When it comes to computers, there is always something new to learn. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned computer jockey, the learning process never stops. Come to February’s meeting where Diane will demo some of the excellent resources available for teaching yourself more on your own schedule. Both print and online resources will be covered, and we have some great prizes to give away as well.

February 4th, 6-8pm at the Homer Public Library!

We were originally going to cover virtualization (running Windows applications on your Mac) tonight, but we were unable to get some pertinent materials in time.

Instead, we’ll be briefly covering several topics: Preventing/treating repetitive stress injuries, keyboard shortcuts, and High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography.

Tonight, Thursday Dec. 3
6-8pm Homer Library

I’ll be at the Homer Library for anyone who wants to stop by and get help or chat about Macs. 11am to 1pm, and I’ll be in one of the side rooms. See you there!

I’ll be in the Library this Saturday from 11am-1pm for anyone who wants help with their Macs. See you there!

For our September meeting, we screened the documentary “Welcome to Macintosh,” about the history of Apple and the creation of the Macintosh computer. Diane provided drinks and movie candy for the complete experience.

Next month’s meeting is on the 2nd, though we don’t have a topic just yet.

The August meeting has been finalized. We’ll be hosting Ben Kerosky, the Apple Solutions Consultant from Anchorage. Ben will give us an overview of iWork ‘09, with time for questions at the end.

Please note, we are not meeting in the Library this time. We will be in the City Council Chambers, on Pioneer Ave. The meeting time is the normal 6-8 p.m.

Instead of a regular monthly meeting at the library, the Kachemacs decided to party it up for the 4th of July and had a cookout at Bishop’s Beach. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but the stiff sea breeze made it a bit chilly.

Ole, Brent, and Ron keep the hot dogs protected. At one point while we were all eating, a raven swooped down, landed on the grill, and stole one of the dogs.

Julie and Ginger huddle for warmth.

Diane shows off her hula-hooping skills. Anything to keep warm!

Julie takes a turn with the hoop.

Michael, expecting an inside meeting at the library and finding a note to come to the cookout instead, shows us what happens when you come under-dressed to a mid-summer barbecue in Homer.

Diane tells everyone a story about an encounter with a mad squirrel.

If you missed it, we’ll do it again next year!

by Diane Petersen, Kachemacs

Author: David Pogue

Publisher: O’Reilly Media

Publisher website: www.oreilly.com

Price: $24.99 retail (don’t forget about the MUG discount!)

I remember the day I got my iPhone. I upgraded from no phone to my iPhone 3G. I never knew how much I would come to depend on this little white gadget. I learned a lot on my own, but even almost a year later this book has taught me some new things.

I wish I would have had this book when I actually got my phone instead of waiting for the year that it took for me to get a copy. The book is written in clear and basic language. One doesn’t need to be a total geek to be able to use the hints in this book. I found the wealth of colored plates containing examples of screenshots very helpful in visualizing the tips that Mr. Pogue introduced in the different chapters. In the formatting I found plenty of tips inserted on the pages highlighted in yellow. Also the paragraphs themselves use color to highlight the paths for the user to take to mimic the examples.

One thing to note is that this book is the Second Edition. This means that the book covers the 3G version of the iPhone. When I got my iPhone 3G, the documentation in the box was extremely sparse. It’s almost a necessity to pick up a book like this in order to use the iPhone to its full potential. I highly recommend this particular book to serve that purpose. It provides great information for every one: newbies, cellphone junkies, and even geeks.

Overall rating: 5 (Excellent!)

by Cheryl Riley, Kachemacs

Title: MacBook Pro Portable Genius
Author: Brad Miser
Publisher: Wiley, Inc
Price: $25.00

As a beginner in the Apple Computer World and a new MacBook Pro user I found this book very useful. First of all it is set-up and written in such a way that a beginner can navigate through various tasks easily. It is also easy to find the topic you are looking for and written simply enough that a beginner can work through each step of a process without getting lost. It doesn’t give you that overwhelming feeling that you can’t figure it out without help.

Key Features:

Table of Contents:

The Table of Contents is a very important tool in finding your way around. I like the way each chapter starts with a common question and then gives you the tools to answer that question and more. It was easy to locate the information I needed to complete a particular task.

Visual:

The book is colorful and the pictures, screens, and layouts are large and easy to read and follow.

Layout:

The layout is easy to follow and written simply enough that a beginner can navigate without hesitation. There is not too much information that you get bogged down with detail. Once you have a good understanding of the basics it makes it easier to understand more advanced material.

Tips:

The Genius tips are very helpful once you have worked through the task you can then go back and read the tips to find an easier or quicker way to accomplish it.

I would highly recommend this book to a beginner MacBook Pro user. I have reviewed other books but this one was very user friendly.

Thanks for your time and allowing me to review this book.
Cheryl Riley
Kachemacs Computer User Group Member

BudFits

by Diane Petersen, Kachemacs

Manufacturer URL: www.budfits.com
Distributor: Amazon
Price: $8.99

Pros: Makes better use of an item most people already have. Discreet.
Cons: Takes up all the slack in the cord so built in microphone is behind the ear. Difficult to place around ear.

Anyone who has an iPod or an iPhone knows about those headsets you get with them. They look okay until you try to use them. They don’t even come with the foam earbud protectors anymore. They’re not cheap to buy, on the Apple website they cost $29 to replace. I always hate to throw them away, so they end up in a drawer somewhere. They would make good spares, I guess.

Now, before everyone gouges out their ear canals, there’s a new product which might make these headphones usable. Innovelis has come out with a new product called BudFits. The BudFits are silicone ear clips which hook to the earbuds in order to loop them around the ears and secure them snugly. They come in various colors; mine are white to match the white of the earphones. They look a lot like the earpieces of some of the fancy Bluetooth headsets they make for cell phones. But do they work?

The BudFits were rather easy to attach to my earbuds. The piece just clicks over the stem of the earbud and holds the cord within a groove. With some effort, the assembly can be maneuvered around the top ear lobe and the earbud can be fit into the ear. Once in place, the BudFits and earbuds do not seem to budge. The BudFits certainly alleviate the problem of the sharp edges of the earbuds being crammed into the ear canal. They seem a lot more comfortable than the earbuds alone.

On my spare set of Apple earbuds, which I keep in my car, I use a set of clip-on silicone in-ear adapters. These needed to be removed before the BudFits would seat properly. The jury is still out on which assembly is more comfortable, however, the BudFits take more effort in getting them situated properly.

If I’m going to be using my Apple headset for an extended period of time the BudFits will definitely make that time bearable. If I will be taking the headset on and off frequently, the BudFits will get in the way. For the price, the BudFits are an economical way to make the stock Apple headphones useful.

I give the BudFits by Innovelis a rating of 4.