One of my first steps in going paperless was to eliminate as much paper the that comes into my life as possible. That meant opting-in to paperless billing, invoicing and statements where possible. For example, instead of receiving my monthly AT&T bill in the mail I now receive a notification telling me my bill is ready and can go to the AT&T site to download the statement. 

Once the statement is downloaded I use a simple Hazel rule to analyze my download folder and appropriately import and file statements. Here’s a screenshot: 

In a nutshell, Hazel looks at the Source URL of the file to see where it was downloaded from, in this case “att.com” and the only thing I download from “att.com” is my monthly bill. It will then rename the bill with my appropriate naming convention and use a simple applescript embedded within the rule to file the document in Evernote. The last step then moves the original PDF out of my downloads folder to the appropriate folder on my hard drive, or trash depending on the circumstances. 

The body of the AppleScript is simple, it says: 

tell application “Evernote”

activate

create notefrom filetheFile

end tell  

So, all I have to do is download the AT&T bill once it arrives, Hazel takes care of the rest! Check out the recently released Paperless podcast for more information on this subject as well as David’s excellent new iBook, The MacSparky Paperless Field Guide. 

The lack of data connectivity was never much of a problem. I’m fortunate to have Wi-Fi at home, at work and most places I frequent, but it’s not everywhere. There are a couple times a year when it would be nice to have a data plan for my iPad but I never felt those times occurred often enough to justify the additional price. An extra $130 plus $20 a month minimum for data can buy you more than a couple of instances of connectivity a year in hotels or conferences as necessary.

The base model iPad worked so well for me in the past when 3rd Generation iPad was announced it was without hesitation that I purchased the very same model. But then things started to change. Maybe it was the retina display that made me want to take my iPad with me everywhere. Maybe it was that I was starting to travel a more often for work and was finding myself yearning for ubiquitous connectivity my AT&T iPhone couldn’t give me. Maybe it was just everyone else telling me how awesome LTE is that finally got to me. Either way, I started yearning for 4G.

My original plan was to wait until the next generation iPhone (presumably the iPhone 5 released sometime between June and September) was available with LTE. At that time I’d make the switch to Verizon, lose my grandfathered unlimited data plan anyway and gain the ability to switch on tethering as needed. After all, June/September isn’t that far away. But a couple of out of town trips coupled with a unique opportunity to hand my near new Wi-Fi iPad down was enough to make me jump.

My mother will be the owner of a nearly new 16GB Wi-Fi iPad as a combination Mothers Day/Birthday gift from my father (this post was actually embargoed so as to not spill the beans) and I am the proud owner of a new 16GB 4G Verizon iPad. I’m off to Washington, DC for a conference this week and am planning to take my new 4G iPad with me for a spin. My hotel charges $15 a day for Wi-Fi so my hope is to get by on the iPad’s data plan alone. I also see this as an excellent opportunity to take Verizon’s network for a test drive before switching away from AT&T to see if the grass really is greener on the other side.

Looking forward to trying out my new tech. I’ll let you now how it goes.

People who are a lot smarter than I have started abandoning the platform all together or significantly restricting their profiles due to privacy concerns. I’m about to join them. I’m not leaving Facebook completely, it’s still one of the best ways to keep in touch with friends and family members from afar, see how their kids are growing up and learning what’s going on in their lives. But for me, Facebook is going to become a much more private network.

In the coming month, I will begin the process of locking down my Facebook profile. You’ll already see that links to it are gone from this site and I will no longer be re-publishing blog posts on my personal page. Soon I will also disable my subscription feed and my public posts. Regrettably, I will also begin “unfriending” (that’s such a bad word) people who I do not personally know. If you are unfriended, please do not take offense. Similarly, I will not be accepting friend requests from people I do not actually know.

Don’t fret, are still plenty of ways we can connect. I am becoming more active on this blog and this will remain the central place where you can find all things related to my public online presence. I will also continue to be involved on Twitter and I will maintain the public Mac Power Users page on Facebook and interact with people there.

Thanks for your understanding.

David and I have received a few emails from Mac Power Users listeners inquiring if we will be doing a show on the topic. After some thought and discussion, at this time our answer is no. I’m not sure there’s all that much we can add that we haven’t said before. We recently covered the topic of security in depth on Mac Power Users Episode 067 Web Security and your Apple Devices with George Starcher. We also discussed devoted an entire episode to the topic in Mac Power Users Episode 010: Mac Security. I would encourage listeners who are concerned to go back and listen to these two episodes

For a general overview of the Flashback Trojan, I think this excellent article by Rich Mogull for Macworld is required reading. It covers the basics of what Flashback is, how you can become infected and what you can do about it. TidBITS also has an excellent article with additional testing information for alternative browsers including screenshots with instructions for disabling Java.

For now, check software update, disable unneeded services in your browsers, stay patched and use safe browsing habits. Stay safe!

Edit: Here’s the link to the Nosillacast Mac Podcast for April 8, 2012 where Allison Sheridan and Bart Busschots discuss the Flashback Trojan. (Thanks Lynda!)

This past year at Macworld|iWorld I took a close look at the various keyboard options and I also spent a good amount of time reading reviews. I found it basically boiled down to three categories:
1. Keyboard cases
2. Full size keyboards that are compatible with the iPad
3. iPad specific travel (smaller) keyboards

Looking at how I planned to use a keyboard with my iPad I knew I could eliminate the entire category of keyboard cases all together. I think these are excellent options for people who plan to use their keyboard with the iPad on a very regular basis, people who just can’t get comfortable with the iPad on-screen keyboard or people who truly want a more “netbook” experience. But that isn’t me. I primarily see this as a device that I’ll take with me to coffee shops and on day trips and travel where I don’t want to take my laptop. I still see about 90%+ of my iPad use being without the dedicated keyboard and for that I don’t want to add the extra bulk of a keyboard case. I’m very happy with my current minimalist case solution of an Invisible Shield and a Smart Cover.

That left me to decide between the full size keyboard options and the smaller dedicated keyboards that are designed for the iPad. This now becomes a debate between comfort vs. convenience.

In the full size keyboard camp the obvious contenders are the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, the iPad keyboard dock or the Amazonbasics iPad Keyboard. In my mind the only one of these options that made sense was the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard. It is the exact same keyboard I’m accustomed to typing on my MacBook Air and without the bulky dock component it has greater portability and flexibility. By comparison, the AmazonBasics keyboard for iPad is a bit less expensive at only $45, but not quite the same keyboard layout and a little more compressed. If I was going to go with a full sized keyboard, I figured having a keyboard that was just slightly different than what I was familiar with would create confusion.

Obvious benefits to a full size keyboard include comfort and familiarity. I have a history of RSI (repetitive stress injury) and I’ve found that ergonomics is key to keeping my hands and wrists happy. The downsides to the Apple wireless keyboard include the lack of portability compared to other keyboards, difficulty charging the battery on the road and problems accidentally activating the keyboard and running down the keyboard battery and/or iPad battery.

On more than one occasion when traveling with the Apple wireless keyboard I’ve accidentally turned it on in my bag and caused it either to completely discharge by the time I needed to use it, or worse, if bluetooth was on, sent signals to my iPad and drained both batteries. I’ve also broken keys as the keyboard was tossed in my travel bag. Of course, with a little pre-planning this can be avoided. I’ve heard of tips such as inserting one of the batteries backwards until the keyboard is ready for use or purchase a case for the keyboard to prevent accidentally turning on the keyboard as well as preventing damage to the keys. I wish the Apple Keyboard had a physical on/off switch rather than the button that’s so easy to activate.

Having tried the Apple wireless keyboard with lackluster results, I decided to try another option this time. At the recommendation of Ed Dale, I decided to try the ZAGGkeys Flex. It’s a simple stand alone keyboard that will work with iOS or Android and pairs via Bluetooth. The keyboard includes a basic case that will protect the keys when in travel and convert into a stand for the iPad or iPhone, though I typically just use my Smart Cover as a stand. I’m also very pleased that the keyboard has a dedicated on and off switch that can be toggled when not in use to prevent the battery from needlessly draining down and charges via micro USB. When I travel I always have my Callpod travel accessory or a micro USB adapter that can charge the keyboard with no problem. No need to carry extra batteries or a custom charger. I also appreciate that it has a row of custom function keys unique to the iPad including a dedicated home, spotlight, show/hide keyboard, cut, copy, paste, lock, and media keys.

Now for the negatives. First and foremost, you do sacrifice some comfort. I am a touch-typist and can easily type over 100wpm on a standard keyboard. I do well enough on the ZAGGkeys Flex, certainly nothing to complain about and much better than my on-screen keyboard. But, it is a non-standard size keyboard means the keys are cramped. Even for someone who has small hands, I do not find typing on it as comfortable as on a full size extended keyboard or even the keyboard on my MacBook Air. I would be fine typing for a few hours off and on, but I’m not going to sit at this keyboard and write a novel. For a blog post or a few hours in a hotel room or a coffee shop, it’s perfect, which is about the usage I’m looking to get out of it. Additionally, while the keyboard has an attractive appearance that complements the iPad, the build quality does not seem up to par with Apple products. It is constructed of cheap plastic and has a somewhat flimsy feel to it. It is lightweight, which travelers will appreciate, but it also doesn’t feel as though it has a quality build. I think people who use this keyboard regularly will find the need to replace it every few years, perhaps more often.

All in all, I’m happy with my purchase and I think it will suit my needs well. It’s small, I’m able to type quickly and efficiently and it can be picked up for around $60 or less on online so it wasn’t overly expensive. In fact I typed this entire blog post using the ZAGGkeys flex on the iPad using Byword for iOS After doing my own research, testing various products and reading reviews from others, I found that choosing an appropriate physical keyboard for the iPad is all about compromise. You have to analyze your needs, determine what factors are most important and go from there. For the causal keyboard user who places high value on portability and convenience I think the ZAGGkeys Flex will fit the bill.

If you want to learn more about how Don manages and produces ScreenCastsOnline check out our recent Mac Power Users workflows episode.

I’ve spoken about my backup strategy at length on a couple of Mac Power Users shows including Episode 008 Backup! and [Episode 043 Back to Backup (Live from Macworld 2011)](MPU 043: Back to Backup (Live from Macworld 2011)). My strategies have changed and evolved a bit over the years but in general I believe a good backup strategy must have a few components:

1. It must be automatic – I’m paranoid about backups and even I won’t remember to run backups on a regular basis. Don’t try, just find something that will reliably automate itself and set it and forget it.
2. It must be redundant – One backup is not a backup. Sure, it’s better than nothing, but if one of your drives die, you no longer have a backup. Personally, I like having two different types of backups so perhaps make one an incremental and one a clone or image file.
3. A copy must be off site – When really bad stuff happens, it happens. Theft, power surge, lightening, whatever. If your backup and your computer are kept together you’re likely to lose both.
4. Your backups must be tested regularly – remember your backups can fail too. If you don’t test them regularly you won’t know until it’s too late. I know more than one person who has needed the backup only to find that drive has died or is otherwise unreliable. So make sure you fire up those backups and test them regularly. In fact, why don’t you go do that now?

What’s my current backup strategy? Going into detail would take more room than I have in this blog post, but in a nutshell:

1. Time Machine Backups to a Time Capsule – This provides incremental backups. I use Time Machine Editor to adjust the frequency so they only run every 4 hours rather than every hour so my CPU doesn’t take the hit. I also exclude a few frequently changing folders like my Podcasts folder in iTunes.
2. Clone backups to a local hard drive – I use a piece of software called SuperDuper! and love it. The paid version gives you the option to schedule backups and use “smart backups” which take a fraction of the time. I have SuperDuper! set to kick off every evening at a time when my Mac is likely to be on and a nightly smart update clone takes less than 20 minutes.
3. Archived files are saved to a Drobo FS – This is redundant in and of itself because of the way the Drobo works it can survive a single hard drive failure but even archived files need a second layer of protection and that comes with…
4. CrashPlan+ – I’ve tried several off site backup solutions but this is the one I like best. I have all the non-system files on my Mac set to backup to CrashPlan’s cloud and because CrashPlan will support external drives I also backup all the files on my Drobo for additional redundancy. I love CrashPlan because it actually supports unlimited backups – which is good because I have over a terabyte of data up there.
5. Portable Hard Drive for Travel – Because bandwidth is iffy when traveling and I’m going to be away from my Time Capsule and regular clone drives I also have a portable drive that’s the same size as my Mac’s internal drive that I use for travel. I keep this drive encrypted using DiskUtility for security and then have SuperDuper! scheduled so whenever this drive is plugged in it will automatically kick off a smart copy.

When I first received my new iPad I noticed problems with battery life including my battery draining faster than normal. However this problem was solved by a simple battery calibration and since then I have noticed my third generation iPad battery life has been about on par with my first generation and I can still charge my iPad from 0 to 100% overnight if I use the proper charger. Seems all the hype about problems with iPad batteries is overblown.

Calibrating the iPad’s battery is simple. When your first receive your new iPad, and every month or so thereafter, run your iPad’s battery all the way down to the point when the device turns itself off due to lack of power and simply will no longer function. Then, plug the iPad in to the Apple 10w charger and allow it to fully charge uninterrupted. Don’t unplug it and plug it back in, don’t play with it, just let it charge. For convenience, it’s best to allow this process to happen overnight or when you’ll be away for the day. For good measure, you may want to let the iPad stay on the charger for a bit after the indicator reads 100%. This process allows the iPad to give you more accurate battery readings. Note that this same process works with iPhones, iPods and Macs too and is good practice for exercising your batteries. I have an OmniFocus task set to remind me to calibrate my batteries once a month.

Also, make sure you’re using the included 10w charger. With my first generation iPad I would regularly use my old iPhone charger to charge it overnight without problems since I had a few spare iPhone chargers laying around. Although you can charge the iPad battery off of a computer’s USB port or off the lower power 5w charger that is included with the iPhone and other USB chargers it is not as efficient. This wasn’t a problem for me when charging the first generation iPad overnight, but with the larger battery on the new iPad it no longer gets the job done. Note that the iPad charger and older iPhone chargers look very similar. Pull out a magnifying glass and look at the fine print on the bottom of the adapter to confirm you’re using the proper 10w adapter.

You can find more information from Apple directly at http://www.apple.com/batteries

I’ve been wanting to write a post for a while now about my frustration with TiVo and John Siracusa summed up most my thoughts and pet peeves perfectly in his recent episode of Hypercritical 58: No More Numbers/The Four Tuners. I really hope someone at TiVo was listening and takes his criticism to heart.

Don’t get met wrong, I absolutely love my TiVos. I have two of them, one TiVo HD in my bedroom and another TiVo HDXL in my living room and I’ve been using the TiVo service since the early 2000s. After looking at other alternatives such as cable company DVRs, Satellite Dish DVRs U-Verse and even a few stand alone products I haven’t seen a thing that even comes close to challenging TiVo. In addition to the hardware related rants that John mentioned on his show, I have a few more philosophical issues with the direction TiVo has taken of late:

1) They’ve failed to innovate. TiVo had the early lead in the DVR space and they have the patents to prove it. In fact a great amount of their income comes form their patent portfolio rather than sales and subscribers. The core functionality of my TiVo and the way it functions is nearly identical to when I started using the service more than 10 years ago. They’ve added some features through partners like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon but their interface certainly isn’t innovate. Their hardware has continued to be overly expensive and underpowered. Poor management, failure of leadership, complacency? I don’t know. But they’ve lost their mojo and I’m not sure they can get it back.

2) Their pricing scheme sucks. When I bought most of my TiVos you bought the box outright and then paid a reasonable monthly fee for the service. $12.95 for the first box, $6.95 for each additional box and they had options for lifetime service (lifetime of the box, not your lifetime) for a couple hundred bucks. Thankfully, I’m grandfathered into those pricing schemes as long as I keep my current TiVos operational. What you get for that monthly fee is programing. The TiVo connects to the TiVo servers and updates the programing guide regularly so the TiVo knows what’s on and when and can schedule recordings accordingly. I get the fee – it makes sense, though even $12.95 seems a little high for what you get. $5 a month seems more realistic.

Now, TiVo has gone with the contract model that everyone *LOVES* with their cell phone carriers. The idea is that you buy the TiVo box for $99 but then pay $20 a month with a minimum one year contract for the service. I thought $12.95 was high for the programing data but $20 is really out there. Now of course it’s so high because they subsidizing the initial purchase price of the box.  After the first year, the subscription price only goes down to $14.99 per month, still higher than my original rate and the discount for each addition box only drops to $9.95 or $12.95 depending on your plan. (And why the heck are there extra plans.) Remember – after you’ve supposedly paid off the box. The last thing I and most other people want in their life is another monthly bill they have to budget. $20 a month is a noticeable amount of money for most people.

3) Lastly, Despite the monthly fee- TiVo refuses to bring some of their newer features to their older (though not that old) boxes like my TiVoHD which is perfectly capable from a technical standpoint of running the software. They instead are trying to force you into upgrading to a higher priced box on a higher priced plan. No thank you. My TiVo HDs suit me just fine and I will do everything I can including cracking open the boxes and replacing components to keep them going and my lower monthly service fees in place.

I write this rant not out of hate, but out of love. I love TiVo. And if my TiVo died tomorrow I would do everything I could to fix it or I would go right back out and buy another one. But I’m in the minority. TiVo subscriptions are now and unless and most people are just opting for poorer quality cable company DVRs out of convenience. Unless TiVo is content to just live off its patent royalties and be an IP company they need to make some changes. Please TiVo – get a clue. I want you to survive and I want to be proud of you again!