Many people that I meet every day are interested in Apple’s new iPad. There intrigued by information they hear in the media and see on television. The most common question seems to be how can I use that to do the work. While it’s true that the iPad and the iPhone are designed around consumer experience, they are quite capable of being used productively. In fact I use my iPhone and my iPad as much as and sometimes more than my computers. So I’m going to take a few minutes and introduce you to some of the tools that you can use on your iPad to get work done.

First of all how do you get your business documents onto your iPad and what can you do with them. Apple has introduced the iPad version of its popular iWork suite of applications. IWork includes pages, numbers and keynote which are compatible with Microsoft Office documents created in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Each of the iWork applications can be bought individually for about $9.99. Once you have those installed on your iPad a little bit of behind-the-scenes magic takes place. Built into the iPad and any iPhone running iOS 4, has the ability to take advantage of filesharing. So somebody e-mails you a Word or Pages document you can press and hold your finger on the attached file in the mail app and the popover dialog will open up offering to open the file writing to pages.

Many other applications take advantage of filesharing and let you store and work with other work documents as well. One of my favorites is called here sharing and it’s available for both iPhone and iPad. When you’ve received file through e-mail you can press and hold to get the pop over dialogue and choose to open the file in air sharing. What’s great about this that is that it supports multiple file formats, such as JPEG images, PDFs, Word and Excel and most surprisingly zip files. So if you receive is that following e-mail you can store it in air sharing and when you open the file inside of air sharing you can see the contents of the zip file. If the zip as a word document you can read it, copy from it and even open it right in the pages.

Another popular Microsoft Office compatible application is documents to go. Documents to go also opens word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as PDFs and will even let you print to a network printer. By the time you read this article, Apple’s next operating system for iPad, iOS 4.2, will be out and it promises to include printing as well.

Filesharing on the iPad and iPhone allows you to access documents through iTunes, but it also supports Bonjour,  and Wi-Fi networking.  Applications like air sharing and documents to go also support WebDav which lets you access the applications on the network using HTTP protocol. So once the applications open on your device, you can connect to it and drop and pick up documents over the network. Additionally you can access popular applications like dropbox and mobile me’s iDisk . that we can also drop and pick up files in the cloud.

That brings me to my favorite iPad, iPhone and Macintosh utility which is the mobile me service from Apple. Built around popular technologies like card to have and caldera of mobile me keeps your contacts and calendars in sync across multiple devices. Within a few minutes of entering a contacts address information mobile me will sink down across your various devices. So you can have the door on the way to an appointment and open your iPad or iPhone choose the contact,, touched down on their address and the iPad will open Google maps and show you where your next appointment is. You can also have Google map program give you directions to the appointment from your current location.

In terms of using an iPad or even iPhone for business we really only scratched the surface. In future articles will tackle some more productivity tools and maybe even show you how to create some of your own using web and even writing applications yourself. After sitting on the fence and you haven’t decided who I get this iPad or wait for the next version I highly can recommend the existing iPads has great tools easily the easiest investment you’ll make

Printing apps for mac to support iPad printing

Our first independent app became available today.

Device Tracker 1.0

Xserve will no longer be available after January 31, but we’ll continue to fully support it.

Read more

Not really surprising since Apple is now offering the Mac Mini with Snow Leopard Server. So they are loosing ground on their own product.

As an IT Guy I have to ask:
What about redundant dual power supplies?
What about fibre channel interface?
What about CPU performance?

I guess you can always use a Mac Pro… they do still sell Mac Pro, right?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ultimate Wedding Planner iPad App Available Now on the App Store

TORONTO, October 7, 2010 – 2 For Life Media Inc., announces the release of the ULTIMATE WEDDING PLANNER app on the App Store. This must-have wedding app by 2 for Couples combines the authority of a national wedding magazine, the immediacy of a wedding website and the interactivity of a digital planner” all in one package! It is a one-stop resource for everything couples need to know when it comes to planning their big day, including announcing the engagement, wedding trends, designer gown collections, coordinating their wedding day schedule and so much more.

“We’ve made wedding planning fun and groom-friendly,” says Editor-in-Chief Neil Morton. “From wedding style ideas to how to take good wedding photos and all the right songs to play at your reception, we’ve got everything couples need to know” and then some” in a digital magazine format.”

But that’s not all! The ULTIMATE WEDDING PLANNER app also includes: the 2Wire, a daily dose of wedding-related news; and a 2Worksheets section which allows couples to key in important info and email it to their wedding party, family and service providers.

“We believe iPad is the perfect tool for planning a wedding, and we’ve brought all the resources a couple needs together in one place,” adds 2 For Life Media Inc. President Diane Hall. “Couples can take the ULTIMATE WEDDING PLANNER on iPad to all their appointments to consult tips and advice, and to record important info.”

The 2 for Couples ULTIMATE WEDDING PLANNER app is available on the App Store for iPad. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ultimate-wedding-planner/id387919600?mt=8

For relationship and newlywed advice, couples can download the 2 FOR COUPLES magazine and app in the iTunes store (http://itunes.apple.com/app/2-for-couples/id386093103?mt=8). With a spotlight on real couples and their day-to-day lives, 2 for Couples serves up a slew of date night ideas, a whole bucket list of must-do moments, a ton of expert advice and fun couple makeovers. To learn more about our 2 for Couples magazine and app, check out our trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kteMiligu8

About 2 For Life Media Inc.

Founded in 2004, 2 For Life Media Inc. is a lifestage media company specializing in couple lifestyle, relationships and weddings. The development of the 2 for Couples ULTIMATE WEDDING PLANNER app is made possible though the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation. www.2forcouples.com

For further information: To inquire about 2 For Life Media Inc., the 2 for Couples ULTIMATE WEDDING PLANNER app and arrange interviews with President Diane Hall and/or Editor-in-Chief Neil Morton, please contact Benedetta Lamanna at benedetta@2magazine.com or 416-469-1429 ext. 222.

Microsoft Office for Mac 2011, will be available at the end of October. Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 will come in two editions; Office for Mac Home and Student 2011 and Office for Mac Home and Business 2011. For better alignment across platforms, the Office 2011 pricing and edition options map closer with Office for the Windows operating system.

Office for Mac Home and Student 2011 will cost around $129 and can be installed on one Mac. A Family Pack, which includes 3 licenses will sell for approx. $159. Office for Mac Home and Business 2011 will cost around $250 and will include a single Mac license. A Multi-Pack will also be available for $349 if you want to install the license on two Macs (for the same user.) Also available is Microsoft Office for Mac Academic 2011 for $99 USD but it will only be available at academic stores or from Microsoft directly. [prices in Canadian dollars]

All versions will include Word for Mac, PowerPoint for Mac, Excel for Mac and Messenger for Mac.

If you bought Office For Mac 2008 after Aug 1, 2010 you can claim an upgrade to Office For Mac 2011 at no additional cost here.

Qualifying purchase details. Office 2008 for Mac must be purchased between Aug. 1, 2010, and Nov. 30, 2010, at Microsoft or an authorized reseller.
Program registration. Customers can register for the program online at http://www.microsoft.com/mac/techg. Qualifying registrants must fill out the form and submit their product key(s) and dated sales receipt for Office 2008 for Mac by Dec. 31, 2010.

Q. The disk space on my Mac is almost full and I’d like to store our family photos on an external drive and store the family videos from my second MacBook on the storage device as well. How can we move the files if we get an external drive or Mac Mini Server?

A. To begin, both of your Mac computers use iPhoto to manage your photos and home movies. One of the key features of iPhoto is that it has a built in database and protects your photos by storing them with a special file called “iPhoto Library”.

Because of the way it is set up iPhoto can be tricky to manage. In order to maintain the integrity of the database Apple converts the iPhoto folders into a special folder type called a package. All of the photos and movies are stored inside to protect them.

You can use iPhoto to move files, as you can’t manually access photos or movies directly. iPhoto does have the ability to Export selected images to other locations such as folders, to a Mobile Me gallery, to the web or as QuickTime slideshows. You can also upload individual files to Flikr, FaceBook and email them. iPhoto will even resize the images to make them smaller for emailing and uploading.

Keep in mind that your images can be quite sizable and movie files are much larger, depending on your camera settings – up to several gigabytes in many cases.

You can manually manage images using export or by dragging them out the Desktop or you can download “iPhoto Library Manager” ($20). iPhoto Library Manager will let you manage your photos in more than one library. You can create a new Library on another drive and move or merge photos between libraries. You can also use iPhoto Library Manager to split larger libraries. The makers of iPhoto Library Manager (http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ ) also make PowerTunes which will help manage iTunes Libraries.

In second part of your question you mention a great idea – setting up a Mac Mini as a media centre for the entire family. It can also support larger drives as you storage needs increase. The Mac Mini Server includes a full, unlimited version of Mac OS X Server 10.6. As well as offering centralized storage for the family the Mac Mini Server can also be used as a Time Machine location for the Macs on your home network.

With respect to storage options, you might want consider a Drobo – which is a robotic raid that can be expanded by adding successively larger drives. Using up to four SATA hard drives, the Drobo automagically formats and creates a storage space larger than any one drive. You can start with one or two 1 TB drives and add drives until it’s full… but it doesn’t end there. You can swap out the drives and put in larger drives to increase your storage without reformatting – mixing any number of different sized drives and manufacturers. The Drobo spreads the data across the drives and creates redundancy by using a small portion of the space for parity.

As the space fills up the Drobo will signal you with colored lights to put in a larger drive. If one of the drives fails, the Drobo lights will indicate that it needs to be replaced. The Drobo comes in 4 drive, 5 drive and 8 drive versions, so you can move up to a larger Drobo by moving the drives as a group. The Drobo will sort things out no matter what order you put the drives.

You can install the Plex Media Server to manage and play back your media on the Mac Mini (or any Mac) as a media server. Based on the popular open source Xbox Media Center, the Plex interface presents your media; music, movies, TV shows and photos. Using the Plex application, a wifi keyboard and an Apple Remote you can navigate and play your media on your Mac connected to your stereo system and HDMI TV. You can also stream media right off the Internet.

This document was created with Pages for the iPad, Air Sharing for the iPad, Drop Box and exported as Word via Mail on the iPad.

Supersize your view.
Introducing the new 27-inch LED Cinema Display.

Introducing the new 27-inch Apple LED Cinema Display, featuring a stunning 2560-by-1440 resolution, LED backlighting, and amazing 178-degree viewing angle. It connects to any Mac with a Mini DisplayPort connection. The universal MagSafe connector charges your Mac notebook, and three USB 2.0 ports give you room to expand. There’s also a built-in iSight camera, microphone, and 49-watt speaker system.

Key Features
• 27-inch (diagonal) glossy widescreen display
• 2560-by-1440-pixel resolution
• LED backlighting
• Ambient light sensor
• Three connectors: Mini DisplayPort, MagSafe, USB
• Three self-powered USB 2.0 ports
• Built-in iSight camera and microphone
• Built-in 49-watt, 2.1 speaker system
• Mercury-free LED display with arsenic-free glass

We have set up an installer for a free trial of Background Backup. You can access the installer here and try it out risk free for 14-days. If you’ve wondered what it does, give it a try it’s painless. If you like it you can keep it running for $15/month. More detail is here.

Free 14-day trial. Download the installer(s) and try Background Backup for fourteen days.

Contact Us to find out more.

After six months of work, we have rolled out the first free issue of “2 For Couples” iPad magazine style application. (the press release will come out next week.)

Here’s a excerpt from the app’s web page:

Get the most out of your relationship… right now! Download the 2 FOR COUPLES app and receive the first issue of 2 FOR COUPLES ” free! 2 is your one-stop resource for everything you need to know about relationships. 2 covers sex and intimacy, travel, nesting, entertaining, leisure, style and more! We focus on real couples and the real lives they lead. Try the first issue of our 2 app now! We’ll entertain and inspire you with a whole bucket list of ideas, from date nights to travel advice! Read it together… on your iPad, which is built for 2!

Watch the trailer

You can download the app Here!

Contact Us to find out more.