Episode #127 As you may recall, Apple kicked off its annual Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco last week with one of the longest keynotes in recent memory — nearly two and a half hours — offering up a roadmap for the next generations of its three major operating systems, namely OS X, iOS, and…
Bob LeVitus
Bob LeVitus, often referred to as “Dr. Mac,” is considered one of the world’s leading authorities on Mac OS X and one of the Mac community’s most trusted gurus for almost thirty years. He’s known for his trademark humorous style and unerring ability to translate ‘techie’ jargon into usable and fun advice for regular folks. A prolific author, LeVitus has written or co-written over 75 popular computer books with more than two million copies sold worldwide in a dozen languages. His most recent titles include: iPhone For Dummies, macOS Sierra For Dummies, and iPad For Dummies, all for Wiley Publishing. LeVitus is currently a columnist for the Mac Observer and has written the Dr. Mac column for the Houston Chronicle since 1996. While LeVitus has seen his work published in more than a dozen computer magazines over the past eighteen years, including: a three- year stint as Editor-in-Chief of the irreverent and unpredictable MACazine; and four different columns in MacUser magazine—Beating the System, Personal Best, Game Room, and the Help Folder (with Andy Ihnatko, and later, Chris Breen). Though best known for his writing, he’s also dabbled in broadcasting with a radio show (Inside Mac Radio, CNET Radio, 2001-2002) and a television series (Mac Today, Syndicated, 1992-1993). In addition to his writing, LeVitus runs a consulting business that provides expert technical help and training to Mac users anywhere in the world, in real time and at reasonable prices, via telephone, e-mail, and/or its own unique Internet-enabled remote control software. If you’re having a problem with your Mac or want to learn how to do almost anything with it, point your browser at: http://www.boblevitus.com. Always a popular speaker at Mac user groups and trade shows, LeVitus has presented more than 200 seminars, workshops, conference, and training sessions in the U.S. and abroad, including keynote addresses in three countries. (He also won the Macworld Expo MacJeopardy World Championship three times before retiring.) His most recent foray is Working Smarter for Mac Users, a site, newsletter, and more, all aimed at helping Mac users do more work in less time so they have more time for the things they love. Prior to giving his life over to computers, Bob worked in advertising producing television commercials, radio spots, and print ads at Kresser & Robbins and SelecTV. He holds a B.S. in Marketing from California State University and currently lives in central Texas with his wife, kids, and a plethora of pets
Articles by Bob LeVitus
Texas BBQ and High Technology...
Episode #124 I thought I’d try something completely different this week and write a column about Texas BBQ, which we cook “low and slow” over oak or hickory. I know what you’re thinking: What does BBQ have to do with technology? Allow me to explain. For as long as I’ve lived in Texas (nearly…
Redundancy Is the New Productivity for Your Mac
Episode #123 I’ve been teaching people how to use their Macs more effectively for as long as I can remember and I’ve written more words about becoming more proficient on a Mac than just about anyone I can think of. So I was surprised to find myself at a loss for words the other day,…
Watch This: My Apple Watch Try-On and Ordering Experience
Episode #119 Last Friday the long-awaited Apple Watch arrived in Apple retail stores, with online ordering commencing at midnight Pacific. I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that the Apple Watch is something completely different for Apple: a single product line with over 50 configurations. I mean, Apple hasn’t offered this many models in a product…
Watch This: My Try-On and Ordering Experience
Episode #119 Last Friday the long-awaited Apple Watch arrived in Apple retail stores, with online ordering commencing at midnight Pacific.I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that the Apple Watch is something completely different for Apple: a single product line with over 50 configurations. I mean, Apple hasn’t offered this many models in a product…
Your OS X Menu Bar is Prime Real Estate
Episode #117 I gave a presentation last week at the Chicago Apple User Group, and during the question and answer session someone asked about all the little icons in my menu bar. As I began to explain I had an epiphany: Many of my favorite apps and utilities include a menu bar “widget” to…
Read This Before You Install OS X Yosemite (10.10.3) Public Beta
Episode #113 While anecdotal evidence tells me that the current version of Mac OS X Yosemite (v10.10.2) is working pretty well for most users, Apple is already hard at work on the next update (v10.10.3), which includes a new photo manager and editor called Photos that replaces iPhoto. Interest in the new Photos app…
Intuit Hoses Quicken (Mac) Users...Again
Episode #112 Last November I told you I finally found a suitable replacement for Intuit’s Quicken personal finance software, after nearly 15 years of searching. That replacement was iBank and I’m still totally happy with it. In the meantime, Intuit is up to its old tricks again. As you may recall, Intuit discontinued Quicken for…
Hue Do You Love? (Or, My Expensive Love Affair with Hue Lightbulbs)
Episode #111 I first heard about Phillips’ Hue Personal Wireless Lighting when the Apple Store began carrying the Phillips Hue Starter Pack in 2012. It promised everything you needed to get started, namely three color-changing LED light bulbs plus a Wi-Fi hub that lets you control bulb color and intensity with an iPhone/iPad app.…
Dr. Mac Looks for a Lovable List Manager for Mac and iPhone
Episode #109 There are three kinds of people: Those who make lists; those who don’t make lists; and I wish I could remember the third kind, but I didn’t write it down on one of my lists… As you probably guessed, I’m the first kind: An inveterate list-maker who is never without a notepad,…
Logitech Harmony Universal Remote Finally Gets It Right
Episode #103 For years I’ve been searching for the perfect universal remote control, one that was: Easy to set up and manage Able to control all aspects of all of my audio and video components Reliable enough that I could throw the device’s original remote in a drawer and never miss it Over the past…
Dr. Mac's Tips for Maximizing and Adding Storage on iPhone and iPad
Episode #102 Many readers and friends had problems updating to iOS 8 over WiFi, reporting that their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch complained that the update couldn’t be installed because it requires at least 5.7GB of storage. If your iDevice only has 8 or 16GB of storage, chances are you saw a similar message. So…
Is Your iDevice Full or Nearly Full???
Episode #102 Many readers and friends had problems updating to iOS 8 over WiFi, reporting that their iDevices complained that the update couldn’t be installed because it requires at least 5.7GB of storage. If your iDevice only has 8 or 16GB of storage, chances are you saw a similar message. So here is my advice…
iBank 5: Dr Mac Can Finally Say Goodbye to Quicken
Dr. Mac’s Rants & Raves Episode #98 I love managing my finances on my Mac, but I have never liked depending upon Intuit or its Quicken for Mac products. Intuit, as you probably know, has no love for Mac users. Way back in May of 1998, when Apple was at the depths of the death…
Where to Buy a New iPad if You Want an Apple SIM
Episode #95 I got a new iPad Air 2 last week and while I’m impressed, you’ll have to wait until next week for my review. Why? Well, while doing my due diligence I found a situation that’s more important for you to hear about today than my opinion of the iPad Air 2: Where you…
Don't Upgrade to Yosemite or iOS 8.1 Before You Read This Column
Episode #94 This has been a big week for Apple operating system upgrades: Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite arrived last Thursday and iOS 8.1 came out yesterday. But as eager as you may be to sample their improvements, don’t install either until you read what I have to say. First things first: Apple hates…
Why Dr. Mac Think Apple's Customer Service is Freakin' Awesome
Episode #93 People are always asking me where they should buy a Mac and my answer is almost always the same: The Apple Store. I recommend it to friends, family, and readers wholeheartedly knowing full well you’ll pay SRP (Suggest Retail Price) for pretty much anything you buy there. Apple Store But if you…
Parrot AR Drone 2.0 Is Close, but No Cigar
Episode #92 The Parrot AR Drone is a high-tech, ultra lightweight, remote-controlled quadricopter (helicopter with four rotors). Now an RC quadricopter is pretty cool, but one that streams HD video from its camera to your iPad, iPhone, or Android device in real time, could be very, very cool. I’ve dreamed about owning for one…
iPhone 6 vs iPhone 6 Plus: Dr. Mac's Final Showdown
I’m now on my tenth day of carrying both new iPhones — one in each front pocket of jeans or shorts — wherever I go. As I reported last week, I’m about to replace my year-old iPhone 5s with an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. Now, after ten days of careful consideration, I believe…
Does Size Matter: My Weekend with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
Having attended Apple's big event on September 9, I already tried holding both phones, and stuffing them into the front pockets of my relatively tight jeans. (Apple security watched closely until both phones were back on the display table.) Before receiving the review units I was pretty sure I wanted the iPhone 6 Plus; after…
iPhone 4S: This Case is by The Book
The BookBook from Twelve South combines a case for your iPhone 4 or 4S and a wallet in a single package that successfully mimics the look and feel of a vintage leather-bound book. The BookBook is all-leather and handmade, with a clever, whimsical design that kills two birds with one stone as you see in…
If You Play Guitar (or Want to), You’ll Love Rock Prodigy: Guitar
A few years ago when Rock Band and Guitar Hero were at the peak of their popularity, I said to my son, “If you spent half as much time playing a real guitar as you spend pushing colored buttons on that plastic Xbox control, you’d play like Stevie Ray Vaughan or Eric Johnson by now.”…
iKlip: Clip your iPad to your Mic Stand
This isn’t going to be a very long review — iKlip, from IK Multimedia, is a one-trick pony that does its one trick quite well. And what, exactly, is that trick, you ask? According to the IK Multimedia propaganda it’s a “universal microphone stand adapter for iPads.” If you’re not sure what that means, a…
ZeroChroma Teatro iPhone 4 Case is Best-in-Class
I recently wrote a Dr. Mac column for the Houston Chronicle that was about clever product designs. Among the products I singled out for cleverness beyond the call of duty were new iPhone and iPad cases from ZeroChroma. To quote myself, “I’ve tested hundreds of cases, folks, and I thought I’d seen it all until…