Software
tvOS 12 takes 4K cinematic experience to new heights
07/11/18
Although Apple TV® often receives less attention than Apple's other platforms, it still gains new capabilities with tvOS 12.
Apple TV 4K has been a success since its debut last fall, offering customers the largest collection of 4K HDR movies, including free 4K HDR upgrades to previously purchased movies in customers’ iTunes® libraries. Beginning this fall, iTunes will be home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies anywhere, and these titles will also include Dolby Atmos audio for free.
Dolby Atmos makes audio sound more realistic by going beyond the simple right and left channels to provide 3D sound. You’ll need an Apple TV 4K, an Atmos-capable soundbar and Atmos-compliant video content to make this all happen. But with the right technology driven by tvOS 12, Apple TV 4K will be the only streaming player both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos certified, delivering the highest quality cinematic experience of stunning 4K HDR visuals and immersive sound that flows all around in three-dimensional space.
iOS 12 - addresses notifications, security, privacy and more
07/11/18
If you’ve always wanted to automate repetitive actions in iOS, you’ll love the new Siri® Shortcuts feature. You can use it to string together actions in different apps — like send a message to your spouse that you’re leaving work, show the traffic conditions on your commute home and start playing a podcast app — and then invoke them all via Siri with a custom phrase.
iOS 12 also changes the way iOS users see the world using Augmented Reality (AR) and makes communications fun and more expressive with Memoji.
Read More...
Apple Watch bulks up, speaks up with watchOS 5
06/22/18
Apple’s preview of watchOS 5 demonstrated a significant update to the world’s most popular watch. And as most wearers focus on fitness and communication, Apple Watch® will become an even stronger companion to the healthy and connected with a host of new features.
On the fitness side, Apple Watch can now automatically start many workout types when it detects you are exercising, and automatically end a workout when it senses you’ve stopped. It even provides retroactive credit for what you did before the workout was detected. Apple has added new Yoga and Hiking workouts, each with their own metrics, and the running and walking workouts now measure cadence in steps per minute. Apple Watch now offers 14 distinct and dedicated workout types.
iOS 12 - improves performance, fosters family fun
06/22/18
But let’s start here. The mission of the latest version of the world’s most advanced mobile operating system is to improve performance, especially that of its older iPhone® and iPad® devices. That’s why iOS 12 has been designed to make routine iPhone and iPad tasks faster and more responsive with performance improvements across the system. For example, the camera launches up to 70 percent faster, the keyboard appears up to 50 percent faster and typing is more responsive. Even while multi-tasking, apps can launch up to twice as fast. From iPhone 5s, introduced in 2013, to the most advanced iPhone X, iOS 12 brings performance improvements to more devices than any previous version.
Now let’s examine the most compelling new features of iOS 12. Read More...
Apple Introduces macOS Mojave
06/22/18
macOS Mojave has been previewed by Apple as the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, with updates inspired by professionals but designed for everyone. Mojave might have been named after the desert in Southern California, but it’s packed with enough new features to provide an oasis for devoted Mac® users.
Perhaps the most dramatic nuance is Dark Mode. This allows users to transform their desktop to a darkened environment where the focus is on content and the controls recede into the background. With Dark Mode, built-in Mac apps such as Mail, Messages, Maps, Photos and others all include new contrasting designs. Dark Mode also allows users to toggle between a light or dark desktop and choose Dynamic Desktop to change the appearance of new Apple-provided desktop backgrounds based on the time of day. Just when you thought you’ve seen everything, you’ll now see everything in a different light. Read More...
Slack brings all your communications together
05/16/18
Email was intended to be the straightest line between two points. It was supposed to be a brief communication that either provided information or directed action. But, somehow, that very targeted email got lost.
Today, email has become an avalanche of irrelevant narrative and marketing outreach, making it difficult for all of us to find that get-to-the-point information we need in order to take next steps. In fact, according to Forbes, high-skill knowledge workers worldwide lose as much as 28% of their productivity managing email, equating to more than $1 trillion in annual value.
That’s why many organizations — including small and large businesses, academic and government agencies and non-profits — have shifted their internal communications to the group messaging service called Slack.
Slack’s goal is to unify your entire team’s communications with seamlessly integrated apps that help streamline workflow. It bundles colleagues, files, messages and calls all in one place. Slack has apps for macOS®, iOS, Windows and Android, and isn’t conceptually all that different from the popular Messages® app from Apple®. Read More...
Kerio Connect Offers Features, Function and Reliability in an Affordable Mail Server
04/10/18
The days before email became essential to doing business seem like a theme for a documentary on the History Channel. Gone are the days when businesses relied solely on snail mail and phone calls to communicate. Email is a critical component to business success and the ability for your mail server to multitask is just as important.
Ask yourself a few questions to determine if your email server is adequately meeting your current needs. Read More...
Friendly reminder — Apple’s Reminders app is here to help
03/23/18
Among the Swiss-army-knife capabilities of your iPhone®, iPad® and even your Apple Watch®, there’s an innocuous and highly underrated app just waiting to help get you through your busy day.
It’s called Reminders, an onboard app that automatically syncs through iCloud® and cross-pollinates both your iOS and macOS® platforms.
Reminders makes it really difficult for you to ever forget something important again. It is super simple to use, and every reminder you post is guaranteed to follow you on every device you own.
Let’s focus on the Mac® in particular, with some useful Reminders tips you may want to learn.
Open List in New Window
By default, Reminders is a single-window app with a sidebar that shows all your lists. You can hide the sidebar to focus on a single list at a time, at which point you navigate between lists by clicking the dots at the bottom of the screen or swiping on a trackpad.
But what if you want to see multiple lists at once? Can do — open any list in its own window by double-clicking it in the sidebar or by choosing Window > Open List in New Window. You can also resize and position that window as you like.
Reminders even remembers which lists you had open if you quit and relaunch. And if it doesn’t, just deselect the “Close windows when quitting an app” checkbox in System Preferences > General.
How to build team productivity and trust with Samepage
01/10/18
Samepage is a business collaboration tool that connects people with projects, conversations and files. It helps you avoid project disconnects and lapses by bringing your team together on one collaborative platform that is productive, easy to use and actually fun. Samepage is a living page capable of handling tasks, files, videos, diagrams, social network content and much more.
Samepage funnels teams, discussions and files into one place. It helps eliminate switching back and forth among email, task management and file sharing apps, while streamlining information and important conversations. With Samepage, it’s easy to connect and work with anyone — from colleagues in the same company to external people like contractors, clients and vendors. And because great collaboration starts with great conversation, the communication tools are built right in.
Make life easier with Apple Pay Cash?
01/10/18
Apple Pay® Cash is a new person-to-person payment service that lets you instantly send money to another iOS user. You don’t even need a new app, as it’s built right into iMessage®. Apple Pay Cash makes sending and receiving money as simple as sending a message.
Say you are out to lunch with tech-savvy friends, one of whom picks up the check. Problem? Not with Apple Pay Cash, where your share of the bill is sent instantly with just a couple of taps on your phone.
For your friends and relatives who use an iPhone® with iOS 11.2 or later, Apple Pay Cash is perfect for repaying them when they pick up groceries, concert tickets or fill your tank with gas. And for your green-bubble Android acquaintances, you can always rely on cross-platform services like Venmo, Circle and Square Cash to accomplish the task.
Here's how to start using Apple Pay Cash.
Elevate your Mac experience with macOS 10.13 High Sierra
10/11/17
It’s easily the most captivating desktop image ever unveiled on a Mac®, almost breathtaking on a Retina® display. It’s the wrapping paper for macOS® High Sierra, designed by Apple to make your Mac more reliable, capable and responsive than ever before.
(Before you read on, if you are a business customer, enjoy this information but please DO NOT upgrade until you first get the go-ahead from CranstonIT.)
macOS High Sierra introduces new core technologies that improve the Mac’s most vital functions, under-the-hood changes that modernize the entire foundation. The new APFS (Apple’s proprietary file system) uses all‑flash internal storage and an advanced architecture that brings a new level of security and responsiveness. This significantly improves how data is stored on your disk, how data is managed and how data is secured through built-in encryption, crash-safe protections and simplified backup on the fly. Read More...
Cherry-picking the top features in iOS 11
10/11/17
With every upgrade comes the opportunity to improve your user experience. The trick is to pick-and-choose just those features and capabilities that offer you value and address your needs.
You’ll have just that chance with iOS 11, the most ambitious update yet from Apple®, offering a host of tweaks, upgrades and changes.
Open me first.
Let’s start with compatibility. You will need an iPhone® SE or an iPhone 5S or later to upgrade to iOS 11. That means all new iPhone shipments — right through the iPhone X arriving next month — will feature iOS 11 onboard.
After you install iOS 11 — either via Software Update on your iPhone or from iTunes® — you will immediately notice some new features. Dock icons no longer have names, and many Apple apps now have the same bold text design Apple brought to the Music and News apps in iOS 10. Read More...
Upgrade madness from Apple
09/20/17
It’s upgrade season at Apple, and your only goal is to avoid going nuts while managing through the process. There are some important alerts here from CranstonIT, so be sure not to miss them.
There are new releases of macOS®, iOS, watchOS and tvOS, and once they are available for free download, your challenge is to decide when to install them. The operative word is when, because there is no harm in delaying major OS upgrades until Apple has had the chance to squash the initial bugs and you have the time to focus on the task. But just don’t wait too long — as it may put you at risk of security vulnerabilities and prevent you from taking advantage of new integrations within the Apple ecosystem.
Let’s take it from the top.
Apple raises bar in your hand, on your wrist, in your home.
09/20/17
From the company that brought you “just one more thing,” Apple® certainly didn’t disappoint at its September product introduction.
It begins where the announcements ended, with the revolutionary iPhone X. With its all-screen design, 5.8-inch Super Retina® display and intelligence that responds to a tap, a voice and even a glance, Apple is touting this as the most technologically advanced mobile device ever designed. iPhone® X introduces Face ID that uses ultra-secure 3D imagery to unlock with just a glance, 12MP dual cameras with dual optical image stabilization, Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting, a TrueDepth camera for portrait selfies and expressive Animoji, the A11 Bionic chip, wireless charging and water and dust resistance. All this, plus iOS 11. Ten years after the first iPhone was introduced, iPhone X (that’s ten, BTW) will be available November 3.
Incoming! How to stay focused in Apple Mail.
08/23/17
A new day, a new barrage of emails. How to stay focused? But there are advantages to working in the Mail app on your Apple® devices — a Filter feature that allows you to reduce distractions and keep your eye on the ball.
Apple added Filter in macOS® 10.12 Sierra and iOS 10, and the feature will remain in place in future OS upgrades to both. The advantage these filters have over competitive email features is a search function that keeps and shows messages only in the current mailbox. Filter obeys your commands and hides everything else, but without moving nor modifying your messages in any way.
Start using Filter on the Mac® by clicking the Filter button at the top of the message list in any mailbox. On your iPad® or iPhone®, tap the Filter button in the lower left corner.
By default, mailboxes show only unread messages. Click or tap Unread to bring up all the preset filter choices that fall into these four categories:
Keeping up? Create custom apps to automate tedious business processes
06/21/17
iMovie: Now enhanced and appearing everywhere.
05/22/17
Apple® announced some important bug fixes to address issues that have surfaced in previous updates. The new version improves the performance and stability of the app, and also rectifies a bug that sometimes prevented video shot on the iPhone® from appearing in the import window.
With iMovie for macOS® and iOS, users can easily browse through clips and create Hollywood-style trailers and stunning cinema-quality 4K-resolution videos. As iMovie for macOS and iOS is designed to work together, users can start an editing project on an iPhone and then continue on an iPad®. Move it to a Mac®, and filmmakers can then add finishing touches like color correction, green-screen effects and even animated maps Read More...
MailButler Takes the Headache Out Email Management
04/18/17
MailButler for Apple® Mail may be the solution to your email woes, a personal assistant that can handle many of the time-consuming tasks of prioritizing and sorting content. MailButler offers a variety of features to streamline workflow, enhance your productivity and save you time. Read More...
Hints and Hacks - Read Receipts in Messages
03/20/17
As we covered last month, many services work seamlessly across multiple Apple devices. One of these is iMessage, Apple's secure messaging service. With iMessage, you can send unlimited messages to any other user who is also on iMessage. iMessage is accessed using the Messages App on either iOS or macOS devices.
When sending messages using iMessage, read receipts are automatically sent back to the sender when the message is delivered to and then read by the recipient. Read receipts are automatically enabled in Messages for iOS, but are disabled by default in Messages for Mac. With the latest versions of macOS and iOS, however, you can turn this feature off or on globally and then selectively choose who receives or does not receive a read receipt.
Integrate Slack into your FileMaker App for Instant Notifications
01/24/17
Have you every wished that you could get instant notifications on your desktop or mobile device whenever something changes in your FileMaker solution? Now you can by leveraging the power of Slack. Keep your whole team up to date by integrating Slack into FileMaker. Past Due Invoices, new orders, missed deadlines, upcoming events, and routine daily reports are just a few ideas of how to use notifications in Slack to keep you and your team up to date where ever you are. Read More...
Maximize Your Business with a Custom App
01/19/17
When finding the right software solution to run your business seems like an exercise in futility, it may be time to consider a custom app. To decide whether or not a custom app is the right solution for you, there are a few questions you should first ask yourself.
- Have you ever found yourself wishing you had the software to run your business more efficiently?
- Are you tired of using software that wasn’t really built for your specific needs?
- Are you doing everything in spreadsheets or even still using paper and pencil?
- Do you have a workforce that needs access to the same information whether they’re at their desks or on the road?
- Do you find yourself constantly re-entering data because you’re using multiple different software solutions that don’t talk to each?
- Are automated reports on business activities just a beautiful daydream that you wish you could achieve?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, CranstonIT can help. Our in-house staff of full-time developers will custom build a software solution for your business. Read More...
1Password Is the Solution for Password Protection
12/15/16
Every. Single. Site.
You’re doing that, right?
Most of us use our pet’s name with a birthdate stuck on the end or something similar. And we use the same password for multiple sites because 1) it’s too difficult to remember a different password for every site, 2) we don’t keep a record of every password we create, and 3) we’re just plain old lazy. Read More...
Kerio Operator Offers Big-Business PBX Features at a Small-Business Price
11/28/16
Small and mid-sized businesses looking for a commercial VoIP-based phone system (PBX) without the big-business price tag should consider Kerio Operator. This enterprise-class communication system is loaded with the features all businesses need, is easy to configure and administer, and offers considerable cost savings.
With all the phone capabilities people love, Kerio Operator enables users to stay in control of their appliances through a centralized web interface called MyKerio. The feature-rich system offers myriad call routing and handing options critical to business success and will integrate easily into your existing IT infrastructure.
Apple Previews Next Operating System for Mac - macOS Sierra
07/18/16
Apple has announced a name change for its Mac operating system that reflects more than just a change of moniker. macOS Sierra, previously known as OS X, is not only a move by the tech giant to unify operating system names across its product lines, but also introduces some of the functionality of iOS to the Mac.
Read More...Kerio Connect - Business Class Email
05/16/16
Kerio Connect Offers Features, Function and Reliability in an Affordable Mail Server
The days before email became essential to doing business seem like a theme for a documentary on the History Channel. Gone are the days when businesses relied solely on snail mail and phone calls to communicate. Email is a critical component to business success and the ability for your mail server to multitask is just as important. Ask yourself a few questions to determine if your email server is adequately meeting your current needs.
- Can you synchronize email messages between your phone and computer?
- Is the endless barrage of spam making it hard to find the real messages sent to you?
- Can you see and update the same list of contacts on your phone and your computer?
- Are you able to send and receive meeting invites that sync with your calendar?
- Can you easily set an out-of-office message and schedule it to turn on and off by itself?
Maximize Teamwork and Efficiency with Soonr
04/13/16
It’s not news that teamwork is essential to business success. You’re only as strong as your weakest link and all that jazz. To keep your team functioning at highest capacity, they need to be able to collaborate efficiently; however, workplace collaboration can be a real challenge for businesses with employees who work remotely or from different office locations. Even if all your staff works in the same building and on the same floor of that building, ensuring that each person is working with the most current version of any particular file or project can seem like a juggling act with updates flying fast and furious, usually via email . The result is multiple versions of the same project in various stages of update -- in other words, a big mess. This is where a file management and document sharing tool like Soonr can help.
Read More...Updates to Apple Maps Make Getting Around a Little Easier
03/17/16
First up is turn-by-turn spoken instructions. Say you’re in New York City for business and you need to get from your hotel in Midtown to a client’s office in the Financial District. Traffic is horrible and the cab driver lets you off a few blocks from your destination. With turn-by-turn instructions, voice commands offer navigational instructions enabling you to keep your eyes up instead of on your phone and avoid running into the teeming masses traversing the city sidewalks. This is even more helpful while driving, when keeping your eyes on the road, and not on your phone, is critical. With 3D views that change as you change direction, it’s kind of like holding a bit of virtual reality in your hand. Read More...
CranstonIT No Spam Gets to the Root of Your Spam Problem
02/17/16
Spam has an unfortunate similarity to gray hairs. Pull one, and two more seem to pop up in its place. Besides being just plain old annoying, spam can also present a major threat to security via the viruses and malware that often accompany it. Managing it is a colossal time suck that no one enjoys. To stop it, you need to get to the root of the problem.If spam has you pulling your hair out, we’ve got an easy solution available to our clients. CranstonIT No Spam is an email security system that stops spam before it reaches your inbox or the inbox of your staff and family members. Because it’s cloud-based, there is no software to download, making it super simple to set up and manage. That’s right. It’s a hassle-free, no-need-to-waste-hours-figuring-it-out solution. And, it detects 99.7% of spam while also blocking nasty malware and viruses. Read More...
Protect Yourself from Nebbiness on Public Networks with Cloak
12/15/15
In Pittsburgh we have a term we use to describe nosey neighbors, friends, in-laws, and even pets. They’re all “nebby” if they can’t keep their nose out of our business. Most of the time, nebbiness is relatively innocent, but when hackers get nebby, we need to do whatever it takes to protect our privacy.
Did you know that every time you use a public network – in a coffee shop, hotel, airport – you’re making your activities and personal information available to everyone else on that network? While most people don’t have the knowledge or interest in accessing this information, hackers do.
Do Your Part to Change the World using Apple Research Kit
12/15/15
Ever wished you could change the world? What if there was a way you could help medical researchers find a cure for asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or one of the many types of cancer, and it didn’t cost you a cent? What if you could do your part to someday eradicate Alzheimer’s disease and all you had to do was lift a finger?
That day has come.
Apple’s Research Kit is an open source software framework that enables researchers to design studies easily accessible to anyone with an iPhone. In turn, this offers iPhone users an opportunity to participate in medical research programs simply by accessing an app on their phone and recording information or following a series of commands. Where, before, researchers had to use the traditional model of posting signage and ads to attract study participants, they can now have access to data from around the world by creating an iPhone app to gather limitless data.
Xero Accounting Software - Quickbooks Alternative
12/15/15
Inevitably, this conversation leads to them asking about what we use in our offices, because if it works for us, then surely it will work for them. While we can’t guarantee that perfect match 100% of the time, quite often it is true.
We think this applies to Xero accounting software. It’s what we use at CranstonIT and we have an expert available to set it up for you and train you how to use it.
Read More...
Protect Your Network with Kerio Control Firewall
10/12/15
Kerio Control offers a complete firewall solution that provides multiple types of protection called Unified Threat Management. This all-in-one solution will protect your network from malware, viruses, and malicious activity through a vigilant system designed to keep the bad guys out. Read More...
The New Apple TV Adds Apps, Siri, Touch for Your Viewing Pleasure
10/12/15
Watching television used to be as simple as turning on a giant box and choosing from a very limited selection of networks and shows. Fast forward several decades with the introduction of Cable and our choices grew by leaps and bounds. Now today, Apple TV aims to change the way we view television again with the introduction of its all new Apple TV and tvOS that offer a highly personalized viewing experience.
This is not your father’s TV, folks.
Apple TV takes the phase “there’s an app for that” to heart by giving viewers access via apps to entertainment from an ever growing selection of content providers. Users can rent and purchase streaming movies and TV shows in 1080p right through the App Store. The set top box comes equipped with apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and ESPN, giving access to everything you want to watch at anytime. Read More...
This is not your father’s TV, folks.
Apple TV takes the phase “there’s an app for that” to heart by giving viewers access via apps to entertainment from an ever growing selection of content providers. Users can rent and purchase streaming movies and TV shows in 1080p right through the App Store. The set top box comes equipped with apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and ESPN, giving access to everything you want to watch at anytime. Read More...
Do I need to pay for additional iCloud storage?
09/10/15
If you’re the kind of person who wants to memorialize every seashell you saw on the beach during your summer vacation, you may need to purchase more storage space to back up all those photo memories. Conversely, if you like to keep things simple, you may be paying for more storage than you need.
This is where it helps to understand iCloud storage a little better.
Read More...
Apple Gets Into the Groove with New Music Service
09/10/15
iTunes users know they have virtually an entire world of music available at their fingertips. Think of just about any artist and song and it’s likely you can find, purchase, and download it to your device from the iTunes store. From there you can create music playlists to suit your mood or activity.
But what if you want to be a little more spontaneous than that and listen to something new based on your preferences and tastes? What if you didn’t have to purchase songs individually, but could access a music library of over 30 million (yes, million) tunes and stream music with help from your own personal music concierge? These “what if” scenarios are what Apple offers with its new Apple Music service. Read More...
Collaborate Like a Pro and Save Money
08/13/15
Promotion extended till September 30th, 2015
If you’ve been struggling to find a simple way for your staff, consultants, clients, vendors, and anyone else who makes up your team to collaborate on projects and easily communicate status updates, assignments, changes and revisions, Samepage is the way to go. This multi-use tool puts all of your project’s components in one place, lets you assign tasks, and makes it easy for your team’s players to communicate without the need for multiple file sharing, messaging, and project management programs.
Read More...
iOS9 Features Some Much Anticipated Improvements
08/13/15
Everyone’s favorite personal assistant is about to get even better when Apple rolls out its newest operating system for iPhones and iPads. Expected to be released in September 2015, iOS9 will feature some highly anticipated updates to Siri, the voice responsive, talking assistant that changed the way we use smart phones. According to Apple, the new Siri will be able to do more than ever before and understand with greater accuracy what you say.
With more intuitive capabilities, Siri will be able to set reminders based on the content of an email or text message, and anticipate your needs based on location. For instance, it will offer your playlist at the gym, or suggest when you need to leave for an appointment based on your current location. Read More...
OS X El Capitan Proves What’s On the Inside Is Important
08/13/15
You know the old saying. It’s not what’s on the outside, but what’s on the inside that’s important. This seems to be the case with Apple’s OS X El Capitan, coming to a Mac near you this fall. Named after a famous rock formation in Yosemite National Park, El Capitan features system improvements and refinements to its predecessor Yosemite which was more about visual changes to the look and feel, making OS X resemble iOS more closely. With El Capitan, Apple stays with the same look and focuses instead on system and performance improvements.While Apple products have always been known for being easy to use, El Capitan is touted to offer a smarter and simpler way to access apps and do all the things you normally do on your Mac, such as check email and your favorite web sites, take notes, and search for information. One of the more notable improvements is its launch speed of up to 1.4x faster for apps and 2x faster in switching between open apps. Apple also improved performance of individual apps with Mail, Preview and Photo all receiving significant speed enhancements. Read More...
iCloud Photo Library Lets You Sync, Save Across Multiple Devices
06/30/15
Drowning in spam? Here’s how to send those spammers running.
06/30/15
Spam, or unsolicited emails sent to a large number of recipients, is an unfortunate byproduct of our online activity. Anytime you share your email address, you increase your chances of receiving spam. This includes posts made to online forums or web sites, online order forms that require an email address, web site registrations, job inquiries, blog subscriptions, and even emails sent to friends. Some companies share your information with partner vendors, while others sell it to the highest bidder. Even if you only share your address with a select few, if your friend’s account is hacked, the spammers gain access to their address book.
It’s easy enough to stop legitimate spam received from companies you know. Simply click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email to be removed from the mailing list. This will either unsubscribe you immediately or take you to a preferences page where you can unsubscribe altogether or limit the number and frequency of emails you receive. Marking this type of message as “Junk” often doesn't work well because businesses try very hard to craft messages that ensure their emails do not end up in a Junk folder. Read More...
Clean Malware Off Your Computer with Adware Medic
04/07/15
For years Macs have been more resistant to getting computer viruses and other types of malware then their Windows counterparts. While this is generally still true, it is possible to have malware installed on a Mac. The most common way for this to occur is for a program to be disguised as something else so the user thinks that are installing one piece of software but they are really installing software that is bad for their computer. For example, an update to Adobe Flash is needed so a user does a google search for Flash. They click on a link for the Flash update but instead of it being a link from Adobe’s website it’s a link to another site. The user downloads the software and gives permission for it to be installed. Flash might be updated but other software is also installed at the same time. Read More...
Slack: Redefining Business Team Communication
02/24/15
Team based communication in business is an often overlooked function in today’s business environment. Obviously, there are lots of ways to communicate: email, instant messages, phone, VOIP, online forums, but all them lack key features that make team based communication effective. Slack is a new cloud based communication service that allows teams to communicate easily and efficiently all in one place. While barely a year old with already 500,000 daily users, Slack has single handily revolutionized the way businesses are communicating. So what is Slack’s magic and how can it transform your team’s communication? Read More...
Acorn: A Great Photoshop Alternative
02/24/15
For years Photoshop has been the king of photo editing apps. Its professional feature set has the notorious reputation of being complex and hard to navigate. Often these pro features are more than the average user needs and licensing costs a small fortune. It’s difficult to find an alternative that has a range of features without breaking the bank or causing frustration. Acorn is a Photoshop alternative that claims to be designed “for humans”. With a significantly smaller price tag and a large variety of features, Acorn will turn you into a photo editing pro with an easy to handle price! Read More...
LibreOffice: A Free Alternative to Microsoft Office
01/15/15
For decades, Microsoft Office has been the king of software productivity suites. The issue is that Microsoft Office is expensive and, even worse, on Mac it often doesn’t run well. Apple offers it own version of Office (Pages, Numbers & Keynote). These are great Apps, but they use their own proprietary file format so sharing files with non Mac users can be a pain. Apple’s newest versions of these apps also use a file format that is actually a folder of items masquerading as a file. If you try to sync these files with online file sharing services like DropBox or Soonr, you quickly discover it can’t be easily done.
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a software solution, that ran great on Mac, could open, edit and create files that were seamlessly compatible with Microsoft Office and didn’t cost a small fortune? LibreOffice is a solution to the office suite dilemma that not only provides all these features, but it’s also free. You can create “Word” documents, “Excel” spreadsheets, “PowerPoint” presentations and more all without paying a dime! Read More...
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a software solution, that ran great on Mac, could open, edit and create files that were seamlessly compatible with Microsoft Office and didn’t cost a small fortune? LibreOffice is a solution to the office suite dilemma that not only provides all these features, but it’s also free. You can create “Word” documents, “Excel” spreadsheets, “PowerPoint” presentations and more all without paying a dime! Read More...
Stay Healthy with your iPhone
01/15/15
The start of a new year often comes with New Year Resolutions. If you’re like many people, one of your resolutions probably includes getting into better shape. Remembering to stay active and tracking your diet are often big obstacles when beginning a healthier lifestyle. Thankfully your iPhone is here to help. With the Health app that was introduced with iOS 8, there also came Healthkit. Healthkit is a tool that provides app developers the ability to create applications that allow their data to be synced and synthesized within Health. There are many fitness and nutrition apps that now integrate with Health, but which ones are the best? Read More...
Exploring Apple Messages App
12/18/14
Text messaging has become one of the most important ways we communicate with each other. With Apple users, iMessage has quickly become just as important. When you’re using your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or even your Mac, you gain access to a variety of features that make texting your friends and family quicker, easier, and more personal. When using iMessage to text another Apple user, or just sending a regular SMS, the handy features of Apple’s Messages App make it a joy! Read More...
AirMail 2.0 an alternative to Apple Mail
12/18/14
Email is an integral part of most people’s lives. It’s how we communicate with each other in both the professional world and on a more personal level. When using email on your Mac, most of us use the “Mail” application, but did you know that there are other email client options? Airmail is a email client that enhances the user experience while making the emailing process more fluid and intuitive. Read More...
CIT Alert Now Available from Cranston IT
11/22/14
Cranston IT understands that a working computer is vitally important to you. We also understand that any interruption in being able to use your computer costs you time and money. Here at Cranston IT, we have a solution to help detect common problems early and solve them as quickly as possible. With the CIT Alert system, you can take the worry out of your everyday operations.
CIT Alert (CITA) is a program available to our customers that use Mac computers. This program’s main purpose is to catch a problem quickly when it occurs. Once installed on a computer, CITA conducts hourly checks to ensure everything is running smoothly. During these hourly checks, any warning signs that indicate that vital software or hardware are failing are inspected. Read More...
CIT Alert (CITA) is a program available to our customers that use Mac computers. This program’s main purpose is to catch a problem quickly when it occurs. Once installed on a computer, CITA conducts hourly checks to ensure everything is running smoothly. During these hourly checks, any warning signs that indicate that vital software or hardware are failing are inspected. Read More...
Custom Business Solutions
10/25/14
As a small business ourselves, we at Cranston IT understand that there are lots of challenges that the modern small business face. You may need to be able to access your important data from different locations such as your office, warehouse, production floor or on the road. It is often critical that your information stays up to date or you may need to create a workflow process that employees can follow. Maybe you’re looking to make the transition from working on paper to electronically or perhaps you are trying to eliminate double entries of data. Whatever problem your business is looking to overcome, we at Cranston IT have a solution. Read More...
iCloud Family Sharing Review
10/25/14
We use our Apple devices for everything. From watching movies, listening to music, staying organized with calendars and reminders, and keeping connected; our Apple devices are powerful tools. Often there is a need to share all of this important information with those who are the most important to us, our families. iOS 8 has created a solution that will change the way you and your family interact digitally, Family Share. Family Share lets you sync up to six individual Apple IDs and share App Store purchases, photos, calendars, and much more. Read More...
Protecting Against Malware on OS X
10/25/14
One of the advantages that Apple computers offer over Microsoft is their resistance to viruses and other software that can have potentially devastating affects on your computer. While your computer may not be in imminent danger, there is potential for annoying programs such as adware and malware to affect the function of your machine. Malware is software that is installed on your computer and written to do harm like steal or erase data. Adware does not have such damaging consequences, but once installed it can be very annoying by causing popup windows with ads to appear continually on your computer, often trying to get you to purchase software to remove the ads it’s causing. In addition, these popup windows can cause your computer to run more slowly. Read More...
Create Your Own eBooks with iBooks Author
08/20/14
Apple is known for designing platforms which enable people to fulfill their creative potential. Whether it’s using Pages, GarageBand, or iPhoto, Apple developed their products around enabling creativity along with productivity since their conception. iBook Author is a free mac application that further promotes the creative spirit allowing users to write, format, and sell their ebooks on the iBooks app. Read More...
iOS8 Preview - Coming this Fall
07/25/14
June’s announcement of iOS 8 is full of beautiful new features. Apple’s aim for the new release is to make the interface feel more natural. Every upgrade and new feature has a purpose and is designed to enhance the user’s experience. With changes to the keyboard, pictures, and much more, iOS 8 is poised to be the best mobile operating system yet. Family Sharing, Messages, and Health are three new features and upgrades that make iOS 8 truly spectacular. Read More...
ZamZar - Easy Online File Conversion
07/25/14
Not being able to open a file because of out-of-date software or not having the right program can be frustrating. Often we are scrambling for a way to convert the file which usually ends in downloading programs that don't work anyway. Zamzar is a free web based service that allows you to convert virtually any file type. There are no programs to download and no credit card needed; just log onto zamzar.com and create an account. Zamzar supports 1,200 file types which include audio or video files and allows you to simply upload a file and choose what you’d like to convert it to. Aiming to convert your file in under 10 minutes, Zamzar delivers in speed and convenience. Read More...
Samepage - Online Collaboration for your Business
06/17/14
In a electronic age where fast pace business environments have become the norm, using services such as file sharing, tasks lists, and instant messaging has taken over the way we collaborate. Often, we have different programs or services that is being used to fulfill these different needs which can lead to losing data, or at best managing many windows. Samepage.io is a unique website that allows you to collaborate in all the ways you did before, just in one convenient location. Read More...
Managing Travel with TripIT
06/17/14
Planning a getaway can be fun, but often we find ourselves lost in the never ending details of confirmation numbers, addresses, directions, and flight information. The overwhelming amount of logistics is often made even more complicated when you need to share your trip plans with friends and family. TripIt is a free service that takes all of your travel plans, cuts out the useless information, and compiles them in to a simple, easy-to-read itinerary that you can share with anyone who needs to know your plans. Read More...
Apple Announces OS X Yosemite
06/17/14
Nothing gets the tech world buzzing like the annual World Wide Developers Conference and with it comes many exciting announcements from Apple. This week Apple announced their new operating system for Mac, Yosemite, which will be released to download sometime this fall. In typical Apple fashion, Yosemite offers a slew of new and exciting features that are sure to revolutionize the way we interact with Macs and mobile devices. Handoff, iCloud Drive, and notifications are just three of the innovative new features Yosemite has to offer. Read More...
Mavericks Feature: Dictation - Hands Free Typing
05/20/14
What if I told you that I’m typing this sentence using nothing but my voice? Well, I’m actually using my voice and the handy new dictation feature that comes with the Mavericks operating system. With the many amazing new features that Mavericks offers, its easy to over look some of the less showy improvements. Dictation and Enhanced Dictation are two truly remarkable innovations that will change the way you type. Read More...
Daylite 5 Released - CRM made for OS X
05/20/14
When it comes to an Apple based business management software, it’s no secret that Daylite is one of the best. Recently Daylite released its newest version, Daylite 5, that takes an already great product and makes it more valuable. Read More...
Stolen MacBook Returned Using Find My iPhone
04/16/14
“Where’s the laptop?” That was the haunting question one of our own employees, Kelsey Lewis, was asking after her apartment was broken into one night during a recent visit to Thailand. While she was out, burglars had gotten away with a MacBook Air and iPad. After confirming that they had been stolen, she didn't panic, instead she turned to Find My iPhone. Read More...
Common Internet Scams
04/16/14
The internet is a powerful tool that has transformed and enriched our lives. With new ways to communicate, it’s good to be aware of potential danger that could cost you. Internet scams are nothing new, but with ever changing technology and smarter scammers, it’s becoming more difficult to tell when someone might be trying to pull a fast one. Below are some of the most common internet scams and ways to detect and avoid future threats.
Phishing is an email scam that uses well known companies to trick you into giving sensitive information. Here’s how it works: you get an email for a company, such as your bank, saying they need you to immediately sign into your account and provide a link for you to do so. Once you click on the link, you are taken to a website that looks like that of the trusted site. If you provide your login credentials, they are saved and used to access your account. If you receive an email requesting sensitive information, it is probably a phishing scam. Read More...
Phishing is an email scam that uses well known companies to trick you into giving sensitive information. Here’s how it works: you get an email for a company, such as your bank, saying they need you to immediately sign into your account and provide a link for you to do so. Once you click on the link, you are taken to a website that looks like that of the trusted site. If you provide your login credentials, they are saved and used to access your account. If you receive an email requesting sensitive information, it is probably a phishing scam. Read More...
Which Stylus is the Best for the iPad
03/28/14
While the iPad was designed to be used with your finger, there are definitely times when having a stylus can be a big benefit. This can be especially true when taking notes or drawing. There are apps designed specially for these activities, but using your finger is uncomfortable for most users. So what are your options?
There are numerous low cost options for styluses that range in cost from $10 - $20. These are okay but don’t offer any special functionality. For people who are going to be using a stylus on a frequent basis, they may want a better one. There are two styluses that are marketed as high performance and come with high end price tags. The styluses are the Jot Script ($75) and the Pencil ($60). Do either of the styluses live up to their marketing claims and hefty price tags? Read More...
There are numerous low cost options for styluses that range in cost from $10 - $20. These are okay but don’t offer any special functionality. For people who are going to be using a stylus on a frequent basis, they may want a better one. There are two styluses that are marketed as high performance and come with high end price tags. The styluses are the Jot Script ($75) and the Pencil ($60). Do either of the styluses live up to their marketing claims and hefty price tags? Read More...
DuckDuckGo Search Engine Review
03/28/14
We use google for everything. From finding restaurant reviews, to questions on current events, and settling arguments between friends, Google has become our lifeline. From time-to-time we all Google things we want to keep private, and clearing the search history removes all previous search results, right? Unfortunately, no. Your searched history is tracked and compiled into a profile that can be sold. Not only can unique information about you be bought, but Google also keeps track of all your search history, which can be legally requested. Is all of this data collections a little alarming? Don’t panic, use DuckDuckGo.com Read More...
Expand your mind with iTunes U
02/17/14
Learning is a lifetime pursuit that doesn’t stop at the end of our college careers. However, with lives that are busy, finding the time to take a class or attend a seminar may seem impossible. Apple’s application, iTunes U, is a great tool that will help you expand your mind while making it easy, fun and free! Read More...
Introducing Watchman Monitoring for Contract Customers
01/24/14
There's no question that the information stored on your computer is of the utmost importance. Often your life is greatly affected when your computer is out of commission, no matter the duration of time. Here at Cranston IT, making sure that you have as few problems as possible and ensuring that the problems that do arise are solved quickly is our main goal. We’re always trying to give you “peace of mind” when it comes to your Apple products and with our new program, Watchman Monitoring, you can be even more worry free.
Watchman Monitoring is a new program available to all our residential and business customers using Macs. The program operates under a simple idea: catch a problem quickly when it occurs, and that’s exactly what Watchman Monitoring does. We install the Watchman program on your computer and it runs hourly checks to ensure that everything is running smoothly. Read More...
Watchman Monitoring is a new program available to all our residential and business customers using Macs. The program operates under a simple idea: catch a problem quickly when it occurs, and that’s exactly what Watchman Monitoring does. We install the Watchman program on your computer and it runs hourly checks to ensure that everything is running smoothly. Read More...
1Password - Effective Password Management
01/24/14
In a growing online world, passwords are required for everything. From email, to e-commerce sites, and online banking, we’re bogged down with tons of passwords to commit to memory. Unfortunately, this often leads to using the same password for multiple sites along with passwords that aren’t always as strong as they should be. There is a solution. 1Password is an application for your Mac, iPad, and iPhone, that not only remembers all of your passwords for you, but also generates secure ones that will help protect your accounts from getting hacked. Read More...
FileMaker 13 - A Step Forward in Business Management
12/17/13
Filemaker has been our go-to database solution for years. It’s great for custom building a business software solution for managing your business. If you need software to run your business but can’t find any pre-packaged software that suits your needs, a FileMaker database may be your solution. It’s cross platform and will work on Mac, PC and iOS.
FileMaker just released FileMaker 13. This new version introduces Web Direct. It’s now possible to get the full FileMaker experience through a web browser. That means that FileMaker can now be accessed directly from a web browser on your desktop or laptop. The FileMaker software no longer has to be installed on a computer. The connection is direct to the live database. Changes are immediately available just like you were working in the FileMaker Pro application. Read More...
FileMaker just released FileMaker 13. This new version introduces Web Direct. It’s now possible to get the full FileMaker experience through a web browser. That means that FileMaker can now be accessed directly from a web browser on your desktop or laptop. The FileMaker software no longer has to be installed on a computer. The connection is direct to the live database. Changes are immediately available just like you were working in the FileMaker Pro application. Read More...
The New iWork 2013
12/17/13
There’s both good and bad news with the new versions of Pages, Keynote and Numbers that have been released under the iWork 2013 umbrella. Fortunately, there is quite a bit more good than bad.
The good news is that these iWork apps have become iOS compatible and using iCloud they can be worked on using a web browser from any device. It brings flexibility and portability for people who are collaborating on a document, presentation or spreadsheet and for users who happen to work on various devices.
Another great feature of iWork 2013 is that comes free when you purchase a new computer or iOS device. That means you can get the revamped versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote at no cost to you. If you aren’t in the market for a new computer you can purchase the new version for just $19.99 per application. While the no or low cost of the iWork 2013 apps is attractive, there are some problems. To make iWork accessible cross platform (Mac, iOS and the web), they had to simplify the apps a bit. Along with that simplification came a few glitches and some missing features. Read More...
The good news is that these iWork apps have become iOS compatible and using iCloud they can be worked on using a web browser from any device. It brings flexibility and portability for people who are collaborating on a document, presentation or spreadsheet and for users who happen to work on various devices.
Another great feature of iWork 2013 is that comes free when you purchase a new computer or iOS device. That means you can get the revamped versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote at no cost to you. If you aren’t in the market for a new computer you can purchase the new version for just $19.99 per application. While the no or low cost of the iWork 2013 apps is attractive, there are some problems. To make iWork accessible cross platform (Mac, iOS and the web), they had to simplify the apps a bit. Along with that simplification came a few glitches and some missing features. Read More...
OS X 10.9 Mavericks Finder Features
11/15/13
The newest Mac operating system has arrived. Mavericks may not look much different on the surface, but it actually brings some significant improvements including several useful new tools and an improved version of Safari. Mavericks has introduced some quiet, yet powerful, changes under the hood. With memory compressing, app napping and timing coalescing, your Mac will run more efficiently, use less power and have a longer battery life.
You will see some of the useful new Mavericks features in Finder. The most notable one is the tabbing feature, which can be used much like having multiple tabs open in an internet browser. These Finder tabs can be set up various ways within a window and files can be dropped and dragged right into the various tabbed locations. This helps you organize your files in a more visual way.
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You will see some of the useful new Mavericks features in Finder. The most notable one is the tabbing feature, which can be used much like having multiple tabs open in an internet browser. These Finder tabs can be set up various ways within a window and files can be dropped and dragged right into the various tabbed locations. This helps you organize your files in a more visual way.
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Backup. Now. Before It's Too Late
10/21/13
Backing up your data is not an option. It’s a necessity. Computer crashes and server glitches are inevitable. They will happen, trust us on this. We know. What is not inevitable is data loss. Your data can be protected. It can also be restored quickly and efficiently.
Our professional data backup service safeguards your data up to the minute. It’s automatic and continuous, and we securely store your data on enterprise-grade servers at off-site data centers. Read More...
Our professional data backup service safeguards your data up to the minute. It’s automatic and continuous, and we securely store your data on enterprise-grade servers at off-site data centers. Read More...
SquareUp Mobile Payments
10/21/13
We live in a world where paying cash is quickly becoming obsolete. As cash becomes a thing of the past, it is more and more important for small businesses, individuals, and mobile stores to have a way for their consumers to pay for goods. One of the best options is the Square credit card reader and app. No business wants to have to turn a way a customer or miss a sale because they’re unable to accept a specific form of payment. The Square credit card reader is the perfect solution to the payment problem. All you need is an iPhone, iPad, or Android, access to WiFi or cellular data, and the Square credit card reader to never miss out on a transaction again. Read More...
AppCleaner - Easily Remove Apps You Don't Need
10/21/13
Need to clean up your Mac? Of course, there’s an app for that. The free AppCleaner app takes the basic uninstall process a few levels deeper.
Why do you need this? When you uninstall an application on your Mac, there’s actually quite a bit of clutter left behind. That’s where AppCleaner comes into play. AppCleaner removes the extra clutter in places like the library, application support and cache files. It even finds widgets and plug-ins that may be associated with an unwanted application. These are all places and files you likely wouldn’t have even known existed, let alone thought you had to clean. Read More...
Why do you need this? When you uninstall an application on your Mac, there’s actually quite a bit of clutter left behind. That’s where AppCleaner comes into play. AppCleaner removes the extra clutter in places like the library, application support and cache files. It even finds widgets and plug-ins that may be associated with an unwanted application. These are all places and files you likely wouldn’t have even known existed, let alone thought you had to clean. Read More...
FileMaker Databases for your Business
09/13/13
It’s a competitive world. That means businesses must be as efficient and productive as possible. This is especially true for small businesses. Often businesses cannot find a pre-made software program that works the way their business operates. That’s when a custom built database can help you take your business to the next level of automation and efficiency.
We recommend FileMaker Pro. This database software has been an industry leader for small and medium size businesses for over 20 years. It’s cross platform and data can be accessed from your Mac, Windows PC, web browser or iOS Device. Multiple users can access the database simultaneously from anywhere there is an internet connection. Read More...
We recommend FileMaker Pro. This database software has been an industry leader for small and medium size businesses for over 20 years. It’s cross platform and data can be accessed from your Mac, Windows PC, web browser or iOS Device. Multiple users can access the database simultaneously from anywhere there is an internet connection. Read More...
iOS 7 releases September 18th
09/13/13
The release of iOS 7 is finally almost here. Apple’s new operating system for your mobile devices, such as iPhone or iPad, will be available for download on September 18th. iOS 7 is chocked full of exciting new features, some of which we already highlighted in a previous article that you can read here.
The camera app in iOS 7 makes taking pictures even more intuitive. You can shoot stills, video, slow-mo, panorama, and square, switching between these different options with just one swipe, so you’ll always be ready to capture a moment. Now you can take a still shot while recording a video to take advantage of both options in a can’t miss moment. There’s also a new filter features that allow you to add filters to your photos. You can either shoot using filters or add them later. The new camera app is sure to add even more beauty to all of your photos and videos. Read More...
The camera app in iOS 7 makes taking pictures even more intuitive. You can shoot stills, video, slow-mo, panorama, and square, switching between these different options with just one swipe, so you’ll always be ready to capture a moment. Now you can take a still shot while recording a video to take advantage of both options in a can’t miss moment. There’s also a new filter features that allow you to add filters to your photos. You can either shoot using filters or add them later. The new camera app is sure to add even more beauty to all of your photos and videos. Read More...
Integrate Google Maps into your FileMaker database
08/23/13
We have numerous clients using FileMaker Pro databases to manage their business. Sometimes these databases are used to schedule crews and salesmen. Being able to visualize where your crews or salesmen are going is a huge asset in a scheduler’s arsenal. We are able to integrate Google Maps directly into your FileMaker database to help you see where your employees are.
With the integration of ProMaps, the locations of your projects, contacts or any other needed address records are beautifully displayed so that you can keep track of all that is going on in your company’s business abroad. Mapping also allows scheduler’s to see exactly where crews and salesmen are at any given time, allowing them to easily add in additional appointments. Read More...
With the integration of ProMaps, the locations of your projects, contacts or any other needed address records are beautifully displayed so that you can keep track of all that is going on in your company’s business abroad. Mapping also allows scheduler’s to see exactly where crews and salesmen are at any given time, allowing them to easily add in additional appointments. Read More...
iOS - Wunderlist App
08/23/13
Life gets busy and if you’re like most people, “to do” lists help keep life organized, but what if the pen and paper method of organization isn’t enough? Wunderlist’s newly redesigned application provides intuitive features to ensure that you never miss a deadline again. This cross platform App, compatible with iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows, allows you to stay on top of your tasks no matter which device your working on, seamlessly synchronizing all devices once a change has been made. With many handy new features and a beautiful design, a productivity app has never been more fun. Read More...
OSX Mac - Drag 'n Drop Printing from your Dock
08/23/13
Have you ever wanted to print out a quick copy of a file? You have to find the file, open the program, open the file and then print the file. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could print a file without having to go through all those steps? With this pro tip you can make printing documents as easy as “drag and drop”.
When you’re printing, the printer icon appears in your dock, but after the job is completed the icon disappears. We need the printer icon to stay in the dock, even when the printer is not being used. Follow these steps to add the printer to your dock. Read More...
When you’re printing, the printer icon appears in your dock, but after the job is completed the icon disappears. We need the printer icon to stay in the dock, even when the printer is not being used. Follow these steps to add the printer to your dock. Read More...
iOS 7 Overview
07/17/13
Apple is always trying to improve their products, make them more cutting edge, and increase their intuitiveness. With the announcement of iOS 7, the new operating system for your mobile devices, Apple has managed to make their products even more state of the art. With a complete overhaul of the user interface and the many exciting new features, you’ll be anxiously anticipating the release this fall.
With the new Control Center all of the most used controls are a swipe away. Swipe up on any screen, even a locked one, and you have the option to turn on Airplane Mode, turn off wifi, adjust brightness, and access things like your camera or calculator. With the built in flashlight feature, Control Center will never let you get caught in the dark. Read More...
With the new Control Center all of the most used controls are a swipe away. Swipe up on any screen, even a locked one, and you have the option to turn on Airplane Mode, turn off wifi, adjust brightness, and access things like your camera or calculator. With the built in flashlight feature, Control Center will never let you get caught in the dark. Read More...
OS X 10.9 Mavericks Overview
07/17/13
The latest Mac operating system may not have a feline name, but OS X Mavericks is a more ferocious and efficient operating system than it’s predecessors.
One of our favorite Mavericks features is the Maps app. It’s smooth and responsive with very crisp and detailed text. It has a realistic 3D feature called Flyover that gives an eagle eye’s view of certain cities.
Maps provides information like phone numbers, photos and Yelp reviews on local points of interest, and Maps offers point-to-point directions, live traffic conditions, and alternate routes. Not surprisingly, Maps is smoothly integrated with OS X and can be linked to your Mail, Contacts and Calendar apps. Read More...
One of our favorite Mavericks features is the Maps app. It’s smooth and responsive with very crisp and detailed text. It has a realistic 3D feature called Flyover that gives an eagle eye’s view of certain cities.
Maps provides information like phone numbers, photos and Yelp reviews on local points of interest, and Maps offers point-to-point directions, live traffic conditions, and alternate routes. Not surprisingly, Maps is smoothly integrated with OS X and can be linked to your Mail, Contacts and Calendar apps. Read More...
Kerio Connect: New Webmail & Tutorial Videos
05/23/13
As many of you already know, Kerio Connect is an ideal solution for businesses that need a reliable yet affordable alternative to Microsoft Exchange. This powerful mail server provides email, shared calendars and contact management to most email clients, web browsers and mobile devices. It also has integrated anti-virus, multiple layers of spam control, built-in archiving, automated backup and an easy Web Administration interface.
It is completely cross platform and works on Macs, PCs and mobile devices. This means everything is integrated even if Windows users are using Outlook and Mac users are using Apple Mail, Address Book or iCal. Kerio Connect can be run on your own internal server or hosted by CranstonIT in the cloud. Read More...
It is completely cross platform and works on Macs, PCs and mobile devices. This means everything is integrated even if Windows users are using Outlook and Mac users are using Apple Mail, Address Book or iCal. Kerio Connect can be run on your own internal server or hosted by CranstonIT in the cloud. Read More...
iPhoto on iOS
05/23/13
Photo editing apps for iOS devices such as your iPhone or iPad can often be confusing and lack clear and precise editing power. Apple has designed their iPhoto App for iPad and iPhoto to harness the power of an editing program like Aperture or Lightroom but made it intuitive and easy to use, allowing any photo to look professional.
You can edit and sort your photos by the albums that you’ve created in Photos or by tapping the Photo tab. To get started just click an album or photo that you’d like to organize or edit. If you have several photos that are similar and you’d like to find the best shot, double tap one of the pictures which will bring up all of the similar photos, allowing you to do a side-by-side comparison. Once you’ve found that perfect photo you can flag it or make it a favorite by tapping the ribbon icon, this will add the photo to albums that only contain your best shots, making them easy to share and find later. Read More...
You can edit and sort your photos by the albums that you’ve created in Photos or by tapping the Photo tab. To get started just click an album or photo that you’d like to organize or edit. If you have several photos that are similar and you’d like to find the best shot, double tap one of the pictures which will bring up all of the similar photos, allowing you to do a side-by-side comparison. Once you’ve found that perfect photo you can flag it or make it a favorite by tapping the ribbon icon, this will add the photo to albums that only contain your best shots, making them easy to share and find later. Read More...
Sharing Moments with PhotoStream
04/22/13
Photo Stream is one of the innovative features Apple has cleverly built into it’s products. With the help of this handy feature, you can seamlessly view all of your latest snap shots on any one of your devices, no matter if they were taken with your iPhone, iPad, or stored on your desktop. Enable Photo Stream in your device settings, allowing your pictures to upload to your Photo Stream automatically. Maybe one of the of most exciting features of Photo Stream, is that it allows you to easily share your photos with your family and friends. Read More...
iWork on the Go
02/26/13
The suite of iWork products for the iPad contains excellent mobile versions of Pages, Keynote and Numbers.
You won’t have the exact features and capabilities as on your Mac, but at a low price of $9.99 each, these productivity apps are well worth the download.
On first glance, you’ll see that Pages is very similar to the full Mac version. As you can imagine, its main limitation is in the onscreen keyboard. Unless you are exceptionally skilled at tapping on the little keyboard screen, or if you only plan to use Pages for simple edits, you’ll want to get a small wireless physical keyboard to use with Pages mobile. You also can’t have multiple windows or multiple documents open simultaneously, which could cut down on your word processing productivity. Despite these minor limitations, for a go-to application to read and edit documents, Pages has all the capabilities that you will need.
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You won’t have the exact features and capabilities as on your Mac, but at a low price of $9.99 each, these productivity apps are well worth the download.
On first glance, you’ll see that Pages is very similar to the full Mac version. As you can imagine, its main limitation is in the onscreen keyboard. Unless you are exceptionally skilled at tapping on the little keyboard screen, or if you only plan to use Pages for simple edits, you’ll want to get a small wireless physical keyboard to use with Pages mobile. You also can’t have multiple windows or multiple documents open simultaneously, which could cut down on your word processing productivity. Despite these minor limitations, for a go-to application to read and edit documents, Pages has all the capabilities that you will need.
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Clearing up "Cloudy" Options for Backups
02/26/13
Backing up your computer is something that we all know we should do, but most people don’t take the time to keep their data protected. The good news is that with Apple’s software tools and the easy availability of high speed internet, having reliable backups is a relatively painless process.
There are two primary types of backup: local and cloud. A local backup is a copy of your data stored on a separate device that is the same location as your computer. Typically, this an external hard drive at your home or office. A cloud backup is a copy of your data transferred over the internet and stored at a datacenter. Read More...
There are two primary types of backup: local and cloud. A local backup is a copy of your data stored on a separate device that is the same location as your computer. Typically, this an external hard drive at your home or office. A cloud backup is a copy of your data transferred over the internet and stored at a datacenter. Read More...
iTunes gets a Makeover
01/16/13
Apple’s newest version of iTunes has a whole new look and several slick new features. The most noticeable change is the user interface. The old list browser has been replaced with a cleaner and more intuitive interface, which defaults to a view called Albums. It shows the contents of your entire library as album snapshots. This is a huge improvement because it allows you to drill down on a particular album or video without having to return to the old list screen time and time again.
You can also view your iTunes library content by Songs, Artists, Genres, Videos or Playlists. If you really liked the old list view, use the Songs tab. You’ll see an alphabetical list of your library there that is very similar to the previous version of iTunes. Read More...
You can also view your iTunes library content by Songs, Artists, Genres, Videos or Playlists. If you really liked the old list view, use the Songs tab. You’ll see an alphabetical list of your library there that is very similar to the previous version of iTunes. Read More...
Making Life Easier w/ Reminders in OS X Mt. Lion
12/18/12
A basic review over the features and capabilities of Reminders. Reminders is an easy to use yet powerful tool for accomplishing tasks, and it comes with MacOSX Mountain Lion.
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Resolving Dropped WiFi Connections on Mac OS X
12/13/12
Having problems with you WiFi connection? Check out this video for some settings you can change on your Mac to help improve your wireless connection.
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New & Improved CRM Software for Business - Daylite 4
11/19/12
MarketCircle has unveiled a new version of Daylite, the CRM (Client Record Management) solution that small and medium sized businesses rely on to manage their customer information. Daylite has always been a very good product. The improvements to the new version, Daylite 4, are significant and in our opinion move this piece of CRM software into a “must own” category for companies that need to manage customers and sales processes. Read More...
Save Time with Passbook
11/19/12
Passbook is one of the most useful features in the new iOS 6 operating system for the iPhone.
What is Passbook? It's a handy feature that lets you store and quickly access electronic versions of tickets, boarding passes, merchant cards and more.
How does it work? First, you need to download apps for those merchants that you plan to put into Passbook. When you open Passbook for the first time, a button will appear that will take you to the Passbook section of the Apple App Store. You’ll see all of the supported Passbook apps, like Fandango, American Airlines, and Walgreens to name a few. Read More...
What is Passbook? It's a handy feature that lets you store and quickly access electronic versions of tickets, boarding passes, merchant cards and more.
How does it work? First, you need to download apps for those merchants that you plan to put into Passbook. When you open Passbook for the first time, a button will appear that will take you to the Passbook section of the Apple App Store. You’ll see all of the supported Passbook apps, like Fandango, American Airlines, and Walgreens to name a few. Read More...
Using Mountain Lion's Mail VIP Folders (Tutorial with Video)
10/19/12
Have a VIP in your life? With Apple’s newest operating system, Mountain Lion, you can automatically keep copies of that person’s messages in a SmartFolder in your Mail program. This will eliminate the need to search multiple folders for specific messages you may need in the future. It also eliminates the need to manually drag messages into folders. Read More...
Unlocking the Power of Preview (Tutorial with Video)
09/18/12
Preview has always been a useful program for reading PDFs, viewing graphics, and running slide shows. Now Apple has taken this program a huge step forward giving you the power to enhance, edit, and modify images and PDFs, all without a separate image editor or PDF tool.
The new Preview is part of the Mountain Lion OS X 10.8 operating system. The following are some of the most exciting new features of Preview. Read More...
The new Preview is part of the Mountain Lion OS X 10.8 operating system. The following are some of the most exciting new features of Preview. Read More...
Keeping your Mac Safe with Mountain Lion's Gatekeeper
09/05/12
Accidentally downloading malicious software can cause countless problems on your Mac. That’s why the Mountain Lion operating system includes a new Gatekeeper feature. It helps protect you from inadvertently downloading software that may look safe, but will actually damage or steal your data. Read More...
Mountain Lion Notification Center (Tutorial with Video)
08/17/12
One of the new features of the Mountain Lion operating system is the Notification Center. What are notifications? They are quick notes that appear on your screen alerting you to activity in your other apps. They are a lot like the notifications that you may have seen on an iPad or iPhone.
Depending on your preferences, notifications will scroll across your screen like a banner or pop up as an alert.
You can view all of your notifications, including ones you may have missed, by visiting the Notification Center. A two-finger swipe from right to left will get you to the Notification Center. You can also get to it by clicking the menubar icon in the upper right of the menubar.
Notifications are fully customizable and easily managed. That means you can choose which notifications appear, how often, how they look and how they sound.
To manage each of your notifications go to the Apple icon and choose Notification Center and System Preferences, or you could just click on the gear symbol at the bottom of the Notification Center.
You can specify whether notifications appear as Banners or Alerts. Banners appear and disappear on their own. Alerts stay on your screen until you take an action. Read More...
Depending on your preferences, notifications will scroll across your screen like a banner or pop up as an alert.
You can view all of your notifications, including ones you may have missed, by visiting the Notification Center. A two-finger swipe from right to left will get you to the Notification Center. You can also get to it by clicking the menubar icon in the upper right of the menubar.
Notifications are fully customizable and easily managed. That means you can choose which notifications appear, how often, how they look and how they sound.
To manage each of your notifications go to the Apple icon and choose Notification Center and System Preferences, or you could just click on the gear symbol at the bottom of the Notification Center.
You can specify whether notifications appear as Banners or Alerts. Banners appear and disappear on their own. Alerts stay on your screen until you take an action. Read More...
The Newest iPad and iPhone Features in iOS 6
08/17/12
Apple’s new iOS 6 operating system, available this fall, will bring some significant improvements to the iPhone and iPad.
Some of the most notable changes are to Siri. She will be able to open apps, pull up sports scores and stats, and even make restaurant reservations through Open Table. Siri will also be able to integrate into the hands-free systems of many vehicles.
A new application called Passbook can organize movie and sporting event tickets, store membership cards, retail coupons and airplane boarding passes. You can even use Passbook to check in for a flight, buy movie passes and redeem coupons.
The new iOS will also have its own mapping app with real-time traffic updates and turn-by-turn navigation spoken by Siri. Maps are vector based which means graphics and text are incredibly detailed. You can tilt and rotate to view an area and the Maps app will keep the names of streets and places where they belong. Read More...
Some of the most notable changes are to Siri. She will be able to open apps, pull up sports scores and stats, and even make restaurant reservations through Open Table. Siri will also be able to integrate into the hands-free systems of many vehicles.
A new application called Passbook can organize movie and sporting event tickets, store membership cards, retail coupons and airplane boarding passes. You can even use Passbook to check in for a flight, buy movie passes and redeem coupons.
The new iOS will also have its own mapping app with real-time traffic updates and turn-by-turn navigation spoken by Siri. Maps are vector based which means graphics and text are incredibly detailed. You can tilt and rotate to view an area and the Maps app will keep the names of streets and places where they belong. Read More...
AirDrop Filesharing - Tutorial Video
08/10/12
AirDrop is an easy way to securely share files with other nearby Mac users. It’s Wi-Fi based, so there’s no need to change your network settings. You simply drag and drop your files to other AirDrop users. Read More...
iOS 5 Quick and Convenient Camera Access - Helpful Camera Tips
01/29/12
The new iOS 5 operating system brings more than 200 new features to the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.
Some of the most useful new features are part of the Camera app. With iOS 5, your camera is now literally one touch away. That’s because you can open the Camera app right from the lock screen. So you won’t lose precious time unlocking your device with a passcode and then finding and tapping the Camera app.
The camera also has grid lines, pinch-to-zoom gestures, and single-tap focus and exposure locks so you can compose your picture right from your device. Then with a click of the volume-up button you can quickly snap a photo.
You can also edit photos right on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. With crop, rotate, enhance, and red-eye options built right into the Photos app, you can work on your photos right on your device. You can also organize your photos into albums, and if you have Photo Stream enabled in iCloud your new new photos are pushed right onto all your iOS devices.
The main advantage of the iOS 5 operating system is that all of the photo features you need are conveniently available in one place and can be accessed right on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch from the lock screen. Read More...
Some of the most useful new features are part of the Camera app. With iOS 5, your camera is now literally one touch away. That’s because you can open the Camera app right from the lock screen. So you won’t lose precious time unlocking your device with a passcode and then finding and tapping the Camera app.
The camera also has grid lines, pinch-to-zoom gestures, and single-tap focus and exposure locks so you can compose your picture right from your device. Then with a click of the volume-up button you can quickly snap a photo.
You can also edit photos right on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. With crop, rotate, enhance, and red-eye options built right into the Photos app, you can work on your photos right on your device. You can also organize your photos into albums, and if you have Photo Stream enabled in iCloud your new new photos are pushed right onto all your iOS devices.
The main advantage of the iOS 5 operating system is that all of the photo features you need are conveniently available in one place and can be accessed right on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch from the lock screen. Read More...
Working with Full Screen Apps in Mac OS Lion
01/29/12
The OS X Lion operating system gives you an option to work in full-screen with most applications. This is useful when you need to focus on one task without distraction.
To get to full-screen mode, click on the double-ended arrow in the upper right corner of your screen. That app will then fill your entire screen so that's all that you will see. Read More...
To get to full-screen mode, click on the double-ended arrow in the upper right corner of your screen. That app will then fill your entire screen so that's all that you will see. Read More...
iOS 5 Notifications Center
11/29/11
The new iOS 5 operating system brings more than 200 new features to the iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch.
One of the biggest changes you’ll see are the notifications that replace the pop-ups that you may be used to seeing in older versions. Read More...
One of the biggest changes you’ll see are the notifications that replace the pop-ups that you may be used to seeing in older versions. Read More...
Lion Feature Spotlight: Multi-Touch Gestures
09/30/11
Multi-Touch gestures are one of the most exciting aspects of Apple’s new operating system, OS X Lion. With simple two and three finger trackpad swipes you can navigate through open applications with ease.
It takes less than five minutes to learn these new gestures. While you’re getting the hang of it you can still use the traditional scroll bar that is hidden on the side of every screen.
There are three basic multi-touch gestures that you’ll use to drive your Mac. Read More...
It takes less than five minutes to learn these new gestures. While you’re getting the hang of it you can still use the traditional scroll bar that is hidden on the side of every screen.
There are three basic multi-touch gestures that you’ll use to drive your Mac. Read More...
Introducing Kerio Workspace - share & collaborate on great ideas in your business
06/30/11
That’s exactly what Kerio Workspace can do. Personalized to meet your needs, Workspace brings your team together, saving valuable time and resources. It allows team members to focus on a project itself rather than wasting valuable time downloading files, searching email for meeting minutes, or looking through different versions of the same document.
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Upgrade Your Email with Stationary
06/30/11
Make a memorable impression. Using Stationery, a little known feature of Apple Mail, you can create personalized messages like announcements, invitations and greeting cards with a few simple clicks. Read More...
Keep Track of your iPhone, iPad and iPod with Find My iPhone
06/30/11
A missing iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch is more than a lost device. Its also lost personal information. The solution? A free service from Apple called Find My iPhone that can locate a lost or stolen iOS device.
The Find My iPhone service is built right into your iPhone 4, iPad or fourth generation iPod Touch. All you need to do is activate it. Then you can track a lost device from any computer. Read More...
The Find My iPhone service is built right into your iPhone 4, iPad or fourth generation iPod Touch. All you need to do is activate it. Then you can track a lost device from any computer. Read More...
Printing from iPhone / iPad using Airprint Activator
05/31/11
Simple printing. It’s what iPhone and iPad Touch users ask for time and time again. Sending documents back to a computer for printing is time consuming and inconvenient. So, how do you print directly from your mobile device?
With the release of iOS 4.2, Apple gave iPhone and iPad users a way to send their documents directly to any AirPrint enabled printer. That’s a nice practical solution if you happen to have a printer that’s AirPrint capable. But, most of us do not. What if your printer doesn’t have this unique technology? That’s where a clever little free utility called AirPrint Activator becomes your solution.
With one simple download, AirPrint Activator allows you to print to any printer, even those without the built-in AirPrint functionality.
Setup is easy. Just follow the instructions below and within minutes your printer will be ready for iPhone and iPad printing. If you run into installation problems, give us a call. We’d be happy to help you install AirPrint Activator through a remote support session. Read More...
With the release of iOS 4.2, Apple gave iPhone and iPad users a way to send their documents directly to any AirPrint enabled printer. That’s a nice practical solution if you happen to have a printer that’s AirPrint capable. But, most of us do not. What if your printer doesn’t have this unique technology? That’s where a clever little free utility called AirPrint Activator becomes your solution.
With one simple download, AirPrint Activator allows you to print to any printer, even those without the built-in AirPrint functionality.
Setup is easy. Just follow the instructions below and within minutes your printer will be ready for iPhone and iPad printing. If you run into installation problems, give us a call. We’d be happy to help you install AirPrint Activator through a remote support session. Read More...
Understanding Malware and Mac Security
05/30/11
Malware, short for “malicious software”, is a fact of life on the Internet. It can come in any form including viruses, trojans and phishing scams.
One malware scam is specifically targeting Mac users. Hiding behind names like Mac Defender, Mac Protector or Mac Security, this phishing scam convinces people to download harmful software. Read More...
One malware scam is specifically targeting Mac users. Hiding behind names like Mac Defender, Mac Protector or Mac Security, this phishing scam convinces people to download harmful software. Read More...
Living with MacSpeech
12/03/09
We've had several clients contact us about MacSpeech - the leader in voice dictation software for the Mac. We decided to go ahead, purchase a copy of the software and see just how well it worked and how easy it was to use. Here is what we found.
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Setup Mac AddressBook to Sync with Kerio Using Exchange
09/03/09
Instead of using Kerio Sync Connector to sync Address Book on the Mac with Kerio you can also use the built-in Exchange Sync feature in Mac OS 10.4 and 10.5. This has the advantage of not having to using the third party software of Kerio Sync Connector to perform the sync but instead uses Apple's built in syncing tool. The biggest downside to this method is that the sync with the server is not as complete. For instance, you cannot sync the picture attached to the Address. Groups, Global Address Lists and resources cannot be synced and the sync frequency cannot be customized. However, if you just want a easy sync of your basic Address Book or you can't use Kerio Sync Connector for some reason this method is for you. Read More...
Importing Contacts into a Kerio Public Contacts Folder
08/14/09
Kerio does not have the ability to do a direct import of contacts into a Contacts folder. It would be nice if there were an import tool that would allow to you to import a text file or vcards, but currently that is not available.
The best way to get a large number of contacts into a Kerio Contacts folder is to use an existing user's account and use Address Book, Outlook or Entourage to sync the contacts to the server and then move the contacts to the appropriate Contacts folder on Kerio. Read More...
The best way to get a large number of contacts into a Kerio Contacts folder is to use an existing user's account and use Address Book, Outlook or Entourage to sync the contacts to the server and then move the contacts to the appropriate Contacts folder on Kerio. Read More...
Connecting Address Book (Mac) to Kerio
08/14/09
With Kerio it is possible to sync your Address Book (AB) with your personal Contacts folders and Public Contacts folders using the Kerio Sync Connector. It's also possible to just search Contacts folders using LDAP without having them in your Address Book. Let's discuss both ways. Read More...
Creating a Shared Contact List in Kerio
08/13/09
With Kerio it's possible to create a directory of Contacts that can be shared throughout the organization. There are several different ways to share Contacts in Kerio, but this way works best for sharing between users accessing Kerio from different sources ( Webmail, AddressBook, Entourage, Outlook ). Read More...
Updating Kerio Sync Connector
08/13/09
Customers using Macintosh and our hosted Kerio MailServer service will notice an update message on your computers after we have run updates on the Kerio MailServer. These notices are normal and should be installed to make sure you have the latest version of the Kerio Sync Connector on your computer. Read More...
My favorite Word Processor
07/16/09
In my line of work I use a lot of highly complex and complicated programs. I use everything from Photoshop to Dreamweaver to FinalCut Pro to FileMaker. I love powerful programs, but there is one area in which I have very basic needs - word processing. Read More...