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Multiple IDs on iCloud
We are of course concentrating on iCloud and IOS5 at next months meetings. Meanwhile a number of questions arose at our September meeting regarding single households with multiple iTunes IDs and the issue with synching ….
++ MAUS Meeting Summaries
QR Codes
The question of whether people are using QR codes in their business was raised.
There was debate on what they were and how they are being used.
My personal view (stated on the evening) is that their current application is gimmicky rather than real – and arguably ahead of being ‘ready for prime time’.
I have seen them used on business cards for easy sharing of contact information. Others have observed them in newspapers like Maui Time – but real returns as yet unknown.
I did share this URL on the evening as a truly CREATIVE application of using QR codes, but this is not to be taken as a business case – but does serve to demonstrate that such technology like this can be used in VERY interesting ways – and like so much is really limited by the imagination of the application of the use – rather than the technology.
For raw technology, this article popped into my sphere of interest just this morning. Enjoy.
To Quote Sean Cummings:
People will not adopt a technical solution that serves to replace a manual task, if that solution is less efficient than the manual task it replaces. How could we think that QR codes for marketing would work any better than CueCat? Did we not learn the first time?
To Quote John Gruber:
QR codes are built for machines, not humans.
++ MAUS Meeting Summaries
Meeting Summary : October
A good meeting – with the focus on using the Mac in Business.
Particular thanks to Rick Lantz for sharing how he uses the Adobe Suite, Excel, iPhoto and other applications in his Video Business.
I am going to set up a series of posts with useful links to some of the issues raised by the group at the meeting.
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iPhone versus Canon
I thought you might enjoy this comparison between the video quality on an iPhone 4s and a Canon 5D MkII
– you might be surprised (or not …)
Quality aside – try sending an email or making a call from your Canon 🙂
++ MAUS Meeting Announcements
MAUS Meeting: October 19
Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
At Maui College (Laulima Rm. 211)
Topic: Running your business on Apple products
Join us this month as members share how they run a business on their Apple products. We will discuss successes, setups, strategies and barriers. We will also briefly discuss the new iPhone 4S, iOS 5, iCloud and Steve Jobs. As always bring your Mac, iPad, iPhone, and other related Apple questions with you to the meeting.
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The iPhone 4S Unveiled
Today’s the day – and you just know the news media is going to be flooded very soon with this information ::
Apple’s new iPhone 4S doesn’t look all that different on the surface from the iPhone 4 it replaces. But the latest iPhone unveiled by Apple at a press event Tuesday promises an improved processor, new wireless system, and more powerful camera, along with voice control capabilities.
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Alternatives to Quicken for Mac
Our thanks to Dave Schlicher for presenting his views on alternatives to Quicken at our last User Group Meeting. The following is my summary of his talk – don’t hesitate to ping me if there are any errors or misunderstandings contained in the following.
Tried Three Products in Parallel
Caveat: Not an accountant – and not a tax expert. Also – does not own stock in any of the companies.
Why not Quicken ?
Quicken 2007 no longer will work under Lion – so the only alternative is Quicken Essentials – which will. BUT
Though it is easy to make the transition, it is not a good solution.
- Intuit has not treated mac users very well
- Quicken 1998 and 2002 have both been killed off before
- The Quicken product on the Mac was always a poor second to windows machine
- Quicken recommends changing format of data downloads – this ‘cannot’ be a good idea
- What is the future for Quicken ? Unknown
- All of this with the CEO sitting on the board of Apple
- Investment tracking limited
- Bill paying never imported
- Data import only under Snow Leopard
- If you put data into the product – will you be able to get it out ?
- It is the ‘Roach hotel of data’. YOu can get data in – but to get it out VERY gnarly
- CSV data files can be used – but complicated
- Perl being used to clean up data – too hard
- Proprietary format – but it is your finances we are talking about.
- For as little it does and need for flexibility in moving data around – not recommended.
iBank and Moneywell
- are both well regarded programs
- both handle budgeting
- both offer iPhone apps
- both free input and export
Trial in money dance – written in Java – so started away
iBank – igg software – 4.2.5 is latest version
- Comprehensive number of account types
- Auto downloads
- Multiple currencies
Moneywell – 1.6.8
- Overall more limited
- V2 under dev for a year – and still not ready
- In Moneywell, budgeting idea is integral to design
Importing data – both worked well though Moneywell a little bit better it handled reconciliation
- IBank can’t change account type on the fly – Moneywell can
Transaction entry
- Quicken good at entering data
- Both iBank and Moneywell have failings
Reconciling
- IBank not as easy
Budgeting
- Money well makes it as easy as it possibly can be
- But maybe so tied into budgeting that if you don’t use it, could be problematic
Support
- Excellent for both
- How To videos and documents are good
Conclusion
- Both are a real change
- Neither an exact fit – but both will work
- Entered the trial with a bias for Moneywell
- But with usage gravitated to iBank
- Moneywell v 2 will be Lion only – WHEN it is available
Another review to compare the two