Well, the term ‘good deal’ is a little subjective in this case. Because, as you know if you’ve ever considered buying it, ‘cheap’ is not a good way to describe it. Typically it’s around 15-25% of the purchase price for the entire computer. This is on the high side for any extended warranty, especially when it’s only covering an additional two years tacked onto the automatic one year warranty that every new Apple computer comes with.

But to put this in a broader perspective; there are absolutely zero companies on this planet that would be willing to offer an extension of their warranty if it doesn’t earn them money on their bottom line. So, while it offers a certain peace of mind to know that you’re in no danger of paying for computer repair for 3 years (unless you drop it, spill anything on it, or otherwise destroy it yourself), keep in mind that Apple is cashing in on your feeling of security.

Let’s think about this mathematically: Apple sells AppleCare, at roughly 20% of the price of a new computer, to cover it against failure for three years. As long as less than 1 out of 5 of the computers they sell need complimentary servicing within three years, anybody who gives Apple money for AppleCare is handing them complete profit. They don’t have to create any kind of product with that money, they just have to provide free repair/replacement for the computers that break down. Assuming their standards of quality control are high enough to limit the number of defective products (and they generally are) Apple has nothing to lose by offering Applecare.

To be fair, I don’t want to create the impression that I’m biased against Applecare, or product warranties in general. If you were in control of a company that sold complex consumer electronics (or any other device prone to failure) you would certainly ensure that any warranty you offer costs enough to make it cost-effective.

But as a former Apple Store employee, I can attest to the fact that we were encouraged to adamantly recommend Applecare to every customer purchasing an iPod, iPhone, iPad, or Mac. This is, again, because Apple has very little to lose, and the price of Applecare to gain. If your device fails, and you’re not covered under either the one-year automatic warranty or you didn’t buy Applecare, Apple will fix your product. But they’ll charge you enough that they’ll see a return from it.

With Applecare, they’re just skimming that return right off the top of the initial purchase, and unless your computer undergoes an uncommon and catastrophic failure, they’ve got your money.

Buy Applecare if you can easily afford it, or if you like the peace of mind associated with it. It’s also a slightly better deal if you can get a student discount on it. But just be aware of why it’s so expensive, and how likely it is that Apple will benefit from its purchase more than you will.

Seth

It’s about time. Apple hadn’t updated their ultra-portable notebook model, the MacBook Air, for over a year. Even when it was quietly being outfitted with higher specs at sporadic intervals, nobody was really addressing some of the inherent design flaws that are, realistically, bound to be present in a first-generation device.

These included, but were not limited to: Naught but a single USB port, hidden away in a little flip-down compartment that also housed the display output and the headphone jack. A display that wasn’t as securely attached to the notebook body as their other offerings, leading to some display wobble and, eventually, a display that might not stand up on its own. A trackpad that still included the single, unattached button at the bottom, years behind the smooth glass all-in-one offering of the rest of their notebook lineup. An anemic battery life. A price so high that its popularity would never step far outside the niche market it was initially intended for. I could keep going, at the risk of sounding like a very picky nerd.

But now, fast-forward to Apple’s newly released Air; EVERY issue I mentioned above has been directly addressed by the new lineup. The available USB ports have doubled from one to two (and no longer are there any hidden port compartments); the display seems as solid as their other offerings without compromising stability; the trackpad has been updated to the new, silky-smooth, easy-to-love model; the battery life has approximately doubled; and perhaps most importantly, the starting price has decreased by 50%.

But that’s not all that’s new with the Air… Now there are two distinct models, with 11″ and 13″ screen sizes. The only inclusion in the 13″ that the 11″ model lacks is an SD card slot on the right side. Also worth noting: the aspect ratio of the 11″ screen is 16:9, the only of Apple’s laptops with that appearance. All their others are 16:10. But despite the small, 11″ form factor, they’re still able to include a full-sized keyboard.

Neither of these computers contains an optical drive for CDs/DVDs, as with the previous model Air. An external Superdrive (Apple lingo for the ability to read/write both CDs and DVDs) is available for $99. But now, all the memory available in every model of Air is solid-state, akin to what you find in an iPhone/iPod/iPad. Not only does it take up much less space, but it’s much more durable and, most noticeable of all, it’s extremely fast. Startup times for these new Airs hover in the 15 second range. Doesn’t sound like light speed, but that’s as fast as any of their more expensive models that don’t use SSD, and you’d be challenged to find a competing ultraportable 13″ or 11″ model made by any other company that even comes within a minute of that.

In summation, I think Apple is going to sell an enormous amount of these. To be able to offer a lightning-fast, ultraportable, and yet almost fully-equipped laptop at a starting price of $999 puts them in a very strong position in a market segment (netbooks) that Apple was previously more than happy to ignore. I encourage everyone to take a look at them, in an Apple Store, or a Best Buy, or similar. If you’re in the market for a new laptop, you may find these new models to be an ideal solution.

Seth

Lessons and tech support for Apple computer users in New York City. In-home and in-office.

Hey everybody,

Our online presence is continuing to expand, and our new Facebook profile will serve to be a cornerstone of it. If you currently have your own Facebook profile, and you’d like to become a fan of ours on Facebook you can click the “Like” button here:

Or you can follow these extremely easy steps:

1. Make sure you’re logged into your Facebook profile, then type “Geeks of Gotham” into the search field at the top of the Facebook page.
2. When you see our name, Geeks of Gotham and our black-and-white logo appear in the live Facebook search results, click on it. You’ll be brought to our company’s Facebook page.
3. Right next to the title “Geeks of Gotham” on our Facebook page, there’s a button that says “Like” with a thumbs-up image beside it. Just click on it and you’re done! Thanks for your support!

All the best,

Eric and Seth
(347) GEEKS-OF
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Part of what gives Apple’s products such impulsive appeal to early adopters is the extreme secrecy that predictably surrounds the way in which they’re introduced. Very rarely do we get a glimpse of things ahead of time, as with the iPhone 4. And despite the endless online speculation prior to new releases, the features of the final product are always a surprise.

That’s why today, I’d like to take a look at two very prevalent rumors circulating about up-and-coming product releases- let me begin by discussing the likelihood of a 7″ iPad model.

In short, there’s almost no chance of a 7″ model appearing in the near future. Steve Jobs, celebrated Apple CEO, recently referred to 7″ tablets as “dead on arrival” at Apple’s fourth quarter financial results conference call. He seems to believe that the seven inch form factor is “too small”. In some respect, he’s right; if you take an iPad and cut it in half, the remaining screen size is about a 7″ display. See the full context of the quote below:

Commenting on avalanche of tablets heading to market; just a handful of credible entrants. Almost all use 7″ screen, compared to iPad at nearly 10″ screen. 7″ screen is only 45% as large as iPad’s screen. Hold an iPad in portrait view and draw a horizontal line halfway down. What’s left is a 7″ screen…too small. There are clear limits to how close elements can be on the screen before users can’t touch accurately. We believe 10-inch screen is minimum necessary.

To some people, it might make sense for Apple to market an in-between product to fill the gap between the 3.5″ iPhone/iPod Touch and the 9.7″ iPad. But I have two additional reasons that it probably won’t happen.

First is the apps. What sort of applications would a 7″ version of the iPad run on? Scaled-up iPod apps, which would perform well but look no different from the low-resolution iPod versions? Or dumbed-down iPad apps, which might look nicer, but would inevitably be a drain on both performance and battery life? Quite a conundrum. It hardly makes sense for Apple to create a third, middle-of-the-road app store.

Second, and just as importantly, is that Apple is obviously still in business to make money. In the interest of their company and its shareholders, they need to protect those premium margins that continue to bear them quarter after quarter of record profits and soaring stock prices. And with a 7″ iPad, that’s much more difficult than with an iPod, iPhone or iPad.

Here’s why: if Apple did release such a product, they would be pressured to sell it at a significantly lower price than the current iPad. Not as low as the iPod Touch, but probably lower than the iPhone at its normal, non-carrier-subsidized starting price of $599 (that’s $100 higher than the base 10″ iPad). Apple can sell millions of iPhones, because the subsidy from AT&T keeps them from being prohibitively expensive to people. But they can’t offer a subsidized tablet, because a tablet doesn’t have a voice plan, so they lose the phone functionality that AT&T can charge such a huge monthly bill for.

To conclude, I don’t bet for or against Steve Jobs. He’s been known to deny the usefulness of rumored functions right up until the day he releases products that contain them. But their product lineup at the moment fits the bill for an overwhelming majority of their customers, so I would be surprised to see a 7″ iPad within the next few product cycles.

Now some good news: Verizon iPhones are NOT too good to be true! Ever since the iPhone was first released in 2007, one of its greatest criticisms has been AT&T’s service (or lack thereof). For almost as long, rumor pundits like myself have been speculating as to when, or whether, Apple might allow their revolutionary design to work on more than one network. Well, here’s one of many recent articles that thinks there’s a Verizon iPhone on the horizon for January 2011, just in time to miss the holiday shopping season.

Of course, if every AT&T subscriber with an iPhone switched to Verizon as soon as they possibly could, keep in mind that the increased network traffic might reduce the overall signal quality of everyone on Verizon’s 3G network. iPhone users engage in web browsing much more commonly than normal smartphone users. Of course, the more comprehensive coverage that Verizon offers across the country could serve to open up the iPhone option to entire new demographics.

I’ll be interested to see what happens early next year, and I know I’m not alone.

Seth

Question: I may have to use my computer offsite in a client’s facility. Could you please tell me what to take and what to make sure of. I bought the carrying case when we first bought the computer. What about my backup hard drive, my modem and my router? How does internet access work while away? Do I have to bring those things with me and set them up somewhere else?

Answer: If you are going to move your laptop from its usual place on your desk and take it somewhere with you it is no problem at all, that is what it is designed for. The simplest way to do it is to shut the computer down first. Then disconnect the wires connected into it, this includes your ethernet cable for your internet connection, your external backup drive, your USB printer cable and your power cord.

If you do not shut the computer down before you disconnect the cords that is fine too. Just remember that before you unplug your external hard drive you need to “eject” it from the computer. You can do this by finding the icon on your desktop for the backup drive. Then drag and drop the icon onto your trash can icon in the dock. You will notice that the trash can icon will disappear and turn into an eject symbol. Although you are dragging the external hard drive to the trash it will not delete any of your files on it. You may unplug all of the other wires without doing anything special.

Once the computer is disconnected from all of the wires you can put it in your travel bag.

Remember to bring the power cord. Although you can use the laptop without the power connected you will eventually run out of battery power. Depending on your computer model and what you are using your computer for your battery will last between 1 and 10 hours. If you plan on using the computer for an extended period of time you will need to eventually plug the computer into power using your power cord.

When you travel with your computer you should NOT bring your DSL or Cable modem, router, wireless router or AirPort base station with you. This is because your modem (and other Internet connection equipment) only gives access to the Internet at your home. One way to say it is that the fee you pay for internet access each month is buying your home the ability to give an Internet connection to any computer in it. You are not buying the ability for your computer to have an Internet connection anywhere it goes. On this topic if you have wireless Internet access in your home you will not have wireless internet access anywhere you take your laptop. Home wireless Internet access works the way a cordless phone works. The further you get away from the base station, the worse the signal becomes until there is no signal left. Home wireless internet access does not work the way a cell phone does where you can get online anywhere you go.

That said, most places you will travel to will have their own internet connection that you will be able to connect to. They will have their own modem, wireless network or wired network that you can get on. As with all laptops, your laptop has the ability to connect to wireless networks and that will be the best way for you to get online when you are away from home. Each location you go to will have a different wireless network. Ask someone at the location what the name of the network is and if there is a password to access it. You can connect to the wireless network by selecting it from the AirPort menu in the upper right corner of your computer screen.

As for your backup drive, I recommend not bring it with you. Leave it at home incase you drop and break your computer, lose your computer, or your computer gets stolen while you are away. That way you know that your information is safe at home even if your computer is a goner.

The answers to many of the most common questions I’m asked about computers can become much clearer with a quick description of how a computer actually works. I don’t want to turn this into an encyclopedic breakdown of every part in a computer, but I want to provide an approximated, simplified explanation of what each major component does, and how it interacts with the rest to accomplish the end results displayed on your screen.

When you buy a new computer, there are typically three important specifications to consider; hard drive size, CPU speed, and amount of RAM.

Your hard drive is the physical spinning disk that’s housed somewhere in your computer. If you place your hand on your computer as it’s starting up or working hard, the whirring or vibration you feel is probably the hard drive.  It’s much higher-capacity than any CD or DVD, but it’s fairly comparable in its function. It houses all the data on your entire computer, which is coded to this physical spinning disk with billions of little positive and negatively etched pits in its surface. This is why you NEVER put anything highly magnetic too close to your computer, because it will make the previously encoded data all uniform and any information on that section of the hard drive will be deleted.

Hard drive space is often confused with RAM (acronym for Random Access Memory), but both of them store data, just using completely different methods, for different purposes. RAM, unlike a hard drive, is solid-state memory. This means that it doesn’t rely on tiny magnetic readers to process information, but can access the transistors that store the data immediately and simultaneously. It doesn’t need to spin that disk around and locate the information it’s looking for, it can simply access it directly to feed it to whatever function is asking for it. If you own any modern iPod/iPhone/iPad (with the exception of the iPod classic) all of the memory in that device is also solid-state. Solid-state memory is faster, more durable, and uses less battery power than a normal hard drive, but it’s much more expensive.

So why does your computer need both RAM and hard drive space? Because they both have different strengths and shortcomings. Your hard drive can certainly store lots of data, but it can’t access all of it very quickly. RAM is exactly the opposite; it’s instantly accessible, but it’s not very high-capacity. So RAM temporarily caches any information that the hard drive has been accessing, or may need to access, before it feeds it through the processor. This makes for much faster performance if the same information needs to be accessed again.

The CPU (central processing unit) is the computer chip that actually interprets all the information being sent to it from the hard drive, through the RAM. The information can be present, moving through the hard drive and RAM, but the decisions about how the information is presented, and how the computer user interacts with it, are entirely up to the processor.

Getting back to my initial statement: those three most important numbers to know about your computer are hard drive size, amount of RAM, and processor speed. My favorite analogy for this whole system: If we can think of a computer as a highway for very small, very fast cars that carry information, these separate components can be thought of as follows- hard drive space equates to the total number of cars on the road. RAM is comparable to the number of lanes on the highway. And CPU speed is analogous to the maximum speed limit for any individual process.

To visually see this on a mac, go into your Macintosh HD/Applications/Utilites/Activity Monitor. Toward the bottom of the screen there are several different sections you can click through; these show you how hard each of these components are individually working.

The iTunes ‘source’ menu is located on the left side of the iTunes window. This column is found on the left side throughout most of Apple’s native programs, such as iPhoto, iCal, Address Book, and Mail. This ‘source’ list contains all of the different locations from which the program in question can access the files that it uses.

1. The most important location for music in iTunes is your ‘Library’ section. The Library contains all of the music, movies,  TV shows, podcasts, books, and apps that you have purchased from the iTunes Music Store, all of the music that you have copied onto your Mac from CDs, and all of other media you’ve copied onto your Mac from other sources.
2. The last item listed in your ‘Library’ section is ‘Radio.’ Most of the radio stations listed here are exclusive to the Internet but some of them also broadcast normal FM signals. When you click on the ‘Radio’ section on the left side, your main window will display all the available genres of radio stations currently available. Click on the triangle next to the genre names to show the individual stations within the genre, and then double-click the station you’d like to listen to.
3. The next item listed in your ‘source’ list, under the ‘Store’ section, is the ‘iTunes Store.’ The Music Store is where you purchase music and audiobooks to listen to in iTunes and on your iPod. See the explanation below for details on using the iTunes Store.
4. The next item listed in the ‘Store’ section is ‘Purchased.’ This section acts like a receipt for all the media you have bought from the iTunes Store. The items you’ve bought will appear in this list in the order you bought them. You can use them from your ‘Purchased’ list or your can access them through their corresponding sections in the iTunes library.
5. The next item listed in your ‘source’ list is will be any CDs you currently have in your Mac’s CD drive. If you don’t have a CD in the drive then either your iPod, Genius or Playlists will be listed next.
6. If you have your iPod/iPhone/iPad connected to your computer, it will be given its own section under the heading ‘Devices’. If you select your device from within this section, the main window displays a summary of the device itself and the media currently contained on it. For more information on how to sync certain items with your device, check out www.apple.com/findouthow and click on the ‘Music’ section, then on the ‘iTunes’ section further down the page. That area contains dozens of video tutorials on how to get the most out of your device.
7. The next section listed in your ‘source’ list is ‘Playlists’, which starts with ‘Party Shuffle’ or ‘iTunes DJ,’ depending on your version of iTunes. This is a great feature for parties and get-togethers, since it allows you to remotely control your iTunes from any iPhone or iPod touch your guests have available. For more info about creating and organizing the rest of your playlists, you can go once again to the video tutorial link I’ve posted above.

Any questions about performing a certain function can be left in a comment, I’ll respond at my earliest convenience.

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