Episode #173 Last month I spent nine days in Germany as a guest of Germany Trade & Invest, the foreign trade and investment agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The theme for our visit was Industry 4.0, a worldwide initiative (conceived in Germany) to develop standards and protocols to integrate the Internet of…
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
Dr. Mac’s Rants & Raves
Episode #171 I’ve been hearing that virtual reality (VR) is going to be the next big thing for almost as long as I’ve been writing about technology, and I’ve strapped more than one VR contraption to my face over the years in the name of research. I don’t remember much about any of them…
Episode #171 I’ve been hearing that virtual reality (VR) is going to be the next big thing for almost as long as I’ve been writing about technology, and I’ve strapped more than one VR contraption to my face over the years in the name of research. I don’t remember much about any of them…
Is Blue Light Really Bad for Sleep?
Episode #169 Apple introduced iOS 9.3 a couple of weeks ago and I’ve been obsessed with Night Shift ever since. Night Shift, in case you missed it, is a new iOS feature that uses your device’s clock and geolocation services to determine sunrise and sunset at your location, then uses this information to gradually adjust…
Dr. Mac's Working Smarter: Apps that Help You With the Pomodoro Technique
Episode #167 Are you familiar with The Pomodoro Technique®? If you’re not, you really should check it out. I use it every single day to help me focus on a task and remain focused on it for as long as necessary (in 25 minute chunks). Because I’m focused on a single task, I can do…
Microsoft OneDrive Drives Me Nuts
A pilot is lost in the skies over the Pacific. He radios for help repeatedly until he hears a faint response. “Help! We are lost. Can you tell me where we are?” The voice replies, “You're in an airplane over the Pacific ocean.” The pilot then tells his copilot, “Hang a left and you should…
A Usable Stand-Up Desk for $25? Yes!
Episode #166 There’s no shortage of controversy in the debate over whether sitting or standing at your desk is healthier. There’s research to support that standing while you work is healthier, but there’s also research that seems to indicate standing still isn’t any healthier than sitting. I have chronic back pain (big surprise), so…
Desktop Printer Ink Wars: 2016
Episode #164 It’s no secret that the printer and ink business is similar to the razor and razor blade business: Both of them sell hardware—the printer or razor—as cheaply as possible, making most of their profits on the consumables— the ink or razor blades. It’s not a bad strategy for a business, but it's…
A Tale of Two Universal Remotes: Harmony vs. Blumoo
Episode #163 It’s been a couple of years since I talked about universal remote control devices and apps. For me, an awesome universal remote control is the holy grail of home automation; having a single device that can mimic every function of all five individual remote controls for my home theatre system is priceless.…
I Found an Easy Fix for my Recalcitrant Mac Backup Disk
Episode #156 A couple of weeks ago my Mac displayed an alert telling me that my Time Machine disk was damaged and that I should repair or replace it as soon as possible. The first thing I tried was Disk Utility’s First Aid feature, which has been part of OS X since time immemorial.…
The Skinny on Holiday Photo Projects
Episode #154 My friend Lesa Snider is a talented photographer and author, which is why I keep copies of Photoshop: The Missing Manual and Photos for Mac and iOS: The Missing Manual within reach whenever I’m using Photoshop or Photos. Lesa’s concise step-by-step instructions and crystalline prose makes them my go-to books when it…
Tips for Traveling with your Tech Toys
Episode #153 My trip to Florida last week for Thanksgiving with my family reminded me that traveling with today’s technology isn’t always easy… so here are some tips that may help make your holiday travels a bit more pleasant. No matter where you go—hotel, motel, or a room at mom’s—chances are you won’t find enough electrical…
iPhone 6s Plus: Best Camera and Battery Ever
Episode #148 In September I reviewed the (then) new iPhone 6s (in rose gold). I loved the new 3D Touch and Live Photos features but concluded that I wanted an iPhone with a larger screen, a better camera, and less pink, so I swapped it for a space gray iPhone 6s Plus. Like the…
Dr. Mac's Digital Shoebox Strategy for Storing and Finding Stuff Everywhere
Episode #145 Where do you store all the little bits of information that don’t fit in the usual places like Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, and such? You know what I mean—all those little bits of text, images, movies, or sounds that you hope to refer to in the future (if you can find them). Little…
Read This Before You Install El Capitan
Episode #144 El Capitan (aka Mac OS X version 10.11) came out last week, but I’ve been working on OS X El Capitan For Dummies all summer, so I’ve been using it daily for months. I upgraded both of my Macs to the release version last week and I’m happy to report that both upgrades…
Dr. Mac says: 'The Coolest Thing Apple Announced Last Week Was...'
Episode #141 The theme for Apple’s event in San Francisco last week was, “The only thing that has changed is everything.” It sounds like marketing hype, but by the end of the event most of the audience (including me) seemed to agree. You’ve surely heard about the announcements: a collection of Apple Watches from…
Dr. Mac Handicaps Apple's "Hey, Siri" Event
Episode #140 Most companies, including Apple, do their best to attract media attention when announcing a new product. But Apple isn’t like most companies when it comes to product announcements. Instead of using press releases, trade shows, press conferences, and other traditional forms of media outreach, Apple typically introduces its new products at extravagantly-produced invitation-only…
Dr. Mac Presents: Smart Option Key Tricks
Episode #139 I’m a big fan of keyboard shortcuts. When I teach new Mac users, one of the first things I tell ‘em is to memorize the keyboard shortcuts for actions they perform regularly like Cut (Command + X), Copy (Command + C), Paste (Command + V), and Print (Command + P). And don’t…
When (and When Not) to Replace Your Old Mac
Episode #138 A reader recently asked me how long he could expect his Mac to last. To be precise, here’s exactly what he said: I have a 15 in. MacBook Pro that I purchased in 2009 and love it…I do consulting, and run some small business matters with this computer and depend on it heavily.…
How Not to Waste Your Time With the iPhone 6 Plus Camera Replacement Program
If your iPhone 6 Plus camera doesn't take blurry shots Apple may not replace it So I checked my serial number and lo and behold, mine was among the afflicted. (You can check your serial number, too.) I hadn't noticed any more blurry photos than usual, but I shoot a lot of blurry images anyway,…
How I Got all My Photos on all My Devices all the Time
Episode #137 I have what I think of as a real first-world problem: I have too many photos — nearly 100,000 — to synchronize among my Macs and iDevices. What I want is to be able to look at any picture I’ve ever taken, on any device (or on the Web) at any time. That’s a tall…
Just Say No Thank You (to Apple's Public Betas)
Episode #132 Not so long ago, Apple required beta testers to sign a draconian non-disclosure agreement. Then, if you spoke publicly about a beta you’d not only be banished from the Apple Developer program, but possibly subject to legal action. That was then. These days anyone can join the beta testing fun by downloading…
What's in Your Geek Travel Bag?
Episode #131 A long time ago I bought a small mesh bag and packed it with all things I like to have when I travel. After a few years I had filled it completely so I bought a second mesh bag, which is now almost full as well. Last week I tried to pare…
Siri Couldn't Find The Beatles (But Now She Can)
Episode 130 I was really starting to like Apple Music. I had none of the metadata scrambling I’ve heard about and was just starting to fall in love with the new, human-curated playlists that seem to read my mind. Then I encountered my first (and so far, only) problem… I ask Siri to play music by…