Blog•
on December 26th, 2011•
I spend a lot of time on Apple products and consult a number of clients on how best to use computers & mobile devices. For this blog post, I am sharing my ten predictions I have for Apple product, marketing and service releases for 2012:
1. Apple will begin Courting the Businessperson with Renewed Effort
The incredible list of products already exist. But there is a huge gap between Apple product knowledge and use in the business world. Apple needs to begin devoting massive ad spending to court this segment of the market. This prediction isn’t as much about upcoming product launches as it is in marketing focus.
For example, I go into board rooms and meeting rooms all around the city of Atlanta. I have only seen one Apple TV in a meeting room. Every board room and meeting room should have an Apple TV hooked up to the projector or flat screen. It’s just $100 and it allows any person with an iPad to show a presentation through a WiFi connection. I hear that Turner Broadcasting is installing Apple TVs in all of their meeting rooms. Other companies should do the same. Think of the savings in time from not having to have different presenters plug their computers into a projector.
2. Apple TV will be Renamed
The Apple TV device has expanded beyond its name to the point that “Apple TV” actually confuses people. Is it a TV? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? And plus, the rumor is that Apple is actually going to release a TV this year, as in an actual flat screen TV.
3. AirPlay will be extended to All Devices and All Programs
Right now, I can mirror my iPad screen onto a flat screen through Apple TV. But I can’t do that with my iPhone or MacBook computer. What if I could show a presentation on my MacBook without having to get up from my seat and plug in my computer to a monitor? What if every person in the room could show their spreadsheet, presentation, or document by simply clicking a few buttons? The ramifications for the board room and meeting room alone are enormous.
4. Apple will Advertise more about Inter-connectivity of Devices
This is another marketing prediction. Apple will (or should) use advertising money to show how seamlessly a MacBook can connect to an iPhone and how photos, documents, etc can be backed up automatically. As people use 2012 to simplify and connect their device use, Apple is in a prime spot to show how they can do this best.
5. Apple will purchase Dropbox
This prediction is one my brother-in-law has recommended for a few years. Apple should purchase Dropbox. iCloud is great for photos and a few other things, but it seriously lacks as a viable solution to saving any type of document in the cloud. With Dropbox, this could easily be integrated into iCloud.
6. AirPlay will be extended to include Multiple Devices that Play Different Songs
For instance, if I have TVs and Airport Expresses connected to different stereo systems in one location, the only way that I can pick and choose which device should play music is through iTunes on a computer. If there are 4 rooms, I can choose to play music in 2 of the 4 rooms. Right now, I can’t do that on an iPod touch, iPhone or iPad. I can only push music to one of the rooms. So, the prediction is that I can choose which room and further to that, I will be able to choose different songs, videos, etc for each room. Right now, I can only play one song. Sonos already has the capability to play different songs in different rooms. Apple should too.
7. Another AirPort Express device will be Released
My prediction is that a new AirPort Express device will be released that costs just $50 and allows for connecting to WiFi to print or connect to a stereo. The drop in price will occur because AirPort Express Lite will not have the router capability but will just be a receiving device.
8. The Mac Mini will Wirelessly Connect to an External Monitor
This will render an HDMI connection from the Mac Mini to an external monitor unnecessary. If the monitor has an Apple TV connected, the Mac Mini will connect automatically.
9. iPad & iPhone app developers will begin to treat these devices as tools instead of interfaces
Right now, you can play a racecar game on your iPad where the iPad becomes the steering wheel and the actual track shows on the flat screen through Apple TV. This is just the beginning. We will begin to see the iPad become the paintbrush and the flat screen TV will be the canvas. The iPad will be the keyboard and the TV or monitor will be the output. iPad Mirroring was the big thing for 2011. Separate interfaces will be the big thing for 2012.
10. The iPod Nano will add a Telephone Feature and WiFi Connection
Most people talk on their phones through a headset already. The actual iPhone device may not be required as a phone if that could be moved to the iPod Nano. Plus, it would be incredibly awesome to start up Siri and tell her to call your wife by slightly lifting up your arm and dictating to your watch. The WiFi connection will open up the device to Apps and more connectivity.
Blog•
on September 7th, 2011•
I updated my MBP to the new Lion OS and one thing I noticed that is not working is the color picker in Fireworks CS4. I use the color picker option almost daily. The only solution I found online was to purchase Fireworks CS5 as the color picker works in Lion. For the last month, I have been using the free trial version of Fireworks CS5, but that has now expired. I didn’t want to spend $150, but it looks like that is the only option to get the color picker working.
If anyone knows of a solution to fix this, please use the comments area below.
Blog•
on September 1st, 2011•
Apple’s AirPort Express serves a number of purposes for its low price of $99. I recently used two AirPort Expresses when a client asked me to add entertainment systems throughout her house. I was able to use the AirPort Express devices to repeat the main WiFi signal in the house as well as to connect a stereo system, allowing the client
You can check out the AirPort Express at the Apple Store.
Here is a list of uses for the AirPort Express:
Router
The AirPort Express’ most basic use is that of a WiFi router. You can pull a signal from a cable- or phone-based system and send a 802.11n WiFi signal through the AirPort Express.
WiFi Repeater / Extender
The AirPort Express can act as a WiFi receiving or a WiFi repeating device. As a receiver, you can control music playlists or send documents to a printer. But as a repeater, you can repeat or extend your existing WiFi signal within your house or building. For example, if the WiFi connection in your house is located in the basement and the signal in the upstairs rooms is weak, you could use an AirPort Express to repeat and extend that WiFi signal, strengthening it for the upstairs rooms.
Remote Stereo Control
The AirPort Express has a audio minijack input allowing you to connect your AirPort Express to your stereo. Once the AirPort Express is set up, you will then see an AirPlay option on any of your Mac-based products or software. You could then play music from any device without wires from any room in your house. If you have multiple AirPort Express devices and/or Apple TV devices around your house, you could play the same or different music on each and every connected device. And you can control all of this from something as small as an iPod Touch.
Remote Printing Device
The AirPort Express also has a USB connection, allowing you to connect a printer to the device. You can then print wirelessly from any device connected to WiFi. You can also print directly from your phone.
Hotel WiFi Router
What happens when you go to a hotel with your iPad and all they have in the room is an ethernet line with no WiFi? Since the AirPort Express is so portable, you can now take the device on your travels and set up your own WiFi connection. Just plug the ethernet cord into AirPort Express and you will be able to access the Internet via WiFi with the same credentials you use at home. You could also open this up to your entire family or other friends traveling along with you.
If you travel a lot or need some of the capabilities listed above, the AirPort Express is a great device at a great price that provides a number of wonderful features.
Blog•
on April 21st, 2011•
I recently had a meeting with a client who said all school and company presentation rooms should now contain an Apple TV. Why? Because as more and more people purchase MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones, these devices can be used to wirelessly show presentation slides through the use of AirPlay. You can purchase a nice size flat screen and an Apple TV for less than most projectors.
Although Apple has recently released AirPlay, more and more apps will begin using this feature to show what is on your MacBook, iPad, or iPhone on a screen through Apple TV.
For now, it’s a little cumbersome, but you can show a PowerPoint presentation through AirPlay using your iPad or iPhone. Here are the instructions for how to do this:
- When complete with your PowerPoint presentation, choose the option to save the presentation as images.
- This will save each slide as a separate .jpg image.
- You can then upload these images to your iPad or iPhone
- You will need to join the wireless network that the Apple TV is located on.
- Photos on the iPad or iPhone are one of the items that can be used through AirPlay to show the images through AppleTV
- Once you have opened up the photos, move back and forth between the images on your iPad or iPhone and that will change the images on the screen.
- You can be sitting in the back of the room moving back and forth between the slides.
Blog•
on December 22nd, 2010•
I recently converted one of my clients. He now uses a Mac instead of a PC. I set him up with a Mac Mini and he is now in the process of learning how to utilize his Mac for tasks related to his business.
The one problem I ran into while having my client switch from PC to Mac was in transferring over Microsoft Access 2007. This particular client uses Access quite often and needed to be able to use the database program on his Mac.
The latest version of Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac does not contain the Access program. None of the Microsoft Office versions for Mac contain Access. So the only way to use Access on a Mac is to use some sort of a program that allows Windows programs to run on a Mac.
The first program I tried was CrossOver. The Mac store even suggested I use CrossOver. Of all the Microsoft programs that do work with CrossOver, it seems that Microsoft Access 2007 is the one program that does not work. I didn’t realize that until after I had purchased CrossOver, but the people at CrossOver were generous and provided a full refund.
I chose CrossOver first because it was cheaper than Parallels. But when CrossOver did not work, I gave Parallels a try. Parallels worked great for Microsoft Access 2007 and my client has been able to access his Access files (.mdb) on his Mac.
Here are a few points to remember if you are going to use Parallels on your Mac to use Microsoft Access 2007:
- You must have a version of Windows and Microsoft Office. Parallels does not come with the operating system or program.
- You can transfer over Microsoft Access files (.mdb format) to your Mac. You may need to look around for your .mdb files within Parallels. Look for them under ‘Computer’ and try to find them in the folders within your Mac.
If you are a heavy Microsoft Access user, Parallels is a great way for you to be able to use the program. There are also Mac database alternatives if you would like to completely make the shift to your Mac. Either way, you can easily transition from a PC to a Mac and continue to use Microsoft Access 2007 on your new Mac.
I started using an Apple Macintosh Macbook laptop almost 2 years ago. Before that, I had used two PC’s. One was a Compaq laptop during undergraduate and the second was a Dell desktop that I used for roughly 5 years. I love my mac. Who knows what will be available in the future, but at this point, I can’t imagine ever straying from Apple products.
As to the difference between PC’s & Mac’s, I had a friend tell me once that on a Mac, if you think you can do it, chances are you can. It just works. It’s intuitive.
One reason that I purchased my Mac a few years ago was because I wanted to learn how to use one. If I ever needed to borrow a computer or use a Mac, I wanted to be able to know how to navigate the computer. Up to that point, I had been pretty scared of Apple computers because I didn’t know how to use them. They were different than PC’s. Turns out it was pretty easy to use. I love simple differences like being able to use the mouse pad on the laptop to easily scroll up & down on a screen. You can’t do that on a PC laptop without using the scroll bar.
It’s funny now being a Mac owner. When I run into other Mac owners, I always hear them say that they love their Mac. I never hear PC owners say that.
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