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John Martellaro

John Martellaro was born at an early age and began writing about computers soon after that. With degrees in astrophysics (B.S.) and physics (M.S.), he has worked for NASA, White Sands Missile Range, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Apple. At Apple he worked as a Senior Marketing Manager, a Federal Account Executive and a High Performance Computing manager. His interests include chess, science fiction and astronomy. John is the host of the TMO podcast Background Mode.

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How to Log in From a Mac to Linux in Parallels Desktop 9

_______________________ Recently, I ran across an interesting situation with Parallels. As you know, I'm a regular user and reviewer of the Parallels Desktop. For example, “Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac: Faster, Better Windows Experience.” So when my wife told me that she couldn't log in (ssh) from her Windows 7 PC to her copy of…

Kloqe Aluminum Case for iPhone 5/5s is Sturdy, Majestic

The Kloqe aluminum case for iPhone 5/5s is sleek, minimalist, and beautiful. Well designed plastic caps on each end allow the radios to work effectively. It is the most beautiful iPhone case I have ever seen, but it does have one small flaw. The flaw may or may not affect you. ______________________ The Kloqe cases…

OS X Yosemite: System Requirements and Resources

________________________ The OS X 10.10 hardware requirements are, as cited by Apple Insider: Mac mini: Early 2009 or newer. iMac: Mid 2007 or newer. Mac Pro: Early 2008 or newer. MacBook: Later 2008 Aluminum or early 2009 or newer. MacBook Air: Late 2008 or newer. MacBook Pro: Mid/Late 2007 or newer. Xserve: Early 2009. This…

OS X Yosemite Features Explained and Ranked

_____________________ New OS X features exist in a spectrum. The OS change can range from a under the hood improvements to UI cleanup to improving functionality to an outright new feature. Sometimes the feature is minor, and sometimes it's a blockbuster. For example, OS X 10.9 Mavericks brough us App Nap and Compressed memory under…

WWDC14: Why No New Hardware Was Announced

Tim Cook at WWDC keynote. Credit: Apple First, when we look at Apple's traditional line of products, the dates of the last updates are as follows, from oldest to newest. Mac mini – October 2012 Apple TV – March 2013 iMac – September 2013 MacBook Pro – October 2013 iPad Air – October 2013 iPad…

GoSmart Crossover 400 Stylus is Beautiful and Still a Leap Ahead

GoSmart is introducing a new member of its line of styluses, the Crossover 400. It's shorter than previous models, looks beautiful, and includes a replaceable ballpoint pen. It retains GoSmart's unique filament tip that glides over Gorilla Glass better than any other tip we've tested. Plus, it's not all that expensive while its inherent beauty…

Why the OS X Look and Feel Needs to Change

___________________ Those of us who grew up with the Mac tend to think of its OS as cast in stone as the way a modern GUI on top of a classic BSD UNIX system should look and feel. It's easy to fall into the idea that change is bad. The fact is, however, is that…

Beats Won't Get $3.2 Billion From Apple

__________________________ Previously on TMO , Bryan Chaffin made a compelling case for Apple's acquisition of Beats. “Apple + Beats Reportedly about Preserving Music Industry and Hiring Iovine/Dre.” The argument was not so much about the headphones business or the number of Beats customers as it is about building an appealing, expert music system that complements…

Some Airlines Cracking Down on iPad Use in the Cockpit

Airlines have been replacing those 40 pound briefcases that pilots used to carry, filled with paper maps, checklists and logs, with iPads. It's been a great success. But now that the airlines are also starting to provide Wi-Fi in the aircraft, the question arises: What else should pilots be allowed to do with those iPads…

The Most Important Thing to Know About Apple Makes All the Difference

________________________ There are many things that a company can do with technology these days to make money. In fact, the Internet age seems to be about nothing else than dreaming up new software schemes to make money even if it means deceiving the customer, say, in a EULA or probing into people's lives to make…

LYNKtec's Magical Apex Electronic Stylus is Now Rechargeable

Back in January, LYNKtec introduced its Apex Fine Point Active electronic stylus with an ultra small 2.3 mm tip. Now, the product has been upgraded to a new model with a rechargeable battery. Plus, it's pleasingly longer, includes a pocket clip and has a more durable polymer nib. _______________________ It's hard to contain my enthusiasm…

How to Play iCloud Music (or NOT) on Your iPhone

_________________________ Recently, one of our TMO editors was outdoors, listening to music on an iPhone, and, suddenly, Christmas music started playing. That was unexpected, annoying and a mystery because there were only two playlists on that iPhone, and neither contained Christmas music. Ack! The mystery is explained by the following setting: Settings > iTunes &…

A Critical To-do List for Apple's New VP Angela Ahrendts

____________________ First, as some have suggested, a decorative makeover of Apple's retail stores is the least of Ms. Ahrendts' concerns. The original design, perfected by Steve Jobs, is clean and attractive. For Apple to sink many millions into a project like that would not only be a waste of money but also greatly ignore the…

A First Reaction to Firefox 29's Visual Makeover - With Video

This is not a formal review. It's not even a quick look review. Rather, it's my first-blush reaction to Firefox 29. My readers know that I have been a big fan of Mozilla's Firefox for a long time. The reason is so eloquently and perfectly summarized by Jack Schofield at ZDNet that I won't even…

What Tim Cook Didn't Say About iPad's Share of Web Traffic

______________________ First of all, it's important to realize that the Chitika tablet data that Tim Cook referenced is based on a specific methodology. “All Chitika ad impressions in this study are generated through Web browsing, not mobile or desktop applications.” That means that if an Amazon Kindle Fire HDX user is using an app that…

Why 4K Streaming Isn't Really 4K

The bandwidth requirement for a full-fledged 4K video signal, including audio, is enormous — nearly 18 gigabits per second. Therefore, superior compression technology is required to transmit a 4K signal into the home with current Internet technology. Every tech giant is up against extreme limits to make 4K video the Next Big Thing, and compromises…

How Apple Could Have Increased iPad Sales, But Didn't

Philip Elmer DeWitt Writes: “With growing competition and the rise of the phablet (mini-tablets that double as phones), nobody is expecting a repeat of Q2 2013, when sales grew 55% year over year. In fact, nearly half of the 34 Apple analysts we've heard from so far — 21 Wall Street professionals and 13 amateurs…

Why Apple Didn't Try to Copy Google Glass

Google Glass had a nifty sci-fi feel to it when the product first came out. Along the way, however, Google apparently failed to fully appreciate both why the product should exist in the chosen form and the social aspects of the device. Calls for Apple to quickly follow Google's lead now look silly. ______________________ The…

Tavik's Zippered Folio Case for iPad Air is Built for Travel

There are iPad Air case that are minimalist, lightweight and designed for a benign environment. This case is not one of those. However, when it comes time to travel or move often between various offices with a complement of gear, and there's a requirement for serious protection, the Tavik Hemings Zipper Folio Case for iPad…

Microsoft Word for iPad Gets Touch Word Processing (Mostly) Right

Through the decades, we've never known anything else but Microsoft Word for Windows and Mac. In late March, however, Microsoft brought its monolithic word processing software to the iPad, a totally new paradigm from its PC legacy. Right away we see the familiar workings of Word, including cross-platform file compatibility. But it's also developed with many of the key…

Frozen: How to Force the Restart of a Mac

Occasionally, a Mac can become stubbornly uncooperative and refuse to accept inputs. It's time for a reboot. Here are some simple techniques to force a restart your Mac with escalating abruptness. _______________________ The first thing to know about Mavericks is that it changes the behavior of the Power button. In Mavericks, if you quickly tap…

Satya Nadella Has a Smart, Technical Vision for Microsoft

_________________ So far, I am impressed after watching his presentation. In the past, Microsoft always seemed so self-serving. It was all about holding onto turf, obsessing over WIndows and manipulating customers. Now, however, that may all be starting to change. Mr. Nadella, in his first big public presentation, showed a good grasp of Microsoft's challenges…

How and When to Use Both Ethernet Ports on a Mac Pro

__________________ There are several reasons why one might want to utilize both of these Ethernet ports. This article is focused on the ones I'm familiar with and have tested. Other configurations include, for example, something called “link aggregation.” That's when two Ethernet ports are combined to achieve greater bandwidth. That's a subject for another time.…