The most recent episode of the Mac Power Users is out. This one provides an overview of Mac security. Enjoy.
Also, our next episode will be about the services menu in Snow Leopard. Send in your questions and favorite services (even the home-cooked variety).
A worthy text service that takes all of 5 minutes to create. Also notice the new category “Services.” Expect more and send me your favorites.
Continue readingThere have been several reports about Microsoft head Steve Ballmer confiscating a Microsoft employee’s iPhone and fake stomping on it. This guy is really in charge of the world’s largest software company? Lately, I don’t understand Microsoft generally and Ballmer specifically.* Microsoft has the operating system market sewn up, the corporate world at its mercy, metric tons of dollars pouring in, and yet they appear obsessed with Apple. It’s not funny. It just seems kind of sad. I know there are some smart people up in Redmond. I’ve met several of them. However, lately their antics just seem juvenile.
* While I’d agree if an employee took a picture Steve Jobs at an Apple event with a Windows Mobile phone, it would be frowned upon but I don’t see Jobs pulling Ballmer’s schoolyard antics under any conditions. Besides, it would never happen anyway. Have you *seen* the Windows Mobile platform lately?
There is an old saying that, “there are lies, damn lies, and statistics.” Without passing judgment, I frequently have need to insert graphs and charts into presentations and a lot of times it is much harder than it should be. While I am a big fan of Apple’s Numbers application, it has its limitations.
This is where the Omni Group’s latest gem, OmniGraphSketcher comes into play. This application allows you to make very precise graphs. OmniGraphSketcher takes graphing out of the spreadsheet. It, essentially, combines a charting tool with a drawing application. In very little time you will be able to create accurate graphs with colorful data sets and highlights, curves, and shading without requiring an advanced degree in mathematics and statistics.
Running OmniGraphSketcher, I was able to draw my own graphs or import data from Excel and Numbers sheets as a starting point for beautiful looking graphs. Once the basics were set up, annotations, shapes, arrows, and tick marks were simple and effective.
OmniGraphSketcher also makes it easy to export graphics for use in other applications. After using this application for some time, it is obvious some of the OmniGraffle team was involved. Once again, the Omni Group has created an application I didn’t realize I needed, but now can’t live without.
If you routinely work with presenting data, this $30 application is certainly worth downloading. As with all other Omni products, there is a student discount and free trial.
You can listen to this review on the Surfbit’s MacReviewCast.
I am pleased to announce I’ll be presenting two sessions at Macworld Expo and Conference in February. The descriptions are listed below. If you are planning on attending, let me know. I’m already planning these presentations to be something special.
Feb. 11, 2010, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM
While creative professionals and students have always “seen the light” and used Apple Macintosh computers, the business world has traditionally shunned the Macintosh platform. Up until very recently, the only apples you’d find in business were in lunch bags. That, however, is changing. Macs are starting to pop up in the strangest places including boardrooms, corner suites, and courthouses all over the place. This session will tackle some of the most common work related tasks and explain Mac specific tools to conquer them. Topics will include: mail, task management, word processing and number crunching, presentation tools, PDF management, note taking, project management, business graphics, and billing. There will also be a discussion of how to help Macs play nicely at the workplace including networking with the Enterprise and sharing data with PC colleagues.
This session is for people who suddenly find themselves with shiny new Macs but no idea where to start or those with older Macs but want to go beyond Microsoft Word. The session will describe software and hardware advice, tips, and recommendations to squeeze all the juicy goodness out of that Apple on your desk and, better yet, make participants look fantastic to their bosses, co-workers, and clients.
You will hear about software recommendations, tips, and workflows for using your Mac to do the most common work related tasks better, faster, and with more panache.
Feb. 9, 2010 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Apple’s Numbers application isn’t like the worn out spreadsheet programs you are used too. While it certainly can crunch numbers with the rest of them, Numbers is much deeper allowing you to sort and organize just about any information and share and report your data like no other spreadsheet application. Attendees at this interactive presentation will create Numbers spreadsheets and learn several intermediate to advanced Numbers techniques in a fun and entertaining environment.
This session is for all Mac users looking for a better way to manage information and supercharge their Numbers prowess.
Attendees will learn:
To build and customize Numbers sheets and templates
Formula and function power tips
How (and when) to make compelling charts and graphics
Numbers’ robust reporting and printing tools
The best techniques for sharing their Numbers data with Mac and PC users
How to customize the Numbers interface and templates to their own needs.
I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but somewhere in the unwritten book of software pricing it is decreed that developers can charge hundreds of dollars for mind map applications. I’m not exactly sure why. Perhaps it is all of those features I never use or maybe it is just because “mind map” just sounds sexy. Either way, it usually is a pretty expensive investment. The exception is MindNode which comes in two flavors, a free version and a Pro version that costs all of $15. I started using MindNode about a year ago and really like it. I don’t develop complex mind maps. I use them to tame the seemingly random firing synapses. For this, MindNode Pro is perfect.
The good news is that now I can carry it in my pocket. I’ve been using the MindNode touch app on my iPhone for the last several days and am really pleased. Creation and editing of nodes is intuitive and easy. The canvas grows to match your mind map. Best of all, it imports and exports to the desktop application. If you are already a MindNode user, this one is a no-brainer. If not, now is the time to take a look.
Today Pixelmator received a nice upgrade focussed on web graphics. I like the way every significant upgrade takes away another reason to use Photoshop.
Continue reading
During Mac Power Users episode 6, I talked about my Magic install disk. I’ve had lots of inquiries about exactly how I did it so here it is. This episode demonstrates how to create an external drive with all of your application installations using the built in OS X Disk Utility application and Noodlesoft.com’s Hazel. Enjoy.
By the way, an amazing thing is happening over on iTunes. I’m starting to get comments and ratings. Thanks everyone for taking the time. If you haven’t yet, please do so. These screencasts are quite a bit of work and I’d like to see them get a bit wider distribution. Ratings and comments help that. Thanks.
While I stink at most arcade games, if I get anywhere near an air hockey table, look out! I monopolize the table, show no mercy to my opponents, and pucks are likely to fly just about anywhere. Nobody is safe within 20 feet of that table. That is why I’m pleased to announce BrainJuice, (the same guys that make the popular Mac blogging application, Blogo) have released their own iPhone air-hockey game, Arcade Hockey, and it is a blast. Playing iPhone air hockey certainly is a good way to spend Labor Day.
Continue reading
This morning I had the privilege of recording the Mac Roundtable, episode 69, all about Snow Leopard. I have so much fun every time I record with those fellow Mac geeks. Anyway, this episode features me gushing like a school girl about Automator and the the new and improved services menu. Don’t miss it.
Continue reading