Posts tagged: apple

[Updated] Setting Up Google Apps Contacts in iPhone/iPad & Mac OS X

February 25, 2011, by 2 comments

As mentioned previously, you can setup Google Apps Mail to sync your Contacts as well. You can do this on your iPhone/iPad and your Mac.

iPhone/iPad

  1. Open the Settings application on your iPhone/iPad.
  2. Open Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
  3. Tap the account being synced.
  4. Make sure Contacts is ON

Your Contacts will now begin to sync with Google and will eventually show up online. Remember, they will only show up under My Contacts. If you create another group, it will not appear on your iOS device.

Mac OS X

You can also sync your Contacts with a Mac running OS X 10.6 with your Google Apps account. OSXDaily.com has a handy posting that I have recapped below.

  1. On your Mac, launch the Address Book application.
  2. Select Address Book>>Preferences.
  3. Click on the Accounts tab.
  4. From the left side listing, select On My Mac.
  5. Check the Synchronize with Google checkbox.
  6. Click the Configure… button next to it.
  7. Enter your Google Apps username/password.
  8. Click Sync Now from your menu bar. (This is very important as nothing will happen with you manually syncing.)

This is where it might get a little tricky. The process of syncing your Contacts with Google apparently requires iSync, which Apple no longer uses in favor of MobileMe syncing. However, even with MobileMe syncing turned off, you can manually run the sync process. In this case, you will sync with Google and not MobileMe. What is unclear is whether Google sync will continue automatically or require manual intervention from this point moving forward.

At least one response to the OSXDaily.com post mentions that also setting up Yahoo syncing at the same time will result in automatic syncing. According to them, the automated process requires at least two syncing events at the same time as one along (i.e., Google) will not work.

UPDATE – March 10, 2011
I came across another software tool that purports to help manage your Google Contacts better than the default Apple method described above. They mention duplicate entries as a problem with Apple’s Address Book sync and I have in fact experienced some duplicate entries. However, it is unclear since not all my entries have be duplicated. Spurious problem or not, it might be worth your time to check out Spanning Sync as mentioned on TUAW.com. It currently costs $25/year or $65/lifetime. But, you have the option of getting a free copy if you can convince enough of your friends to also purchase it.

Google Sync Services for Ministry

February 23, 2011, by No comments yet

GMailIf you read this blog, you are likely someone I know personally (and I thank you for reading it) or are interested in technology and its application to ministry. If you are like me, you have several email addresses and groups of people you interact with on a given day or week. Work, home, family, friends, church, each of those groups come with their own questions and requests for help as it relates to computers and technology. In my case, I have my wife, family, co-workers (it’s actually my job), personal clients, church and diocese to consider. It’s often hard to keep track of all the people and what they are asking you to do.

Because of this, I have found invaluable the syncing ability of MobileMe over the last few years. Keeping track of people and their contact information is one of the hardest things to do if you have a smart phone, work computer, personal laptop and an iPad. You make a change on one device and then you have to keep all the others updated. Enter MobileMe. I have been a subscriber to this service since it was called iTools (technically, they are not the same, but it is the predecessor).

The best thing about MobileMe, in my estimation, is its ability to keep all your contact information synced across a myriad of devices. It works best on OS X and iOS devices, but you can use it on a PC as well. I have two computers at work (Mac and PC) and have used MobileMe on both. With few problems, it just works. I make a change on my iPhone and it propagates to my MacBook Pro, iMac, and iPad with no problem. If I login and make a change via the MobileMe website, it will filter down to all my devices as well. While MobileMe did have some rather large hiccups when Apple first rolled it out, I have found it to be a stable offering since.

So, it’s a big thing that I have decided to move away from MobileMe to Google’s Sync Services. Now, I have thought about this for quite a while. MobileMe is largely built around this particular feature while Google offers it only as an add-on to their myriad services. I am also well aware that Google will not entirely replace MobileMe’s offering or linked resources. For example, MobileMe will also sync your email accounts and rules. This is helpful when setting up a new computer and keeping your rules copied from one machine to another. Third party vendors also use MobileMe to sync their product across machines, for example Transmit and iBank. As I mentioned, I have not made this decision without considering what I am losing. But, the cost of MobileMe, $99/year, is untenable when you consider it really only does one thing well that you can get somewhere else for free. Sure, MobileMe also offers email, calendaring, back to your Mac, find my iPhone/iPad and free disk space as part of the package. But, I can use GMail, Google Calendaring, LogMeIn, find my iPhone/iPad and Dropbox for free. Why pay $99 when all I really gain is syncing capabilities?

My next few posts will explain how I have gone from MobileMe to Google Sync Services and what experience it offers.

[Updated] VIA Cult of Mac: Apple May Have Neutered AirPrint For iOS 4.2 Release | Cult of Mac

November 10, 2010, by No comments yet

Apple May Have Neutered AirPrint For iOS 4.2 Release | Cult of Mac: Why is the potential removal of AirPrint capability from wireless connected Macs a big deal? Because it means the iPad will continue to be a neutered pseudo-laptop with significant deficiencies. Don’t misunderstand me, I still love my iPad. I use it every day. But, it’s greatest strength is the ability to take work/play with you and move around. It has a large screen and is very responsive. It looks really cool. People will ask you out because of it. OK, maybe not the last one, but you get the picture. It’s a great tool.

But not if Apple prevents it from performing a very necessary function common to all computers – printing.

Both home and enterprise users will eventually realize that getting work done sometimes means printing off a copy of your document. If you don’t purchase one of the new HP AirPrint approved printers (and few will at first), you can’t use the technology. Seriously, that will stop many folks from moving forward. “Here you go mom, I got this for you and dad.” “Can I print directions to the doctor’s office?” “Um, no. You still have to use your desktop for that. Or, you can just take the iPad with you.” “No, I’m afraid of breaking it.” This is a reasonable response to the inability to print. Few would argue that Apple could be making a big mistake if this is not available soon.

My wife likes my iPad. She wants to take it with her on trips for work. I don’t mind letting her. But, she needs to print things often to give to others. While she can’t expect to have an AirPrint approved printer at every hotel, she can reasonably expect a computer that is capable of handling the print request connected to the hotel printer. See the problem? She, and many like her, will consider this broken.

Please Apple, let this only be a rumor and not the future of iPad printing.

(Via Cult of Mac.)

[Update] It appears none other than Steve Jobs has (supposedly) chimed in on the subject. He is quoted on TUAW as saying:

AirPrint has not been pulled. Don’t believe everything you read.

Great news if this is true.

iPad’s Many Uses Becoming Clearer

September 20, 2010, by No comments yet

I had a chance to experience a new (for me) way to use my iPad. Now, Saturday evening, my alma mater, Notre Dame, was playing at Michigan State. The kids are all in bed and my wife is watching TV with me.  She also does not like football.  Her ability to tolerate it is surpassed by her love for me, or I would never be able to enjoy games since we married. So, I’m watching this back and forth contest with MSU and she is reading a book.  I can tell she would prefer to watch something else instead of read.  So, I looked around and found the Count of Monte Cristo on some movie channel. Bingo (for her). As for me, it meant missing large swathes of the game.

So, I picked up my iPad and turned on my iPhone version of ESPN ScoreCenter (I’m just not paying for the iPad version, ESPN. Highway robbery.).  I was able to keep up with the game as she watched her movie.  I checked in on the game from time to time after I saw a good play mentioned on ScoreCenter.  Once her movie was over, I was able to switch back and watch the heart breaking overtime loss.

Overall, the iPad afforded me a chance to sit with my wife as she watched TV and I read about my game.  Thanks Apple.

Technology’s Pitfalls

September 8, 2010, by No comments yet

While I make a living by writing Internet applications, I also use it liberally as a youth minister. However, there are inevitable problems with any computer or software package that will need to be addressed. No matter what operating system, vendor or hardware upgrade, you will inevitably deal with customer support or troll the Internet for someone else to solve the problem. That is where I am today. I have both somewhat of a triumph and ongoing problem.

My iPhone
Problem: The iOS 4.0 upgrade made it really slow. Painfully slow. My wife, who also sports a 3G iPhone, is running iOS 3.x and does not have a slowdown. Since I like the latest and greatest, I installed iOS 4.0 as soon as it hit the Internet. Great for organizing my apps. Very bad for productivity. It essentially made my iPhone too slow to use for anything other than phone calls and the occasional email check.

Solution: Thankfully, today, Apple released iOS 4.1. So far, it has solved much of my frustration. The phone seems much quicker and responsive to taps. While it pales in comparison to the current iPhone 4, it should last a little longer. That’s especially nice for a phone that under two (2) years old.

My iPad
Problem: No matter what I try, I can’t get my MobileMe calendar account to sync on my iPad. Any changes I make on it are not reflected on my other iOS devices and vice versa. Given that it is sold as a quick means to access and interact with information, this is a particularly unexpected development.

Solution: I’m still looking for one.

There is no moral to this story, just reaffirmation that technology is a useful tool and not a panacea to solve life’s myriad problems.