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What’s new in macOS High Sierra?

macOS High Sierra’s public beta is now available and it happens to be the first full OS upgrade since Snow Leopard. Despite that, the new OS’ most notable enhancements are not about features per se, but rather speed and future proofing Apple’s technology.

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12 Jul, 2017 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Uncategorized category
What’s new in macOS High Sierra?

macOS High Sierra’s public beta is now available and it happens to be the first full OS upgrade since Snow Leopard. Despite that, the new OS’ most notable enhancements are not about features per se, but rather speed and future proofing Apple’s technology. Having said that, here’s the latest from High Sierra.

Photos

Photos gets the most visual upgrade designed to improve user experience especially for those with numerous pictures to browse through. The toolbar has been revamped and is now customizable, allowing you to re-order sections. Media is now organized by content type, like Bursts, Live Photos, Panoramas and more.

Apple has also brought in a new editing tool with plenty of filters and basic photo-editing features like Curves, a color adjusting tool, and Selective Color, a dropper tool that allows you to choose a certain color and manipulate it according to its hue, saturation, etc. What’s more, if you’re already using other photo-editing software like Photoshop or Pixelmator, you’ll now be able to open images on those programs directly through Photos. No more going back and forth over importing images.

High Sierra’s new editing tools will also be available in the iPhone’s Live Photo feature, allowing you to crop and adjust the color of animated images in the toolbar.

Safari

Safari’s settings now feature a Website pane that allows you to customize the way you interact with different sites. You can make a site always appear in Reader Mode, shut off autoplay, apply content blockers, and more.

But the real excitement comes with Intelligent Tracking Prevention, a new feature that uses machine learning to remove cross-site tracking. This is ideal for sites with annoying tracking tendencies and eliminates things like advertising cookies, so the things you shopped for don’t follow you to every site you visit.

Useful contextual information, however, is saved for pages you actually visit so not all will be lost. This feature is activated by default but you can disable it in Safari’s settings.

New file system

Introduced at the last WWDC, Apple’s new file system, known as Apple File System (APFS), is finally seeing the light of day with High Sierra. Apple claims that APFS is a crucial component in making High Sierra its fastest operating system ever.

What’s so special about APFS? Speed, efficiency, and security. Copying large files now runs almost instantly on Apple File, plus it supports far more files than ever, letting you put nine quintillion of them onto a single volume. It’s also backwards compatible with all of your current formatted drives and features multikey encryption that integrates with all of your Apple devices.

Be warned that installation could take some time. This is because High Sierra is converting your boot drive to support the new file system. While Apple is confident that all your files will be intact, we recommend you conduct a full system backup prior to installation just to be on the safe side.

Other minor upgrades

  • Siri: You can expect a new voice for Siri just in time for the arrival of Apple’s HomePod, the company’s take on smart home assistants.
  • Metal 2: Apple’s graphics API gets VR and external GPUs support.
  • Mail: Messages are compressed differently to ensure they use up to 35 percent less space than before.
  • Spotlight: Finder’s built-in search now features flight tracking (also added to Safari). Just type in a flight number and it will provide relevant information like status, delays, gates, etc.
  • FaceTime: You can now snap a Live Photo-style moving screenshot of your conversation with another person while FaceTiming.
  • Messages: Conversations are now automatically stored in iCloud to improve syncing across Apple devices and free up local storage space.

While macOS High Sierra might not be the most exciting upgrade in Apple history, it’s an imperative one focused on refining an existing product, one that builds a solid foundation for Apple’s future technology. If you’d like to know more about other Apple products and how they can drive value for your business, just give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Key features missing in the upcoming iOS 11

Apple users are anticipating the new iOS 11, which is expected to introduce key enhancements that will cater to business users. It’s supposed to close the gap between Apple’s mobile and desktop operating systems, with updates such as Files, drag-and-drop ability, and a lot more that’s aimed at providing a better experience.

The post Key features missing in the upcoming iOS 11 appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

05 Jul, 2017 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Uncategorized category
Key features missing in the upcoming iOS 11

Apple users are anticipating the new iOS 11, which is expected to introduce key enhancements that will cater to business users. It’s supposed to close the gap between Apple’s mobile and desktop operating systems, with updates such as Files, drag-and-drop ability, and a lot more that’s aimed at providing a better experience. Unfortunately, several popular Android features are nowhere to be found in the iOS 11.

Multiple profiles

Android devices allow users to create multiple user profiles -- ideal for company devices shared among staff. This feature is also great for privacy because it lets users create an individual profile and password, so there’s no need to worry about important files and apps in the device being compromised. This feature is something iOS 11 should have included since multiple user functionality is commonly found in desktops environments, which is what it is trying to emulate.

Customization

In the upcoming iOS 11 release, iPad users can expect improvements in design. What they shouldn’t expect to find are features that will enable customizations much beyond personalizing their home screen wallpaper. Adjusting the color settings, fonts, and themes are capabilities Android device users have been enjoying for years, but Apple users will have to wait for later iOS releases to enjoy the same.

Screen search

In an Android device, tapping the “What’s on my screen?” button in Google Assistant lets a user search for info on whatever’s “on-screen.” It returns results pertaining to whatever the user is looking at on his or her screen and is useful for those who need comprehensive search results. By contrast, iOS’s search function, called Spotlight, allows instant web searches only on highlighted text.

Local photo deletion

Android’s “Free up space” capability lets users back up photos in the cloud and easily delete local files stored in the device with just one tap. On the other hand, iOS offers a convenient way to sync photos and videos to iCloud, and its Optimize iPhone Storage function is great for users with low-storage devices. Even though this is enhanced for iOS 11, it still doesn’t save as much storage space as Android’s Photos app.

Other features

The iOS 11’s “Do Not Disturb While Driving” mode detects whether the user is driving, which stops the device from sending notifications in order to avoid distractions. It’s a welcome addition, but it’s a weak counterpart to Android’s “Do Not Disturb” function, which is far more robust. Another feature that won’t be found in iOS 11 is a “Clear All” button, which closes all open apps at once.

Even with a handful of nifty features in the iOS 11, those who enjoy Android’s customizability and unique features likely won’t switch. However, the iOS 11’s focus on enterprise usability might be attractive for some non-Apple users.

Businesses need simple yet functional devices that work. If you need expert advice on device features and usability, get in touch with us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Apple focuses on enterprise users with iOS 11

Businesses were quick to adopt Apple’s iPad in the workplace since its release in 2010. It didn’t take long for it to become one of the most popular Apple devices, even though many users regarded it as just an oversized iPhone. All that changed with the release of the iPad Pro, which Apple is positioning as a practical replacement for the PC or Mac.

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26 Jun, 2017 / by Complete Technology Resources / in iPad category
Apple focuses on enterprise users with iOS 11

Businesses were quick to adopt Apple’s iPad in the workplace since its release in 2010. It didn’t take long for it to become one of the most popular Apple devices, even though many users regarded it as just an oversized iPhone. All that changed with the release of the iPad Pro, which Apple is positioning as a practical replacement for the PC or Mac. In late 2017, Apple users can expect major updates from the upcoming iOS 11, particularly in user interface and productivity features.

From mobile to desktop

Apple’s iOS platform was originally designed for mobile devices, but the company is making its mobile operating system more desktop-friendly. In the upcoming iOS 11, users can expect a user interface (UI) that’s very similar to a Mac desktop UI with substantial capabilities like multi-tasking, which will allow users to view programs in a split/slide view.

The Files app for iOS will be particularly useful for businesses that use various cloud storage platforms such as Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive. With this handy new app in iOS 11, all files can be accessed, downloaded, and shared within one single platform using your iPad. This app will be very similar to the Finder folder in Mac.

Other notable features

Aside from the multi-tasking capability and the Files app, the new enterprise user-friendly OS will provide users with Drag and Drop capability -- previously unavailable to iPad. Instead of having all apps displayed on the screen, users can now enjoy a docking system that Mac users will find familiar. Existing Apple enterprise users will find the new iOS more in-tune with their needs, as switching from one device to another will be more seamless.

What businesses can expect

Whether Apple’s major redesign will be enough to convince non-iOS device users to switch is yet to be determined. It’s also uncertain whether more enterprise tools can be expected from later versions. What’s certain is that Apple has introduced enhancements to the iPad Pro that are significant enough to make it a formidable choice as a standalone enterprise computer.

Many businesses already use an iPad in the workplace, and with these enhancements, integration of mobile and desktop functionality will be more seamless across all Apple devices. This may also prove to be a significant shift for the iPad from being a secondary computing device that displays content to being a primary computer that’s used for creating content.

Apple has always been focused on individual preferences rather than an entire market segment. But with the iOS 11, it is enterprise users who have the most to look forward to. If you need intelligent recommendations on device and usability features on both mobile and desktop devices, call us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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How to keep Mac computers safe

When it comes to Mac devices, data privacy and security should be your #1 priority, not an afterthought. Without implementing sufficient security measures, you’re leaving the door open for cybercriminals to ransack your sensitive data. Keep your bases covered and fortify Mac security with these six tips:

The basics
Let’s start with the basics and head over to the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences.

The post How to keep Mac computers safe appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

08 Jun, 2017 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Security, Tips category
How to keep Mac computers safe

When it comes to Mac devices, data privacy and security should be your #1 priority, not an afterthought. Without implementing sufficient security measures, you’re leaving the door open for cybercriminals to ransack your sensitive data. Keep your bases covered and fortify Mac security with these six tips:

The basics
Let’s start with the basics and head over to the Security & Privacy pane in System Preferences. Here, you’ll find four tabs -- General, FileVault, Firewall, and Privacy -- that control various aspects of security. To change your security settings, click on the padlock on the bottom of the screen and type in your username and password.

Firewall
Enabling the firewall will block unwanted incoming network connections. Many think it is enabled by default, but often it’s not. All you need to do is click the Firewall tab in the System Preferences > Security & Privacy pane, click the padlock icon on the bottom left, enter your username and password, and click the ‘Turn On Firewall’ button. Don’t forget to enable Stealth Mode by clicking the Firewall Options button and then clicking Enable Stealth Mode in the dialog box -- this makes your computer invisible on public networks.

Passwords
Make sure to set strong passwords for your user accounts if you don't already have one. To do this, go back to the 'General' section of the Security & Privacy settings. In this section, you should also consider setting the Require Password field to 'immediately.' This makes it so that you'll need to re-enter your login credentials to unlock your Mac when it goes to sleep or when a screen saver begins.

Automatic login
It’s best to disable this function, especially if you are using a mobile Mac. If your Mac gets stolen, you don’t want to give thieves a free pass to your private data.

Applications
At the bottom of the General Settings tab, there are three options that authorize which apps can run on your Mac. The safest option is to allow only apps from the App Store to run, and the least secure option is to allow apps from anywhere. Get the best of both worlds by choosing the option of running apps from the App Store and from developers known to Apple.

FileVault
The FileVault tab enables you to encrypt all the files in your user account. To decrypt them, you must enter either your account password or the recovery key you created when you switched FileVault on. It might be tedious to type in a password every time to access a file, but it helps keep your vital data under lock and key.

In this digital age, ensuring the protection of all your devices is crucial to your business’s success. Because all it takes is a tiny leak to sink your ship. Feel free to give us a call and we'll help prepare your business for choppy waters.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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