COMPUTER CONNECTIONS � January 2013
Apple has posted updates to their Wi-Fi and EFI firmware for the most recent Macs released in 2012.
Mac Wi-Fi Update 1.0 � they recommend this update for later in 2012 Mac computers. This improves performance while using the 5GHz band as you connect to Wi-Fi. The Mac has to be running OS X 10.8.2.
MacBook Pro Retina EFI Update version 1.1 � they recommend this update for later in 2012 MacBook Pro with 13� Retina display. This also improves: compatibility in the 5GHz Wi-Fi band; enhanced support for the Thunder-bolt router; sleep performance and fixes an HDMI display problem. The Mac has to be running OS X 10.8.1 or later.
iMac EFI Update 2.0 - they recommend this update for later in 2012 iMacs. This improves 5GHz Wi-Fi compatibility; sleep fuction performance and Thunderbolt use. The Mac has to be running OS X 10.8.1 or later.
http://support.apple.com/downloads
Facebook will institute a new �terms of service� for its Instagram users on January 16, 2013. Their photo-sharing service will run according to the following post:
�To help us deliver interesting, paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata) and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.�
To put it lightly, this has infuriated both hobbyists and professionals alike. Just check out social networks, where the buzz is all about this post. After this huge outpouring, Facebook has promised to remove the language. They say they never intended to sell users photos, rather it included this paragraph to accommodate their new ad incorporation. According to Instagram, these terms were not really different from the existing terms of service. There was a broad statement that allowed Instagram the right to publish user�s photo�s royalty-free using any media channel. This gave them the ability to bill advertisers when they used photos of Instagram users. The only changes are the language and specificity. If they are guilty of anything, it is that they have written their terms of service in plain English! No jargon, catch-phrased long-winded drawn-out text, with the message - We can take your photo, sell it and don�t have to compensate you for that action! Outrageous? Yes. But are Instagram users ready and willing to trade their many followers and exposure on Instagram because they have put in plain English what they have been doing all along? Some have already fled the service, with more expected to leave. There are several alternatives to Instagram. You can use Flickr (by Yahoo), Magic Hour (app by Kiwiple), Via.Me (app by RadiumOne), Hipstamatic (app by Synthetic Corp.), PhotoToaster (app by East Coast Pixel) and Camerbag (app by Nervecenter).
Warning � although these apps bring more and different features, their privacy policy and terms of service may be just as egregious or worse that Instagram. A word to the wise � don�t expect anything you post on-line, whether photos or text, to be safe, and totally under your control and ownership!
Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8 users) � here are some tips in locating those System Preferences that may make using your Mac computer a bit easier:
To start � click the Apple menu in the upper left corner of the screen and select System Preferences (or you can click the System Preferences icon in the dock). In the System Preferences window, you will see Preference Panes grouped in categories � System; Hardware; Personal and Internet; and Wireless. Any third party panes will be under Other.
Personal preferences create the look and feel of the Mac OS and you can set your security preferences here.
Internet and Wireless let you set preferences for Internet and network connections, sharing, plus your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi settings.
Hardware sets peripheral and hardware preferences.
System sets preferences that weren�t included in the previous categories.
Under Personal, General Preferences lets you: set scrollbars; colors and icons; font smoothing and saving. Also under Personal are Desktop and Screen Saver preferences. For more advanced users, you can configure the Screen Saver to trigger a password protection mode: Under Security and Privacy system preference, select the General tab. Click the lock icon at the bottom of the window and then enter your username and password. Look for the option �Require password/some amount of time/after sleep or screen saver begins. Configure the pop-up menu to read immediately. That�s it! When your Mac goes to sleep or the screensaver starts, you will have to enter your account password before being able to use the computer.
Save this password somewhere (not on your computer) in case you forget it. I encourage you to explore these preferences that will improve your Mac experience!
Facebook is in the process of introducing changes that will affect users privacy. They are adding a Privacy Shortcuts control that will show up along side the home button in the Facebook title bar. Now users can: see who can view content you posted to Facebook, block content to some people, and to allow some users to contact you on your Facebook Web page. Users can do these actions with a single click! The Activity log is also being improved. It is found under the cover photo of your Timeline Page. Click on this, and you can find items posted to your Timeline; and find content, in which you have been tagged, in chronological order. Now you can easily remove content you have been tagged in from your Timeline, as well as from the Timeline itself. On the activity Log, there are controls that determine who sees the content and how it is handled. A filter allows fast location of Activity Log items. You can also hide items from your Timeline too. Facebook also is adding a contextual education feature. As you make a privacy-oriented instruction, there will be a pop-up explainer to help you understand the effects of the action you have taken. This helps you handle your content on Facebook in determining where it will reside and who can view it! On the negative side, Facebook is changing its search feature. The ability to hide when searching is going away.
These changes will occur slowly, so you won�t notice them all at once. As always � be careful on-line!
Mac crashed? � If your Mountain Lion system equipped Mac computer won�t boot, try this (at your own risk of course):
Run Disk Utility
1) Be sure it�s off. Hold down the power button until it�s off (if it�s frozen).
2) Hold down the Command and R keys, and power up the Mac as usual.
3) See the screen OS X utilities. Release Command and R keys.
4) Click on Disk Utility, and then click on the hard drive (that�s inside your Mac) on the left column (if there are two listings, click on the bottom one).
5) On the lower right of Disk Utility, click Verify Disk and wait.
6) If it finds errors, click Repair disk. This may work. If not, then:
Safe Boot
1) Be sure it�s off.
2) Hold down the Shift key and power up the Mac as usual.
3) If you want to see what is actually happening on screen, hold down Shift, Command and V � this is Safe Boot and Verbose mode.
4) If the Mac doesn�t start up automatically after this, restart it from the Apple menu. If it does start up normally, you are back in business. If not, then:
FSCK
1) Be sure it�s off.
2) Hold Command and S and power up the Mac as usual.
3) Release the keys when the black screen displays white text. You are now in Single User Mode.
4) Wait until the command-line appears (when all the text has scrolled past). At that prompt type fsck -fy (exactly, in lower case with a space between the k and the hyphen) and hit return. Now wait�
5) After the drive undergoes up to 5 different checks you will see either of these two dialogs: �The Volume (Mac�s name) appears to be OK� or �File System was modified.� If you see that it�s OK, then type reboot and press return. If it says it was modified, run fsck -fy again (press up arrow once and hit return).
6) If the Mac doesn�t say that the Volume is OK, then:
Reset the NVRAM
1) Be sure it�s off.
2) Hold down Command, Option, P, R and power up as usual. Older Mac users may remember zapping the PRAM. This is similar.
3) You will hear the start-up audio and the Mac will hopefully start. Some people wait until they hear the audio a second time, and then let go of the keys.
4) You will see a progress bar on screen. If all goes well, it finishes and your Mac is running. If not:
Reinstall Mountain Lion
1) Go back to Disk Utility and boot into Recovery Mode (see beginning of this article).
2) Click to reinstall Mountain Lion, following the on-screen prompts.
3) If this doesn�t work (are you still with me?), then:
Head to the Apple Genius bar�.
Remember, do not do any above if it is not with in your comfort zone or knowledge. There is the potential to make things worse. Do any of the above at your own risk!
HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR!
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