Apple

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Apple: Possible fix for iPhone 3G(S) that run slow or have issues after upgrading the phone to iOS4

Jul 29th

Posted by anovelo in Alerts

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apple  Virtually everyone is aware of the “Antennagate” issues with the iPhone 4, however there have also been reported issues for those using iPhone 3G/3GS models that upgrade to the iOS4 software.  The issues appear to be everything from shortened battery life, to very slow performance of the phone (making it unusable, to random reboots of the phone.  With all the attention to the antenna issues, these other issues haven’t gotten as much attention until now. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is now conducting a probe concerning complaints about these issues (LINK:  http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/07/28/apple-investigates-reports-of-problems-with-ios4-on-iphone-3g/ (http://blogs NULL.wsj NULL.com/digits/2010/07/28/apple-investigates-reports-of-problems-with-ios4-on-iphone-3g/) )

 

    With all that being said, it now seems that a member of the tech site Neowin (http://www.Neowin.net (http://www NULL.Neowin NULL.net)) by the name of NathanMillson (http://www NULL.neowin NULL.net/forum/?showuser=327910) may have just figured out the cause (At least one of them) and a simple solution that many have reported fixes the issues.

From Nathan’s Neowin post:

From my experience, I find if you go into Settings->General->Home Button->Spotlight Search-> Deselect every option. No more background indexing on iPhone 3G.

I haven’t had much performance issues after this…

     If you find this solution works for you, post a response and TGM will make sure to let Nathan and Neowin know. 

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Apple: iPhone 4 FREE Case Program

Jul 24th

Posted by anovelo in Apple

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apple With all the talk since the release of the iPhone 4 about the signal issues, Apple announced a few days ago that the solution will be a FREE Case for all iPhone users who purchase an iPhone before Sep. 30th, 2010.  Apple has now set up a page on the Apple site with information for getting your FREE case if you are an iPhone 4 user.

    By visiting (LINK) http://www.apple.com/iphone/case-program/ (http://www NULL.apple NULL.com/iphone/case-program/) , you will see the steps required to get your free case.

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Keep in mind that you can expect to wait 3 to 5 weeks once you place your order.  In addition, note the bottom of the page that the rules for those who purchased before July 23rd, must apply by Aug. 22nd. 

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Software: Take screenshots on Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac OS X without app (From Techtrickz)

Jul 11th

Posted by anovelo in Android

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computer_cartoon As a support tech, when I can see the error that we are being asked to fix, it helps me find a solution a whole lot faster (That rule hold true for every tech).  Most of the time what the support tech gets is “I don’t know what it said, I didn’t write it down…..”. The following comes from the Techtrickz website (LINK http://techtrickz.com/how-to/take-screenshots-on-android-iphone-windows-and-mac-os-x-without-app/ (http://techtrickz NULL.com/how-to/take-screenshots-on-android-iphone-windows-and-mac-os-x-without-app/) ). The following information is a simple way that you can take a screenshot (am image of your screen) that you can then share with any tech. 

The tips are for Windows and Mac computers, as well as iPhone and Android phones. 

screenshot-image

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Apple: iTunes – How to backup and restore playlists

May 22nd

Posted by anovelo in Apple

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itunes_logo For some reason I’ve recently began getting numerous calls about iTunes playlists either disappearing or completely being messed up.  As of now I don’t have a cause for all of these calls (as I haven’t seen a patter), however, I think its time to point out a simple way to protect your playlists.

BACK THEM UP ! Simple isn’t it

 

The following are the steps needed to both back up and restore your playlist. Even though this info is just for the playlists themselves, you should also keep in mind that many things need backing up.

Backup is an important step for anything you use regularly or anything that “REALLY” matters to you on a computer.  You don’t know when your computer could have a hard drive fail, when things could get accidentally  deleted, when you could get a virus (I know viruses are Windows users, but there are a few floating out there on the Mac side as well), or have your house broken into and your equipment stolen, (Should I keep going or are you getting the picture) etc.  TechGeekandMore does recommend iDrive** (LINK: https://www.idrive.com/?p=techgeekandmore (https://www NULL.idrive NULL.com/?p=techgeekandmore)) where you can get 2 gigs of space for FREE and great rates including monthly or yearly billing for additional space (So you have no excuse to not have a backup).  For those who called with this issue and had backed up their information (Good Job!) it was a few minutes and they were back to normal.  For those who didn’t, it was time to redo and recreate their lists again from scratch.  At least this time it was only the lists. 

Backing up playlists

Follow these steps:

  1. Open iTunes.
  2. Select one of your playlists from the Source list.
  3. From the File menu, choose Export Song List. A Save dialog appears.
  4. From the Format pop-up menu, choose XML.
  5. From the Where pop-up menu, choose Desktop.
  6. Click Save.
  7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 for each of the playlists that you have created in iTunes.

Note: These smart playlists are created automatically by iTunes, so you do not need to back them up:

  • 60′s Music
  • My Top Rated
  • Recently Played
  • Top 25 Most Played.
Restoring playlists

Follow these steps:

  1. From the File menu, choose Import.
  2. Navigate to and select one of the exported playlist files on your Desktop.
  3. Click Choose.
  4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each of the playlist files that you have exported to the Desktop.

Important: Some playlist information, such as Play Count and Last Played date, is not preserved.

*******************************************************************************************************************************************

**Disclaimer: iDrive is not an Apple or Mac product, even though it has the i in the front of the name.  iDrive is from “Pro Softnet Corporation” a leader in the field of online backup solutions (LINK: http://www.pro-softnet.com/prosoftnet_new/contact.htm (http://www NULL.pro-softnet NULL.com/prosoftnet_new/contact NULL.htm)).  In addition, TGM is an iDrive partner, and does get a commission from prosoftnet for referrals. However, please note that TGM would still recommend iDrive as the preferred method of online (off-site) backup even if it did not get commissions, TGM values its reputation and would not recommend anything unless they had used and been satisfied with the product. 

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TGM Q&A: Software: iTunes says its running in compatibility mode when started fix

Feb 14th

Posted by anovelo in Apple

1 comment

apple In the past couple of days, I have received may requests for help concerning another iTunes issue.  It seems that on some iTunes installs, that when you start iTunes you get a message

"iTunes.exe has been set to run in compatibility mode for an older version of Windows.
For best result, turn off compatibility mode of iTunes before you open it."

TS1489_2

     If you click ok on the message then iTunes opens just fine and works, but seeing that message every time is just an annoyance that just shouldn’t be there.  The solution offered by Apple (LINK: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1489 (http://support NULL.apple NULL.com/kb/TS1489)) is

Resolution

Try these steps to turn Windows compatibility mode off:

  1. Quit iTunes.
  2. Windows XP and Windows 2000: On the Start menu, click My Computer (or double-click My Computer on the Desktop).
    Windows Vista and Windows 7: On the Start menu, click Computer.
  3. In My Computer, open the C:\ drive (or whichever disk your Windows is installed on).
  4. Open the Program Files folder or "Program Files (x86)" if you are using a 64-bit version of Windows Vista or Windows 7).
  5. Open the iTunes folder.
  6. Right-click on the iTunes application (iTunes or iTunes.exe) and from the shortcut menu, click Properties.
  7. Click the Compatibility tab.
  8. Deselect the checkbox under Compatibility mode if it’s selected.
  9. Click OK.
  10. Open iTunes and play a song.

     However, as many of the requests for help have said the Apple solution does NOT work for everyone.  For those, who still have issues after following the Apple solution, the I have a fix for you.

NOTE: THE SOLUTION WILL INVOLVE A CHANGE TO THE WINDOWS REGISTRY.  FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY AND DO NOT MAKE ANY OTHER CHANGES TO YOUR REGISTRY UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE CHANGES WILL DO. THE REGISTRY CONTROLS WHAT YOUR PC DOES. ANY UNNESSESARY CHANGES COULD BREAK YOUR MACHINE. THIS IS YOUR WARNING.  Now with that said on to the solution.

  • Go to start –> run –> regedit
  • When the registry opens go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

compatibility fix reg1

***Note that there are also sections for Windows, WindowsNT, Windows Mail, etc, so make sure you are looking under Windows NT (You can also verify at the bottom).

  • Once you are on the Layers section, look at the Window on the right and you will see a software key that says iTunes.exe.  Delete that key by right clicking on it and then selecting delete. (Your key may look a little different depending on where you installed iTunes). 

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     Once that is done, close the registry editor and start iTunes, and you should no longer see that message.

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Apple: Using 1 iPod with iTunes on multiple computers

Jan 10th

Posted by anovelo in Apple

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apple (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/apple NULL.jpg) The 1st post of 2010, comes courtesy of my brother-in-law, and his need to be able to use his iPod. When you have your iPod set to Automatic Mode (which I understand is the default mode for iPod’s) and you plug in your into a pc with iTunes that isn’t the pc that you initially did the sync with you will see the following error message

ipod error David2 (http://www NULL.rj-diamond NULL.com/alex/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/ipoderrorDavid2 NULL.jpg)

     If you click on “Erase and Sync”, you will reset your iPod, delete everything that is on it, and load whatever songs/videos you have on the computer that the iPod is currently connected.   

    The following information comes from the Apple support page (LINK:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1202 (http://support NULL.apple NULL.com/kb/HT1202)), and explains how to move your iPod from Automatic mode to Manual mode. 

Use iPod with multiple computers

You can manage your iPod with different computers as long as the computers are running the same operating system (Mac OS X or Windows) and you have set the iPod to "Manually manage music." If you’re not using iTunes 7 or later, click here (http://docs NULL.info NULL.apple NULL.com/article NULL.html?artnum=304271).
Using an iPod formatted for Macintosh on a Windows computer is not supported. Using an iPod formatted for Windows on a Macintosh computer is not supported. To determine your iPod’s hard disk format see "iPod: How to determine iPod’s hard disk format (http://www NULL.info NULL.apple NULL.com/kbnum/n61672)." To change the iPod format you will need to restore iPod using iTunes. For more information on the how to restore iPod with iTunes see "Restoring iPod to factory settings (http://www NULL.info NULL.apple NULL.com/kbnum/n60983)."
Modes
By default iPod is set to "Automatically sync songs to my iPod" sometimes called automatic mode. In order to transfer music from multiple computers iPod must be set to "Manually manage music" sometimes referred to as manual mode.
Automatic Mode

When iPod is set to automatic mode iTunes automatically updates iPod’s music library whenever you connect iPod to your computer. iTunes transfers new songs you’ve added, and erases songs you’ve removed. However, the first computer you connect iPod to is its "home" computer, and the music library from that computer is copied to iPod. When you connect iPod to another computer, an alert box appears with this message:

"The iPod "iPod" is synced with another iTunes library. Do you want to erase this iPod and sync with this iTunes library?"

"An iPod can be synced with only one iTunes library at a time. Erasing and syncing replaces the contents of this iPod with the contents of this iTunes library."

If you want to delete the music library on iPod and make the second computer iPod’s "home" computer, click Erase and Sync. iTunes will delete all songs and playlists on the iPod, and then will copy the music library and playlists from the new home computer to iPod.
Manual Mode
If you want to keep the music library on iPod, but copy songs or playlists from the music library on the second computer, click Cancel to this dialog box, and then set iPod to manual mode.
You change the iPod synchronization mode to manual mode in iTunes:

  1. Open iTunes, if necessary.
  2. Select iPod in the Source pane.
  3. Click the Summary tab.
  4. Click "Manually manage music and videos" to enable that option.
  5. Click OK in the resulting dialog box.
  6. Click Apply.

It is normal for iPod to take a few seconds to change from automatic mode to manual mode.
When in manual mode, to add songs or playlists drag them from iTunes to the iPod icon in the sidebar. To remove songs or playlists select them on the iPod in iTunes and hit the delete key. You can also create playlists directly on the iPod.

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