Many of my clients maintain two homes and want full computer access wherever they go. Some have a laptop, others have two iMacs. Often, keeping things current between their computers becomes a hassle.

A laptops is a viable solution if you don’t mind carrying it and you don’t need a big screen. Two iMacs gives you big screens but you have to copy your files, sync your information and update both computers as new software becomes available.

A third option is to buy one Mac Mini and then just purchase a monitor, keyboard and mouse for each location. (You can even use your current keyboard and mouse with the Mini.) The Mac-Mini is a complete computer, with a DVD drive, 5 USB ports and 2GB or 4GB of RAM and your choice of Hard Drive sizes.

The Mini is just 6.5 x 6.5 x 2 inches and weighs less than 3 pounds, making it really easy to carry back and forth. You just unplug it from one monitor and keyboard, travel, then plug it in to your other monitor when you arrive. Read all the tech specifications here.

It’s a great solution that will eliminate a lot of hassle and extra work so that you can just arrive and start Mac-ing!

If you’d like help transferring your current computer stuff to this new and easy solution, call or email me today!

Favorite iPhone App of the Month: Solitaire

Admit it–you like to play Solitaire. It relaxes you, clears your mind and it’s fun. So why not play on your iPhone? There are a lot of Solitaire games available in the App store. My favorite is Sol Free Solitaire, with 6 free versions of the game including 2 versions of Klondike and Baker’s Game.

Instead of dragging cards, just tap once on the card you want to move, then tap where you want to move it.

iChat is Apple’s FREE video chatting software. You can use it to talk and video chat with anyone who has a Mac. (Use Skype to talk with PC users.) All you have to do is create a free identity and you’re ready to go!

When you open iChat for the first time it will ask you to put in your account name. If you have a MobileMe account, click on the word AIM and change it to “MobileMe” then type in your information, along with your password and click Done.

If you don’t have a MobileMe account, click on the word AIM and change it to “mac.com” and then click Get an iChat Identity.

Fill in all of the boxes, accept the agreement, click Done and you’re set up to iChat.

Now you just need to add the Identities of the people you want to chat with.

If you’d like to try it out, Add me to your Buddy List by clicking the PLUS sign at the bottom of the Buddy List window. My iChat identity is mactoschool@mac.com

The next time you see me online, click on my name and we can chat!

Getting the Most Life Out of Your Batteries

A signature automatically appears at the bottom of your email. It can be your name, your contact information, even a favorite quote. You can create several different signatures and choose which one you want for a particular email.

To create a signature:
First, create a new email message so you have a place to type
Type everything you want to appear, including choosing the font, size, color
Highlight it all
From the Edit menu, choose Copy

Then, under the Mail menu, choose Preferences
Click on the Signatures icon
Click the “+” sign at the bottom of the middle column to create a new signature
Title it
In the right column, click the cursor, then, from the Edit menu, choose Paste
Your typed text will appear
To actually USE the signature, you have to now assign it to an email account.
Drag that named signature from the middle column to on top of the email address in the left column that you want to use it with
Click on that email address and, at the bottom, under Choose Signature, decide whether you always want that signature to appear or, if you choose None, then you can select the signature when you want to use it in a particular email

Spring Cleaning in Your Inbox
So many of us receive all kinds of emails from companies, newsletters from organizations, shopping specials from our favorite stores. They can quickly clutter our Inboxes and, often, we don’t even read them.
Instead of just deleting them, take a moment to UNSUBSCRIBE. At the bottom of every business email you will find a link to change your settings, or Unsubscribe. Click the link, change your preferences and soon, your Inbox will be less cluttered with junk.

Fun with Facebook
Facebook is a free online service that allows you to find old friends, share your photos, connect with people with common interests. Facebook allows you to post public comments on your Wall and your friends then see your comments and can comment back. You can even send private notes to your Friends.

Facebook is a great way to share good news, favorite websites and stay in touch with people.

The key to using to Facebook is taking the time to set your Privacy Preferences so that the whole world doesn’t have access to your comments and posts.

To set your Privacy Preferences, log in to your Facebook account

Click on Account in the top right corner and choose Privacy Settings

Click on each of the sections and choose WHO can see your information. I recommend only Friends, not even Friends of Friends.

Also, it is recommended to limit the amount of personal information you share. To change your information, first click on Profile in the top right corner. Then, in the left column under your picture, click Edit Profile.

If you want to include your birthday, it’s best to not include the year. You can make this choice from the pull down menu below where you enter your birthday.

You may choose to include your high school if you want to be found by former classmates.

Be sure to Save Your Changes when you’re done.

FAVORITE iPHONE APP OF THE MONTH:

LOSE IT!: If you looking for a way to keep track of what you eat, Lose It! is a great, free app that tracks your meals, your exercise, your weight goals. You enter your foods and the serving size and LOSE IT! keeps a log of the calories consumed. You also enter your exercise and it calculates the calories burned. You can track nutritional values as well. Then, with a click of a button you can see where you are in your daily food and exercise budget.

And the data automatically uploads to the free LOSE IT! website so you can print spreadsheets of your weekly progress.

Move Your Dock
For many people with laptops, having the Dock positioned at the bottom of the screen causes accidental clicks on icons. Try moving your Dock to the left or right of the screen to give you more vertical space. From the Apple menu, choose Dock. Follow the arrow over and click on Position on Left or Right.

Keeping an Icon in the Dock
If you use a program often but the icon keeps disappearing, don’t panic. The next time it is there, click and hold on the icon to reveal a menu. Choose Keep In Dock or, if you don’t see that choice, click on Options and then choose Keep In Dock.

Changing the Batteries on Your Mouse or Keyboard
It’s best to turn off the computer before changing the batteries. This way, when you restart, the mouse and keyboard are automatically recognized and ready to go.

Scanning with Snow Leopard
If you’ve been using a version of your printer software to scan and now it doesn’t work, it’s because Snow Leopard has built-in scanning capabilities. Open Preview (found in the Applications folder in the Hard Drive.) From the File menu, choose Import from Scanner and follow the arrow to the right to choose your scanner. Click Scan to start and then follow the on-screen directions.

Favorite iPhone App of the Month
Around Me: This app helps you find the closest gas station, pharmacy, hotel—you name it. It includes maps, phone numbers, even street view photos so you can recognize the location as you’re driving by.

Mac to School’s training programs promote this mind-body style of learning. You start with the basics and build on the skills you will need to accomplish your particular tasks. As the student, you sit in front of the computer, mouse in hand, as you learn each new skill.

Your mind and your body stay focused on learning the new tasks and everything is written down, step by step, so that you have clear and easy to understand instructions to follow as you practice.

One on one training is done in your home where it is comfortable and quiet and without distractions. We customize your computer to meet your needs, adjusting the font sizes for easier reading, adding tools to your favorite programs. And if I see some shortcuts that you might be ready to use, I’ll teach you those, too, and write them down so that you will remember them.

This proven style of teaching has given thousands of users great computer skills and, more importantly, the confidence to thrive in this ever-changing world of technology.

Color-Code Your Folders

It’s easier to find things when they’re color-coded. Click one on the folder (or document) you want to color. Click on the File menu. the last choice shows your color choices. Choose one. When you click off of the item, you’ll see the color applied.

Fun Mail with Apple Mail

If you want to send fancy emails, try using the STATIONERY feature in Apple Mail. Click NEW MESSAGE. In the top right corner of your toolbar, click SHOW STATIONERY. You’ll see several templates or pre-designed emails. Click in the categories on the left to see more choices. Choose one and then you can customize it with your own pictures and text.

Adding Photos to Apple Mail

The easiest way to add photos to your email and even to Mail’s Stationery is to click on the Photo Browser icon in the top right corner of the toolbar. All of your iPhoto images will appear. Just click on the picutre you want and drag it into the body of your email.

iCal Calendar Colors

You can change the colors of your calendars in iCal to suit your preferences. Click once on the Calendar you want to change. From the File menu, Choose Get Info. The current color is displayed on the right side. Click on the arrows to see more color choices. Click Other to open the Color palette, where you can choose any color in the rainbow.

Print Your Address Book

Apple’s Address Book has many printing options so that you can take your lists with you and also, so that you have a backup hard copy. You can print your entire Address Book or just selected Groups. You can print all of a person’s information or just their name, email address and phone number. You can also use the Address Book to print mailing labels and envelopes.

First, choose who you want to print by selecting names or a group. Then, under the File menu, choose Print. From the STYLE pulldown menu, choose to print envelopes, mailing labels or a list. You can modify the layout of the labels, choose which fields print in a list. Some things are not changeable.

Favorite iPhone App of the Month

Dragon Dictation: Record a memo and easily turn it into an email, faster than you can say Dragon Dictation!

Dragon Dictation is a free app (my favorite kind) from the same people that make the voice recognition software for your computer. Just tap a button to record and then you have the choice to edit the text, send it to Email or as a Text Message.

When we sit at our desks, our shoulders are hunched forward, our neck is stiff, our heart is closed. It is so important to regularly counter this posture with stretches and movement.

Take regular breaks from sitting in front of your computer

Get up from your desk and raise your arms slowly over your head. Grab your left wrist with your right hand and gently tug, feeling the stretch in your side body. Breathe into the space. Switch hands and stretch your other side, breathing into the stretch.

Shrug your shoulders up. Really squeeze them toward your ears. Then release. Do this several times, feeling the tightness dissolve. Roll your shoulders forward several rotations, then reverse the direction.

Release the strain in your lower back by gently folding into a forward bend. You don’t have to touch your toes for this to be effective. Bend your knees slightly and let gravity pull your body down, allowing your head to drop. Hang like a rag doll and breathe into your back body. Imagine the tension leaving your body.

Relief for your eyes

Long periods of staring at a computer screen can strain your vision. Look away from the screen at least once every hour and stretch your eyes.

Close your eyes and squeeze them shut, then open them wide. Repeat.

Slowly look all the way up, then all the way down, all the way left, then all the way right. Move your eyes in a slow clockwise circle, as if you are looking at each of the numbers on a clock. Reverse the circle, going counter-clockwise.

15 minute power position that is sure to boost your energy level

Lie on the floor with your legs up the wall. Close your eyes and just breathe. Feel the weight of your legs supported by the wall and focus on your breath. If thoughts rush through your head, just notice them and let them go. This simple position lowers your heart rate, brings the blood back to the heart, relaxes your legs, your back.

After fifteen minutes, slowly roll over to your side and take your time standing up. You should feel alert, energized, ready to get back to work.

Balance all of that solitary sitting with movement and connection

Take a walk outside in the fresh air.

Notice some living things around you.

Water the plants.

Kiss your pets.

Call a friend for a chat and a laugh.

Consider scheduling your computer time between errands and chores to give your body and your mind more variety in the day.

Seeing More Print Options

If you no longer see choices for printing, like how many copies and which pages to print, just click the triangle next to the name of your printer to reveal all of your options.

Open at Login

If you turn on your computer and always open the same programs when you start, consider having the Mac open them for you. In the Dock, click and hold down on the icon of the program and choose Open at Login. If you have programs that  mysteriously open when you turn on the computer, you probably have accidentally chosen this option. To turn it off, click and hold on the icon in the Dock and reselect Open at Login to remove the checkmark.

Taxes Are Easier with TurboTax

It’s coming on tax time already and if you don’t want to spend hours adding and re-adding numbers, get Intuit’s easy-to-use TurboTax program. Just answers the interview questions, fill in the numbers and the work is done!

iPhone Signatures

When you send an email from your iPhone or iPod Touch, the words “sent from my iPhone” automatically appears at the end of the email. To change this setting, from the Home screen, touch Settings, touch Mail, Contacts, Calenders, scroll down to Signature and choose. Delete the existing text and, if you want, type your own automatic text.

Changing Your Downloads Location

Leopard automatically saves all downloaded files in the Downloads folder, a new icon on the Dock. If you are more comfortable finding recent downloads on your Desktop, you can change this.

1. In Safari, under the Safari menu, choose Preferences.

2. Click the General button.

3. Where it says “Save Downloaded Files to Downloads Folder” click on the Downloads Folder and choose Other.

4. In the left column, click on the Desktop.

OR, if you use Firefox:

1. From the Firefox menu choose Preferences.

2. Click on the Main button

3. In the Downloads section, next to Save Files To, click on Choose and select Desktop from the left column.

Clear Out Your Inbox

Many of us receive weekly emails from companies that we no longer want to read. You can Unsubscribe to the emails. Scroll down to the bottom of the email and look for the word UNSUBSCRIBE. Follow the directions to remove your email from their list.

Automatic Email Addresses

Why do incorrect email addresses pop up when you are addressing an email, even after you have corrected or deleted them in your Address Book? Mail stores a list of all email recipients and includes them in the list of addresses that pop up when you begin to address an email.

To clear out this list, in Mail, under the Window menu, choose Previous Recipients. Names with an icon of an address card are already in your Address Book. You can click on any name and click Add to Address Book. You can also remove names from this list.

To Properly Forward An Email

1. Open the original email

2. Click the Forward button in the Toolbar

3. In the body of the new message, HIGHLIGHT and DELETE all of the new text that appears above the original message, including all email addresses

4. To address it to more than one person, make sure your cursor is in the BCC field (not TO or CC) so that everyone’s email address remains private. (If you don’t see a BCC field, Click on the View menu and choose View BCC Header)

If something happens to your computer (loss, theft, crash, dead hard drive), you could lose everything on it: your addresses, your documents, your photos—EVERYTHING. So why not be safe instead of sorry and start backing up your computer regularly. I believe there are three levels of backing up, depending on what kind of user you are.

For many people, a single system-wide backup is enough. Using Apple’s built in Time Machine software and an external Hard Drive, everything on your computer is archived as it changes. It’s easy to restore everything if you have a computer crash. Backup happens in the background so you don’t need to do anything.

If you have a lot of photos, in addition to backing up on an external drive, I recommend also archiving your photos onto DVD’s. If you archive photos by year, by subject, by albums, it’s easy to locate and use those pictures in the future. And it is a second copy of your precious memories.

If you create and change documents often (Quicken, Word, Excel files) I recommend that, in addition to backing up on an external drive, you also copy these important files regularly to a flash drive/thumb drive. This way, you always have the most recent versions of your most important documents in your hand and can use them on any other computer that has the software.

Don’t wait until you lose you data to start backing up. Backing up takes so little time and effort and gives you so much peace of mind.

New Year, New Habit, Part 2

In my creativity classes I encourage my students to change their visual environments because when you see different things, you begin to see things differently. You can apply this to your computer environment as well.

• Change your desktop picture.
• Choose a new screensaver for when your Mac is sleeping.
• Try typing in a new font.
• Rearrange the things you look at on and around your working space.
• Notice what happens……

It’s Time To Upgrade to Snow Leopard

There have been two important updates to Snow Leopard, OS 10.6 since it’s initial release in the fall and now is a good time to upgrade to this latest version of the Mac operating system. While it is not packed with a lot of new features, Snow Leopard is advertised as being faster and more reliable than Leopard.

If you are still running Tiger (OS 10.4), this is a great time to finally upgrade to all of the new features and capabilities that Leopard has to offer.

Just be sure your computer has the minimum requirements:

Snow Leopard requires an Intel-based Mac with a minimum of 1 GB of RAM.

To see if your computer has the minimum requirements, click on the Apple icon in the top left corner and choose About This Mac.

For assistance purchasing and installing additional memory to meet the minimum requirements, contact Ruth.

How To Get Snow Leopard

If your Intel-based Mac is running Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard, you can purchase Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard for only $29.00.

If your Intel-based Mac is running Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, you can purchase the Mac Box Set, which is a single package that includes Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard, iWork ’09, Apple’s productivity suite that includes Pages, Numbers and Keynote, and iLife ’09 with the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb and iDVD all for only $169.

Visit the Apple store in town or online for purchasing information.

If you’d like help installing Snow Leopard and then tweaking things for your personal preferences, schedule a session with Mac to School today!

How to Open .Zip Files

If double clicking on the file doesn’t work, then you need to download the free Stuffit Expander tool.

Go here and click Download Now

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/10653042

When it’s done downloading you’ll see a blue screen. Double click on the Stuffit Expander 2010 Installer icon

Click Open, and follow the screens to complete the installation. You’ll have to type in your computer’s password.

In the Install Options window, remove the check mark to add it to the dock, then click Continue.

Click OK and you’re done.

You can close the installer window and drag both the stuffit icon and the stuffit.dmg file to the trash

Now you should be able to double click on any zip file and it will open.

How to Open Newer Microsoft Files

If you receive a word document ending in .docx or an Excel file ending with .xlsx and you don’t have Office 2008,you can still open these files. You just need to download the Open XML File Format Converter for Mac 1.0.2 .

Go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=EDB6CD8F-832C-4123-8982-AC0C601EA0A7&displaylang=en

and follow the on screen directions to download the program.

Relief From Computer Stiffness

So many of my clients spend hours in front of their computers. Most do not even think to take a break for anything more than a quick bite to eat or a run to the bathroom. When we sit at our desks, our shoulders are hunched forward, our neck is stiff, our heart is closed. It is so important to regularly counter this posture with stretches and movement.

For some great ideas to relieve computer stress and strain click on the Stretches link above.