CAUG RSS Feed

Michel Ségard: Color and the Art of Communication

info@chicagoapple.org — 2012-01-18T19:09:31-06:00

Color and the Art of Communication

Michel Ségard will discuss the use of color in printed and electronic communication documents (such as brochures, presentations, and web sites). This application independent overview will be geared to the nondesigners who want a better understanding of how to manage color in their documents. The presentation will examine the reasons to use color in a presentation. Color terminology will be reviewed, as well as the codes and mechanics of color pickers that are found in various applications. In addition, the presentation will explore the psychology of colors and color combinations.

Michel Ségard has more than 30 years experience in communication design with emphasis on small print publications and experience in web site interface design. He was a pioneer in desktop publishing, developing and teaching the first for-credit course on the subject for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1986. Now retired, he was a proposal designer for one of the world’s largest professional services firm for 24 years. Michel also has extensive experience in the visual arts as a critic and curator, and has authored and designed numerous art exhibition catalogs.

Event logistics:

Michel Ségard presents Color and the Art of Communication
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Mac Specialist
500 North Wells, lower level
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public, everyone is invited and encouraged to bring friends.

Bill Geraci on "What's Apple Done for Us?"

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-12-28T05:57:38-06:00

On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, Bill Geraci will give a talk on "What's Apple Done for Us?" This gives a business, hardware, software and interface overview of where Apple has brought us. Bill is always one of our favorite speakers. He brings intelligence, fun, and lots of real world experience to his presentations. The event logistics:

Bill Geraci discussing "What's Apple Done for Us?"
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm (doors open at 6:15 pm)
Meet at Mac Specialist
500 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60654
Map: http://g.co/maps/wpffk
We'll meet downstairs - need to go down a well lighted staircase - no elevator access
We'll go out to eat afterward at Lou Malnati's

You can get a preview from this video:

I look forward to seeing many people at the event!

Sincerely,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Jean MacDonald of Smile Software

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-11-27T16:14:17-06:00

Hi everyone,

The Chicago Apple User Group is very pleased to bring Jean MacDonald of Smile Software here to Chicago. She’ll be here on Wednesday, December 7th, 2011. Our meeting will start at 7:00 pm, and go through 8:30 pm. We’ll go out to eat afterward, and everyone is invited to join us for food after the meeting. You can also win some mugs or water bottles from Smile Software at our meeting.

Please note the new location and time:

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
MacSpecialist
500 North Wells
Lower Level
Chicago, IL 60654
Photo:

Map:
View Larger Map

Smile Software makes some truly amazing software. PDFPenPro is outstanding software that allows anyone to created or edit PDF documents. It’s also possible to create a PDF from a web page, make a PDF form, make tables of contents, and much more. You can learn a lot more about PDFPen 5 from the ebook: http://www.smilesoftware.com/PDFpen/takecontrol.html

Another extremely popular product from Smile Software is Text Expander. This is great software that allows you to use just a few mouse clicks and/or keystrokes, and expand it to full text. For example, you can set up “YT” to expand to “Yours Truly, John Doe”. It can even be used to add HTML, the current date and time, or correctly type words with special characters. More features can be found here: http://www.smilesoftware.com/TextExpander/features.html

More info about the meeting will be posted soon. Pay attention to our web site, and plan to join us on December 7th to meet Jean MacDonald of Smile Software!

Sincerely,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Bob LeVitus

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-10-23T17:35:41-05:00

Hi everyone,

The Chicago Apple User Group is very proud to bring Bob LeVitus back to Chicago! We have a new location (info below). Here are the event logistics:

Bob LeVitus comes to Chicago!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
5455 North Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL 60640
Map: http://g.co/maps/g94ux

We’ll be going out for pizza afterward (more pizza info coming soon!). The event is open to the public. You are encouraged to bring friends and colleagues.

Transportation:
Our new home is on the CTA Red Line, between the Berwyn and Bryn Mawr stops, and the 147 bus stops right there! CTA Map: http://tinyurl.com/m8qowl

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Taking Care of Business, October 5, 2011

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-09-19T16:08:56-05:00

The Chicago Apple User Group presents Pericles Toscas, President of the Toscas Group, on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Pericles is a member of the the Apple Consultants Network, and a specialist in Apple Business. He is in an excellent position to show us how to get the most out of the Apple Consultants Network, and to go above and beyond what is available from an Apple store. Here are just a few of the many business apps for the Mac: http://itunes.apple.com/us/genre/mac-business/id12001?mt=12

Whether it's your personal information (such as dates and contacts), or virtually any aspect of running your own business (such as setting up a database or keeping track of finances), this is an event not to be missed! Bring friends and colleagues, as this will appeal to a very wide range of people.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011
7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

1Password and Lion

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-08-07T19:19:31-05:00

Hi everyone,

The Chicago Apple User Group is very proud to bring David Chartier to speak about 1Password, and we’ll have Barbara Passman give us an introduction to actually using Lion.

1Password is truly amazing software. It allows you to do all of the following:

• Create unguessable passwords
• Remember and use the most secure passwords possible
• Add secure notes to documents
• Keep track of all your software licenses
• Save time with smart folders
• Sync passwords across Macs or other devices
• Fill out any forms, not just logins
• Print items from 1Password

1Password is a great tool for Mac and iOS devices when security is extremely critical. Our guest, David Chartier, will show us how to use 1Password, and to go beyond just storing passwords to using it to the fullest extent possible!

Barbara Passman will give a follow-up presentation to our July, 2010 meeting. Back in July, we got a look at what Lion was probably going to look like, and how it was going to operate. Now it’s out, and our own Barbara Passman will tell us what it’s really like to install it, use it, and what you can do to get the best out of Lion.

The logistics of the event:

The Chicago Apple User Group presents:
1Password and upgrading to Lion
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public, and made possible by the members of the Chicago Apple User Group. I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
http://caug.net

Bert Monroy is coming on Wednesday, August 3, 7:00 p.m.

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-07-16T20:52:00-05:00

Hi everyone,

The Chicago Apple User Group is very proud to bring Bert Monroy to our meeting on Wednesday, August 3, 2011, starting at 7:00 p.m. He will be showing us his latest creation, Times Square. We’ll be meeting at Digital Bootcamp, 25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60654.

Bert is in the Photoshop Hall of Fame, and describes Times Square on his web site:

“This is the largest image I have ever created, pushing the boundaries of the software and hardware as far as they can go. It was unveiled at the Photo Plus Expo in New York on October 28, 2010 as a work in progress. A 25 foot light box was constructed to display the piece that has been printed on a new material being introduced by Epson.
• The image size is 60 inches by 300 inches.
• The flattened file weighs in at 6.52 Gigabytes.
• It took four years to create.
• The painting is comprised of almost three thousand individual Photoshop and Illustrator files.
• Taking a cumulative total of all the files, the overall image contains over 500,000 layers.”

Event logistics:
The Chicago Apple User Group brings Bert Monroy to Chicago
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Starting at 7:00 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public. Bert’s visit is made possible by the members of the Chicago Apple User Group. Anyone may join the group for $45/year, either at any meeting, or online at http://www.chicagoapple.org/membership.php.

Nearest stops on CTA lines:
Grand Station on the Red Line
Hubbard Street on the 22, 29, 36 or 156 bus lines
Dearborn Street on bus # 65

Come early to get the best seats. Bert’s last visit to us was a packed house, I’m sure this will be the same!

Warm wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
http://caug.net

Adam Engst on July 6!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-06-02T19:11:55-05:00

Hi everyone!

The Chicago Apple User Group is very pleased to be able to bring Adam Engst to Chicago for an exclusive in person event. He and his wife Tonya are the publisher of TidBits, one of the longest running and most informative newsletters in the entire Mac, iPhone and iPad world. I strongly encourage you to subscribe to TidBits for the best information. Publishing TidBits gives them and their team a front row seat to the most exciting technology developments in the world. Adam and Tonya have stayed ahead of the technology curve since the founding of TidBits all the way back in 1990, and have been our friendly guides all these years, helping many of us to understand and use the tools to make our lives better and more productive.

They also publish the entire Take Control series of ebooks. Launched in 2003, the Take Control series of books radically changed how books are published. They are all available online, or in print versions. The books cover an enormous range of topics, from the Mac OS to specific applications such as Text Expander or DEVONThink, and many more topics. The full catalog of Take Control books can be found here: http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/catalog. The staff includes Adam and Tonya, and Jeff, Glenn, Matt, Mark, Rich, Michael and Lex. Current members of the Chicago Apple User Group receive a special discount in their purchase of Take Control books.

Adam is extremely well known in the Apple and iOS community, consistently ranking in the MDJ Top 25 survey of the most influential people in the Mac and iOS. He’s currently #3 in the entire world behind Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. We are very happy to be able to bring him to Chicago for you.

The logistics of the event:

The Chicago Apple User Group presents
Adam Engst in Chicago!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public. Adam’s visit is made possible by the members of the Chicago Apple User Group. Anyone may join the group for $45/year, either at any meeting, or online at http://www.chicagoapple.org/membership.php

Come early to get the best seats. Our June event was a packed house, I’m sure July will be the same!

Warm wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
http://caug.net

Dave Marra shows iWork Productivity Tools, June 1, 7:00 p.m.

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-05-05T20:24:57-05:00

Would you like to learn how to make amazing documents, very powerful spreadsheets, and compelling presentations? If so, this is an event you have to see in person! Dave Marra is going to show you how to unleash the power of iWork on a Mac or iPad, and allow you to make beautiful professional caliber documents, top notch spreadsheets, and persuasive presentations that will put you far ahead of your competition.

The Chicago Apple User Group is very proud to bring Dave Marra in to Chicago. Our meeting will be on Wednesday, June 1, 2011, starting at 7:00 p.m. We’ll be meeting at Digital Bootcamp, 25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor, this is open to the public and everyone is invited to attend!

Dave is nationally known for his dynamic delivery style and exciting demo. Dave Marra has conducted thousands of technology presentations, keynote addresses and workshops for schools, Mac and PC user groups, businesses and other professional organizations across the United States and Canada. Certified as both an Apple Certified Technical Coordinator and an Apple Certified Systems Administrator, his specialty areas include digital multimedia, internet technologies, accessibility and Mac/PC integration.

He’ll be showing us iWork 09 the suite of three programs from Apple. One is Pages, which is grown into a program to produce beautiful documents by word processing and page layout. The second is Numbers, which is a spreadsheet tool to create charts, analyze data, and even have photos and videos in your spreadsheet. Keynote is the presentation tool that Steve Jobs uses. It makes beautiful presentations that are both powerful and easy to use. Apple has made a number of tutorials available for anyone to use.

The event is open to the public, everyone is invited to attend and bring friends! The logistics of the event:

The Chicago Apple User Group presents Dave Marra
iWork Productivity Tools
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
7:00 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd floor
Chicago, IL 60654

Nearest stops on CTA lines:
Grand Station on the Red Line
Hubbard Street on the 22, 29, 36 or 156 bus lines
Dearborn Street on bus # 65

We’ll be going out to Rock Bottom after the main event. Everyone is welcome to join us there. Rock Bottom is at 1 West Grand, Chicago, IL, and their menu is here. Dave’s visit is made possible by the members of the Chicago Apple User Group. You can become a member for $45 annually at any main meeting, or online at http://www.chicagoapple.org/membership.php.

I look forward to seeing many of you on Wednesday, June 1 to see Dave back in Chicago!

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Strategies to Manage Your Digital Data this Wednesday!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-05-01T18:26:32-05:00

The Chicago Apple User Group is a great resource for all things related to Macs, iOS devices, and much more. Our Wednesday, May 4, 2011 presentation is only a few days away, and is all about how to manage your digital data. We'll be meeting at 25 West Hubbard starting at 7:00 p.m., and this is your invitation to join us!

We are bringing in a very in-demand speaker, Bryce Wagg, to share his experiences with us. He's even giving away really good stuff, so bring friends to share in the fun! Here is Bryce's description of the event:

We will be discussing how to handle information in the modern technological age. As the internet grows and provides easier access to the general public, the most important question is what does the future of the internet hold for its users? The combination of modern mobile technology and web based applications provides an ever increasing sea of information. Finding your Moby Dick in the digital sea can be challenging, but there are strategies that can help you manage this digital data more easily. DEVONthink Pro provides its users an easy way to manage data the way you prefer while learning your preferences to better serve your usage habits.

Bryce Wagg is a digital business consultant who specializes in helping clients better understand their business. Bryce develops strategies for his clients that help to better understand business approach, customer behaviors, website purpose, online reputation and digital strategies. As a consultant, Bryce utilizes DEVONthink to research emerging topics and manage relevant data.

Join Bryce to learn how DEVONthink will help you to better handle emails, attachments, web pages, searches, and so much more! Bryce will be taking questions, giving free handouts, and even giving away FREE copies of DEVONthink!

Here is one review of DEVONThink:

In today's world, everything is digital. From shopping receipts to important research papers, your life often fills your hard drive in the form of emails, PDFs, Word documents, multimedia files and more. Questions eventually pop up, like where do you store all of this stuff? How do you organize these very different file types, and even better, how do you find the exact file you're looking for the second you need it? It's almost as if you need a second brain just to keep your digital life straight.

DEVONthink is the solution to the digital age conundrum. It is your second brain, the one and only database for all your digital files, be they PDFs, emails, Word docs or even multimedia files. Boasting a refined artificial intelligence, DEVONthink is exceedingly flexible and adapts to your personal needs. And if the files are not digital yet, digitize them with DEVONthink Pro Office.

Use it as your document repository, your filing cabinet, your email archive, or your project organizer; DEVONthink can do it all. You can even collect and organize data from the web for your own use, enrich it with sound and movie files from your hard drive, and then export the finished product as a website or to an Apple Pages document to print, should you so desire. Or copy the content to your iPod! The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination.
DEVONthink Professional Office extends DEVONthink Pro with three additional modules: Pro-grade email archiving, paper capture including optical character recognition, and integrated web sharing (search only.

Read more: DEVONthink Pro 2.0.7 for Mac - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com http://download.cnet.com/DEVONthink-Pro/3000-2076_4-11685812.html#ixzz1L8jKcWF5

Event logistics:

The Chicago Apple User Group presents Bryce Wagg
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public, you are encouraged to bring friends and colleagues! I look forward to seeing many of you this Wednesday!

Sincerely,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Bryce Wagg presents DEVONThink on May 4, 2011!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-04-16T18:00:13-05:00

Hi everyone,

The Chicago Apple User Group is proud to bring Bryce Wagg to Chicago. Bryce describes himself as many things - a digital strategist, author, speaker, a lifelong learner, and most of all someone who is fascinated by the human condition. He will bring his skills and experience to us to show DEVONThink. This is very user friendly database software that gives you incredible power over documents and items on your Mac or iOS device. This is the first application that can truly turn your Mac into a paperless office. Power meets practicality in DEVONThink.

You can save time, money, paper and effort with DEVONThink, and have the best possible organization of your information. It allows you to bring every aspect of a project or job together in one area, and get the best use of the data. It can work with email messages, PDFs, photos, iWork documents, web pages, and much more. It will allow you to search, organize, classify, tag, and summarize your data in ways that no other program can match. The logistics of the event:

The Chicago Apple User Group presents Bryce Wagg
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

You can learn more about DEVON technologies here: http://www.devon-technologies.com/. Joe Kissel has two TakeControl ebooks about DEVONThink. The first covers DEVONThink 2: http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/devonthink-2. The second shows how DEVONThink is part of a total strategy to run a paperless office (such as how to use a scanner): http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/paperless-office. Current members of the Chicago Apple User Group are entitled to an additional 30% off. Send an email to me if you are interested in the 30% additional discount. My email is president@chicagoapple.org. (Thanks to Adam Engst for making the discount available!)

Bryce’s visit is made possible by the dues paying members of the Chicago Apple User Group, and we greatly appreciate everyone’s support of the club. You can join the club for $45 a year at any meeting, or by going to: http://www.chicagoapple.org/membership.php. Why should you join? Check us out: http://www.chicagoapple.org/about_us.html

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
http://www.chicagoapple.org

Bill Geraci presents a look at A History and future of the Interface, Wednesday, April 6, 2011

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-03-27T08:29:47-05:00

Hi everyone,

We are pleased to announce that Bill Geraci will be our guest speaker on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. Here is Bill’s summary of the topic:

A History of the Interface

Pliers? Have you ever needed to use a pair of pliers to switch programs on your computer? There was a time...when that's exactly what you needed! And
do you know how the Modal Interface has allowed computer users to become real people, not specialists?

Come hear a review of the history of The Interface--how we have interacted with computers over the years. And some speculation on how we will be connected in the future....

The Chicago Apple User Group presents Bill Geraci
A History of the Interface
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public, everyone is encouraged to attend and bring friends.

Sincerely,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Better Communication with Fonts, Wednesday March 2, 7:00 pm

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-02-15T05:34:58-06:00

The Chicago Apple User Group is proud to bring back Michel Ségard for our March presentation. If you do any type of design work - whether it is print or web or video - this presentation will highlight an aspect of design that can make a huge difference in your product, and yet is not as widely known for all the strength it can bring to your work. Our presenter is a former instructor at the School of the Art Institute. His presentation last year was one of the best all year. Virtually everyone will find this interesting, enjoyable and containing many ideas that can be used right away in your work.

Better Communication with Fonts — Fonts carry their own message through their style and application. How they are used in a document affects the final message of the document. This discussion will review the fundamentals of fonts (their categories, styles, etc.) and explore the ways in which the use of fonts can affect content and readability.

The logistics of the event:

The Chicago Apple User Group presents Michel Ségard
Better Communication with Fonts
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

I look forward to seeing you at the event. It is open to the public, you are encouraged to bring friends and colleagues.

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
www.chicagoapple.org

CANCELLED - Our meeting tonight is CANCELLED

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-02-02T05:33:04-06:00

Hi,

Our meeting tonight, Wednesday, February 2, 2011 - Better Communication with Fonts - is CANCELLED due to the weather. I’ll reschedule this event for March.

Sincerely,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Better Communication with Fonts, Wednesday February 2, 2011

info@chicagoapple.org — 2011-01-18T06:05:05-06:00

The Chicago Apple User Group is proud to bring back Michel Ségard for our February presentation. If you do any type of design work - whether it is print or web or video - this presentation will highlight an aspect of design that can make a huge difference in your product, and yet is not as widely known for all the strength it can bring to your work. Our presenter is a former instructor at the School of the Art Institute. His presentation last year was one of the best all year. Virtually everyone will find this interesting, enjoyable and containing many ideas that can be used right away in your work.

Better Communication with Fonts — Fonts carry their own message through their style and application. How they are used in a document affects the final message of the document. This discussion will review the fundamentals of fonts (their categories, styles, etc.) and explore the ways in which the use of fonts can affect content and readability.

The logistics of the event:

The Chicago Apple User Group presents Michel Ségard
Better Communication with Fonts
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

I look forward to seeing you at the event. It is open to the public, you are encouraged to bring friends and colleagues.

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
www.chicagoapple.org

A look at TechTool Pro and ProToGo, and how to speed up your Mac!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-12-05T14:05:17-06:00

Hi everyone,

Our January 5, 2011 program will look at two different tools to help you get the best out of your Mac. One is TechTool Pro, which is a whole suite of utilities to keep your Mac in shape. The other is ProToGo, which is software that can be installed on a flash drive and used as a portable bootable Mac drive.

TechTool Pro is useful by virtually any Mac user. The interface is clean, and easy to follow. has tools to check memory, video RAM, volume structures, SMART status, and much more. This screen shot gives a taste of what can be done:

There are also a whole suite of tests that can be run independently, and I’ll be showing some of those at the meeting.

For those of you who want an extra level of protection, Micromat also makes ProToGo, which is software that can allow you to turn a flash drive into a portable tool to help fix Macintosh computers. We will be giving away a copy of ProToGo at the meeting, and that has a retail value of over $130.00! The Chicago Apple User Group greatly appreciates the support of Micromat making both TechTool Pro and ProToGo available for us to review and raffle!

The second half of our meeting will show how to speed up your Mac to unbelievable levels. Here is a screen shot of my three year old MacBook Pro compared to an 8-core Mac Pro with 8 GB of RAM (my Mac is in green), that I modified for a little over $100.00:

The logistics of the event:

The Chicago Apple User Group looks at software from Micromat, and how to speed up your Mac
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

I look forward to seeing many of you at the event!

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Meet Bob Boldt of Other World Computing on December 1st!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-11-05T20:21:19-05:00

Hi everyone,

The Chicago Apple User Group is very pleased to have Bob Boldt of Other World Computing as our guest on Wednesday, December 1st. Bob is a Senior Account Manager with OWC, and is totally committed to helping people.

Here’s some info from their web site that I find very impressive:

“Other World Computing (OWC) has been providing quality hardware products and support to the computer industry since 1988 and features one of the largest online catalogs of computer, iPod, and iPhone enhancement products through its e-commerce portal www.macsales.com. As an Apple Certified Developer, OWC also provides extensive US based technical support for Macintosh users around the world as well as Internet access via www.fastermac.net and www.owc.net.”

OWC is a great place to go for:
Do It Yourself Laptop upgrades, including great instructional videos
Memory for your Mac, fully tested and Apple Qualified
Internal Storage including 2.5” and/or 3.5” HDD, SATA, IDE/ATA
External Storage including FireWire, USB and eSATA
CD/DVD/Blu-Ray Internal and external optical drives, reading and writing, even Blu-Ray on your Mac!
iPod and iPhone upgrades and accessories
Laptop Center - everything for your laptop, from memory to batteries, drives, displays, DIY kits, protection, and more
Accessories for every imaginable Mac or iOS device

If you want to reach Bob before our December event and talk to him about what he has to offer, his direct line is 1-800-275-4576 ext 113, or 815-333-5013. We will also be hosting our holiday party, more info will be coming on that soon! The logistics of the event:

The Chicago Apple User Group presents Other World Computing!
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public, everyone is welcome to bring friends and guests. I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
http://www.chicagoapple.org

Save 66% off one hour of Dr. Mac consulting on November 3rd!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-10-26T11:57:58-05:00

Dear Chicagoans,

Have we got some deals for you!

Dr. Mac Consulting will offer three different one-hour consulting packages to current Chicago Apple User Group members who attend the meeting on November 3rd for a mere $40 each — a whopping 66% off our billing rate. What a deal!!

The three packages are:

The Mac Tuneup: Tips, hints, and help with maintenance and keeping your Mac running clean, fast and strong.

The Mac Backup Checkup: Evaluation of your backup practices, suggestions for safety, help testing backup and restore functionality, software options and opinons, and so on.

The Mac Cleanup: De-cruft your Mac to make it easier to find things and gain back valuable hard drive space.

The offer will be in effect until Friday, November 19 at 5PM.

We think once the members have spent an hour of quality time talking Mac with our technicians (Pat Fauqet or Bob LeVitus), they'll consider us the next time they need help. You'll also have a chance to win an hour of free consulting as a raffle prize on November 3rd!

Dr. Mac Consulting offers expert assistance for Macintosh and iPhone users via phone, email, iChat, and/or our unique Internet enabled remote control software, which allows us to see what's happening on your Mac screen and fix the problem while you watch, in real time.

You have to be a current member of the Chicago Apple User Group, and attend the November 3rd meeting to get the deal! Not a member? Here's how to join and get the discount!: A one year membership to the Chicago Apple User Group is $45.00, and you'll more than make that up with this deal alone! If you're not a member, you can join at the November 3rd meeting, or by clicking here:

http://www.chicagoapple.org/membership.php

The meeting logistics (you have to be there to get the discount):

Bob "Dr Mac" LeVitus comes to Chicago
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

See you there! I'll be signing up for one of Dr. Mac's offers, I hope you do, too!

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
http://www.chicagoapple.org

Reserve your spot for pizza with Dr. Mac!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-10-16T14:43:18-05:00

Hi everyone,

Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus is coming on Wednesday, November 3rd. One highlight of his trip is that he goes out with us to for the best Chicago Pizza! Reservations are $14.00. You can pay by clicking on the image below, or by notifying Joe Fong.

Bob LeVitus is coming on Wednesday, November 3rd!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-10-09T12:57:33-05:00

Hi everyone,

The Chicago Apple User Group is very proud to announce that Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus will be making an exclusive visit to Chicago on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010. This will be your only chance to see him this year. Bob is one of the top selling authors of Mac and Apple books on the planet. He is the author of 50+ books, including Mac OS X Snow Leopard for Dummies, Incredible iPhone Apps for Dummies, Office 2011 For Mac for Dummies, and about 50 more books.You can visit the Dr. Mac General Store here: http://astore.amazon.com/boblevituscom-20.

Bob is very approachable, and is the most helpful person for everyone from newbies to veterans. His website and consulting services can be found at: http://www.boblevitus.com/

Many people find Bob’s visit to be a highlight every year. He is funny, honest, and extremely down to earth. Bob’s recommendations are incredibly perceptive, and his visit adds depth that you can’t find anywhere else. The logistics of the event:

Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus returns to Chicago!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public, you are encouraged to bring friends and colleagues. Bob’s visit is made possible by the dues paying members of the Chicago Apple User Group, their support is greatly appreciated!

I look forward to seeing another full house of great people to welcome Bob back to Chicago!

Russ Conte
President, The Chicago Apple User Group

Andy Ihnatko is coming Wednesday, September 1st!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-08-24T18:40:34-05:00

Hi everyone,

The Chicago Apple User Group is very proud to present Andy Ihnatko live in Chicago. He’ll be here and you are invited to attend! The logistics of the event are:

Andy Ihnatko comes to Chicago!
Wednesday September 1st, 2010
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard
2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

Here’s Andy:

The event is open to the public, you are encouraged to bring friends and collegues.

About Andy:

He is the tech columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, and his column can be found here:

http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/index.html

He has a world famous blog, which can be found here:

http://ihnatko.com/

Andy said “What will I be talking about? Chiefly, I’m going to be presenting the iPad with its six-month report card, and talking about Apple’s new iOS/MacOS universe. But I’m hoping that I’ll save time at the end for Q&A about any topic folks are keen to discuss.”

Plan to come and bring friends, we look to seeing many of you at the event!

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Boinx software coming August 4th!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-07-13T20:31:38-05:00

Hi everyone,

I’m very happy to announce that Boinx software will be our special guest on Wednesday, August 4th. They make quite a range of products, including:

Boinx TV: Turn your Mac into a TV studio! BoinxTV is a pioneering live production software for creating Live to Disk, Live to Internet and Live to Stage video. Record stunning studio shows, podcasts, sports events, concerts, sermons, lectures and more using your Mac and multiple cameras. You can learn more at: http://www.boinx.com/boinxtv/overview/

FotoMagico 3: Award-winning slideshow software for professional photographers. Turn your pictures and movies into a story with a few simple clicks and present it live in high resolution, share it as Standalone Player, on your website, as a screen saver, or burn it to DVD. Learn more here: http://www.boinx.com/fotomagico/overview/

PhotoPresenter 4: Award-winning quick presentation software with style for digital photographers. With the pre-built animated style templates, creating an impressive slideshow with images, movies and sound requires no authoring know-how. Learn more here: http://www.boinx.com/photopresenter/overview/

The logistics of the event:

The Chicago Apple User Group presents Boinx Software!
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public, and made possible by the dues paying members of the Chicago Apple User Group. You are encouraged to bring friends, colleagues and others who have an artistic flair!

Sincerely,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Daylite, the premiere Customer Relationship Management Software for Mac and iPhone, on June 2, 2010!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-05-16T16:46:55-05:00

Hi everyone,

The Chicago Apple User Group is proud to present Ross Mondschain, who will show us Daylite for the Mac and iPhone. Daylite for Mac and iPhone allows a person or business to track contacts, dates, to-dos, business opportunities, do mail merges, manage projects, send emails, and much more. With Daylite, you can run your CRM functions on your Mac, or have them in your pocket on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Here is a testimonial about one person’s experience with Daylite, who runs a professional photography business:

“How do you use Daylite in your industry?
“I use opportunities [a Daylite feature] to keep track of potential new clients. I use predefined activity sets that remind me to send information on our various packages, and to follow-up with them after a set period of time. Once business has been won, I create a project for each wedding, family portrait, or commercial shoot I'm involved in. Since Daylite works like a pyramid, I can keep track of everything related to that client under one project and access it easily.
“What's your favourite thing about Daylite Touch?
“Being able to view, edit, and create everything I need to run my business from one device that fits in my pocket – and knowing that this information is seamlessly syncing back to the machines in my home and office.
“How has Daylite Touch improved your workflow?
“Before Daylite, I would write this information down on my notepad and forget about them after a couple days. Daylite automatically pops up and reminds me to contact the bride to see if I can answer any other questions, making my customer service that more personal. This is a HUGE deal for any photographer and can be the difference between you sealing the deal instead of Joe-Photo down the street. People like personal attention and Daylite reminds us, at predetermined times, to give that attention.
“Which features do you find most useful to you and your business?
“Having projects and tasks on my iPhone is huge – but having the home screen to sum it all up for me on a "today" and "tomorrow" basis is priceless.” (you can read the original by clicking here).

The event logistics are:
Ross Mondschain ACTC, ACHDS
Presenting Daylite and Daylite touch
Certified Member: Apple Consultants Network
ROSSMON Technology Solutions
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The meeting is open to the public, and made possible by members of the Chicago Apple User Group. Feel free to bring colleagues, co-workers, and anyone else who uses their Macintosh or iPhone to run a business. See you there!

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President. Chicago Apple User Group
http://www.chicagoapple.org

Demos of artistic software and cooking database on May 5th!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-04-25T17:17:04-05:00

Hi everyone!

I’m very pleased to announce that we have a very special presentation on May 5th, 2010.

Here are the logistics of the meeting:

Member demos of Akvis graphics tools and MacGourmet software by our own members!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

Our first trio of products all come from our friends at Akvis. The three products we’ll see are:

Akvis Sketch

AKVIS Sketch converts photos into pencil sketches and watercolor paintings.
Now you do not need to handle a pencil to feel like an artist. All you need to create your original work of art is good taste and AKVIS Sketch.

Our efficient method creates realistic color and B&W drawings that imitate the technique of graphite and color pencil, charcoal and watercolor painting.
In contrast to standard filters (like the built-in filters in Photoshop or PSP) that offer an approximate sketch, AKVIS Sketch comes very close to the hand-drawn works of a human artist. Getting a similar result with the standard tools would require expertise in image editing and extensive manipulation with layers, masks, brushes and applying filters.

Our second Akvis program will be Lightshop. Here is information about the product:

People by their nature are attracted by things that shine, sparkle, glow and glitter. A light effect draws attention and animates any photo.
AKVIS LightShop helps you create amazing light effects: lightning in a stormy sky, a colorful rainbow over a city, a reflection on a raindrop, the glow on smoldering wood in a fire-place, alien signs blazing in the night sky, flares on the sun, the lights of distant planets, fireworks - wherever your imagination may take you!
Light effects can brighten up any photo: make it look more natural (by adding reflections on shiny objects) or on the contrary - add a bit of magic and fantasy. Just a few clicks and the eyes of your loved one sparkle like diamonds; some simple manipulations and a moonlit road appears in night scenery.

Our third Akvis software product will be Coloriage
Breathe life into your black and white photos with AKVIS Coloriage!
AKVIS presents the cutting edge technology of automatic photo colorizing that will change your ideas about image colorization forever!

AKVIS Coloriage manipulates colors of an image: from colorizing old black and white photos from your family archive to replacing colors in your color photos.
Make a present for your grandmother by adding color to her school photo, replace the colors of your car to see how it would look in scarlet, see how you will look if you dye your hair red.

AKVIS Coloriage creates natural-looking colorization in a quick and entertaining manner. It works equally well for coloring of portraits, landscapes, fashion, and still life. The skin, sky, verdure, and tree color patterns help users to select realistic colors for their picture.

Apply your creativity and you will find a wide variety of other usages for the software. You can create colorful backgrounds out of ordinary dull pictures, you can apply AKVIS Coloriage to get rid of the red eye effect, to make selective color correction, selective desaturation and colorizing, etc.
AKVIS Coloriage is as easy to use as a coloring book. No layers manipulation, no complicated techniques, no more hours of frustration attempting to get just the look you want - everything is done with a few brush strokes. Indicate the desired colors by the stroke of the brush; the program does the rest of the work: recognizes the object's border and tailors the new color to the grayscale tones of the initial picture.

We’ll also be treated to a presentation about MacGourmet, which is software that can be used to help design meals, make nutrition plans, and much more.

MacGourmet Deluxe Features

• Build, print, and share your own cookbook from your recipe collection.
• Use the Mealplan feature to plan and organize meals. Sync your plans with iCal.
• Easily calculate the nutritional content of your recipes.
• Publish your recipes to your MobileMe account or to your web site.
• Manage your wine collection by recording notes about your favorite wines.
• Import recipes from your favorite online source.
• Create shopping lists from the Weekly Meal Planner or from one or more recipes.
• Store and manage all your cooking notes.
• Organize your collection with SmartLists.
• Plan a meal using the Cupboard find or Potluck find features.

I would suggest getting there early to get the best seats! I look forward to seeing many of you at our May, 2010 meeting!

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Over $300 in raffle prizes at our April 7, 2010 meeting!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-03-28T11:24:30-05:00

Hi everyone,

We are thrilled to announce that we have two outstanding raffle prizes from Elgato for our April 7th main meeting. As a reminder, here are the logistics for the event:

Elgato comes to Chicago!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Digital Bootcamp
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The two prizes we will be giving away that night are the new 2010 Elgato EyeTV Hybrid (which turns your Mac into a great television), and the Elgato Turbo.264 HD, which is great for compressing video without straining your Mac, to easily view the video on your iPod, iPhone, or other devices. It has a retail value of $149.95.

The Elgato EyeTV Hybrid is a device about 3" x 1.5" that is inserted into a USB 2 slot on your Mac. The included software (called Eye TV 3) allows you to watch, record, edit, and save the programs on your Mac. It will even record shows when you are away. You can perform intelligent searches for programs, create clips, export out and much more. The software allows you to edit out parts of the show that you don't want to watch, save the video, and view it later. An optional app is available which allows you to stream video from your Mac to your iPhone, iPod or iPad.

The device itself can be connected to a digital antenna to receive all the TV stations broadcast over the air and view many programs in high definition. It can also be connected to your cable to get all your cable TV stations. Note - if you get your internet service through a company that provides TV services, too, (such as Comcast or RCN), you might be able to view basic cable at no charge using the Eye TV Hybrid. This might include such channels as the History Channel, CNN, ESPN, Fox, MTV, Discovery, TNT, Disney, FX, Golf, Travel, Comedy Channel, VH1, CNBC, and more.

Federal law (specifically 47CFR76.630) prohibits cable companies from scrambling their basic cable TV service, and it is possible to use an EyeTV Hybrid to view basic cable on your Mac at no charge under certain conditions, and without the use of a set top box. Unencrypted QAM (that's what it's called, you can do a search for the term, such as clicking here) is very rarely described or publicized by cable companies, but this will be a chance to learn more about it. You can also use the Elgato system to view regular subscription cable TV without any issues. Here is what it looks like:

More info about the Elgato EyeTV Hubrid can be found here:

http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/EyeTV-Hybrid-10/product1.en.html

The Elgato Turbo.264 HD is a great device for converting the video into H.264 format. This works on its own, and does not strain your Macintosh's processors. If you have any video (such as from a Camcorder, or EyeTV) to convert for use on an iPhone or you need to crop, scale, trip or batch video, the turbo.264 HD is a great solution. It works well with everything from iMovie to Final Cut Pro. Here's what it looks like:

and here is where you can learn more about it:

http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/Turbo264HD/product1.en.html

The Elgato Turbo.264 HD has a retail value of $149.95.

How to buy raffle tickets online. Current members of the Chicago Apple User Group receive one free raffle ticket, and can buy as many additional tickets as they want for $1.00 each. Tickets are available online now at:

http://www.chicagoapple.org/raffletickets.html

Non-members can also buy tickets, at a cost of $2.00 each. The page for non-member tickets is here:

http://www.chicagoapple.org/raffletickets2.html

You must be present at the meeting to win the prizes. The April 7 event is made possible by the dues paying members of the Chicago Apple User Group. If you are not a member and would like to join, click here. The event is open to the public, no reservations are required. You are welcome to bring friends and colleagues.

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
http://www.chicagoapple.org

Elgato will show us how to watch, record and edit TV on our Macs on April 7, 2010

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-03-11T05:29:57-06:00

Hi everyone,

I’m very pleased to announce that Mike Evangelist from Elgato is our guest on Wednesday, April 7th. Elgato makes hardware and software that allows Mac users to record, watch, edit and save TV shows on their Macs. They have systems that work wit over the air broadcasts (including HD) as well as Cable and set top boxes. The hardware is quite small, and works extremely well. Here’s an example:

Their home page is here:

http://www.elgato.com/

From my place (about eight miles west of the Sears Tower), I can receive over 30 stations for free over the air from the transmitters on the Sears Tower and the Hancock Center. The same system allows me to see clear QAM signals from Comcast, which allows me to view basic cable in standard definition at no charge. I can purchase cable TV from Comcast, of curse, but this arrangement works great.

The logistics of the meeting are:

Mike Evangelist of Elgato
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Digital BootCamp
25 West Hubbard
2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public, and supported by the dues paying members of the Chicago Apple User Group. Feel free to bring friends and collegaues. I look forward to seeing many of you at our April meeting! If you are not a member, you are welcome to learn more about us, and join the club here: http://www.chicagoapple.org/membership.php

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group
http://www.chicagoapple.org

Learn Page Layout with Michel Segard, March 3, 2010

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-02-08T19:40:57-06:00

Hi everyone,

We are very pleased to announce that Michel Segard will be our guide as we learn the basic principles of page layout. Michele is a former instructor at the School of the Art Institute, and taught the first class in page layout. This event is good for all levels of users, whether you use a consumer level program such as Apple’s Pages, or a professional level program such as Adobe’s InDesign or QuarkXPress, or any other page layout program, this session will give you the basic building blocks and principles necessary to do page layout. The logistics of the event are:

Michel Segard presents the principles of page layout at
Digital Bootcamp
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

The event is open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to bring friends and colleagues. I look forward to seeing many of you on March 3rd!

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Meet David Joost of BeLight software Wednesday, February 3, 2010!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2010-01-07T09:38:27-06:00

Hi everyone,

I’m thrilled to announce that David Joost of BeLight software is our special guest for February. The logistics of the event are:

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Meet David Joost of BeLight Software at
Digital BootCamp
25 West Hubbard, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

BeLight is a Mac software house that is headquartered in the Ukraine. Here is a bit of information about them from their web site:

Why Mac applications?
We are sure that the best software should run on the best computers. No modern computer even begins to match up to a Mac. First, this is the only platform where the human factor is foremost. Second, it's where all the technical novelties of the entire Personal Computer age were created. Third, we simply cannot abide running any other platform!
We're sure that software must be:

Easy-to-use and perfectly intuitive;
Using innovative technologies where necessary;
Capable of invoking new abilities you never knew you had.

These concepts formed our motto, “Simplicity of new abilities”.

Our name is BeLight Software, which means “be light”:

We strive for making everything (software, work, life) easier;
Our company brings light to you;
Our users feel themselves at ease

Here is part of their product lineup, and you can see their entire product lineup at http://www.belightsoft.com/products/products.php:

Printfolio

Printfolio is a suite of four professional Mac OS X printing programs plus image editing program — Image Tricks. With this suite you can easily create business cards, CD/DVD covers, labels, tray inserts, folded booklets, flyers, brochures, letterheads, newsletters, catalogs, etc. The program will also help you design and print envelopes, postcards, address and shipping labels.

Live Interior 3D

Live Interior 3D is an interior design software for Mac, that features advanced editing capabilities, while remaining intuitive in use. Draw CAD-like 2D plans using flexible drawing tools, flawlessly add and position furniture objects in 3D mode, adjust light parameters for every light source on the fly. The program is available in Standard (from $49.95) and Pro Editions (from $129.95)..

Art Text

Art Text is an application for creating high-quality textual graphics, headings, logos, icons, buttons and more. Not only professionals, but anyone, who wants to make his text work look attractive, will find a use for the program.

Swift Publisher

Swift Publisher is an excellent Mac OS X page layout application for designing and printing impressive documents. Thanks to prepared templates this application allows you to create flyers, letterheads, brochures, newsletters and more without needing to undertake a design cours..

I look forward to seeing many of you at Digital BootCamp on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. to meet David Joost of BeLight Software!

Sincerely,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

TypeStyler on January 6, 2010

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-12-05T12:05:53-06:00

We are starting 2010 in style, with our guest David Stillman of Strider Software. They make TypeStyler, which is a Mac only program that allows you to:

1. Do incredibly sophisticated work with text
2. Output your text to virtually any consumer or professional graphics program (using everything from JPEG to PSD)
3. Create 3-D versions of items, for example to design product boxes
4. Create video of text and type
5. Impose video onto text or type

TypeStyler does even more than is listed here. You can find out more about the program by going to their home page:

http://www.typestyler.com

Dave will be offering a user group discount the night of the event, so it pays to be there!

The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 6, 2010 starting at 7:00 p.m.

NOTE - We are meeting at a new location:

Digital Bootcamp
25 West Hubbard
2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60654

I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Sincerely,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Get your tickets for the December 2nd event here!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-12-01T05:17:16-06:00

Hi everyone,

Here’s your chance to get tickets for our December 2nd game! We are giving away lots of prizes. Current members can get their tickets for $1.00 each here:

http://www.chicagoapple.org/prizes.html

and non-members can get their tickets for $5 each here:

http://www.chicagoapple.org/prizes2.html

If you wish to join, you may do so on this page:

www.chicagoapple.org/membership.php

I’ll see you on Tuesday, December 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at the North Michigan Avenue Apple Store
679 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611

iPhoto with Jim Buckner, December 2, 2009

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-11-16T20:08:11-06:00

Hi everyone,

We are very privileged to have Jim Buckner as our guest speaker at our December, 2009 meeting. Jim has been in photography for a long time, and he has a great passion for the Mac and photography.

About Jim: Jim Buckner is a photohobbyist whose parents were part-time professional photographers. His first camera was a Kodak Brownie and then he graduated to a Pony. He is proficient in the use of iPhoto and Photoshop and also employs Painter, Sketch, FotoMagico and PhotoArtist in his works.

About the presentation: In minutes, the editing features of iPhoto allow graphical corrections, photo enhancements and artistic adjustments that formerly took hours in the darkroom. Establishing a workflow routine, laying out a workspace and demonstrating some helpful tips will be the subjects of this presentation.

To learn more about Jim’s work, see his web site (made on a Mac, of course!):

http://www.jlbuckner.com

The event logistics:

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
The Apple Store
679 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Best wishes,

Rss Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Dr. Mac coming on November 4, 2009!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-10-13T21:44:37-05:00

Hi everyone,

We have CONFIRMED that Bob LeVitus, better known as Dr. Mac, will be making his annual exclusive appearance here in Chicago on Wednesday, November 4th. The logistics of the event are:

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
The Apple Store
679 N. Michigan Avenue
2nd Floor Theater
Chicago, IL 60611

This event is supported by the dues paying members of the Chicago Apple User Group, and their support is warmly appreciated! I hope to see many of you at the Apple store on November 4th!

Warm wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Snow Leopard and MobleMe on October 7th!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-09-09T18:02:03-05:00

Hi everyone!

The Chicago Apple User Group is very proud to have Mori Katz from Apple as our keynote speaker for our October, 2009 meeting. She has presented to us before, and did an outstanding job. This time she’ll be sharing her enthusiasm and knowledge about the new OS, called Snow Leopard, and MobileMe.

Snow Leopard is Apple’s newest version of the Macintosh OS. It’s designed to save a ton of space on your hard drive, add the ability for your Mac to use 64-bit computing, it has top of the line technologies for accessibility, and will allow the Mac OS to use Microsoft Exchange Servers, and much more. This is not a feature driven release. Instead, the richness of the new OS is “under the hood”, and it is quite amazing once you see it. The new Mac OS is better, faster and easier, and this will be a front row chance to see it in action, and to learn directly from Mori about why Snow Leopard is so very cool!

In addition, she’ll be showing us MobilMe, which allows your Mail, Calendar and Contacts to stay in sync, incredibly beautiful iPhoto galleries, a personal hard drive on the web, and much more. MobileMe is a great resource for all Mac users.

The logistics of the event:

Wednesday, October 7, 2009
7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
The Apple Store
679 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

The event is open to the public, so feel free to bring friends, colleagues and switchers. It promises to be a great meeting!

See you there!

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple User Group

Weston Maggio of Wacom, Wednesday September 2nd, 7:00 p.m.

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-08-06T21:32:30-05:00

The Chicago Apple User Group is very proud to have Weston Maggio as our keynote speaker for our September meeting. Wes is an extremely well known trainer for Wacom. He is an Adobe Certified Expert in Adobe Photoshop, and is a well known national trainer at creative events around the United States. Wes is part of the team that has produced the best selling video on Wacom tablets and Adobe Photoshop, called “PhotoshopSecrets Wacom Tablets and Photoshop CS4(Now includes Intuos 4)”. You can find out more about that video here:

http://www.photoshopcafe.com/video/products/CS4_Wacom.htm

If you’d like more information about Wacom tablets, their home page is a great resource, and you’ll find a video of our speaker in the upper right hand corner of this page:

http://www.wacom.com/index2.php

The logistics of the event are:

Wednesday, September 2, 2009
7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
The Apple Store
2nd floor theater
679 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

We encourage people to get there early to claim the best seats!

Dave Chmura, developer of ProfCast, Wednesday August 5, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-07-03T17:35:33-05:00

Dave Chmura will be our special guest at our August 5, 2009 main meeting. He is part of the team at HumbleDaisy.com, which is the group that develops ProfCast!

ProfCast is an all-in-one presentation-to-podcast tool for the Mac that offers an integrated workﬂow for creating, recording, and publishing podcasts. It provides live presentation recording, synchronization of slides with audio, Keynote and PowerPoint support, RSS generation, and publishing support.

All elements of your presentation, including slide timings, bullet point builds, and voice narration, are recorded. ProfCast allows you to record your presentation as you give it, using either Apple's Keynote or Microsoft PowerPoint! ProfCast also helps you publish your recorded presentation as an enhanced podcast. ProfCast is the perfect solution for educators and professionals looking to
provide more ﬂexible, richer media to supplement traditional pedagogical tools such as books, course packs, or notes. ProfCast is the only application that makes it easy to turn the lecture you are already giving into an enhanced podcast. The result will be complete.

The most signiﬁcant feature of ProfCast is that it integrates with the educator’s existing teaching process, and doesn’t require additional time to have full impact. It's as simple as Launch, Load and Lecture!

The event is made possible by dues paying members of the Chicago Apple User Group, and their support is greatly appreciated. The logistics of the event are:

Wednesday, August 5, 2009
7:00 p.m.—8:30 p.m.
The Apple Store
679 N. Michigan Avenue
2nd Floor Theater
Chicago, IL 60611

We expect another full house, so get there early to get the best seats!

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, The Chicago Apple User Group (and a dues paying member!)

Dave Marra, Apple Senior Engineer showing iLife and iWork, July 1, 2009

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-06-04T19:46:34-05:00

Dave Marra will be our featured guest at our July 1, 2009 meeting. Here’s a bit about Dave:

Dave Marra has conducted over 500 technology presentations, keynote addresses and workshops for businesses, schools, computer user groups and other professional organizations across the United States and Canada. His specialty areas include digital multimedia, internet technologies and cross-platform integration. In addition to his presentations and workshops, Dave has served as a technology consultant to numerous schools, businesses and technology advisory boards. For more information about Dave, please visit his web site at www.marrathon.com.

Here’s how Dave describes his presentation to us:

“Rediscover creative new ways to work with digital photos, movies, music and more with iLife '09! The new iLife '09 suite features exciting new updates to iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand, in addition to iDVD and iWeb. Also, explore how easy and fun word processing, spreadsheets and presentations can be with iWork '09. The new iWork '09 productivity suite features major updates to Pages, Numbers and Keynote, and all are compatible with Microsoft Office. iWork and iLife, two great ways to work and play, only on a Mac!”

Dave is well known as an extremely knowledgeable guy, who is very enthusiastic and down to earth. The event is member supported and open to the public. Here are the event logistics:

Wednesday, July 1, 2009
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
The Apple Store
679 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

Feel free to bring friends and colleagues who would love to meet one of the best presenters on all things Mac!

Best wishes,

Russ Conte
President, Chicago Apple Users Group (and a dues paying member!)

Bert Monroy free event, Wednesday June 3, 7:00 p.m.

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-05-13T05:12:52-05:00

Hi everyone,

We are very pleased to announce that world famous Photoshop artist Bert Monroy will be our featured guest on Wednesday, June 3, 2009. Bert is a member of the Adobe Photoshop Hall of Fame, and the host of a weekly online show called PixelPerfect:

Here is how Bert describes his talk before us that evening:
"Beyond the photo retouching capabilities, Adobe Photoshop is an extraordinary tool for image creation. Using software as his brush and canvas, Bert will offer a Photoshop demonstration that will explain features that are usually ignored by most users. Filters, brushes and layer styles will be taken beyond their face value and turned into tools that adapt to any given situation. Bert will inspire the casual Photoshop enthusiast to take their imagination to new heights."
He has used a Mac since 1984, and continues to use Macs as his design tool of choice. He has presented around the world, and published some of the most influential books ever written on Photoshop. You can see his most recent book here:
http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Studio-Bert-Monroy-Painting/dp/0321515870/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239936330&sr=8-1

The logistics for this event are:

Wednesday, June 3, 2009
7:00 p.m. -8:30 p.m.
The Apple Store
2nd Floor
679 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

The event is free and open to the public. You are encouraged and invited to RSVP with guests. I look forward to seeing many of you at this event!

How to do backups on Wednesday, May 6, 2009

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-04-02T05:19:36-05:00

Hi everyone,

We all know how important it is to do backups. But not everyone does them. Our topic for May will be how to do backups from start to finish. We’ll have two of our own presenting the information: Barb Passman and John Juskevice. They’ll look at various backup programs such as SuperDuper and Time Machine, as well as how to do an archive. You’ll be able to do a comparison of the different backup programs available for the Mac, and intelligently select the one that best suits your needs.

The logistics of the meeting are:

Wednesday, May 6, 2009
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
The Apple Store
679 N. Michigan Avenue
2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60611

The event is free and open to the public, feel free to bring friends and colleagues! See you on May 6th!

Adam Pratt of Adobe will be our guest on April 1, 2009!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-03-07T15:43:08-06:00

The Chicago Apple Users Group is very proud to present Adam Pratt of Adobe as the keynote speaker for our April 1, 2009 meeting. Here is some information about Adam:

ADAM PRATT joined Adobe in 2000 and is currently a Senior Solutions Engineer working with all of the Creative Suite Products, including Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Flash. He consults with Adobe’s customers regarding their creative workflows and has co-authored several books about using Adobe’s professional design software. Adam is also responsible for training Adobe’s global network of trainers and consultants and is a frequent contributor to Adobe’s ACE certification program.

The logistics of the meeting are:
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Apple Store
679 N. Michigan Avenue
2nd Floor
7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Free and open to the public. RSVP not required.

We look forward to having a very full house at the event. You are welcome to bring friends and colleagues, this event is open to members and non-members of the Chicago Apple Users Group.

Welcome to the updated web site!

info@chicagoapple.org — 2009-02-01T03:29:27-06:00