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Apple Top Dog In Consumer Reports Ratings: Best & Worst Computer Tech Support
Consumer Reports: Apple Still Tops In Computer Tech Support
Apple dominates Consumer Reports Support Rankings - Beats Dell, Lenovo By 36 Percent Or More
Wanted: Mac mini On Steroids
Mac Pro 'hexacore' Xeon Core i7-980x Coming Tuesday?
40 Fast Facts on Apple
8 Mac Apps to Embrace Minimalism
Spell-Check And Other Useful Functions When Typing In OS X
Mac OS X v10.6: Issues after restoring a Mac from a Time Machine backup made with a different Mac ("Restore System From Backup…")
The iPad Changes Everything
Six Tips for Using the Dock Efficiently
iTunes LPs Not Popular, But Why?
Children's Internet Protection Act
JAMF Software Releases Casper Suite Version 7.2, Enabling Developers To Extend And Automate Enterprise Products On The Macintosh Platform
The Tech Night Owl: The Snow Leopard Report: Is it Ready Yet for Prime Time?
Apple Top Dog In Consumer Reports Ratings: Best & Worst Computer Tech Support
Consumer Reports Blogs's Nick K. Mandle says:
How a computer looks, feels, and performs are all obvious considerations when shopping for a new model. What many buyers might not think about, however, is the support available if their pricey new laptop or desktop goes on the fritz.
Our latest Ratings of laptop tech support and desktop tech support (available to subscribers) reveal some clear winners and losers. Manufacturer scores are based on an annual survey from the Consumer Reports National Research Center this past January of over 7,000 desktop- and laptop-owning subscribers to Consumer Reports. Respondents weighed in on the ability of manufacturer's tech support to solve their problems, the communication and knowledge of phone support staff, how long they were placed on hold, and the quality of the company's online support.....
To see how computer manufacturers stacked up when it came to helping their technically challenged customers, check our laptop and desktop tech support Ratings. Additionally, see our free guide to computer tech support.
To read more, click here.
http://bit.ly/dw2cP8
Consumer Reports: Apple Still Tops In Computer Tech Support
Macworld's Nicholas Bonsack says:
It seems Consumer Reports subscribers feel the same way. In a survey with four categories—problem solved, phone waits, phone staff and online support—3,685 subscribers ranked Apple number one in laptop tech support and 3,711 ranked Apple number one in desktop tech support. The combined scores are ranked out of 100, with differences of 7 points not considered meaningful. Apple was the only company to earn the highest Consumer Reports individual rating (that coveted red circle with the little dot in the middle) for any category—and it earned them for all four categories for both desktops and laptops!
For laptop tech support, Apple scored 86 out of a possible 100, putting them above "very satisfied" (80) on average.....
To read more, click here.
http://www.macworld.com/article/147024/2010/03/consumer_reports_apple.html
Apple dominates Consumer Reports Support Rankings - Beats Dell, Lenovo By 36 Percent Or More
Electronista reports:
Consumer Reports today gave Apple a major lead in its rankings for both desktop and notebook technical support [subscription required]. Among more than 7,000 readers, Apple's help scored 87 and 86 points in each category and was much higher-rated than any other computer manufacturer. Lenovo came closest in notebooks with just 63 points, while Dell fell far behind in desktops with a 55-point score.
For the full report visit here:
http://bit.ly/9Cvgtn
Wanted: Mac mini On Steroids
9To5Mac's Seth Weintraub says his current computer configuration is hooking up a 13-inch MacBook Pro to a 30-inch monitor and using a wireless keyboard and mouse with it, which works OK, but lately he's been craving some more speed. And some more RAM. And faster disk access. And a better video card than the embedded Nvidia 9400M video.
But what are the Mac options? Seth could've bought a larger, faster MacBook Pro with SSD and discrete graphics card for more money but he likes the 13-inch MacBook Pro's form factor for travel.
OTOH, he just doesn't need a giant aluminum box full of expansion and hard drives.... just a built-in fast video card for a single (large) display...... Certainly the Hackintosh world is a tempting option with Core i7 PC boxes starting at just over $500. But Steh maintains that Apple could make a $1000 speed demon Mac Mini that would be the perfect upper mid-range computer, and goes on to define his feature wish list.
Your editor has to agree, and as with Apple's obstinacy in refusing to serve the phenomenonally growing netbook category, why they have not tapped the massive potential market for a modular desktop Mac less powerful and expensive than the Mac Pro remains a mystery.
You can check it out at:
http://bit.ly/caHjMp
Mac Pro 'hexacore' Xeon Core i7-980x Coming Tuesday?
ZNet blogger Adrian Kingsley-Hughes says:
I'm getting tips in from sources who claim that Apple is set to revamp its high-end Mac Pro line, adding a 'hexacore' Core i7-980x model to the line up.
All information points to this happening next Tuesday, March 16th.
To read more, click here.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=7641
40 Fast Facts on Apple
Baselinemag.com says:
Long before the iPad and the iPhone, Apple was remaking the computer industry and shaking up popular culture. Corporate power plays, personal drama, hits and misses at the cutting edge of technology design - all inform the vision that guides the company today. How much do you know about Apple?
Find out at:
http://www.baselinemag.com/c/a/Intelligence/40-Fast-Facts-on-Apple-545580/
8 Mac Apps to Embrace Minimalism
AppStorm's David Appleyard says:
We posted earlier this year about how to clean up your Mac, but today I thought it would be interesting to share a selection of applications that can really simplify your Mac experience. While being "minimal" isn't everything – and nor is it for everyone – it's a fun exercise to try from time to time.
We'll be considering applications that help you take notes, use the Dock and Finder less, quickly share files, and search easier. Even if you don't buy into the minimal philosophy, there may be something that you find very useful!
Notational Velocity
Price: Free
Instapaper
Price: Free
Fluid & Google Docs
Price: Free
WriteRoom
Price: $24.99
Quicksilver / LaunchBar
Price: From Free to $32
Adium
Price: Free
VLC
Price: Free
TaskPaper
Price: $29.99
For the full review visit here:
http://mac.appstorm.net/roundups/8-mac-apps-to-embrace-minimalism/
Spell-Check And Other Useful Functions When Typing In OS X
MAcFixIt's Topher Kessler says:
OS X has a few useful built-in correction and substitution functions that you can use when composing documents in various applications. One of these is the option to check spelling as you type, which has been around for a while, but more recently Apple has introduced system-wide character substitution and word suggestion options. While these options are available to applications, they will only work for those coded to take advantage of them. These include Apple's iWork and iLife programs, as well as TextEdit and Safari, but other third-party programs also support these services.
For the full report visit here:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10466998-263.html?tag=mncol;title
Mac OS X v10.6: Issues after restoring a Mac from a Time Machine backup made with a different Mac ("Restore System From Backup…")
A new Apple Knowledge Base article says:
If you use "Restore System From Backup…" to restore a Time Machine backup to a different Mac than the original Mac used for the backup, issues such as these may occur:
• Graphic anomalies may appear during startup, or may follow the mouse pointer
• AirPort or Bluetooth may not be available
• The Mouse System Preference pane may not display the Magic Mouse or its features
• Brief graphic distortion may appear when shutting down an iMac
• Other startup issues
Products Affected
Mac OS X 10.6, Mac OS installation/setup (any version)
Resolution
To resolve this issue, perform a reinstallation of Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard, using the Mac OS X v10.6 DVD included with the computer or a Snow Leopard retail DVD.
If your Mac does not have an optical drive, follow the steps in this article:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2129<
Tip: If you want to transfer your files to a different Mac, you should use Migration Assistant instead. The Migration Assistant appears when you are first setting up your new Mac or you can find it in the Utilities folder of your Mac. If you are already affected by the issues noted in this article because "Restore System From Backup" was used instead of Migration Assistant, use the solutions above.
Restoring a Time Machine backup to a different kind of Mac can cause issues because it may install a version of Mac OS X that doesn't contain system files that the Mac needs.
You can check it out at:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3243
The iPad Changes Everything
Fortune's Michael V. Copeland says:
Will Apple's tablet usher in a new era of computing, or simply dominate it?
Chipmaker Nvidia is helping invent a slew of cool technologies that hold the potential to change the way we work and play. The company, which makes processors that enhance images and boost the brawn of computers and phones, is pushing 3-D entertainment into homes and high-def video onto handsets. But the gadget Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang is most excited about? Touchscreen tablets such as Apple's forthcoming iPad.
"We have found our most personal computer," declares Huang, who notes that Nvidia (NVDA) is working on 50 different tablets. "This is big, and it's going to change the computer industry."...
For the full report visit here:
http://bit.ly/bQomi5
Six Tips for Using the Dock Efficiently
Macworld's Kirk McElhearn says:
OS X's ever-present Dock can help you manage your applications and documents. But are you taking advantage of all the ways it can make your work easier? I looked at tweaking the Dock's looks in "Five tips for customizing the Dock." Here are some tips for using the Dock efficiently - whether you're quickly accessing files, folders and applications or turning on and off your tunes.
1. Add what you need
2. Get quick access to a folder
3. Store or launch URLs
4. Access Exposé from the Dock
5. Hop to System Preferences
6. Access program options
For full elucidation:
http://bit.ly/bUXIov
iTunes LPs Not Popular, But Why?
Macworld's Dan Moren says:
Having already revolutionized the music industry, it seems strange that Apple would want to summon up a reminder of a bygone era. Still, that didn't stop the company from unveiling the iTunes LP format last fall. It combined the digital music that consumers love with the liner notes, album art, and other materials that music fans loved - in the 1970s. And yet, a mere six months after its debut, the iTunes LP seems to have faded into nothing more than a static hiss.....
For the full commentary visit here:
http://bit.ly/ch1AhE
Children's Internet Protection Act
FCC Consumer Facts says:
The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is a federal law enacted by Congress to address concerns about access to offensive content over the Internet on school and library computers. CIPA imposes certain types of requirements on any school or library that receives funding for Internet access or internal connections from the E-rate program – a program that makes certain communications technology more affordable for eligible schools and libraries. In early 2001, the FCC issued rules implementing CIPA.
What CIPA Requires
Schools and libraries subject to CIPA may not receive the discounts offered by the E-rate program unless they certify that they have an Internet safety policy that includes technology protection measures. The protection measures must block or filter Internet access to pictures that are: (a) obscene, (b) child pornography, or (c) harmful to minors (for computers that are accessed by minors). Before adopting this Internet safety policy, schools and libraries must provide reasonable notice and hold at least one public hearing or meeting to address the proposal.
Schools subject to CIPA are required to adopt and enforce a policy to monitor online activities of minors.
Schools and libraries subject to CIPA are required to adopt and implement an Internet safety policy addressing: (a) access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet; (b) the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications; (c) unauthorized access, including so-called "hacking," and other unlawful activities by minors online; (d) unauthorized disclosure, use, and dissemination of personal information regarding minors; and (e) measures restricting minors' access to materials harmful to them.
Schools and libraries are required to certify that they have their safety policies and technology in place before receiving E-rate funding.
CIPA does not affect E-rate funding for schools and libraries receiving discounts only for telecommunications, such as telephone service.
An authorized person may disable the blocking or filtering measure during any use by an adult to enable access for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.
CIPA does not require the tracking of Internet use by minors or adults.
You can find out more about CIPA or apply for E-rate funding by contacting the Universal Service Administrative Company's (USAC) Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) at http://www.sl.universalservice.org. SLD also operates a client service bureau to answer questions at 1-888-203-8100 or via e-mail through the SLD Web site.
For information about other telecommunications issues, visit the FCC's Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb , or contact the FCC's Consumer Center by e-mailing ; calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554.
For more information, visit:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/cipa.html
JAMF Software Releases Casper Suite Version 7.2, Enabling Developers To Extend And Automate Enterprise Products On The Macintosh Platform
[Press Release]
JAMF Software, developers of the Casper Suite, a collection of client management applications, today announced the release of version 7.2, expanding the Suite s reach into several additional areas of system administration for the Mac Enterprise.
Casper Suite 7.2 allows administrators to extend and automate enterprise products on Mac OS X using Extension Attributes, while unifying administration of software into a single console. Additionally, new setup assistants like the Policy Assistant have been incorporated for easier day-to-day use and unleash the depth of the Casper Suite s capabilities within a simplified and improved user interface. Finally, the ability to use Apple's native technology in managing settings on client computers (also known as MCX) will be greatly enhanced by taking advantage of (and contributing to the expansion of) the offerings of the Manifest Destiny open-source project from the creators of AFP548.com.
JAMF Software is constantly striving to improve software for function, speed and stability, and extending the suite of tools available to IT Administrators. With this release, the Casper Suite makes great strides towards that end. Version 7.2 broadens the capabilities of the Casper Suite to function as a framework around which an IT ecosystem can be unified and extended to manage Mac OS X resources from a single console.
IT Administrators have long struggled with the dilemma of how to deploy, automate, activate and report upon software from multiple vendors throughout an enterprise organization. Version 7.2 of the Casper Suite incorporates Extension Attributes, significantly expanding the number of software products that can be distributed and reported upon at the enterprise level. The introduction of Extension Attributes and policy assistants into the Casper Suite simplifies the user interface to make the existing capabilities of the suite readily available to more administrators on a daily basis.
Casper Suite 7.2 offers three key features to extend the depth of functionality available to IT managers:
Unification and Extensibility using Extension Attributes
Extension Attributes allow developers to automate reporting for their products within one console. This integration eliminates the need for administrators to use multiple reporting tools, by bringing most major functions under control of the JAMF Software Server (JSS). With the addition of Extension Attributes, version 7.2 of the Casper Suite has evolved into a platform focused around unification and extensibility to simplify management of the best software available on Mac OS X.
"We recently deployed several thousand CrashPlan PRO Clients throughout an enterprise," said Matthew Dornquast, Founding Partner at Code 42, developers of CrashPlan backup software. "Not only were users blissfully unaware of the installation, but the Casper Suite s extensible architecture allowed us to integrate critical third party information. With 7.2, we are able to offer backup reports and alerts through a single console."
Casper Suite 7.2 launches with Extension Attributes for products including CrashPlan, Time Machine, Atempo Live Backup, WinMagic, PGP, Checkpoint, ClamXav, Norton/Symantec AntiVirus, VirusScan, Virex, Sophos, VirusBarrier and Deep Freeze.
Wizard-like assistants to simplify usage of the Casper Suite
Casper Suite 7.2 updates its simplified console for IT administrators, which incorporates new capabilities to complement the comprehensive foundation of features already available in previous versions. New additions to the Casper Suite's JSS include familiar wizard-like assistants to simplify distribution and reporting: Policy Assistant to manage printers, scripts and software packages, Setup Assistant to make it even easier to get started with Casper Suite, and LDAP Assistant to integrate with directory services.
"We re constantly working to make our products easier and more intuitive to use," said Zach Halmstad, Product Manger at JAMF Software. "The new assistant interfaces in the JSS have been developed based on feedback from our customers. We're very excited to see how they can streamline people s experiences using our software."
Improvements to Managed Preferences (MCX)
With the release of version 7.2, the usage of Apple's native MCX will be enhanced with the ability to upload custom manifest and plist files directly to JSS, or administrators can chose to import pre-built manifests from the Manifest Destiny project. Using the pre-built manifests from Manifest Destiny can save IT managers a great deal of time while leveraging the combined efforts of the community to avoid repetition of tasks. Of course, granular control is readily available for those who want to create custom manifests or build upon the available resources to suit their specific requirements.
The Manifest Destiny project is a remarkable pool of shared knowledge and resources amongst IT Administrators, said Dana G. Williams, Director of Partnerships at AFP548, developers of the Manifest Destiny project. With the capability to directly import pre-built manifests into the JSS in Casper Suite 7.2, leveraging the resources in Manifest Destiny has become even easier. We re excited about the integration and looking forward to offering expanded resources as JAMF Software shares their manifests with the Manifest Destiny project.
Casper Suite 7.2 is a significant step towards JAMF Software s principle of unification and extensibility of existing software to increase the reach and usability of software available for Mac OS X. With this release, management of Mac OS X systems will be greatly expanded and simplified.
The Tech Night Owl: The Snow Leopard Report: Is it Ready Yet for Prime Time?
Now we all know that Snow Leopard appeared last August, but for some of you it still has serious problems, so you're sticking with Leopard. Some of you are even Tiger holdouts, because Leopard didn't light your fire.
Here's the URL for today's commentary:
http://bit.ly/cVlKKQ
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