I recently got a new model iMac. The previous 2006 iMac was a Core Duo (not Core 2 Duo) model, and thus could not run Lion (Mac OS 10.7). Also it could handle more than 2 GB of RAM, and things were starting to slow down.
So, here’s my report on things to watch out for in this process.
Choosing the Mac
Any iMac I picked was going to be a quad core as opposed to my old dual core, and would be much faster. You might look at the comparison below and say, “Do I want to pay $300 extra for an 8% increase in processor speed?” True, you might never notice that, but look down to the Memory section. The more expensive model has an option for 16 GB RAM, while the base model only goes to 8 GB.
Even if you have no intention of buying extra RAM now, this is important. The 2.7 GHz model has 4 memory slots while the base model only has 2 memory slots. Here’s the RAM portion of the System Report for the 2.7 GHz iMac. Note that it has two empty RAM slots.
Later on, extra RAM will be cheap, and software bloat will make it necessary. But will you have anywhere to plug it in? What you’re buying for $300 is expandability. That’s the very thing that often forces you to buy a new computer — the fact that you simply can’t add more memory to the old one. It also means that you won’t necessarily have to discard the old RAM to plug in the new RAM.
The Display
I was a little leery of the glossy display, having always had the less reflective type. It’s a potential problem, but as soon as the screen lights up, everything is great. Photos and videos never looked better.
The Mouse and Keyboard
I like the wireless Magic Mouse. It takes some getting used to, but having the top of the mouse react to swipes and other gestures is great.
The Apple Wireless keyboard is a miserable little chicklet keyboard. And yes, the allusion to the much-maligned 1980s-era IBM PC Jr. keyboard is deliberate. Did Apple deliberately copy the design of the worst keyboard ever? The worst thing is the spacebar. When typing extended text, the space bar fails to register on about 10-20% of times I press it. I’m using the USB keyboard from my old Mac now, or this post would be filled with runtogetherwords.
The Apple Wireless keyboard operates via bluetooth. At one point during the migration process, I started my Mac, and it didn’t recognize the keyboard at all. No amount of pressing the button on the keyboard helped. The mouse was working, so bluetooth was turned on. The keyboard batteries were at 100%. It’s pretty hard to type your password without a keyboard! I had to hook up a USB keyboard to get past that problem. Not everyone will have one available.
Migratation Assistant
My old Mac was to be handed down to a family member. So began a daisy-chain of Mac migration. Apple’s Migration assistant is your friend in this process. It makes it easy to move user accounts and all of their data from one machine to another. I used this several times in the process, both via network, and via Firewire. Firewire is your best choice. It’s fast and reliable. Migration Assistant gave up a couple of times due to unspecified wireless network errors. It took many hours to move everything around. Migrating accounts from three computers to their new homes took about three days, with migration assistant taking up to eight hours to copy an account. Often things were migrating overnight. I couldn’t use Firewire with my new Mac, because Apple has changed the connectors again. I have Firewire cables with two different connectors on them, and nothing fit because Apple has introduced yet another Firewire jack.
When buying a new Mac, a Firewire cable that fits the old and new machine would be a good accessory, although I got by without it. If I had known about this problem in advance, I would have acquired the cable.
Software Incompatabilities
I have found a few things that require the purchase of new software to keep functionality that I had previously. As you may know, Mac OS Lion no longer supports compatibility with PowerPC applications. Everything must now be native Intel. For this reason some older software will no longer work.
I have a pretty new Epson flatbed scanner. The Epson software that came with the scanner doesn’t work on Lion, and Epson has no plans to update it. (What are they thinking?) This was a nice, full-featured scanning application. Mac OS Lion recognizes the scanner automatically without downloading a driver. You can perform basic scanning functions using the built-in Image Capture application. However this doesn’t provide the level of control I needed from scanning software.
I bought VueScan from Hamrick Software to solve this problem. The $39.95 standard edition is working fine for me. It’s a little pricey, but it’s very nice. VueScan seems to have a little bit faster workflow than the Epson software I was using before. You can download and use the trial version to make sure it works with your scanner before buying it.
Claris Works/Apple Works software no longer works. Claris Works/Apple Works documents couldn’t be opened. I took some back to the old Mac to export them in another format. Beware that although AppleWorks can save in “RTF” format, I wasn’t able to read those documents on Lion with TextEdit. It said the documents were corrupted. The iWork applications, Pages and Numbers may be able to read AppleWorks documents, but I haven’t tried that.
My favorite, free, genealogy application Generation X no longer works, and apparently it is no longer being supported. It works directly with standard GEDCOM files, so I should be able to read them with any reputable Genealogy application.
The Amadeus II sound editing application I’ve used for years is not supported on Lion. Although I had paid for this in the past, there is no free or discount upgrade path to Amadeus Lite or Amadeus Pro versions. This has always been a nice app, and I will be upgrading next time I really need to.
Below is a link to a free copy of “StuffIt Deluxe” from SmithMicro. It is good until Dec 18th, 2011.
http://store.smithmicro.com/cart.aspx?id=18487&sgid=750
This deal comes to us from the macappdeals.com site, via Joe. Thanks Joe and thanks Smith Micro!
StuffIt Deluxe is normally $49.95. It compresses and expands compressed files in various formats.
There don’t seem to be any strings attached. You can uncheck the “support” option, to get to a total of $0.00. You must create an account to order. (What’s new?)
-Jamie
I enjoyed this funny error message from the Google Chrome browser for the Mac.
This is definitely a nod to the sad Mac icon of Macs past. Thanks, Google.
Apple wants me to exchange my 6-year-old iPod Nano 1st Gen with all its wear and tear for, probably, a brand new iPod Nano. Updated Nov 17: Apple is being coy about exactly what it will be replaced with. Best info now is that it will be another 1st Gen Nano. It would be amazing to me if they have a huge supply of those. This is a recall/replacement due to problems with batteries which may have an unfortunate tendency to catch fire.
The details are on Apple’s support site. See iPod Nano 1st Generation Recall info.
You many not have gotten the email notice if you received your Nano as a gift, or bought it second-hand. So, dig around in your stuff. If you have an iPod Nano that looks like this, or similar, but black, your unit may qualify.
Good job on this, Apple! Very few companies would replace a product that old even if it was possible to catch fire. Also good news for Apple, my original Nano is still working fine, and I’m kind of reluctant to give it up. I always thought the design was beautiful. I’ll be happy if I just get another one of these — as you might be able to see, mine has some smashed pixels on the screen.
Update December 16: It took a while, but I finally got the return shipment box. Turnaround is advertised as 6 weeks, and I will miss my Nano.
The question came up: What’s available for the Mac for free that will let you open or view PowerPoint Documents?
First the obvious, but non-free solutions. Microsoft does sell the Office suite, including PowerPoint in a Mac Version. It’s a nice product, and sometimes there are deals which make it less expensive than you might think. Educational discounts are especially attractive if you’re a student or teacher. Also, many Mac users will have purchased Apple’s iWork package, which will open PowerPoint documents in Keynote. Keynote is $19.99 in the Mac App Store.
Microsoft has a free PowerPoint Viewer for Macintosh, but it is so old that it is useless on any recent model.
As far as free office applications go, you should consider NeoOffice or Open Office for Mac. NeoOffice was a port of OpenOffice to make it more Mac friendly. Meanwhile, OpenOffice has updated their own offering to also be a native Macintosh application, so take your pick. These are full-featured application suites that let you create and edit various document types, as well as import and export the corresponding Microsoft formats.
Now for the outside-the-box answers.
You can sign up with free on-line document services which will allow you to create, view, store and manipulate documents remotely via the web. These are the Cloud services you’ve heard about. Microsoft has such a service called Sky Drive. You will need to sign up for a free Windows Live ID to use Sky Drive.
Similarly, Google Docs will open Power Point files. You will need to have signed up with Google for this one also. It’s the same ID you need for a gmail account.
The only software you need on your computer for these cloud-based solutions is a web browser. Using the cloud for this purpose has a security benefit. When someone asks “How Do I open files of type X?” it’s usually because people want to read the latest chain mails containing PowerPoint files of funny or interesting photos. Opening these is dangerous. You don’t know where they came from or where they’ve been. PowerPoint files can contain malware.
By opening these files using Google or Microsoft’s system, you are shifting much of the risk and security burden to these heavyweights of the computer industry. They are much more likely to have fully protected and updated their software from the latest malware threats than you are.
Dennis Crowley presented a nice overview of financial software. Quicken users on the Mac need to make a decision, since Intuit is not supporting the full-featured Quicken on the Mac going forward. This spreadsheet (Excel format) compares the features of iBank, Moneydance, Quicken, and See.
Financial Program Features
It’s a fact. If you live long enough, you’re going to have some dead people in your address book.
I haven’t seen any features in Apple Address Book or Google Contacts or similar software to handle death. There needs to be an explicit status of DECEASED. Here’s why.
I don’t want to delete the dead from my address book right away, if ever. I want to keep their photograph(s), correspondence and relationship information around. However I certainly don’t want to send email or make phone calls to the dead — that would be awkward.
Apple has tied the Address Book into the faces feature of iPhoto. The address book entry helps to distinguish between people with similar or identical names. I have many photos of long-dead relatives. Sometimes I would like to add a contact card for them, for reference, but I don’t want those names showing up in my phone book or email.
So, if you’re writing contact management software, don’t forget to include the fundamental distinction between the living and the dead.
-Jamie
The Brevard County Library system now has eBooks and audio books available for checkout, and you can read or listen to them on your Mac, iPod or other Apple gadgets.
To check out eBooks, start at http://www.brev.org .
There, click on the download eBooks links.
To read the books, you will need to install Adobe Digital Editions, and/or the Overdrive Media Console. I ended up installing Adobe Digital Editions on the Mac and Overdrive Media Console on the iPad. There is also an iPhone version of Overdrive.
Adobe Digital Editions is pretty straight-forward book reader. There are few user controls. You can adjust the font size and make bookmarks. There is no control over contrast or background/foreground color. The Library view lets you see what books you have checked out, have bought (they hope), or recently read.
Overdrive for the iPad is similarly straight-forward. However, it does have a night mode (reversed contrast), and a contrast control that lets you soften the stark white of the background.
These applications are necessary because of the curse of DRM. Also, you need to sign up for an account at Adobe to use these applications. I really didn’t need another account and password in my life. I already have an account at the library. However, the Adobe account creates a DRM model similar to Amazon’s Kindle or Apple’s iTunes. Your items are available on all devices registered to that account. So, your books are available on your various readers.
The glaring omission right now is that the library’s eBooks are not available for the Kindle. Overdrive says that will be corrected by the end of the year.
-Jamie
Why, oh why must the App Store or the iTunes Music store have a password to download a free App, song or podcast?
I was helping my mother-in-law use her new iPad. I went to install a free App for her, and up pops the password prompt. Well, she doesn’t know the password — her other daughter set it up for her. So, a long distance phone call is needed to get the password, and then it wants to know the security code on her credit card. Remember, this is a FREE app. We wait on the phone while she has to go and find the credit card. But wait, we’re not done. Now we have to agree to the 40-page terms and conditions.
This was a pretty poor demo of how easy to use the iPad is.
It’s not particularly easy to type passwords on IOS, even if you know the password. Across millions of users, how many human lifetimes have already been wasted typing iTunes passwords for things that don’t cost money?
If your computer is starting to get slow, one of the best things you can do is to add RAM. This is especially true if you are running one or more programs with large memory requirements, such as Parallels, or any application that works with large video, or photo files.
9to5Mac.com recently listed a great deal on 8 GB of RAM, along with a great tip that some MacBookPros rated by Apple for a maximum of 4 GB can actually be upgraded successfully to 8 GB easily.
I recently upgraded my wife’s MBP from 2 to 4 GB with RAM from Crucial.com. They have a nice site to help you find RAM that will fit and work with your Mac model. Crucial gave a good shopping experience, fast service and a good product. I’m happy.
Another popular vendor is OtherWorldComputing aka MacSales. They also have good guidance on what will work in particular Mac models.
Choosing RAM that will work is pretty esoteric. There are way more kinds that won’t work than those that will. The “early 2008″ 15-inch MBP will not accept 8 GB, even though that’s implied in 9to5′s write-up. You must have the “MacBookPro5,1″ The “MacBookPro4,1″ won’t go beyond 4 GB. These model IDs show up in System Profiler.
The price for the 8 GB on offer is actually less than I paid for 4 GB! When the offer expires Monday, it will just be the same price I paid for half as much. Still a great deal.
Installing RAM in a MacBookPro is pretty easy, but it might be good to have someone who’s done that type of thing before present. You want to minimize the chance of static electricity damaging your RAM. Don’t take the RAM out of the package until ready to do the install. I usually do my installs barefoot to keep shoes from creating or holding a static charge. Avoid touching the metal contacts of the module. Touch metal parts of the computer before removing or installing RAM.
Unplug everything. Pop out the battery and remove a cover with 3 small screws. Take a look at how far the existing modules are inserted. You will need to seat the new ones to a similar depth. The memory modules are held in place by spring-loaded clips on each side. Release these, and the module will pop up slightly. Then you can pull it straight out. The modules are keyed so that they only fit one way. Look for the key, and don’t force it. However, you will have to push in firmly to seat the new modules, and then push down to engage the clips.
Once you put the cover and battery back in, you’re ready to power on and enjoy your new memory.
