It’s been a while since a quality QuarkXPress book came out, so my long time friend and graphic design expert Jay Nelson stepped up to the plate with a QuarkXPress for Dummies. Jay explains print and digital publishing workflows, color management, image resolution, fonts, output formats, and more. He also explains the evolution of QuarkXPress, which is great for understanding how it went from being the premier desktop publishing tool to the more specialized product it is today. QuarkXPress for Dummies is available now on Amazon for US$34.99.
Jeff Gamet
Jeff Gamet is the Mac Observer’s Managing Editor, and co-host of the Apple Context Machine podcast. He is the author of “The Designer’s Guide to Mac OS X” from Peachpit Press, and writes for several design-related publications. Jeff has presented at events such as Macworld Expo, the RSA Conference, and the Mac Computer Expo. In all his spare time, he also hosts TMO’s Daily Observations podcast, co-hosts The iOS Show podcast, and makes guest appearances on several other shows, too. Jeff dreams in HD.
Articles by Jeff Gamet
Pokémon GO Finally Comes to Apple Watch
Niantic came through on its promise to release Pokémon GO for Apple Watch before the end of the year. The Apple Watch version is a companion app for the iPhone game that lets you log your walks and runs to hatch new characters, and alerts you to nearby Pokémon and PokéStops.
Spam Call Blockers, USB-C iPhone - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-22
AT&T is getting in on spam call blocking, so Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to look at how their system works and talk about other spam call blockers, too. They also discuss why replacing the Lightning connector on the iPhone with USB-C might not be a bad thing.
Raspberry Pi Brings PIXEL Desktop Environment to the Mac
The team behind the super affordable Raspberry Pi computer platform has been working on their own desktop environment called PIXEL, and now it’s available for the Mac. PIXEL is built on Debian, so it’s a fully bootable system, and includes everything you need to be productive, the Chromium web browser, and more. They designed it so you can pop it on a USB flash drive or DVD and run it from there. PIXEL is still in an experimental stage, so don’t rely on it as your primary OS. It’s a free download at the Raspberry Pi website.
AT&T Launches Spam Call Blocking with Call Protect for iPhone
AT&T launched a new spam call blocking service this week called Call Protect. The service blocks calls before they reach your iPhone, but it comes with some big limitations.
Super Mario Run Downloads Top 40M in 4 Days
Nintendo’s Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad is off to a great start topping 40 million downloads in only four days. This follows the US$5 million the game brought in during its first 24 hours.
Apple's Mixed Mac Message, Favorite Holiday Movies - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-21
Apple seems to be sending mixed messages about its commitment to the Mac platform. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to discuss where the Mac is today and what may be in store for it over the next couple years. They also share some of their favorite holiday movies.
Apple Extends USB-C Dongle Discounts to March 31 2017
Apple’s discount on USB-C adapters was set to end on December 31st, but the company extended that out to March 31st, 2017. The extension means new MacBook Pro owners have more time to but the dongles they need at a substantially lower price.
A Drone Big Enough to Pull a Snowboarder? Yes Please
Drones are pretty cool, but a drone big enough to pull a snowboarder? Now that’s really cool. Casey Neistat enlisted the help of some friends to build a drone powerful enough to pull him on his snowboard up hill, and even take him on short flights off snow jumps and ramps. He zips through a ski town to show off his drone boarding skills, and it’s frakking awesome. Check out the video to see Casey’s drone boarding adventures—and don’t try this with your own drone. Casey is a professional crazy man with a custom built drone.
AirPods Review with Michael Johnston - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-20
Michael Johnston from The iOS Show joins Jeff Gamet to review Apple’s just released AirPods wireless earpods. They dive into the setup, performance, sound quality, fit, and more to help you decide if they’re worth the $159 price tag.
Tim Cook Says 'Great Desktops' are Coming
The iMac hasn’t been updated in over a year and the Mac Pro is more than three years old without any changes, leaving many wondering if Apple is stepping back from the desktop computer market. Apple CEO Tim Cook says that’s not so, and that there are “great desktops in our roadmap.”
iFixit: AirPods Aren't Repairable, Case May Have Caused Delay
Apple’s AirPods have been available for only a day, and with very limited availability, but iFixit managed to get ahold of a pair and subject them to their usual new product dissection. What they found inside were components that can’t be repaired, and a charging case that may be behind the extended delay in getting to store shelves.
Blade Runner 2049 Teaser Trailer Hits the Web
Blade Runner was an epic dystopian future movie that really shined once Ridley Scott was able to re-edit it and undo the damage the studios inflicted on us. Now we’re getting our first taste of the sequel, Blade Runner 2049, in a teaser trailer that promises even more epic dystopian awesomeness. The movie stars Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling, and if the teaser is any indication, this time the studios aren’t screwing it up. Blade Runner 2049 opens on October 6, 2017, so you have plenty of time to clear your schedule.
AirPods Alternatives, Plastic OLED - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-19
Apple’s AirPods are in the company’s retail stores, but that doesn’t mean you can buy them. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to look at the limited availability for AirPods, and offer up some alternative wireless earbud options. They also look at Plastic OLED and explain what that means for future iPhone models.
Constrained Inventory Leaves AirPods Buyers Empty Handed
Hopeful shoppers lined up early Monday morning in a mostly fruitless effort to buy Apple’s AirPods today instead of waiting until January for online orders to ship. AirPods are backordered six weeks, but the company said the wireless earpods would be available in its retail stores on Monday, December 19th.
Here's Why a Plastic OLED Display iPhone Is a Good Thing
A new report claims Apple’s next iPhone will replace the glass LED display with curved Plastic OLED. On the surface that sounds like a bad idea because plastic, after all, scratches much easier than glass—but in this case, “Plastic OLED” doesn’t mean “plastic display.”
What You Get for Super Mario Run's $10 In-app Purchase
Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad is free to play, but that’s a little misleading. Without making the US$9.99 in-app purchase to unlock all of the game’s levels, there isn’t much you can do. Read on to see what your ten dollars gets you.
Super Mario Run, Astra for iPhone - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-16
Super Mario Run hit Apple’s App Store yesterday, so today Bryan Chaffin joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the game and whether or not it’s worth the US$9.99 in-app purchase. They also talk about why Astra is an awesome iPhone app for Amazon Echo and Echo Dot owners.
AirPods Available in Apple's Retail Stores on Dec 19
If you missed out on ordering your AirPods for a pre-Christmas delivery, there’s still a chance you might get ahold of a pair because they’ll be available in Apple’s retail stores on Monday, December 19th. Don’t, however, get your hopes up because this will likely mirror the Apple Pencil launch where “available in store” really means “good luck with that.”
Firewatch Comes to Mac App Store
When Firewatch launched on Steam back in February the internet pretty much went crazy over the game, and now it’s available as a native Mac title. The game tasks you with solving a mystery while working as a firewatcher in Wyoming. The graphics are beautiful, the story is intriguing, and the only help you get comes from another firewatcher talking over your portable radio. Firewatch costs US$19.99 on Apple’s Mac App Store, and if you haven’t played it yet get ready to have a very unproductive weekend.
Super Mario Run Already the Top Grossing App Store Title
Nintendo released Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad Thursday afternoon, and by early Friday morning it was already the top grossing and top free title on Apple’s App Store. The game is a free download with a US$9.99 in-app purchase to unlock extra levels, and considering Mario’s top spot on the App Store plenty of players are happy to pay up.
iPhone 7, Pokémon GO Top 2016 Google Searches
It looks like the things people wanted to know about the most in 2016 were Pokémon GO and the iPhone 7. The two topped Google’s this year’s searches, beating out Donald Trump and Prince.
Turn Your iPhone into an Amazon Echo with Astra
Amazon’s Echo and Echo Dot are pretty cool, but what if you don’t have one yet—or aren’t home to use yours? That’s where Astra comes in. It’s an iPhone app that links to your Amazon account so you talk talk to Alexa just as if you’re right in front of your own Echo. The app lets you do pretty much everything your Echo or Echo Dot can handle, except for music playback or reading audio books. You can also remotely control your Echo-aware smarthome devices with your voice, which is worth the app’s US$0.99 price tag all by itself. You can get Astra at Apple’s App Store.
Super Mario Run Available for iPhone and iPad
As promised, Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad launched on Apple’s App Store on Thursday. The game marks Mario’s first official appearance on Apple’s mobile devices and was first teased this fall, and if the hype is any indication productivity is going to take a serious hit for the rest of today.