Third Party Software

Adobe Workshop – Unique Opportunity

It is rare we post these kind of non Mac events into our blog – and to our members – but this one is too good not to. Brought to you by Maui Brainstormers (a group you should think about signing up for anyway), this is a FREE workshop for Business Owners, Managers, Web Professionals and Marketing Consultants!

You will learn the latest about obtaining online business success with:

• CMS hosted platforms (including WYSIWYG)
• Easy steps to create and update your own website
• Web Pages for all business types
• eCommerce and Customer Databases
• Blogs and Forums
• eMail Marketing and eNews Letters
• Multi-Aspect Business Reporting
• Hosting and Email

Venue : The Fairmont Kea Lani who are also sponsors for Maui Brainstormer’s ‘Website on the Spot!’

Date : The workshop is set to run on August 30, 2012.

Parking – FREE attendance to the seminar includes complimentary self-parking for all workshop attendees.

Guest presenter is Adam Broadway of Adobe Systems. Adobe is donating Adam’s time and expertise to Maui Business Brainstormers specifically for this event.

Seats are limited. If the RSVP places are maxed, you may choose to RSVP for the waiting list.

Click through to learn more and sign up. But don’t be slow – it’s already at 60% capacity.

By MAUS Administrator, ago

Apple – Malware – The Truth and The Fix

You might have picked up some news this morning about malware and viruses and trojans INVADING the quiet tranquility of your Apple computer.

Personal opinion ? Like som much of news – massive exaggeration – and of course – because it is Apple – the bandwagon is in full flight about how the world is about to come to an end …..

It isn’t.

Really – It isn’t.

This article aside (I like Dave Winer a lot – and his point is valid), WITHOUT some calm and sense prevailing – the gap will be filled with rumor, myth and wrong information.

First – some data – I have no idea how many Apple computers there are in the world  – but only 600,000 of them have been affected.

There are however estimates of 900 million to 1 billion computers in the world today. So, even if Apple had a 10% of ALL of them (they don’t by a long shot) – that means there are around 100 million Apple computers

Which means that around 0.6 percent of ALL Apples are estimated to have the virus.

OK – so what is the virus ?

Here’s what are friends at F-Secure have to say :

Summary
Trojan-Downloader:OSX/Flashback.I connects to a remote site to download its payload; on successful infection, the malware modifies targeted webpages displayed in the web browser.

Think about that – IF you are one of the substantially less than .6% of Apple computer owners that have been affected – it will mean that the malware will modify certain webpages displayed in the web browser – when you visit them. It doesn’t corrupt your data, destroy your files, spam your address book. It is malware.

OK – but you still want to get rid of it right ?

If you are feeling brave go here – now.

If you are not feeling so brave – and not so technically minded – then still go here – (it is the same page) – and note the first three instructions :

Manual Removal Instructions

1. Run the following command in Terminal:defaults read /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info LSEnvironment
2. Take note of the value, DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES
3. Proceed to step 8if you got the following error message:”The domain/default pair of (/Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info, LSEnvironment) does not exist”

For the vast majority of you – statistically 99.4 % of you – when you get that message “The domain/default pair of (/Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info, LSEnvironment) does not exist” – then know you are safe.

If you don’t get that message – then the instructions 4 onwards – tells you what to do – and that can either be YOU or one of your friendly neighborhood techies :0

Please email me if I can help you further. I am traveling at the moment – but always online 🙂

By MAUS Administrator, ago

1Password for IPhone Best App of 2011

The Unofficial Apple Weblog reported their Best of 2011, and Agile Bits Solutions’ 1Password took the prize for Best iPhone App. Easily beating out the competition by taking 49.7% of the votes, 1Password is an invaluable utility for anyone who surfs the web on their Mac or iOS device.

I have been using 1Password on my MAC for over a year and find it to be so efficient, easy, and secure that I can’t imagine being without it.

For information about 1Password, click here

 

By dpozin, ago

Boost Your Online Banking Security with Trusteer Rapport

Trusteer Rapport was recommended to me by several major online Banks.  Click on the link below for more information, and notice the list of major international banks and financial institutions using Trusteer Rapport. Easy installation on my MAC, and seems like a very efficient program worth having.

Defends against phishing and malware activity

Helps safeguard your identity

Shows when you’re on an unprotected website
Download Trusteer Rapport1 for free continuous protection
Works with all major web browsers
Secures communication between keyboard and sensitive websites
Protects online banking username, password and other sensitive sign on information
Prevents malware from tampering with your online transaction
Works with your current antivirus software by providing another level of online security
Protects your information on up to 100 participating retail, social networking & email browser websites.

Simple protection indicator: green = protected; gray = unprotected
Removes malicious malware from your computer and notifies you that it has done so
Periodic reports sent to show malware and phishing attempts
Does not require any configuration or maintenance—just install and you’re protected

  • Defends against phishing and malware activity
  • Helps safeguard your identity
  • Shows when you’re on an unprotected website

For more information and to Download software – you can go here.

By dpozin, ago

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.

Why QR Codes are failing.

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.

By MAUS Administrator, ago

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

Moneywell Web Site

iBank Web Site

 

 

By MAUS Administrator, ago