality. But we wanted to call out a few in development that we’ve got our eye on.

The Twitter sensation is showing no signs of slowing down, and Icon Factory’s Twitterrific has been one of the best client apps. Their forthcoming iPhone app for the social networking phenomenon has already managed to win an Apple Design Award, before it’s even been released.

We’re also really exciting about SlingPlayer for iPhone. The Slingbox is an ingenious device that allows you to access your home entertainment system through the Internet anywhere in the world. With a client app for the iPhone, the greatest pocket device ever will also become a 3.5 inch TV, allowing access to all your home content and broadcasts in the palm of your hand. Incredible.

iPhone 2.0 also means the birth of a new gaming platform. With faster computing hardware than in any previous mobile device and advanced motion sensors to work with, game developers are poised to deluge us with new fun. One company in particular, Freeverse, is jumping in head first with golf, bowling, soccer, and baseball games all in development. Using the iPhone’s unique flick/pinch feature, these games look like hours of distraction.

This just scratches the surface of what’s already been announced, not to mention all the incredible things these thousands of developers aren’t yet ready to reveal. Apps for the iPhone will be distributed through the iTunes App Store starting in July, many for free and many others for $10 or $20.

The revolution may not be televised, but it sure will be mobile.

MacForce Crew Review: iMainGo

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:08:00 -0700

Take your iMainGo camping! That’s exactly what I did over Memorial Day weekend.

The iMainGo is a great way to protect your iPod in the outdoors and listen to music at the same time. It’s about the size of the original Gameboy and has a built-in, state-of-the-art, digital amplifier with high-output, port-tuned speakers for amazing clarity and sound range. The sound will really surprise you given the unit’s size and price: only about $40.

And it’s Samuel L. Jackson approved!

I will admit at first I was met by a little hesitation from my friends about using my iMainGo while we were camping. They felt it was better to listen to the sounds of nature than to music. Well, after about an hour I think everyone was convinced that our camping trip definitely needed some music. And the iMainGo covered our entire campsite.

Another great feature is that it protects the iPod by using a high quality fabric exterior. Now, keep in mind it is not designed to keep out water, but if you drop the iMainGo the chances of your iPod surviving the fall are much greater thanks to its solid construction and built-in air cushions. Battery life is 30 hours and includes a switch to physically turn off the speakers when not in use.

If you are planning a camping trip or have any other outdoor plans this summer, I would definitely recommend picking up an iMainGo.

Apple Redesigns the Great Widget

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:48:46 -0700

Yesterday a revolution in smart phones occurred, and not just because of Steve Jobs’ unveiling of the iPhone 3G (available July 11) at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Yes, Apple increased the data speed almost three fold, added GPS and cut the price in half, but you might have missed their crowing jewel. And no, I’m not talking about Snow Leopard (the next version of Mac OS X, available next year).

Arguably Steve Jobs’ best revelation is about the essence of Apple: “Apple's the only company left in this industry that designs the whole widget. Hardware, software, developer relations, marketing. It turns out that that, in my opinion, is Apple's greatest strategic advantage.”

Nokia produces feature-rich phones. Microsoft churns out bloated applications and operating systems. Dell is the WalMart of computer manufacturers. But Apple provides you with a complete solution, all designed to work together. For example, the iPod doesn’t own the portable music market because it’s a great gadget, though that helps. It controls the market because it makes the best music management software, online music catalog and the world’s best portable music player.

And so it is with the iPhone—not just a bunch of features slapped together to satisfy a short term consumer need, but part of a bigger vision. And yesterday that vision became clearer. The iPhone already works with Address Book, Mail, iCal and iPhoto, but it lacked an easily accessible service for that data to flow through. A home for your information. Yes, .mac allowed you to manage similar data using your Mac, but MobileMe expands that control to most any iPhone, iPod touch, Mac or Windows PC.

With MobileMe’s web interface, you can manage your mail, contacts, schedule, photos and even files from most web browsers. Apple even made it compatible with Microsoft’s Outlook. Make a change on any of those platforms and the information is automatically pushed to your other devices. For example: you have a Mac at home, a PC at work and your iPhone with you. When you make a change to your calendar on the iPhone, that change will be instantly sent to your Mac and PC. Syncing your information is no longer a chore.

A few other things to keep in mind:

MobileMe ($99 a year) and the new iPhone OS will be released in July. The OS will be freely downloadable to your original iPhone and cost $10 for the iPod touch.
The iPhone 3G will be available at Apple and AT&T stores only, and may need to be activated at the store.
Replacing your current iPhone with the 3G will replace your old contract with a new two-year commitment.
If you just recently bought the iPhone (after May 27), you may be able to swap it at an Apple or AT&T store at no additional cost.
The new iPhone data plan has increased to $30 a month for consumers and $45 for business users.
Initially, you won’t be able to order the iPhone 3G online. Gotta wait in line if you want it right away.
AT&T purports to have a strong 3G network in place (see their coverage map). Pretty good in Portland.

Yes, the iPhone 3G is a cutting-edge device, who’s speed and GPS features (like geotagging and location tracking) will provide a whole new level of mobile services, but it’s MobileMe that will allow the iPhone to dominate the smart phone market. No one, not even Blackberry, can provide such a powerful end-to-end, cross-platform experience for users. Apple designs the whole widget and everything that goes with it.

The Mac and Home Improvement

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:24:41 -0700

Working with our onsite team, I’m always intrigued by what our customers achieve with their Macs. The creatives we visit constantly have something cool on screen. Sometimes, though, it’s the everyday Mac accomplishments that wow me.

My wife, Martrese, and I just moved to Portland, landing in a house we love, where by chance all the walls are white at present. We discussed adding some color, but I couldn’t easily envision the outcome of a paint job.

Last weekend we hit a paint store and picked up swatches of sample colors we liked. Back at home, Martrese put those samples and her MacBook to work. She taped our favorite color sample to our living room’s east wall, grabbed our digital camera, and snapped a picture of that wall in the afternoon sunlight.

She connected the camera to her MacBook, brought the image into Photoshop, and used the tools there to extend the sample color over an image of the entire wall. It took her only minutes to show, in our actual lighting, exactly what a wall of “Bicycle Yellow” adds to the room.

It’s perfect, and we’re painting the first chance we get.

SBP Membership Grows to 500

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:18:38 -0700

We just hit a milestone here at MacForce: We now have 500 local businesses signed up for our Smart Business Project (SBP). Lucky number 500 was a local massage therapy clinic. Isn’t it good to know there are at least that many businesses in Portland using Macs?

For those that aren’t familiar with SBP, it’s a free program for small- and medium-sized businesses that entitles them to a wide variety of benefits here at MacForce. These benefits includes discounts on hardware and software purchases, free consulting, expedited repair service, and hardware-leasing programs, just to name a few. SBP members also routinely take advantage of all our full range of services, from training classes to network installs.

One of the biggest surprises for me is the amount of diversity we have in our SBP membership. When you think of Macs in the business world, you typically picture a design studio or creative agency. Although we still see lots of Macs showing up in the creative market, our SBP members are pushing the Mac platform into areas that used to be Windows-only. Our members include lawyers, brewers, accounting firms, real estate agents, bakeries, shoe stores, and forensic investigators. No joke. We recently helped move over an independent lab specializing in forensic investigation, sort of like CSI Portland!

I’m always impressed by the high energy level and entrepreneurial spirit of these customers. I often start my day with an excited phone call from an SBP member that goes something like this: “I’ve got this great idea and want to do this and that. Can it be done?” Usually the first words I can get in are: “OK. Slow down, take a deep breath.” And then we go to work.

This kind of energy seems to be bursting among the small- and medium-sized business in Portland. It is never more evident than when I go for an onsite visit and see a group of people working together on the floor of an old building, cranking away at the next latest and greatest thing. They may not have a desk yet, but they’ve got their Mac and an idea.

Thanks to all our SBP members for your support. As a local, independent business ourselves, we know the challenges inherent in building a company. We look forward to working with all of you to meet those challenges in the future.

How Did You Learn All This Stuff?

Thu, 29 May 2008 16:13:40 -0700

Recently, I was talking with some students in one of our weekend classes about learning resources. We were talking about how one gets the knowledge necessary to teach others. I had to think about it: How did I pick up all this information? Did someone train me? The answer is yes and no.

Sure, in art school I had a Photoshop class here or there, and when I did a stint at Apple Computer I definitely got some training, mostly on their professional products like Final Cut. But really there have been two other ways which I feel gave me more valuable information.

First, I find that being genuinely interested in the subject matter is key. I bore easily and tend not to retain info that doesn’t apply to me (you can probably guess that high school didn’t really go well for me). The way I grab my own attention is by coming up with a project that makes it relevant to me. A while back, I wanted to play around with those cool books that Apple allows you to make in iPhoto, so I told a bunch of people I was on vacation with that I was going to make one and asked if they’d like a copy for $50. Suddenly, I had the motivation needed to explore this little feature to its fullest. Plus, I made $10 on each book for my time. Not a bad deal and more than a bargain for my friends and acquaintances who would gladly have paid $80 or $100 for the book they got.

The other way I do it is by teaching others. This may sound crazy to you, but the best way to go from knowing a little about something to knowing considerably more is to place yourself in a situation where you have to teach about it. All the baggage that people have about being in front of a group, looking foolish, not knowing really what you are talking about, sweating profusely, vomiting nervously or just generally breaking down tends to go away when you have no choice but to succeed. At least for me, that has always been the case.

I see teaching as a give and take kind of deal. You are teaching people valuable skills, but at the same time, they are unwittingly driving you to be better at both communicating and at the given task simply by expecting it from you.

So if you’re in a class sometime in the near future, do your best to challenge the teacher while respecting the time of your fellow students. Teaching is always a heck of a lot easier when people are engaged and excited, so have a project in mind that you want to work with. Often, what you need to know is not how to do something, but the best way amongst many options. A teacher can offer you that. Plus, the rest of the class can learn a lot from your real world examples.

Go Speed Racer Go!

Wed, 07 May 2008 12:35:41 -0700

MacForce has a new fleet of service vehicles, and they’re as sweet as could be. Racing stripes and numbers, hotrod red, and oozing our signature geeky coolness.

Our onsite engineers are already zooming around town in these babies. The Portland streets will never be the same.

Posted by Jamie

MacForce Crew Review: Shure SE110 Headphones

Tue, 06 May 2008 14:15:37 -0700

The Shure SE110 Sound Isolating Headphones are really the best earphones I have ever purchased. When I wear my them, the world becomes silent.

Shure is a legendary brand in high-end audio and music production gear. They have long made really expensive in-ear monitors for stage performance, and have brought that experience to consumer headphones.

The SE110s use “noise isolating” technology, not “noise canceling” as in many other sound-blocking headphones. Noise canceling headphones block out external noise by creating an artificial sound—much like white noise—that essentially tricks your ears. Some people really like this approach, but for others the sound can be distracting. Some even become disoriented from the sound.

Shure uses foam inserts similar ear plugs. When you want to listen to your headphones, simply squish the foam earpiece and stick it in your ear. The foam will expand to fit your ear. Almost all outside noise is removed, and you are free to enjoy your music the way the musician intended, whether you’re in the middle of a busy city or sitting in your family room.

I have finally found earphones that fit my ear perfectly and will not constantly fall out of my ears. I really like using the Shure earphones at lunch time when I go for my daily 30-minute walk. For once, I feel like its just the music, me and the sidewalk! I will have people on the street have a conversation with me and not even realize it until I see them talking. I think they assume that I can hear what they are saying, as most earphones let a lot of outside sound in.

I have a feeling I will be getting a lot of use out of these headphones for the next couple of years.

Posted by Robert

MacForce Crew Review: Aperture 2

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:52:16 -0700

I have been using Apple’s iPhoto for a number of years to store my photos and do some simple edits when I didn’t want to fire up Adobe’s Photoshop. But just recently, iPhoto was not cutting it for me anymore. The tools, albeit useful, were just not letting me edit my photos in enough detail.

I had used Apple’s Aperture version 1 before and knew it to be a very powerful program, but being a Photoshop user, it seemed like one more program I didn’t need. It felt like a chore to use and I ended up exporting my photos back from Aperture to iPhoto in the end. iPhoto was also already compatible with iWeb, iTunes, and .mac, and that integration was very important for me.

Aperture 2 was released not too long ago, and I decided to give it another shot. It was very easy to start using—porting over my iPhoto library was a simple one-click process and I was ready to use Aperture. It has a similar layout to iPhoto, easy-to-learn interface, and built-in integration with the .mac web gallery so you can instantly upload your edited pictures to the web.

Having an iPod touch and the ability to have my pictures with me everywhere I go is important to me. iPhoto was my bridge that interacted with iTunes. When I learned that Aperture 2 had that connectivity, my curiosity peaked. It was just as easy to add photos from Aperture as it was with iPhoto to iTunes.

And the limits I had with iPhoto’s editing features disappeared. I can edit an image much easier than I ever could with Photoshop. Aperture lets you control minute detail, from fixing a lens spec to the getting every drop of color exactly right.

It’s a true photographer’s tool, allowing you to focus on the image you’re editing, not the tools you’re using. Like the camera you used to take the picture, you focus on the picture at hand and not the camera. I’m impressed.

Posted by Jesus

Running With Google Earth

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:12:05 -0700

I’ve recently started keeping track of my running habits using Google Earth for calculating the total distance covered. I’ve always enjoyed running, but never had a good way figuring out how far I ran until I started using Google Earth.

First, I have to say I’ve been in love with this app since it first came out. Google Earth is a free application from Google (http://earth.google.com) that combines satellite imagery with road maps. I could waste an entire day viewing satellite images of different features. Here in Portland, the satellite images are incredibly detailed—almost to point of being scary, as you can pick out parked cars in front of your home on the day the picture was taken.

Google Earth has a handy tool called Ruler that allows you to measure the distance between marks that you place on the map. For plotting a run I use the path function, as it allows me to estimate how long a run will be before I do it. The path function works a little better than the line, as I can add in small changes like cutting kitty-corner across a park. So it keeps me honest about the distance I ran. It is also a good tool against running partners that try and sandbag you by saying the run is “only four miles.” You can tell them that you looked it up and the run from PSU looped through Council Crest is more like five (and very steep by the way).

The most common run I do is the bridge loop along the riverfront. I’ve done that run for years and never had a clue how far it was until I fired up Google Earth. Using the path tool, I’ve calculated that the loop from MacForce over the Hawthorne bridge and back over the Steel is 2.49 miles.

My iPod helps me keep track of how long it takes me to run this loop with the built-in stopwatch. My iPod also stores the elapsed time in memory so I can check back and see how long it normally takes me to run this loop. This is sort of a love/hate feature for me, as sometimes it becomes really obvious when I’m having a slow day. My only complaint with the iPod timer is that it takes a bit of time to start the clock and put it back in my pocket at the start and finish of every run, adding on 10–20 seconds of fudge. The Nike/iPod integration would solve this, but I like to use those fudge numbers in my favor on the slow days.

It’s amazing how high technology is seeping it’s way into every area of our lives, even something as decidedly low-tech as a lunchtime run.

Posted by Nate

The Single Girl and Her Mac: iCal Edition

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:23:31 -0700

I am a huge fan of Jane Austen novels. I have actually taken an online quiz and discovered I am most like Marianne Dashwood, the heroine in her novel Sense and Sensibility. The trials and tribulations of catching a man’s attention and falling in love is an age-old drama to which I can relate, even at 30-something (although closer to 40-something). The one thing that I possess that Marriane Dashwood lacked is the advantages of modern technology.

Let’s skip the obvious modern advances that help this single girl’s dating experiences (cell phones, caller ID, online prison records for background research) and focus on my Mac. Here are few of my iCal tips and tricks that have really saved my bacon more than once:

Avoid double-booking: I can create new calendars for each of the guys* I am dating and color code them based on the mood they evoke. For example: Fitzwilliam Darcy is blue because he has a mellow and calming personality and John Willoughby is pink because he is somewhat effeminate, etc. At a glance I can check to make sure that I have not already booked dinner with George Knightly for next Friday (his calendar is gray because he is a much older man).

iCal on the go: When syncing your iPhone to your iCal, select which calendars you want to transfer over. You should only sync up the calendar of the guy you are seeing that night. If he accidentally sees the other “calendars” it could jeopardize future dates. When faced with a morning coffee date with one, lunch with another, and dinner with a third remember to change your calendar between.

Outfit planning: When dating multiple men, it’s hard to keep straight which outfit you wore last time you saw him. Take a quick snapshot of yourself right before you leave (because we know that there will be at least three changes of shoes/top/skirt/jeans before you actually make it out the door) and attach it to the date in iCal. Although you haven’t worn your blue dress in two weeks, it may have been with the guy you are seeing tonight. Dreadful mistake.

As Jane Austen wrote in Emma: “Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way.”

* Names have been changed to Jane Austen characters in order to protect the innocent.

Posted by Cindy

MacForce Crew Review: AirFoil

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:31:49 -0700

I love my Apple Airport Express router. It allows me to share internet wirelessly, functions as a wireless printer server and even streams my iTunes music wirelessly from my Mac to speakers connected to the Express.

But not too long ago, I looked at my trusty Airport Express and thought: “It would be really nice if there was a way to hear more audio than just iTunes on my remote speakers.”

Low and behold, it appears I wasn’t the only one out there with this dilemma. I discovered a very attractive solution in an excellent piece of software called AirFoil.

With Airfoil, I’m able to direct various streams of audio—such as QuickTime movies, DVD’s, and even game sounds—all to my remote speakers!

I also discovered that Airfoil can send audio to multiple Airport Expresses, all in sync, at the same time. I plan to take advantage of this feature when I obtain a second Airport Express for my home office in the future.

AirFoil is distributed by Rogue Amoeba, and a free trial can be found here. The full license costs $25, and it’s available for Mac and Windows.

AirFoil has really changed the way I can experience audio from my Mac, and has seriously increased the functionality of my Airport Express.

Posted by Miles

Remember the Oregon Trail

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:49:07 -0700

The Apple II was absolutely amazing to me when I was a kid. It did so much. You could type, even draw and paint in AppleWorks. But most importantly, you could play Oregon Trail. This was definitely one of the most popular ways to use your time when I was younger. Much more educational than homework, and more entertaining than after school specials. Maybe you remember it?

It taught me all sorts of useful things I have used my whole life. Like geography.

Even how to avoid illness and stay healthy. I mean, the last thing you want is to catch something serious while trying to make your way across the country by wagon.

Oregon Trail even provided vital insights as to the thoughts and feelings that these courageous pioneers had throughout their incredible journey.

I can’t count how many times I had thieves steal my oxen during the night. Bummer. I often wonder how many oxen I lost while trying to cross rivers. All of this I just chalked up to bad luck. But I never understood how my poor oxen became randomly injured. I guess this was supposed to teach me that sometimes, life just isn’t fair.

But in the end, if you actually made it all the way to Oregon, you could brag to all your friends. I wonder why the banker was the only one who seemed able to get a group to Oregon. The real challenge was trying to play a whole game in the school library before anyone showed up that wanted to do real work on the school’s only computer. There was no saving games to the lone cassette tape. Those were the days.

Posted by Chris

MacForce Crew Review: XtremeMac InCharge FM

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:18:21 -0700

Just when I was about give up on finding an FM transmitter for my iPod that would actually work with my car stereo, along came the XtremeMac InCharge FM.

I had the luxury of having a cassette player in my previous cars up until recently, so I could use a tape adapter to play my iPod. But now, my car lacks any built-in way to “hard wire” connect my iPod (no cassette deck or auxiliary input port). Suddenly, I was forced to listen to what was on the radio or in my CD player. So last century.

I needed an FM transmitter. These devices send audio from your iPod to a unused frequency on your FM stereo, kind of creating your own little radio station. Great idea, right? Too bad almost all of them are horrible.

But I was desperate to use my iPod in my car. The first FM transmitter I bought actually had an antenna on the end, which turned out to work so poorly that the only way I could get the radio to pick up the transmission was to stick the antenna in the CD player opening! I quickly returned this transmitter after realizing that wasn’t very practical.

The big difference with the XtremeMac InCharge FM compared to any other one I have came across is that it does not rely on the iPod battery to transmit, which is one reason why most other transmitters on the market are not very good. You actually plug this device into your cigarette lighter, which provides power for the transmitter and charges the iPod at the same time.

It works with the iPhone as well. The first time I plugged it into my iPhone, the phone did say the accessory is not supported to work with the iPhone and asked if I would you like to turn Airplane mode on. I selected no, and the iPhone has worked perfectly for me with the transmitter.

I am now in control of what I want to listen to while driving down the road!

Posted by Robert

The Pros and Cons of Being a Mac User

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:54:39 -0700

I write so much about how awesome life is being a Mac user. Everything seems easier, the sun shines brighter, my gum lasts longer. Oh yeah, and things just work. But there is the flip side to consider.

One of the major reasons that a Mac makes sense for someone like myself is that I am definitely not a computer whiz (at least compared to my co-workers). So I kind of need to have a computer that makes the things I do easy enough to continue doing. Or I would simply give up after much frustration and profanity.

I guess that’s where the downside comes into play: It looks like I know what I’m doing!

So now I am my friends’ and family’s roving IT department. I get everything from, “What exactly are they getting at in that latest Mac commercial?” to, “I’m trying to set up my router and it’s asking for DHCP something?” Sometimes it’s cool. I actually have the answer and kind of save the day. Other times my eyes just glaze over and I stand there staring at them like, “What do I look like, Help Desk?”

I guess there is a price to pay for having so many things figured out for me by my Mac (seemingly by some sort of magic). And if that is the case, then I am glad to pay it. I have no problem lending a helping hand whenever possible in exchange for a karma-kickback in the form of the continuation of my Mac love affair.

Posted by Chris

I Bless the iPhones Down in Africa

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:07:30 -0700

When MacForce graciously allowed me to take some time off last month to do some traveling in Africa, I was thrilled. This was going to be my first trip abroad and a nice opportunity to see the world. Not to mention a good reason to break away from all those things I’ve become reliant on, like a steady three-month-old addiction to my iPhone.

I really had no idea what to expect of Africa aside from the typical visions of wild animals and beautiful landscapes. And while I did in fact encounter these things along my journey, I couldn’t have been more surprised—and perhaps a little reminiscent—when I came across an iPhone for sale in Lusaka, Zambia (as shown below, priced at 3,999,000 Zambian Kwacha, equal to $1,128.07 USD).

I would not have expected how I reacted. I immediately became exhilarated at the mere sight of this oh-so-familiar technological beauty, almost as if I were seeing an iPhone for the first time. There’s no doubt I felt a little guilty about all this. I mean, there I was in a gorgeous foreign country on a trip of a lifetime and I was ogling an iPhone through a window.

And then, without any shame, I took a picture.

Suffice to say I had an amazing trip and more often than not was far, far away from any modern civilization, let alone technology. Since being back I realized why I was so excited to see an iPhone, and it wasn’t simply because there was something exotic about being really expensive, surrounded by straw in a case and in Africa. My excitement was genuinely derived from the fact that Mac products are just plain cool regardless of where in the world you see them.

Either that or I’m just turning into more of a Mac nerd. Probably a little of both!

Posted by Heather

I’ve Got It Good

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:47:57 -0700

I was a late bloomer when it came to computers, my first real exposure was when I started to work for Kinkos. At the time, Kinkos was using Macs running OS 9 and PCs running Windows 98.

Being introduced to both at the same time made the choice for a personal computer a no-brainer. Every time I was shown how to do something on the Mac, I said: “Oh, that makes sense. Why didn’t I think of that?” When someone showed me how to do the same thing on a Windows computer, I was confused. I couldn’t understand how a human brain could think that was the logical solution.

Fast forward 10 years. As an onsite engineer, I’m once again forced to troubleshoot Windows from time to time, and the differences between these two approaches are even more obvious. Fundamentally, Windows hasn’t changed: to get anything working you still have to go through 10 unnecessary steps. The Mac OS has changed, in a big way. Apple reminds me of Porsche; most changes they make are improvements—refinements—but they aren’t afraid to make changes from the ground up if necessary.

Now if you’re reading this you’ve probably already bet on the Mac in the David-and-Goliath-like battle between Mac and Windows, and there’s a growing opinion that winning this OS war won’t matter in the future of technology. But sometimes we forget how good we have it right now. Any time I catch myself taking my Mac for granted, I think about Network Neighborhoods, Control Panels and Blue Screens of Death.

Then I open my copy of Minesweeper for the Mac.

Posted by Damian

There Must Be an Easier Way

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:29:06 -0700

Ever wonder how Apple does it? I mean how they continue to release such powerful software applications that are truly user-friendly and intuitive? I sure do. Take iWork for instance. For me it is a lot easier to use than Microsoft Office. All the tools, options, actions, etc. are where I would expect them to be. But it’s not that it’s just easier to navigate. I feel it is a superior suite of applications. The finished product is always a lot better than I can achieve using another program.

Going from Excel to Numbers has probably the most drastic change for me. I am a pretty visual person, which is one area where Numbers really shines. Compared to the spreadsheet views we are accustomed to seeing from Excel, it is a breath of fresh air to see the image, shading, reflection and even video support that Numbers offers. So when presentation time comes around, everyone in the room can wrap their heads around the information that is being rattled off. It helps to put things in perspective and eliminates a lot of confusion. It also adds an element of real-world examples that people can easily recognize and relate to.

The ability to quickly and easily create professional looking flyers, newsletters, etc. within Pages is another high point for someone like me. I am always busy, and constantly finding more work for myself. So the last thing I have patience for is struggling to figure out how to make a picture fit just right. Or how how to get that text to flow around elements properly. It’s as easy as drag n’ drop. Those magic words have changed my approach with just about everything from page layout projects and everyday emails to making music and video projects.

Well, I know how Apple does it. They listen. They listen to your feedback and they actually use the programs themselves. So I strongly recommend using the “Provide Feedback” feature that Apple includes in all of their applications. You can find it in the application’s drop down menu (see below). The development teams use this feedback to improve upon existing features as well as create new functionality in future releases.

This post is inspired by a conversation I had with a customer just the other day. This person was so completely and utterly frustrated with using Word to accomplish what he thought would be an easy project. After he explained what was trying to do, I told him if he wanted to come down and pick up iWork I could show him in about 30 seconds or so how to get it done. He had never heard of iWork, and his eyes just about popped of his head when he saw the dynamic capabilities of Pages, not to mention the other programs in the suite. The look he gave me when I said that iWork is only $79 was just about priceless. He looked like he wanted to hug me.

I have come to think that if something is that frustrating, then there must be an easier way. And it’s probably on a Mac.

Posted by Chris

The Next Generation

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:47:52 -0700

I am currently surrounded by co-workers and friends that cannot seem to stop themselves from having babies. I myself am not a parent yet, but I have found myself pondering quite a bit lately. Not what it would be like to be a dad, but rather what it will be like for our children’s generation when it comes to technology and how it will be integrated in to their daily lives.

Some of my earliest memories of using a computer go back to the days of early elementary school when the Mac was introduced and Oregon Trail could be played on the Apple computer in the school library. Man, those were the days. Shortly after that, unfortunately, our school lost a big chunk of their funding. That meant a whole lot less technology, new books and electives for us.

Today this situation is much better for the youth coming up in the Oregon public schools. There are computer labs and classes. I know we still have plenty of big issues to deal with in the area of funding, but the exposure that today’s kids get to emerging technologies and new information is light years beyond what we had available to us when we were in school. Couple this with the amount of time spent on the internet by today’s youth, we are looking at a generation that will understand, relate to and harness the full potential of computers in a way that we cannot begin to fathom.

So I cannot help but wonder where these kids will be taking us in the not too distant future. My guess is that innovations like the iPhone or the iPod will seriously pale in comparison. What’s more is the way they will use the technology available to them and how it will affect the way we use technology in everyday life. It’s kind of like science fiction thinking about where we are heading. But life has taught me time and time again that science fiction is just science fact waiting to happen.

Posted by Chris

Wrestling With Technology Decisions

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:46:15 -0700

Sometimes patience ain’t a virtue. Like, say, in technology purchase decisions.

My wife and I have been waiting for our cell phone contract to expire so we can jump ship (without hundreds in cancellation fees) and start using the iPhone. My current cell phone has no web access, a bad interface and a battery that goes empty faster than a keg of beer at a college party. My wife’s aging Treo lacks many new generation smartphone features, has a bad interface and a charger that works about as reliably as shock treatment.

Then just the other day, I saw a great deal: some refurbished iPhones direct from AT&T for cheap. But I had a friend suggest we wait until mid-2008 because a rumor says a new iPhone comes out then. And my wife wanted a 16GB iPhone (which wasn’t part of the deal). So the debate raged for about three hours.

And then the deal was gone off the AT&T website.

So we finally decided to go ahead and buy 16GB iPhones when our contract runs out. We don’t really care what the rumors say for two reasons:

First, we figured Gizmodo and Engadget (great gadget websites) will be all over the FCC filings for a significant revision to the iPhone. Apple’s FCC filing will telegraph the revision pretty far in advance of product introduction. That means I have to wait an undefined amount of time for the new one to come out.

Second, technology companies always seem to come out with a better version for less money right after you by one of the current “outdated” models. So I apply this rule to computer purchases: If you need a new system right now, then don’t wait just because of some rumor of a new one. It might come out next week, or it might be six months. If you have to get one now, buy one now and solve the problem. If you don’t need one now and buying a new machine does not solve a mission-critical problem, then you have the luxury of waiting.

I applied this logic to our iPhone purchase. We both need new phones, and the current iPhone does what we need. So now we just have to spend the money. I hope there’s a sale between now and the first part of April!

Posted by David

Set It and Forget It

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:06:11 -0700

I know people are always stressing the importance of backing up. Why don’t some folks follow through with it? Too busy, laziness, procrastination, ignorance, or maybe just a little too much faith in their Mac.

I chalk it up to the vitamin syndrome: We all know vitamins are good for us, and we go buy them and maybe even remember to take them for a while. But a lot of people have a lot of half-used bottles slowly expiring in their medicine cabinet. Same with gym memberships.

Best intentions, right? Well after yesterday there are no more excuses for not staying on top of your backups. There are now two more ways to use Apple’s incredible automated backup application Time Machine.

Time Capsule, Apple’s wireless router and hard drive in one, has had many people chomping at the bit since its announcement at MacWorld earlier this year. Finally, after almost three months, Time Capsules were being set up in people’s homes and businesses, and a collective sigh of relief could almost be heard around town.

And yesterday, Apple released an Airport update that also makes it possible to wirelessly back up to a hard drive connected to an Airport Extreme Base Station. Of course, you can still use a directly connected hard drive with Time Machine as well. So whether you have the newest toy from Apple or not, you can simply set Time Machine and forget it. Too cool.

So if you are like most of us—you have the best of intentions but things get away from you—this backup solution was made for you. It also takes out some of the complicated technical options that some backup systems offer up. Just in the last week, two people I know had hard drives fail, and both restored their systems with Time Machine backups. If their experiences are any indication, I think the process is flawless and super simple.

As always, if you have any questions on how to get this set up in your home or elsewhere, just give us a call or stop by the store.

Posted by Chris

The Ever Important and Oft-Forgotten Software Update

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:42:30 -0700

Has your computer ever acted possessed, like a ghost has invaded it and is making it do really strange things? Are the fans suddenly kicking on for no reason? Is it not going to sleep properly? Is it losing it’s wireless connection too often. It’s possible you need our help to fix it, but you might just need to run Software Update.

Technology is changing so fast. Engineers rush to bring new features and bug fixes to your computer to enhance the computing experience. And many of them go by unnoticed.

For example, Apple recently released its 10.5.2 operating system update. I found that it fixed an extensive list of standing issues, and even added a few great new features. There have also been recent updates addressing keyboard, overheating, and power management issues.

I’ve witnessed this often, seeing dramatic improvements in my Macs, as well as customers’ machines. I personally welcomed the immediate improvement in my home Airport wireless connectivity, which had become rather unreliable since Mac OS 10.5 Leopard was originally installed. The recent 10.5.2 update completely restored reliable network performance.

To make sure you’re getting all these free updates coming to you, visit the Software Update pane of your Mac’s System Preferences application. We recommend selecting the check weekly option to make sure you’re up to date with not only the latest fixes and features, but also any security patches Apple has released to keep your Mac safe.

Posted by Miles

Saved Again!

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:04:04 -0700

I recently had a family emergency in the middle of a work day. It was my better half; she had managed to get her hand caught in a printing press while working on her latest work of art. No fun at all.

Needless to say I grabbed what I could in about two seconds and ran out the door. By the time I reached my car, two blocks away, I managed to fire off messages to everyone I had appointments with and co-workers too. I didn’t want to just disappear on them. Once in my car, I knew that making my way from south east Portland to the other side of West Linn could prove to be a bit difficult. Especially in rush hour traffic!

Out came the iPhone. I swear this thing has saved me a few times since I got it. First it located me in the Maps application. I wanted to see where the traffic was. Sure enough, the highways were at a stand still. Shoot! I need to get across town a fast as possible so I could get her to the hospital. Surface streets all the way. My iPhone mapped the entire thing for me.

A few minutes into the drive, I got a call. An ambulance showed up and she didn’t want us to get stuck with an outrageous bill and knew I was en route, but she was told that she needed to get to the hospital right away. Pulling the car over I realized I needed to head in a completely different direction, all the way to Willamette Falls Hospital in Oregon City. I was so close to the Sellwood bridge. Doh!

Again to the iPhone and Maps. Literally 10 minutes later I was running in to the emergency room. I couldn’t believe I had just made it all the way there so fast. If I hadn’t had my phone with me I would have travelled the same streets I always do and been stuck for an hour, banging my head against the steering wheel. But alas, I was saved again!

I’m not sure if I’ve ever been more thankful for a gadget. It’s times like these that really make you stop and think, put things into perspective. I feel pretty lucky to be in a situation where I can have an iPhone. And now, I think it’s priceless.

Posted by Chris

Real Gaming Coming to Multi-Touch

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:15:34 -0700

So you just purchased a new iPod touch or iPhone and would like to play some games. At the moment, Apple makes a few games available for the their multi-touch devices: http://www.apple.com/webapps/games/. The only problems with these games is that they are totally web-based. Apple calls them Web Apps.

While Web Apps may take advantage of great new Web 2.0 technologies, there are still limitations. Developers around the world have been crying out for a way to fully integrate applications on the iPod touch and iPhone without being limited to a Web browser. On March 6, Apple answered that call with the new Developer SDK (Software Development Kit). The new SDK will allow access to specific hardware components of Apple's multi-touch devices.

When I watched the announcement, I must admit that I was blown away by how much more powerful Apple’s multi-touch just became. Apple has made it incredibly easy for the developer community to make iPod touch and iPhone native apps.

Apple invited a few larger gaming companies to have early access to the new SDK. In just under two weeks, EA Games was able to make pretty incredible ports of some of their existing games, including Spore, the demo of which was spectacular. If EA was able to make this game in just two weeks, imagine what they could do in two months!

There are currently two great mobile gaming devices on the market: the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. What does Apple have that these companies do not? Well, for starters Apple’s new App Store will deliver any game wirelessly through a wifi or cellular connection. Another big feature is that the iPod touch and iPhone both have accelerometers built-in. Apple uses this currently for Safari and the Photo app to flip the screen from portrait to landscape. Imagine using this technology with a flight simulator program—you will steer by, well, steering!

The next important feature is that Apple’s devices use a processor capable of going twice the speed of the PSP and six times faster then the Nintendo DS. It’s an exciting time for Apple and the portable gaming market.

Developers now have a three-month head start to develop games for the official release date of the new App store in June. I am counting the days until I can play these new games on an iPod touch.

Posted by Robert

Shed New Light on Your Files

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:35:35 -0700

I use a lot of different applications on my Mac. So many that if I put them all in my dock it takes serious time to find one down there. That defeats the purpose of the dock all together.

Of course Apple has a solution for me: Spotlight. Spotlight is not just a search tool, it’s instant access to anything on your computer. Just hit the command key (⌘) and the space bar, and the Spotlight search field becomes active in the upper right of your screen. Type in whatever you are looking for and it’s there.

Spotlight creates an index of your entire computer and any external hard drives you might have, which makes searching very fast. It will also search through the contents of documents and emails.

The other day I was looking for a PDF document that I knew was on my computer, but I had no idea where I put it. I knew it had the phrase “the bee’s knees” in it, so I activated Spotlight and typed in “the bee’s knees” (if you use the double quotes it searches for the exact phrase instead of the words separately). And there it was. Spotlight also found an email from a friend of mine because he used that phrase. That shows how useful Spotlight is and how awesome my friend is for using old-timey phrases.

With Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, Spotlight got some really nice upgrades. It now has the Dictionary application built in. You can also use it as a calculator: Activate Spotlight and type 256 + 475, and Spotlight will give you the answer (731 if you don't want to try it for yourself). Spotlight searches are much faster than in 10.4, and you can search through shared computers as well.

Time spent looking for files or trying to find an application is time not getting stuff done. Spotlight will help you work faster—but don’t feel like you have to be a lot more productive now. You can spend this new free time on what ever you want.

Posted By Damian

Personalize Your Mac—日本語 (Japanese) Style

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:09:31 -0800

As any Mac user knows, there are limitless ways to customize your computer settings to your liking; a sort of personalized Mac style, if you will. With a Mac you can choose whether you want your dock to be hidden or visible, assign a keyboard shortcut to invoke the Spaces feature, select your award-winning photo as your desktop background, program your screen saver to the RSS feed of your favorite blog—the list goes on and on.

But did you know that you can easliy set your Mac to operate in a completely different language? For MacForce customers Sean and Junko O'Neill, the Mac’s ability to do just that is one of the main reasons why they purchased a Mac.

I spoke with Sean two weeks after he and his wife purchased their first Mac ever. Taking advice from a friend, the O’Neills decided it was time to make the switch to Macs. Since Junko would be the primary user and wanted the mobile convenience of a laptop, they went with a MacBook. But what the couple was really looking for in a computer was the ability to function simply in both English and Junko’s native Japanese (or rather 日本語).

Done and done.

With the help of Josh, one of our retail guys who coincidentally has a strong interest in Japanese culture, Sean and Junko were on their way. Josh helped explain that if they set up two separate user accounts, Sean can have his set to English and Junko’s can be in Japanese. They can share their fun new computer without thinking twice, simply by going to the computer's System Preferences, clicking on “International,” and dragging the choice language to the top of the list, noting a particular dialect if need be under the “Input Menu.” In Junko's case, Kotoeri, Hiragana, Katakana, and Romanji were selected.

And there you have it, a couple of happy MacForce customers with their very own personalized, bilingual Mac!

Posted By Heather

Maybe It Wasn’t Hyperbole

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:23:23 -0800

Back in January 2007, when Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the iPhone, he claimed it was going to “change the world.” Yes, he really said that.

While the device itself was universally lauded as a tremendous technological achievement, Jobs’ hype-job was seen as his usual hard-sell, reality-distortion-field schtick. Sketch comedy shows lampooned, late-night comedians mocked, and even I, as much of a Mac dork as there is, smirked at such an outlandish thought. “Steve is actually saying a phone can change the world,” I thought. “A phone.”

Then the iPhone shipped in June, and the hype went up yet another level. Legions of early adopters braved long lines and inflated prices to swim in the Apple love. The media bought in completely, serving up review after glowing review. I was still skeptical, wondering how wide the sphere of Apple’s admittedly brilliant products could reach.

Then I got one. Let’s just say it changed my world. The easiest way to describe it is that no matter where I go or what I’m doing, the entire world is in my pocket.

But that’s me—as I said, as geeked-out for Apple as they come. Could everyone love it? Apple still had developers locked out, choosing instead to do all of the software themselves. And there was no MS Exchange support, the technology at the heart of the Blackberry craze in business circles. If that persisted, how successful could it actually become?

Well today, they changed the game. Apple announced that they are opening the iPhone and iPod touch for third-party software and adding MS Exchange support. Already, in about nine months, the iPhone has captured 28 percent of the US smartphone market without these enterprise enhancements. RIM (makers of the Blackberry) has 41 percent. What’s to hold Apple back now?

They showed off a few new applications developed by other companies today, apps such as games, a sales tool, a chat client, and a medical database for doctors. They were simply incredible. They will spur a new tidal wave of iPhone and iPod touch sales when they are released in June. Yes, June. The wait will be interminable.

With the input of the entire software-development community, maybe Steve’s hyperbole wasn’t overstated. Maybe this little device really can do it all. The implications are profound. Just wow.

Think You Need a Second Computer? Maybe Not.

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:46:11 -0800

About a year ago, my wife's Titanium Powerbook G4 shut off for the last time. We thought about our options and decided that we could manage with just one computer. I upgraded the hard drive inside our other Powerbook G4 and moved all of her data across.

So far, so good. even though we had both been used to using our own computer whenever we wished, we got along generally fine sharing just the one machine.

Until Scrabulous.

Scrabulous, that free, online, addictive Facebook-based clone of Scrabble hooked my wife. She's a Scrabble fiend. And now she can play many, many games at once. Multiple games against one friend.

This new toy meant she was spending more time on the computer. Which, in turn, means I got less time to answer my emails and check my news and research my new toys. Thus sharing got a little harder. But then I got an iPod touch.

And harmony returned.

With a few exceptions, I use the iPod touch for web research and email conversations. I can even keep my journal or jot notes down with the Notes app on the iPod touch and email them to myself for easy copy and pasting later on.

So now I can check all the news I want and answer my emails while the missus plays lettered tiles to her hearts content. And I didn’t have to buy another computer.

Photo Booth Saves the Day

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:44:17 -0800

It’s not often that I think about how useful my Mac is to me in my everyday life. It just works. Plus, I work in accounting, and most of my essential software is written for Windows. I love the fact that Parallels allows me to run Windows applications seamlessly on my Mac. It makes me feel less Windows-dependent. And I don’t like feeling dependent on anything. Or anyone. Especially my boyfriend.

When my boyfriend called recently to tell me, “We need to talk about our relationship,” I was mortified realizing that just an hour before I was caught in the rain walking back to the office from the coffee shop with my daily double mocha. Something every woman knows: if there is a pending conversation about relationship status, it is imperative that you look your best. I did not have enough time to run home and fix my hair, change my clothes and put on makeup before meeting him at 5:30.

That’s why Apple’s Photo Booth software, using the camera in my iMac, is essential. I ran to my car and grabbed the gym bag that contained my curling iron, a fantastically low-cut black yoga top and a travel-sized bottle of the vanilla scented lotion that makes him crazy.

I turn on iTunes to my favorite power-chick playlist for inspiration (my list includes Hole, The Pretenders, The Breeders, and Blondie), and open Photo Booth. There is some getting used to Photo Booth’s one-second delay, but with practice it becomes second-nature. I can get completely primped at my desk:

Photo Booth even lets me take a picture of the back of my hair to make sure it’s evenly coiffed:

In addition to expediting a mini-make-over with Photo Booth I was able to practice my reaction faces: The “He wants to see other people:”

The “He wants me to meet his parents:”

The “He realizes that he is still in love with his ex-wife:”

The: “He can’t image what life would be like without me:”

The “He likes my hair better straight:”

I can also see what my eye make-up will look like as I lean in to kiss him:

OK, I’m ready. It’s 5:23 and I have to run. Also important, arrive a little late to make sure he gets there first and is captivated by you when you make your entrance. Just make sure to practice your “Sorry I’m late but you will be a fool to break up with me” face.

Living the Good Life (If You’re a Mac User)

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:48:36 -0800

A buddy of mine was telling me about a recent experience the other day. Unfortunately the situation is all to common these days. In the interest of keeping my conscience clean, I will not divulge the name of the company in question. I’m sure most of you can guess anyway.

Shortly after coming home one night, he sat down to the family PC only to experience the Blue Screen of Death (Windows’ all-too-familiar indication of a system-wide freeze). Not a good thing to see on your computer monitor by any means. Two days later, he found out that everything was lost, forever. I said, “Get a Mac”. His response was typical: “If only I had that kind of cash.” Of course I tried explaining that the whole “Macs are more expensive thing” is false, but that didn’t really go anywhere.

The next weekend I was at his place and I noticed there was still no computer at the desk. I asked him what was up with that, and this is where the real story started. He called a popular PC company after seeing a to-good-to-be-true commercial on TV. He only wanted to spend a few hundred bucks. By the end of the call he had spent way more than a few hundred bucks.

The new computer showed up a couple of days later. Excited, he quickly took it out of the box, set it up, turned on the power, and the disappointment ensued. Things just weren’t working right. He called the computer company, and they suggested running some anti-virus software on it. Hmmmm. Later that night, he had already found that this brand new machine was infected with all sorts of stuff. He never even had the chance to get online—this stuff was on his computer out of the box!

First thing out of my mouth was, “Send it back and get a Mac!” Frustrated, he finally took my advice. He ended up spending less on the computer, saved hundreds on the software and threw away the anti-virus software. Swearing off Windows-based PCs, he has now turned on three other friends to the Mac. They all say the same thing now: “We never believed that any computer could be this fun or easy to use. I’m so used to being confused or frustrated.”

I’m so glad I’m a Mac user. Aren’t you?

Feeling Burned By Progress

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:33:13 -0800

Back in 2003, I had saved and saved in anticipation of buying a beautiful new Titanium PowerBook G4. It had a 1GHz processor, a capacity for 1GB of RAM, and a 60GB hard drive (60GB!). Staggering specs at the time. I was drunk with the possibilities and convinced that I would never see the limits of this dream machine’s power...

The Wonder of the Mac Community

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:35:37 -0800

One reason I really enjoy being a Mac user, especially in this town, is the community that surrounds it. There seems to be an unspoken understanding between Mac users around Portland, like we are privy to a secret that we all want to share with everyone we meet.

Maybe it’s because most of us have felt the pains and frustrations of using a Windows-based PC that has been infected with a virus when we need it most. Or maybe it’s because the Mac doesn’t really offer up cryptic error messages, so if something is awry, we can actually figure it out without a college degree in computer science. For me personally...

Spacing Out With Your Mac

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:54:18 -0800

Here at MacForce, I get the chance to speak with a number of our customers on a daily basis about their Mac experience. Many rave about how great their Macs are for both personal and professional use. But as the projects pile on, away goes the screen space...

A Syncing Saga With a Happy Ending

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:23:30 -0800

So I updated my iPod touch with the new firmware shortly after Apple published it back in January. After the upgrade, the iPod worked almost perfectly except that it could no longer synchronize my calendar. The sync process stalled at the calendar for about 10 minutes, and then: "Sync Services quit unexpectedly."

Now, I've been professionally troubleshooting Apple equipment for a little over 10 years at this point. "No problem," I thought. "I'll check Apple's forums and online knowledge base and fix the problem in a short while."

Wrong...

Will it Grate?

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:18:07 -0800

Resident Mac expert Chris Cooper asks a very important question: Will a "Cheese Grater Mac" (aka a Power Mac G5) actually grate cheese? Watch this video and find out...

Yes, Making Websites Really Can Be Easy

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:43:52 -0800

OK, so Apple has made it super easy for us to edit our videos, photos, songs and podcasts, but what good is all this genius if no one ever sees it? Pablo Picasso would've just been some crazy guy if no one ever saw his paintings. Unlike Picasso, people might not be jumping at the chance to show the world our digital creations (they just don't get us yet). That's where iWeb and .mac come in: It's like your own personal PR team...

Roll Your Own iPod touch Case

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:43:25 -0800

I’m a huge fan of my new iPod touch. I’m also a fan of purses. Since my touch was a gift that I would probably not spend the money to replace if accidentally damaged, I’m nervous about just letting it float freely in my handbag. And why should I lug around my bulky computer bag just to carry around my touch if I no longer need my laptop to surf the internet? One word: overkill. I like to keep my accessories simple...

Long Live Widgets!

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:03:10 -0800

One of my favorite additions to the Mac OS in 10.4 Tiger was the inclusion of Dashboard and Widgets. Now with Mac OS 10.5 Leopard, we are able to create our own Widgets, truly making the Dashboard yours. No longer are you limited to downloading what others have created. Besides, that’s not all that much fun anyway.

Making your own Widget, or web clipping, is quick and easy. First...

Clearing the Clutter on the Web

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:42:57 -0800

I love Apple's Safari web browser. Its simplicity and speed make it my preferred way to surf the web, but sometimes I need another tool for troublesome, ad-cluttered web sites...

Three Minutes to AppleCare

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:11:27 -0800

If you’re like me, you tend to wait until the last minute to do things. I like to think of it as working well under pressure. But when I needed my iBook’s disc drive to be fixed I found myself cursing my—let’s face it—laziness, and wishing I had taken the advice from the sales person: “Don’t forget to activate your AppleCare right away, otherwise you might forget.”

The sales person called it, and a year and a half had passed since I purchased my Mac along with AppleCare. I was desperate to get my computer’s disc drive fixed...

The New Mobile OS X

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:05:25 -0800

So, I am sure by now you’ve had a chance to check out the new iPod touch or even the iPhone. Did you know that inside the touch and the iPhone lies a highly slimmed down version of Mac OS X? So you may ask yourself why would I need a mobile version of OS X?...

You Backed Up. Or Did You?

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:40:04 -0800

OK, I can see you saying to yourself: "I read the earlier blog entry and I already have a backup, so I'm fine." Maybe or maybe not.

One of my best friends is the IT director for a small company here in Portland. He's made sure that all of his company's data is backed up and safe in the event of data loss. Given his job, you'd think he would also have a solid backup plan in place for his personal data at home. You'd be wrong...

Audience participation is encouraged

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:57:55 -0800

Sometimes we get so caught up in the rapidly changing world of technology and assume everyone else around us is staying up to speed. We end up using new words and phrases in everyday conversation like they’ve been used for years. Like web 2.0. What in the world is Web 2.0?

Choice Is in the Air

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:41:13 -0800

Deciding on a Mac is a very subjective process, and it’s always been a difficult one for me. Not only does your Mac need to fit your budget and professional needs, it also needs to fit your lifestyle...

Back That Mac Up

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:14:14 -0800

I love my job as an onsite engineer here at MacForce. For the most part, I get to make people happy all day, either fixing their broken Mac or setting them up with a sporty new one.

But every once in a while it's another story. Having to tell someone that their data is gone and can't be retrieved is zero fun for all parties involved. We don't know what we have until it's gone, I think that's just part of being human...

When Computers Drink

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:48:58 -0800

If I were to create a public service announcement, it might say: "Don't Drink and Compute!"

Once a week I get to see a laptop come into our service center with liquid spill damage...

Bookmark Shortcuts

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:44:02 -0800

So I use a lot of bookmarks. I mean a lot! Naturally I want them all to fit in the bookmark toolbar on my browser, too. Of course, with most browsers this is simply not an option. But I found a way to get up to about 45 bookmarks on one toolbar...

Our Voices Will Be Heard

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:04:00 -0800

Starting next week, this blog will be the home of the voices of the MacForce crew. We'll have product impressions, productivity ideas, tips and tricks, Mac maintenance suggestions, prognostication, amusing anecdotes and more from many of our crew members on a very regular basis...

Best of Macworld

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:28:00 -0800

With so many new products from companies all over the globe at Macworld this year, I would like to take a minute to reflect on what we felt were some standouts. Lots of other blogs have a ‘Best Of’ approach that is focused on what they found to be the best, our approach is about our customers, and what will benefit you the most...

Chris and Jamie Sum Up Macworld

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:30:00 -0800

Jamie Hey Chris? I know it was your first time at Macworld. Mine too. So what did you think? Chris: Pretty wild. So many people! What was most impressive to you? Jamie: It was incredible...

Apple Gets Comfortable in Your Living Room

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:55:00 -0800

For the last decade, with the advent of great devices like digital cameras and the iPod, we've seen a surge of media going digital. With all this great content floating around, the challenge is how to enjoy it on all our different devices; desktop and laptop computers, iPods and, most challenging of all, the television...

Your Business, Now Unplugged

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:46:00 -0800

Portland has long been positioned as a progressive city. This is definitely true in the world of wireless communications, which is why this year’s Macworld announcements were more exciting to me than they were to a lot of the people I’ve talked to here at Macworld...

Macworld Keynote 2008

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:48:00 -0800

Just one more reason that Portland, Oregon, loves Apple: Not only did Steve Jobs announce the world’s thinnest notebook computer today, but it’s very possibly most environmentally friendly as well. The MacBook Air is cased in easily-recyclable aluminum and features a mercury- and lead-free display...

How in the (Mac)World WIll Apple Top Last Year?!?

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:14:00 -0800

We’re not sure how Jobs can surpass Leopard and the iPhone, but we’re betting that he’ll find a way. And MacForce will be live on the scene sending missives back to Rocket Talk all Macworld long!

Summer Blast '07

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 15:04:00 -0700

This year's Summer Blast was the biggest and best to date. With over 1,000 people and more than $17,000 in prizes given away throughout the day, it was a huge success for MacForce and the Mac community and a great time for everyone who attended...

MacForce Summer Blast 2007

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:31:00 -0700

Thanks to everyone who made this event great! Check out the footage of MacForce Summer Blast 2007

MacForce Crew Profile: Shanna Hartley

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:52:00 -0700

> Hottest new Mac-related product?
iPhone - not as clumsy or as random as a blaster, but an elegant weapon for a more civilized age.

> iPod or shuffle?

MacForce Crew Profile: Jamie Liptan

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 11:07:00 -0700

> What's your most memorable MacForce moment?
Summer Blast '06. Hundreds of people appreciating and being appreciated by MacForce.

> How does MacForce serve Portland-area mac lovers?
Completely. I think we come closer than anyone else at being a total solution provider for our customers. We can help them with every aspect of their Mac lives, and they quickly come to trust our independent expertise.

> Hottest new Mac-related product?

World's Largest Game Developer Back On Mac

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:24:46 -0700

The summer is starting to heat up for Apple, with only 14 days till the iPhone's June 29th release and the wrap up of Apple's largest World Wide Developers Conference. During Steve Job's WWDC keynote, the co-founder of Electronic Arts (Bing Gordon) and the co-founder of id Software (John Carmack), announced new games for Intel based Macs.

Apple's In Touch, So You Stay In Touch

Tue, 22 May 2007 18:26:49 -0700

June 11th will be remembered as a pivotal keynote for Steve Jobs. In 20 days he'll take the stage at the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) and present not one, but at least two groundbreaking products: Mac OS X 10.5 and the iPhone.

Not only will we learn about new capabilities added to the iPhone since it's introduction but we'll also get a complete preview of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.

MacForce Goes BIODIESEL

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:57:38 -0700

If you've seen a van around town that looks like it escaped from a secret NASA installation, it's probably ours. The MacForce van transports Mac goodness to our clients throughout Portland, and uses BIODIESEL while doing it.

Adobe Is Back To The Mac

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:08:49 -0700

Today Adobe officially announced Adobe Creative Suite 3 (Adobe CS3), and it's been a long wait, especially for creative Mac users on Intel Macs. They've been running the old CS2 in a slow emulation layer. CS3 should run twice as fast because it's code is native to the Intel processor.

Special Event: Podcasting For Business

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:15:46 -0700

MacForce & Apple Present: The Power of Podcasting Wednesday, March 28 12:00 - 1:30 PM & 5:30 - 7:00 PM FREE

We are pleased to announce a special Podcasting event with Paul Garay, host of the popular indie podcast Inside Home Recording. Join MacForce and Apple for this exciting opportunity on March 28th 2007, next Wednesday, from 12:00 - 1:30 PM & from 5:30 - 7:00 PM. Paul will show how he turned his passion for music and recording into a successful podcast. Paul outlines how and why his show sounds so professional and explains how anyone can use certain production techniques with GarageBand to attract listeners and, most importantly, keep them. At the end of the presentations we will be giving away a powerful Samsung USB Studio Condenser Microphone.

Some of the specific topics to be discussed are equipment selection, recording tips, content delivery, launching podcasts into iTunes and enhancement techniques for audio and video quality. This unique seminar is specifically designed for the business professional and home audio and video enthusiasts alike. So, no matter what kind of podcast you are interested in creating, this is the event that will help you make it a reality.

We ask that you please RSVP as soon as possible. Space is limited. MacForce is located at 100 SE Salmon Portland, OR 97214 503.231.7707

MacForce Presents "Wacom Tablets 101"

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 16:06:44 -0700

MacForce & Wacom Present: Wacom Tablets 101 Scheduled March 13, 2007 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Do you own a Wacom tablet and wish you could achieve greater use of this outstanding tool? Have you been thinking of buying a new Wacom tablet or perhaps upgrading to the fabulous Cintiq 21UX pen display system? Do you wish you had a better input device that is less stressful and more natural to work with than your mouse? If so then this is your class. Spend 60 minutes with Steve learning tablet fundamentals and pick up some great tips for fine tuning your Wacom tablet for use with Adobe Photoshop. ($29) Instructor: Steve

In Preparation For Apple TV

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 15:56:32 -0800

Apple is getting ready to release the Apple TV later this month (around the 20th), and in preparation they've updated iTunes and QuickTime. We'll have more information on the Apple TV and a few surprises for you here at MacForce in the next few weeks, so be sure to check back.

Check Your Pockets

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 20:10:08 -0800

Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. The name has not been changed to protect the guilty. The new iPod Shuffle is tiny, tiny like a piece of gum or a few quarters. It's natural to just throw it in your pocket with your keys and the lint, but be careful and let this serve as your warning.

MacCast

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 17:00:00 -0800

Resident Mac fan Chris Gear has programed a collection of some of the best video moments and pictures from Apple and it's fans. Included in this SplashCast channel is the keynote introduction of Apple's 1984 ad (put in it's proper context by Steve Jobs), the rare making of 1984 video, the emotionally striking Think Different ad, the hilarious Han Solo Switch parody and a whole bunch of other great stuff.

Apple To The Corp

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 17:00:00 -0800

Steve Jobs attended (officially and unofficially) Portland's Reed College for two years, starting in 1972, and lived at a local commune that had an apple orchard. Soon after, he and Wozniak would found their company in a garage in California, and Steve Wozniak would claim that Jobs was inspired to name the company Apple because of his fond memories of that orchard. At least that's how the semiofficial mythology goes. Some people feel that the naming of the company had more to do with the Beatles than it did with a fruit orchard.

Macworld 2007 video recap

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:00:00 -0800

Here's a video recap of the past three days at Macworld 2007:

Live From Macworld 2007

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 17:00:00 -0800

I've just left Steve Jobs' keynote at Macworld 2007. And it will be remembered not only for the amazing devices it introduced to the world, but also for the thoroughness of his presentation. He spent close to two hours on just two Mac creations, and what amazing devices they are.

The First 30 Years And 2007

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:00:00 -0800

"The first 30 years were just the beginning. Welcome to 2007." So reads Apple's current home page. And what an amazing ride it's been. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Wonzniak and Steve Jobs, selling a computer with no keyboard, case or monitor. In three short decades their company has altered the space-time continuum and the way we view the universe.

Visions of MacWorld Past and Future

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:00:00 -0800

During a conference call in 2006, Jobs declared 2007 to be "one of the most exciting new product years in Apple's history." In 13 days he'll take the stage at MacWorld 2007, and MacForce will be there providing video, photos and commentary live from the show floor. Be sure to check back here January 2nd as we take a look at Apple's possible announcements.

Get That Video To Play!

Tue, 19 Dec 2006 17:00:00 -0800

While many web sites have standardized on QuickTime, Windows Media Video or Flash Video, you may occasionally run across that file that just won't play on a Mac. This guide should help you out. Here's a list of some of the competing standards in audio and video on the net:

Microsoft: "I'd Rather Buy A Mac."

Tue, 12 Dec 2006 17:00:00 -0800

James Allchin is co-President of the Platform Products and Services Group at Microsoft. He is responsible for Microsoft's operating systems, streaming media products and Internet services. When he talks, Microsoft’s developers listen. In 2004, three years into development of Longhorn (Microsoft’s new operating system, now known as Vista), James Allchin had much to talk about. Beset by massive security issues with Windows XP, Allchin had to redeploy his Vista development team to build security patches for their just released XP. Fed up with Microsoft’s products and culture, he sent a memo to CEO Steve Ballmer and co-founder Bill Gates. If not for information released on December 8th in an antitrust trial in Iowa, we might never have known how desperate Microsoft was.

Windows on Mac

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 17:00:00 -0800

Currently there are three solutions to run Windows XP on an Intel based Mac. Which is right for you depends on whether you need speed, compatibility or affordability. Here’s the breakdown:

iPod video: The Portable Media Server

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 17:00:00 -0800

While we eagerly await the arrival of Apple's iTV player next year, it's important to remember that Apple already sells a media server solution, the iPod video. And unlike the iTV, the iPod video allows you to take your videos, music and photos with you. Out of the box, the iPod is a great portable player, but to turn it into a media server you'll need some missing pieces, which is why we sell the iPod AV Connection Kit ($99). It includes everything you need to connect your iPod to most stereos or televisions:

The Power of the Mac

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 17:00:00 -0800

The Macintosh has a profound impact on society. A great deal of the magazines you read, music you hear, movies and TV shows you watch and Internet sites you surf were created and edited on a Mac. It's an invisible fabric that weaves its way through our daily lives. Always there, very rarely credited.

The iPod Killer?

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:00:00 -0800

Microsoft has officially released its version of the iPod, trademarked Zune. It's 30 GB capacity and price is similar to the 30 GB iPod, even though its heavier and bigger than an 80 GB iPod. At first glance its feature set is also similar, but looks deceive.

Watch Your TV Almost Anywhere

Sun, 15 Jan 2006 13:10:40 -0800

Here at MacForce we are media lovers. Music, movies and television make up a nice chunk of our free time. And we use our Macs and iPods to manage most of it, but there’s always been a piece missing from our quest for media nirvana, and until the Slingbox arrived in our store, we didn’t even realize it.

The MacForce RSS Feed is Launched

Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:00:00 -0700

A small step for man. A huge leap for mankind.