Techpro Networks, LLC
November
Vol 3
 		t h e     t e c h n o l o g i s t
your PC | Mac newsletter
Reviews  |  Opinions  |  Tips
Greetings!
 
It is amazing that Microsoft appears to be abandoning Windows Vista...read the review of it's replacement, Windows 7, now in 'Pre-Beta'. Now, if only we knew when...
 
Did you know there is a guy in Alaska that has been authoring Mac shareware and it is extremely good stuff? One of his 'wares' is favorably rated by MacFixit, Tucows, Chez Mark, and MacChamp and was 'Editor's Choice' by VersionTracker.

Did you buy a new MacBook or MacBook Pro, or any other Intel Mac for that matter? Then the information I have for you on Microsoft Office 2008 for the Mac should be of interest to you. You'll find many things you probably didn't know you could do. And who knew Microsoft had some really great online tutorials?

Downloads? Look at Apple's and Microsoft's list of most popular downloads. When you compare them, you'll see one list is boring. While the other at least has some intrigue. In my opinion, one list appeals to those who are left brained, and the other list appeals to those who are right brained. Which are you?

And the iPhone. On the verge of the next iPhone update... coming soon? What new features will Apple release to those of us who now have more than we ever dreamed of in a cell phone. I'm hoping for 'copy and paste'.
 
Windows 7 Pre-Beta Release
Opinions
by David Stark
Is Windows Vista getting thrown under the bus?

Windows Vista or 7






(not the official logo)

What?
A NEW Windows operating system?
Didn't Microsoft just release Windows Vista a few short months ago?  Does this have something to do with Coke Classic? Does anyone remember Windows ME?

Actually, Vista was released about 2 years ago...time goes by so fast.

And Coke Classic? ...Who knows? But I will tell you one thing. After reviewing a PowerPoint-like web presentation showing screenshots of the pre-release version of Windows 7, all I can say is that they have obviously dropped the 'Vista' name to avoid 'guilt by association'. Though there all still lots of visual similarities. I will admit, there are some interesting new features, based on the screen shots that I viewed. But it is way too early to tell where the performance numbers will land.

Read the PC Magazine Review Here

The slide show reveals different screen shots of:
  • Desktop - a new look, considerably more visually appealing.  
  • Gadgets - Apple calls them 'Widgets'.
  • Destinations - which most people recognize as the 'Start' button.
  • Calculator - a fancy-schmancy new makeover.
  • Sticky Notes - Apple has had those since System 9.
  • Themes - not a new concept, but a new look.
  • Paint - greatly revamped.
  • Battery Life - improved controls for laptops.
  • Magnifier - BIG demand for this feature?
  • Device Stage - for managing Smart Phones, Music Players, Cameras, and so forth... and the content they store.
  • Projection Options - for selecting display and projector options.
  • Windows Media Player - now on the taskbar - WHY?
  • Wireless Network Connection - screen is different, but I can't say it is better.
  • Libraries - a home networking feature to simplify sharing folders, content, and printers.
  • Bluetooth - a wizard makes finding and connecting with a Bluetooth device easier. Windows 7 now also supports Bluetooth 2.1 and Ultra Wideband (UWB).
  • Taskbar Previews - hovering your mouse over items in the taskbar reveals 'mini-windows' of the item or items.
  • Windows Explorer Previews - File contents show up in the right of Explorer windows. And you can add 'tags' at the bottom of the window.

Avoiding Windows Vista like the plague...
Performance is the biggest factor that has garnered complaints from the few users I have had the chance to talk to concerning their 'Windows Vista Experience'. The other factor was the major overhaul Microsoft put the Window GUI (Graphical User Interface) through. Can you say 'Meat Grinder'? And the end result was a slow performing operating system upgrade that offered no reasons to excite users to switch. I had one customer that replaced a 5-year old computer with a very, very fast (technically) Dell system, with LOTS of RAM and Windows Vista. It ran slower than his 5-year old system.

To overcome these minor details, from Microsoft's point of view, Microsoft stuck (i.e. forced, coerced, persuaded, etc.) OEM manufacturers (i.e. HP, Dell, Gateway, Sony, etc.) with the option of only putting out systems with Windows Vista. However, some manufacturers, such as Dell, were able, it seems, to negotiate with Microsoft to allow the offering of 'downgrading' to Windows XP due to customer demand. It costs an extra $100.00 and you end up with an XP and a Vista license. But the offering is not a widely known option. And, if you talk with a Dell salesperson, they may deny that it is available. Which leads me to believe that Microsoft is providing sales incentives to sales of systems with Vista-only installed.

By the way, with any current model Apple Macintosh, it is quite easy to install Windows XP on it? Yes, it is true. And, if you are so inclined, you don't have to have the Mac OS X operating system installed at all. And, for those of you interested, Vista runs pretty darn good on Macs. But I recommend waiting for Windows 7.
Microsoft Office 2008 for the Mac
Opinions
by David Stark
8 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do...
Office 2008 for Mac - Full Version Most software applications, for Mac or PC, are extremely capable of doing some pretty amazing and wild things most of us never dreamed they could do. And, it is widely considered that, again...most users, don't use 10% of the power of these applications.

Well, Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac is no exception. Of course, it doesn't matter that it has only been on the market for a few months, so who expects us to know? The reality is that, with every new release of a major application, like Microsoft Office, they have added yet another series of features, and tricks, and treats for us to enjoy.

The problem though, even with geeks like me, is that we will likely upgrade so our ability to share documents easily with other 'upgraders' is maintained. And not so much for the new features, bells, and whistles the software manufacturer has assembled into the new version. Heck, I didn't even review the features on the packaging when I bought the new Office. Primarily because it didn't really matter, and what sense did it make to buy the old version, even if I could find it? Then there's the excuse, "I was happy with all of the features I had before. Anything extra is icing on the cake".

So, what was I missing?
Here are 8 features I didn't even know I had. And most of them also apply to Microsoft Office 2004 for the Mac, in case you haven't upgraded yet.

1.    Change default formatting in Word
2.    Change default formatting in Excel
3.    In Word, automatically Open the most-recently used file
4.    Add the Solver Add-In to Excel
5.    Make Word load faster
6.    Use Word's secret shortcut keys
7.    Select any rectangular region in Word
8.    Fix incompletely displayed charts in Excel

Here's a link to PC Magazine's complete article with lots of details and How-Tos for the above listed features.


And, if you are interested in the many FREE courses for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Entourage... Click Here for the complete list

But if you are looking for Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac downloads, such as Office Updates, Templates, Converters and other feature enhancements... Click Here to go to the downloads list
Leopard Cache Cleaner
opinions and commentary by David Stark
Alaskan Made Mac Software? . . . Who knew???
Leopard Cache CleanerI can't say enough good things about this amaing software. As a utility class software solution, it covers just about every base you can think of (and many I didn't even know about...) when it comes to Mac maintenance utilities. If you are running Mac OS X, Leopard... then you need this fine utility. It does a superb job of automating the task of cleaning your caches, repairing your permissions, and performing over 50 different maintenance tasks and features. Many of these tasks, if not done regularly, can degrade the performance of your OS. This is a powerful shareware utility, brought to you by Northern Softworks, right here in Alaska. I highly recommend this for any Mac running OS X (requires 10.3.9 or later). It is worth the price! ($8.99) And 'Family' and 'Business' pack pricing is also available.

Here's a brief overview of the Author, from his website:
Northern Softworks was founded in 1998 by John Lowrey, and has been providing fine Macintosh shareware and freeware ever since.

John is the author of a number of well-received products, including the award winning maintenance utility Leopard Cache Cleaner. His products have won favorable reviews in major Macintosh websites including MacFixit, Tucows, Chez Mark, and MacChamp.

John enjoys the distinction of being the only Macintosh shareware author in the state of Alaska. He lives in South Central Alaska with his wife and daughter. In addition to his computers, he enjoys amateur radio, salmon fishing, and snowmobiling.

Northern Softworks distributes its products under the shareware principles: try before you buy with minimal or no marketing costs. As a result, shareware is much more affordable than most other commercial software.

To see a complete description of what this software can do for you click on this link:
Leopard Cache Cleaner Description and Download Site
But better yet, take a quick look at the 31 page manual.

You can also check out reviews and opinions of others that have used this software. But... a word of advice when reading reviews... pay more attention to what people like about the software. And less attention to what they don't like. When reading negative reviews, I find the authors of it are often less experienced, don't understand what it is supposed to do, and have not tested the software thoroughly.

To see some of the other fine products that John has produced, check out his website here:
Northern Softworks
by the way, he has some nice Alaskan desktop images you can download too!
Pending iPhone Update - Possible new features?
Original iPhone


8 Things to Expect

Check out complete descriptions and screenshots of the rumored improvements, due out in the next software update for the iPhone.

8 Things to Expect




Some of these are fairly interesting, and one or two seem to have a dud-ly air about them.

1.    Google Street View
2.    Direct Podcast Downloads
3.    Application Rating on Deletion
4.    Line-In Support
5.    Emoji Emoticons
6.    Location Sharing
7.    Safari Tweaks
8.    Copy & Paste
 
Contact Information
phone: 907-644-0525 		Join our mailing list!
Save
25%
Save
25% Save
If you were astute enough to read this far, then Techpro Networks, LLC is  making you the following offer: All labor billed between 11/7/2008 and 11/30/2008 will receive a 25% discount when payment is accompanied by this coupon.

Take advantage of this offer and get those network-wide upgrades performed you've been wanting to have done. Or get your computers cleaned with our patented anti-static vacuum cleaner, so your systems will run cooler, and last longer. Or, maybe you've been thinking of increasing the RAM in most of your systems.

Now THAT'S a good deal!

Call me at 907-644-0525 to schedule your service now!
 
Offer Expires: 11/30/2008
offer good on labor only.