Mamma Likes Kickstarter: Mobi-Lens

I can not wait to get my hands on one of these adorable little gadgets! (I really want one in purple. #hint #hint)

Picture This

You know how hard it is to get little kids to look into the camera on your smartphone? Well, take a look at this prototype and imagine how much more fun it would be to snap those precious moments using a Mobi-Lens clipped to your mobile device whether it's an iPhone, iPad or even your laptop.

Photo Booth just got that much more fun with a Mobi-Lens clipped to your MacBook Pro!

Pledge to Make It Happen

They plan on making these in different colors. Imagine them with some kind of bling, logo, school mascot or favorite Sesame Street character! Getting your little ones to look at your smartphone just might be a little bit less frustrating if you give them a fun focal point while you snapshot that precious memory.

Capture adorable little details up close with the macro lens. Dimples, drool or a wiggly first tooth. Kids will undoubtedly have fun with the fisheye lens. Remember Grover? Near! Far! Near! Far! Go long and go wide at soccer games and get that goal with the wide angle lens.

Source: kickstarter.com via Melissa on Pinterest

https://www.facebook.com/MobiLens

First Tooth

Sent from my iPad

Created using Pic Collage. http://pic-collage.com

Touch

What's On YOUR Home Screen?

There is a new app claiming a spot on the first page of my iPad's home screen and it's the Podcasts app. Don't have it? Get it here:

Podcasts Apple Category: Entertainment Updated: Jun 26, 2012 3090 Ratings

This app makes it super easy to discover and subscribe to podcasts - both audio and video.

It's even purple!

I might just have to take up podcasting again over at http://momsgonegeek.net/podcasts

iTunes for Mac and Windows

No Voice? Use Big Words!

I recently had laryngitis for two weeks. Not only was it painful, but an even bigger challenge during our summer vacation while traveling with my two young sons to visit family and friends with even more children!

This app became invaluable for me during that time. I was able to communicate with people using this on my iPhone and iPad. I had to carefully choose my words when trying to talk to my six year old who is just learning to read, but this was a great exercise.

Big Words is a must-have tool on all your devices!

Big Words DollarApp Category: Social Networking Updated: Oct 4, 2011 16 Ratings

What did you do 1 year ago today?

Timehop: What did you do 1 year ago today?

Ever thought about time travel? Moms think about this stuff ALL THE TIME. What did I do one year ago? I can't even remember what I did one hour ago. We also think about cloning ourselves so we can get more done and get more sleep too.

Well, since cloning humans hasn't quite caught on yet, how about we just focus on time travel for a moment? Check out this service. It's a fun way to take a peek back into your recent history and reflect. Timehop makes it as easy as checking your email. If you know how to create an email rule or filter, you can just make yourself a folder called Journal, for example, and have your email service automatically deliver messages from Timehop to that folder. Then, when ever you're feeling like you need to reflect on the previous year, just click on that folder and see an archive of your previous posts. If you micro-journal your life in 140 like I do, this can be a useful way to look back and remind yourself of projects you may  have left slide. Tweets are archived with links which can come in real handy when you want to revisit a project.

They just added support for archiving your texts from your mobile phone and I'm looking forward to trying that out. Many times I get questions about how to save texts and I think this service may just fit that bill.

Just think of all those kinky little love messages you've sent to your special someone over the course of a year. When you look back on those messages, do you think you'll say to yourself, "Yeah, rock on!" or "Ew. Seriously? So gross."

I think it's an especially great service for scatter-brained moms like me who juggle so many things that a lot can happen in the course of a year. I can read a Timehop message and think, wow, seems like just yesterday when I tweeted about my kiddo's first day of school and awww, look at the snapshot I posted! Cool!

Review: Generic 5 in 1 Card Reader for iPad

Guest on TeacherCast Podcast #19 “Your Friendly Tech Department'

Listen to my guest spot on this podcast with Jeffrey Bradbury of TeacherCast
source link: http://podcast.teachercast.net/teachercast-podcast-19-your-friendly-tech-department/

Topics Covered:

• What is a school technician and why are they important to our school?
• What is the function of the school IT department?
• How many hats does an IT have to wear during the day?
• How is being an IT in the upper grades different than in the lower grades?
• What are some of the duties an IT does during the day?
• Grant Writing for Technology
• Who does the IT really work for?
• How can the IT department influence education?
• How should we support our IT department?
• Should schools be using Mac or PC?
• How can we go paperless in our schools?
• Why is it so difficult for teachers to work with technology when it is always breaking down?
• What are some general things that teachers can do to help out their local IT guy? (or gal!)

Check out Jeff's site: Teachercast.net for valuable education resources!

Knightwise.com Podcast S3ep2 : Macs and Mommies

It's been so long since I've recorded but something about the summer time just seems to kick things off! (Perhaps it's that the Hubby is soon done with school for the summer - yay!) Here is a rare video version of me podcasting/vlogging with my BIB (Belgian Internet Boyfriend), Knightwise. You must check out his stuff. He and his wife are crazy geeks like us - minus kids, plus dogs. (These are my people!!)

If you know me, fast forward through all the boring parts where I talk about myself and say stuff you've probably already heard. The meaty discussion is actually entertaining to listen to and I hope it gets you thinking about how you incorporate tech into your family and in your daily lives.

Share your thoughts in the comments! I'd love to hear from you!
You can follow us on Twitter if you want to geek out across the globe.
@Knightwise and me, @TheMacMommy

Also check out my Google Plus. I plan on interacting over there more too!

5th Annual TUAW Mother's Day Edition

The Unofficial Apple Weblog hosts a TalkCast every Sunday night. For the past five consecutive years, it's been my privilege to be a guest of honor on the Mother's Day Edition of this podcast.


Click this link to listen to the audio in iTunes.
TUAW Talkcast 2012-05-13: Mother's Day Edition

Click this link to listen to the audio in your browser's audio player.

Podcast Description:

Calling all Mac Mommies out there -- it's our annual Mother's Day show, where we celebrate the Mac, Mom and iOS too. Join Kelly and the crew for the fun!

Protecting Your Identity: Some Observations

A client of mine forwarded to me a message she had gotten with tips for how to protect your identity and that is what has inspired this post. Below is an edited version of what I wrote back to her. I hope you find it useful.

I just finished getting all 3 of my free credit reports from www.annualcreditreport.com

I won't lie, obtaining your credit report is TRICKY!! All these sites out there try their very best to get you to purchase a credit report or a credit score report using their service. They say in big, bold letters that this is all FREE but then in teeny, tiny letters elsewhere, it's only free for the first month and then if you don't cancel the membership they rope you in to, they charge your card seventeen bucks each month and for what I really don't know nor care to know!!

Just for fun, I dipped my finger into the ordering process to see where and when they ask for my credit card. I didn't get past the Terms of Service Agreement. I first wanted to know how to cancel the membership. The only instructions I could find is that you have to either go to another site and work with an "interactive" customer service representative online OR you can call a phone number. They have limited hours of operation in both cases.

Bottom line is DO NOT BITE!! You will just end up with a hole in your lip - and - wallet!

The only reason I would ever try to get and then weasel out of this is if I were looking to buy a house and I really needed to know my credit score. It may happen in the near future, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Here are some notes I copied and pasted from the website as I was going through the process. Be prepared to be perplexed by the questions they ask to verify your identity. They use a combination of trick questions and questions that you will probably easily know the answer to. For example, they stated that I may have applied for a mortgage and wanted to know which bank secured the loan. It was a trick question so I answered None of the Above. Then they tried to ask me how much the monthly payments were. Again the answer was None of the Above. So, you need to understand that they are trying to trick a thief, not you, so they can verify your identity. Take a deep breath and try to remember what the answers might be. Try to answer them quickly though before the website session times out! From what I experienced, the questions they ask are relevant to the past few years, not like who was your best friend when you were five years old.

The first on my list was TransUnion. This is their welcome message:

Thank you for selecting TransUnion for your FREE Personal Credit Report.

Your credit report is just moments away.

To protect your privacy, we'll ask you a few questions to verify your identity.

To complete the next section, you may need to refer to information including, but not limited to, your credit cards, loans and mortgages. Please have any statements or documents available.

Please make sure you have the ability to print if you would like to retain your credit report.

To receive your free credit report online, you must complete the identity verification process. If you don't wish to complete the process online or you can't complete it online, you may obtain your free credit report by phone or mail. You can only go through the online identity verification process once per year.

Please Note: Before continuing, you'll need to verify that the information displayed below is accurate. To make changes, please visit www.annualcreditreport.com.

But….but…..it's FREE, FREE, FREE!!!!
(maybe, but you'll have to work for it! Sorry, my anxiety isn't free. It costs a dollar a pill for Zoloft!!)

"Start your 7-day risk-free trial, $16.95/month thereafter!  Cancel anytime during the trial period free of charge, or do nothing to have your membership continue without interruption. "

A member may cancel at any time. To cancel your membership please contact our Customer Service Team. For contact information and hours of service go to https://tui.transunion.com/contact.jsp.

Yeah, uh huh. Suuuuuure. Oh, how convenient it is that the website is currently closed! Gee, I wonder what language the phone operator will speak when I call? What's YOUR guess?

Here is a screen shot of what it looked like as I completed printing to PDF the first of the three reports.

One mistake I made was not changing the Print to PDF settings to make it print in color. I ended up with a greyscale version which isn't as easy on the eyes. Oh bother! At the end of getting the Experian report, they told me this:

To return to your Experian report in the near future, log on to www.experian.com/consumer and select "View your report again" or "Dispute" and enter your Report Number.

So, I tried doing something similar on the TransUnion site, but no luck! Bummer. Oh well, at least I have the report now.

This next section I copied and pasted from one of the websites regarding your rights to this information. I thought it was pretty important.

Remedying the Effects of Identity Theft

• Identity theft occurs when someone uses your name, Social Security number, date of birth, or other identifying information, without authority, to commit fraud. For example, someone may have committed identity theft by using your personal information to open a credit card account or get a loan in your name. For more information, visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft or write to: FTC, Consumer Response Center, Room 130-B, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C., 20580.
• The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you specific rights when you are, or believe that you are, the victim of identity theft. Here is a brief summary of the rights designed to help you recover from identity theft.
• You have the right to ask that nationwide consumer reporting agencies place "fraud alerts" in your file to let potential creditors and others know that you may be a victim of identity theft. A fraud alert can make it more difficult for someone to get credit in your name because it tells creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you. It also may delay your ability to obtain credit. You may place a fraud alert in your file by calling just one of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies. As soon as that agency processes your fraud alert, it will notify the other two, which then also must place fraud alerts in your file.
• An initial fraud alert stays in your file for at least 90 days. An extended alert stays in your file for seven years. To place either of these alerts, a consumer reporting agency will require you to provide appropriate proof of your identity, which may include your Social Security number. If you ask for an extended alert, you will have to provide an identity theft report. An identity theft report includes a copy of a report you have filed with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, and additional information a consumer reporting agency may require you to submit. For more detailed information about the identity theft report, visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft.
• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com
• Experian: 1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com
• You have the right to free copies of the information in your file (your "file disclosure"). An initial fraud alert entitles you to a copy of all the information in your file at each of the three nationwide agencies, and an extended alert entitles you to two free file disclosures in a 12-month period following the placing of the alert. These additional disclosures may help you detect signs of fraud, for example, whether fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or whether someone has reported a change in your address. Once a year, you also have the right to a free copy of the information in your file at any consumer reporting agency, if you believe it has inaccurate information due to fraud, such as identity theft. You also have the ability to obtain additional free file disclosures under other provisions of the FCRA. See www.ftc.gov/credit.
• You have the right to obtain documents relating to fraudulent transactions made or accounts opened using your personal information. A creditor or other business must give you copies of applications and other business records relating to transactions and accounts that resulted from the theft of your identity, if you ask for them in writing. A business may ask you for proof of your identity, a police report, and an affidavit before giving you the documents. It also may specify an address for you to send your request. Under certain circumstances, a business can refuse to provide you with these documents. See www.consumer.gov/idtheft.
• You have the right to obtain information from a debt collector. If you ask, a debt collector must provide you with certain information about the debt you believe was incurred in your name by an identity thief - like the name of the creditor and the amount of the debt.
• If you believe information in your file results from identity theft, you have the right to ask that a consumer reporting agency block that information from your file. An identity thief may run up bills in your name and not pay them. Information about the unpaid bills may appear on your consumer report. Should you decide to ask a consumer reporting agency to block the reporting of this information, you must identify the information to block, and provide the consumer reporting agency with proof of your identity and a copy of your identity theft report. The consumer reporting agency can refuse or cancel your request for a block if, for example, you don't provide the necessary documentation, or where the block results from an error or a material misrepresentation of fact made by you. If the agency declines or rescinds the block, it must notify you. Once a debt resulting from identity theft has been blocked, a person or business with notice of the block may not sell, transfer, or place the debt for collection.
• You also may prevent businesses from reporting information about you to consumer reporting agencies if you believe the information is a result of identity theft. To do so, you must send your request to the address specified by the business that reports the information to the consumer reporting agency. The business will expect you to identify what information you do not want reported and to provide an identity theft report.

To learn more about identity theft and how to deal with its consequences, visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or write to the FTC. You may have additional rights under state law. For more information, contact your local consumer protection agency or your state attorney general.
In addition to the new rights and procedures to help consumers deal with the effects of identity theft, the FCRA has many other important consumer protections. They are described in more detail at www.ftc.gov/credit.

Here is the supposed advice that was doled out by an attorney and emailed around the internet for free: (MY comments and advice are bullet points after the initial claim from the originally circulated email.)

Claim 1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'

• I don't understand the point of this! Here is an article that explains why it's just bad advice:
• http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/sign-or-write-see-ID-1282.php 

Claim 2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.

• Even safer yet, don't write out paper checks to pay bills, reduce the amount of human eyeballs on your digits. Pay bills online.

Claim 3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.

• Second verse, same as the first! Even safer yet, don't write out paper checks to pay bills, reduce the amount of human eyeballs on your digits. Pay bills online, shop online (you'll save on tax and many times shipping plus it's delivered to your door and then you save on gas in your car. When purchasing goods or services at a store, use your check or debit card. Using the card is just like writing a check but it's quicker, more secure, plus it gives you a digital bread crumb trail that you can track and search when need be to file your taxes or keep an eye on your account

Claim 4. Place the contents of your wallet on photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.

• Forget the copy machine and especially one at a public facility like a Kinkos — not safe — your information could be stolen from the imprints left behind. Use your scanner. The ultimate for this method of securing your identity is to scan all your wallet contents then file the images with corresponding database entries in 1Password. Once you have all of that information entered, you can print out a hard copy to be filed away in a fire-proof safe. Also, make backups of that digital data and keep it encrypted. This way, if the need ever arises, you can actually READ the information because it will be printed out in crisp text, not some blurry photocopy. If your wallet has been stolen, chances are you'll be in such a panic that your eyes might not work as well and you'll be stressed about locating that information quickly. Why not make it easier on yourself and just print out a 1Password report that is easier to read and understand!

Claim 5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

• Using the information above that you gather for contacts, it's essential to report your missing or stolen identity to the proper authorities where usually THEY will issue the cancellation and get you set up with a new card. Follow the proper channels for the least amount of headache. Reclaiming your identity can become a full time job! Sad, but true.

Claim 6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

• Most definitely! Look for your local police department or identity theft department and include those numbers on the list of those to call in the case of a stolen identity emergency.

Claim 7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

• You can do this online and it is relatively easy and not too time consuming. You are granted one FREE credit report per year. If you've been a victim of identity theft then you get more than one.

Claim 8. Numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:
                   Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
                   Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
                   Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289
                   Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271 

• I double-checked these numbers against the ones I obtained while completing the process and they are the same with the websites added on for another contact method

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com
• Experian: 1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com

I know this is a boatload of information, but I've been the victim of identity theft and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy! (well, except for the people who have stolen my identity!) I hope this helps!

I'm Reading This Book: Brandwashed

http://www.martinlindstrom.com/brandwashed/

Brand Futurist, Martin Lindstrom's Explosive New Book: Brandwashed is a must-read for the educated consumer. The research is fascinating and the explanations of why we buy just make sense as he explains them in detail.
Is it possible to actually be IN LOVE with your iPhone? Read this book to find out if you're crazy or just plain in love with a gadget!

Remember the smell of Playdoh or Crayola Crayons? Do you immediately recognize the sound of a Macintosh computer booting up? Of course you do! Logos are not the only iconic marketing tools used to make a product and brand stick with us for all of eternity. Sounds and smells are also engineered to last.

You should really read this book to learn about the power of marketing and its power over us from before we're even born! Don't be fooled by trickery used to get you to spend money on something you don't really need or want. Instead, learn how to make informed buying decisions and feel confident about where and how you spend those hard-earned dollars!

Disclaimer: This book was provided to me for review. The book endorsement is my own.

Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac: Back on Track

Back to School Season is among us. Out here in the west, we’ve already been back for a few weeks now, but I know many of you are just getting into the swing of things. Routines can be challenging to implement and I bet you’re inundated with all the stuff kids need these days. Picking out clothes to outfit your kids is one daunting task, and picking out software to outfit your budding student’s Mac shouldn’t be one more thing on that already long list. When families have the right tools to get organized, daily activities can become more manageable.

In this multi-part review series, I aim to give you the advice you’re looking for when it comes to getting the right publishing software for your Back to School Mac.

I also have some project ideas I’d like to share. As for the clothes, sorry, but you’re on your own!

Last month, Microsoft provided me with a license of Microsoft Office 2011 for the Mac Home and Business Edition for the purposes of evaluation. Along with it, they included a wonderful Back to School Backpack full of goodies. Everything goes better with metaphors, so I’ll attempt to utilize those analog tools to compare with the digital tools in the Microsoft Office 2011 suite in my subsequent reviews.

To summarize what I’ve experienced after a few weeks of using Microsoft Office 2011 for the Mac, I’d have to say I’m impressed with a few caveats. I wouldn’t be doing my blog justice if I didn’t critique it before I geek it.

Let’s be up front and comment on the track record. The last Microsoft Office for the Mac was 2008 and it was not a treat to use. I know one too many Mac users who used it only because they had to, not because they wanted to. No one can deny that Microsoft Office is pretty much the standard in the corporate world. The education world must follow suit so students graduate knowing how to use the tools they’ll be using out in the field. In my professional opinion, the 2011 edition of Microsoft Office is on track for turning it around. The Mac development team has been doing their homework when it comes to usability and consistency, but this Mom isn’t prepared to give them high marks just yet. There is still a bit of work to do. (What can I say, moms want the best, so more on that later.)

At this point, I can only see improvements on the horizon and I would definitely recommend Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac-using students and professionals. The price gap on the single user license has closed in on iWork and the redesign is packed with many features. Despite the little nags I experience along the way (I’ll explain in more detail later), the most noticeable improvement is speed. Word now launches just about as fast as Pages and there is a noticeable speed improvement for documents that contain mathematical equations. That alone could be a deal-breaker for high school and college students who are studying any of the sciences where they are required to create lab reports.

If you’re a power user on the Mac or on a tight budget, or your needs are not those of a student or professional writer, I know you may be thinking, “What about iWork?” (Notice there is no ‘s’ on the end of iWork!)

Ok, I am still a loyal iWork fan and it’s still my preference; however, it is not as widely accepted as Microsoft Office. For the purposes if this review, my target audience will be students and professionals who work in an education or corporate environment where they must slide between Windows and Mac operating systems. I will add in comparisons to iWork features when I feel it’s necessary in future reviews. This isn’t an iWork vs Microsoft Office smackdown; although that may happen in the future depending on how both suites progress over time in the way of upgrades and enhancements.

 Microsoft Office 2011 for the Mac Buying Guide 
pricing is US dollars

• If you are a student or work for a school (in some cases even retired from working at a school — couldn’t hurt to ask) then you are eligible for a discount. I recommend you take advantage of it. Also check into military discounts. I have heard of some military personnel (or their spouse) who have purchased a Mac for a discount and no taxes. Check out your local Base Exchange to see if software for discount is available.

• If you have a choice to purchase an online download, do it. Be kind to our planet and get instant gratification! What could be better? It may cost a little less and there is one less cardboard box lying around. The online versions of tutorials are much more helpful than the printed versions that may come in the box. These days there is less and less printed material that ships with the disc anyhow. If you catch a free shipping deal, you might also skip paying additional taxes depending on where you live.

• If you don’t absolutely need Outlook for email, calendar, and task management, then skip it and just get the Home and Student Edition where you can install it on 3 Macs. (Ask yourself if you feel Outlook is worth an additional $50.00.)

• For students, Microsoft Office is about double the price of iWork, depending on where you buy, but consider it is packed with more features than the current offering of iWork and it will be more compatible with Windows versions.

• To whittle it down even more, compare the 3-license price of Microsoft Office 2011 Home and Student Edition versus the Family Pack 5-license price of iWork and now you’re down to about a $50.00 difference.

• Sure, you can export different versions from iWork, but perhaps paying $50.00 more affords you the time and energy you’ll save from doing that extra step. Don’t stop there though.

• Take a look at the pricing on the single license versions of each available on Amazon.com. Compare iWork to Microsoft Office 2011 Home and Student Edition single install and then there is only about a $10.00 price difference. (Hmm. I wonder why the Apple Store doesn't list the single user license?)

• You can justify the extra cost of Microsoft Office over iWork if you really need and like the additional features, newly designed interface and compatibility between Mac and Windows as many do.

• Consider the trade offs of price over convenience. If you’re a student or professional working in an environment where Microsoft Office is the standard on both Mac and PC, if you must collaborate using tracked Word documents between Mac and PC or even other Mac users, or if you are using advanced mathematical computations, then Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac is for you.

• If you just want simplicity and do not have the need to collaborate extensively and you’re not a science major, then iWork is for you. Granted, there are workarounds for using iWork with mathematical equations and it can be done — it just seems for now you can hit the ground running with Microsoft Office easier if you’re a scientist or mathematician. (Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong though. I’d love to hear from science or math majors on how they use iWork.)

    Microsoft Office for Mac 2011
  Home and Student Edition  
Office for Mac 2011 Home and Student - Single User


Office for Mac 2011 Home and Student - Family Pack (1 User/3 Installs) [Download]
Apple.com educational price for 3 installs box is $149.95 and they do not currently offer a single license
If you prefer the boxed version, it’s currently the same price, free shipping from Amazon
Office for Mac 2011 Home and Student - Family Pack (1 User/3 Installs) [DVD in Box]


    Microsoft Office for Mac 2011
  Home and Business Edition  
Apple.com educational Price: 1 license $199.95 or 2 licenses $279.95


This is just the first of my reviews for Microsoft Office 2011 for the Mac. I hope you’ve found this information helpful thus far in your Back to School purchasing decisions. Come back for more reviews on individual products, tools and features along with some constructive criticisms within the Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac suite. I’m thinking of calling the series “The Microsoft Mom Reviews” or something to that effect. I have projects I’ve been working on that I’d like to share with you and also talk about how we use Microsoft products in a predominately Apple household. Oh, the irony! Stay tuned to see if Microsoft can win over this TheMacMommy!

Windows users with Microsoft Office 2010 will want to check out this link for helpful tips on Back to School for the PC.

iWork (for comparison)
Single User
Amazon has it for $79.69 free shipping and depending on where you live, tax free
Apple.com educational price is $71.00, regular price $79.00, free shipping but tax added


Family Pack
Amazon has it for 99.85 free shipping and, depending on where you live, tax free
Apple.com price is $99.00 – no Apple educational discount available, free shipping but tax added

Information Management: It's a Beautiful Thing

Do you have a password manager?
Does your password manager also manage details of your software purchases?
Does it sync across multiple devices and platforms?
Are the software developers totally awesome?
Are compatible mobile apps available that show you the same information when you need it at the drop of a hat?
These are questions you should ask yourself when looking at software to manage your most intimate personal data. Save yourself. Go here: http://agilebits.com/products/1Password

Spreadsheeting the Love

iWork Numbers Invoice
[Edit: I've added a link to the original Numbers document in addition to the Template version. Enjoy!]

Hand-Made Mac Tip No. 15

Taking the Spreadsheet to the Next Level - Spreadsheeting the Love

Did you know you can create a customized template with iWork Numbers?

(Please note: there is no 's' on the end of iWork. The application that preceeded it was called AppleWorks and that did end with an 's.' Sorry, pet peeve of mine.)

Did you know that Apple's iWork Numbers is the equivalent to Microsoft's Office Excel?

Did you know that Numbers can do more than just create a  plain old spreadsheet? You can actually design something extremely usable with Numbers!

I've been working on this project for some time now and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I'd like to share it with you and would love some feedback if you decide to use it and modify it to suit your own needs. I've created a customizable invoice that will calculate time and pricing using a series of sliders and cells where you enter variable information.

Sure, Numbers does come with its own ready-made templates for which there are invoices. I took a look at them first to be sure I wasn't reinventing the wheel. I didn't like any of them. They just didn't do what I wanted my invoice to do for me. Like with many of our technological advances, when you can't find it, you build it.

Here is a screen shot of what one of my
TheMacMommy invoices looks like.
Click to view larger.

So, this is what I've built: a client invoice to send to my clients showing them how much they owe me and how I arrived at the total. I also use it to document what we worked on during our sessions together. Tech support is not cheap. I at least try to make it affordable for my clients so they call me back again and again.

Until I find a better solution, I've been using PayPal to invoice my clients so they can pay me online using their credit card or bank account. Most of my elderly clients still prefer writing out a check, which is fine and I can deposit it to my bank account using my iPhone camera. That method is free, and takes a bit to clear, while PayPal is somewhat convenient and helps me keep better accounting for my taxes. I still don't like the cut PayPal takes though (even though I realize I'm paying for convenience) and pretty soon I'll be needing to hire some part time childcare and will need that money for a babysitter.

The way it's working for me is I first create an invoice for my client using the Numbers document I've built. I plug in all the variable information and type up my session notes. Then, I log in to PayPal and use the custom invoice template I created there and plug in the same information regarding fees, rates, hours and dates (not enough room for session notes though). If the totals match up, then I know I've got everything accounted for. That makes me feel more confident to bill the client.

I saved a copy of my customized invoice and created a generic version so you can make changes to it that suit your needs like using your own company colors, fonts and logo. Basically, all the variable text or cells you need to interact with have blue text. Other cells where the text is black or a shade of grey are automatically calculated based on what you modify in the cells with the blue text. When you click on the cells with blue text, you will be presented with either a slider or a drop-down menu with different choices. Adjust the values and watch other cells update automagically! Try it! If you use the Inspector tool, you can adjust those settings and enter your own values. I thought this was such a cool feature!

Here is where you can download the Numbers Template File I created using iWork Numbers '09 version 2.0.5. If you want to original Numbers document, you can download it here.

I'd love it if someone could try this out on an iPad and let me know if it works!

Once I've created an invoice for a client, I then save it as a PDF file using the nomenclature of YYYYMMDD_LASTNAME (of the client). The date I use is the date of the invoice to make it easier.

This screen shot shows you the path of where you should save the template file. Once the file is placed in your Home/Library/Application Support/iWork/Numbers/Templates/My Templates folder, you can then launch Numbers and select File/New from Template Chooser/My Templates (from the sidebar)/Generic Consulting Invoice.

Click on the image to enlarge it so you can read the path at the bottom.

Development

This all started with a spreadsheet I created in Numbers. Then one night, I asked my science teacher of a husband to help me adjust the formulas to make the cells calculate time and present me with a  total. We both kept tinkering with the settings and features in the Numbers Inspector and finally beat it into submission.

Every couple of days I would just keep tweaking it and moving cells around and adjusting formatting until I felt it could be a viable tool to use in my consulting business. Sure, I KNOW there is an app for this...I know there are probably over 50 that might do it on my iPhone easier. I just had much more fun creating this on my own. I can only imagine this might be somewhat similar to what application developers might experience when they create an app. I enjoy working with the user interface of iWork products. I think they are beautifully designed and very intuitive.

Every time I use Numbers or Pages, I'm always amazed at what these applications have to offer. (I wish I had more use for Keynote because it has a gorgeous interface!) Having come from a printing, production and graphics background using Pro applications like Quark Xpress and Adobe InDesign, that's saying a lot. I used to consider myself a real snob and couldn't be bothered with the inferior AppleWorks or other lowly "desktop publishing" applications. I loathed converting files from programs like "Punisher" — which was my pet name for MS Publisher. I just hated the interfaces and it rose my blood pressure whenever I had to take some layperson's "design" and make it print-ready. Despite being damn good at it, I didn't like being a Production Artist.

Years ago, I cringed whenever I heard the words "desktop publishing." I used to correct people whenever they asked me if I was a "desktop publisher." I would correct them by saying, "No, a desktop publisher would be my little brother making greeting cards on his PC. I use a Mac and have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Communication Design, therefore I am a designer." (and you have to say it in a really snobby voice and elongate the "i" sound in deeeee-siiiiiiigner.)

Much of that changed when I exited the printing industry and started honing my technical skills. I realized that maybe it wasn't all that bad being a Production Artist and started focusing more on my skills in the areas of production, training and troubleshooting. When I started working in the education field as a site technician, I no longer had the luxury and access of using Adobe products like Photoshop or Illustrator. I had to make do with whatever the schools could afford and so I forced myself to become proficient in using the Apple products that came with the machines or could be had for educational pricing. Even though I could still use my creative side, it was the enjoyment I found in teaching staff and students how to use creative applications like AppleWorks or even TuxPaint. I learned how to embrace desktop publishing and ironically, became an advocate for it. Working in a school setting, in my opinion, really teaches you how to be frugal. So, if a teacher wanted fancy certificates for her 5th grade class, then I took pride in creating a turn-key workflow for her using the AppleWorks database feature combined with the built-in fancy borders. It made them happy and I felt like a rock star.

I'm still rather picky about certain things that have been programmed into my brain from college professors. I still think some of them might be proud of me if they could see some of the things I've designed over the years. I've gotten very creative when it comes to tweaking user interfaces and pointing out to consumer level users the intricacies that they might never have noticed on their own. My eyes are trained to see details that others might not see and I utilize that in my teaching much of the time.

I wish more people used iWork and really learned how to make it a replacement for Microsoft Office. It always pains me when I watch my husband use Word. He gets so frustrated when it just won't do what he'd like it to do. Having a former typesetter for a wife hasn't helped him much as I've berated him over the years about using single spaces and properly formatting text the way I was trained as a designer.

I understand people's needs to just use what they know. I just wish for people to step outside of that zone a little bit and try something that might alleviate some pressure and strain. You know, um, Think Different. I would like for others to experience the satisfaction I get from my computing experience. Creating this invoice for my business use was technically work, but I enjoyed working on it and it felt rewarding to create something that would later save me time and do the work FOR me.

Instead of swearing at your computer because it's just not computing the way you told it to, give iWork a chance and use a product that doesn't actually make you feel like you're doing, well, work. You might be surprised or even delighted.

Please leave me a comment if you've found this useful. I enjoy getting feedback :) Happy tinkering!

Time for Tax Prep

I'm in the process of reviewing iBank and wanted to pass this press release along to readers in hopes that it might help you prepare for taxes this year. As you might already know, the kids have been sick, so I haven't had the amount of screen time I'd like lately. Pretty soon, push is going to come to shove and I WILL be camping out in this back office crunching numbers for tax time while Hubby reassures the kids that mommy hasn't run away from home. yet. I sure hope the kids will remember what I look like!

I know this sounds weird, but I'm actually looking forward to preparing for taxes this year! In the past, my tax preparer has always been impressed with how organized my information is because I've been using iWork Numbers to create custom spreadsheets. Just wait till he sees my fancy new iBank reports!

I can tell you already that iBank is fantastic and I'm not just saying that because I've been provided a review license. It is beautifully designed and well thought out unlike "Quicksand" (which is what I'd rather call it!) I've witnessed clients go through the painful process of trying to manage their finances using 'product that shall remain nameless.' It always amazes me the hoops some people are willing to jump through in order to remain a slave to that program. I'm glad I don't have to do that because I'm using iBank. There is even a companion iPhone app so you can sync your data and manage on the go. This is a must-have for Moms who use a Mac and/or an iPhone. In our case, the Hubby also has it on his iPod Touch so he can help me fine tune the nitty gritty information like categories.

Check it out for yourself using the demo and let me know what you think! Take a look at the press release for more information and watch the tutorials. Then, check back here for a more personal review from yours truly!

January 26, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IBANK 4: PERSONAL FINANCE SOFTWARE THAT PAYS FOR ITSELF 

New iBank Tutorial Video Showcases Tax-Season Tips For Saving Time And Money 

(Putney, VT) — IGG Software has posted “Preparing For Taxes With iBank,” a timely tutorial for tax-paying Mac users. The latest in an online series of iBank 4 instructional videos, the new how-to emphasizes ways by which users can improve organization, track deductible expenses, and save time, trouble and accounting costs. And for do-it-yourself filers, data compiled in iBank 4 is also compatible with export to TurboTax. As tech writer Tim Johnson has noted: 

“The real money saver in iBank comes around tax time,” Johnson wrote in Post magazine. “With data you’re able to compile in iBank, and with a reliable tax person, this $59 app will save you countless hours. If you’re like me, it will pay for itself four or five times over the first time you file your taxes.” 

In just four minutes, the new tutorial guides iBank 4 users through the advantages of categorizing tax-related transactions, the use of tax codes, generating a Tax Report from iBank’s flexible report templates, the benefits of additional reports such as Category Detail, Payee Summary and Net Worth, transmitting files to a tax professional, and exporting data to tax preparation software such as TurboTax. The iBank 4 tutorial library is online at http://www.iggsoftware.com/ibank/tutorials.php 

The leading Mac-only personal finance app, iBank offers users an elegant, intuitive means to track accounts, investments, loans and budgets. iBank 4, released in September 2010, has been called a “new standard” for managing money on a Mac. The full-featured application offers essential features like check printing, portfolio support, and easy transaction downloads from online accounts. iBank 4 also delivers beautiful, dynamic reports and fast, reliable iPhone sync. 

Syncing iBank to iOS devices requires iBank Mobile 1.2 for iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, sold separately via the App Store. The app offers mobile transaction entry, QIF data export and sync with iBank for Mac via Wi-Fi, MobileMe or any WebDAV server. Additionally, iBank 4 offers free, unlimited support and is available for $59.99, directly from the IGG website or from the Mac App Store. More information can be found at http://www.iggsoftware.com/ibank 

IGG Software, Inc., was founded in 2003 by developer Ian Gillespie to offer intuitive, elegant and powerful applications for individuals and small businesses. Based in Putney, Vermont, its flagship products are iBank 4, for personal finance management, and iBiz 4, for time-tracking and billing. For further information, review licenses, or to schedule interviews with Ian Gillespie or Chief Architect James Gillespie, please contact IGG Marketing Director Scott Marc Becker: scott@iggsoftware.com.

Think Summer

My family participated in the Fresh Air Fund when I was a little kid and I have some fond memories of it. If you have some extra room in your home and heart, please consider checking out the program.

Here's hoping this gives you some warm thoughts to keep you cozy while digging out of the snow!

Labor Data & Update

This is what the data looks like from the iPhone app called "Baby's Coming" which is a contraction timer app. I'm also using an app called "Total Baby" which is aimed at logging info on the baby like feedings, wet diapers, dr appts, etc. I'm actually using it now to log info about ME that I know the hospital staff will likely ask me later. It sounds awful, and truth be told, it's not pretty but when you have a c-section, you end up being monitored just like the baby and they even measure your pee and poop to make sure your organs are working once they put you back together after they extract the baby. Meds will be dosed on a tight schedule and also meals. So, I figured why not add myself as one of the "children" that needs to be logged. I just entered my last meal, meds I've taken and noted my contraction info, among other details so I'll hopefully know what answers to give nurses when they ask after I've been admitted.   

I've had to stop several times now while writing this to note my contractions and; re-copy and paste the new data!

Baby is still active and moving a lot. I really think he wants out soon.

The surgery is scheduled for 12 noon today, so hopefully we can hold out for it, but 11 hours feels like a long time to be like this so unless these contractions start spreading out like they did an hour ago, we may have to leave earlier for the hospital than planned.

The OB on call told me to try and rest up (yeah, right!) and to just report to the hospital once we have a consistant pattern of contractions lasting 1 min and 5-10 mins apart for at least an hour. Well, I can check the 1 minute duration off the list and I can also check off the 5-10 min. intervals, but the consistant for 1 hour is what I'm working on now. Also, they can not cut me open until I've not had any food for more than 6 hours. Looking at my food log in the Total Baby app, it tells me it's only been closer to 5 hrs. since I last ate. So, we couldn't even leave for the hospital for another 1 hr. anyway.

I took some Tylenol PM and I'm starting to feel sleepy but I just don't see how I'll sleep through these contractions!

Well, that's the update for now. Nate is sleeping and I'm trying to lay down and rest in between contractions and going potty which is extremely hard to do when it feels like there is an ice pick in my bladder!!

I'm taking it minute by minute. Thanks so much for all of your prayers, thoughts, tweets, posts, and phone calls. It really means so much to Nate and I.

I'm going to keep resting while pressing the start/stop button on the iPhone app. It does really make it so much easier to rest because of the minimal effort to use the app. I can keep the lights off, Nate can sleep (which is what I need him to do!), I can lie on my side and just reach out a finger to the iPhone I have setting right here by my bedside and touch the screen.

Bags are packed and ready. Gadgets are charging. Computers are backed up. Lucian is sleeping over at Oma and Opa's house. Oma French braided my hair and alarms are set.

Rock n Roll!

Event	Details
Contraction	1:09:04 AM (duration: 1 min 30s, interval: 7 min 1s)
Contraction	12:59:59 AM (duration: 2 min 2s, interval: 6 min 19s)
Contraction	12:52:01 AM (duration: 1 min 39s, interval: 5 min 21s)
Contraction	12:45:34 AM (duration: 1 min 5s, interval: 9 min 37s)
Contraction	12:35:05 AM (duration: 50s, interval: 6 min 35s)
Contraction	12:26:48 AM (duration: 1 min 41s, interval: 6 min 1s)
Contraction	12:18:38 AM (duration: 2 min 8s, interval: 4 min 34s)
Contraction	12:12:36 AM (duration: 1 min 27s, interval: 2 min 6s)
Contraction	12:09:45 AM (duration: 44s, interval: 8 min 54s)
Contraction	11:58:58 PM (duration: 1 min 52s, interval: 2s)
Contraction	11:58:55 PM (duration: 1s, interval: 8 min 14s)
Contraction	11:48:54 PM (duration: 1 min 45s, interval: 8 min 14s)
Contraction	11:39:44 PM (duration: 55s, interval: 23 min 14s)
Contraction	11:14:44 PM (duration: 1 min 45s, interval: 28 min 45s)
Contraction	10:44:40 PM (duration: 1 min 17s, interval: 12 min 44s)
Contraction	10:31:09 PM (duration: 47s, interval: 12 min 35s)
Contraction	10:17:29 PM (duration: 1 min 4s, interval: 14 min 21s)
Contraction	10:01:55 PM (duration: 1 min 12s, interval: 31 min 20s)
Contraction	9:28:48 PM (duration: 1 min 46s, interval: 13 min 43s)
Contraction	9:13:52 PM (duration: 1 min 11s, interval: 9 min 19s)
Contraction	9:03:21 PM (duration: 1 min 11s, interval: 9 min 57s)
Contraction	8:51:53 PM (duration: 1 min 31s, interval: 7 min 38s)
Contraction	8:42:25 PM (duration: 1 min 48s, interval: 7 min 22s)
Contraction	8:33:28 PM (duration: 1 min 34s, interval: 5 min 31s)
Contraction	8:25:27 PM (duration: 2 min 30s, interval: 16 min 24s)
Contraction	8:07:05 PM (duration: 1 min 57s, interval: N/A)
Exported with "Baby's coming" iPhone application.