LAPUG (User Group Meeting)

Phil Goodman discusses Travel tech (and some tips).

Direct download: LAPUG_2023-08.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 5:16pm PDT

The second meeting this month will recap WWDC 2020. This year, WWDC will be virtual starting on June 22 and we will have a review of the announcements that evening. This will be all about what's coming in the next versions of macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and tvOS!

Direct download: LAPUG_20200622_postWWDC_1908.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 5:27pm PDT

Ben, Pat, Phil (and possibly a few other guests) will review their favorite utilities for macOS.  There are so many things that make things easier on your Mac to do things you normally can't do or things that would take so many more steps. You'll love this meeting!

Direct download: LAPUG_20200608_1905.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 3:26pm PDT

So, we're all experiencing a new world. We're all at home and depending more and more on our computers and devices for contact with the outside world. What issues and difficulties are you experiencing now that your life at home is revolving more and more around your Mac, iPhone and iPad? How are you communicating with others? How are you shopping? How are you working? ARE you working? How are you entertaining yourself? What projects are you working on? Have you developed new ways of being productive you never thought about?  We'll throw the door open to discuss all these topics and more at our next meeting.

Our meeting will be based on the Zoom platform. Zoom is free and works very well for the type of meeting the LAPUG group has.

Direct download: LAPUG_20200413_1901.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 1:34pm PDT

Remember how we always ask for topic suggestions? LAPUG member Rosalind Jarret suggested the topic for this month's meeting and it's more about personal security and privacy. Specifically, Rosalind asked that we discuss the following:

• California's new privacy laws
• What are best practices for responding to the pop up notices about privacy and cookies. Should you block cookies?
• Should you install an ad blocker and if so which one?
• What are best settings for Google Privacy?  For Facebook Privacy?
• Differences in privacy practices for laptop vs iPhone

These are all fantastic topics and each could probably fill an entire meeting. But, we'll address those as much as we can and we welcome input from other LAPUG members who may have experience with these topics

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_20200309_1913.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:08am PDT

What's new in the iOS world? Apps! That's what's ALWAYS new! It's been a while since we spent some time going over some new and cool apps. These can vary in categories such as productivity, utilities, finance and numbers, news, entertainment, communication and entertainment...and more! This month, we'll spend some time going over a bunch of newer apps and we'll leave it open for you to talk about any cool app you've come to rely on or use on a regular basis. These kinds of meetings are always super informative!

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_20200210_1910.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:32am PDT

It's a new year! And with that, traditionally comes CES. The Consumer Electronics Show was in Las Vegas the week of January 6 and there were some very interesting products announced. Some related to Apple products and some not. We'll review some interesting ones. 
We'll also talk about some new features in Catalina/iOS 13 in depth including the TV App, Password authentication, Sidecar, Screen Time and Voice Control.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_20200113_1923.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:12am PDT

We'll be covering some more features about iOS 13 and Catalina and some more in-depth explanation of some of the newer features of each. And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_20191209_1944.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:27am PDT

macOS Catalina is here. Apple has made good on its promise to release Catalina in the fall (early October to be precise) and it's the first operating system for the Mac to no longer support 32-bit applications. That means that your apps must be updated and you make sure to use Go64 to screen your computer before upgrading. However, once you upgrade, you'll be in for a load of changes and cool new features especially when it comes to security. Our next meeting will be spent going over a lot of those changes and new features so saddle up and made the trip over to Catalina for a wonderful time.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_20191111_1903.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:14am PDT

The new iPhones are here...and, better yet, iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 are here!! We'll go over iOS 13 and iPadOS 13's new features that will blow you away, make things easier to do and provide you with the ability to do things you never could before on an iPhone or iPad.  This will be a great meeting!!
 
This is our first meeting following the release of Apple’s latest iPhones, the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The iPhone 11 introduces several critical features including a new version of Apple's A series processor, the A13, longer battery life and a new wide angle lens on the Pro models. While the battery life is something anyone who uses a cell phone heavily will immediately understand the benefits of, the new wide angle lens and the increased functionality that comes from the A13 processor provide us plenty to talk about and even see!
 
***Toward that end, if you have a new iPhone 11 and would like to share some of the photography or video you have shot that you feel exemplifies what’s different about this model, please send us some samples and we’ll try to work them into the meeting.***
 
We’ll dig deeper into this, of course, but the basic concept here is that Apple’s ability to depend on the processing power of the A13   Apple’s Night Mode and its controls coupled with the power of the A13 come close to letting the camera shoot in near darkness and produce images that are stunning and pleasing where none were possible before.
 
And, of course, we'll touch on the release of macOS 10.15, Catalina, but we’ll look more in-depth at Catalina in the November meeting. We will also go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_20191014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:47am PDT

Once again, Apple has chosen the morning after our monthly meeting to make new product announcements. So, we won't be able to review the presentation in detail but we can speculate on what will be coming out based on reports in the Apple industry. 

So come on by and we'll let you know what YOU will NEED to know about the new software and how it will affect your devices. Note that macOS Catalina (soon to be released) will require all of your apps to be current, 64-bit versions so that might affect you since some of your older applications may not work after the upgrade. Come on by and we'll let you know how to find out in advance so you don't have any surprises after you upgrade.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_20190909.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:14am PDT

There were so many great topics to talk about last month from Ben's list that we didn't get a chance to cover all of them. We'll continue with a flood of info based on questions LAPUG members have submitted and we'll also cover some of the latest info going on in the Apple world. Of course, come prepared with new topics you would like us to discuss and we'll fit those in, too! macOS Catalina, iOS 13, iPadOS 13, watch OS 6 and tvOS 13 are just around the corner as we have more info that you'll need to know before upgrading!

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_August_2019.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 12:42pm PDT

Our content this month is drawn from your questions and requests. We will look at:
 
1. Mail application choices for macOS and iOS

2. Death of Bento, other options

3. Photo organization for iOS

4. Maintenance Tools on macOS
Malwarebytes
TechTool
Intego Net Barrier & Virus Barrier
Disk Warrior
EtreCheck
Little Snitch
Apple Disk Utility

5. Digital payment systems (such as Venmo, CashApp, AppleCash, ApplePay and the new Apple credit card) and cryptocurrencies. There are now dozens (perhaps even hundreds) of them, and even the social media companies (such as Facebook) are developing their own.

6. AppleTV and its various apps. (We talk a lot about iOS and OS X apps, but rarely about TV apps. Here’s a list: https://www.imore.com/best-apple-tv-apps

7. Apple’s recently announced tvOS

8. AirPods vs Powerbeat Pros

9. How to choose the right external display for you and your needs
 
And, of course, we'll leave some time for Q&A.

 

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_July_2019.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 12:30pm PDT

Do you know about some of the hidden and less obvious features in macOS?  Some features have been around for years and some are relatively newer but, in both cases, there are some powerful gems that aren't talked about that much that can really help you be more productive on your Mac. This month, we'll expose many of these and teach you how to become more of a Mac expert than you ever thought possible. Make sure to take notes on these as there will be many!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_March_2019.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 12:43pm PDT

Photography on iOS has completely changed the game in the photo world. The phrase "the best camera is the one you have with you" takes on a completely different meaning when your iPhone's camera is always within arm's reach. Not only will we go over all the ins and outs of using the Camera app, but we'll also review getting images in and out of your iOS devices from other sources (digital cameras, SD cards, web sites, etc.). In addition to all that, we'll also review several other camera applications that go way beyond what Apple provides that allow you tweak your settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, filters, etc.) like you would with a more traditional camera.  This will help make your iPhone or iPad a true digital darkroom.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_Feb_2019.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 5:44pm PDT

New iPhones and new Apple Watch! We'll have the run down on all the new stuff. And, to make things better for all of us, macOS Mojave, iOS 12, watchOS 5 and tvOS 12 are all out. We'll have devices that are running all of them and we'll demo it all and review all the new features.  This is one of the big events of the year for LAPUG so you won't want to miss it!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_October_2018.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:21am PDT

The new MacBook Pros have been released! If you’ve been following the saga involving Intel’s latest processors, Coffee Lake, you’ll know that Apple hasn’t had any mobile products using these CPUs — until now! The cool thing is not only are they faster but Apple has included a quad-core processor (i7) for 13” MacBook Pro models and, for the first time, a six-core processor (i9) for 15” models. Along with these upgrades, Apple has doubled the maximum storage available to 2 TB in the 13” and 4 TB (!) in the 15”.  Of course, you’ll pay for the privilege and an i9 with 4 TB in a 15” model will set you back nearly $7,000!!   We’ll have both 13” and 15” models on had to talk about and demo. We’ll also talk about some Thunderbolt 3 accessories that are very cool.

We suspect that many of you still haven’t gotten on the new USB-C bus (pun intended) and there’s a lot to talk about when it comes to understanding the differences between the USB-A, B, C standards as well as the USB 1, 2, 3 and 3.1 standards — not to mention mini USB and micro USB. We’ll clear up all that confusion for you.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_20180813__2.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 4:52pm PDT

This month, we'll review some iOS apps you know are there but you may not use to their fullest -- or at all. We'll review and go in-depth into Wallet, Files, Maps, Messages, News, Podcasts, Voice Memos, Compass, and more. Of course, there are some third-party apps that duplicate many of these features and we'll talk about some of them, too. 
 
Also, you may have heard that Apple has moved several features from macOS Server into the macOS itself for all users to take advantage of. We'll review those features and you'll see what you can enable with just a few clicks to make your home computers and network so much more efficient and secure.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_July_2018.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:15am PDT

The Engineers in Cupertino have been busy and Developers are now busy writing and rewriting apps to take advantage of the new features announced in macOS 14 Mojave, iOS 12, watchOS 5 and tvOS 12.
 
We will discuss what was announced, perhaps take a look at some early beta features just generally roll around in all the new sweet code! Bring your questions and ideas and we’ll discuss.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_June_2018.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 1:20pm PDT

The days of packing toiletries and clothing and being on your way are gone. Today’s travel brings concerns for security and convenience that never existed before, including the ever-present need for power! How do you prepare, what do you have to bring with you and how can we best advise clients with simple preparations and tools that ease the burden of carrying everything you absolutely need to have with you? A recent discussion with Ben, Pat, Garry and Phil yielded some concrete recommendations and tools that make travel a little more secure and comfortable. Come share yours!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_May_2018.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 1:58pm PDT

This month, we’ll review the latest updates from Apple’s recent Education event including the new iPad as well as the interesting software Apple is working on for classroom and student management. Along with that, new versions of iWork have been release with Education in mind and we’ll go over some of those new features, too.
 
iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4 have been released with a few new features and we’ll spend some time reviewing those, too.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: _LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_April_2018.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 1:09pm PDT

The HomePod is finally a reality. Apple's smart speaker is more than just a speaker. It recognizes the environment where it's placed (near a wall, in an open area, in a room with another HomePod, etc.) and it adjusts the sound it produces based on its surroundings. The addition of Siri and the ability for it to be a hub for Apple's HomeKit makes the HomePod even smarter. We’ll have one on hand to demo!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_February_2018.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:38pm PDT

All about iCloud and Apple ID

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_2018_Jan.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:30pm PDT

Recent Apple news plus:

iOS has so many millions of apps available in the App Store and you're probably using a few. But, there are so many that you may not know about. This month we'll go over some of the best apps you're not using or that you haven't even heard of. This may turn out to be one of the best meetings of the year!  

 
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_December_2017.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:03am PDT

The new iPhone X is here...and it's so cool!  We'll have a few on hand to demo and we'll discuss how this new model has been redesigned. No home button -- no problem. No Touch ID -- no problem. Full-screen graphics! And more!  We'll also talk about advances in iOS 11 along with new features to come in iOS 11.2 (currently in beta testing).
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_2.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:55am PDT

Once again, Apple has scheduled an announcement for the morning following our meeting. But, this time around, we have a pretty good idea of what's coming. We'll spend our meeting talking about new hardware and software and provide a little preview of iOS 11 and tell you what you're going to be in for. This will be great!

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_Sept_2017.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:27am PDT

We’ll talk over the latest news in the Apple world for Mac and iOS, as well as the following topics:
 
1. Need a new router? Are Apple’s products End Of Life? How do I know what to buy?
 
2. Where can I ACTUALLY put folders? Can I put them in the Applications folder?
 
3. How to determine which album a photo is in and which photos are not in any albums in Photos.
 
4. Parental Controls for iOS devices and device management.
 
5. Help for the elderly using the Mac and iOS.
 
6. Getting power when there is no power coming through the grid. Batteries, generators and solar power.
 
7. Preparing a device for sale. How to know all your data is gone and it’s no longer associated with you or any of your accounts.
 
8. Need a new MBP? Should it be the current version or a generation ago to get old style USB ports?
 
9. Translations in general, and Ancient Greek in particular.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_August_2017.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 12:18pm PDT

What's on your iPhone / iPad?  There are so many apps avaialble and we all love to discover new ones from each other. Let's spend some time at at our next meeting going over any must-have and newer applications you've discovered. We've got some new favorites to show you and we'll leave the connection to the projector open for you to show off the ones you can't live without. Even if you've just got one favorite application -- for work, productivity, a hobby, or even a game -- we'd all love to know what floats your boat. This is what the LAPUG is all about!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_20170710.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:36am PDT

As expected, Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) brought not only announcements of new macOS, iOS, tvOS and watchOS, we also got new some new hardware announcements. Some are for immediate availability and some for for later this year. We'll have a complete rundown of all the announcements and we'll also discuss some other features and products Apple didn't include in the keynote.  If you've been waiting for a new computer, this is the meeting to attend so you'll get your questions answered about what's new and how you can migrate.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_June_2017.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:12am PDT

We've had a slew updates recently for macOS, iOS, tvOS and watchOS. We'll spend some time talking about not only some of the cool new features in macOS and iOS, but we'll also cover the significant new Apple File System (APFS) that snuck in right under your nose in iOS 10.3. This is a precursor of things to come in macOS and you should know what it is and how it will affect your Mac. We'll also talk about the end of 32-bit apps in iOS and how you can identify which older apps will no longer work in the next version of the operating system on your iPhone and iPad. Apple also released some iPad updates recently and they've hinted about new hardware to come. We'll tackle that, too!

We'll also spend some time focusing on the Extensions architecture in macOS and how you really take advantage of some hidden features that can really make things easier for you.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:33am PDT

A little early spring cleaning and some amuse-bouche! What are we talking about here? This month, we'll cover some really important techniques for cleaning out your Mac of old crud, how to restore some of the zip it used to have and how to maintain it better. There are a lot of quick and simple things you can do to free up space and get your Mac's speed back after having used it for so long. In addition, we'll be talking about a ton of smaller apps (hence the "amuse-bouche reference) that are mainly one-trick ponies that make a huge difference in what your computer can do and what you can do with your computer. You don't want to miss this meeting!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_March_2017.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:18am PDT

Allison Sheridan, from the NosillaCast podcast, will be at our meeting to present a few great tidbits when it comes to managing and editing photos on your Mac. Adobe Photoshop is the big 800 pound gorilla but it's probably overkill (and way too expensive) for most normal folks. There are other alternatives out there and Affinity Photo is one of the great ones. Allison will present how you can use AffinityPhoto as it's a powerful and capable application for not only most Mac users but for professionals as well. It costs about 5 months of Adobe Creative Cloud's Photoshop making it very affordable. Affinity Photo has great integration with other Mac app using App Extensions found in newer versions of macOS and Allison is going to give us great insights on using this program. This is going to be a great meeting!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_February_2017.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:28am PDT

Happy New Year! CES will have just wrapped up the before our meeting and we'll cover some interesting product announcements that might interest Apple users and portable computing enthusiasts. 

The Apple Airpods are starting to trickle in and we'll have some on head to demo and show you how they work. 

We've talked about Siri on macOS and iOS in the past and we've dabbled a bit with dictation. This month, we'll spend a lot more time talking about the uses of dictation along with many commands you can speak to make your "typing" much faster. Once you get into it, it's so easy to get through lots of email quickly.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_January_2017.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 1:40pm PDT

The new MacBooks are here, the new MacBooks are here!  Well, some of us have received the new MacBook Pro with TouchBar and we'll spend some time talking about it. For those of you that want to know what having a TouchBar is like, we'lll also talk about a utility that will simulate that for you on your existing Mac.

We're going to continue our discussion on some of our favorite utilities for both macOS and iOS and of course, since it's the holiday season, we'll spend the rest of our time socializing and enjoying some pizza and drinks. Feel free to bring a little snack for the group -- holiday cookies and goodies are always welcome.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_December_2016.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 1:37pm PDT

Utilitiy City! This month, we'll spend some time talking about some of our favorite utilties that make life eaiser on macOS. Of course, there are a few popular ones like 1Password and TextExpander but there are so many more very powerful utilities that aren't as well known. We'll show you what you've been missing that will save you lots of time while you work. If you've got a favorite utility you like, feel free to tell us about it.

Also, the new MacBook Pro notebooks have been announced and we'll review the features and let you know how all the changes to the ports will impact you. What peripherals do you have that will continue to work and what won't? What adapters will you need? Where to get these adapters, and more.

We'll also spend more time going over iOS 10 & macOS Sierra's new features as there still so many to discover.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the macOS world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Montly_Meeting_November_2016.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:43am PDT

macOS Sierra is here. Apple has been working hard at releasing a new operating system and there's lots to learn and lots to like. First off, it's now called macOS Sierra (Apple has dropped the "OS X" moniker). Since there are some Macs that can run El Capitan but now can't run Sierra due to some changes in the OS, we'll go over all the system requirements and we'll spend out time talking about all the new, really cool features. Not only will we review the major features that Apple demonstrated at their recent announcement but we'll also go over a lot of lesser known and hidden features as well as changes in the new OS.

Also, since iOS 10 has been out for a while, we've had a chance to dig a bit deeper and we've found some more little nuggets and features that you will enjoy.

This month's meeting is going to be packed with info so if you've just upgraded to Sierra and iOS 10 or you're still thinking about it, we'll discuss a bunch of new things you need to know.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the Mac world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Montly_Meeting_October_2016.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:26am PDT

Become that power user you've always wanted to be! You know how to flex your Apple muscle when using certain apps...but what about the app you use the most...the Finder?  Getting around the Finder and taking advantage of the many power user features will be some of the focus of our next meeting. Many long time Mac users still do things the same way even though Apple has given us some tools to make things quicker and easier. We'll go over lots of shortcuts and review some features you're not using.

We've also got some great apps and web sites to show off!
Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Montly_Meeting_August_2016.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 11:12am PDT

-- Some more info about what we know about macOS Sierra and iOS 10.

-- With iOS 10 allowing users to remove built-in apps from their iPhones & iPads, it might be a good time to start looking at alternative apps that can replace or 
enhance what Apple's built-in apps (like Mail, Safari, Notes, Weather, Stocks, etc.) do.
 
-- We'll review some tips and tricks about managing photos on your iPhone/iPad once you've imported them (but didn't delete them) from your iPhone.

-- We'll review new features with iBooks that allow you to sync your entire Books library -- even with PDFs and eBooks not from Apple -- with all your devices.

-- With more occurrences of malware fooling Mac users, we'll talk some more about how to be more aware of these scams and how to get rid of them from your computer.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_20160711_1906.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 11:16am PDT

The Apple Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) kicks off on the morning of our June meeting. That means that the Keynote announcements made that morning will be fresh in our minds and we'll be excited to talk about them. New OS for Mac and iOS? Absolutely! New laptops and desktops? Maybe.... and maybe even more...

We will spend our time analyzing and distilling those announcements and we'll spend our time talking about what it all means to Mac users like us. 

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_20160613_1907.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 11:10am PDT

We've got a variety of Mac and iOS Apps to talk about this month. These are apps in categories such as Scanning, Screen Sharing, Alarms, Online (Mac & Other) Communities, and Food among others.  We'll also have some in-depth discussion on really taking advantage of online storage like Dropbox, iCloud Drive, SugarSync, etc., to maximize access to your data on devices with modest amounts of local storage (like iOS devices, 128 GB MacBooks, etc). Just because you have a lot of stuff doesn't mean you can't have access to all of it on your device.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Montly_Meeting_May_2016.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:43am PDT

40 years!  On April 1, Apple celebrated their 40th anniversary at a great bash on their campus with Beats 1 DJ Zane Lowe broadcasting live from the party. In its 40 years, Apple has created lots of products that have really changed the world and inspired other companies to copy or follow -- MacintoshiPodiPhoneiPad. They've also created a few products that haven't done so well -- Apple IIILisaMacintosh PortablePippinMacTVQuadra with DOS Cardhockey puck MouseApple HiFiG4 Cube. At our next meeting, we'll spend some time reminiscing and we'll have a few old products on hand that will bring back lots of memories.  We'll also have some fun with some of the best Apple Ads over the last few decades.

At the latest product announcements, Apple has been saying that iPad Pro is more powerful than over 80% of the PC laptops sold in the last year. They also said they're focusing on having the iPad replace aging PC laptops that are 5 years old and older. If that's true, there better be real-world apps available that can handle the day-to-day needs of most consumers (but maybe not true Power Users).  This month, we'll focus on some of those tools for business that work well with iOS. We'll look at Apple's iWork products, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Outlining, Project Management, PDF Workflows, Cloud integration, file sharing, Scanning, and more.
 
Since we'll be at the Apple Store, this will also be an opportunity to take a look at the new iPhone SE! 
Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Montly_Meeting_April_2016.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:38am PDT

These are a few of my favorite things...my favorite iOS apps!

At almost each meeting, we get asked about an app that does this or an app that does that or whether we know about an app that does something specific. Although Ben, Pat, and Phil do indeed buy and test lots of apps, many LAPUG members do too. So, our next meeting will be your opportunity to share your favorites. Even if they're just silly little games or utilities like an egg timer, come show us your favorites. We're always looking for more things to do with our iPhones and iPads!

In addition, we'll talk about issues dealing with security and certificates and how they have been affecting us lately on the Mac App Store. This will be an ongoing issue and we will explain why you might have to occasionally re-download apps from the Store or why you get a message that an application is corrupted. We'll also talk about the recent Transmissions.app ransomware scare and how it may or may not affect you.

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Montly_Meeting_March_2016.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:05am PDT

For photos and music, we've got Apple's Photos and iTunes but what about a library for your videos? Over the years, you've probably collected a bunch of videos (maybe even some of Ben's fun videos shown at meetings) and you might not have an organized way to access them. With iPhones, iPads and Apple TV along with other TV accessories like Amazon Fire, Roku and Google Chromcast, wouldn't it be great if you had a single way to access them all no matter where you are and what device you're using? Well, there are a few ways to do that and we'll talk about them including using tools like VLC, Handbrake, AirVideo and Plex.

How many messages are in your Inbox? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Getting better organized is always something we're striving for and getting control of email is really important. Reading through all your messages can seem overwhelming but it doesn't have to be that way. We'll spend sometime on organizing email using tools that easily file messages for you before they even hit your Inbox as well as filing messages quickly and easily with just a keystroke. This can change your life!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

 

Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Montly_Meeting_Feb_2016.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:07am PDT

A brand new year with a new set of resolutions. Maybe it's time to really learn about some of the cool stuff that's buried in OS X El Capitan or iOS 9. Maybe it's time clean off your desktop and make your Mac a little zipper. Maybe it's time to setup a second, offsite backup (what...you don't have a backup at all?...<sigh>). Maybe it's time to really take advantage of cloud storage and understand what it is and what it isn't (and no, there isn't one single service called "The Cloud").  
 
We'll spend some time going a lot more in depth with El Capitan and show off lots of new features and little things that can make a huge difference in the way you work. Things in the Finder, Notes, Maps, Safari, Mail, Spotlight and more. We'll also show some of the corresponding and some more unique features in iOS 9. If you really want to make sure your "stuff" is available to you all times, cloud computing may be the way to go. We'll show you how El Capitan and iOS 9 can make your Mac and iPhone/iPad work even closer together than ever before using online services.
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Montly_Meeting_January_2016.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:50am PDT

We've talked so much about security and passwords and the importance of using a password manager rather than that little black book or the Post-It notes you stick near the computer (you're not really doing any of that, right?). Well, the time has come. This is a MUST ATTEND meeting to finally get your head around using a secure password management application. Khad Young from AgileBits will be leading a discussion on 1Password to show you not only why you would need a password manager but also all the cool things 1Password can do. Bring your friends to the meeting and let's spend some time finally prioritizing your computer securityReally.

The new iPad Pro is here and we'll be talking about the pros and cons of the new super-size tablet. Along with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, the iPad Pro becomes the most versatile and powerful tablet available. Can it replace a notebook for you? Well, come and see...

And, now that iOS 9 has been out for a while, we'll spend some time talking about some more subtle and hidden features that haven't been promoted too much by Apple. You'll walk away being able to take better advantage of that supercomputer in your pocket!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_December_2015.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 2:28pm PDT

Lots of new stuff from Apple this month...we'll be showing and talking about the new Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, new iMacs, and, of course, the new Apple TV. We'll demo the new Apple TV and we'll go over the setup process including the using App Store. If you don't yet have an Apple TV, come see what it's all about. If you have one and are considering upgrading, we'll let you know if it makes sense for you.
 
(edit: Apple TV setup was not successful at the meeting. That particular device was faulty and later replaced by Apple).

We'll also talk about some ways to help stop all those junk and robo calls you might get using a really cool and free service. We've got a few new iOS apps to discuss that you might like. And, we will spend more time digging deeper into some not so obvious and hidden features in iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan.

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_20151109_1903.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:21am PDT

LAPUG Monthly Meeting October 2015
OS X El Captian is here! For those of you keeping score, this is officially version 10.11 of the venerable Mac OS. It promises to be an exciting (free) successor to Yosemite and most reviewers have noted it's faster, cleaner and more refined.  Rather than going to a whole new name, Apple selected "El Capitan" to reflect that it's a better version of Yosemite. We'll spend our time discussing how to upgrade, whether your Mac is capable of running El Capitan, and what major features this new OS will bring.

Also, now that iOS 9 has been out for a while, we'll point out a few new features that escaped us back on launch day. You'll like these!  And, we'll show off some of the new features in iPhone 6S now that we have some on hand!
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Montly_Meeting_October_2015.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:20am PDT

Practical security changes you can make TONIGHT that will make you safer. Recommendations have changed for how to protect your data and we’ll go over the latest recommendations as well as the latest concerns for Mac and iOS with an emphasis on giving you control and clear ideas of what to do.

 

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_August_2015.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:14am PDT

LAPUG Monthly Meeting July 2015

Apple Music is here! Apple has made an about-face from over a decade ago when Steve Jobs said that people want to own their music. With Spotify, Pandora and other apps sharing their part of the streaming music market, Apple has now added an all-you-can-eat feature to the iTunes Music Store. We'll spend some time going over how it works and what's different than the competition. We'll also talk about how it compares to Apple's other music service, iTunes Match, and how they can work together.


We'll also go over some news including the public beta releases of OS X El Capitan and iOS 9 as well as the release of Microsoft Office 2016 for Office 365 users. And, a whole bunch more...

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_July_2015.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:05am PDT

Apple is planning an announcement from Cupertino the morning of our meeting. Being a Monday, it is a rare occurrence for us to discuss announcements just made rather than speculate on a presentation that might happen the next day or later in the week. We’ll have a full rundown on what Apple talks about!
 
Yosemite is pretty solid since it came out in the fall and it brings with it lots of new and hidden features. We’ve talked about the main “tentpole” features of Yosemite, but now we’ve had some to time to dig around and there are an amazing amount of “little things” that are pretty cool and can make a big difference in how you use the OS. We’ll spend some time going over a lot of hidden gems.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_March_2015.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 11:57am PDT

January is CES month! Ben, Phil and other LAPUG members that attended will review what was shown in the iLounge area as well as the coming trends in consumer electronics for 2015. 

We’ll also focus on Sandvox. This is a really easy to use web site development tool. We’ll show you how to create a web site and how to upload it to a web server. We’ll also how you how easy it is to post updates and we’ll do it live with our own LAPUG web site.

And one more thing….Are you a slow typist? Are you tired of entering appointments and reminders in your iPhone with the keyboard? Want to know if you need an umbrella this weekend? Want to know how the Lakers or Clippers are doing? Want to know how Apple stock is doing? What about making a restaurant reservation for tonight? All that stuff can easily be done on the iPhone and iPad. But, you’ve got a personal assistant to do that for you and all you need to do is ask. One of Apple’s most innovative features in iOS is also one of the most underused. This month, we’ll spend some time going over all the ways you can use Siri to enhance your iOS experience and make your life a little easier. You already carry around your personal assistant. Why not talk to it once in a while and have it do things for you?
 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_Jan_2015.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:06am PDT

OS X Yosemite has been out for a while and we’re discovering new things it can do every day. This is a great release and it promises to be the best version of OS X yet. Join us at our next meeting as we review not only some great new features in Yosemite but also some must-have Yosemite add-ons you can use to supercharge your Mac.  Bring your Yosemite questions and we’ll enjoy some Q&A to cap off a great 2014 in the Apple world.

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world, review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_December_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:51am PDT

LAPUG Monthly Meeting November 2014
OS X Yosemite is here! Not only that, we’ve got an update to iOS 8 that enables the collaborative functions of Yosemite and iOS working together even more closely. New iMacs and Mac Minis have been released, too!  We’ll review all this news and we’ll spend the most of our meeting going over lots of new Yosemite features and how they work in conjuction with iOS.  This will be the Mac meeting of the season as we all dive into two new operating systems! Don’t miss this meeting!

 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_November_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:10pm PDT

Wow! Lots of cool new stuff this month. iOS 8 has finally been released and we’ve got a pair of gorgeous new iPhones. Apple promises that Apple Pay will replace our credit cards and be the future of digital payments. Also, the mythical Apple Watch has been announced and we’ll talk about what features we can expect from it.  We’ll spend a good portion of our meeting going over a bunch of new features found in iOS 8 and how you can take advantage of them!

 

We'll also talk about why some graphics and images on screen don’t always print out with the same colors. Color calibration is essential to make sure that what you see is REALLY what you get. Our hero, Garry Margolis, will give us an overview of color calibration and explain a few ways you make sure you get the best possible colors out your computer.

 

 

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: 01_LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_October_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 1:19pm PDT

LAPUG Monthly Meeting Sept 2014

Apple must be teasing as, once again, they’ve chosen the morning after our September LAPUG meeting to make some big announcements. They’ll be doing the big show from the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino and this is only the 4th time Apple has made an announcement from this location (with the first being the introduction of the Mac in 1984). The Flint Center seats 2,300 -- over seven times the capacity of Apple’s on-Campus theater and over three times the capacity of the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco which have been the locations of most of the non-conference events Apple has hosted in the last decade. In addition, many in the non-computer industry press have been invited to this event including many in the fashion industry.  All of this, along with the other rumors of what may be released, leads us to wonder how big of an impact these new products may have.

 

We’ll spend our meeting discussing not only what we know about Yosemite and iOS 8 but also some speculation on what hardware products they Apple might and might not release this week.

 

 

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_Sept_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:43am PDT

At our last meeting, we took a little survey of topics members would like us to cover at future meetings. One of those topics had to do with networking and the explanation of IP numbers, how they’re given out, gateways, DNS, switches, routers, bridges, IP port numbers, port forwarding and all the mysterious stuff that Internet companies make you go through. It’s important you understand what all these things are so that you’ll be better equipped to troubleshoot networking issues with your computer equipment.  This could be a full day class for technical folks but we’ll condense it into a short presentation in English for all to understand.

Creating web sites can be an overwhelming experience. When Apple discontinued iWeb a few years ago, many people started looking for alternative tools. There are many out there like Rapidweaver, Dreamweaver and Everweb. This month, we’ll talk about Sandvox and show you a quick and easy way to get great looking web sites with a bunch of bells and whistles.

In light of recent discussions on the LAPUG list, we will once again talk about the importance of unique and strong passwords.

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_August_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:05pm PDT

We're going to look at a few applications to help you get a little more productive in your personal and work lives. Apple provides some apps like Reminders to help you make lists of things to do. But, if you need to keep track of more things than simple to-do lists can handle, or if you need to manage multiple projects, there are lots of apps that can do that sort of thing. This month, we'll look at OmniFocus and how its ecosystem works between OS X and iOS devices.  We'll also look at streamlining things that need to be typed over and over to save you time and help make your typing consistent.  In addition, we'll review things you can do to keep your Mac lean and clean like cleaning out old apps and making sure that all your apps (including non-app store ones) are easily kept up to date.

 

 

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_July_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:19pm PDT

Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) announcements brought lots of new stuff for the Apple world. Announcements for OS X Yosemite, iOS 8 and more! Join us for a recap and discussion of what we will be looking forward to playing with in the coming months. Bring your questions about the new stuff and how it all might affect you and we’ll put it all in perspective. This stuff is cool!!!!

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_June_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:29am PDT

LAPUG Monthly Meeting May 2014

Moving forward with new releases of OS X sometimes means leaving things behind. With the introduction of Lion, Rosetta went away and we lost the ability to run old PowerPC apps (some of which never got updated to Intel). With the introduction of Leopard, we lost the ability to run Classic (OS 9) apps. Of course, pretty much everything is available to us in modern versions of OS X. But, what if you have data that needs to be read from some old app in an unsupported operating system or you need to run some utility that hasn’t been written for a modern Intel-based Mac? You might feel stuck. Fortunately, there are some solutions. We’ll talk about and demonstrate how to run PPC apps, Classic OS 9 apps as well as old Mac apps from the old days (like on a Mac Plus) all on a current Mavericks-based Mac. While we’re on the subject, we’ll also talk about running operating systems on the Mac making it the most universal computer available.

 

We'll also review some more products seen at Macworld | iWorld in March.

 

 

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_May_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:12am PDT

Having an issue with your Mac or iPad? It happens sometimes and, generally speaking, it’s not your fault. We’ll go over some tips and tricks the troubleshooters use to help keep your devices in good working order. This is also an opportunity for your to come on by and ask some questions that have been stumping you so that you can get over that nagging OS X or iOS issue that’s been hounding you for a while.

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_March_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:41pm PDT

If Internet Companies were Countries

http://jaysimons.deviantart.com/art/Map-of-the-Internet-1-0-427143215

 

North Korea’s Red Star OS

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/right-click/north-korea-imitates-apple-os-x-latest-red-152414963.html

 

iOS Tips (forwarded by Dave Whitby)

http://overbidme.com/questions_and_answers/amazing-tricks-every-iphone-and-ipad-user-should-know

 

Skybell Doorbell

http://www.skybell.com

 

Haiku Premium Themes free (2/day Mon-Sat)

In-app purchase

 

Olympics App

 

Adonit Jot Script

 

Pages2PDF

 

Michael Bateman Projector

 

Apps for Connecting to the Cloud

DropBox

SugarSync

Box.net

Documents

Good Reader

Files Connect

Files United

HighTail

Office2

OnLive Desktop

 
And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_February_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:07am PDT

It’s a brand new year and, with it, comes brand new stuff. Of course, the new MacPro is now shipping and some LAPUG users may have already received theirs. Within hours of it going on sale in late December, shipping dates were showing delivery in February so it may be some time before we get some real hands-on experience with it. Nevertheless, we’ll discuss what it offers and if it’s good time to get one.

The 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is the week right before our meeting and since Ben, Phil and a few other LAPUG members attended, we’ll have a wrap-up of new stuff that’s relevant to iOS and OSX users. There’s a whole area of the expo floor dedicated to iOS so we expect a lot of new products to be announced and shown. We’ll bring the show to you!

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_January_2014.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 1:26pm PDT

The dust is settling with OS X Mavericks and new things are upon us. One of those things is a whole new set of iWork applications. We’ll go over the apps along with the changes they bring. We’ll also show you how to get so much more out of templates with iWork apps that can be used with both OS X and iOS versions of iWork. iWork apps on OS X and iOS also share their data over iCloud and we’ll go over how that works as well as reviewing other apps that use cloud syncing as well.

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_December_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:59am PDT

New OS, New MacBooks, New iPads, Oh My!

As expected, October brought us new stuff and we’re pretty excited. OS X Mavericks is out and it’s been a pretty good upgrade. Not only does it introduce several new features but it’s free! New iLife and iWork apps are out and we’ll go over those, too. If you haven’t upgraded to Mavericks yet, we’ll give you some tips for best practices of what to do before upgrading. If you have upgraded and you’ve upgraded iWork and iLife, too, we’ll give you some tips for how to best take advantage of the new features. We’ll also talk about the new iPad Air as well as the unreleased iPad Mini with Retina Display.

And, of course, we'll go over some other current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_November_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 1:58pm PDT

OS 7 is finally here along with new iPhones! You may have already upgraded to iOS 7 on your iPhone or you may be one of the lucky ones to have purchased a new iPhone 5C or iPhone 5s. We'll spend our evening talking about all the new features in iOS 7 along with a bunch of hidden new features and tips. Of course, we'll also discuss and show the new phones including the new iPhone 5s with it's new Touch ID sensor and new camera features.  This will be one of our must attend meetings of the year to turn you into an iOS power user!

We'll also talk about saving your DVD collection to your computers for use on your home network, iPads, iPhones, etc. This will be a great topic of discussion that will address questions LAPUG members have asked very often over the years.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_October_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:19am PDT

Well, WWDC is behind us and we'll discuss a few follow-up tidbits that we didn't get a chance to cover last month.  One of things that a has come up a few times is the topic of Apple IDs -- what they are and how to best manage them. We'll spend some time going over that in detail so if this has been an issue for you, please make it a point to come to this meeting.

 In addition, well talk about a few other things affecting Mac and iOS users including the demise of Google Reader. We'll talk about alternatives and what apps are available to handle your RSS feeds. Some new really cool apps for helping you run your business on your iPad have cropped up and we'll go over that too. There are some great updates with Apple TV that have been released and we'll discuss that, too. And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_July_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 5:58pm PDT

WWDC! Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is on the same day as our June meeting. That's great since it will give us some time to discuss all the announcements to be made that day. What will they talk about? OS X 10.9? iOS 7? New MacBooks? New MacPro? New iPhones or iPads? What about personal computing devices like a watch that the press has been talking about so much?  What about a TV? Well…..

We won't know what they'll actually announce until that morning but you can be sure that we'll cover it all in depth and give you a clear recap of what was discussed.  This will be one of the can't-miss meetings of the year.

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_June_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:54am PDT

Rumors…rumors…rumors!!!  Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) is next month and you know what that means. New Mac OS X to be announced. New iOS to be announced. But, what features will they include? What have you heard? What would you like to see in the new operating systems?  Think there might be new hardware announcements? What about new product categories for Apple? Bring your favorite rumors and let's talk about what would make the ultimate Apple announcements.  Next month, we'll see how close we got as we'll be meeting the same day the announcements will be made.

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_May_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:24am PDT

Piggy-backing on last month's meeting, we'll talk about sharing data using the Cloud between iOS and your Mac. We'll talk about which apps are the most popular for sharing your data and your files and how you can leverage the strengths of various Cloud-based services. You shouldn't rely on just one on service and we'll show you how to integrate the Cloud into your daily work.

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_April_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 5:08pm PDT

Living in the Cloud! No, we're no becoming space cadets…we (and a lot of the industry) are moving the center of the computing world to cloud computing.  At our next meeting, we'll talk about what cloud computing is all about and we'll talk about the different ways your Mac can participate.  In fact, you might not realize it but many of the things you already do are based on Cloud technologies. It's not as terrifying as you might think it is and we'll discuss all the advantages of working with the Cloud-based data. Come to the meeting and let's get your questions about Cloud computing answered!

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_March_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:07am PDT

LAPUG Monthly Meeting February 2013
Macworld | iWorld & MacIT have now come and gone and we'll spend some time at our February meeting reviewing some of the cool things we saw -- conferences and products.  We'll have a nice wrap-up of the events from a bunch of us who spent some time in San Francisco at the end of January and beginning of February.
And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_February_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:07am PDT

We're caught between two large conferences this week. CES just ended and Macworld | iWorld comes at the end of the month. At our next meeting, we'll have a little recap of some of the activities that might have interested Mac and iOS users at CES in Las Vegas. The iLounge pavilion was fairly large and lots of iOS-related stuff was on display. In addition, many other companies announced products with a Mac or iOS tie-in and we'll go over some of the highlights.
And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

If you're thinking about attending Macworld | iWorld in San Francisco (Jan 30 through Feb 2), you'll want to register for the free expo pass. 

In the past, the Users Conference has been a few hundred dollars. This year, it's called the iFan pass and it's only $50 (before Jan 30 and $100 at the door)!  This gives you access to the expo but also access to all the TechTalks (this is a fantastic deal!).

You can register for either one of these at https://2013.macworldiworld.com/portal/reg/catalog.ww
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_January_2013.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 6:57pm PDT

It's Been How Long?
 
Can you believe it's been 20 years since LAPUG was created?  The group was originally created in 1992 as a Special Interest Group (SIG) of the old Los Angeles Macintosh User Group (LAMG) -- one of the largest user groups in the world with a membership of over 5,000 at its peak. Monthly meetings back in the early 1990s peaked at over 600-700 attendees per meeting!!  For those of you who were with us back then (and there are quite a few!), remember our meetings at the DWP auditorium in downtown LA? What about the meetings at the school in Santa Monica before that?! Of course, that was before the Internet got really popular and Mac users got their info directly on their computer. The LAMG and all the large user groups died out but the LAPUG group has only grown since then (we have a membership of over 300) and we've had a lot of fun.
In the mid-90's, the LAPUG became a fully recognized user group with Apple and we've focused on lots of portable technologies -- starting with the original PowerBooks (I've still got a PB 170 lying around), the Newton (got a few of those too), Palm and other related handhelds,Treos, MacBooks, iPods, iPhones and, of course, iPads. Who knows what's to come.
We're going to celebrate our 20 years with a special pot luck party for our December 10th (at 7:00 pm) meeting.
Of course, we'll have some tech talk! We'll talk about the new iMacs that were just went on sale last week as well as the new iTunes. The new iPad Mini with LTE is now shipping (we've got one of those, too) and we'll talk about a few really cool apps and utilities that have been introduced to make up for some missing features in Mountain Lion. And, of course, we'll spend some time with Q&A.
Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_December_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 7:01am PDT

The new iPads are here! The hit is the new iPad Mini and we'll have a few to show. It's incredibly light yet powerful and it's just as powerful as its big brother. The iPad 4th Generation (full size) was also released and we'll talk about what's new.

We'll also review some of the hit apps on the App Store -- productivity, social networking and some really cool games that will exercise your mind.

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_November_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:11pm PDT

(In the same voice as Steve Martin in "The Jerk")
"The new iPhones are here! The new iPhones are here!". And so is iOS 6!!  We'll review both of Apple's newest toys and we'll spend a lot of time going over all the new features in iOS. If you have an older iPhone, we'll tell you what features you'll have and what you won't so you'll know if it's time to upgrade or not. 

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_October_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

Security!  We'll talk a bit more about securing your Mac and, more importantly, your data and your online profiles. You might have heard about a major security breach that affected a writer for Wired magazine recently. We'll talk about what happened (he was using a Mac, iCloud, iPhone, iPad and more) and how he might have avoided some of the problems and how some of it was beyond his control. We'll also discuss some techniques and utilities that can help you not only remember your login information but also help keep all your secret data really secure.  This is probably one of the most important topics we'll discuss all year.

As we all know, Apple has an announcement coming up on August 12. Could it be iOS 6? Could it be a new iPhone? Could it be new iPods or iPads? New iMacs? New blenders?  We'll take a stab at guessing what might be released.

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_Sept_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:47pm PDT

So, the big news is that Mountain Lion is here!! Last month, we talked about getting prepared for Mountain Lion and making sure that you've not only got up-to-date software but whether your Mac would run Mountain Lion at all. This month, we'll dive in to Mountain Lion and show you all the ins and outs of this new cat! We'll also review some little known tips that we're uncovering that haven't been widely discussed. If you're about to jump on the Mountain Lion bandwagon, you'll definitely want to know what all the hoopla is about!

Also, continuing a bit on our photography theme, we'll show what might possibly be the best point and shoot camera made -- the Sony RX100. We'll also discuss management of images in iPhoto. We've often come across very large iPhoto libraries that have become slow, unwieldy and difficult to manage. We've also come across situations where people have stored their images in multiple iPhoto libraries -- often across multiple Macs! We've got some great techniques and tools to help you overcome iPhoto nightmares including dealing with duplicate images that are just taking up room. This will be great way to learn more about iPhoto, too!

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_August_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 9:22am PDT

Portable Digital Photography!!  There have been SO many advances in digital photography in the last few years, it's almost like a whole new medium compared to just three or four years ago.  With the advent of much larger CCDs (charge coupled devices), greater Megapixels and more powerful lenses, the images we can capture are incredible with the newer cameras. Built-in hi-def video, HDR (high dynamic range), panorama features, and other concepts are things we'll go over and we'll have some newer state-of-the-art cameras to talk about how all this is done. If you're looking to get a new camera, this month's meeting will certainly help you pick out the features important to you.

Still not on the social network bandwagon? We'll spend some time talking about the different networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus and others. You certainly don't have to be on all of them but you should be on at least one to know what all the hee-haw is about and how you can benefit as a Mac user. Apple thinks it's so important that they're building Twitter support in iOS and the forthcoming Mountain Lion. We'll also talk about some of the newer apps for iOS and OS X that can connect to these networks to give you the best experience.

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_May_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 4:07am PDT

With the new iPad here as well as some updated apps to take advantage of that gorgeous Retina Display, we'll have some more fun demonstrating cool uses of the iPad.

We'll also talk about Mountain Lion coming out this summer and what implications it might have for you and your Macs. 

There's some Java malware out there and we'll review what it is, how it may affect you and what you can do to avoid it altogether.

And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_April_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:28am PDT

There's lots of news this month! First and foremost, the new iPad has been announced and will start to arrive at the end of this week. If you haven't yet ordered yours or you're "on the fence", we'll discuss all the new features and we'll try to help you make a decision one way or the other. It looks really cool, though!

A bunch of software updates have enhanced both the iPhone and iPad with iOS 5.1. We'll go over how to get this update (you don't need a computer!) and what it brings. We're discovering new little things each day.

iPhoto for iOS has been released and it rounds out Apple's iLife suite for iOS. We'll show it off and show you how you can replace some functionality for the defunct MobileMe Web Photo Galleries. And, we'll have a really cool surprise application that will change how we can demo software for the group. This is something you might want to get for yourself!

We'll also talk about Mountain Lion coming out this summer and what implications it might have for you and your Macs. And, of course, we'll go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_March_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 11:56am PDT

Macworld | iWorld, Mac IT and CES have all come and gone and we'll report on what we thought of the shows and conferences along with some demos, photos and discussions of some new stuff we saw.

We've also been seeing a lot of discussion about speech-to-text apps with iOS. Siri on the iPhone 4S is Apple's built-in tool for converting your spoken words into typed text. We'll spend a little time on some Siri tips and tricks but we'll also review some other programs that will save you some typing on the keyboard.

We'll also go over some current events in the OS X world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_Feb_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 4:59pm PDT

Happy New Year!  Got a new iPad, iPod or iPhone for the holidays? You'll definitely want to come to our meeting this month as we're the group that talks about Apple's iOS products and how they integrate into your daily personal and business life.

This month, we'll talk a bit about some alternative products to the built-in apps (Calendar, Music, Weather, Stocks, Notes, Reminders, Camera, etc). Although Apple provides some wonderful basic apps, there are many other applications available that provide more features and might fit better with your needs. Some of the apps that come on iPhones don't come on iPads so you might not even know what you're missing. This will be a great meeting to get to know the best apps to carry around for your core iOS needs.

We'll also go over some current events in the Mac world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps, talk about a few rumors before Macworld | iWorld and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_Jan_2012.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 10:02am PDT

Of course we've all heard the sad news that the world has lost Steve Jobs. Many LAPUG members have expressed their feelings about what he has meant to them on our mailing list and in private emails.  We'll spend some time talking about the impact he has made on our lives. If you have a special story you'd like to briefly share, feel free to come on by and let us know.

But there's other news in Apple land and that, of course, is the new iPods, iOS 5 and the new iPhone 4S.  We review the new features in iOS 5 as well as specific new features found in the iPhone 4S.  

We also go over some current events in the Mac world as well as review some cool Mac & iOS apps and leave some time for Q&A.

Direct download: LAPUG_Monthly_Meeting_October_2011.mp3
Category:User Group Meeting -- posted at: 8:18am PDT

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