LAPUG Monthly Meeting October 2016

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.

Check out this episode!

LAPUG Monthly Meeting August 2016

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!

Check out this episode!

LAPUG Monthly Meeting July 2016

-- 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.

Check out this episode!

LAPUG Monthly Meeting June 2016

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.

Check out this episode!

LAPUG Monthly Meeting May 2016

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.

Check out this episode!

LAPUG Monthly Meeting April 2016

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 -- Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, iPad. They've also created a few products that haven't done so well -- Apple III, Lisa, Macintosh Portable, Pippin, MacTV, Quadra with DOS Card, hockey puck Mouse, Apple HiFi, G4 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! 

Check out this episode!

LAPUG Monthly Meeting March 2016

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.

Check out this episode!