iPad, iPhone & iPod Touch Tips & Tricks...

For those of you who may have missed my iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch class last Saturday, here are some resources to help you get the most out of your "iDevice".

Note: make sure to update your device to the latest version of the operating system, if you haven't already. To do that, connect the device to your computer, open iTunes (if it doesn't pop up automatically), and it should notify you that a new software update is available. Follow the prompts to proceed with the install. (Depending on the speed of your internet connection, the whole process could take an hour or more, so I recommend doing the process late at night or very early in the morning.)]

Now, on with the tips!

First, here's a few links to some catch-all articles that cover a lot of the little details found in "iOS 5":

http://safe.mn/3wYA
http://safe.mn/3wYB
http://safe.mn/3wYD

Way at the bottom of the second link above, they mention the keyboard short feature found in iOS 5. I meant to mention this, as it's really one of the most powerful features in the new OS. Here's a link to an article that covers that feature in even more detail: http://safe.mn/3wYU

Next, I mentioned a few apps; here's a fairly comprehensive list of many of my faves:
[The links below should take you to the app's page in the iTunes Store; you can read up on them and decide whether to install them or not. Most are free, but some cost between 99¢ and $20...]

Adobe Ideas
Adobe Ideas (for iPad)
Adobe Photoshop Express
AppAdvice (for finding out about new & popular apps, as well as a daily listing of apps on sale!)
Brushes - iPhone Edition (This has been used to create cover art for the New Yorker!)
Brushes - iPad Edition
Dragon Dictation
Dragon Go!
Dropbox (If you don't know about Dropbox for your computer, check it out! Amazing online-backup/cloud-storage tool! Combined with an iPad or iPhone, you can access your files anywhere...)
Evernote
GoodReader for iPhone
GoodReader for iPad
iMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Kindle (for reading Kindle ebooks on your iDevice; many can be found for free...)
My-Cast (weather)
Nebulous Notes (Awesome tool for writing on your iPhone or iPad)
Netflix
Overdrive Media Console (for accessing ebooks/audiobooks from some public libraries, like Montrose or Telluride)
Peaks (incredible "augmented reality" app that you have to see to believe!
Photosynth (amazing panoramic photo tool)
Quick Office Pro (for iPhone)
Quick Office Pro HD (for iPad)
Skype (for iPhone)
Skype (for iPad)
WeatherBug (for iPhone)
WeatherBug (for iPad)
White & Yellow Pages (a phone book for your iPhone/iPad! No need to mess with Google...)

Then, here's the article that covers the trick I mentioned about creating your own ringtones: http://safe.mn/3wYS

And lastly, for those of you with an iPhone 4S (or getting one soon?), this page covers a bunch of Siri-specific tips: http://safe.mn/3wYT

A Couple of Online Safety Tips...

I'm a big believer in not living life in fear, but when we spend so much of our lives in this crazy online world these days, there's certainly a need to practice 'safe-surfing' practices... And since this e-world is evolving so quickly, there are always new things to be aware of. Not necessarily afraid of, but certainly aware of!

First, my friend Karla sent me an email recently warning of a new online scam involving something called "URL Shorteners". You can read the entire article over at Scambusters.org, but the gist of it is this:

URL shorteners are tools that were developed in recent years as URLs (Uniform Resource Locaters, aka web addresses) just kept getting more complicated and thus, longer. As you may have experienced, if you paste a long web address (URL) into an email, and it ends up flowing onto two lines, the entire URL might not work right anymore, as the part on the second line would often get removed from the part on the first line! Messy, messy, messy... Enter URL shorteners. Sites have sprung up all over, with names like tinyurl.com, bitly.com and goo.gl, among many others. I've been a big fan of shorteners for quite awhile now, for making nice short URLs in emails to clients (bitly being my current favorite). They've also gained popularity since they make it easy to post short URLs to services like Facebook and Twitter.

The problem, it seems, is that scammers are starting to use shorteners to direct people to malicious websites. According to the Scambusters.org site linked above, there are "three simple steps"one can take to avoiding URL shortener abuse:

1. Be wary of any link that appears to be the output of a URL shortener. Basically, if the address is very short, comes to you in an email or appears on a website yet doesn't use recognizable words, it has probably been shortened.

2. If you have any doubts about the origin, copy and paste the link into one of the URL lengthening sites. For a fuller list than the ones we've provided, just initiate a web search for the words "URL lengthener."

3. Ensure your Internet security software is up-to-date. That way, if you do land on a malicious page, your software should alert you and block any attempts to upload malware.

Their best advice, however, is good general web-surfing advice: pay attention to the web address that shows up in the location bar at the top of your web browser when you're using the Internet! Use common sense to ensure that you're on the site you think you are... In other words, if you think you're on your Chase credit card website, make sure the first part of the address for the page you're about to enter your username and password on is actually 'chase.com', and not just something close, like 'cc.chase.com'. And if you're not sure, try starting over from a known-good link in your bookmarks (or something as simple as 'chase.com')!!

Read more at the Scambusters website, and get in touch if you still have questions.

UPDATE: I Just found this site, with a great round-up of the relative security of 11 popular URL shortening services. All of the ones I know and use didn't fare very well, so I'll be trying these two from now on: cli.gs & safe.mn (probably the latter)!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Secondly, I read an article at arstechnica.com today about a security researcher who did a bunch of research into Facebook's supposed privacy and security tools and found a method whereby "he could "friend" even allegedly more wary Facebook users in less than 24 hours." Even scarier, by taking advantage of Facebook's "Three Trusted Friends" password recovery feature, he found that "a hacker
can change both the password and the contact e-mail address for an account. The hacker could then use that hacked account for social engineering attacks on other accounts." Apparently, a Facebook spokesperson "told Ars Technica by email that Neto's approach is a clear violation of the company's policies, and that Facebook encourages users to report any account they think may be using a false name." Not exactly encouraging, from a security standpoint, eh??

At the very least, I urge any Facebook users reading this to disable the "Three Trusted Friends" feature, if you have it enabled.

I think the major lesson here (in both of these examples of online scams) is to be on your guard when surfing the Internet. Of course, there are lots of places where you probably don't have to be too wary, but unfortunately, Facebook doesn't appear to be one of them!!

Mac classes - December '11

I don't know about you, but I can't believe it's December already. Where did the year go? It's finally looking like we might be getting some snow in the next few days; let's hope!!

On to the details about this month's Mac classes:

First off, due to the busy holiday season, I'm only going to offer one Saturday class, but it's a good one:

  Next Saturday, December 10th, from 10 a.m. to noon, I will again be offering my popular class on the iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch. Just in the last couple of months, the iPhone 4S has arrived on the scene (now available on three carriers: AT&T, Verizon as well as Sprint), a major update to the operating system has come out ("iOS 5") with tons of great new features, and of course the popularity of the iPad 2 (not to mention the "iTouch") has shown no sign of slowing.

Whether you've had one of these game-changers for years, are just now jumping on the "iOS" wagon with a new iPhone 4S, or it's simply time for you to find out what the fuss is all about, this class will teach you everything you need to know about these amazing devices... I'll cover the pros and cons of AT&T vs Verizon, all the new features in iOS 5, as well as the reasons you might want to ask Santa for an iPhone 4S this year... I hope you can join us! Cost is $20.

***The above class is held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and is open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget...

 Though the regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class usually takes place on the last Wednesday of the month, for this month I'm going to switch it to  the third Wednesday of the month, December 21st from 5-7 p.m, again due to the holidays.These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

Quick reminder: Overview Class Wednesday evening

The *FREE* Overview of Mac OS X class is Wednesday night at the Ridgway Library! I think I only have four seats left, so give me a call if you'd like to join us... 970-417-8434

It's a fun tour of all aspects of the Mac operating system, suitable for all levels of user (though primarily for the beginner). And did I mention that it's FREE? ;-)

Mac Classes - November '11

Little did I know when I wrote my October newsletter that Steve Jobs was near death. I was so surprised by my strong emotional reaction to the news of his death, especially since I obviously never even met the man. Of course, his company has had quite an effect on the path of my life, so I suppose it's not that surprising... He certainly was an enigma: a master of innovation, a buddhist who came of age in the sixties yet could be extremely hard and inhumane. Most of all, a passionate leader who seemed to be able to predict the future (of technology anyway). It will be very interesting to see how Apple evolves without him!

On to the details about this month's Mac classes:

  First off, Saturday, November 12th, from 10 a.m. to noon, I will again be offering my popular iPhoto class. Come learn everything there is to know about Apple's amazing digital photo organization/editing program. Start getting your photo library under control, and learn how easy (and fun) the process can be! Cost is $20.

   Then, on Saturday, November 19th, from 10 a.m. to noon, for the first time, I will be covering the broad topic of Email & Address Book management. After numerous requests over the last couple of months, I decided it's time to offer a class covering all the ins and outs of email and contact-management on a Mac. Ever wonder what the Bcc field is for, or how to make an email that looks colorful and professional instead of simple black-on-white text? Have you been frustrated by the complexity of creating Groups in your Address Book, and then struggled to send a message to a large group without having the message fail? This class will cover all that and more... Cost is also $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget, there's...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, November 30th from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

Mac Classes - October '11

The big news this week is Apple's announcement tomorrow about their latest offering(s) in the iPhone lineup. I know I'll be tuned in to find out all the gory details...

Also, for those of you in neighboring communities, I'm currently researching options/venues for presenting more classes in your towns! Stay tuned...

Now for the lowdown on this month's Mac classes:

 First off, Saturday, October 15th, from 10 a.m. to noon, I will again present a class on Apple's Pages program. Come learn how to master this formidable word-processing/page layout program, which is a good deal more user-friendly and fun to use than Microsoft Word! Cost is $20.

   Then, on Saturday, October 29th, from 10 a.m. to noon, I will be revisiting the topic of Social Networking. In this class I will cover Facebook, Google+ Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., etc. The emphasis will be on figuring out how to navigate these wild & crazy new social fads, especially in light of all the recent changes on Facebook & the emergence of Google+ as a strong contender... At the same time, you'll learn how to maintain the privacy levels we all prefer. If there's interest, I will also cover the ways in which these tools can be put to use in marketing a business. Cost is also $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget, there's always...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, October 26th from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

As always, let me know if there's something else you'd like me to consider covering in the Saturday sessions.

Mac Classes - September '11

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone! Even if it is still hot, fall is in the air, especially when that wind blows...

Mac class news for the month:

 For starters, Saturday, September 17th, from 10 a.m. to noon, (due to popular demand) I will again be covering the iPhoto program. Come learn all the ins & outs of Apple's amazing digital photo organization/editing program. This class carries a fee of $20.

 Then, on Saturday, September 24th, from 10 a.m. to noon, I will be revisiting Apple's Keynote program. We've all seen the ubiquitous PowerPoint presentation done to death (almost literally)... Apple has taken their usual graphic-oriented approach to the concept and done it justice. Keynote makes it possible to make exciting, engaging presentations that stand out from the crowd. This class also carries a fee of $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget, there's...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, September 28th from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

As always, let me know if there's something else you'd like me to consider covering in the Saturday sessions.

WARNING: New phishing scam on the loose...

More things to be wary of I'm afraid...

A client sent this to me over the weekend. He fell for it, and had to go through the hassle of changing passwords and canceling credit cards, etc...

It's just another "phishing" scam, but one that is directly targeted at Mac users who may have been following the news about Apple's upcoming iCloud service that will replace MobileMe sometime this fall. Even if you don't have a MobileMe account right now, you could be a target for the scam, as iCloud will work for anyone with an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

If you'll notice, the "From" field says 'MobileMe Team', but the email address is '@iCLOUD.com', instead of 'apple.com'. Subtle things like that are what one should keep their eyes peeled for when trying to discern an email's legitimacy. Of course, the basic rule still applies: NEVER assume an email asking you to log in to a secure website is legitimate. Instead, go to that site using a known-good web address (i.e. apple.com, chasebank.com or wellsfargo.com), and look around for anything related to the email's claim. Better yet, call the company's 800 number...

Here's the original message client received:

Feel free to contact me if you have questions about this. Now back to your regularly scheduled programing!

Mac Classes - August '11

Happy Colorado Day everyone! I trust you're enjoying the 135th anniversary of Colorado's statehood (not to mention all this rain we've been having!)...

Mac class news for the month:

 First off, Saturday, August 13th, from 10 a.m. to noon, I will be presenting a class on the iPhone, iPad & the iPod Touch. Now that the iPhone has finally come to Verizon and the iPad has gotten so popular, more and more of you might have one or the other (or an 'iTouch'), or maybe it's simply time for you to find out what the fuss is all about! Either way, this class will teach you everything you need to know about these amazing devices... Cost is $20.

 Then, on Saturday, August 27th, from 10 a.m. to noon, for the first time, I will be covering iMovie. Since most point-and-shoot cameras (and even the newest digital SLR models) take video these days, I figured it was high time I covered Apple's powerful video editing software. If you'd like to learn how to make your own Oscar contenders, this class is for you! Cost is also $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget, there's...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, August 31st from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

Mac Classes - July '11

Here's hoping everyone had a wonderful Independence Day weekend! I'm back to a full slate of classes for the month, and a little late getting this out, so let's get right to it...

Mac class news for the month:

 For starters, Saturday, July 16th, from 10 a.m. to noon, (due to continuing requests) I will again be covering the iPhoto program. Come learn all the ins & outs of Apple's amazing digital photo organization/editing program. This class carries a fee of $20.

 Then, on Saturday, July 30th, from 10 a.m. to noon, I will be revisiting the topic of Social Networking. In this class I will cover Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., etc. The emphasis will be on figuring out how to navigate these wild & crazy new social fads, and at the same time maintain the privacy levels we all prefer. If there's interest, I will also cover the ways in which these tools can be put to use in marketing a business. This class also carries a fee of $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget, there's...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, July 27th from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

Mac Classes - June '11

Happy June everyone! Summer is finally here!!

I'm a bit late on the class newsletter this month, mainly due to lots of competing demands on my time right now. As a result, I'm not going to be able to offer two Saturday classes this month. Hopefully things will settle down in July!

Mac class news for the month:

 This month only, I'm able to offer just one focused class: Saturday, June 25th, from 10 a.m. to noon, (due to popular demand)

I will be revisiting Apple's Pages program. Come learn how to master Apple's word-processing/page layout program.

This class carries a fee of $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget, there's...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, June 29th from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

***UPDATE*** Serious Mac "malware" threat evolves...

I have just been alerted to the existence of a new variant of the malware I told everyone about in my previous email... It's called "Mac Guard", and the bad news is that it doesn't even need an administrator password to install! The good news is, of course, that if you followed my advice about unchecking the 'Open "safe" flies..." box in Safari's preferences, you should still be protected. To read more about this latest threat, follow this link:

http://bit.ly/m9hTMs

In the unfortunate event you get bitten by this new variant, follow the instructions below to rid yourself of the threat.

Good luck,

John

Serious Mac "malware" threat...

I want to let everyone know about a threat to Mac users that has recently cropped up, and is starting to hit the news sites as well. So far, there are at least three variants: "MAC Defender", "Mac Protector" and "Mac Security". The threat is being reported as a virus, but technically, it's not. The more accurate term for it is "scareware", as it's simply designed to scare users into thinking they've been infected with a virus. It's devious and nasty in its techniques, but the (sort of) good news (sort of) is that it poses no threat to the data on your computer. If someone falls for it completely, however, they could end up compromising a credit card, so don't take this lightly. For details, read on...

The threat starts when you stumble onto a 'poisoned' website, and a pop-up window of some sort will appear that says your computer has been found to be virus-infected. The secret of the threat is that a bit of javascript code on the website has already initiated a download, and in a very short time (if your computer is configured as most are by default [see below[*]), you'll be presented with an installer window, which asks for your administrator password in order to proceed. If you're really paying attention, you'll decline that request, and the threat will be averted. But, if you go ahead and enter your password (as most of us probably would, thinking the threat is real and worrying about the consequences), the threat really takes off...

The next step in the nastiness is that you'll be presented with a fake anti-virus program interface, and it will proclaim to have found one or more viruses on your system. [This is a good time to interject that there still are no known true viruses out there that can attack Mac OS X.] For the few folks that I've spoken to that have experience the issue, the next step is what finally triggers a "wait a minute" moment... The 'program' then asks for you to enter your credit card info to be charged something like $60 to fully install the 'program' and thus rid yourself of the virus(es). Fortunately, all the folks I've spoken to have been sufficiently wary of blindly giving out any sort of private info, especially credit card/bank account numbers. DON'T DO IT!

Of course, at this point, the nastiness escalates. The fake program has been installed in such a way that it has no apparent way to be quit it, as well as having added itself to your login items (remember, you gave it your admin password?), so will start up automatically every time you restart your computer. To top it all off, if you don't pay up, it will automatically open your browser to some awful porn sites on a random basis, in an attempt to further scare you into paying up... Ugh.

Hopefully this email, and other news stories you may have already seen or been alerted to, will serve to keep you from falling prey to the hoax. If, on the other hand, you've been bitten, and need to know how to eliminate the nastiness, here's how to do it:

1) First off, as I said above, please don't be scared into actually giving them a credit card number! If you already did, call your CC company right away and alert them to the charge and cancel the card immediately;

2) The only way to delete the program (whichever version is installed: MAC Defender, Mac Protector or Mac Security), is to do the following:

• Go into your Applications folder, locate the Utilities folder, find the Activity Monitor program and open it (you can also try clicking this link);

• Once in Activity Monitor, find the pop-up-menu at the top of the window that says "My Processes" and change that to "All Processes";

• Find the name of your nemesis in the list of processes, select it, and click "Quit Process", then click "Force Quit";

• Quit Activity Monitor, go back to your Applications folder and find the offending program; move it to the Trash (being careful not to double-click it!), and then empty the Trash.

• Restart your computer, just to be sure you've cleaned it out...

3) Whew, it's gone! *One last step. For protection in the future, assuming you're using Safari as your default browser, go into Safari's preferences, and under the General tab, uncheck the box at the bottom there that's labeled "Open "safe" files after downloading". If there's anything we've learned from this whole ordeal, it's that it just isn't possible to let a program make assumptions about what a "safe" file is anymore!!

As always, if you have any trouble understanding any of this, or figuring out how to rid yourself of the threat, please feel free to give me a call. I'll do my best to help!

Of course, a big question that arises out of all of this is this: "Is it time to buy & install some sort of Anti-virus software on my Mac??" Here's my take (and it's also that of several online "experts"): I really don't think so. Of the many programs available for the Mac right now, only one would've detected the problem at the outset if you'd had it installed. That's mostly because it's not a true virus, as I explained earlier. I've always said that this type of threat was what all computer users would have to be most vigilant about in the future, because it's the easiest way to gain access to someone's computer. In short, the Trojans were very clever all those hundreds of years ago, and hackers are still benefitting from that knowledge! Instead of the relying on AV software, I still believe that the best investment to protect yourself from ALL types of computer problems (software/hardware malfunction as well as 'malware') is to have a robust backup system. If you're running a business from your computer, it should be a strongly redundant system as well!

Still, for those of you who would still like the peace of mind that comes from running some sort of anti-virus software, here are a few good products to explore:

http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/endpoint/anti-virus/support.aspx

http://www.intego.com/virusbarrier/

http://macscan.securemac.com/

Just make sure you've got a good backup as well!

Also, if you'd like to read up in more detail about this threat, here are a few links:

http://bit.ly/krYwxj

http://bit.ly/iim2PM

http://aol.it/l3XKew

Mac Classes - May '11

May Day is upon us, and it's still cloudy and cold!?! My patience for the arrival of warm weather wears thin... I know, before long we'll all be complaining about the heat!

Mac class news for the month:

 For starters, Saturday, May 14th, from 10 a.m. to noon, (due to ongoing demand)

I will be covering iPhoto again. Come learn all the ins & outs of Apple's amazing digital photo organization/editing program.

This class carries a fee of $20.

 Then, on Saturday, May 28th, from 10 a.m. to noon,

I will be covering Apple's Keynote program. We've all seen the ubiquitous PowerPoint presentation done to death (almost literally)... Apple has taken their usual graphic-oriented approach to the concept and done it justice. Keynote makes it possible to make exciting, engaging presentations that stand out from the crowd. This class also carries a fee of $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget, there's...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, May 25th from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

As always, let me know if there's something else you'd like me to consider covering in the Saturday sessions.

The Difference Between HTTP and HTTPS

I received an email from Ed Walker recently, containing info I thought worth sharing [I've edited it a bit for clarity]:

First, many people are unaware of the main difference between http:// and https://. It's all about keeping you secure! HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transport Protocol, which is just a fancy way of saying it's a protocol (a language, in a manner of speaking) for information to be passed back and forth between web servers and clients. The important thing is the letter S which makes the difference between HTTP and HTTPS.

The S (big surprise) stands for "Secure". If you visit a website or webpage, and look at the address in the web browser, it will likely begin with the following: http://. This means that the website is talking to your browser using the regular 'unsecure' language. In other words, it is possible for someone to "eavesdrop" on your computer's conversation with the website. If you fill out a form on the website, someone might see the information you send to that site.

This is why you never ever enter your credit card number in an http website! But if the web address begins with https://, that basically means your computer is talking to the website in a secure code that no one can eavesdrop on. This is also known as an "encrypted" connection.

You understand why this is so important, right?

If a website ever asks you to enter your credit card information (or any other personal information for that matter), you should automatically look to see if the web address begins with https://.

If it doesn't, NEVER enter sensitive information like a credit card, Social Security number, etc. This includes usernames/passwords for sensitive sites like banks and credit card accounts. One of the reasons I like Gmail so much is that it allows for a secure connection when simply logging in to your account. This can prevent someone from gaining access to your email account when browsing on a public wifi network!

Of course, feel free to pass this on (You may save someone a lot of grief)!


Have a great weekend everyone!!

Mac Classes - April '11

Happy April everyone! I can't believe it, it's snowing, again! Sheesh...

Since last month's request-based class schedule was marginally successful, I'm going back to picking the topics (keeping everyone's recent input in mind though). For a slightly different (but fun) approach, I've decided to do a sort of "Office Suite smackdown":

 For starters, Saturday, April 16th, from 10 a.m. to noon,

I will be covering Apple's Numbers vs Microsoft Excel. Come learn the differences between Apple's and Microsoft's approach to the spreadsheet program.

This class carries a fee of $20.

 Then, on Saturday, April 30th, from 10 a.m. to noon,

I will be covering Apple's Pages vs Microsoft Word. Come learn the differences between Apple's and Microsoft's approach to word processing. This class also carries a fee of $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget, there's...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, April 27th from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

Mac Classes - March '11

Following my new approach of polling for preferred class topics this last week, here's the way it shook out:

 For starters, Saturday, March 12th, from 10 a.m. to noon,

I will be covering iPhoto. Come learn all about Apple's powerful digital image cataloging & editing software. We'll primarily cover the iLife '09 version, but I'll touch on the '08 and '11 versions as well.

This class carries a fee of $20.

 Then, on Saturday, March 26th, from 10 a.m. to noon,

I will be covering iWeb. If you've been wondering what it would take to build yourself a snazzy looking new website, this class is for you! Helpful topics to read up on before the class would be domain names and web hosting, but are not required. This class also carries a fee of $20.

**¡Bonus!**

 Since it was almost a tie between it & iWeb, I'd like to offer a

Social Networking class on Saturday, March 19th, but only if there's still enough interest. Please let me know ASAP if you're interested, since I may have to cancel if not enough people can commit. It would again run from 10 a.m. to noon, and cover Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., etc... It would also carry a fee of $20. It's gonna be a busy month!

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then, don't forget, there's...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, February 23rd from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

Mac Classes - February '11

Happy February everyone! Brrrr, it sure is cold out there! It's nice to finally get a decent snowfall though, eh?...

Mac class news for the month:

First, the Saturday classes:

 For starters, Saturday, February 12th, from 10 a.m. to noon,

I will again be offering another local Q&A session! This session costs $15, but is a full two-hours of help and advice!! In the event there aren't enough questions to fill the two hours, I will offer a variety of tips and tricks for doing common tasks on your Mac!

Please come and help make it successful...

 Then, on Saturday, February 26th, from 10 a.m. to noon,

I will again be covering iTunes & your iPod/iPad/iPhone. If you would like to learn more about Apple's preeminent digital media program, or simply want to find out what all the iPhone/iPad fuss is about, this class is for you. From playlists to podcasts, audiobooks to "apps"; attend this class to learn all the ins and outs of this run-away twenty-first century phenomenon. This class carries a fee of $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then...

 The regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will take place on the last Wednesday of the month, February 23rd from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!

Mac Classes - January '11

Happy New Year everyone! May 2011 bring you much joy, peace and prosperity!

Mac class news for the month:

It's after the holidays, so we're back to a full schedule... First, the Saturday classes:

 For starters, Saturday, January 15th, from 10 a.m. to noon, I will be covering Apple's iWork suite: Pages, Numbers and Keynote. This trio of programs is the competition for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The focus will be on Pages, since word processing is the most common task for the majority of users, but I will give a good overview of the other two programs as well. This class carries a fee of $20.

 Then, on Saturday, January 29th, from 10 a.m. to noon,

back by popular demand, I will once again be covering iPhoto. Come learn all the ins and outs of how to manage your digital photo library... As a bonus, I'll cover the new features in the latest version of the program: iPhoto '11! This class also carries a fee of $20.

***The above classes are always held in the small meeting room at Ridgway Town Hall, and are open to drop-ins, with no sign-up necessary***

Then...

 This month, the regular FREE "Overview of Mac OS X" class will again take place on the last Wednesday of the month, Wednesday, January 26th from 5-7 p.m. These overview classes are held in the computer lab at the Ridgway Library. There are only eight seats available, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you'd like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

There are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there's room)!