MacMost: Archives

Google released a free Google Maps app for the iPhone yesterday. The new app allows iPhone users to return to using Google Maps instead of Apple’s new Maps app.
However, it also includes features that were never available in the original Maps app, such as the ability to sign in to your Google account and sync places and searches as well as fast vector-based maps. It also includes features missed by iOS users since the release of iOS 6 such as Street View.
But the most interesting new feature is turn-by-turn spoken directions. It was reported that Google’s refusal to add this feature to the original Maps app was Apple’s reason for breaking away from Google and creating its own maps solution.
While this new app is only designed for the iPhone screen size, the has been reported that Google will be updating the app for the iPad soon, as well as adding an offline mode.

“The iPhone had only enough battery power to last for one day. But miraculously it lasted for eight days and nights.”

Pages comes with templates that can make creating documents easy. For instance, you can use one of the certificates templates to make up fun awards for home or work. You can use the flyers templates to create for sale signs to post in your neighborhood. You can also use templates to make quick newsletters and brochures. You can get more templates from the Mac App Store.

Have you ever missed a post on Facebook simply because Facebook didn't show it in your 'Top Stories' list? You can avoid this using one of two techniques. The first is to simply switch to viewing your Most Recent posts instead of Top Stories. But you can also create a custom list that includes some or all of your friends and bookmark that so you can view everything without missing a post.

With iOS 6 you can take panoramic photos using an iPhone 5, iPhone 4s or the 5th generation iPod touch. Panoramas can be used to capture a landscape, but they can also be used for up-close wide or tall shots. They work best if objects are not moving, but can tolerate some movement. Since they are a composition of several photos, they are more detailed than a single shot. You can use panoramas to create some interesting photos.

This week’s hot topic among Apple enthusiasts has been iTunes 11. While most praise its improved speed and slightly cleaner interface, others have lamented the loss of cover flow and have been struggling to find the new locations of functions. You can see the MacMost video on iTunes 11 for an overview.
When iMacs started shipping last week, some machines arrived labeled “Assembled in America.” It now appears that this is the beginning of an effort by Apple to bring some manufacturing back to the USA.
Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed in an interview this week that he plans to have one whole line of Macs assembled in America in 2013. In the meantime, investigators have determined that the Macs already being built here may be coming from the vicinity of Fremont, California. This is where the original Macs were manufactured in the 1980s.
An interview with Cook will air tonight on NBC’s Rock Center. It is expected that he will hint at future plans for Apple, including a possible television device.

A Denver class have received a set of iPads and wishes to get cases for them.
“This project is important because it will ensure a long life for the class set of iPads. It is expected that the iPads can last 5 years if they are well cared for. An essential piece of this care is to protect them with a strong case. ”
Join MacMost in supporting this project.

“I accidentally plugged my Lightning connector into my Thunderbolt port and it started to rain in my office.”

Learn how to use the clone tool in Pixelmator. This drawing tool can be useful for adding additional copies of repeating objects, like flowers in a flowerbed, to your photos. You can also use it to clone an uneven background to remove objects from a photo without leaving an obvious empty space in the photo.

The new iTunes 11 has several improvements and new features you should know about. You can also learn how to bring back the left sidebar. Learn about the new Up Next list and how you can view your music library by song, artist, album and sort in various ways. There is also a new way to search for content in your library.

When purchasing a new Mac, you may want to pick up some accessories to go along with it. Which accessories you pick depends on your needs. A Time Machine hard drive is a must. Some people may want a printer, while other may want a scanner to go paperless. You may want to consider a network router, UPS or MacBook case as well. A set of EarPods can come in handy as a small headset for those that record audio or video or use FaceTime often.

The new 21.5-inch iMac will go on sale in November as promised — the last day of November. The new iMac features a much thinner design than the previous models, plus a 2.7 GHz quad-core i5 processor, 8GB of memory, and a 1TB drive. The Fusion Drive will also be available as an option. The 27-inch iMac will go on sale in December.
Updates to both OS X and iTunes for Mac should be coming soon, with a new version of iTunes as early as later today and OS X 10.8.3 in the coming weeks. The new version of iTunes may include a new store interface and perhaps more iCloud integration.
There are reports that Apple is moving quickly to come out with an improved version of its much-criticized iOS Maps app. The executive in charge of the original app has been reportedly fired, and Apple has been working hard on improvements with some external help.

“Now that the iPhone Maps app doesn’t have Street View, he actually has to leave the house and go places to see what they look like.”

A school in New York City needs a new MacBook to help a class of ESL students.
“With a MacBook, students would get the opportunity to use the Imagine Learning software on a daily basis. Students could play online math games to reinforce skills and much more. In science and social studies the MacBook will allow my students to do research and aide with their written reports.”
Join MacMost in supporting this project.

If you use an external drive to share music, photos or other files, then you should know about the "Ignore ownership on this volume" option. This allows you to have multiple users on the same Mac, or multiple users across several Macs to have the same access to files and folders regardless of which user put them there. It can greatly simplify sharing the data on an external drive.

If you wish to delete photos from iPhoto, you must first understand the difference between events and albums. However, you can still use Albums to delete photos if you know how. You can also use flagging to select photos to delete. There are several ways to review your photos before you delete them, and you can also archive photos as files before removing them from your iPhoto library.

Check out some gift ideas for Apple fans that cost less than $100. See Gary's picks for his favorite iPhone cases to give as gifts. Consider ideas like AirPrint printers, iPhone tripod adapters and the Apple TV. Also get some other ideas that are fun and unusual, in addition to being practical.

A school in Wood Ridge, New Jersey has lost the iPads used in a classroom due to the flooding. Help them replace them.
“Last year my students used their iPads in their writing celebrations. They presented their “How To” books and personal narratives to their classmates and their families using this technology. We were planning on using the iPads this year for similar activities, however with the iPads having been destroyed in the floods of Hurricane Sandy this will not happen.”
Join MacMost in supporting this project.

Apple will again be offering special deals on the day after U.S. Thanksgiving. It sent out emails earlier with week with links to a special page that teases the event.
In the past, the sales haven’t been anything spectacular, with just a small discount on selected Macs and iOS devices. However, contrast this with the fact that Apple never reduces prices at any other time. Plus, you can get these deals at the online Apple Store, so you don’t need to get up early or wait in line.
The Apple Store isn’t the only place you can find discounts on Apple products this week. Many major retailers like Best Buy and Target also are advertising sales that include iPads and iTunes gift cards.

“What’s this $1,000 charge from Apple? Did you buy a new computer?”
“No, I just bought a few Thunderbolt and Lightning cable adapters.”