Yeah, Tablets Are That Good

We stopped by the home of a client we hadn’t seen in person for a while to pick up a couple of old Macs for disposal. They had been in the habit of bringing along a computer when traveling, but when I showed them my iPad with a mouse and keyboard, it started a whole new conversation.

As most of you know, we’ve been traveling a lot lately, and in addition to my phone and computer, I’ve brought along my DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera for fine photography. The computer has been a necessity for complex remote service for our clients’ tech problems and for downloading our photos as we go from place to place.

However, I’ve been able to add a keyboard and mouse to my iPad, and that’s mostly made my computer unnecessary. The display clarity on my iPad is nothing short of remarkable, and the screen is big enough to give me all the information I need for work and play. I can access clients’ computers remotely and see their screens as well as I can with a computer.

For a short time or maybe longer, you might find a tablet more to your liking than your laptop, especially if you travel a lot or are mostly mobile. Many of the apps we use, such as Microsoft 365 with Word, Excel and PowerPoint, have mobile apps for Apple and Android phones and tablets. You can also find mobile versions for apps like Photoshop or use the phot editing capabilities in iCloud or Google Photos. All of them take advantage of the cloud, and they work well on tablet screens.

And while we’re on the subject of phones, we’re increasingly inclined to leave our large cameras in our hotel rooms or ship cabins – or even at home – because the lenses in our phones’ cameras are getting better. We can tout the benefits of the latest iPhone Pro models. They’re small enough to put in our pocket but have the capabilities of any point-and-shoot camera and a wider angle lens on a DSLR. They are also very good in low-light environments. The only area where the DSLR and a high-quality lens are better is a long-distance closeup.

And, of course, when you upload your pictures to the cloud – from both your phone or your DSLR – you can see a large, crisp display of each photo on your tablet screen and make some quick edits, such as cropping and color/light adjustments.

Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to talk about finding more ways to use your tablet instead of your computer and to see what tablet may best suit your needs. And we might even be able to help you find a photography club, too.

Living and Growing with Technology

We have kids and grandkids who have never known life without wireless technology, and now we’re moving on to AI. Whether you’re a business or a family with an array of technology comfort zones, there’s an array of paths you can follow to help you keep it all together.

I believe one of our biggest dangers with technology is online shopping. Did you see who had the most ads? According to my observations, it was Temu, the Chinese shopping site. What’s the red flag? There are two: 1.) data collection and 2.) legal recourse.

With every purchase you make, Temu collects a tremendous amount of personal data, including, of course, the credit card number you use to buy stuff. AI, which is really the use of superfast computers that can digest and regurgitate massive amounts of data, makes it possible to analyze every aspect of your shopping preferences. Even if you guard the privacy of your data persistently and diligently, some well-programmed AI can find out things you never knew about you. Conceivably, it helps Temu and similar websites present you with product choices and price points that will generate a purchase.

And because Temu is based in China, it operates under Chinese law, not US law. Not only will you not have the same legal recourse in China to protect you from financial loss, you likely won’t have the same regulatory protection about what data is collected and how it’s protected.

Another convenience we like is setting up automatic payments for products or services that are linked to our credit card or bank account. It’s a convenience for consumers and providers, and you can sometimes get a discount for automatic payments.

I dread the day my payment info gets hacked, and there’s no convenience factor that makes it worth the risk of being hacked. If you agree, there are two critical steps you can take to minimize your risk: 1.) Reset your login credentials for your financial accounts and the sites that draw automatic payments. 2.) Set up two-factor authentication (2FA) for every website account that offers it; biometrics and text messages to a device only you can access are best.

Biometrics can include facial recognition, and it offers the best combination of safety and convenience, especially for phones and tablets. Unless somebody has stolen your device and used your digital passcode to get into your settings and take a picture of themselves to reprogram your facial ID, only you can respond. Using a mobile device for a text is good because you should have the device in your possession for the authentication process. The use of authenticator apps such as Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator is a good step.

Younger people typically take more easily to these new authentication methods, but those who are older or not entirely comfortable with technology should find them easy to use once they’re properly installed and configured.

Staying with the theme of age and technology, we have an elderly client who had some issues with a new computer. We tend to think older people are more comfortable with a computer, but we found the client preferred to have a second iPad. We associate iPad and iPhone use with younger people who can easily adapt to a different way of doing things with really quick thumbs. But there are keyboards for any mobile device, and those who use hearing aids can take advantage of Bluetooth with their devices.

The biggest challenge with using a tablet or phone in place of a computer is setting up ways to download, store, and use files with apps mostly associated with a computer. Multitasking is more difficult with a tablet or phone, but we can accommodate most needs for most people.

With tech playing such a large part of everyone’s business and personal lives, it makes sense to tailor the technology to the person rather than the other way around. If you or someone you know has special technology needs, call us – 973-433-6676 – or email to discuss ways to make technology work.

Unlocking Phones of Masked Users

Apple’s upcoming upgrade to iOS 14.5 will make it possible to use an Apple Watch to use facial recognition to unlock your iPhone while wearing your mask. iPhone users without the watch and Android users will still have to jump through hoops to unlock their phones while masked. A year into the pandemic, we have to ask: Why has this taken so long?

Biometrics have long played a role in being able to unlock a cell phone. The first systems used a fingerprint for touch ID, and it has been a bellwether. Many cell phone users still rely on it. Face ID came along next, and many cell phone users rely on it to unlock phones quickly and easily. It’s as good as unencumbered gets.

But with COVID-19 and mask wearing, Face ID doesn’t work. If you want to use the technology while complying with public health needs, Face ID is about as cumbersome as it gets. The less-than-ideal workaround is something like this:

  1. Go to the Face ID option in the settings.
  2. Register for an alternate appearance by going to Set Up Alternate Appearance (or the Reset Face ID).
  3. Take a mask and fold it in half. Assuming the nose as the center point, put it in front of your face. It is recommended that you cover only the tip of the nose with the mask.
  4. Start registering your face like you normally do with the Face ID.  When the system prompts with a message “Face Obstructed,” start removing the mask very slowly until the system says move your head slowly to complete the circle.
  5. Once the process is done successfully, you will get a message that the Face ID is set up.

If this doesn’t work the first time, you’ll need to retry it. You may need to try another trick, such as selecting an alternate appearance option if it’s available.

Apple contends you should use a numeric code to unlock your phone while wearing a mask. They also note that manipulating the Face ID software could compromise your phone’s security. Most likely, they’d prefer you get an Apple Watch if you don’t already have.  

Once your iPhone is running iOS 14.5 and your Apple Watch has WatchOS 7.4 installed, you can turn on Unlock with Apple Watch with a few taps. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and then select Face ID & Passcode. Next, scroll down until you find the section titled Unlock with Apple Watch. The name of your Apple Watch should be listed there. Next to it is a toggle to turn the feature on or off. Slide that switch to the On position and then back out of the Settings app. 

Whenever you’re wearing a mask, all you’ll need to do is hold your phone up as normal to unlock it with Face ID. You’ll feel a haptic tap on your wrist, letting you know your watch was used to unlock your phone. The alert on your watch will also include a button to lock your phone in case it was unlocked by someone else. It’s a security feature to ensure someone else doesn’t pick up your phone and unlock it while wearing a mask.

You can expect to see iOS 14.5 in April. As the release date gets closer, we’ll pass along whatever we find out about other security features. Once it’s available, we’ll be on hand to help you configure your watch, phone and iPad if need be. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to find out what you’ll need to upgrade your iOS security.

Facebook and Apple Fight is About Monetizing You

If you’ve downloaded and installed Apple’s iOS 14.3 update for iPhones and iPads, you’ve put yourself in the sights of Facebook and Apple. Called “App Tracking Transparency” feature, it labels apps in the App Store, telling users what data those apps collect and whether it’s used to track them for advertising. Facebook, which makes its money from advertising, says the feature will harm small businesses that rely on targeted online advertising.

In many cases, you’re worth pennies on the dollar, but there are hundreds of billions of pennies at stake. And while both sides try to cloak their stands in privacy and free enterprise, it’s really about “fee enterprise.”

The gist of Apple’s policy is that when you download an app from the App Store, your activity on the device can’t be tracked unless you give permission. Until now, you had to opt-out to avoid being stalked electronically online. Most people usually ignore the opt-out/opt-in option, and Facebook and other web-based operations have made a lot of money by tracking you and selling the data to companies who want to sell something you want – or have indicated you may want.

According to a recent article in Forbes, Facebook itself estimates a 60-percent swing in advertising effectiveness between targeting and non-targeted advertisements. Facebook’s ad charges the article notes, will presumably match its ad-placement effectiveness. With the company controlling about 25 percent of a $40 billion online U.S. advertising market, up to $6 billion in annual revenue is at stake in the US alone. Google and Amazon also profit immensely from tracking you and selling your data.

The bottom line is that anyone who opts out is 60% less valuable than a regular customer, and that’s part of legal proceedings before the Federal Trade Commission and in 48 states. Apple, of course, has been taken to task for its practices in handling App Store operations, including who gets to put apps there, and other technical issues. They’re not saints, but that’s a separate issue from the Facebook issue.

The Forbes article likens Facebook’s operations to Ladies Night at a nightclub. On Ladies Night, clubs let women in for free expecting that they will attract men who will pay a cover, as well as spend money on the women and themselves. In a similar way, Facebook provides users with free services in the hope that advertisers will spend money on them. Facebook is like the owner-bartender who, for $10, will tell you everything he knows about a particular woman, including her relationship status and favorite drink.

I can’t speak for how a woman might feel after reading this, but anyone can feel some outrage about being put on display and sold. Yet at the same time, we’re looking for new and interesting products or services when we go online, and we may be open to new ideas when they’re presented to us. To me, that’s Facebook’s argument. You might view Apple as the guy who senses harassment and comes over to “protect” you.

To expand the transparency/privacy conversation, you have choices. You are able to use search engines and plug-ins that block unwanted ads while you browse the web and visit sites. Websites are fighting back by not allowing you access unless you unblock the ads on their site. You may not like the choices. You may not like sacrificing privacy for convenience or vice versa. But this is all part of the opt-in/opt-out battleground over who gets to profit from you.

If you have any questions about how to configure apps to meet your privacy or convenience needs, we can help. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us for an appointment to walk you through the process.

Avoiding Apple Store Snafus

What drives employees crazy at the Apple Store’s Genius Bar? In short, it’s all the un-genius things customers do or don’t do before they come in for help. You can get better service if you prepare your phone and account before you walk in.

A recent article in Yahoo News surveyed current and former Apple Store employees about their biggest complaints when people visit the Genius Bar at stores. The complaints involve a number of time wasters, and they revolve around all the things that customers can and should do before their visits for problems or repairs with iPhones – and likely their iPads, too.

Here’s their advice that can make you a genius in their eyes:

  • Know your Apple id (hint: it’s usually your email address) and your password for your Apple and iCloud accounts. If you and Apple can’t access your data, Apple won’t do any work on your phone or device because they won’t take any responsibility for losing your data (unless it’s entirely their fault). If your device is totally inoperable, you can reset your password at home from a computer. Apple Store personnel can sometimes help you reset it, but more often than not, they’ll ask you to come back when you’ve resolved your password issue.
  • Have all your data backed up to iCloud. That includes your Contacts, photos and videos and anything else that can be possibly stored on your phone. As with all computing, we recommend regular backups to protect your data. Backing up to iCloud is simple: Go into your Settings and tap your name. Then tap iCloud and scroll to iCloud Backup. Make sure it’s turned on and tap it. Then tap Back Up Now. You can also back up your device to your iTunes account. It’s a little more complicated, but Apple has a support page to walk you through the process. The reason this is critical is because once Apple opens your phone or device, all data stored within is wiped clean. If Apple (or any other seller) provides a new phone or device, they’ll transfer your iCloud (or iTunes) data to your new device.
  • Make sure your device is fully charged. If it’s DOA when you get to the store, so’s your appointment. You can probably charge it there, but you’ll probably have to go the back of the line for getting help.
  • Be honest about what happened to your device. On a technical level, the wrong information you provide can delay Apple employees from getting to the right diagnosis.
  • Don’t ask them for help with your Gmail or Facebook password. If they have time, Apple people can usually help you out, but it’s not their job. And technically, they are not trained to solve these problems. Any organization that requires a password usually has a recovery process, and that process usually offers you an option to verify or authenticate your identity via a text message or email.

We sometimes encounter the same problems with our clients when it comes to dealing with data and password recovery or computers or devices that are “dead as doornails.” We can take the time to help resolve issues, and with devices that aren’t operating properly, we can sometimes fix software problems or help you determine the right questions to ask at the Genius Bar.

If you’re having trouble getting your Apple products ready for a visit to the Apple Store, contact us by phone – 973-433-6646 – or email for help. We might be able to solve your problem and find a solution to prevent it from happening again. Or, we may be able to help you maximize your time at the Genius Bar.

Apple TV+ – Delicious or Wormy?

Apple has announced it will launch its own TV streaming service this fall, Apple TV+. Apple will join Netflix, Amazon and others in providing content. We don’t what it will cost, and we don’t know if the experience will be delicious or full of worms. But we can count on Apple disrupting the market and changing the game. It’s how they play it.

Let’s start with the promises. Apple claims its new stream will be “the new home for the world’s most creative storytellers featuring exclusive original shows, movies and documentaries.” If you want a hint about if they’ll be able to keep that promise, they will debut with a sneak peek through a new Apple TV app that works across iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, smart TVs and streaming devices. You’ll be able to subscribe to Apple’s TV channels a la carte and watch them through the app.

You may want to look at Apple’s move as another reason to cut the cable cord, but we don’t see it that way. Even though increasing numbers of people are streaming programs through their TVs, in addition to computers and devices, cable companies are accommodating customers who want programming from “non-TV” providers. You can get Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and Apple – in addition to premium content providers such as HBO and Showtime – through your cable system. And why not? As gatekeepers, they’re happy to pick off a few dollars in subscriber fees from any and all content providers.

And it’s as a gatekeeper and content provider that Apple may be trying to maximize its hold on content viewing. Apple has a big market share of smartphones and an even bigger share of tablets – all in addition to a large base of Mac computers. But it’s way behind Roku and Amazon for connected TVs with only 15 percent of the market. Further, more than half of the nation’s TV streamers use Roku or Fire TV, and some 30 percent use smart TVs. Apple gets only 15 percent of the streamers. Clearly, Apple will need to partner with those who deliver content just as much as it will need to provide strong content to make this venture work.

We don’t know what Apple TV+ will cost, but various sources figure it will fall somewhere in the range of $10 to $15 per month. Apple could undercut the market with attractive intro deals. They have the resources to do it if they wish. With a push based on low prices and innovative programming, Apple could disrupt the industries that create and deliver content, especially in the short term. But history tells us that other industry giants will react to meet their own needs – and that some upstart will find a way to step on the giants’ toes.

Whatever happens, here are some things to keep in mind:

  • High-definition streaming requires a fast internet connection and a powerful Wi-Fi network. If you have multiple high-def TVs and a slew of devices, you’ll need lots of speed and capacity.
  • Many consumers get their internet from cable providers, and there are some things you need to balance when figuring out how much content to get from cable or the internet. Cable companies are willing to give you good internet speed if you’re a cable TV customer. If you are an internet-only customer, you may pay more for your connection, and you may face caps on how much data you can download. For the cable companies, it’s all about profitability.
  • How and where do you want to watch your content? Cable is good for big TVs for large groups, but you can take your devices anywhere. Consider the price of what you watch on. You can get a really good, fairly big TV for $500 or less, and you can pay twice that much for a mobile device.

We can help you make smart decisions about how and where you’ll watch programming by looking at the technology currently in your home and recommending what you’ll need to have a system that works for your preferences. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us for answers to your questions or to set up an appointment to discuss your needs.

iOS 11 Has a Lot to Like

Apple has released iOS 11 for mobile phones and tablets, and it has a lot of great features. For cars, we really like the “Do Not Disturb, I’m Driving” response to text messages, and for iPads, we like the drag-and-drop feature.

The “Do Not Disturb” feature has been available on Android phones, and for somebody like me, who spends a lot of business time traveling to clients while always on call, it could be a lifesaver. You can activate in one of three ways: Bluetooth, when your vehicle reaches a specified speed, or manually. I have been able to add a customized message to let texters know that they can call because I can talk while I drive. Because the screen stays dark in this mode, I am looking at the phone a lot less now, and that’s much, much safer.

The camera on the iPhone is getting better, too. You can take Portrait Mode images with optical image stabilization, True Tone flash and HDR. Memory movies are optimized to play in portrait and landscape orientation, and more memories, such as photos of pets or birthdays, are automatically created and a new technology, called High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF), reduces the file size of every photo taken with iPhone 7 and newer models.

Siri has new male and female voices that are more natural and expressive, adjusting intonation, pitch, emphasis and tempo while speaking, and it can translate English words and phrases into Mandarin, French, German, Italian or Spanish. It uses on-device learning to offer suggestions based on personal usage of Safari, News, Mail, and Messages.

For AR (augmented reality), there’s a new platform for developers to create experiences on phones and tablets using the built-in camera and the latest computer vision technologies. You’ll likely see content for interactive gaming, immersive shopping experiences, industrial design and more.

iPad’s drag-and-drop capability across the entire system makes it easier to move images and text, and when combined with the new Files app, you can keep things in one place, whether you store files locally or in the cloud. Its new, customizable Dock and a redesigned control center give you access to frequently used apps and documents from any screen and let you move documents between apps using a split screen or Slide Over. Apple Pencil lets you draw or add notes from the lock screen through the Instant Notes feature opens Notes by tapping Apple Pencil on the display.

The new screen sharing capability, however, tops off all the new features. It enables two people to share screens in real time on any iOS-powered device. For us, that will increase our capability to help clients troubleshoot problems in a timely manner.

Make the most of your Apple devices by understanding all the features of iOS 11 and how they work. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us if you have any questions, and have more fun with your devices or make them more useful.

Apple’s New Adapter

I don’t know when Apple is going to replace its Lightning adapter with a new and improved model, but it’s going to happen. And when it does, the bellyaching will begin. But take a step back. Every time our hardware providers change ports and adapters, it’s because you want to transfer more data faster.

The Lightning adapter, the 9-pin connector now used with the latest Apple products, replaced the 30-pin connector. Just the fact that it changed upset a lot of people because they had to replace a slew of old ones – that seemed to work just fine. But in reality, it gave you access to newer, faster ports and improved performance.

Not be left out of the connector race, Android and Windows devices have started using USB Type C. This connector isn’t smaller than the Micro USB, but it introduces one standard port for both phones and computers. Soon it won’t matter which side of the cable you use or which orientation you insert the cable.

For Apple, it still matters, but for the past year, you’ve had a host of options.  For nearly a year, Apple’s Lightning-to-USB 3 Camera Adapter has made it much easier to transfer photos and videos from your high-resolution digital camera to your iPad Pro. After you connect it, your iPad Pro automatically opens the Photos app, which lets you choose photos and videos to import – and organizes them into albums. It supports standard photo formats, including JPEG and RAW, along with SD and HD video formats, including H.264 and MPEG-4.

You can even power the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter with a USB Power Adapter and connect USB peripherals like hubs, Ethernet adapters, audio/MIDI interfaces, and card readers for CompactFlash, SD, microSD, etc.

Both the USB camera adapter and SD card reader take advantage of the faster speeds offered by USB 3. While USB 2 can transfer at up to 60 megabytes per second, USB 3 has a transfer rate of up to 625 megabytes per second. Think about that when you wonder if it’s worth a few dollars for a 10X increase in transfer speed.

Even though Apple calls it a “camera adapter,” it supports an array of devices that can be plugged into its full-size USB-A port to connect keyboards, microphones, USB hubs for multiple accessories at once, and even Ethernet adapters to an iPad.

In addition to a USB-A port, the camera adapter also includes a female Lightning port to charge your iPad while using a connected device, and you can add Apple’s 29-watt power adapter to connect with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and charge it at a faster rate.

You can find numerous cables and apps to transfer data – and pictures and videos – from Android phones to Apple devices – and vice versa. We think it’s all intuitive, but if you have questions about what you need, call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us for recommendations. Just have the makes and models of the devices handy.