OnDeckTech September 05 Newsletter
Summary: A “nano” mention of the new iPod nano and Rokr, 24/7 live help, when to back-up your data (and when not to), creating a Smart Mailbox in Mail, mac mind-mapping software, Safari update 2.0.1, and On hurricanes.
A “nano” mention of the new iPod Nano and Rokr
[Not covering this more than briefly because it's news that has already saturated the known universe...]
It’s said one can never be too rich nor too thin. Apple has released an iPod Nano to replace the iPod mini, with new features including a rich color screen, and extra svelte, smaller and lighter body. Not content with rich and thin alone, Apple has made the Nano longer lasting than the Mini it replaces, not a bad trait, either and with a 14-hour battery, the iPod Nano is no slacker. Apple also released an operating system for the new Motorola Rokr cell phone, allowing the phone to sync about 100 songs with iTunes on Mac or Windows computers.
24/7 Live Computer Help
As of September 1, 2005, we’ve got the only team of Apple-certified techs available every hour of every day live to help you. Communicate with a friendly OnDeck tech through our new java-based chat system, directly from our home page at http://www.OnDeckTech.com . We remain available by video chat 24/7, too, at ondecktech@mac.com . And of course, we’re also available toll-free at 888-236-6332 (888-BE-ONDECK).
We offer a free initial consultation to understand your needs and inform you of pricing.
When to back-up your data (and when not to?)
You may think I’m going to harass you to back-up your data no matter what. Well, you’re pretty much correct.
There are some circumstances where you don’t have to back-up, here are two:
A. You don’t store any personal data/files on your computer. We have a number of customers in this situation, they use their computers only for checking e-mail which is all stored on a website or corporate e-mail server, and for surfing the internet. The only thing they have to lose is some time and some bookmarks.
B. Your data is stored on a central server. We have quite a few customers, including people working from home, whose personal data is not stored locally on their computer, but remotely on a computer at their office. Same basic deal as in A, you don’t have much to lose, so there’s not much to worry about.
For just about everyone else, I’ll repeat what we say on the air every week: there’s Death and Taxes, and you can also count on your computer failing at some point, regardless of its supposed quality. It’s seldom I meet anyone who cares more about their computer than the information they have stored on it:
Your computer *is* your data. Protect your data!
More about how to perform back-up operations in our next newsletter, when well discuss a number of straight-forward, and even some free strategies to make regular back-ups.
Creating a Smart Mailbox in Mail
As of September 1, 2005, the latest version of Mail is 2.0.3, and includes the ability to create Smart Mailboxes. If you’ve worked with filters or filtering in other e-mail programs, this is a short cut to create filters. Not worked with filtering before? Filtering organizes incoming messages based on rules that you define, placing your incoming messages in other mailboxes or directories. For example, every time you get a message from work, it might automatically go into a mailbox you’ve defined only to receive work mail.
Apple’s Mail program makes it particularly straightforward to setup these filters, rules or Smart Mailboxes. As a message comes in you’d like to automatically filter in the future, highlight the message, and chose New Smart Mailbox Folder … from the Mailbox pull-down menu. You should see a new window that looks like this:
From here, name it, select the options/criteria/rules you’d like for your new Smart Mailbox, click OK and your new mailbox will begin collecting incoming messages that match the rules you defined!
Mac mind-mapping software
Tired of using Sticky Notes, or paper, or for that matter Visio? If so, please take some time to download truly exceptional software for mind-mapping, invention, process and work flows made by Nova-mind, at http://www.Nova-Mind.com .
Here is a quick example of what can be accomplished with NovaMind, fun stuff:
Safari Update
Safari, Apple’s web browser, has been updated to version 2.0.1 for Tiger (you must have OS X 10.4), and it is so far my favorite update. Let’s go so far as to say i’s a reason to update to Tiger. It has resolved a number of problems we’d been having with various websites in prior versions of Safari, including even our own site, where Firefox worked well, but Safari was having problems with our new Java-chat technology. Now, with this Safari update, you can chat 24/7 with our team here at OnDeckTech!
You can download the update here:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/safariupdate201.html
Epilogue: on hurricanes
Here in Chicago at OnDeckTech, we’ve been following the aftermath of Katrina, each contributing individually in our own way, with no less than prayers and some of our team members accepting refugees into their homes. Here’s a link for your consideration.
You can donate to the HSUS Disaster Relief fund, which goes directly to helping rescue animals left behind in the wake of Katrina. Please visit this link if interested:
https://secure.hsus.org/01/disaster_relief_fund_2005?
Got ideas for topics for our monthly newsletter? Have feedback on this newsletter? E-mail me at gray@is.org .
Thank *you*, for reading the OnDeckTech newsletter. And thanks to all of you who listen to our show on Wednesday nights on WGN, kindly visit our websites, participate in our free Mac help forums, and take advantage of our services. We also encourage you to tell your friends and associates about our resources, be sure to read about our paid referral program on our main website!
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