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The Lobby => Off-Topic => Topic started by: Mac on February 07, 2012, 08:42:20 pm


Title: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on February 07, 2012, 08:42:20 pm
Apple announces iBalls: the ultimate Retina Display

Whoever designed the hunan body did a respectable job — but leave it to Apple to take it to a higher level.
With its new iBalls technology, Apple has created superior eyes. Once installed, iBalls allow you to choose between five different modes of vision: normal, microscope, telescope, wide-angle and sepia.
Even better, iBalls allow you to take 8-megapixel still photos with one eye, 3D photos using two eyes, and upload a 24/7* video record of your life to iCloud in glorious 1080p.

But uploading is only part of the story. iBalls can also tap into your iTunes account to retrieve movies and TV shows, allowing you to be entertained in the privacy of your own head. It’s the perfect solution for boring business meetings, church services and family functions. (HBO is available at an additional cost.)

As Apple’s press release puts it, “What would you rather do — sit through a two-hour business meeting or watch Star Wars Episode IV? With iBalls, the choice is yours.”

Even if you never use the technology built into iBalls, you’ll feel better about yourself. iBalls let you choose from a palette of five colors, so you can finally get rid of the boring peepers you were born with. You can even mix and match to create your own unique look.

iBalls are installed by a higher level of Genius Bar employee — the iGenius — who is Apple-trained to ensure a smooth upgrade. Reservations are available online for the 20-minute procedure.

iBalls have an initial cost of $999 each and require a $59/month subscription. Both natural eyes must be removed prior to installation — but if you have limited funds, you can start with just one iBall, then use the optional iPatch ($49) to cover the vacant socket.

Those who default on their iBalls subscription will lose all functionality, including basic vision. However, in these cases, Apple will provide iBraille training at no additional cost.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Chiprocks1 on February 07, 2012, 09:03:23 pm
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i266/Chiprocks1/Smilies/0%20All%20Smilies/lol.gif)@ iBalls

Come on! Don't think for one second that name isn't going to be ripped apart and made fun of for the next 1,000 years.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on February 08, 2012, 06:59:15 am
Quote
Both natural eyes must be removed prior to installation — but if you have limited funds, you can start with just one iBall, then use the optional iPatch ($49) to cover the vacant socket.

That made me laugh


Quote
Come on! Don't think for one second that name isn't going to be ripped apart and made fun of for the next 1,000 years.

Whatcha mean?

Like the iPad?  ;)

Oh lordy
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Chiprocks1 on February 08, 2012, 07:00:03 am
Yep, there is a connection between the two.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on August 05, 2015, 05:38:01 pm
Well, I pulled the trigger. I got myself an iMac. I was so sick of my laptop being slow and unresponsive. It was full of virus's.

So here in these parts we have TAX FREE weekend. It helps with school purchases and is very popular. Not all town participate, so I had to first go to a BestBuy in a town that would totally forgive taxes.

I got to spend 1-1/2 hours with an Apple guru. What he did for me, is allow to buy it now. Come in on Saturday and he will readjust the purchase for the tax free weekend. The lines will be enormous starting Friday morning, He said probably worse than Black Friday. So I bought it. The last 27" 5K Retina. I signed up for 5% cash back card and will use that to buy a couple more things for the Apple. I want to get the gesture pad and I have to get a CD READ/WRITE. They will essentially be free. Then pay off the card next month.

This screen is freakin huge.

Now to learn Apple, gestures and whatever else.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Neumatic on August 05, 2015, 06:13:35 pm
That's pretty cool!  How much of your old computer were you able to salvage? (Photos, documents, programs?)

 Yeah, the screen is huge, I can't imagine going to a computer screen after 15 years of being on laptops.

The only real add-on is this sleek Samsung Blu-ray reader/CD read/write thing that's pretty awesome (Apples doesn't have Blu-Ray support).  It was a cinch to make it work, a few terminal commands I had to copy/paste after a five-second internet search.

Apple's real easy to understand and use, they make it a point of pride.

The one thing I will say is that the USB ports on the back of the iMac are poorly placed if you want to keep plugging/unplugging things into... I saw a neat little extender thing @ the Container Store that form-fits the iMac back that gives you ports at the front.  There are aos PLENTY of USB hubs to choose from, including a couple snazzy ones in the iMac design.

One problem I had with Yosemite is that Preview is baked-in, and I kept finding it crashing and I'd have to restart my computer.  So I installed Xee3 and use that as my picture viewer now.  It was 4 bucks but worth it for the hassle it saved me from.

Also, I don't know how it was on your old system but you have the App Store at the touch of a button on the iMac, just like the iPad.  Makes it real easy to update stuff.

The only other real problem with Yosemite at the moment is that iTunes is kind of a disaster with Apple Music, just teething troubles.  it does too much, some people aren't enjoying it.  And the design of it... I don't really care for it.  I think they're gonna fix that sometime soon, just something to be aware of (Mac Observer suggested that they cut the service into three simple parts: Sync, Store, and Play.  I figure they'll do something like that in the future).

And with that 5K display, you might want some new backgrounds, I recommend "interfacelift.com," it automatically selects the size based on your display and you can find TONS of free wallpapers.  I downloaded a ton and have my background refresh every 24 hours.  Keeps my computer from getting boring.



Lemme know how you like it!

I have this suspicion in the back of my mind that within the next year, there will be a new iMac out there, just because it's the last product to have a major design change (and there's really only four "product" lines that Mac does)... but at the same time, it somehow feels rather unlikely.  Like the 5K is good enough for a while.  We'll see.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on August 06, 2015, 12:27:51 pm
Quote
That's pretty cool!  How much of your old computer were you able to salvage? (Photos, documents, programs?) I haven’t attempted anything yet. My picture collection is minimal. I have scanned photo’s I need to keep. A smattering of document files. My mp3’s are a big deal. I’ve got to look into the best way to work those. Right now it’s a mess with them spread over two external hard drives. Duplication gone awry.

Yeah, the screen is huge, I can't imagine going to a computer screen after 15 years of being on laptops. So I have had the dual screen forever. I still have the 2nd monitor on the desk. I’m going to test it out to see if I need to continue or if the one large screen will work. I would like to figure that out sooner than later. It sure would clean up my desk with just one monitor.

The only real add-on is this sleek Samsung Blu-ray reader/CD read/write thing that's pretty awesome (Apples doesn't have Blu-Ray support).  It was a cinch to make it work, a few terminal commands I had to copy/paste after a five-second internet search. ??? Tell me more. Though I really don't have a need for the BR

Apple's real easy to understand and use, they make it a point of pride.

The one thing I will say is that the USB ports on the back of the iMac are poorly placed if you want to keep plugging/unplugging things into... I saw a neat little extender thing @ the Container Store that form-fits the iMac back that gives you ports at the front.  There are aos PLENTY of USB hubs to choose from, including a couple snazzy ones in the iMac design. Again, tell me more.

One problem I had with Yosemite is that Preview is baked-in, and I kept finding it crashing and I'd have to restart my computer.  So I installed Xee3 and use that as my picture viewer now.  It was 4 bucks but worth it for the hassle it saved me from. I need to look into this.

Also, I don't know how it was on your old system but you have the App Store at the touch of a button on the iMac, just like the iPad.  Makes it real easy to update stuff. Yea, can’t wait to explore that some more. I’ve got it down on the iPad. Not sure I’ll need them on the office computer.

The only other real problem with Yosemite at the moment is that iTunes is kind of a disaster with Apple Music, just teething troubles.  it does too much, some people aren't enjoying it.  And the design of it... I don't really care for it.  I think they're gonna fix that sometime soon, just something to be aware of (Mac Observer suggested that they cut the service into three simple parts: Sync, Store, and Play.  I figure they'll do something like that in the future). So I wonder if I should wait for that to happen? I know I’ll be spending a lot of time getting my music files organized. Any  suggestions how to approach that? Guru told me about a process Apple has of retrieving info off another computer or external. My fears are in duplication and virus’s now on the external drive. The newest drive is less than a few months old. That should be OK? I'm thinking about man-handling the files. Just selectively go through my laptop, transfer using a USB. I'm just not sure iTunes is smart enough to know where to get my files, look at duplicates, etc.

And with that 5K display, you might want some new backgrounds, I recommend "interfacelift.com," it automatically selects the size based on your display and you can find TONS of free wallpapers.  I downloaded a ton and have my background refresh every 24 hours.  Keeps my computer from getting boring. Agree. Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out.

Lemme know how you like it!

I have this suspicion in the back of my mind that within the next year, there will be a new iMac out there, just because it's the last product to have a major design change (and there's really only four "product" lines that Mac does)... but at the same time, it somehow feels rather unlikely.  Like the 5K is good enough for a while.  We'll see.

The Apple guru told me Apple Yosemite will be upgraded to El Capitan sooner than later. He winked at 3 weeks possibly?  Reading through that, with the split screen, I can see getting rid of my 2nd monitor.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Neumatic on August 06, 2015, 01:15:08 pm
* My big advice for reloading your stuff is to organize as you go, clearly marked folders within folders within folders so you know where everything is.

Mac actually has a great thing where instead of over-writing files with duplicates, it'll ask if you want to keep both. And now it'll merge folders together, so if you have a folder called "my photos" and drag another folder called "my photos" into the same window, you can choose to merge the two.  Personally, I do it a little differently (Pictures > Photos, 2015 > iPhone Photos, 06.8.2015 etc).  I also use an app called "Rename" to change strings of meaningless numbers (IMG_5321.JPG or 01.jpeg) into appropriate file names (Vacation- Day 01- Thursday- 001.jpg etc).  While I use Xee3 to look at my pictures, I use Preview to select a square of that image and turn it into the icon for the folder, so instead of looking at a list of names or a bunch of blue folders, I have a little more sense of what's inside).

On iTunes I suggest you make playlists and drag and drop your MP3s into there, here's all your rap music or all your old rock or whatever.  iTunes lets you browse via albums, artist, title, what have you, but we all have our own way of grouping music.  Again, I have folders within folders so I can find everything easily.  I'm real anal about that kind of thing, because to me it's only useful if you can easily access it.  I'm a huge fan of "organizing as you go," so don't just grab all your MP3s and dump them into iTunes.

And if you're doing that, why not copy them all off your external drives onto your new iMac and sort them as you go?  Re-organize them, delete the duplicates as you come across them, and when you're done, replace those original back-ups with your newly-sorted and cleaned folders?  (If you had a ton of viruses, you might want to consider wiping those EHDs or getting new ones... doubly so if they're old).

If you still have the original CDs, you know that iTunes can automatically put in the information when it rips the disc... I think it can look up album art as well.  And it does it automatically, and you can set the quality yourself... might be something to consider.

I don't know if iTunes is ever going to split, if it does, it probably won't happen anytime soon.  No reason to wait, though.  Go ahead and sync your stuff.  And even if it did, I don't think that would happen until the new iMac comes out.  The original iMac was the original "digital hub," so it makes sense that they would bundle that kind of split with that kind of new hardware.

I would recommend however not doing Apple Match, just because it allows Apple permission to read stuff on your computer.  Just go old school and sync your devices with a cable.

* The App store for the iMac works the same way as the iPad App Store, except it's computer-based programs.  It's how you can get stuff like Photoshop, Microsoft Word (I assume, I don't have Word)... basically you don't have to go to the store to buy software (which is why you don't see software at any Apple Store anymore).  Of course, if you hit F4 on your keyboard, it'll pull up an Pad-style menu.


* Here are some Mac-styled accessories
http://www.containerstore.com/s/jimi-usb-port-extension/d?productId=11001079&q=usb&ps=60&p=0
http://www.containerstore.com/s/space-bar-monitor-stand-by-quirky/d?productId=10031841&q=usb&ps=60&p=0
https://www.twelvesouth.com/product/backpack-for-imac

Incidentally, this is what I have my iPhone resting on... it's like having a tiny black iMac
http://www.containerstore.com/s/milo-smartphone-stand/d?productId=10035128&q=dock&ps=60&p=0



* It sounds like the splitscreen might manage your desktop better than dual monitors (and I can't imagine a second monitor with an iMac looking anything other than weird).  it's just a matter of how you use your desktop real estate. 


* The Apple Backup, Time Machine or whatever it is... it's real interesting because you can literally get a new computer and use time machine to restore your old environment onto a new machine.  That's what I did, I could start computing again after a few minutes (depending on how much the computer has to restore).  Personally though, I just back up everything I'm doing manually every month, I don't want to keep too much on my machine in case something goes down, and "Time Machine" the basic stuff once a year onto its' own dedicated hard drive.  I actually had a little issue w/ Time Machine b/c it led to a condition where I was getting incorrect "data remaining" info.  Took me a while to figure out how to fix that (which was an easy "turn it off and on" solution, naturally).

* Also ONE other thing I do is cover up my camera, unless I'm using it for Skype or whatever.  Just me being paranoid.  I might want to do that on my iPad as well.



Oh, and for a bit of fun, here's a video from 2001 of Steve Jobs walking through what I assume is the prototype Apple Store.  Rather different from what we have now (it's divided by pro/consumer and product rather than experience).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLTNfIaL5YI


And now you all know just how much of a geek I am.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on August 09, 2015, 04:59:12 am
I looked into the extended USB port. I like that. I believe that will work for my purposes. I am surprised they didn't make it silver though. When you look at Apple, you are looking at 'Design'.

I like the Backpack Shelf, but seems pricey.

So I'm a little confused about what your suggesting on the external hard drive, organizing, and NOT dumping files all at once. It seems when I tell iTunes to sync up from the hard drive, it's going to bring it all in?

I use playlists for burning CD's. But I get what your saying about organizing.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Neumatic on August 11, 2015, 03:15:58 pm
Well, I suggest not dumping all your MP3s into iTunes all at once because you might find that there's metadata that's wrong, or the info might be in the wrong place (artist/title mixed up or all in one field).  It might take longer to do an album at a time (lots of dragging and dropping), but it makes it easier to check for errors as you go and correct them (I have SO many half-titled tracks on my iTunes that only have a title on there, or are just Track 01 or something like that.  Drives me crazy).


---

Okay, there was an article about why consumers should consider desktops instead of laptops (http://www.wsj.com/articles/your-next-computer-should-be-a-desktop-1439316558), linked here so that Mac can feel good about himself.  I don't have room for a desktop, but I will say that if I ever do get a dedicated office or what not, I might consider it.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on August 11, 2015, 05:30:43 pm
Thanks for the article. Ya, I pretty much went through that thinking process.

I now use my iPad for reading in a mobile way. Keeping the dedicated office. In the Apple Store I was later focused on the MacBook, not necessarily the Pro. After going through most everything, I was introduced to the 27" iMac and I switched gear immediately. I thought I would simply continue with another lap top and two screen. But things change and I think what I got will work for me for awhile.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Neumatic on August 11, 2015, 05:37:19 pm
I was really annoye dby how little the laptop screens and SSDs were getting... they're making these laptops as slim and sleek as possible, which i get, but I had to get a refurbished laptop in order to get the functionality i had before.  I don't care for that.

Part of me wants to experiment with a Hackintosh in the future, I'd love to fit a Mac into an NZXT case, I was reminded of that while watching Antiviral, where they used one of those (the slickest, most futuristic looking towers I've seen) to house a mechanical device with springs, sprockets, gears, etc.  It was a neat mash-up.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on August 14, 2015, 07:57:37 am
This should probably go in the music section...

Quote
When I was younger, I was all about the mix tape. I invested an inordinate amount of time and thought into picking just the right mix of songs to foster a certain mood or theme, making sure that I achieved the right flow from one song into the next while timing it all perfectly so that no extra seconds were left at the end of the each side of the tape. Cutting off a song was the cardinal sin of mix-tape making; leaving several minutes of dead space at the end of each side wasn't much better.

As time passed, my mix tapes morphed into mix CDs and ultimately into iTunes playlists, and a huge portion of my iTunes listening still revolves around the playlist. I rarely listen to a complete album by a single artist except when I'm getting acquainted with a new release. I value variety in my music listening--not the schizophrenic variety that comes with trying to listen to your entire iTunes library on shuffle, but the tailored variety that comes from listening to a well-crafted playlist based on a certain genre or mood. As just one example, I've got a playlist called "Emotion in Motion" that's crafted for the road trip--all songs about going to, being in, and then returning from some place. The journey.
 
If anything I've just described resonates with you, then the new Apple Music streaming service is designed for you. At its core, Apple Music is all about the playlist.

Yes, Apple Music does give you access to roughly 30 million songs in the iTunes music catalog, with the ability to listen to complete albums from any artist in the catalog and to seamlessly integrate those albums into your own iTunes music library. Yes, it allows you to listen to genre-based "radio" stations and create artist-inspired stations, shuffling through songs that are similar to those of an artist you already love. Yes, it offers the new Beats 1 live radio station being broadcast simultaneously around the world.

But really, what distinguishes Apple Music from the likes of Pandora, Spotify, and Google Music is its focus on the playlist...on crafting a musical theme or mood with a certain number of curated songs--i.e., songs selected by real people. How much value you place on this aspect of the service will dictate whether or not Apple Music is a more worthy investment than the other streaming services on the market.

Let's cover the basics. Apple Music costs $9.99/month for an individual subscription or $14.99/month for a family subscription that supports up to six users (a free three-month trial is available). Apple Music streams AAC files at 256 kbps. On your computer, Apple Music is fully integrated into iTunes; it can't be accessed via Web browser or its own dedicated app. To use it, you need to download or upgrade to iTunes version 12.2.

Owners of iOS devices must update to the v8.4 operating system, at which time the Apple Music app will replace the current iOS Music app. I own an older iPhone 4, which does not support the new OS and therefore does not support the Apple Music service. So, this review is based entirely on my experience with the service as it is offered through iTunes on a computer, which is likely the way many of our readers will use it to stream music to AirPlay-enabled devices around the home. (FYI, Sonos has already announced that it will support Apple Music later this year.) From what I've read elsewhere, the iOS version is not without its share of frustrations in these early-goings, and I'll point you here for a discussion on that. An Android version of Apple Music is reportedly coming this fall.

When you update to iTunes 12.2, you'll notice some new categories along the top of the iTunes Music Player interface. Next to staples like My Music, Playlist, and iTunes Store, you'll find options labeled For You, New, Radio, and Connect. Click on "For You" to begin the personalization process, where Apple Music asks you to select music genres you like and then artists within those genres. These choices float around in bubbles; click the bubble once if you like the choice, and click it again if you love the choice. Based on your selections, Apple Music instantly creates a customized For You page with some playlists and album recommendations that fit your tastes.

At first, my list wasn't very long, and I wasn't terribly impressed with the options, which placed too much emphasis on classic rock. So I went back and tweaked my preferences (you can do this at any time by selecting "Choose Artists for You" under your account info). After several tweaks, I ended up with a well-rounded reflection of my musical tastes. Now, every time I cue up iTunes, some new playlists and recommendations are waiting for me in the "For You" section. As I type this, I'm listening to a playlist called "Behind the Boards: Brian Eno," which includes 17 songs produced by Brian Eno, from artists like U2, Coldplay, Sinead O'Connor, Talking Heads, and James. Now, I've never told iTunes how much I admire Brian Eno, but the service figured me out pretty quickly and created a playlist that combines Eno-produced songs that I already own with ones I've never heard before. I can add any of the new songs to my iTunes library and even one of my own expertly curated playlists with the click of a button. That's pretty cool.

At first glance, the "New" section looks like it's just another link to the iTunes Store to browse new music, with lists of hot new tracks, top songs, top albums, top music videos, etc. All of these lists can be tailored by genre, too. But the most interesting part of the "New" section is kind of buried in the middle: a banner runs across the interface with options that read "Apple Editors Playlists," "Activities Playlists," and "Curators Playlists." Within these areas are--you guessed it--more playlists, handpicked by Apple editors or guest editors like Rolling Stone, Wired, Shazaam, Grand Ole Opry, DJ Mag, Mojo Mag, and many others. The Activities area features playlists built around activities like BBQing, Breaking Up, Chilling Out, Driving, Waking Up, or Working Out. There's a whole lot of interesting stuff to dig into within these areas, if you're willing.

The "Radio" section isn't brand new. Apple already offered (and still does) free genre- and artist-based stations, but the section now includes the new Beats 1 radio station. I confess, after about 10 minutes of listening to Beats 1, I was over it. It's not for me, but that doesn't mean it's not for everyone. Interestingly, Beats 1 was the only element of Apple Music that would not stream over AirPlay in my house. Every time I tried switching to Beats 1 from another part of Apple Music, iTunes would turn off AirPlay and only play the station through my computer.

Finally, there's the Connect section, which is a social media page designed to connect you with artists, who check in periodically with status updates, videos, etc. Picture a Facebook universe where all your "friends" are your favorite bands. Apple Music builds your Connect page based on the artists in your library, so it's immediately relevant to your tastes, and you can add/subtract artists as desired. This section was far more entertaining and time-consuming than I originally expected it to be.

It's worth noting that anyone who updates to iTunes 12.2 is going to see the new sections I've just described--and will be able to stream the free radio stations (even Beats 1, at least right now) and view the Connect page. You can even browse the playlists in the "New" section, but you won't actually be able to play the music without the Apple Music subscription.

The last significant difference in the new iTunes 12.2 for Apple Music subscribers is the search function. Now, when you click into the search field, you can choose between searching your own music library and searching Apple Music for any artist, song, or album you want to hear.

High Points:
• Apple Music gives you access to 30 million songs in the iTunes music catalog, with the ability to integrate them into your personal iTunes music library so that all your music is located in one place.
• The service offers a lot of hand-picked playlists by Apple editors and guest editors, as well as customized playlists based on your personal preferences.
• Genre- and artist-inspired radio stations are available that can learn your tastes.
• The Connect section is a fun way to interact with your favorite artists.

Low Points

• Apple Music is not compatible with older iOS devices that don't support the new OS 8.4.
• An Android version is not yet available, although Apple says it's coming in the fall.
• While Apple does offer free, ad-supported radio streams, there's no free version of Apple Music with direct song/album access, as you can get with Spotify Free on your desktop.
• Apple doesn't offer a lossless streaming option, a la TIDAL.

Comparison and Competition
The highest-profile competitor to Apple Music is Spotify, which also allows you to browse by specific song/artist and stream genre- and artist-inspired radio stations. The free Spotify desktop app gives you access to the core Spotify features streamed at 160 kbps. Spotify Premium costs $9.99/month and streams in the Ogg Vorbis format at 320 kbps and is available on mobile devices. In terms of sound quality, Spotify's 320-kbps rate is a little higher than Apple's; CNET recently did a sound-quality comparison between the two services that you can read here.
For our audience, the biggest competitor might be TIDAL, as it's the only service that offers a lossless streaming option at $20/month, and it's being integrated into a growing number of higher-end audio products. TIDAL also offers some curated content.

Other competitors include Pandora, Rdio, Google Music, and Rhapsody. The Verge put together a nice comparison chart of the different services, which you'll find here.

Conclusion
With so many streaming music options to choose from, how do you decide if Apple Music is the one for you? If you already use iTunes and AirPlay for a lot of your around-the-home music listening, the biggest benefit to Apple Music might be that it seamlessly integrates the streaming service into your existing ecosystem, with no need to bring other apps into the process. Of, on the other hand, you hate using iTunes, Apple Music probably isn't for you.
In a big-picture sense, the question is, what do you want from your streaming music service? If all you want is a simple way to access albums and songs, maybe stream the occasional radio station to provide background music around the home without giving much thought to the process behind it, then one service is really just as good as the next. You might as well just pick the one that plays nicest with your audio products. If, on the other hand, you want to dig a little deeper--if you want to actively connect with a community that can recommend new music and experiment with interesting new playlist combinations--then Apple Music should be right up your alley.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on August 16, 2015, 05:30:40 pm
Well I ventured to our Container Store and picked up the Jimi USB. That container store is cool.

Gah, while the Jimi fits perfectly, the Steampunk USB is bulky and won't fit well into the receptacle without hitting the front of the screen before fully engaging. It will work nicely for regular USB's.

So I ordered a Sabrent 4 Port USB that looks like it was designed by Apple.

...

Man I am slowly figuring out the way Mac's work with files, documents, etc... The gesture pad and glass mouse are interesting.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Neumatic on August 16, 2015, 06:03:26 pm
Did you get a mouse or are you just using the gesture pad?
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on August 17, 2015, 03:38:51 am
The mouse came with it. I picked up the gesture pad because I think I'll use that more.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on August 23, 2015, 05:58:33 pm
Gah, I have an issue.

The external hard drive with all my music I want to import is incompatible with as is with the iMac. So when I attempt for iTunes to import, alerts come up that the drive needs to me reformatted.

I don't necessarily want to bring all that music onto my iMac. I was hoping to keep it on the external drive.

I think I have to play music shuffle. Export it all to flash drives. Reformat the external, and then have iTunes use the external as the repository. Then put all the mp3's back onto the external.

Thoughts?
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Neumatic on May 05, 2016, 11:37:45 am
Don't get Apple Music (https://blog.vellumatlanta.com/2016/05/04/apple-stole-my-music-no-seriously/).  Seriously, don't get Apple Music.  And be sure to back up your files.  F*ck, i accidentally got a month of iCloud service and it f*cked up my podcast backlog.

F*ck this sh1t and f*ck them for hiding this in the terms of service so they can't be sued over it.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Chiprocks1 on May 05, 2016, 11:49:13 am
Apple Music is still around? I thought they went away in the same manner that MySpace did. Sorry you're going through this sh*t.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Neumatic on May 05, 2016, 01:45:04 pm
It's just the podcasts, not a big deal.  I'm not nearly as screwed as the guy in the article.  But yes, Apple Music is still around and Trent Reznor is doing a redesign, because that's what the problem was, the interface, not screwing customers out of their music collection and taking away the right to sue them about it.

See, every time they take away a feature like a disc drive or cut down on hard drive space or tell us the future is tablets and we don't need computers themselves, I'm extremely wary, because I know they want to pull more sh1t like this.
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on May 05, 2016, 02:32:09 pm
Gahhhhhh

I'll just keep getting large storage USB sticks (steampunk'd)
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Neumatic on May 05, 2016, 02:54:52 pm
External hard drives forever!  Modify hardware forever!
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on May 05, 2016, 02:58:44 pm
Got that too🤔
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on November 14, 2016, 08:25:17 am
So I've been putting up with the Apple Designed Keyboard that came with the IMac, but in the back of my mind, have been frustrated with it every time I use it. I use a standard keyboard all day long and to come home to my home office and use this redesigned compact keyboard was just getting on my last damn nerve.

MassDrop just sent me their weekly deal and I noticed the Azio MK Keyboard. Things clicked, I investigated and decided to get it. Hopefully this new keyboard will help solve the other issue that occurs when you have the track pad. randomly the key strokes transfer into runaway keyboard process and you can't use the computer anymore. It needs to be restarted. This is a known problem, for quite some time and can't believe there's no fix for it.

https://youtu.be/m7B45yslklc
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Neumatic on November 14, 2016, 05:32:10 pm
I'm so married to my Macbook chiclet keyboard-- the same one I can see Mac rejecting-- that when I had to use a different keyboard at work today, one of those curved ergonomic ones, I couldn't use it for sh*t.  I went from being able to type ... I dont' even know how many words per minute-- a flurry-- into being as slow as a slug.

I forgot how much I like Apple until I had to use Windows.  And not even a LOT of windows.  Just a little.  Ick.

I will admit that I did see one external keyboard that I might like... in the bin at McKays, this used stuff place (it calls itself a bookstore but it has used everything).  What caught my eye was the lettering, it was the old school letters that the old Apple keyboards had when I was a kid.  Like this:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/PowerBook_Univers_keycaps.jpg/220px-PowerBook_Univers_keycaps.jpg)
Title: Re: Fun With Apple
Post by: Mac on November 14, 2016, 07:54:44 pm
Funny how totally different we can get