MarcForrest.com

Category: Mac

  • How to ensure Find My iPhone is activated

    How to ensure Find My iPhone is activated

    I recently read a couple of horror stories of break-ins and robberies from houses around South Africa. One of the articles I read had a guy chasing after the fleeing robbers, barefoot in a cop van, in Alexandra township with his neighbours iPhone in hand, tracking his iPhone and iPad which had been stolen in the robbery using the Find My iPhone application on the phone.

    Loads of people have asked about Find My iPhone and how it works, and how it is activated. So I thought I would put a quick blog post together with some info.

    • Check the Find My iPhone service activated. To do this on your iPhone or iPad go to Settings -> iCloud
    • Make sure you are signed into iCloud using your iTunes username and password. If you share multiple devices, you can sign into 1 account multiple times
    • Make sure the Find My iPhone switch is set to ON. This will ensure you are able to locate your device using the Find My iPhone app or iCloud when it is switched on
    • This will only work if it has internet connectivity, so if you have a 3G iPad, ensure it is always on

    There are a number of ways to check and see where your device is:

    • Download the Find My iPhone iOS app which can be installed on any iOS device. Using this device, you sign in using you iCloud username & password set above. This will display all the devices associated with this username & password
    • You can track your device online by going to the iCloud.com website. Again, sign in with your username & password and click on the Find My iPhone Icon. All your devices that are online will be viewable on the map

    Once you can see your devices on the map or in the app, there are a number of different options to alert the person with the device

    • Play sound – This will play a pinging sound for 2 minutes on the device at full volume, even if it is on mute. I have used this plenty times to find the iPhone when it’s slid down the back of the couch
    • Lost Mode – This mode allows you to put in a number where you can be contacted when someone finds the phone. It is important to put the phone number in International format (ie +27xxx) as this will allow the finder of the phone to call the number without having to unlock the phone. You can also set a message here to alert the finder of the phone that it is lost and has been locked. The phone will be locked using your existing lock code if you have one, otherwise you can set one from the App/Site
    • Erase Mode – This mode will erase all the content on the phone and set it back to factory reset. The biggest issue here is that the phone can no longer be tracked when it is set to Erase Mode. I suggest only doing this in extreme cases.

    Another cool tip is that Mac OS also offers Find My Mac functionality for your Macbook or iMac. The biggest downfall through is that the computer has to be connected to the internet to send the signal. You can set this up by going to System Preferences -> iCloud -> Activate Find My Mac

    Have you used Find My iPhone or Find My Mac before ? I think it’s an awesome little add-on which not many people use.

  • New Macbook Pro Pricing for South Africa

    The recommended retail pricing for the new Macbook Pro range which was announced at the WWDC conference earlier this week, has been announced for South Africa. The units should be available in South Africa shortly, although no official date has been announced yet.

    Below are the ins & outs of the pricing and the recommended retail pricing

    [table style=”light” highlight=”true”]
    [thead]
    [tr]
    [th align=”left”]Model [/th]
    [th]Spec[/th]
    [th]RRP (SA)[/th]
    [th]RRP (US)[/th]
    [th]RRP (UK)[/th]

    [/tr]
    [/thead]
    [tbody]
    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]11-inch MacBook Air[/td]
    [td]

    – 1.7GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.6GHz)
    – 4GB of memory
    – 64GB Flash storage
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor
    – 1 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – Up to 5 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R10 499[/td]
    [td]$999[/td]
    [td]£849[/td]

    [/tr]
    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]11-inch MacBook Air[/td]
    [td]

    – 1.7GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.6GHz)
    – 4GB of memory
    – 128GB Flash storage
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor
    – 1 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – Up to 5 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R11 999[/td]
    [td]$1099[/td]
    [td]£929[/td]

    [/tr]
    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]13-inch MacBook Air[/td]
    [td]

    – 1.8GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz)
    – 4GB of memory
    – 128GB Flash storage
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor
    – 1 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – Up to 7 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R12 999[/td]
    [td]$1 199[/td]
    [td]£999[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]13-inch MacBook Air[/td]
    [td]

    – 1.8GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz)
    – 4GB of memory
    – 256GB Flash storage
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor
    – 1 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – Up to 7 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R16 499[/td]
    [td]$1 499[/td]
    [td]£1 249[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]13-inch MacBook Pro[/td]
    [td]

    – 2.5GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz)
    – 4GB of memory
    – 500GB (5400 rpm) hard drive
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000
    – 1 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – Up to 7 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R12 999[/td]
    [td]$1 199[/td]
    [td]£999[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]13-inch MacBook Pro[/td]
    [td]

    – 2.9GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz)
    – 8GB of memory
    – 750GB (5400 rpm) hard drive
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000
    – 1 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – Up to 7 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R16 599[/td]
    [td]$1 499[/td]
    [td]£1 249[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]15-inch MacBook Pro[/td]
    [td]

    – 2.3GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz)
    – 4GB of memory
    – 500GB (5400 rpm) hard drive
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor
    – NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 512MB
    of GDDR5 memory
    – 1 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – Up to 7 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R19 999[/td]
    [td]$1 799[/td]
    [td]£1 499[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]15-inch MacBook Pro[/td]
    [td]

    – 2.6GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz)
    – 8GB of memory
    – 750GB (5400 rpm) hard drive
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000 processor
    – NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of
    GDDR5 memory 1 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – Up to 7 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R23 999[/td]
    [td]$2 199[/td]
    [td]£1 799[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]

    15-inch MacBook Pro
    with Retina display

    [/td]
    [td]

    – 15.4-inch Retina LED-backlit display with
    IPS technology (2880 x 1800 resolution
    at 220 pixels per inch)
    – 2.3GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz)
    – 8GB of memory
    – 256GB Flash storage
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000
    – NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of
    GDDR5 memory
    – 2 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – HDMI port
    – Up to 7 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R23 999[/td]
    [td]$2 199[/td]
    [td]£1 799[/td]

    [/tr]

    [tr]
    [td align=”left”]

    15-inch MacBook Pro
    with Retina display

    [/td]
    [td]

    – 15.4-inch Retina LED-backlit display with
    IPS technology (2880 x 1800 resolution
    at 220 pixels per inch)
    – 2.6GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
    processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz)
    – 8GB of memory
    – 512GB Flash storage
    – Intel HD Graphics 4000
    – NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of
    GDDR5 memory
    – 2 Thunderbolt port
    – 2 USB 3.0 ports
    – HDMI port
    – Up to 7 hours battery life (wireless web)

    [/td]
    [td]R29 999[/td]
    [td]$2 799[/td]
    [td]£2 299[/td]

    [/tr]
    [/tbody]
    [/table]

     

  • [Press Release] Apple Previews iOS 6 With Loads Of New Features !

    The final announcement at todays WWDC keynote was the announcement of the new iOS6 iPhone & iPad OS. There are over 200 new features included in the new OS, including Maps, Facebook intergration, Shared photo streams & loads loads more….Some exciting times. I reckon we will see iOS6 in around Sept/Oct, although if you are a developer, you can download the beta version today !!!

    SAN FRANCISCO?June 11, 2012?Apple today previewed iOS 6, introducing over 200 new features to the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, and released a beta version to iOS Developer Program members. iOS 6 will be available to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users this fall as a free software update. New iOS 6 features include: an all new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography, turn-by-turn navigation and an amazing new Flyover view; new Siri features, including support for more languages, easy access to sports scores, restaurant recommendations and movie listings; Facebook integration for Contacts and Calendar, with the ability to post directly from Notification Center, Siri and Facebook-enabled apps like Photos, Safari and Maps; Shared Photo Streams via iCloud; and Passbook, the simplest way to get all your passes in one place.

    “iOS 6 continues the rapid pace of innovation that is helping Apple reinvent the phone and create the iPad category, delivering the best mobile experience available on any device,” said Scott Forstall, Apple’s senior vice president of iOS Software. “We can’t wait for hundreds of millions of iOS users to experience the incredible new features in iOS 6 including the new Maps app, expanded Siri support, deep Facebook integration, Shared Photo Streams and the innovative new Passbook app.”

    iOS 6 includes an all new Maps app with vector-based map elements that make graphics and text smooth, and panning, tilting and zooming incredibly fluid. New turn-by-turn navigation guides you to your destination with spoken directions, and the amazing Flyover feature has photo-realistic interactive 3D views. Real-time traffic information keeps you updated on how long it will take to get to your destination and offers alternate time-saving routes if traffic conditions change significantly. Additionally, local search includes information for over 100 million businesses with info cards that offer Yelp ratings, reviews, available deals and photos.

    Siri, now available for the new iPad as well as iPhone 4S, includes language support for English, French, German and Japanese, and adds support for Spanish, Italian, Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese. Siri is optimised for use in 15 countries and helps you get even more done with just your voice, whether it’s finding the latest sports scores or making restaurant reservations. You also can ask Siri to update your status on Facebook, post to Twitter or launch an app. Additionally, Siri takes hands-free functionality even further with a new Eyes Free mode, enabling you to interact with your iPhone using nothing more than your voice.

    Built-in Facebook integration is the best ever in a mobile device, allowing you to sign in once and post from Notification Center, Siri and Facebook-enabled apps, including Photos, Safari and Maps. Your Facebook friends’ information is kept up to date across all your iOS devices, automatically updating details in Contacts when they change, and scheduling events and birthdays in your Calendar. You can also “Like” content directly from the App Store and iTunes and see what your friends recommend.

    With more than 125 million users already enjoying iCloud, iOS 6 introduces new ways to share photos with friends and family using Shared Photo Streams. Simply select the photos you want to share, pick which friends you want to receive the album, and the Shared Photo Stream album is instantly available on their iOS devices, iPhoto and Aperture on their Mac, via the web or even through Apple TV. You and your friends can leave comments on or “Like” any photo in a shared album.

    The new Passbook app is the simplest way to get all your passes in one place, such as boarding passes and baseball tickets. Passbook lets you scan your iPhone or iPod touch to use a coupon, get into a concert or check into your hotel. Passbook automatically displays your passes on your Lock Screen based on a specific time or location, so when you walk into your favorite coffee shop your loyalty card appears and you can scan it to buy a coffee or check your balance. Passbook can even alert you to last minute gate changes or flight delays at the airport.

    Building on Apple’s commitment to provide innovative solutions for education and accessibility, iOS 6 introduces Guided Access. This new feature allows a parent, teacher or administrator to disable hardware buttons to lock an iOS device into a single app, especially useful for test taking or helping someone with a disability stay focused on learning. Guided Access also includes the ability to confine touch input to certain parts of the screen.

    Additional new iOS 6 features include:

    • enhancements to Safari, the world’s most popular mobile browser, such as iCloud tabs, offline reading lists, photo uploads and full screen view;
    • support for FaceTime calls over cellular networks;
    • the ability to set up a VIP Mailbox, making it easier to quickly view messages from important people you designate as VIPs;
    • the option to decline incoming calls with a quick message, set a callback reminder and enable a new Do Not Disturb option; and
    • a whole new set of improvements and services specifically for iOS users in China, such as improved text input and built-in support for popular Chinese services including Baidu, Sina Weibo, Youku and Tudou.

    Availability
    The iOS 6 beta software and SDK are available immediately for iOS Developer Program members at developer.apple.com. iOS 6 will be available as a free software update for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, the new iPad, iPad 2 and iPod touch (fourth generation) this fall. Some features may not be available on all products.

     

  • [Press Release] Mountain Lion Available in July From Mac App Store

    I can’t wait for this OS update ! I am keen for the Airplay intergration from your Laptop/Desktop straight to the Apple TV. Loads of new features !!

    SAN FRANCISCO—June 11, 2012— Apple today announced that OS X Mountain Lion, the ninth major release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, will be available in July as a download from the Mac App Store. Mountain Lion introduces more than 200 innovative features including the all new Messages app, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, Facebook integration*, Dictation, Power Nap, AirPlay Mirroring, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper. With iCloud built into the foundation of OS X, Mountain Lion makes it easier than ever to keep your content up to date across all your devices.

    “The pace of innovation on the Mac is amazing, OS X Mountain Lion comes just a year after the incredibly successful launch of Lion,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With iCloud built right in and the new Notification Center, Messages, Dictation, Facebook integration and more, this is the best OS X yet.”

    Using your iCloud account, Mountain Lion makes it easier than ever to set up your Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Messages, Reminders and Notes. The new Reminders and Notes apps help you remember important tasks and jot down your thoughts quickly, while iCloud automatically keeps everything up to date. Documents in the Cloud works with iCloud-enabled apps including Apple’s iWork suite so you can always access and edit your documents on any device.

    The new Messages app replaces iChat and brings iMessage to the Mac, so you can send messages to anyone with an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or another Mac. You can include attachments, high quality photos and HD video, and your iMessages appear on all your devices so you can pick up a conversation right where you left off. iMessage includes group messaging, delivery and read receipts, typing indicators and secure end-to-end encryption. The Messages app also supports traditional instant messaging services, including AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk and Jabber.

    Mountain Lion streamlines the presentation of notifications, and with Notification Center you can see all your notifications from OS X and third party apps in one convenient place. You can customise which apps send you notifications, the type of notification you receive, and how many items are shown in Notification Center. When you want to focus on your work or watch a movie, you can choose to temporarily suspend all notifications.

    New system-wide Sharing is built into Mountain Lion, making it easier than ever to share links, photos, videos and other files. Clicking the Share button allows you to share quickly without having to switch to another app, and you just need to sign in once to use third-party services like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Vimeo. Facebook and Twitter are integrated with Notification Center so you can receive notifications when someone sends you a message or mentions you in a post or Tweet.

    With built-in support for Facebook, you can post photos, links and comments with locations right from your apps. Once you’ve signed in, your Facebook friends automatically appear in Contacts with their profile photos. Your Facebook notifications work with Notification Center in Mountain Lion, and you can even update your Facebook status from within Notification Center.

    Dictation is built into Mountain Lion and allows you to dictate text anywhere you can type, whether you’re using an app from Apple or a third party developer. Mountain Lion also introduces Power Nap, an innovative new feature that keeps your MacBook Pro with Retina display and MacBook Air (second and third generation) up to date while it sleeps. Power Nap automatically refreshes Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, Notes, Photo Stream, Find My Mac and Documents in the Cloud, and when plugged in, downloads software updates and backs up your Mac using Time Machine.

    The revolutionary new Gatekeeper feature makes downloading software from the Internet safer by giving you control over which apps can be installed on your Mac. You can choose to install apps from anywhere, just as you do today, or for maximum security you can set Gatekeeper to allow only apps from the Mac App Store. The default setting allows you to install apps from the Mac App Store and apps from developers that have a unique Developer ID from Apple. In addition to checking daily for security updates, Mountain Lion includes app sandboxing to keep misbehaving apps from compromising your system, and kernel ASLR for improved protection against buffer overflow attacks.

    Additional new features in Mountain Lion include:

    • AirPlay Mirroring, an easy way to wirelessly send an up-to-1080p secure stream of what’s on your Mac to an HDTV using Apple TV, or send audio to a receiver or speakers that use AirPlay;
    • Game Center, which brings the popular social gaming network from iOS to the Mac so you can enjoy live, multiplayer games with friends whether they’re on a Mac, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch;
    • a faster Safari with a unified Smart Search Field, iCloud Tabs that present your open tabs across your devices, and a new Tab View to quickly swipe through them;
    • new features for China, including significantly improved text input, a new Chinese Dictionary, easy setup with popular email providers, Baidu search in Safari, built-in sharing to Sina Weibo and popular video websites Youku and Tudou; and
    • over 1,700 new APIs that give developers access to the latest core OS and web technologies, as well as the newest features of OS X, including Documents in the Cloud, Notifications, Sharing and Game Center.

    Pricing & Availability
    OS X Mountain Lion will be available in July from the Mac App Store for $19.99 (US)**. Mountain Lion requires Lion or Snow Leopard (OS X v10.6.8 or later), 2GB of memory and 8GB of available space. For a complete list of system requirements and compatible systems, please visit: apple.com/osx/specs/. OS X Server requires Mountain Lion and will be available in July from the Mac App Store for $19.99 (US). The OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date upgrade is available at no additional charge via the Mac App Store to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller on or after June 11, 2012.

  • [Press Release] Apple Introduces All New MacBook Pro with Retina Display

    Now this looks like an AWESOME laptop !! Can’t wait to get my hands on one of these….just need to sell a kidney or 2 !! Ouch…Hopefully we will have pricing in SA in the next coupld of months !

    SAN FRANCISCO—June 11, 2012—Apple today unveiled an all new 15-inch MacBook Pro featuring a stunning Retina display, all flash storage and quad-core processors in a radically thin and light design. Measuring a mere 0.71 inches and weighing only 4.46 pounds, the completely redesigned MacBook Pro sets a new standard in performance and portability for pro users.
    “The MacBook Pro with Retina display pushes the limits of performance and portability like no other notebook,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “With a gorgeous Retina display, all flash architecture and a radically thin and light design, the new MacBook Pro is the most advanced Mac we have ever built.”

    The new MacBook Pro Retina display is the world’s highest resolution notebook display with over 5 million pixels, 3 million more than an HD television. At 220 pixels-per-inch, the Retina display’s pixel density is so high the human eye cannot distinguish individual pixels from a normal viewing distance, so text and graphics look incredibly sharp. The Retina display uses IPS technology for a 178-degree wide viewing angle, and has 75 percent less reflection and 29 percent higher contrast than the previous generation.

    Featuring a precision engineered aluminium unibody design and an all flash storage architecture, the all new MacBook Pro is the lightest MacBook Pro ever and nearly as thin as a MacBook Air. Flash storage that is up to four times faster than traditional notebook hard drives enables the all new MacBook Pro to play four simultaneous streams of uncompressed 1080p HD video from internal storage.* The flash storage architecture also delivers improved reliability, instant-on responsiveness and 30 days of standby time.

    The MacBook Pro with Retina display features the latest Intel Core i7 quad-core processors up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.7 GHz, NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M discrete graphics, up to 16GB of faster 1600 MHz RAM and flash storage up to 768GB. Two Thunderbolt and two USB 3.0 ports allow pro users to connect to multiple displays and high performance devices, and a new HDMI port offers quick connectivity to HDTVs.

    The MacBook Pro battery delivers up to 7 hours of wireless productivity, and uses advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging technology to provide up to 1,000 recharges.** The MacBook Pro also features a FaceTime HD camera, glass Multi-Touch trackpad, full-size backlit keyboard, dual microphones, enhanced speakers, 3-stream 802.11n Wi-Fi and a thinner MagSafe 2 power port.

    OS X Lion, iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes and other Apple apps including Aperture and Final Cut Pro X have been updated to take full advantage of the new MacBook Pro with Retina display. The updated Aperture 3.3 also includes revolutionary new image adjustment features and now supports a unified photo library so photographers can move seamlessly between iPhoto and Aperture.

    The all new MacBook Pro ships with OS X Lion. Starting today, customers who purchase a Mac are eligible for a free copy of OS X Mountain Lion when it becomes available. Mountain Lion introduces innovative features including the all new Messages app, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, AirPlay Mirroring, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper. With iCloud built into the foundation of OS X, Mountain Lion makes it easier than ever to keep your content up to date across all your devices.

    Pricing & Availability
    The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is available through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers. The 15-inch MacBook Pro is available with a 2.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage starting at $2,199 (US); and with a 2.6 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz, 8GB of memory and 512GB of flash storage starting at $2,799 (US). Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core processors up to 2.7 GHz, up to 16GB of memory and flash storage up to 768GB.