OnDeckTech June 05 Newsletter
Using Tiger Widgets & Synchronizing Schedules with Multiple Macs
Apple’s OS 10.4, code named Tiger, has been out a month already, long enough for the 10.4.1 update to be released! We recommend the update, and for reference include basic instructions for updating your system (OS 9 and X) at the end of this newsletter. After our quick tip for advanced users covering the RSS Screen Saver, we’ll talk about the Dashboard, before we move on to how we’re using Tiger to synchronize schedules, and more, across multiple Macs. Have a question about your Mac not answered here? Use our free Mac forums, linked at the end of the newsletter. You’ll get answers from our Apple-certified technicians.
Quick tip for advanced users already using Tiger
The Quartz Screen Saver is a great new technology that runs the latest RSS feeds to your screen. You can chose any of the RSS feeds that you subscribe to, and then select the number listed with article to take you directly to the web page. Select RSS Visualizer from your Desktop & Screen Saver system preference, choose a Safari RSS feed using the Options… button. Learn more about Safari and RSS using the links at the end of this newsletter.
Now let’s dash to the Dashboard…
Using Widgets on the Dashboard
The Dashboard is one of Tiger’s new features. The Dashboard may be displayed and hidden as needed, with a single click or key stroke (F12). On the Dashboard you have easy access to information from Widgets. What the heck is a Widget?
Widgets provide quick, customizable, up-to-date access to, for example, stock quotes, calendars and Dictionary/Thesaurus, all of which and more are included with Tiger. Widgets may be added to and deleted from your dashboard by drag and drop, and even more are available for download. Examples of other Widgets some members of our team are using include random bible quotes, a search engine for the bible, a hot spot (wi-fi and airport) locator that will help identify nearby addresses with wireless access, and a wi-fi/airport signal strength indicator. You can see these here:
Daily Verse: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/dashboard/dailyverse.html
Bible Gateway Search: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/dashboard/biblegatewaycomse
Ji Wire - Hot Spot locator: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/dashboard/jiwirewifihotspot
Air Traffic Control: http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/dashboard/airtrafficcontrol
Synchronizing Schedules with Multiple Macs
How do you keep your team in sync? Not only our team’s computers, but also their cell phones are in sync, so we can locate phone numbers, even for new customers, on the way to help them, without a stop or a call into the office.
We have a support team at OnDeckTech that stays at the office and accepts phone calls, e-mails and video chats from customers between 7AM and Midnight, 7 days a week. The support team schedules our onsite team, when onsite help is needed. To synchronize the calendars and contacts on our office Macs with the mobile laptops and cell phones of our consultants and technicians, we use the built-in, free features found within Panther, and improved in Tiger, with one .Mac account costing only $99/year.
We use iCal to perform our scheduling and keep notes about appointments. Each employee has their own Calendar, to which any team member may add appointments. A calendar is created using the + button in the bottom left corner of the iCal window. We use Address Book to keep all of our customer addresses, where we also store other relevant information, like where they like us to park, or extra directions to their office or homes. We use the built-in iSync to synchronize the Contacts with our cell phones (using Bluetooth, a short range wireless technology, or just a USB cable).
The system works because each individual computer is setup to synchronize itself regularly with the same .Mac account. Changes on individual computers are reflected on other computers after each computer synchronizes with .Mac, over the internet. As long as all the computers periodically connect to the internet to share the same calendars and contacts from .Mac, they remain in sync.
Unlike Panther, in Tiger this synchronization process is controlled from a tab called “Sync” in the .Mac system preference, in the System Preferences. Not only can you synchronize calendars and contacts here, but also your Safari (web browser) bookmarks, e-mail accounts and Mail preferences, and even your system passwords (keychains)!
Links for more information about topics in this newsletter:
Don’t have the latest version of Apple Safari web browser yet? Download it here:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/safari.html
Want to know more about Really Simple Syndication (RSS)? Find out more here:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a
Apple’s Mac 101, Lesson 4 about Tiger’s Dashboard:
http://www.apple.com.au/support/mac101/work/4/
All about what you can do with .Mac:
http://www.mac.com/1/learningcenter/index-sub.html?go=dotmac+dm
How to sync your info using .Mac:
http://www.mac.com/1/learningcenter/Modules/dmSynchronizing_index.html
Updating your system
If you’re running any version of OS X, and have a high speed internet connection such as cable or DSL (aka broadband), you should check for free software updates from Apple by selecting Software Update from the pull down menu under the blue Apple in the upper left hand corner of your screen, or using Software Update located in System Preferences. Note that free updates are only available within the same major version, for example, you may update 10.3, code named Panther, to 10.3.9 freely, however, you must pay for 10.4 (Tiger). You can tell what version of software you’re running by selecting About This Mac from that same blue Apple.
