When we produced the Apple-Q Disk of the Month there was always a folder which contained web links that Judith Hall had sent to me via email. There were lots of interesting tidbits of interest to Jude, me, and other members. So here are some of the things that she has found in the last month:

• Wi-Fi Light Socket Security Cameras
• A world of British entertainment brilliantly brought together
• M2 Ultra Chip Benchmark Results Reveal Impressive Performance Gains
• Mac Pro Buyer's Guide: Comparing the Generations

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MacMost is a video podcast and blog that teaches you how to use your Mac, iPad and iPhone. At MacMost.com you will find more than 2,000 videos, a weekly newsletter, tips, and recommendations. You can contact MacMost via email.

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Apple has announced the latest version of macOS which includes several new features including widgets on the Desktop, Smart video conferencing, major privacy updates to Safari, improved Screensavers, Game Mode for improved gaming experience with Metal 3, high performance Screen Sharing, and much more.

iPadOS 17 is similar in many ways to iOS 17 however there are many features that are also similar to macOS Sonoma. Since all three now use Apple Silicon processors we can expect all three operating systems to share more new common features. This is generally a good thing as increased interoperability and connectivity between these Apple devices only adds to the Apple Experience. They do however still need to retain functionality that makes them unique and fit for purpose.

New features include a redesigned lock screen, interactive widgets, new features in PDFs. Updates to Notes, Messages, FaceTime, Safari plus a new Health app.

Features:

• Phone App: Personalised Contact Posters;
• Live Voicemail;
• FaceTime: Audio & Video Messages, Reactions, & Apple TV;
• Big Updates to Messages;
• Easier Sharing with AirDrop: NameDrop & SharePlay;
• Intelligent Autocorrect and Dictation;
• New Standby Displays Glanceable Information While iPhone is Charging;
• Appreciate Life’s Moments with Journal;
• Additional Features.

Many reviewers are calling Apple’s new Vision Pro a Virtual Reality Headset - but it is not that at all. Neither does it produce just virtual reality nor is it simply a headset.

Vision Pro is actually a new type of computer! It is a spatial computer which uses augmented reality to blend digital content seamlessly with the real world.

Once you have gone through the process of joining the rest is very simple. It takes less than 30 seconds - just open the Discord app then three clicks of your mouse and you are in the meeting. Don’t believe me, then watch this video that I made!

Sadly Sam passed away on Friday the 5th of May at the age of 101. Sam was a dear friend and a remarkable person - he will be greatly missed.

An article on Sam came out on the 11th of May digital edition on the Village Pump website.

Not that long ago you had to purchase an Apple TV or Apple AirPort device (see images below) in order to take advantage of Apple’s AirPlay - not any more!

AirDrop allows two Apple devices that are physically close to share files - there is no network setup. So when you are out and about with friends you can easily share that great photo, playlists, or Contact details with just a tap or two.

When we produced the Apple-Q Disk of the Month there was always a folder which contained web links that Judith Hall had sent to me via email. There were lots of interesting tidbits of interest to Jude, me, and other members. So here are some of the things that she has found in the last month:

Jude recently found Wi-Fi 7 Routers starting to be sold on the web and wanted to know more about them.

• This Original iPhone (still sealed) bought at Sotheby’s for $US40,000 and Unboxed
• Make Something Wonderful Steve Jobs Archive
• SpaceX - To Mars and Beyond - one giant leap & explosion!
• Last Night, the Spotify App Talked to Me for Two Hours
• Emergency SOS via satellite available today on the iPhone 14 line-up in Australia and
  New Zealand

I have had members asking me about several things but when I state that the information that they seek is available on the Apple- Q-Cloud some have not known about it while others have stated that they did not know much about it or how to use it. Here is the article that I wrote last year that should help:

Now that the Apple-Q-Cloud is linked to the main Apple-Q site you can more easily access the site (simply go to the Members’ Abyss menu while logged in). As the name suggests the Apple-Q-Cloud is actually a Cloud Server run by Nextcloud Server software.

Nextcloud has many features and up until now we have only really used it as a file storage site. I have started to use more of its features - one of which is as a File Download Server. All of our over 1000 Publications are stored on this server and are viewed or downloaded when a request is sent from the main site. This keeps the main site small and fast with fewer changes required.

The Apple-Q-Cloud can also be used to synchronise files across many sites including users’ computers - I use this on my main iMac. Not only does it serve as a file backup for the server but I can simply save files to the synced folder and it is automatically uploaded to the server. You can also sync other things like contacts, calendars, etc.

Another advantage of this folder sync is that the files can be used even when the internet is not available - it acts as off-line file storage. Once the internet is available again any changes will be synced back to the server.

So what use are these features to Apple-Q Members? There are many and I have started to write some Apple-Q HowTo Tutorials to show how they may be used.

Note: you will need to be logged in to the Apple-Q Site to access these tutorials and the links to them.

When we produced the Apple-Q Disk of the Month there was always a folder which contained web links that Judith Hall had sent to me via email. There were lots of interesting tidbits of interest to Jude, me, and other members. So here are some of the things that she has found in the last month:

• Wi-Fi 7 Routers starting to be sold on the web - what you need to know before you buy
• Run every version of Classic Mac OS in your Web Browser
• Infinite Mac: Classic Mac OS on the web

When we produced the Apple-Q Disk of the Month there was always a folder which contained web links that Judith Hall had sent to me via email. There were lots of interesting tidbits of interest to Jude, me, and other members. So here are some of the things that she has found in the last 2 months:

• Meet the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini
• Starlink Internet in Australia: Speed, Price and Plans
• Third-Party Router With Starlink: How-To Guide [2022]
• helloSystem: The Open-Source FreeBSD-Based macOS Alternative
• Seen at Jaycar: Mercusys WiFi Mesh Network AC1300 Base + 2 Satellite Kit
• Wi-Fi standards and speeds explained
• Steve Jobs Archive
• Microsoft offers Outlook to Mac users free of charge
• Microsoft officially supports running Windows 11 on M1 and M2 Macs

Carlene recently sent me details about an interesting way to digitise your old photo slides - here is what she sent me:

A few months ago Nikki Gemmell’s article in the Weekend Australian magazine contained information on how her son digitised his slides/ transparencies. Unfortunately I tore the page out of the magazine without noting the date.

The last paragraph in her article says:

“How to digitise your own slides? Jago’s more than happy to share his set up. First, photograph a blank sheet of A4 paper, send it to your laptop and expand the white across the screen. This is your lightbox. Place a Blu Tac blob on a school rubber. Position this at the screen’s bottom. This is the stand for the slide. Take a photo of the slide on your phone using the “Portrait” setting. Crop and voila, you’ve got a pretty good image - most of ours were as clear as a bell. Send the shots to interested family members and I guarantee much shock snd laughter, tears and chuff will follow. And if anyone can remember the specifics of the slide, well then, gold.”

When I compare it with what I did with special equipment it seems an excellent way to go. I haven’t tried it the Gemmell way but would certainly give it a try if I had slides/transparencies left to digitise.

I often place a list of Free and Open Source Apps in the Apple-Bug to keep members up-to-date on all of the great free apps that are out there for the Mac (I also mention iPad/iPhone apps that I find useful). I mostly use free apps as there are lots of great ones that are as good as or better than the commercial ones. The Apple-Q website now has a list of all of these great apps. If you know of any others please let me know and I will add them to the list

A member recently asked about flipping an emoji horizontally. Here is how...

No doubt many members have heard me complain about the trials of living in a rural area (36k out of Brisbane) left behind in the communications field.

The NBN is not coming to our area which borders the Maiala National Park via a winding narrow road crossing the Creek at several points. The area has found itself in the “too hard basket”.

Because the area is sandwiched between two mountain ranges Sky Muster satellite service did not work - the locals tried it and gave up. The reason being the Sky Muster satellites are too high and not as numerous as the latest offering of Elon Musk’s Starlink which are more numerous and lower altitude than Sky Muster. Properties backing up to the range on the southern side of the road where the valley narrows — not easy, even with Starlink due to obstructions and clear sky is needed.

I know of a few Apple-Q members who have been waiting for Apple’s new M2 Pro & Max chips to be released and make their way into some new Macs. As they did with the M1 Max & Pro chips, it was expected that they would initially be placed within a new MacBook Pro. Many people were also waiting for a basic M2 version of the Mac mini. Well Apple released both of these (plus another big surprise) recently without any big Apple presentation (watch the announcement). The other big, unexpected announcement was an M2 Pro version of the Mac mini.

It would be almost impossible to write an article showing how to set up AirPrint because, as it is with modems, there are many printers that each use different methods to configure this service.

I can however show you how to use AirPrint on your iPad/iPhone to print wirelessly to your AirPrint enabled printer.

Your printer has to support AirPrint, and have it enabled, to use this method. There was a paid app that I was a while ago that allowed your normal printer to use AirPrint. It installed it on a Mac which had a printer attached – so you had to keep the printer on all of the time.

So what do you need to do to print to your AirPrint enabled printer from your iPad/iPhone? [Full Version of this Tutorial Here]

Here is how...