Forked-Daapd rides again! Preparing the USB External hard drive for installation of Linux Mint

Now that you’ve read the three previous blog posts in this series, you should have a USB installer in hand with Linux Mint on it. 

But which version of Linux Mint do you use? Linux Mint has 4 different user interfaces:

 

1. XFCE, which I will use to demonstrate. The XFCE desktop is a low impact desktop, placing the lightest burden on your computer’s resources.

2. Cinnamon, which Linux Mint developed.

3. MATE, which continues the classic GNOME 2 interface.

4. KDE, which places the heaviest burden of these 4 on your computer’s resources. It is definitely a deluxe interface.

 

Which should you use? You can try each of them in a live environment from the USB installers you create. Just try them out. You’ll need to remember to save any documents you create to an external hard drive or flash drive before you turn off the live environment.

Apart from that, have at it. I will go into how convenient a live Linux environment can be for troubleshooting purposes at a later time.

Now to the installation of Linux Mint XFCE 18.2 “Sonya” on your external hard drive that you purchased for the occasion.

Step #4: Installation of Linux Mint on an external hard drive!

Start from a Windows 10 computer that you have turned off.

Plug in the Linux Mint installer. But DO NOT plug in the external USB hard drive yet.

 

 

Turn on the Windows 10 computer.

As you see the message briefly appear on your screen which key is the Boot Menu key, press that key.

You will enter the Boot Menu screen. Use the arrow keys to select between:

1. CD/DVD drive

2. USB drive

3. The internal hard drive that Windows 10 boots from. 

 

Now press the ENTER key to make your selection. You should see your Linux Mint desktop appear shortly.

NOTE: If you do not boot up to Linux Mint after going through the Boot Menu screen and just go back to Windows 10, you should move the USB drive to another USB port.

USB ports can be picky at times and you have to switch USB devices between different ports for the desired results. 

 

Now that you have reached the Linux Mint desktop, take a look around. Yes, it has a Start Menu, but the selections are different. 

In particular, look under the System category for an app called GParted. You will need that in a moment. 

Now you can plug in the external USB hard drive. It will take a moment for Linux Mint to recognize it and mount it. 

Step #5: Partitioning and Formatting the External USB drive for Linux Mint

Now a few words of caution here. The Installation app in the live environment is designed to take care of partitioning and formatting the hard drive you will use. 

It works great if you just have one hard drive and already have Windows on that hard drive. Then it will partition the disk into a Windows part and a Linux part, reformat the Linux part and go ahead to install Linux. 

What I found to my dismay is that the Installation app falls short when you try to install Linux on a second hard drive separate from the Windows hard drive. I got all sorts of errors and started getting irritated. This isn’t supposed to happen!

Then I I checked to see if the stand-alone partitioning and formatting app GParted (GNOME Partition Editor) came with the live environment. To my delight, it did. 

So I will walk you through using it for part of the installation.

Using GParted to partition and format the external USB hard drive.

Now that you have an live environment desktop, plug in the USB External drive. For the purposes of this exercise, I will presume that you just unwrapped a brand new USB external drive formatted as NTFS, which is the Windows 10 disk file system. 

Go down to the Start menu and click on it. You want to enter the System category, filled with system utilities such as GParted. Note that the System category on the Start Menu has icon that looks just like the macOS System Preferences icon.

 

 

Double-click on GParted to start it up. I’ll guide you through the screens.

 

I want you to look at the area the arrow points to first. That area shows you which hard drive you are working on. In this case, I have selected the Seagate NTFS, the brand-new external hard drive that you just purchased. Linux refers to it as “sdc” That means it is the third device Linux is working with. The Windows 10 hard drive is sda and the USB flash drive installer is sdb. 

A,B,C. 1,2,3. Take some time to wrap your head about the Linux system of referring to hard drives if you need to.

Now to GParted. It sets up a series of operations to perform. When you feel satisfied about the sequence, you will click on the Apply icon, which is a an arrow bending down and to the left. 

Back to work. First off, you will remove the Windows 10 NTFS partitioning from the hard drive.

 

First, you must select the partition you want to work on. Single-click on the partition you want to work, which looks like a rectangle. When you click on it, you will see a dotted green line surrounding it. The text line below describing it will become highlighted. Most important, the Red X icon for Delete will turn on. You’re ready to do your first operation.

 

 

You’ve clicked on the Red X icon, which deleted the NTFS partition. Note that the Apply and Undo arrows at the far right of the menu bar have turned on, indicating you could use them. But not just yet! You’ve got two more partitions to go.

 

 

You will now create what is called the Linux Swap partition at the beginning of the hard drive, on the far left hand side. So type the following the boxes

 

Free space preceding (MiB) Leave that alone, GParted will fill that in for you.

New Size (Mib)                       Type in 10000 You want to enter 10,000 without the comma separator.

Free space following (Mib). Leave that alone, GParated will fill that in for you.

Align to:                                  Leave that alone, GParted will fill that in for you.

Create as:                               Leave that as Primary Partition. Do not change.

Partition name                       I entered SWAP, this is optional

File System:                           Click on the downward facing arrow at the right of the box and select linux-swap

Label                                       I entered Linux Swap, but this is optional.

 

 

Now click on the Add button. This adds the creation of this partition to the list of operations GParted will perform at the end.

 

 

Now it is time to create the main Linux partition Click on the large empty area to the right of the Linux Swap partition you created. Now click on New, the icon at the far left hand of the menu bar. 

You will see this window appear. You only need to make sure its file system is the Linux ext4 file system, not the Windows ntfs file system!

Click on the Add button in the lower right-hand corner of the window.

 

 You want to make sure your GParted window resembles this window. 

A new partition for the Swap partition, which is used in case you run out of RAM memory. It only needs to be twice the size of your RAM memory. 10 GB is fine

A new partition for the Main partition, which is where all the action takes place. 

 

Now make sure the Operations window, the list of things to do with the external hard drive, does what you want it to do. 

You’re ready? Now hit the Apply icon above.

 

A final warning from GParted before you commit to the changes. Check everything one more time. If satisfied, click on the Apply button in the Warning box.

 

You’ll see this window appear as GParted prepares your hard drive. Just watch it until it finishes.

 

All operations successfully completed! Your external hard drive is ready for installation. Go to the next article for the details on how to install Linux Mint XFCE on an external hard drive.

 

Tom Briant

Editor, MacValley Blog

Forked-Daapd rides again! Creating the Linux installer

 

 Now that I’ve shown you what to do if things get sticky and how to solve them with the Windows 10 Recovery Drive, it’s time to remember that I’m writing about setting Linux and the forked-daapd iTunes server.

First, you need to download an .iso of the Linux version, or distro, that you want to use. If you’ve never touched Linux before, I will recommend LinuxMint to you. I have found it reliable, easily upgradable as upgrades come out, and it’s free. You can and should donate after you install it, but the software won’t bug you every 5 minutes for a handout. 

How to install Linux and it’s not from a Windows installer or macOS .pkg.

You need to download an image file in an .iso file. Now you install an .iso file on a flash drive through the use of an installer program such as Etcher, Rufus, or Unetbootin. 

Now Ubuntu Linux (from which Linux Mint derives) recommends the use of the Rufus installation app for Windows and the Unetbootin app for macOS. But I prefer Etcher. It has consistently given me the best performance. It comes in versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux. So I will show you all about Etcher.

Where do I download Etcher from?

You download Etcher from Etcher.io  For Windows it comes as a installer that you run.

 

 

The Web site comes up for the version of Etcher that your current computer supports. If you want to download it for a different OS, click on the downward facing arrow to the right of the “Download for Windows x64” in this case.

 

 

You’ll find the Etcher download in your Windows \Downloads folder

 

 

Double-click on it to start the installation of the actual app

 

Click on Install to proceed

 

And you’re done. Click on Finish.

 

 

Etcher adds an icon to your desktop. Double-Click on it and you should see this screen shortly.

 

 

Click on Select Image and up comes a Windows selector box. Maneuver to your \Downloads folder, click on the desired file and finally click Open.

 

 

You’ve plugged in a flash drive and you are ready to flash the flash drive with Linux!

 

The process starts...

 

 

On its way...

 

 

Now Etcher will validate your drive so that it will boot up. 

 

You’re done! Exit Etcher. Stand by for instructions in the next article on how to install Linux Mint on an external USB hard drive.

 

Tom Briant

Editor, MacValley Blog

 

 

 

Forked-Daapd rides again! How to Unbork your Windows 10 computer and get it back to booting up Windows 10

Forked-daapd rides again! How to turn a Windows 10 computer into a Linux music server and how to turn it back into a Windows 10 computer.

 

You wanted to know how to restore your dual-boot Windows 10 and Linux computer back into just a Windows 10 computer.

 

I will send you over to NeoSmart.net, who have dealt with this situation for some time. I have purchased and used their products to recover a Windows 10 installation. I found spending the money absolutely worth it. They know what they are doing.

 

So I am referring you back to NeoSmart for a list of instructions on how to unbork your computer, whether it’s an old Windows XP model or the latest Windows 10 and all points in between. Bookmark this for future reference.

 

Step #2: Unborking a Windows computer so that you can boot it up again after fiddling with it.

Go here to NeoSmart’s knowledgebase for the necessary information. Print it out if necessary. It’s relatively simple, if you have a Windows 10 DVD/USB installation media, an up to date Recovery Drive that I explained how to make it in the previous article, or one of NeoSmart’s Recovery products.

Do Not Proceed Further until you have read NeoSmart’s article.

Now, here are the steps to unborking your Windows 10 computer.

Take the Windows 10 Recovery Drive that you made in the previous article and plug it into the inoperable Windows 10 machine. You should make sure the Windows 10 machines is Turned OFF.

Now wait for the computer’s startup screen to come up. When you see the Boot Menu key, press and hold it lightly. Don’t mash the key, this isn’t “Whack A Mole”. Just lightly hold it down.

 

You’ll see the Windows 10 emblem appear and the rotating circle of dots. Then you’ll see the next screen.

It asks you to pick your keyboard layout. I picked US and went on.

 

Next you see a screen with three tiles on it. You want Troubleshoot.

Now under Troubleshoot, you want Advanced Options

And under Advanced Options, you want the Command Prompt. We’re going in deep here.

At the Command prompt, you want to type in these four commands and press ENTER after each one.

Bootrec /FixMBR

Bootrec /Fixboot

Bootrec /ScanOS

Bootrec /rebuildBCD

 

This screen shows a successful completion of the four steps.

Now click on the leftward arrow in the upper left-hand corner of the screen until you reach the first screen. Click on Turn Off your PC.

After the computer shuts down, remove the drive from the USB port and put it back into its container. You don’t want to lose it.

Now restart your computer. If all went well, your computer will boot up to Windows 10. You’re back in business.

Now if you can’t seem to boot up from the USB drive on the first try, move the drive to another USB port. USB ports can be picky. I don’t know why, you just have to move the USB drive to another port to make it work.

And again, thank you, Neosmart!

Tom Briant

Editor, MacValley Blog

 

 

Forked-Daapd rides again! This time sharing Linux with Windows 10

Hello Again! I haven’t written about forked-daapd in 2 1/2 years. So I thought I should write about it again.

My first articles and the original article published on-line at MacLife.com in 2009 presumed that you could lay.your hands on a discarded Windows XP desktop, preferably a mini-tower so that you could easily add additional 3.5” drives to it. 

In the years since then, I have encountered many people buying Windows 10 machines. Except for yours truly, everyone has bought Windows 10 notebooks. Even I don’t want to crack open a tightly assembled and often glued together Windows 10 laptop. 

So the next few articles in this blog will cover how to prepare your Windows 10 notebook for use as a Linux-based iTunes music server running from an external USB hard drive. 

Most important, I want to cover what to do if you want to take Linux from the machine and just have it run Windows 10 exclusively. 

 

Step #1-Creating a Windows 10 recovery drive

Now this project will not take place in one harried afternoon. I know you have schedules to keep and pets to feed and kids to see off to summer school. I will break this project into pieces to accomplish between your regular tasks. You can start this project before you turn in or before you head off to work or school or shopping

First, you need to make a Windows 10 recovery drive on a USB flash drive. If your notebook uses an earlier version of Windows, I’ll link to instructions for those computers at the end of this article.

 

Now you will need then following ingredients:

1. A 16 or 32 Gb flash drive. It can be either USB 2.0 or 3.0. Don’t use a 64 Gb or 128 Mb drive, 16 or 32 Gb is just right. 

2. A small container, such as a used medicine bottle

3. A labeler such as a Brother P-Touch. Very handy for any household

 

Now to the drive’s creation.  Boot up your computer and type the following sentence Create a recovery drive into the Cortana window at the lower left-hand corner of the screen

 

 

 

That’s it. Now double-click on the highlighted app for “Create a Recovery Drive”.

If all goes well, the app will slowly and steadily create your recovery drive. Here are the steps.

 

 

Since you acquired a 16 to 32 Gb (and no bigger!) flash drive, you can use it to reinstall Windows if necessary. So click on the box marked “Back up system files to the recovery drive.

Now click on the Next box in the lower right-hand corner of the app’s windows.

 

 

 

Now the app has to identify the flash drive you want to use. So please wait for a moment.

 

 

The app has found a flash drive plugged in. Click on it to highlight it. Now click on the Next button in the lower right-hand corner of the app.

 

 

 

The process begins...

 

 

And continues...

 

 

AT LAST! IT’S READY!

 

Now shut down your Windows 10 computer BEFORE yanking out the USB Recovery Drive! Just yanking it out before Windows 10 shuts down could ruin the drive that took all day to build.

 

Now for the labeler and pill bottle or jam jar!

Print out the label with a easily rememberable label. Windows 10 Recovery Drive 7-8-2017 is a good name for today. Now put it somewhere you can reach it easily in disaster strikes. I’ll go into how to use it in the next article.

 

 

 

One more thing! This drive is just for the computer you made it on. You can’t share it with other Windows 10 computers. And you need to run the Recovery Drive process to keep up with the Windows 10 updates. Do this once a month. 

Now NeoSmart.net makes commercial software that you can share with other computers. Prepare to spend $40 on it, though. And it’s worth every penny, says this satisfied user.

Endnotes:

How to Fix the MBR (Master Boot Record) from Windows XP through Windows 10 You need to read this article before going any further. Thank you, NeoSmart!

How to make a Windows 10 Recovery Drive This is from Microsoft.

 

 Tom Briant

Editor,MacValley Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for Wednesday 7-5-2017

Reminder:

 

August 21, 2017 — a total solar eclipse will traverse the U.S. from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

The path of totality will be within one day’s drive of most people living in the 48 states region

 

If you can possibly get some vacation time on that date, definitely go see it.

Every person who sees a total eclipse of the sun tells stories about it for the rest of his / her life.

 

Click the links below for more information.

 

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170619.html

 

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170131.html

 

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160821.html

 

http://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/eclipse-2017/

 

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html

 

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-maps

 

 

 

Apple's Stunning New HQ Is as Polarizing as Its Visionary (Steve Jobs)
The debate is raging as to whether it's a masterpiece or a monstrosity.

 

https://www.inc.com/scott-mautz/apples-stunning-new-hq-is-as-polarizing-as-its-visionary-steve-jobs.html

 

 

 

How to adjust security settings for Apple’s “AirDrop” feature on your iPhone and make sure that not just anybody can access info on your iPhone.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/27/technology/personaltech/iphone-airdrop-security-apple.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_ct_20170629&nl=technology&nl_art=7&nlid=11893479&ref=headline&te=1

 

 

 

Steve Jobs did not invent the iPhone

 

Steve Jobs made crucial decisions. His business maneuverings—especially absorbing info from the carriers and then winning near-total freedom to build his iPhone any way he liked, and winning favorable contract terms—and his aesthetic tastes in the space were unparalleled. He deserves a lot of credit. Just nowhere near all of it.

 

What Jobs did at Apple with the iPhone was take a smattering of percolating technologies, and drove his team to integrate them in a way never executed so elegantly before. The key word is “team”; the iPhone, in fact, grew out of a series of clandestine meetings, under even Jobs’ radar.

 

There’s a small city worth of people who contributed to the iPhone, who made it tick, who unfurled its innovations, who designed the most popular software interface of all time, who made it sing on a tiny handheld device.

 

We now know, for instance, that Edison most certainly did not invent the lightbulb—he simply perfected it as a consumer product.

 

Brian Merchant is the author of “The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone”.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/steve-jobs-did-invent-iphone-brian-merchant

 

 

 

Steve Jobs is Not the Right Role Model for You

 

Founders should be wary of aiming to be the next Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. Being practical will save budding entrepreneurs not only time and money, but also disappointment and from feeling like a total failure. Learn from your missteps. And find mentors and idols in the everyday people (hint: people like Vitaly) whose success may be less famous, but who are no less extraordinary.

 

Here’s the main thing people need to understand about startups. In the early days, startups are closer to a science experiment than a business.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/steve-jobs-is-not-the-right-role-model-for-you_us_59578c25e4b0326c0a8d10e2

 

 

 

A surprising number of Windows users plan to switch to Mac

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/a-surprising-number-of-windows-users-plan-to-switch-to-mac-2017-7

 

 

 

It may be time for Mac users to give Apple’s Safari browser another chance

 

1. You can stop auto-playing videos from ever starting.

2. You can make it harder for companies to track your activity across the web. But Safari doesn't completely block this kind of tracking.

 

AW Comment:

The author of this article likes Google Chrome better than Safari, even though it’s a safe bet that Google tracks everything you do with Chrome.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-safari-browser-new-features-macos-high-sierra-2017-7

 

 

 

The iPad could soon be ready to replace the MacBook

 

Some users will still need the power of a more robust, flexible and capable OS, and this is where costly iMacs (like the just announced iMac Pro) or even MacBook Pros come in.

 

But for most people who just need a browser, email, YouTube, Netflix and the likes, an iPad might be a much better way to spend their money, and make it their primary machine.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-ipad-could-soon-be-ready-to-replace-the-macbook-2017-6

 

 

 

Video:

iOS 11 will completely transform the iPad

 

I’ve been playing with a beta version of iOS 11 on a 10.5-inch iPad Pro for the past few weeks. While the final version of iOS 11 is not coming until later this fall, Apple just launched the public beta. Here’s a preview of what you can expect.

 

https://techcrunch.com/video/ios-11-beta-on-ipad/59554002c214e31dfe74afb7/

 

 

 

iOS 11 on an iPad Pro still won’t replace your laptop

 

Apple introduced some major changes to the iPad with its iOS 11 beta earlier this week. While you can use the iPad just as you’ve always been able to, there are some additional multitasking changes that really make the iPad Pro more of a laptop contender. Apple has created a dock that acts more like something you’d find on macOS, and refined its side-by-side apps interface so it’s even more similar to Windows 8. These changes make the iPad a lot more useful, but also a lot more confusing than it has ever been before.

 

https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/28/15885400/ios-11-ipad-gestures-laptop-features

 

 

 

We’ve been dragging-and-dropping the hell out of iOS 11

 

Here's a sentence I never expected to write: Drag and drop changes everything.

 

Drag and drop makes iOS feel like more than a collection of apps.

 

The author provides a long list of his favorite improvements in iOS 11.

 

https://www.wired.com/story/dragging-and-dropping-the-hell-out-of-ios-11/

 

 

 

How To Uninstall The iOS 11 Beta In Six Easy Steps

 

WARNING:

Use iTunes to make a backup of your iPhone, iPod   and / or   your iPad data BEFORE you install iOS 11 Beta.

Without that backup, the uninstall won’t help you.

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykarcz/2017/06/30/how-to-uninstall-the-ios-11-beta-in-six-easy-steps/

 

 

 

The iPad has an identity crisis
Unlike the iPhone, the iPad hasn't launched whole new classes of services. And the more Apple does to make iPads competitive with laptops, the more it gets compared to them and comes up short.

 

The main reason for the demise of the tablet was the proliferation of larger-screened smartphones.

 

In some ways, the iPad's struggles were foretold at its introduction, with Steve Jobs categorizing it as a device that fit between the smartphone and laptop. But it has no hope of making progress against the former and faces a host of competitive challenges against the latter. It is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

 

http://www.zdnet.com/article/the-ipad-has-an-identity-crisis/

 

 

 

8 tips for being productive on the iPad with iOS 10

 

One obvious thing to do is go ahead and install the iOS 11 public beta. It seems relatively stable on the iPad Pro. But my recommendation is still to wait a bit, especially if you depend on your iPad for day-to-day work.

 

So here are some of my favorite tips for iOS 10.

 

Learn how to use the “Text Replacement” feature.

Try Affinity for image editing.

Install Annotable — a great screenshot markup tool

Set up Widgets

Check out Duet to make your iPad a monitor

 

https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/27/15877432/ipad-tips-productive-ios-10-affinity-annotable-widgets

 

 

 

Former Chief of Engadget.com and Verge.com Trashes the New iPad Pro

 

AW Comment:

Interesting discussion.

 

https://twitter.com/joshuatopolsky/status/879512768206053376

 

 

 

The iPad’s biggest flaw: It’s too perfect

 

Some of the world’s biggest technology companies are facing an unusual and costly problem: their products are proving too good to replace.

 

“Tablet sales have slowed since their peak in 2013 as fewer Australians have seen the need to replace their existing devices,” Foad Fadaghi said.

“However, this is changing, with support for older models ending and functionality of newer tablets improving.”

 

http://nypost.com/2017/06/26/the-ipads-biggest-flaw-its-too-perfect/

 

 

 

12.9-Inch iPad Pro Review

 

Premium laptop-class performance; Long battery life; Amazingly bright, speedy display; Improved Pencil input; Stellar, booming sound; iOS 11 has a lot of promise.

 

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro boasts the best screen and performance we've ever seen in a tablet, but we'd suggest waiting for the final version of iOS 11 to arrive before you splurge.

 

Despite not changing the hardware of its $99 Pencil, Apple made it work a whole lot better with the new iPad Pros. Thanks to the iPad Pro's ProMotion display, writing feels more realistic than ever, as the company cut latency down from 40 milliseconds to 20 ms.

 

https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/tablets/apple-ipad-pro-12-9

 

 

 

Apple iPad Pro 10.5 Review

 

Pros:

• Big, beautiful screen (but not TOO big)

• Bassy, rich sound

• Day-long battery life

• Laptop-competitive performance

• Great camera for when you need it

 

Cons:

• With accessories, starts getting expensive, fast

• Even with split-screen, iOS doesn't feel optimized for tablets

• Audio recording when shooting video doesn't sound great

 

http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Apple-iPad-Pro-10.5-Review_id4366

 

 

 

Review: Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Second Generation), 10.5-inch iPad Pro

 

Pros:

Significant camera improvements

Front and rear cameras

Battery life remains exceptional

 

Cons:

The 12.9” model is still a behemoth by iPad standards

3D Touch support remains absent on both models.

 

Apple has actually brought both models to the same level; the only real distinction between the two new iPad Pro models is the size.

 

While users who simply want a basic iPad to supplement their smartphone or laptop for surfing, reading and productivity tasks will be well served by the standard fifth-generation iPad, the iPad Pro models will definitely appeal to serious iPad users who are willing to spend the money for top performance. Both models earn our high recommendation.

 

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/apple-12.9-inch-ipad-pro-second-generation-10.5-inch-ipad-pro

 

 

 

Why Apple’s iPad Pro Doesn’t Feature 3D Touch

 

While 3D Touch on an iPad might sound super-cool and beneficial, physically implementing it on such a large display would be impossible.

If Apple ever wanted to bring a 3D Touch-like functionality to the iPad, they’d have to develop an entirely new technology.

 

https://www.idropnews.com/news/apples-ipad-pro-doesnt-feature-3d-touch-eventually/44116/

 

 

 

10.5-inch iPad Pro review: Apple's 2-in-1 is starting to grow up

 

Since it came out, I've been using the 10.5-inch iPad Pro for just about everything, from consumption tasks like reading books and watching movies to productivity tasks like writing articles and editing videos. Click the link below for more.

 

https://www.neowin.net/news/105-inch-ipad-pro-review-apples-2-in-1-is-starting-to-grow-up

 

 

 

The iPad Pro: Now a true photographer’s tool

 

The iPad Pro has finally reached a tipping point for photographers. The improved hardware in the just-released iPad Pro models, plus software improvements in iOS 10 and the upcoming iOS 11, make the iPad Pro (mostly) fullfill the potential of the iPad as a true photographer’s companion.

 

http://www.macworld.com/article/3203024/photography/the-ipad-pro-now-a-true-photographer-s-tool.html

 

 

 

ProMotion display technology on the Apple iPad Pro explained: buttery smooth!

 

http://www.phonearena.com/news/ProMotion-display-technology-Apple-iPad-Pro-explained-120Hz-refresh-rate_id95048

 

 

 

Video:

Review: 10.5-inch iPad Pro - ZERO compromises

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpMnRgSKwNs&feature=youtu.be

 

 

 

Best 10.5-inch iPad Pro Accessories

 

https://www.gottabemobile.com/best-10-5-inch-ipad-pro-accessories/

 

 

 

Some techies in the ‘iPad as laptop’ debate are forgetting how atypical we are

 

Steve Jobs was right that some people will always need (or want) trucks. I’m one of them. I wouldn’t dream of attempting to use an iPad to replace my Mac. I prefer a large screen for things like photo editing and video editing, I like to carry a lot of data around with me (mostly photos) and I value the expansion options you get with a Mac.

But I also recognize that I’m far from typical of the mass market. While I wouldn’t personally make the switch, I have recommended to multiple friends that they do so, based on listening to what they want from a computer and what they want to do with it.

 

https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/27/can-an-ipad-be-a-laptop-replacement-opinion/

 

 

 

Video:

100 New Features in iOS (Beta version)

 

AW Comment:

“Beta” actually means “Beta Test” software.

Apple provides “Beta” software only to users who agree to be testing subjects who agree to find and report any defects they notice.

Apple plans to fix the bugs that the “Beta Testers” find before the release iOS 11 to the rest of us.

 

But this video is still worth watching because you can learn what’s coming in your future.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy1JEyxRzIc

 

 

 

Linea sketching app for Apple Pencil updated for 10.5-inch iPad Pro

 

The Iconfactory has updated its excellent sketching app for Apple Pencil to work specifically on the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro.

 

https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/27/linea-10-5-inch-ipad-pro/

 

 

 

Apple starts selling refurbished Apple Pencil, get one for $85 — for a limited time only

 

A refurbished Apple Pencil isn't brand new, but Apple says it undergoes a thorough cleaning process and inspection to ensure it meets Apple's quality standards.

 

A refurbished Apple Pencil comes with Apple's standard one-year limited hardware warranty covering manufacturing defects.

 

https://www.macrumors.com/2017/06/26/apple-pencil-certified-refurbished/

 

https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/26/apple-starts-selling-refurbished-apple-pencil-get-one-for-85/

 

 

 

This Is Why the iPhone Upended the Tech Industry

 

In 2007 the cellphone industry was sundered. In hindsight, there is only before and after the iPhone.

 

The original iPhone, which went on sale 10 years ago on June 29, laid the foundation for the modern smartphone, forever changing the way we access the world's information. It introduced two very important concepts that would remain at the core of mobile computers for years to come: the touch screen and the App Store.

 

Today's smartphones are computational Swiss army knives, capable of everything from turn-by-turn driving directions to housing all our work-related documents.

 

http://time.com/4837176/iphone-10th-anniversary/

 

 

 

Apple Is Quietly Scrubbing the App Store

 

Thousands of apps rely on templates. In most cases, the template-based apps are designed by developers who don't have formal coding knowledge or simply want to get a program to the App Store quickly to capitalize on a trend.

 

Revised guidelines will ostensibly help Apple manage spam apps that are designed with templates to quickly get programs into the App Store that serve ads or perform unnecessary functions for developer financial gain.

 

While app clones and other unsavory software are being scrubbed from the App Store, Apple is performing the cleanup in such a way as to not dissuade the use of third-party app production tools. By targeting only those apps that fall afoul of rule 4.2.6, the company can keep the App Store clone free while at the same time fostering a welcoming environment for amateur developers.

 

http://fortune.com/2017/06/22/apple-app-store-removals/

 

https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/21/apple-ramping-up-app-store-cleaning-efforts-has-already-removed-hundreds-of-thousands-of-apps/

 

http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/06/21/apple-cleaning-hundreds-of-thousands-of-titles-from-app-store-in-review-guidelines-crackdown

 

 

 

The filmmaker behind ‘App: The Human Story’ talks about the struggles developers face

 

Jake Schumacher, Jedidiah Hurt, and Adam Lisagor spent three and a half years producing a documentary about apps — or more specifically, the people who make them.

 

The film was screened last month as part of a peripheral event at Apple’s WWDC, and is slated to be released late summer.

 

Very interesting interview.

 

https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/1/15908840/app-the-human-story-app-store-documentary-q-a-jake-schumacher

 

 

 

How to fix the spinner after login in macOS

 

An interesting story of how the author fixed a difficult problem.

 

http://www.macworld.com/article/3201845/macs/how-to-fix-the-spinner-after-login-in-macos.html

 

 

 

macOS: Installing Flash Updates (The Safe Way)

 

The author wrote instructions for updating Adobe Flash Player via Apple’s System Preferences application instead of going to the Adobe.com web site.

 

https://www.macobserver.com/tips/quick-tip/macos-installing-flash-updates-safe-way/

 

 

 

Apple Beta program lets anyone install early versions of Mac OS, iOS

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/technology/2017/06/30/apple-beta-program-explorers-early-access-macos-ios

 

 

 

5 Hidden macOS Features Make Your Life Easier

 

https://www.macobserver.com/tips/quick-tip/5-hidden-macos-features-make-life-easier/

 

 

 

macOS: How to See Which Mac Apps are 32-Bit

 

https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/macos-find-32-bit-apps/

 

 

 

My take on the 2017 MacBook: I'm returning it after two weeks

• I've been using Apple's new MacBook for almost two weeks.

• It's not powerful enough to justify the $1,299 price tag.

• I'll be returning the new MacBook soon.

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/03/the-2017-macbook-is-too-expensive-and-not-powerful-enough.html

 

 

 

Why I'm not buying the most powerful MacBook Pro anymore

 

In 2012, I bought the most powerful model of the 15-inch MacBook Pro because I knew its Core i7 processor would keep up for several more years than a MacBook Pro with a less powerful Core i5 processor.

The concept is called "future-proofing." Basically, I buy a device that's way more powerful than necessary for my current needs in anticipation for the future when operating systems and apps will require more horsepower.

 

Today, I think “future proofing” is NOT a good strategy.

 

By spending big in the past to extend the life of my old MacBook Pro, I've essentially locked myself in to its old technology until I upgrade.

 

If I do end up buying a new model, I'll probably go for one with lesser hardware specs and a lower price tag so that it doesn't last so long. That way, I can upgrade more quickly and keep up with new features and technology.

Future proofing can help you save money, but it can also keep you living in the past

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macbook-pro-core-i5-vs-core-i7-why-im-getting-the-i5-2017-6

 

 

 

Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (15-inch, 2017)review

 

The Good The updated 15-inch MacBook Pro gets faster processing and graphics options. It's still the biggest and most-powerful laptop Apple makes. The giant touchpad is easy to use and battery life is excellent.

The Bad Having only USB-C ports can be a hassle. The super-flat keyboard is an acquired taste.

The Bottom Line Even if you're not sold on the idea of the Touch Bar, this slightly updated MacBook Pro is still the king of high-end laptops, especially for the creative class.

 

https://www.cnet.com/products/apple-macbook-pro-with-touch-bar-15-inch-2017/review/

 

 

 

Apple's new MacBook Pro looks the same, but inside it's much improved

 

Users of the 13-inch MacBook Pro have an option of buying the laptop with or without the Touch Bar.  I think it's worth the money.

Pros:

Smaller, lighter, faster than the previous generation.

Cons:

Expensive, needs dongles for connecting almost anything.

Bottom Line:

Apple users may balk at the dongle situation, but that won't stop anyone from buying this machine to get the fastest Mac laptop.

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/business/technology/2017/06/30/apples-new-macbook-pro-looks-inside-much-improved

 

 

 

Apple celebrates America’s national parks this July

 

From July 1 through 15, Apple is donating $1 to the National Park Foundation for every purchase made with Apple Pay at any Apple Store, on apple.com or through the Apple Store app in the US. Apple Pay is accepted at select locations in some of the most popular national parks, from Yellowstone and Yosemite to the Grand Canyon and Muir Woods National Monument.

 

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/06/apple-celebrates-americas-national-parks-this-july/

 

https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/01/apple-pay-national-parks/

 

https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/30/apple-pay-national-parks-foundation-donation/

 

 

 

• You can unlock your Mac using an Apple Watch.

• That means you won't need to type in a password.

• This article shows you how.

 

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/30/how-to-unlock-your-mac-with-your-apple-watch.html

 

 

 

AI Detects Abnormal Heart Rhythm Using the Apple Watch’s Heart Rate Sensor

 

A recent study presented at the Heart Rhythm Society conference by Dr. Greg Marcus, the director of Clinical Research for Cardiology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), endeavored to find if an Apple Watch was sensitive and accurate enough to detect atrial fibrillation, a common heart condition.

 

“The app was able to detect or discriminate a-fib from normal rhythm with 97% accuracy,” Marcus says.

 

However, the AFib detecting smart watch app isn’t ready for primetime yet

 

http://trendintech.com/2017/07/04/ai-detects-abnormal-heart-rhythm-using-the-apple-watchs-heart-rate-sensor/

 

 

 

Type instead of talk to Siri with iOS 11
Now you can ask Siri questions in silence.

 

To enable the feature, go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Siri and toggle on Type to Siri. Now, when you long-press the Home button, Siri will pop up with her familiar "What can I help you with?" question but with a search bar and keyboard .

 

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/type-instead-of-talk-to-siri-with-ios-11/

 

 

 

The Best Siri Commands

 

Interesting list.

 

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-siri-commands/

 

 

 

Lots of people dislike voice assistants. Blame Siri
Hard numbers say so, though these digital helpers continue to gain users.

 

https://www.cnet.com/news/lots-of-people-dislike-voice-assistants-blame-siri/

 

 

 

How to Completely Turn Off Siri on Your iPhone

 

The instructions for disabling Siri altogether are slightly different in iOS 10 and iOS 11, so both ways are covered in this article.

 

https://ios.gadgethacks.com/how-to/siri-101-completely-turn-off-siri-your-iphone-0178572/

 

 

 

The 25 most influential YouTubers. (And Why You Need To Know Them)

 

http://nowbuzz.me/25-most-influential-youtubers/

 

 

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Killing Retailers and Giving Life to Mindless Shopping

 

When you see an ad pop up on your computer or smartphone, it’s the work of the AI robots and machine learning bots mining your every digital click.

 

AI’s here and now, and it’s the future of retailing. Without it, retailers are going to die off like dinosaurs.

 

http://wallstreetinsightsandindictments.com/2017/06/ai-is-killing-retailers-and-giving-life-to-mindless-shopping/

 

 

 

How Battling Brands Online Has Gained Urgency, and Impact

 

Until last week, Travis Kalanick, a founder of Uber and its chief executive, ruled his company absolutely.

 

But we live in an era dominated by the unyielding influence of social feeds. Every new Uber revelation ignited a massive campaign against the company on Twitter and Facebook. A swirl of negative branding took on a life of its own — and ultimately could not be ignored.

 

The story is bigger than Uber. Online campaigns against brands have become one of the most powerful forces in business, giving customers a huge megaphone with which to shape corporate ethics and practices, and imperiling some of the most towering figures of media and industry.

 

The mechanics of social media suggest it will be the cultural and political left, more than the right, that might win the upper hand with this tactic.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/technology/how-battling-brands-online-has-gained-urgency-and-impact.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_ct_20170622&nl=technology&nl_art=3&nlid=11893479&ref=headline&te=1

 

 

 

The BuzzFeed wizard who changed media as we know it

 

An old story, but well worth reading.

 

It’s about a woman who did some really important stuff at buzzfeed.com.

 

https://www.marketplace.org/2014/10/14/tech/buzzfeed-wizard-who-changed-media-we-know-it

 

 

 

We’re one step closer to getting cheaper, faster Internet from space

 

A former Googler and friend of Elon Musk became the first to receive permission to actually build a next-generation satellite Internet service that targets U.S. customers.

 

At the heart of Greg Wyler's new network are a fleet of 720 satellites, all orbiting the earth at an altitude of roughly 745 miles. The first satellites would launch next year, and service could start as early as 2019. Federal regulators voted to give Wyler and his company, OneWeb, approval to use the airwaves that will beam the Internet down to earth.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/06/22/were-one-step-closer-to-getting-cheaper-faster-internet-from-space/

 

 

 

Why “How many jobs will be killed by AI?” is the wrong question

 

Over the past few years we've developed artificially intelligent machines that can do many things that used to require human minds.

 

So shouldn't we be preparing ourselves for massive AI-induced technological unemployment? A widely cited 2015 analysis by Carl Frey and Michael Osborne of Oxford University found that 47% of current jobs in the US were susceptible to computerization. And some jobs look especially ripe for automation. As self-driving technology advances it seems likely that many of America's approximately 3.5 million truck drivers could find themselves out of a job.

 

While 3.5 million jobs sound like a lot to lose, there are almost that many layoffs every two months in the United States, and another six million or so people voluntarily leaving their jobs. The American economy is both huge and dynamic; large numbers of jobs are lost all the time, and even more are created.

 

There are two large labor force challenges at present, and they're both due in part to tech progress. The first is that while the engine of job creation is still running it has shifted into a lower gear. This engine used to do a great job of generating lots of solid middle-class jobs that paid more over time. Now it's creating lower middle-class jobs with more stagnant incomes.

There are many reasons for this change, but our MIT colleague David Autor and his collaborators have identified the central one: that the US middle class was built on routine work (both physical, like staffing an assembly line in a factory, and cognitive, like handling payroll for the factory) and this work has been rapidly automated in recent decades.

 

The single best way to create more job opportunities for people is to support the creation of lots of new companies that need to hire in order to grow.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-how-many-jobs-killed-ai-wrong-question-andrew-mcafee

 

 

 

Why technology helps us do more while understanding less about what we're doing

 

Technology has made us able to do more while understanding less about what we are doing, and has increased our dependence on others.

 

We outsource more skills to technological tools, like a movie-making app on a smartphone, that relieve us of the challenge of learning large amounts of technical knowledge.

 

A major downside of increased dependence on technologies is the increased consequences if those technologies break or disappear.

 

Individually, we depend more on our technologies than ever before – but we can do more than ever before. Collectively, technology has made us smarter, more capable and more productive. What technology has not done is make us wiser.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/is-technology-making-us-dumber-or-smarter-2017-7

 

 

 

’Petya’ ransomware attack goes global

 

A discussion about Petya.  It’s a real mess for MS-Windows users.

 

http://www.computerconsultantsforum.com/forum/discussions/petya-ransomware-attack-goes-global/

 

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/mmpc/2017/06/27/new-ransomware-old-techniques-petya-adds-worm-capabilities/

 

 

 

The Tech That New York Times Security Experts Use to Be Digitally Secure

 

The Times’s security experts suggest keeping all software up to date and using two-factor authentication and password managers to protect your privacy.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/technology/personaltech/tech-security-experts-use.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_ct_20170622&nl=technology&nl_art=2&nlid=11893479&ref=headline&te=1

 

 

 

In the past month, malicious actors have twice used cyberweapons stolen from the National Security Agency (NSA) against countries around the world in a series of escalating cyber attacks that have targeted hospitals, banks, transportation systems, and even nuclear sites.

 

A growing concern is whether US intelligence agencies have rushed to create digital weapons that they cannot keep safe from adversaries or disable once they fall into the wrong hands, and there have been numerous calls for the NSA to help halt the attacks and to stop hoarding knowledge of the computer vulnerabilities upon which these weapons rely.

 

Unfortunately, as long as software manufacturers continue to develop poorly engineered products full of flaws in their computer code, opportunities will abound to create openings for digital weapons and spy tools, and the NSA is not likely to stop hoarding software vulnerabilities any time soon. And as long as people and companies fail to properly patch their systems and adopt cybersecurity best practices, more sophisticated and damaging attacks of this kind will be likely.

 

http://pellcenter.org/ransomware-becomes-smoke-screen-real-disruption/

Happy Fourth of July! Have you made your computer backups yet?

You Need A Backup!

Yes, you. If you keep personally valuable files on your computer, such as wedding photos & videos or grandchild’s wedding photos and videos, files related to taxes, and files related to your occupation-then for Heaven’s Sakes GET A BACKUP DRIVE! They’re on sale! Tonight! Tomorrow! Here are the links!

1 Tb Western Digital USB External Backup Drive from Wal-Mart With In-Store Pick-up.

3 TB Western Digital USB External Backup Drive, 8 TB Seagate USB External Backup Drive. 500 GB FW800/USB 3.0 drive from LaCie, and 4 TB USB-C (Design by Porsche!) External Backup Drive from LaCie, all at Fry’s this week. And don’t forget to sign up for those promo codes, as they can save you money!

Costco will close tomorrow for the 4^th ,so if you make your regular dogfood and beer run there on Wednesdays; stop by the electronics section for a good deal on a backup drive, too! The hardest part will be getting the drive out of the darn clamshell packaging!

And I’m just as bad as you may be. I’ve got a laptop I haven’t backed up in 333 days! So when I got home tonight, I plugged in my little 1TB backup drive to start the process. 

But I have a wonderful new MacBook Pro with all USB-C! How the Hell do I connect my HDTV to it, among other questions?

Roman Loyola of Macworld researched the dilemma of finding the right USB-C & Thunderbolt 3 adaptors for your MacBook Pro here.  Have at it.

You Need A Backup!

Yes, you. If you keep personally valuable files on your computer, such as wedding photos & videos or grandchild’s wedding photos and videos, files related to taxes, and files related to your occupation-then for Heaven’s Sakes GET A BACKUP DRIVE! They’re on sale! Tonight! Tomorrow! Here are the links!1 Tb Western Digital USB External Backup Drive from Wal-Mart With In-Store Pick-up.3 TB Western Digital USB External Backup Drive, 8 TB Seagate USB External Backup Drive. 500 GB FW800/USB 3.0 drive from LaCie, and 4 TB USB-C (Design by Porsche!) External Backup Drive from LaCie, all at Fry’s this week. And don’t forget to sign up for those promo codes, as they can save you money!Costco will close tomorrow for the 4th ,so if you make your regular dogfood and beer run there on Wednesdays; stop by the electronics section for a good deal on a backup drive, too! The hardest part will be getting the drive out of the darn clamshell packaging!How to start backing up your laptop! And I’m just as bad as you may be. I’ve got a laptop I haven’t backed up in 333 days! So when I got home tonight, I plugged in my little 1TB backup drive to start the process. But I have a wonderful new MacBook Pro with all USB-C! How the Hell do I connect my HDTV to it, among other questions?Roman Loyola of Macworld researched the dilemma of finding the right USB-C & Thunderbolt 3 adaptors for your MacBook Pro here.  Have at it.