Virus Scan

Occasionally I'll do a virus scan on my computer just to see if one is found. So far I haven't found a virus -- which is a good thing. There are several programs available to do a virus scan. What I've recently been using is HouseCall by TrendMicro. Website here. If you'd like to try it, you download a small program. When you open it, it first checks and updates itself to the latest version. Then you run a virus scan. I just did one, and it took a bit over four minutes.

Just something you might consider doing occasionally.

Jim Hamm

Spam in Calender

If you're receiving spam in Apple's Calender, here is a simple way to stop it, in theory, anyway. Just send it to your email account, and the spam filter there should move it to the Spam folder, where you'll never have to look at it. This method looks simpler than a procedure outlined in another article I recently sent out. Fortunately, I've not been bothered by spam in Calender. I'd guess Apple will eventually modify Calender to properly handle this issue.

Jim Hamm

iPad Tutorials

If you've just got a new iPad, or already have one and would like to learn more about how to use it, Read this article. The article also mentions 25 'must-have' apps for the iPad. Here they are. Now, one thing to keep in mind: the more apps you install on the iPad the more apps you'll have to update. This can be tedious, so install with caution. One app in the 25 that I highly recommend is Dropbox. This is probably my favorite, and most used, app ever.

Jim Hamm

Browsing Safely

One thing many of us frequently do when traveling -- whether by RV, car, or plane -- is take a computer with us so we can continue our 'putering'. Most of us also connect to a public wifi network, whether it might be in an RV park, hotel, airport, or restaurant. There's risk in doing that. Read here and here for some examples. You'll note that using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) increases the security of your internet browsing significantly. When I'm traveling I plan to use the Opera Browser. Why, you ask? It has a free, built-in VPN. Read a review of Opera here.

I've been trying Opera out, like it fine, and have noticed no significant slowdown in accessing the internet for browsing or emailing by going through Opera's servers. If you plan to do some traveling, and would like to try Opera, you can download Opera here. Note that if you want to use the VPN feature you'll need to go into settings and turn it on. Then you'll see a "VPN" icon just to the left of the address bar.

Opera is free, fast, and includes a VPN. What's not to like?

Jim Hamm

Safari's Memory Usage

While the Chrome Browser has been noted to be a memory hog, it seems that Safari can become one also, as noted in this article. I did notice that the author seems not to shut off his computer very often, and hence close Safari. My opinion is that it would be a good idea to frequently close any browser, which seems to reduce the memory usage. And talking about browsers, if you have an interest, here is a current article comparing several different browsers. The author thinks that while Chrome is the overall best browser, it is also the biggest memory hog. Right now Chrome is my browser of choice.

Just to see what I think about it, and the impact on memory usage, I may try the Opera Browser for a while.

Jim Hamm

Amazon Package X-ray app for iOS

Amazon’s Package X-Ray Lets You Peek Inside Boxes In this modern world, it’s all too common to be inundated with nondescript cardboard boxes arriving from Amazon in the weeks leading up to the holiday gift-giving season. Typically, I cut the boxes open, see what’s inside, and seal them back up before wrapping and labeling them. But Amazon has introduced a brilliant new feature to the Amazon iOS app: Package X-Ray, which lets you peek inside unopened packages from the company. Unfortunately, it only works in the United States for now.

To read the full story, click here: http://tidbits.com/article/16922 John R Carter, Sr.

iCloud Calendar Spam

So far I have not had an issue with receiving spam in my Apple Calendar, but apparently some people have. Here is an informative article discussing the problem, and a way to partially fix it. If you use Calendar regularly, you'll probably want to read the article. This is a similar problem, it seems to me, like spam in an email system. Gmail, which I use, has an excellent spam filtering system, and I'm practically never bothered by email spam. It just quietly goes into a Spam folder, which I don't look at.

Perhaps Apple will soon address this issue in their Calendar app.

Jim Hamm

Find out if your Google account has been hacked

If you use a Google account, you can use the link below to check to see if youraccount has been hacked. This malware may only affect Android devices, as this article explains. I just checked my computer (which isn't using the Android OS) and I've not been hacked. So, if you're not using an Android device, you're probably OK.

Jim Hamm https://gooligan.checkpoint.com/

NVMe vs SATA vs HDD

Here is an article just for computer 'techies'. Or, for 'wanna-be' techies like me who enjoys reading stuff like this. The article compares the performance of two different types of SSDs vs a HDD. Since I've used an SSD for the past few years with laptop computers, I'd forgotten how slow an HDD can be. A video in the article demonstrates the difference -- which is significant -- on just opening and using normal apps. No fancy graphs -- just dramatic results. If you're still using an HDD in your computer, this video may convince you to update to an SSD.

Jim Hamm

2016 Apple MacBook Pro with TouchBar: The Good, Bad and Ugly Review

Here is a short video review of the new MacBook Pro from blogger and pundit Dave Taylor. Bottom line: he really likes it, but thinks Apple made a couple of product changes on the new 'Pro that he doesn't like. I agree with him. The new 'Pro doesn't have the MagSafe connector; the cord no longer has a light indicating whether the Mac is charged or not; and there's a definite shortage of ports. Looking at this review, and other reviews I've read, I'm very pleased that I bought my new, older version, of the MacBook Pro back in May. It doesn't have any of the shortages mentioned by Taylor, and mine was cheaper than the new one. My MacBook Pro doesn't have the new Touch Bar, and probably has a slower processor, but as I type on my older 'Pro, I'm quite happy with my decision. Of course, opinions may, and do, vary, and I'm sure the proud owners of the new 'Pro are quite pleased.

Jim Hamm

https://youtu.be/A3zMoMFXR44

Marginalization of the Mac

There's been much blogging recently about how Apple is, apparently, marginalizing the Mac and not doing much to improve it. Here is an article from the TidBITS Newsletter that talks more about this. It is a bit startling when one realizes that Macs only comprise roughly 10% of Apple's business. Apple definitely is focusing on their core business, which isn't computers. And computers have been around for a long time and have become more of a commodity, whereas the smart phone, smart pad and smart watch are newer and more exciting, with more growth potential. The article doesn't prognosticate on the future of the Mac, and Apple isn't going to just walk away from $22 billion of business (I hope), but the market might walk away if the Mac continues to be marginalized.

Jim Hamm

Apple's Routers

Well, this is sad to read: Apple apparently is going to drop routers from their product lineup. At home I use both an Airport Extreme and Airport Express. They may not be cutting-edge technology, but they have served me well for many years, with nary a problem. I guess I'm more than a little surprised to read this. One wonders why? For right now, I'll just let my two Apple routers keep chugging along.

Jim Hamm

iPhone Call History

FYI and possible interest, here is an article describing how Apple saves four months of call data of phone calls you made from your iPhone. While I don't care, some people might take exception to having certain metadata retained from their private iPhone calls. The article points out that Common Carriers -- At&t, Verizon, et al -- maintain a similar record for two months. Seems like, in this electronic age, Google or Apple or ?, all keep track of what you're doing. Of course, I'm sure you're already aware that Google tracks you, but may not have been aware of Apple's policy on the iPhone. I wasn't.

Jim Hamm

MacBook Pro hub that Apple should have made

Here is a story about a nice-looking hub that, in theory, will soon be released. It is available for pre-order now. Some caution is to be taken, though, as one doesn't know if, for example, it will actually be released, nor are reviews about it available yet. Will it work as advertised? If I were in the market for such a hub, I'd wait and see what the reviewers have to say about it.

Jim Hamm

This is the MacBook Pro hub that Apple should have made BGR

Apple's solution to the new MacBook Pro's lack of conventional ports is dongles. A lot of dongles. $250 of dongles, actually. But if you're not a fan of carrying around a bunch of white pieces of floppy plastic, there are other options (apart from buying a different computer, I mean). The most visually appealing is the Arc Hub, a new concept that sticks all the ports you'll ever need into an elegant circular hub. Despite the fact that just looking at it makes Jony Ive's dulcet tones appear Read the full story