AirDrop enables direct file sharing over Wi-Fi

As computers get easier to use, once-”magical” features like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth begin showing usability issues. Although every modern computer operating system includes the ability to share files locally, it is usually a major hassle setting things up. Apple intends to remedy this situation with AirDrop, a Wi-Fi-based local filesharing protocol built into Mac OS X “Lion”. How exactly does AirDrop work? Let’s take a look.

Wi-Fi Tricks

Wi-Fi is no simple technology. Modern Wi-Fi radio chipsets include multiple transmitters, receivers, and antennas. These are normally used to boost throughput for a single link, but it’s possible to do much more with these radios.

A little-known feature in Microsoft Windows is Wi-Fi virtualization, allowing certain Wi-Fi chips to act as both a client and a base station at the same time. In this way, a Windows 7 machine can simultaneously access a Wi-Fi network and share that network with multiple clients.

Another new trick for Wi-Fi is “Wi-Fi Direct”, a short range communication protocol that functions similarly to Bluetooth but uses Wi-Fi hardware instead. The first Wi-Fi Direct hardware is just beginning to appear in early 2011, in the form of chipsets from the major vendors as well as a mouse from HP and a card from Eye-Fi.

Introducing AirDrop

Apple’s AirDrop is functionally similar to a hybrid between Wi-Fi direct and Wi-Fi virtualization, but it is a proprietary Apple protocol. AirDrop allows two computers (running Mac OS X “Lion” on compatible hardware) to transfer files in a friendly, no-configuration-required mechanism direct from Finder.

AirDrop will prove useful in business and classroom settings where one must quickly and easily move files between computers. A teacher could open AirDrop and collect assignments from students or pass out new materials, and collaborators in a conference room or airport could quickly exchange information.

AirDrop Concerns

The AirDrop interface itself seems fairly robust and secure, with no permanent connections or authentication. AirDrop is only active when one clicks on the icon in Finder, and every file transfer requires permission on both the sending and receiving systems. AirDrop connections are firewalled, and it automatically encrypts all transactions using TLS, so snooping is not much of a concern either.

AirDrop support is limited to Mac OS X “Lion”, and requires modern Wi-Fi hardware from Atheros or Broadcomm. Most recent machines include capable hardware, but the early Broadcomm BCM4321 found in the early 2009 Mac Mini is not supported. And AirDrop does not use Wi-Fi Direct, being a proprietary protocol developed by Apple. This makes it unlikely that it will spread beyond the Macintosh computer range.

Apple has not indicated that AirDrop will spread to iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad, but it seems a logical and useful addition. But these devices have a very basic Wi-Fi implementation, lacking multiple spatial streams. If they do not support AirDrop and Wi-Fi simultaneously, Apple may still enable it as an either/or option.

Stephen’s Stance

Apple has aggressively moved to eliminate “superfluous” peripherals and connections, wiping out the floppy and now selling a number of machines without optical drives. AirDrop continues this progression, attacking the prime use case for USB flash drives.

One can imagine an exciting use case for this technology, but it is disappointingly limited to recent Macs running the latest operating system. It would certainly be more consumer friendly if Apple had decided to leverage Wi-Fi Direct and expanded support to PCs and iOS devices. Sadly, the only likely expansion of AirDrop is to the iPad and iPhone.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2011. | Snooping on AirDrop in Apple’s Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion”
This post was categorized as Apple, Everything, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

iPad iPod

The iPad iPod interface is all new - but where's cover flow?

Apple hadn’t said much about the iPod application in the iPad. But today’s release of a series of “guided tour” videos clears the air somewhat. The iPod app is neither a port of the small-screen app from the iPhone and iPod Touch nor of the OS X iTunes application. It sports a new look and feel that is a cross between the two, with a column listing media types to the left and a new “bookshelf” view of cover art to the right. Surprisingly, cover flow seems AWOL.

Selecting an album causes it to flip and grow in place, changing to a song list. This is a welcome new concept, since simply listing the tracks in the right column would have left much white space on the screen. Album art can be displayed full-screen, but I wonder just how good low-res images will look. I also wonder whether iTunes LP content will display in part or in full.

iPad AirTunes?

One comment in the guided tour voiceover really caught my attention, though. They mention three ways to listen to music: Use the built-in (mono) speaker, listen with wired or BlueTooth headphones, or “connect iPad to your home stereo system and play your music throughout the house.” Does this mean the iPad uses AirTunes to stream to an AirPort Express? Or that the iPhone Remote app is built in? Or do they mean connecting it through a wired or bluetooth adapter? I’m definitely hoping for direct AirTunes, since we very much enjoy that capability today at my house!

The Connected iPad

Yes, the iPad supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync

One area of great interest is the usability of the iPad in corporate and academic settings. Although Apple admitted (late) that the iPad supports Microsoft Exchange, there has been no mention of VPN support. Disclosure of calendar and contact support has been sparse, too, though one imagines it will be at least as full-featured as the iPhone.

It’s Mine!

I remain surprised that no multi-user features have yet appeared. Although iPhones tend to remain with a single person, the iPad just begs to be shared. Yet it appears that the apps are all single-user oriented. This is disappointing.

Consider the Mail app. Most people have an email account or two these days, yet the iPad has no obvious means of separating his and her (or their) mail accounts. Even a mail app-specific password would be nice, allowing one to share the device’s other features but reserve private mail access. Apple assumes that iPads will not be shared, but I’m sure my kids will have their peanut-buttery paws all over mine constantly!

Lots of Books!

It’s great to see Apple stocking the iBooks store with 30,000 free books from Project Gutenberg, and major existing book readers and stores (Amazon, Barnes & Noble) look to be supported. I’m especially looking forward to using Instapaper on the iPad, having fallen head over heels for that app recently.

Hardware Surprises?

The mute switch has become "screen rotation lock"

So far, the only post-announcement hardware surprise has been the fact that the switch that mutes the iPhone will be used instead to lock the orientation of iPad content. Although many speculated that a camera might be added before the ship date, it looks like this will not happen. Although all iPads sport a digital compass, only the 3G model includes GPS hardware.

Apple clarified that the iPad will support just about any BlueTooth keyboard or A2DP audio system, but it remains unclear if it can connect to a standard BlueTooth headset. The specs are also vague on whether the headphone jack supports inline microphones, as found on the iPhone.

Waiting For My Box of Mystery

That's a thick box for such a slim device!

iPad mysteries remain. I’m certainly looking forward to opening the UPS package Apple promises to deliver this Saturday!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | Is There Anything We Don’t Know About The iPad?
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

The new Jawbone Icon is the best iPhone headset yet (and I need to check my email and voicemail more often)

With my Cardo Scala abandoned in a New York taxi and my Motorola H800 falling apart, I decided it was time to pick up a new BlueTooth headset. As luck would have it, I decided to buy on the very day that Aliph released their next-generation Jawbone headset, the ICON.

The Jawbone Backstory

The Jawbone series has emerged as the most-hyped headset around, with a devoted user base that swears to its effectiveness. They praise its “Noise Assassin” technology, which uses special software and a nubbin that senses the motion of your jaw bone when you talk (thus the name!) But they complained about the proprietary charging cable, the lack of a physical on/off switch, and the “we are the Borg” look of so many business folks sporting headsets identical except for color.

The ICON moves everything forward. It comes in a variety of design themes with different colors and textures. It uses the same industry-standard micro-USB plug as my Motorola. It has a real power switch. The company even claims advanced noise reduction capability. Plus, the ICON is cheaper than its predecessors, though $100 is still pretty pricey.

My ICON

I picked up my Jawbone ICON at an Atlanta Best Buy store. It was the first one they had sold; the guys had just put them on the rack and weren’t sure what the price should be! But I was willing to drop $106.99 (including tax) to take my iPhone call quality to the next level.

Unboxing revealed a stubby headset, a wide variety of rubber ear attachments, some tiny manuals, and a USB charger with the world’s shortest micro-USB cable. The headset fired right up and paired easily with my iPhone, not even requiring a ridiculous game of enter-the-useless-0000-PIN.

This is apparently the first headset, other than the now-discontinued Apple model, that reports its battery status back to the iPhone for display. It also integrates nicely with the voice dialing features of the Apple wonder-phone, though I can’t understand why “call” is not a synonym for “dial”.

The Fitting Room

I was immediately impressed by the Jawbone Icon, but this wore off quickly. Although it ships with no less than eight different ear attachments (including a hook that can be added to any of the seven pads), I was unable to get a good fit. The default pad-plus-loop (shown in the images and video above) just wasn’t snug enough, and the little jawbone nub didn’t touch my cheek securely. Without this, my smooth-talking voice kept cutting in and out, irritating the party on the other end of the call.

I switched to the small circular pad, which fit nicely into my ear but didn’t hold the headset securely. So I added the hook, which kept my new $100 toy from hitting the floor but was too small for my ear. That ear hook is impressive, with a ball-type connector allowing near-infinite positioning, but it doesn’t hold the headset securely either, allowing it to “fall away” from my face whenever I look up or down. No dice.

I finally tried out the largest pad-plus-loop without the hook. Lo and behold, this last-ditch attempt worked, holding the headset securely, correctly applying the nub, and allowing me to speak clearly. But it feels a tad too big in my ear, becoming a pain after an hour or so. I’m not one of those “ear mullet” folks who leaves my headset in all the time, but I do get on long conference calls quite often. Although I now have a functional Jawbone Icon, I’m still not 100% satisfied.

Headset Apps!

The final cool new feature of the Jawbone Icon is MyTalk. “Apps” are the buzzword of the moment, thanks to Apple and the iPhone, and Aliph isn’t left behind: The Jawbone Icon can run apps! Apparently, one can log into Aliph’s MyTalk web site and download different voices for the headset and even special apps that allow it to do nifty things.

I can’t tell you how cool MyTalk and the Jawbone Apps are. No, seriously, I can’t tell you. See, I don’t have access. MyTalk is in beta and, although Aliph allows folks to register for beta access, I guess I didn’t make the cut. I held off this review for a few weeks, even after posting the first unboxing video on YouTube, but still have had no response from Aliph about access.

So I’m going to make stuff up. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could get Lt. Uhura from Star Trek to be the voice in the Icon Ear Mullet? Or Marvin the paranoid android from the BBC dramatization of Hitchhiker’s Guide? And I’d love it if I could tap and hold the button for 15 seconds and have Starbuck’s deliver a grande green tea latte with no syrup! Maybe it’ll have voice control so I can even order a venti nonfat cafe mocha with two pumps and no whip? Naah, that’s crazy talk! You’d definitely need to set a voice command macro to get a Hoffacino!

Seriously, I have no idea what MyTalk is all about. But I guess it’s cool. Maybe the Aliph bouncer will let me in once they read this review…

Update: Aliph approved me a for a MyTalk Beta account right after this went live. Look for a review soon!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2010. | iPhone Review: Aliph Jawbone ICON BlueTooth Headset
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Apple

• MacBook Users: Turn off This Bluetooth Default Setting Now – Now I know what turned on my MacBook Pro in the bag: My BlueTooth mouse!

Enterprise Computing

• Windows Storage Server-Based Systems Step Into 2008 – My Gestalt IT coverage of the features of WSS08.
• EMC Symmetrix V-Max: When Does It Get FAST and Virtual? – Another Gestalt IT piece, pointing out that the V-Max isn’t going to be fully realized for a very long time
• Microsoft Unveils Final Windows Storage Server – Paul Shread runs with the “Windows Storage Server 2008″ theme, quoting yours truly extensively.
• What is a best practice and Are Best Practices Just Shared Opinions? – W. Curtis Preston and I pickup an old conversation about the definition of “best practice”.
• Infosmack Episode 2 – EMC, David Donatelli and Non-Compete Agreements – Tony Asaro and I join Marc Farley and Greg Knieriemen on the Storage Monkeys podcast!
• The US Federal Government defines Cloud Computing - Ruven Cohen covers the US Federal Government’s cloud computing meetings and gives us a sneak peek at the new definition of cloud computing from the world’s number one IT user.
• Support and Q&A for Solid-State Drives – Lots of great info on how Windows 7 (and probably Server 2008 R2) deals with solid state drives.
• VMware Slaps Enterprise and Cisco In Face, Opens Door For Competitors – More on the VMware vSphere 4 licensing changes, and what it might mean.

Misc

• Non-competes are evil – Robin Harris lays it out. I happen to agree.
• Five Technologies Our Kids Won’t Even Recognize – Wired’s Gadget Lab makes us all feel old!
• Chrysler HQ Designed To Convert Into Shopping Mall - Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me says it’s true, so I believe it!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2009. | Back From the Pile: Interesting Content From the Week of May 9, 2009
This post was categorized as Everything. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

iPhone OS 3.0 is coming, offering enhancements for enterprise Exchange ActiveSync

As the release of iPhone OS 3.0 nears, I set out to discover how the new OS changes the iPhone’s ability to synchronize data with Microsoft Exchange servers using ActiveSync. What follows here is my deductions so far, and is of course subject to change when the new OS is released!

For the most up-to-date information, see my iPhone Exchange ActiveSync Guide!

This post is part of my series focused on integrating the iPhone with Microsoft Exchange using ActiveSync:

• iPhone OS 3.0 information:
  1. First Look: iPhone 3.0 And Exchange ActiveSync Integration
  2. How To Subscribe To Internet Calendars In iPhone OS 3.0
  3. How To Access LDAP Directories In iPhone OS 3.0
  4. iPhone 3.0 Exchange ActiveSync: Better But Not Perfect
• How To Set Up iPhone Exchange ActiveSync
1. A Few iPhone Exchange ActiveSync Gotchas
2. Can the iPhone Sync With Multiple Exchange Servers?

New ActiveSync Features

1. iPhone OS 3.0 allows users to create meeting invitations! Finally, right from the phone, you will be able to set up meetings, select invitees, and send invitations. Initial reports are that this functionality is definite and fairly complete.
2. Enhanced mail search includes contacts, messages, and even mail still on the Exchange server! This is a huge and welcome addition. No longer will you be frustrated that the iPhone didn’t download that one important message from last month, and no longer will you have to scroll around trying to locate it! This is integrated into the new Spotlight screen: Flick left from the home screen and you’ll be able to search email, contacts, calendars, and all other phone content! But Spotlight only searches message metadata, not message content.

New Related Features

1. The calendar app supports CalDAV and ICS calendars as well as ActiveSync, making it much easier to use Google, Yahoo, and TripIt calendars. But these probably will not be integrated and synchronized with the ActiveSync calendar, leaving you in multiple-calendar hell.
2. Peer-to-peer contact exchange using BlueTooth seems certain. Since the iPhone gracefully integrates on-phone changes with ActiveSync contacts already, this will be a welcome way to build out one’s Exchange address book.
3. Cut, copy, and paste are definitely in, and will work in the mail, contacts, and calendar apps!
4. The mail app now supports landscape mode, with its larger keyboard.
5. A new API for email within applications would be compatible with Exchange, allowing a new family of corporate apps and possibly mitigating some of the missing features. I can imagine someone developing a far more feature-packed email client which embeds the native email client and extends its support to public folders, for example.
6. iPhones running 3.0 appear to allow automatic on-demand connections to VPNs. Again, not specifically an ActiveSync feature, but this would make the process of accessing a firewalled Exchange server more friendly.
7. OS 3.0 supports LDAP servers. Although this is not an ActiveSync issue per se, it could allow a workaround for the single-ActiveSync issue (which remains). LDAP contacts would make the basic IMAP email connection with a second Exchange server somewhat more tolerable. But it’s not yet clear if LDAP contacts are all that functional in 3.0, or whether they’ll make the cut at all.

Bad News

1. The iPhone will remain limited to full ActiveSync with a single Exchange server. Although you are free to establish as many IMAP connections as you like, including connecting to Exchange with IMAP, you cannot use more than one ActiveSync service. However, as noted above, 3.0 does include LDAP support so at least the contacts from your second Exchange server might be accessible.
2. Still no notes sync (with Exchange). Although iPhone OS 3.0 does allow synchronization of notes with Apple Mail for Mac users, it does not appear to support Exchange or Apple’s own MobileMe over-the-air services.
3. Spotlight does not include full-text search of mail messages. Although it’s nice to be able to search through everything on the iPhone, and even content on the Exchange server, you still have to remember the sender, subject, etc.
4. Battery life is poor with Exchange ActiveSync push and the new push notifications enabled. iPhone push battery life has been a problem for quite a while.

As the iPhone OS 3.0 release nears, I will keep my eyes open for enterprise Exchange ActiveSync features and post them here. Subscribe to my Apple feed for up-to-date details!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2009. | iPhone 3.0 Exchange ActiveSync: Better But Not Perfect
This post was categorized as Apple. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2008. | 2.2 And Eight Things That Are Still Wrong With The iPhone
This post was categorized as Apple. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Although some shortcomings have appeared, I’m pleased with the Mac overall. It definitely met my expectations and continues to meet my needs, mixing portability and performance in an excellent package.  I am impressed by Apple’s hardware design and component choices, especially when compared to other computers with similar specifications that I have used.  And, as noted by Tom’s Hardware, the specification of the machine was reasonably priced, especially since I purchased it at a substantial discount and upgraded it myself.

This post is part of my series focused on switching from PC to Mac.

• How To Buy Discount Apple Computers
• Got Some AppleCare For Cheap
• Switch! or How the Mac (Finally) Won Me Over
• Switch Day 1: This Mac is Hot!
• Switch Day 58: Ten Pros and Cons of the MacBook Pro

1. The Value Quotient is High

The value of a computer system is determined by two elements: Its specification, in terms of the components used, and the net price.  Macs are known to be pricey but often include high-end components and materials in their construction.  Focusing solely on the core interchangeable components of my Mac, evaluating it as a generic PC, the overall value for the money is very high.

My MacBook Pro contains a high-spec NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics card with 128 MB of dedicated GDDR3 video memory, an Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 “Merom” CPU, Intel’s “Santa Rosa” PM965 chipset, built-in FireWire S800 and USB, a slot-loading 8x DVD-RW drive, gigabit Ethernet, Wireless-N Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, webcam, and slick features like an LED-backlit display and keyboard and infrared remote control.  My system’s MSRP was $2000, but I purchased it for $1524 (after receiving the rebate check).

Although PCs are available for less (I bought a family knockabout laptop for $435 recently!), a similar spec laptop from any major manufacturer would cost at least this much, even a year after this model MacBook Pro came out.  In my case, I am comparing the Mac to the Dell XPS M1330 laptop I use for work, which arrived the day before the Mac.  The Dell is a “thin and light” model with a 13″ screen, but feels almost the same weight as the Mac and is actually somewhat fatter with its 9-cell battery. The Dell retailed for $1700, including the inferior 8400M GS graphics and no gigabit ethernet.

Judging by these objective observations, the Mac was clearly a good value and features a strong set of components.  Note that both machines feature the flawed NVIDIA graphics chips, as do nearly all high-end notebooks, so I can’t fault anyone for that particular component choice.

2. Performance rocks

Even though my MacBook features the Merom CPU clocked at a modest (by 2008 standards) 2.2 GHz rather than the latest 2.4 GHz or more Penryn, the system as a whole just flies.  Mine is packed with 4 GB or RAM instead of the stock 2 GB, and my upgraded 320 GB hard drive is slightly quicker than the stock, both of which improve overall performance somewhat.  But even tasks that aren’t memory-intensive are super-quick, thanks to the 800 MHz front-side bus and solid system design.  The system is snappy in OS X, encodes video with ease, and is subjectively faster than my similar Dell when using Windows Vista Ultimate in Boot Camp.  The Dell has the same chipset and CPU, but is clocked at 2.0 rather than 2.2 GHz and has only 2 GB of RAM, so comparisons are not exactly apples-to-apples, but the Dell is noticeably slower.  

3. The Display is Gorgeous

The wide, LED-backlit 15″ screen is just gorgeous.  The off-angle performance is so good, even with the backlight turned all the way down, that the Mac suffers from serious over-the-shoulder “eavesviewing” issues.  My Dell is pretty much invisible off-angle, even without the privacy screen supplied by my company, but the Mac shows your photos and documents even at extreme angles. Not that I’m complaining, though – this performance just makes it that much more beautiful when I’m alone. There’s no need to constantly adjust the screen angle for optimal viewing.

4. The Chassis is Sturdy

The Mac really shines when one compares its sturdiness to the competition.  The Dell is flexy and plasticky, as is just about every non-ThinkPad PC notebook I’ve used recently.  But the Mac raises the bar even compared to my favorite laptop of all time, the brick-strong HP OmniBook 800.

The only poor spot is the nifty magnetic latch.  Although it works well most of the time (and exists – the Dell has no latch at all), it doesn’t lock closed as cleanly as I would like.  There is a gap around the edges, and lifting the closed Mac from one side tends to make the latch disengage.

5. Input is Solid

I’m a stickler for a good keyboard and can’t fault the Mac here.  It’s not exactly a Model M, but the keys feel good and are arranged and sized reasonably.  Even adjusting to the Mac keyboard layout hasn’t been much of an issue, since most functions remain in similar positions between Mac and Windows.

The trackpad is especially strong. PC notebooks normally have perplexingly tiny trackpads, so I’m always running out of space, but the Mac’s is generously sized and highly usable. It’s easily four times larger than the Dell’s!  I do wish there were two ”mouse” buttons, though.  Although OS X and Windows in Fusion supports two-finger-tap as a right-click, Boot Camp frustratingly does not!

6. The Apple Remote Could Be Improved

Let’s start by stating that I have never owned a PC that came with a remote control, so the Mac deserves kudos for even including one, though the 2008 models don’t. But the remote is just odd. Although it’s usable enough, it’s not integrated, hardware-wise, with the system. It’s clearly a throwback to the glossy white plastic Apple look of a half-decade ago, so like the power brick and DVI adapter it seems totally out of place next to the brushed aluminum MacBook Pro. And, judging from its size and shape, I expected it to dock in the ExpressCard slot of the Mac like a MoGo mouse, but it’s slightly too fat for that. Also, an IR remote seems out of date in these Bluetooth days. So, Apple, how about a dockable, Bluetooth, matching remote next time?

7. Battery Life Isn’t Great

Battery life has been about three hours in my hands, which isn’t terrible, but isn’t as good as I hoped. I ended up buying a second battery for the Mac for transcontinental flights. I did the same for my last Dell, of course, so this isn’t news. On the bright side, the Mac battery was cheaper and far more readily available than the Dell – I just dropped by the bright, cheery Apple store in Palo Alto during my last trip and picked one up instead of waiting for Dell to deliver one to my home. I still can’t get hot-swap to work, though, since my Mac refuses to suspend to disk.

8. Upgradability is Mixed

Upgrading the RAM on a MacBook Pro is just right, but swapping out the hard drive was much more difficult than it should have been. Disks should be user-replaceable, even in laptops, and the regular MacBook gets this right. The Mac also has poorer expandability than most PC laptops, since its Wi-Fi (sorry, “AirPort Extreme”) card is buried inside and it lacks a slot and antenna wiring for a 3G cell card. The fact that the Pro only has an ExpressCard slot isn’t that novel in today’s world, however, but the regular MacBook’s lack of one was a major factor in my choosing the Pro.

9. It’s Hot and Loud

My first impression was that the fan was deafening and the bottom was toasty. After using it for a few months, I have either gotten used to both or they aren’t as bad anymore. The machine still gets pretty hot on the bottom under heavy use, and the fan still makes a loud “whoosh”, but neither is unbearable or unusual when compared to other PCs, like my previous Dell XPS M1210.

10. Light Sensors are Confounding

I was intrigued by the idea of the MacBook Pro’s ambient light sensor, which would dim the display backlight and unique keyboard backlight under changing light conditions. But this was the first feature I disabled after actually using it. The sensor is located under your left pinky when typing, so the display suddenly dims and brightens as your hand passes over it. So I just adjust the backlight manually.

Then there is the keyboard backlight. The key cap markings are dark enough to be difficult to see in bright light, but the sensor won’t let the light come on, even when you press the hotkey to turn it on manually! I ended up installing Lab Tick to turn it on manually within OS X, but I expected more from Apple engineering. The light sensor is worse than useless.

11. USB is a Disappointment

As I noted in another post, the lack of a full-power dedicated USB port is a special disappointment. The 15″ MacBook Pro has just two ports, like most modern PC notebooks, but both are compromised. The one on the left lacks the power to spin up an external hard drive, and the one on the right is shared with the internal iSight camera. At least the FireWire is blazing fast and fully-powered! But I expected a better design from Apple.

12. The AC Adapter Is Obnoxious
    My biggest complaint is the “elegant” MagSafe AC adapter. Count the flaws:
    • The poor strain relief on the thin cable is known to fray and burn
    • Third-party replacements and alternatives are not available thanks to Apple patents
    • The cord-wrap “ears” aren’t large enough to actually hold the entire wrapped cord
    • The fact that there are three different identical-looking adapters with different wattage outputs is a nightmare waiting to strike the unwary
    • The iPod-like on-brick plug just barely hangs on when the weight of the brick is hung from a vertical wall outlet
    • Glossy white?!?

The AC adapter is a perfect example of the form-over-function flaws always cited by Apple critics. I expected better, and Apple refuses to admit the defects even as these things spark and burn.

Again, I’m happy overall with the Mac and would definitely buy one again. In fact, I think it’s about the best computer purchase I’ve ever made, even including the iPhone and my beloved OmniBook 800 and Portege 3010 subnotebooks. The flaws are minor compared to the overall strengths!

(Ok, there are twelve pros and cons, but ten rolls off the tongue better!)

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2008. | Switch Day 58: Ten Pros and Cons of the MacBook Pro
This post was categorized as Apple, Personal, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

This post is part of my series focused on PC/Mac Integration.

• Vista, OS X Boot Time Compared
• Quick and Easy Bluetooth Sharing Between PC and Mac
• Yes, FireWire is Faster Than USB
• How to Keep an IOGear KVM from Dimming Your Mac's Screen
• Command and Control: The Clash of Keyboards

Setting up Bluetooth for sharing wasn’t 100% straightforward on either Vista or OS X, but both have the same capabilities when it comes to file sharing – you can right-click on any single file and send it to a connected Bluetooth PC from Explorer or Finder, respectively.  Both have similar security capabilities as well, though Bluetooth is not exactly the most secure protocol.

Bluetooth file sharing has two major drawbacks, however:

1. You can only send one file at a time
2. Speed is limited to about 50 KB/s, so you won’t be sending large amounts of data this way

Setting Up Your Bluetooth PAN

Bluetooth settings are located in two different places within the System Preferences panel in OS X.  Basic setup is located under the Hardware header in the Bluetooth panel, while file sharing over Bluetooth is in the Sharing panel under Internet & Network.

Windows Vista has a Bluetooth control panel.  Access it quickly by typing “bluetooth” in the search box – it’s hard to find otherwise.

1. First, on the Mac, open the Bluetooth panel and check the “On” box.
2. You should check ”Discoverable” for now, but I suggest not leaving this enabled on either computer except while you are pairing the devices, since you don’t want random headsets, PDAs, and computers to try pairing.
3. I also like to check “Show Bluetooth status in the menu bar” so you can easily turn it on and off.



4. Next, enable Bluetooth on the PC using the Bluetooth Devices Control Panel.  Click Options and check “Allow Bluetooth Devices to find this computer” (for now), and “Show the Bluetooth icon in the notification area”.  Notice how similar these control panels are?
5. Now, pair the Windows system to the Mac by selecting the plus sign in the OS X panel to bring up the Bluetooth Setup Assistant.
6. Set up the PC as “Any Device”.  You should see the PC listed, click Continue, and enter a passkey on both sides to add some security to the connection.  Now the Mac can connect to the PC, so let’s set up the connection in the other direction.



7. Click “Add” and go through a very similar process of discovery and passkey entry to allow the PC to initiate connections with the Mac.

Enabling File Sharing

Now that our personal area network (PAN) is set up, we can enable file sharing on both machines.

1. In OS X, file sharing over Bluetooth is controlled by the Sharing panel, along with all other sorts of file and screen sharing options.  Select the checkbox next to “Bluetooth Sharing” to turn it on, and configure the options as shown below.
2. I highly recommend selecting “Require pairing” for both browsing and receiving, since you don’t want to deal with random file transfers from un-paired devices.
3. OS X defaults to placing incoming items into the “Downloads” folder.



4. On the PC, sharing of files is enabled in the “Share” tab.  Simply click “Allow remote devices to…” at the top.
5. I suggest not sharing printer or modem connections here unless you really want to.
6. Also, note that the default directory for incoming files is in the “Bluetooth Exchange Folder” under “Documents”.

Sending Files

You are now ready to transfer files.

1. On the Mac, locate your file in Finder, control-click it, select the “More” menu, select “Send To” item.
2. The first time you do this, a dialog box will pop up asking for the name of the target system.  Later, OS X will add this to a pick list in the finder menu.



3. On the PC side, you will be asked whether you want to accept the file.  Click Yes and watch the transfer commence!

Sending files from Vista requires one less menu.

1. Right-click and select “Send To” and “Bluetooth device”.
2. The Bluetooth File Transfer Wizard window will appear, allowing you to select a target and enter a passkey.

Once this is all set up, it’s pretty simple to use.  Just turn on Bluetooth on both systems and you can zap files back and forth whenever you want.

So there you have it – a simple way to transfer files.  Although it’s not super simple to set up, it works great!

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2008. | Quick and Easy Bluetooth Sharing Between PC and Mac
This post was categorized as Apple. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

This post is part of my series focused on the MacBook Pro.

• Don’t Be Jealous Of The New MacBook Pros!
• Upgraded! 320 GB in a MacBook Pro!
• SanDisk ExpressCard Flash Media Adapter: Nifty MacBook Pro Accessory!
• How I Get 7 Hours of MacBook Pro Battery Life
• Panic! Green Light and MacBook Pro Keyboard is Half Dead!
• Low-Power USB Ports Haunt My MacBook Pro

My initial disappointment that the 15″ MacBook Pro has just two USB ports, one on each side, was tempered by the fact that lots of other notebooks have the same problem.  Where my old Dell XPS M1210 had two ports on each side, my new XPS M1330 has just one per side. On the other hand, the Mac does feature a pair of FireWire ports, one 400 and the other 800 and both using full-size connectors, while the Dells each have just a single mini 400.

But, as many have discovered, not all USB ports are created equal.  There are three things to consider when it comes to USB ports:

1. Low-speed, full-speed, and high-speed - Most folks know that the old slow USB standard was updated with something often called USB 2.0.  But, given that nearly all controllers support both the old and new standards these days, this consideration is largely irrelevant.  One thing that may surprise you is that modern controllers support “virtual” USB ports for each speed – connect a low-speed device in a high-speed port, and it is connected to a different bus than would be used by a high-speed device connected to the same port.
2. Hidden hubs - Most people don’t realize that most devices have internal USB hubs hidden inside, sharing bandwidth between connected peripherals and internal system components. In practice, this means that a device’s speed can vary depending on which physical port you plug it into.
3. Power - Not all ports are supplied with the same amount of electrical current, either.  If a peripheral uses a lot of power, it can fail to work in one port and work fine in another.  Disk drives are especially hungry, so many vendors supply them with “Y cables” that plug into two ports at once.  This is a big problem for add-on cards, too, since most PCMCIA / CardBus / ExpressCard slots don’t supply much power at all.

I haven’t had much trouble with this in the past, but these issues reared their heads with my new MacBook Pro.  It seems that both of the Mac’s USB ports are limited:

1. The left-hand port (by the MagSafe connector) does not offer enough power to spin up my Maxtor OneTouch Mini 4 hard drive. This is a shame, since this high-speed port is not shared with any internal devices and thus should be faster.  Low-speed devices using this port, however, have to share bandwidth with the internal BlueTooth transceiver.
2. The right-hand port offers enough power for every drive I’ve tried, but shares high-speed bandwidth with the built-in iSight camera.  Low-speed devices like my KVM‘s keyboard and mouse cable share a hub with the internal keyboard and mouse.

Although neither port is really perfect, it seems that I will tend to use the right-hand port more when I am traveling since I won’t have to worry about power.  Because I’ve already found myself juggling connectors, I’ll probably end up attaching a powered hub to the left port to use when I’m at home.

None of this is really critical – the system works fine.  But I’m somewhat disappointed that Apple would design in a frustration like this.  How many non-technical folks are going to buy a USB drive and assume it’s flaky because it doesn’t work half the time?  And how many will visit the genius bar when they notice the pattern of left-side/right-side?  The MacBook has the same power issue, too.  For the record, my Dells work fine…

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2008. | Low-Power USB Ports Haunt My MacBook Pro
This post was categorized as Apple, Terabyte home. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.

Today I stopped by the local Best Buy and discovered the high-end mini Motorola H800 marked down to $17.99! This is an $80+ headset (was well over $100 when it was released in the first quarter) and has gotten fairly good reviews. After trying it out with the iPhone, I’m quite happy. Sound quality is good, it’s solidly built, and I love the slide-to-activate feature (which reconnects quite quickly to the phone).

If you’re in the market for a new headset, cruise by your local BBY and see if you’ve got this same deal…

I’d love it if there was a wireless stereo headset for the iPhone, but I guess right now the best stereo headset/headphone is the V-Moda. Why to all bluetooth stereo headsets look so nasty anyway?

© sfoskett for Stephen Foskett, Pack Rat, 2007. | Just Picked Up a Cheap Bluetooth Headset
This post was categorized as Personal. Each of my categories has its own feed if you'd like to filter out or focus on posts like this.