Smile “adjusts” TextExpander plans

Posted on by Peter

Smile Software introduced a new version of its popular keyboard shortcut utility for Mac and iOS (and now for Windows), TextExpander. Sweeping changes to the way the app works and its payment model – switching from a perpetual license to a subscription program – caused significant user backlash. So Smile on Tuesday announced “adjustments” to TextExpander to make the transition less painful for its customers.

Among the changes is a lifetime discount for existing users to migrate to the new service. What’s more, the company plans to continue to sell and support the previous versions of TextExpander for OS X and iOS.

Smile’s likely to have lost some customers who have already moved or will move to other shortcut utilities, but this should stave off most of the bleeding. Greg Scown admits that Smile fumbled the TextExpander launch and promised to do better in the future.

I don’t think Scown and company are wrong to evolve TextExpander to a service instead of just an application. Obviously you can’t blindly reinvent your product around the idea of switching the payment model, but that doesn’t mean new payment models shouldn’t be tried.

The Apple Watch is a dud? Some dud

Posted on by Peter

Re/code posted the results of an Apple Watch survey earlier this week that garnered some chatter on the Mac social web – the attention-grabbing headline concluded that the Apple Watch was perceived as a dud, though the article and the research it was based on show a much different perspective from, y’know, actual Apple Watch users.

I’ve had my Apple Watch since June of 2015, and have worn it with an exception or two every day since then. It’s single-handedly changed my mind about wearables, which I thought of largely as frivolous and unnecessary, for narcissists and obsessive athletes but having little practical purpose.

IMG 9139 1

Obviously I was wrong.

In the months before I got my Apple Watch, I underwent a profound medical change following gastric bypass surgery. I rapidly lost weight for the first time in my adult life and started to exercise more. The Apple Watch came out at a perfect time, when I began tracking my exercise and activity much more consistently than before. I also found the Apple Watch to be enormously helpful in reminding me to take the myriad supplements I need to take throughout the day to help maintain my health.

Quite frankly, these are tasks I’d certainly be able to manage without the Apple Watch, but with it it’s less executive function work for me. It just happens.

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I’ve found other great uses for it, too. I take calls on the Apple Watch regularly (when I’m home and it’s socially acceptable to do so, anyway). I use Siri on the Apple Watch every chance I get. Checking the kitchen for supplies and adding things to the grocery list, for example. Or sending text messages to family members.

One of my most-used Apple Watch apps is the Remote app, which lets me navigate my Apple TV menus without needing to look for the pesky, tiny, infinitely losable remote control that ships with the Apple TV.

I’ve installed a few third-party applications that offer some nice benefits for Apple Watch users, like an app to control my Elgato Avea and Calcbot.

I was there when the Mac was young. I was there when the iPhone was young. And I recognize the same nascent qualities in watch OS and the Apple Watch. It’s not a finished product, any more than the Mac or iPhone are, 30 and almost 10 years later, respectively. This isn’t a product that Apple is going to walk away from, and it’s just going to keep getting better.

Looking for a good deal on a Mac? Go with an Apple refurb

Posted on by Peter

People love Macs, but sometimes don’t love the price tags that come with them. We can debate the price of the Mac compared with a PC, compare total cost of ownership, the value of the software Apple bundles with the computer and more to judge whether that price is fair, but the bottom line is that a lot of people are looking for a deal. The good news is that there are deals to be had – straight from Apple.

Apple sells refurbished Macs (and other Apple gear) directly from their online store, and the savings can be dramatic. Most of the gear they sell is either current-model or previous-model systems, and the availability is catch as catch can. You don’t have the same configure-to-order flexibility that you do buying a new machine. Savings typically run 15 to 30 percent, but you can find some spectacular deals if you look.

 

Refurb

 

I see other companies like Other World Computing selling used Mac gear online for less – so why bother buying from Apple at all when you can get a cheaper system used? There’s a difference between refurbished and used – Apple’s refurbed gear has been returned in a fairly short period of time from when it was purchased, and it’s thoroughly gone over to make sure it’s in good shape. You’ll get the hardware delivered in a plain cardboard box instead of Apple’s usual packaging, but it’s indistinguishable from new. I’ve bought two computers and a few accessories from Apple as refurbished, and years later they still work great.

Another big advantage buying refurbed from Apple is that the gear is eligible for coverage under AppleCare, Apple’s extended service plan. Especially if you’re planning on getting a Mac laptop or other mobile device, I think AppleCare is money well spent: it triples the duration of the warranty from one to three years from the date of purchase, and if you do need to use it, you’ll likely make your money back (plus more) after the first repair – parts aren’t cheap, and Apple-certified labor isn’t, either.

How to remove Flash on the Mac

Posted on by Peter

Word has emerged about a “ransomware” exploit involving Adobe Flash. Adobe has responded with an update. The ransomware exploit is, for now, limited to users of Windows, but the update has been made to all supported platforms, so it’s an update to essential Flash code, not just something Windows-ish.

This illustrates that you need to be very careful about what you keep on your computer, and that you may want to periodically rethink the software you have installed.

To that end, if you absolutely need Adobe Flash to access content on the web that you need, at least make sure you’ve updated to the most recent version. Following another heinous Flash problem last March, I posted details about to update Flash safely on your Mac.

Those some rules apply today if you need to update. But if you don’t need Flash, you’ll be better off without it all together. It’s a gaping security problem, can cause performance and battery drain issues and is increasingly irrelevant to the web as more developers use HTML5 and other media-rich non-proprietary tech.

So why not remove it all together? If you already have Flash installed on your Mac and you’ve decided that enough is enough, here’s how to get rid of it once and for all.

How to remove Adobe Flash from the Mac

  1. Open your Utilities folder.
  2. Double-click on Adobe Flash Player Install Manager.Flash 1
  3.  Click the Uninstall button.Flash 2
  4. Type your administrator password and click OK.Flash 3
  5. The software will then remove Adobe Flash software from your computer.Flash 4

Once it’s done, and you quit, the removal app should disappear all together.

If you ever want to reinstall Adobe Flash Player, simply visit Adobe’s web site and download the installer.

Also, bear in mind that it’s perfectly fine to have a Mac that doesn’t have Flash installed but still access Flash content. The trick is to use Google’s Chrome browser. Chrome “sandboxes” Flash inside itself, so you can still see Flash content on the web without it possibly affecting the rest of your computer.

Pangea’s sale is the end of an era

Posted on by Peter

For almost as long as there’s been a Mac, Pangea Software has been making games and other software for Apple devices. Today Brian Greenstone, Pangea’s founder, announced in an email that he’s retiring from game development and plans to sell the business. It’s the end of an era, especially for old-school Mac gamers like me.

Pangea got started in 1987, originally as an Apple II developer, but Greenstone found his most solid footing as the developer of Mac games. From the mid 90s to the mid-oughts, every consumer Mac shipped from Apple came with a Pangea game. The company successfully transitioned to iOS after Apple released programming tools for developers. All told, Pangea shipped more than a dozen games for the Mac and close to a dozen and a half for iOS, along with some utility software too.

Greenstone is in no hurry to sell Pangea and says he’ll only do it if he can find a buyer who promises to carry on the company’s legacy. “Pangea still has a decent revenue stream, and lots of IP assets, not to mention a contact network that many developers would cut off their right leg to get,” said Greenstone. So the games won’t disappear tomorrow, nor will they stop working – he plans to continue to support and update his existing library, he just won’t do any new development.

My first experience with Pangea was with a Centipede clone called Firefall, circa 1993. I loved classic arcade games and I loved gaming on the Mac, so Firefall was like catnip for me.

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Pangea followed with a string of hits like Power Pete, published by MacPlay and later resurrected as Mighty Mike. More hits followed: the flying game Nanosaur, the racing game Cro-Mag Rally, a hilarious send-up of 50s B-movie Sci Fi called Otto Matic, the colorful, fun action game Bugdom, and the challenging physics puzzler Enigmo, along with a string of sequels. Most of these ultimately found their way to iOS, which helped a new generation of gamers become familiar with Greenstone’s work.

Greenstone, for his part, has found new professional and personal satisfaction in something about as far away from software development as you can imagine: Mineral and fossil sales. I wish him the best of luck in his new endeavor. I only hope he can find a new owner for Pangea who can carry the legacy forward for a new generation of Mac and iOS gamers.

 

WatchOS 2.2 improves maps, more

Posted on by Peter

Apple on Monday released an update to the operating system that powers its smartwatch, the Apple Watch. WatchOS 2.2 is now available for download (use your iPhone to check for the latest version, and update when your Apple Watch is on its magnetic charging stand).

Among the changes to version 2.2 is an improved Maps app. The Maps app adds a new interface layer that makes it a one-tap process to get directions to home or to work. You can also easilly search for locations, find your location, or spot nearby attractions with just a tap. Here are a couple of screenshots showing the new capabilities.

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I’ve found the Maps app to be useful, but slow. It’ll be interesting to see if performance is an area that Apple’s improved at all. Still, it’s great to get turn-by-turn directions on the watch, because it taps your wrist when it’s time to turn, saving you from having to look at a screen and distract yourself.

iPad Pro gets the screen treatment some Mac pros want

Posted on by Peter

On Monday Apple introduced a new version of the iPad Pro, smaller than before but equipped with the same technology as its big sibling: Smart Connector to attach an external keyboard, A9 processor inside, Apple Pencil support. One comment from Apple VP Phil Schiller caught my ear, though – he explained that the smaller iPad Pro has a low-reflectance screen. Apple says that it’s 40 percent less reflective than the iPad Air 2, which Schiller said professionals really love.

 

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It’s an interesting comment, because all Apple laptops all come with glossy screens — much to the chagrin of many tech professionals who rely on Mac laptops to do their work. 

Apple used to offer matte and glossy screens as an option on MacBook Pros, but did away with the option a number of years ago. Since then, numerous complaints have been lodged on discussion forums, there have even been online petition drives, and editorials written, but Apple hasn’t relented. All Mac laptops ship with glossy screens. You might be able to add a matte screen protector (Moshi makes a nice one called the iVisor AG), but that’s about it.

Color and sharpness on Apple laptops – especially Retina display equipped models – is marvelous, and continues to improve. But glare is a huge problem. If you are trying to use your laptop in a brightly-lit environment, or if the sun is over your shoulder, the glare makes it awful to try to get work done. I’ve even read comments from photographers who say that if they’re using their Macs for live editing, they’ve learned to wear dark clothing to avoid reflecting off the glossy screen.

As far as I can tell, Apple did away with the option to simplify its product line, lower production costs, and probably because, quite frankly, the matte option was a niche option that a relatively small number of Mac users really wanted. Mac laptops continue to sell in droves. But some customers still complain loudly that they’d like the option. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro gives us hope that one day, Apple might change its mind again.

Another heinous Flash problem? Update Flash on your Mac now!

Posted on by Peter

Today brings word of an important update to Adobe Flash that fixes “critical vulnerabilities” that could let hackers take control of your system. The new version is 21.0.0.182, and it’s available for immediate download from Adobe’s web site.

Flash, and fake Flash installers, have become major ways that malware developers introduce corrupted payloads onto personal computers. So you need to be very careful when you use Flash, when you update it, or when you respond to pop-up messages that tell you to update Flash right away. 

If you already have Adobe Flash installed and you want to make sure you’re using the latest version, follow these simple steps.

  1. Click on the  menu and select System Preferences.

Sys pref

  1. Click on Flash Player.

Flash player

  1. Click on the Updates tab.

Updates

  1. Click on the Check Now button.

Check now

 

If an update exists, the Flash Player system preference will begin to prompt you to download and install the latest Flash update. If no update exists, the Flash Player will tell you Flash is up to date.