November 2016 - Monthly Mini-Bytes

The New MacBook Pros & What You Need To Know It's USB-C Time! To much of their usual fanfare, Apple announced new MacBook Pro laptops. There has been a lot of controversy about these new models, so let's break it down so you know the skinny and can make a decision if you are in the market for one. Better and Faster: This is expected. The underpinnings of the new MacBook Pros are speedier than the previous generation. This is a given for an upgrade. No Mag-Safe Adapter: Yes, it's gone. Instead there is a USB-C charger like the MacBooks. It's, of course, a higher wattage unit. ALL USB-C: That's right! No more USB 3.0 or SD Card Slot or anything like that. All the ports are USB-C/Thunderbolt 3. Fast? Yes, but you will need a ton of adapters to link up with all of your non USB-C peripherals, which is all of them.  OLED Touch Bar with Fingerprint Sensor: On the top of the line 13-inch and the 15-inch models, the row of function keys has been replaced with an OLED touch bar with a fingerprint sensor. The bar can change options depending on which application you are in. You can also unlock your MacBook Pro with your fingerprint, just like your iPhone. The deletion of traditional ports on the MacBook Pro and the full-blown move to USB-C is what makes these Macs so controversial. You will need adapters or a port replicator to connect to your USB backup drive, your monitor, or directly to your network via ethernet. This adds costs and complexity. This was an issue with the ultra-portable MacBooks when they came out last year, but as an ultra-portable, connectivity to external devices is not its purpose.  Also, the revolutionary Mag-Safe Adapter is gone. Now if you trip over your power cable, instead of it safely disconnecting from your Mac, the motion will fling your new $3000 MacBook Pro across the room. Nice. Am I a little snarky about these models? Sure, but you come here for honesty, not spin. If you are in the market for a new MacBook Pro there is a lot to get excited about, but the adapter thing is something that you will need to know about since you will want to fill your bag with them before leaving the Apple Store. To check out the new MacBook Pros go here: http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/

Adware/Malware Tips Keeping Your Mac Clean We have seen a lot of adware and malware infecting machines, and have even been witness to Macs with "antivirus" and other questionable software on them that fail to keep these computers safe. Here are some quick tips to keep you out of trouble: Use Google as a Search Engine: They do the best job of all of them of scrubbing their search results. Do Not Respond to Requests to Update Adobe Flash: The Adobe Flash scam is the biggest way that the bad stuff gets on your Mac. If you need to update your Flash, go into System Preferences -> Flash Player and click on the Update Tab. There you can run a check.  Watch the Social Media Sites: All the social media sites are seething with tricksters dolling out malware to unsuspecting browsers. Be careful on what you click on. Check out MalwareBytes: This program can rid you of Adware and Malware with a simple click: https://www.malwarebytes.com/antimalware/mac/

Inkjet Clogged? Read Here Print, Print, Print Just a quick word on inkjet printers. They are inexpensive and do a really good job, but if they are left for a while the jets can clog to the point where they become impossible to clean. The only option then is to get a new printer. If you intend on leaving your inkjet idle for more than a week or two, ask the person or persons watching your house to print at least once a week. If it is a multi-function, a simple copy will accomplish the same purpose.