The Tech Bench

Playing the music from your iTunes library (iPod) in your car has never really been easy. I started off using tape adapters, FM transmitters, Clarion head units, aux inputs and OEM car adapters. While the interface has continually improved, it’s never been as fast or easy as just using the iPod.

Apple’s new iPod Out feature provides 3rd party companies (i.e. aftermarket stereo makers and car manufacturers) with more access to how the iPod is controlled and interfaced. This allows things like album artwork, faster searching, and genius creation to be better incorporated into car stereos.

BMW was one of the first car manufactures to offer iPod integration and their new iDrive interface with iPod Out support looks awesome. Hopefully this same tech will make it’s way into more cars and they won’t charge an arm and a leg for the feature.

Apple has added extensions to the latest version of Safari, 5.0.1

Extensions are add-ons to the browser that can display notifications and other interactions.

A good example is the Gmail notification extension (pictures with the red 7) that simply let’s you know how many unread messages you have in your Gmail account.

Extensions have been around in Firefox for a while so it’s good to see them make there way into Safari. The install process for the extensions is almost instant and no restart of the browser is required. There are already a good mix of extensions for sites like Twitter, Bing, The Weather Channel and of course, Fox News.

After you’ve updated to Safari 10.5.1, you can access the Safari Extensions Gallery under Apple Menu>Safari.

[ Safari Extensions Gallery ]

Ahh checks. Nothing makes you feel like you’re back in the 1800′s quite like writing and depositing checks. Thankfully the app programmers at Chase must have felt my pain and you can now deposit checks straight from your iPhone.

The app works by using the iPhone’s camera to take pictures of the front and back of your check. Newer ATMs scan checks directly yet, at least at Chase, you can’t manually input what the dollar amount is. So if someone has bad handwriting or if the check is crinkled, you may not be able to deposit at the ATM. With the iPhone app, you manually input the amount which ensures that you’ll be able to deposit the check for the correct amount.

While the app doesn’t do away with checks (yet,) it’s free, easy to use and if it saves you one trip to the ATM, well worth the effort.

Right now it looks like Chase is the only big bank app with the check deposit feature, though I’m sure BofA and Wells won’t be too far behind.

[ Chase Mobile ]

MacBook Air with bottom case removed. Arrow shows expanded battery.

This is a first for us.

This is a customer’s MacBook Air whose battery expanded after being left in a very hot car for an extended period of time.

Usually the expanding battery phenomenon shows up in the original MacBook Pros (silver keyboard) and other external batteries. The expanding battery issue is normally caused by overheating of the battery itself, not external heat conditions. But enough heat and time can do this.

While the top case is bent and needs to be replaced, the logic board and other components are fine.

With it hot here and getting hotter, I know I’ll be cracking the window for my laptop this summer.

AT&T has announced new data plans for the iPhone and iPad that will go into effect June 7th.

Here are the highlights:

Current AT&T iPhone & iPad 3G customers can keep their existing unlimited data plan ($29.99/month) or change to one of the new plans with no contract extension.

Voice and text plans are unchanged.

New iPad 3G customers can no longer receive the unlimited data plan and will instead be eligible for a contract free, 2GB/month for $25/month.

DataPlus iPhone Plan – 200MB/month of data for $15/month. Currently 65 percent of iPhone users consume 200MB or less a month. If you exceed the 200MB limit in a month, you’ll automatically get charged another $15 and receive an additional 200MB for that month.

DataPro iPhone Plan – 2GB/month of data for $25/month. Currently 98 percent of iPhone users consume 2GB or less a month. If you exceed the 2GB limit in a month, you’ll automatically get charged another $25 and receive an additional 2GB for that month.

You’ll receive free text messages and emails as you hit 65%, 90% and 100% of your data plan.

Tethering will be available with the DataPro plan for an additional $20/month. Tethering will go live with the release of the iPhone 4.0 software.

These plan changes are designed to help keep the cost of data for the majority of users lower, while charging a higher premium for those that use the most data. In other words, AT&T hopes to make more money:)

[ New AT&T Plan Details ]

Machine:

MacBook (White or Black)

Symptom:

Screen goes dark and computer enters sleep mode while in use. You can wake up the computer by pressing the space bar, but it may go back to sleep in a few minutes.

The symptom usually manifests itself after extended, processor intensive use (i.e. watching videos full screen encoded in Flash.)

Possible Cause:

This is most often triggered by the computer thinking that it is overheating. Going into sleep mode is meant to help cool the computer and protect vital components from damage.

This can be caused by the failure of the main fan, an error with the temperature sensor, heatsink issues, or an issue with the logic board itself.

Solutions:

The easiest “solution” is to shut the computer off and wait for it to cool down.

You can also restart the machine and listen for the fan. If you hear the fan roaring at startup, then at least you know that the fan is working. At this point, the computer either thinks it’s too hot because of a faulty temperature reading or it is just plain too hot.

Often, the best fix is to clean and re-apply new heat-sink compound to the processor/heat-sink. This requires removal of the top case, disconnection of some delicate cables and components and a static-free environment. We recommend that a authorized technician perform the work. When we do this, we also clean out the fans and vents for optimal air flow.

The temperature sensor may also be the culprit. Sometime these can come loose or fail and are available for replacement. Once again, a little involved and the sensor is an Apple service part.

If distorted or choppy video is noticed as well, there may be an issue with the logic board itself. This is usually not the original cause of the overheating, but may manifest itself if the MacBook has been overheating for a long time. The solder (glue) that connects the GPU to the logic board can become weaker with repeated high temperature fluctuations. Once the connections become weak, the video can distort or cut out.

Keeping your MacBook as cool as possible and shutting it down or sleeping while not in use is the best way to extend it’s life. If your MacBook is running hot with the fans on high, try to keep it elevated where air can flow underneath (i.e. not on a comforter.)

The best option if your MacBook is continually going to sleep while in use is to have a free diagnostic performed to learn what exactly is causing the issue and options for having it repaired. Feel free to contact one of our Service Advisors with any questions.

[ MacBook Free Diagnostic ]

There is a model number found on the bottom of all Apple laptops.

This number can help identify the general type of laptop.

If you’re not quite sure the screen size of your laptop or what type of Mac you have, this can be a quick and easy way to check.

A1001 / A1025 / M8407 /M5884- PowerBook G4 Titanium 15″ (Black Keyboard)

A1005 / M6411 / M6497 - iBook G3 12″ (Dual USB – White Casing)

A1007 / M8413 - iBook G3 14″ (Dual USB – White Casing)

A1054 / A1133 - iBook G4 12″

A1055 / A1134 - iBook G4 14″

A1010 / A1104 - PowerBook G4 12″

A1046 / A1095 / A1106/ A1138 - PowerBook G4 15″ (Silver Keyboard)

A1013 / A1052 / A1107 / A1139 - PowerBook G4 17″

A1181 - MacBook 13″ (White / Black)

A1150 / A1211 / A1226 / A1260 - MacBook Pro 15″ (Silver Keyboard)

A1151 / A1212 / A1229 / A1261 - MacBook Pro 17″ (Silver Keyboard)

A1237 - MacBook Air 13″

A1278 - MacBook Pro 13″ Unibody (Black Keyboard)

A1342 - MacBook 13″ White Unibody

A1286 – MacBook Pro 15″ Unibody (Black Keyboard)

A1287 / A1297 - MacBook Pro 17″ Unibody (Black Keyboard)

iGorilla is an app “dedicated to supporting the plight of Africa’s endangered mountain gorilla.”

This $4 app allows you to follow the lives of gorilla families in the Virunga National Park and stay up to date with videos and written reports.

This app is a great example of how organizations can use the App Store to build awareness and help those that provide donations (via the purchase) to feel more connected to the cause.

[ iGorilla ]

Machine:

MacBook (White or Black)

Symptom:

Won’t go into sleep mode when the lid is closed.

Possible Causes:

Missing sleep magnet from the display upper section. This is the magnet that triggers the sleep switch when the lid is closed.

Failure of the battery connector/sleep sensor cable.

Liquid spill (most common) damaged either battery connector/sleep sensor and/or logic board.

Solutions:

The sleep magnet would only be missing (and need to be replaced) from the display upper section if a screen was improperly replaced, this would be rare.

Replace the battery connector/sleep switch cable. This part includes the “teeth” that the main battery connects to and the sensor for the sleep switch. In cases of power surges or drops, this cable may become damage and need to be replaced. There are different models of this cable and the part is not available for individual purchase (Apple Service Part.) MyService offers this replacement service.

This issue usually happens after a liquid spill. The Kensington security lock port is near the battery connector/sleep switch and liquid or other dirt can easily enter and short out the connector and/or logic board itself. MyService offers both replacement of the connector and logic board repair if needed.

The best option if your MacBook is not sleeping when the lid is closed is to have a free diagnostic performed to learn what exactly is causing the issue and options for having it repaired. Leaving the machine on with the lid closed can overheat the internal components and shorten the life of the laptop, hard drive and battery.

Contact one of our Service Advisors for more information.

[ MacBook Free Diagnostic ]

Last year I reviewed Dropbox, the file sharing, online backup and file sync utility. It’s proven itself quite handy over the past year for those three services. Now you can access all of your files on your Dropbox from your iPhone or iPad.

Download the free app from the App Store, enter your Dropbox user ID and password, and you’re ready to go. All of the files synchronized from your desktop or laptop now show up on your iPhone on iPad. It’s great for quick access to documents, images or music. If there’s a file that you tend to access often, you can choose it as a favorite and save it straight to the phone, bypassing the need to be on WiFi or 3G to access the file.

If you don’t have a Dropbox account, sign up for a free account that will give you 2GB of online storage. You can get up to 8GB free by referring friends to join. If you don’t want to refer friends you can always walk through the guided tour to see how to grab a quick extra 250MB.

Upload photos or video straight to your Dropbox from your iPhone or iPad and share with friends and colleagues. If you have a shared folder setup with them, they will instantly be notified when you upload a file. You can either choose to record a new image or upload from you existing library on your Phone. Uploading images and video is relatively quick over WiFi, but I’d hold off on uploading large videos over 3G, you might be waiting a while. You can tweak the settings to upload lower quality videos and images if you find yourself uploading over 3G frequently.

Dropbox is free for up to 2GB of storage, beyond that you can upgrade your account to 50GB for $9.99 per month or 100GB for $19.99 per month.

[ DropBox ]