Welcome to My Blog
9to5Toys Lunch Break: Free App of the Week, Mophie iPhone 6/s battery case $75, Samsung 4K 55″ UHDTV $700, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
App Store Free App of the Week: Cut the Rope 2 goes free for the first time ($1 value)
Mophie’s iPhone 6/s Juice Pack Air is smarter than Apple’s Smart Battery Case at $75 (Reg. $100)
Smart 4K 60Hz UHDTVs: Samsung 55-inch $700 (Reg. $900+), more
Best Buy’s latest Apple sale is your best chance to score iPad, Mac, & Watch deals before Christmas: iPad Air 2 $125 off, iPad Air $100 off, iPad mini 4 $100 off, much more!
Best Buy makes a splash with the lowest Apple Watch prices ever, deals start at just $249
$100 iTunes Physical Gift Card for $80 w/ free shipping (20% off)
Giveaway: SanDisk USB flash drives for iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile devices
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
Home Designer 3D for iOS/Mac goes free for the first time, GOLD version $1 (Reg. up to $10)
- GoPro HERO4 Session Action Camera: $161 shipped (Reg. $200)
- HooToo’s Travel Router & 6,000mAh External Battery $23 (Reg. $37)
- Daily Deals: RAVPower Car Jump Starter $50, HP Printer w/ AirPrint $70, more
- Games/Apps: Fallout 4 $45, Xbox One bundle + 40″ Samsung HDTV $500, more
- Android users can grab a $5 Amazon credit by downloading one of these free apps
- Download Josh Groban’s latest album Stages for free ($11 value)
MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:
Save 25% on any book from Amazon — Humans of New York: Stories $12 Prime shipped (Reg. $16)
Affinity Photo is Apple’s Mac App of the Year, download it now for $40 (Reg. $50)
The Room puzzle-mystery game for iOS goes free for the first time in two years (Reg. $1), more
Algoriddim’s djay 2 for iPhone is now available for free (Reg. $3)
- iPad Air/2 Accessories: Kensington KeyFolio X3 Keyboard Case $30 (Orig. $60)
- USB Chargers: Lumsing 6,000mAh power bank + MFi Lightning Cable $15, more
- Home Recording: PreSonus AudioBox Studio bundle $150 shipped (Reg. $200+)
- Sports/Fitness: SKLZ Mini Basketball Hoop w/ Ball $15 (Reg. $25), more
- Portable 5200mAh battery w/2 charging ports: $7 Prime shipped
- ChugPlug adds 4 hours of battery life to your Macbook: $25 (Orig. $130)
- Mpow Grip Magic Air Vent iPhone 6/s Car Mount $5 Prime shipped
- SoundPEATS Sport Bluetooth Earbuds $17 shipped (Reg. $30), more
- Anker USB Power: 20,000mAh Dual-USB Battery $28 (Reg. $40), more
- Twelve South blowout: iPad mini leather case $25 Prime shipped (Reg. $70)
- iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi 32GB $269, iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi 128GB $600
- Home Recording: ATH-M40x headphones + Blue Yeti USB mic $130, more
- Sling Media Slingbox 350 (refurb) $55 shipped (Orig. $180)
- Star Wars LEGO Sets: Kylo Ren’s Shuttle $99 (Reg. $120), more
- Bluetooth Speakers: URGE SOUNDBRICK PLUS $17 (Reg. $30), more
- Apple’s latest freebie is Afterlight image editing app for iPhone and iPad ($1 value)
- GoPro HERO bundles starting at $140, cases from $10, headgear from $7, more
- PlayStation Now drops to $100/yr (55% off)
- Grab Nomad’s gorgeous aluminum Apple Watch Stand: $41 shipped (Reg. $60)
- iPhone 6 (refurb) and one year of unlimited talk/text: $550 shipped
- Amazon is giving away a year of unlimited cloud storage
- Fashion 50% off sales: The North Face, PUMA, Patagonia, more
- Free MP3 Christmas albums from Mariah Carey, Blake Shelton
NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:
De’Longhi launches new PrimaDonna Elite coffeemaker w/ iOS connectivity
Top 10 holiday movies you can stream right now on Netflix
Skip the holiday blues with these practical stocking stuffers
Justin’s Holiday Gift Guide: speakers, Lightning mics, storage, pocket synths & more to up your home recording set-up
- Pine64 aims to knock off Raspberry Pi with its low-price 4K-capable microcomputer
- Amazon names the best-selling books of 2015, snag one as a surefire holiday gift
- The future is (almost) here with Moley’s robotic kitchen
- The latest Omate smartwatch for iOS/Android hits Indiegogo w/ instant success
- Amazon launches New Kindle Fire HD 8 ‘Reader’s Edition’
- Razor details its new Hovertrax Smart Scooter ahead of release
- Anova Culinary updates its sous vide Precision Cooker w/ Wi-Fi
- Host a Christmas party that doesn’t suck with these rowdy adult board games
Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon, app deals, App of the Week, Apple watch, battery case, Best Buy, Daily Deals, free apps, Gold Box, iPhone 6/s Juice Pack Air, Mophie, Samsung, UHDTV, video games
Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of Tips and Tricks, Apple watch, and 9to5Toys.
What do you think? Discuss “9to5Toys Lunch Break: Free App of the Week, Mophie iPhone 6/s battery case $75, Samsung 4K 55″ UHDTV $700, more” with our community.
Bloomberg Professional updates for iPad Pro with Split View, Picture-in-Picture, Apple Pencil annotation, more
Bloomberg has updated its Bloomberg Professional app for iOS with new iOS 9 optimizations including Split Screen mode and Picture-in-Picture support on the latest iPads. Bloomberg Professional is also optimized for the new 12.9″ iPad Pro display with native resolution to show more content on the screen, which the company says helps “deliver real-time data, comprehensive news, technical graphs, portfolio tracking and Instant Bloomberg (IB) to Bloomberg customers.”
Apple Pencil users can also take advantage of the new iPad Pro digital stylus with features that let you “annotate charts, notes and research documents and then share with individuals and teams through the message function MSG<GO>.”
The app requires a Bloomberg Anywhere account to access and unlock it, but includes a mobile version of Bloomberg’s terminal features for news rooms, investors, and other professionals, now at desktop-like size with the iPad Pro. Non-Bloomberg Anywhere subscribers can still use the free Bloomberg Business app for iPad.
Check out the full change log below:
What’s New in Version 2.1511.1
Multitasking (iOS 9 – iPad Only)
– Support for iOS 9 split view that allows multitasking between Bloomberg and other applications on the device
– The ability to have two Bloomberg functions running simultaneously within their own panel in the application. This can be done by:
* Touching and holding any item from the launcher menu
* Touching and holding a security row in a grid to open a detail view of that securityMessage
– Synchronisation of your draft messages with terminalResearch
– Improvements to search, filtering and downloading of documents
Bloomberg Professional for iOS is available on the App Store.
Filed under: Apps Tagged: Bloomberg Anywhere, Bloomberg Professional, iPad Pro, Terminal
For more information about Apps, iPad Pro, and Terminal continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Bloomberg Professional updates for iPad Pro with Split View, Picture-in-Picture, Apple Pencil annotation, more” with our community.
Tesla now using leftover upholstery leather from its cars to make stylish iPhone cases
Just barely in time for Christmas, Tesla updated its online store to add new apparel and accessories, including new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus leather cases/wallets. If you have a Tesla enthusiast on your Christmas list, this might be your best last-minute shot for a holiday gift.
Like most luxury automakers, Tesla offers accessories made from automotive-grade leather leftover from making the interior of its vehicles, which is an interesting way for the manufacturer to promote its brand while reducing upholstery losses. The company rarely updates its collection since launching it last year with travel bags, gloves and purses – making the new iPhone cases the first significant addition to the ‘Tesla Design Collection’.
You can get a Tesla designed iPhone 6 or 6 Plus case for $45. For $5 more, Tesla can add 2 (or 3 for the 6 Plus) credit card slots stitched to the back of the case for a smartphone case/wallet amalgam.
Tesla says that its wallet-case option is RFID blocking, which can be reassuring if you see RFID skimming as a security risk.
Tesla also offers $100 touchscreen-friendly leather gloves to match your new iPhone case.
If you plan on matching those accessories with the ultimate Tesla product, the Model S, make sure to use Seth’s referral code to get a $1,000 discount on your purchase (valid until December 31).
Also, if you want more Tesla Motors and electric vehicle news, make sure to follow our sister-site Electrek on Twitter,Facebook or Google+ to get our latest articles.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: iPhone case, Tesla iphone case, tesla iphone leather wallet, Tesla Motors
For more news on iOS Devices, Tesla Motors, and iPhone case continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Tesla now using leftover upholstery leather from its cars to make stylish iPhone cases” with our community.
Magnify Your Millennial Exposure This Holiday Season
The holiday season.
A phrase which once elicited thoughts of decking the halls, glowing candles and lights, snow-blanketed pines, and a meal with family and friends as we patiently awaited the arrival of the bearded gift-bringer, now brings up one word before all those other phrases.
Sales.
Walmart 2014 sales were $343 million, Target’s totaled $72.6 million and Amazon’s reached $49 million. Their combined marketing budgets are larger than the GDP of 23.5 percent of all countries in the world.
So, how do you get the attention of consumers bombarded with major corporate advertising from dawn till dusk?
First Things First … Who Are ‘Millennials’ Anyway?
At 75 million strong, accounting for more than 25 percent of the current U.S. population and managing $2.45 trillion in buying power, the likelihood your customers are Millennials is relatively high. With this in mind, the following three facts are crucial in developing your brand outreach and sales this holiday season:
1) A whopping four out of five Millennials shop directly from their mobile devices.
2) A recent survey found Millennials don’t trust typical advertising.
3) Millennials will not wait for longer than five seconds for a page to load.
What Can I Do to Maximize Exposure and Sales to Millennial Consumers?
Above all else, you need to deliver your relevant message through their preferred channel (mobile), by having a mobile-optimized site. Is your site built with Flash? More than 42 percent of mobile users aren’t going to see your site because Flash isn’t compatible with iPhones.
In addition, 90 percent of Millennials say that positive online reviews influence their buying decision. We are no longer in a world where brands tell us who they are. We are skeptical and know that it’s easy enough to just “Google it” to find out what other people think. There is no hiding what’s really going on anymore, and brands lacking strong customer service or quality goods and services will quickly fall susceptible to the scrutiny of their customers. So be honest, because consumers are making a list, and they’re checking it more than twice. They’ll easily find out who is naughty or nice.
Hark! The Twitter Hashtags Sing!
Eighty-nine percent of consumers say interaction with a brand on social media has an impact on their purchase. However, this doesn’t mean brands should post on social media just for the sake of posting. Your approach to social interaction needs to embrace what makes your brand unique, all while being sure to cater to your audience by responding to questions and concerns, and promoting the expansion of your fanbase.
So, do you hear what I hear?
Show anyone browsing your company on social media proof of your trust through pictures and reviews from past customers. It’s one thing to say you’re the best at X, it’s another to show firsthand accounts as proof that #yourbrandrocks.
A Support and Information Carol
“Online reviews? Bah, humbug,” exclaimed Scrooge as he chose to ignore his audience yet again. Like Scrooge, however, you have the ability to make amends if you’re not already collecting reviews or aren’t using them to their maximum potential.
Building credibility by including authentic user-generated content is a proven approach to giving those interested in doing business with your company the validation they may need to go from browsing to purchasing. Having authentic customer quotes peppered throughout your site at key points, such as landing pages, home pages and purchase pages, helps your potential buyer to believe in you. Just like a child on Christmas, some evidence Santa came keeps the belief alive. (Seriously, though, how does he eat so many cookies?)
Working with third-party review sites also gives the ever-hungry Google search algorithm the digital fodder it needs to give your site an SEO boost and get your name further associated with your business vertical.
It’s easier for you to create personal relationships with your customers than the retail giants. Yes, Amazon is convenient for a lot of things, but not everything is available through Amazon. Moreover, Amazon and similar sites lack a human element. Being disappointed your order can no longer be fulfilled is a serious bummer, like getting a bunny suit instead of a Red Ryder BB gun for Hannukah. It makes it all the worse when you receive a robotic email to let you know.
Smaller companies have the ability to foster relationships with their customers through personal messaging and sympathy. You don’t need to wait for customer issues to arise either. Try a personal post-purchase touch of sending a “Thank you” note, or asking for feedback. A smile goes a long way.
Banksy uses Steve Jobs as an example of Syrian immigration at a refugee camp in France
With the Mediterranean refugee crisis as much a hot-button issue in Europe as it is in the U.S., famous graffiti artist Banksy has used Steve Jobs as a subtle reminder of the benefits immigrants can offer to a country. Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian migrant.
The artwork appears at a refugee camp in Calais, where many Syrian refugees are among those hoping to enter Banksy’s home country, the UK. The image depicts him carrying a bag with one hand and a Macintosh (sadly with very inaccurate proportions) in the other.
Earlier in the crisis, more than 15,000 people retweeted a photo posted by tech entrepreneur David Galbraith with the caption ‘A Syrian migrants’ child.’
A Syrian migrants' child. http://t.co/sjBxuInpEp
—
David Galbraith (@daveg) September 02, 2015
Back in September, Apple supported humanitarian aid efforts by making its own ‘substantial’ donation to relief agencies, inviting iTunes users to donate to the Red Cross, and by offering to match employee donations. Earlier this week, Tim Cook mentioned the refugee crisis in a speech to the RFK Center.
Banksy hits the jungle in Calais – with a reminder of the benefits of migration from Syria #SteveJobs #c4news https://t.co/WSMvKANQ0s
—
Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) December 11, 2015
Filed under: General Tagged: Apple Inc, Banksy, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, iTunes, Refugee crisis, Refugees, Steve Jobs
Continue reading more about iTunes, Steve Jobs, and Apple Inc at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Banksy uses Steve Jobs as an example of Syrian immigration at a refugee camp in France” with our community.
Apple ID web portal gets a friendlier, modern makeover
After years of featuring the same, arguably stale design, Apple has redesigned the Apple ID web portal with a friendlier, modern look.
The updated website now features product imagery including a girl wearing an Apple Watch Sport while using an iPhone and a MacBook can be seen with the logo illuminated in the background. The previous landing page featured app icons for iCloud, the App Store, iBooks, and other services that use Apple IDs, which were updated from iOS 6 to iOS 7 while the layout remained the same.
The new layout is definitely a shakeup from the prior version used for years too. The landing page looks like the same style as the rest of Apple.com which has recently seen its store unified with product pages. And when you log in, you can easily view and edit your primary address, birthday, and which emails you’re “reachable at” which is new language for alternative emails. Two-step verification is also located near the top, described as a way to “Add an extra layer of security to your account.”
Some users have noted that the redesign is also the first time it’s been possible to edit payment information, which previously required using iOS or iTunes on a Mac or PC. You can check out the new version at appleid.apple.com, and see the last landing page below:
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple ID, Apple ID portal
Check out 9to5Mac for more breaking coverage of iOS Devices, Apple ID, and Apple ID portal.
What do you think? Discuss “Apple ID web portal gets a friendlier, modern makeover” with our community.
Mercedes’ CarPlay plans revealed in leaked dealer memo – there’s good news & bad
A memo from Mercedes-Benz USA to its dealer network has revealed the car company’s plans for supporting CarPlay. The memo was leaked to C450 AMG and contains a mix of good news and bad.
The good news is that it will be available for quite a range of models, starting from those produced this month, and will be automatically included at no extra cost for many models equipped with the company’s COMAND Navigation system. The bad news is that it will be an extra cost option for CLA, GLA and B-Class models; the necessary COMAND packages on other models aren’t cheap; and – very disappointingly – it won’t play nicely with COMAND.
The customer will not be able to use the Mercedes-Benz headunit functions at the same time as CarPlay. For example, use of the Spotify app cannot be done simultaneously with COMAND Navigation.
Details of the deals for the full range of supported models can be found below …
For MY16 CLA, GLA and B-Class, you can choose between a standalone CarPlay package (known as the Code 868 Smartphone Integration Package) for $350, or get it as part of the Code 320 Multimedia Package.
For most MY16 E-Class Coupe & Cabriolet, CLS, GLE and GLE Coupe models, you’ll need to lay out the bucks for one of the Premium packages with COMAND.
The initial apps supported will include Spotify, At Bat, Audible, Pandora, Stitcher, Rdio, Overcast, CBS Radio and iHeartRadio. See our running list of CarPlay apps here.
To access CarPlay, you’ll need to plug your iPhone into a specially-marked USB socket in the car.
The latest car to get CarPlay support just a few days ago was the Volvo XC90.
Via MR
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple Inc, CarPlay, iPhone, Mercedes, Mercedes CarPlay, Mercedes-Benz
Continue reading more about iOS Devices, iPhone, and Apple Inc at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Mercedes’ CarPlay plans revealed in leaked dealer memo – there’s good news & bad” with our community.
Season 2 of the hugely popular (and compelling) podcast Serial now available on iTunes
Serial was one of the most compelling podcast series I’ve ever listened to, and was directly responsible for my sleep deprivation in the week I first discovered it. A spinoff from The American Life, season 1 told the true story of what sounded very much like a miscarriage of justice in a murder case, leading to the case being reopened more than 15 years later. The podcast is now back with season 2.
#Serial Season 2 is here, the story of Bowe Bergdhal. Be sure to check it out. @serial http://ift.tt/1RIn4yQ https://t.co/Q0kh0Atew8
—
iTunes Podcasts (@iTunesPodcasts) December 10, 2015
The second season tells the story of Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier held for five years by the Taliban, initially hailed as a hero and later charged with desertion.
In the middle of the night, Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl grabs a notebook, snacks, water, some cash. Then he quietly slips off a remote U.S. Army outpost in eastern Afghanistan and into the dark, open desert. About 20 minutes later, it occurs to him: he’s in over his head.
I know what I’ll be listening to on the train ride into town this evening.
Filed under: Apps Tagged: Afghanistan, Bowe Bergdahl, Podcast, Serial, Serial podcast, Taliban, This American Life
For more news on Apps, Podcast, and This American Life continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Season 2 of the hugely popular (and compelling) podcast Serial now available on iTunes” with our community.
How to Make an Animated GIF in Photoshop [Tutorial]
If you’ve spent any time on the internet at all, you’ve probably come in contact with an animated GIF. It’s an image file that allows you to feature animated images that makes it seem like the image is moving. Think of them as a hybrid between a still image and a video.
Why are GIFs great additions to your marketing? They’re easy to consume, provide a new way to capture your viewers’ attention, and can have a serious emotional impact. Considering content that makes us feel something encourages us to share, these tiny animations are worth experimenting with.
The best part about GIFs is that they aren’t too hard to make. If you have access to Photoshop and a few minutes to spare, you can create an animated GIF in no time by following the steps below.
In this tutorial, I’m using the Creative Cloud 2015 version of Photoshop, but the steps should be similar in other versions.
Click here to download our free guide to designing high-quality graphics.
How to Create an Animated GIF in Photoshop
Here’s an example of an animated GIF you might make using this tutorial:
Alright, let’s get started!
Step 1: Upload your images to Photoshop.
If you already have images created …
Gather the images you want in a separate folder. To upload them into Photoshop, click File > Scripts > Load Files Into Stack.
Then, select Browse and choose which files you’d like to use in your GIF, then click OK.
Photoshop will then create a separate layer for each image you’ve selected. Once you’ve done that, skip to step two.
If you don’t already have the series of images created …
Create each frame of the animated GIF as a different Photoshop layer. To add a new layer, chose Layer > New > Layer.
Be sure to name your layers so you can keep track of them easily when you make your GIF. To name a layer, go to the Layer panel on the bottom right of your screen, double-click on the default layer name, and type in the name you want to change it to. Press Enter when you’re finished.
Once you have your layers in there and you’ve named them all, you’re ready for step two.
Pro Tip: If you want to combine layers so they appear in a single frame in your GIF, turn visibility on for the layers you want to merge (by clicking on the “eye” to the left of each layer name so only the eyes for the layers you want to merge are open). Next, press Shift + Command + Option + E (Mac) or Shift + Ctrl + Alt + E (Windows). Photoshop will create a new layer containing the merged content, which you should also rename.
Step 2: Open up the Timeline window.
To open Timeline, go to the top navigation, choose Window > Timeline. The Timeline will let you turn different layers on and off for different periods of time, thereby turning your static image into a GIF.
The Timeline window will appear at the bottom of your screen. Here’s what it looks like:
Step 3: In the Timeline window, click “Create Frame Animation.”
If it’s not automatically selected, choose it from the dropdown menu — but then be sure to actually click it, otherwise the frame animation options won’t show up.
Now, your Timeline should look something like this:
Step 4: Create a new layer for each new frame.
To do this, first select all your layers by going to the top navigation menu and choosing Select > All Layers.
Then, click the menu icon on the right of the Timeline screen.
From the dropdown menu that appears, choose Create new layer for each new frame.
Step 5: Open the same menu icon on the right, and choose “Make Frames From Layers.”
This will make each layer a frame of your GIF.
Step 6: Under each frame, select how long it should appear for before switching to the next frame.
To do this, click the time below each frame and choose how long you’d like it to appear. In our case, we chose 0.5 seconds per frame.
Step 7: At the bottom of the toolbar, select how many times you’d like it to loop.
The default will say Once, but you can loop it as many times as you want, including Forever. Click Other if you’d like to specify a custom number of repetitions.
Step 8: Preview your GIF by pressing the play icon.
Step 9: Save your GIF to use online.
Satisfied with your GIF? Save it to use online by going to the top navigation bar and clicking File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy).
Next, choose the type of GIF file you’d like to save it as under the Preset dropdown. If you have a GIF with gradients, choose Dithered GIFs to prevent color banding. If your image employs a lot of solid colors, you may opt for no dither.
The number next to the GIF file determines how large (and how precise) the GIF colors will be compared to the original JPEGs or PNGs. According to Adobe, a higher dithering percentage translates to the appearance of more colors and detail — but it increases the file size.
Click Save at the bottom to save the file to your computer. Now you’re ready to upload this GIF to use in your marketing!
Upload the GIF file into any place online that you’d put an image, and it should play seamlessly. Here’s what the final product might look like:
How to Use GIFs in Your Marketing
1) On social media.
Pinterest was the first to enable animated GIFs, followed by Twitter. And by the summer of 2015, Facebook also jumped on the GIF bandwagon. On any of these social feeds, animated GIFs can be a great way to stand out in a crowded News Feed.
For example, check out how Samsung used a GIF to promote a product:
You just HAVE to send one more GIF on Twitter before your phone dies? Switch to Ultra Power Saving Mode. #GALAXYS5 http://pic.twitter.com/nvGXD5IE22
— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile)
June 18, 2014
Want to include animated GIFs in your own social media posts?
- Click here for instructions for Twitter.
- Click here for instructions for Facebook.
- Click here for instructions for Pinterest.
2) In your emails.
Animated GIFs display in email the same way a regular image does. So why not spruce up your emails by replacing still images with animated ones?
Not only could this help capture recipients’ attention from novelty alone, but it could also have a direct impact on your bottom line. An A/B test conducted by BlueFly concluded that emails featuring an animated GIF pulled in 12% more revenue than their non-animated version.
Make use of GIFs by showcasing products, making event announcements, or otherwise enticing readers. Check out the GIF below from women’s clothing shop Ann Taylor LOFT: They made a present look like it’s shaking to create intrigue and get recipients to click through to “unwrap” their gift.
Image Credit: Litmus
3) In blog posts.
Your blog post doesn’t have to be about animated GIFs or structured like a BuzzFeed-style listicle to include GIFs. (Although we do love a good dose of silly listicle GIFs every once in a while.)
For example, my colleague Ginny Soskey created a simple, animated GIF to explain the definition of a call-to-action for this blog post.
Here’s another example of an animated GIF from our post on office kitchen recipes:
How will you use GIFs in your marketing? Share with us in the comments.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September 2013 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
Deliver Better Projects through Better Stakeholder Management
Manage your stakeholders well and in return you will have a well-managed project.
Time, Cost and Quality are not as important as…
Stakeholder management when it comes down to delivering a successful project. With delivering projects the Time, Cost and Quality aspect of the project can be flexed, bent or extended (but never removed) depending on the needs of the project. One aspect that is non-negotiable is stakeholder management. As long as stakeholder management is continuous and relevant the project increases its chances of delivering a successful project.
Stakeholder management ultimately breaks down into the following 3 key elements, which are best referred to as the Stakeholder ACE principle:
- Stakeholder Appreciation
- Stakeholder Communication
- Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder Appreciation
Only by appreciating the stakeholders you will aim to understand and comprehend what the stakeholder offers to the project. Ignoring stakeholders at any stage of the project can result in irreversible damage to the company, project and project manager. Appreciating stakeholders involves:
- It is important to treat each stakeholder with respect and trust to help build a two way appreciation between the project manager and stakeholder.
- Understand and comprehend the stakeholders past experience to understand the stakeholder
- Do not underestimate the ability of a stakeholder to provide the answer or direction required, whether they are a director or a system user.
- Making sure the stakeholders are acknowledged for the responsibilities they have and decisions they need to make.
- Show interest in the information and respond to the information in a proactive and positive manner. Challenging stakeholders in a positive manner will demonstrate interest and dedication to the project.
- Do not disregard the information coming from the stakeholder. The information being shared by the stakeholder might not always be relevant but as a project manager you should assess the information and manage the use of that information in line with the project.
Stakeholder Communication
Keeping the flow of communication open between the project manager and stakeholders in the project is very important to maintain engagement and involvement by stakeholders. Using various mediums and resources as ones disposal will aid in the communication process. A vital aspect of communication is to never let it go stale or become irrelevant to the audience it is intended for.
Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder engagement is about enabling stakeholders to take responsibility, get involved and developing a sense of ownership in the project.
- Build integrity and trust by being open and honest with stakeholder
- Be proactive with information and risk management to foresee issues
- Deliver bad news early as possible but be proactive with the bad news
- Engage stakeholders and get the stakeholder to take responsibility and ownership
Summary
By keeping Stakeholders at the forefront of any project you will be sure to have the most effective foundation to deliver a successful project. Remember to always lead by Appreciation, Communication and Engagement.
The post Deliver Better Projects through Better Stakeholder Management appeared first on Project-Management.com.
from Project Management Articles – Project-Management.com http://ift.tt/1Uc7wmb
via Project-Management.com
Apple advertising iPhone 6s to older iPhone owners through App Store popups
Apple has begun advertising the iPhone 6s to older iPhone users through the App Store, as spotted by @Dirk_Gently on Twitter. If a user browses the App Store, perhaps updating apps, with an iPhone 5s or earlier device, a modal popup may appear over the top of the view promoting the iPhone 6s as a ‘ridiculously powerful’ upgrade. Users are directed to learn more or ‘upgrade now’ which takes them to the Apple Store app to buy the new phone directly. The ad code appears to have been included alongside iOS 9.2.
Apple has used the App Store for advertising new iPhones and iPads before, but this is markedly more aggressive and intrusive direct marketing. iOS device users must press the ‘Skip’ button to get back to what they were doing.
In the past, Apple has featured the iPhone 6s a a small banner for instance or created device-targeted collections of apps to show in the Featured rotations — such as the ‘Enhanced with 3D Touch’ or ‘Great Apps for iPad Pro’ collections currently circulating the front pages.
There is a big difference between curated categories and full-screen advertisements that show without explicit user interaction. This is the first time Apple has used modal overlays (that interrupt what are you doing) to aggressively encourage upgrades.
It is easy to be seen why this is causing some angst in the community: any full-screen modal advertisement is annoying. This is frustrating for any iPhone user, who may be happy with their device as is and not interested in being marketed to whilst using their phone as normal.
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, iOS Devices, Tech Industry Tagged: adverts, App Store, banners, iPhone, iPhone 6s
For more news on AAPL Company, iOS Devices, and iPhone continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Apple advertising iPhone 6s to older iPhone owners through App Store popups” with our community.
Apple Watch by the (estimated) numbers, and 11 claimed myths about the wearable
You have to smile at the idea of a conference devoted to discussing the ‘the business of Apple Watch‘ when there’s only one company which knows the real numbers, and that company isn’t telling. But that doesn’t, of course, stop people guessing.
Fortune‘s Philip Elmer-DeWitt helpfully rounded up some of the numbers presented at the Glance conference. Asymco’s Horace Dediu has projected that Apple will hit 21M sales in the first 12 months. Assuming the numbers skew heavily toward the Apple Sport, that gives the company somewhere around $8B in revenue – or more if they don’t. Creative Strategies’ Ben Bajarin believes sales will hit a staggering 100M by 2017.
Some estimated percentages were also presented …
Apple is said to have 80% of the smartwatch market at present, which, if anything, seems like a conservative estimate – though there is a more competition now, and the line between a smartwatch and a fitness band can be a somewhat blurred one these days.
Another figure which also seems surprisingly low to me: 30% of Apple Watch owners weren’t previously wearing anything on their wrist. I personally hadn’t worn a watch for about a decade, and that’s a common factor among most of the Watch owner I know – but mine is a sample admittedly highly skewed toward techies.
In a numbers of claimed myths about the Apple Watch, Horace Dediu said that myth 7 is that the Watch competes with the Swiss watch industry. Mostly, he argues, it’s competing with naked wrists. Some of his other points are stronger than others. Three of them (it’s not for watch lovers, fitness fanatics or techies) essentially amount to my own conclusion about the Watch: it doesn’t have a single killer app, but does a number of things well enough to add up to a gadget which is undeniably useful, if not a must-have.
His strongest argument is the myth that the Apple Watch is off to a slow start.
[The estimated sales numbers place] the Watch launch at a higher sales rate than the iPhone (3.7 million in three quarters), even with the iPad (14.7 million) and slightly lower than the Mac’s volumes (15 million in the last three quarters, 31 years after launch.) Selling 13 to 14 million of a new category product, in three quarters, priced at an average of $400 is extraordinary by any measure. Moreover that’s equivalent to over $5.5 billion in revenues [in three quarters] that just appeared out of thin air.
More numbers courtesy of Fortune: 85% of Apple Watch owners say it has improved their health, with 27% saying they have lost weight. More than 80% were sufficiently impressed with their own use of the Watch to give one as a gift – a number which is likely to rise significantly this month, especially with the deep discounts available.
The full list of Dediu’s myths can be found below.
Myth 1: The Watch is off to a slow start
Apple does not give out sales figures but by tracking the change in the operating segment reported sales we can estimate that between 6 and 7 million units have been sold to date. During the fourth quarter (third since launch) I expect another 6 to 7 million units to be sold. That places the Watch launch at a higher sales rate than the iPhone (3.7 million in three quarters), even with the iPad (14.7 million) and slightly lower than the Mac’s volumes (15 million in the last three quarters, 31 years after launch.) Selling 13 to 14 million of a new category product, in three quarters, priced at an average of $400 is extraordinary by any measure. Moreover that’s equivalent to over $5.5 billion in revenues that just appeared out of thin air.
Myth 2: The Watch is for watch lovers
The Apple watch was launched with three “tentpole” applications: a Watch, a Communication product, a Fitness product. This means that it is more than any one of these things and perhaps not the best at any of these things. The value of the design is in the tradeoffs it makes. Watch lovers are seeking watches. Let them obtain watches. The Apple Watch is not only a timekeeper. It does not just tell time, it saves time.
Myth 3: The Watch is for fitness fanatics
This is another tentpole. It is a fitness product with many features and sensors. Yet it’s not only a fitness product. Fitness fanatics may want to get customized solutions for their needs. The Apple Watch is no more a perfect fitness product than a computer is a perfect calculator.
Myth 4: The Watch is for techies
If it’s not a perfect watch or a perfect fitness tracker then it must appeal only to nerdy early adopters who want to dazzle their friends with gadgets. Sadly, the Watch is not a very good “gadget”. It has a limited set of interactions and is not amazingly feature rich. There are many alternatives that better demonstrate an ability to complicate your life.
Myth 5: The Watch is a luxury product
There is a gold version but that is a rare sight indeed. The data we plan to share suggests that the vast majority get the base model which starts at $350. That places it well outside the “luxury” segment. But we should think again. Price does not make luxury. What makes luxury differs by buyer. Not having to dig out a phone from a pocketbook while driving may be many people’s idea of luxury.
Myth 6: The Watch is fashionable
Technology and fashion are contrary opposites. One requires function, the other treats function as failure. Just like price does not make luxury, fashion does not determine style. All the Watch can do is not mess up your personal style. If it tried to be fashionable it would have a shelf life of three months.
Myth 7: The Watch competes with the Swiss watch industry
The Watch does not compete with watches. It competes with naked wrists. Some watches also compete with naked wrists but if there is already a watch on a wrist, Apple Watch may move on by.
Myth 8: The Watch has a weak battery
I’ve never gone a day with less than 50% battery remaining. Since we need to recharge ourselves once a day, the watch conforms to our biology. Unless you sleep far away from a source of electric power, the Apple Watch has enough battery life.
Myth 9: The Watch is fragile and not waterproof
Don’t hit it with a hammer. Don’t worry about taking a shower with it on. Look for something else if you’re going into combat. The only valid concern is that it will not work with non-conducting gloves on.
Myth 10: The Watch is an iPhone accessory
Actually this is not a myth. But it will be.
Myth 11: You can’t do much with the Watch
You can do a lot less with a naked wrist. Some of the things I did with it in 24 hours are shown in the image above. My other wrist, which was naked, could not do any of these things. As far as I’m concerned, the watch is just killing the competition.
Filed under: Apple Watch Tagged: Apple Inc, Apple watch, Apple Watch conference, Apple Watch myths, Apple Watch numbers, Apple Watch sales
Continue reading more about Apple watch, Apple Watch, and Apple Inc at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Apple Watch by the (estimated) numbers, and 11 claimed myths about the wearable” with our community.
Social Customer Service: How to Care for Customers With Social Media
Does your business have a social customer service plan? Want to step up your customer service on social media? To discover how to improve your social customer care, I interview Dan Gingiss. More About This Show The Social Media Marketing podcast is an on-demand talk radio show from Social Media Examiner. It’s designed to help […]
This post Social Customer Service: How to Care for Customers With Social Media first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner – Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle
from Social Media Examiner http://ift.tt/1QiDsXo
via socialmediaexaminer
How to Use Data to Create More Relevant Content
Content marketers don’t just write, they write with purpose.
While it may seem like a small distinction, it can mean the difference between wasting time and investing time in creating content that will deliver rankings, leads, and sales long after it’s published.
In fact, research reveals that B2B companies who blog receive 67% more leads than those who don’t. But they aren’t just blogging about anything. They’re blogging about the topics that matter to their audience — topics that their audience already searches for.
How do they inform their strategies? Data.
To help you figure out how to use data to inform your own content ideation process, I’ve come up with a plan. Below I’ve detailed step-by-step instructions for conducting keyword research, selecting the right content format, and coming up with more strategic content topics and ideas.
1) Conducting Keyword Research
A lot of people make the mistake of simply blogging and hoping for results, but the first thing you need to understand is how keywords define your audience.
Aside from long tail and short tail keywords, there are four types of keywords you should know about:
- Brand phrases. Brand terms go here. You should include your brand name, product names, or any trademarks associated with your brand.
- Product (or service) phrases. The main terms people would use to find your product or service.
- Buyer-intent keywords. The keywords that convert for your business. These phrases might include terms like “buy,” “compare,” or “best.”
- Related keywords. Phrases that are closely related to your niche and have good search volume.
The majority of your link building and content efforts should be focused on buyer-intent keywords and keywords closely related to your product or service.
How to Build a Keyword List
What keywords would people use to find your products or services?
As you think of this question start jotting down keywords you would use. Afterwards, add these keywords to a spreadsheet. You’ll add more information to this spreadsheet later.
To make sure nothing valuable slips through the cracks, follow this list of helpful tips and tricks:
Step #1: Use suggested searches to uncover more keyword ideas.
Once you figure out your main keywords, type each one into Google and look at the suggestions at the bottom of the page. These suggestions are based on actual searches people are typing into Google.
Step #2: Look at the titles that come up on the 1st page of Google.
The next step is looking at the search results for your main keywords. Be sure to make note of the titles and meta description language you see on the first page.
Step #3: Steal phrases from Google AdWords.
Pay special attention to the ads higher up on the page. Google grades every ad with a Quality Score. This score is a mix of relevancy, bid amount, and ad performance. In other words, the ads that get the most clicks show higher on the page.
Add any new keyword phrases you see to your spreadsheet. These phrases already have proven clickthrough rates, so you may want to consider incorporating them into your strategy.
Step #4: Use Soovle and Übersuggest to get keyword ideas.
There are a couple free tools you can use to get keyword suggestions to help you expand your list (which you’ll refine later).
Soovle pulls keyword ideas from Google, Bing, Yahoo, Answers.com, Amazon, and Wikipedia. All you need to do is type in your main keyword and let the results appear.
You can download the keyword ideas by clicking on the icon in the top, left corner.
Übersuggest will give you a long list of keyword suggestions as well:
After you enter your keyword, click Select all keywords.
Next, scroll down the page and click Get on the right of the page.
You’ll see this screen next:
Add the suggestions from Soolve and Übersuggest to your list and move on to the next step.
Step #5: Use a keyword tool to find search volume.
If you’re a HubSpot customer, you can use the Keywords App to uncover the monthly search volume for specific keywords. To access the Keywords App, click on Reports > Keywords.
Once you add a keyword, be sure to log the search volume in your spreadsheet.
If you’re not a HubSpot customer, you can check out Keyword Planner to uncover this information. To do so, select the Get search volume data and trends option. Then, paste your keyword list into the field below and click Get search volume.
By now you should have a mix of keywords that range from buyer-intent keywords to terms closely related to what you offer. The next step will be coming up with content ideas matched to each keyword.
2) Identifying the Right Content Format
Wouldn’t it be helpful to already know the type of content that resonates with your audience?
With BuzzSumo, you can analyze content from your own site, your competitors, or even just around a specific keyword. You can also do things like:
- Find the most shared content by keyword
- Analyze the best days to publish for your industry
- Learn what type of content performs the best for your niche
- See how many words your posts should be
- Understand what post format works the best (list, how to, why, etc.)
What this information allows you to do is reverse engineer what’s popular and use that information to define your strategy.
How to Use BuzzSumo to Determine Content Formats
How you conduct this research is determined by the type of BuzzSumo account you have. While you can distill a lot more information with a paid account, it’s possible to uncover valuable insights with the free version too.
If you’re using the Pro version …
First, under the Content Research tab click on Content Analysis and enter your most important keyword.
Once the results come up you’ll see a treasure trove of data. Repeat the process for a handful of keywords that get the most search traffic. You’ll want to be sure to add any new keywords you see to your list and take notes along the way.
While you sort through the data, ask yourself the following questions:
How long should my blog post be?
What type of blog post performs the best for my audience?
What day of the week should I publish my blog post?
What social networks should I focus on the most?
Asking these questions when using the tool will help you uncover a ton of useful insight to incorporate into your content marketing plan.
If you’re using the free version …
While the functionality of BuzzSumo’s free version is not as robust, it’s still very possible to uncover some valuable information by conducting a similar search. Although, the process requires more manual work.
To uncover format insights, click Most Shared under the Content Research tab and insert a keyword. Then, using the filtering criteria on the left-hand side, adjust the content type to focus on one specific format, such as infographics.
Analyze and make note of the social share numbers on the right. You’ll want to consider both total shares and individual platform shares.
Repeat this process for several different content types.
Then, compare the results to see which formats are earning the most shares. You may find that infographics gain a lot of social attention, while interviews receive very little. Use this information to inform your strategy when selecting a content format.
3) Generating Content Ideas
One of the most difficult aspects of creating content is coming up with ideas and making sure you stay on topic.
If you’re having a hard time visualizing your strategy, you might want to consider breaking it down into “chunks” that need to be accomplished in order to hit your goals. Outlining your content calendar with this strategy helps you:
- Create a content-rich site that laser targets your keywords
- Rank higher in search for your target keywords
- Spend less time thinking about what to write
- Spend more time actually producing content
Now remember that spreadsheet you recorded your keywords and search volume in? It’s time to build that out a little. You’ll want to add three columns: title, sources, and notes. Then, follow the steps below to fill them in.
(Want to take the easy way out? Steal this Google spreadsheet I created for you.)
How to Fill In Your Content Calendar
Step #1: Analyze content ranking on the 1st page.
The first step is understanding the competition. To do so, all you need to do is enter your keyword in Google and look at the results on the first page.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself:
- What titles or meta descriptions catch your eye?
- What type of content is ranking?
- Are there any gaps that you can fill?
Start thinking about what you can create to add more value or cover the topic from a different angle — you should be able to pull ideas from what you see.
One method that works no matter what industry you are in is Brian Dean’s Skyscraper Technique — you simply outdo your opponent by improving on what they have already done. To see an example of this technique in action, check out this blog post.
Step #2: Search Quora, Reddit, and forums for more ideas.
Online communities like Quora and Reddit are good places to source information from. You’ll often times find people asking questions about your industry or niche. To leverage that, simply create content around these discussions.
For example, say I want to see what questions people are asking about SEO services on Quora. All I need to do is use this search query (site:quora.com + “seo services”) and look at the results.
Then, it’s just a matter of creating content around those search queries like I’ve done here.
Step #3: Use BuzzSumo to see what has already worked.
As I mentioned above, BuzzSumo is a great tool for discovering content insights.
To help facilitate blog ideas, open up BuzzSumo again, go to the Content Research tab, and then click on Most Shared.
Enter your keyword and you will see a list of posts, sorted by social shares. You can analyze these posts and use them to get post ideas.
Step #4: Use headline analyzer to test your headline.
Headlines with strong emotional sentiment help increase click-through rates and shareability. Powerful language — language that conveys emotion — makes people want to read and share your content.
CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer benchmarks your headline against millions of data points to give you an idea of how well it will perform on social media.
Putting It All Together
If you’ve followed this guide to the end, you now have a spreadsheet full of blog titles on topics closely tied to your most important keywords. You can prioritize what to write first by targeting buyer intent keywords and then moving to keywords with the largest search volume.
Now, all you need to do is start writing.
How does your company use data to inform the content creation process? Share your tips in the comments section below.
Google Play Movies & TV updated w/ AirPlay support, cellular streaming, more
Google today has pushed a beefy update to its Play Movies & TV app on iOS that bumps it to version 2.0.7910 and brings several new features. The update gives the app a refreshed interface, AirPlay support, recommendations, and more.
Perhaps most important for iOS users, today’s Play Movies & TV update adds in-app support for AirPlay playback to Apple TVs. While this was previously possible using the main iOS AirPlay setting, it’s now supported in the app itself. This means that you can start a video in the Play Movies & TV app, AirPlay it to your Apple TV, and continue using your iOS device as normal.
Next, the update adds support for cellular streaming. So now, no matter where you are, you can stream content from your Google Play Movies & TV library. Although, be sure to keep in mind that this will use a lot of your data so you’ll want to be conservative when it comes to cellular streaming. Furthermore, you can now stream content in HD through the app.
Finally, Google has introduced a new “Recommended by Play” section in the app that suggests content for you to watch based on your past viewing history. There’s also a new wishlist feature that lets you save a movie or show to your account to revisit later.
The updated Google Play Movies & TV app for iOS is available now on the App Store for free. The full change log is below:
What’s New in Version 2.0.7910
* Apple TV playback using AirPlay (Apple TV 3rd generation or higher running Apple TV Software 7.0 or higher)
* HD streaming
* Cellular streaming
* New design for the app
* Recommendations from Play
* Search and wishlist any movie from the Play catalog to manage in your Google Play account
Filed under: Apps, iOS Tagged: app, Google, Google Play Movies & TV, iOS, update
For more news on Apps, iOS, and iOS continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Google Play Movies & TV updated w/ AirPlay support, cellular streaming, more” with our community.
Google Wallet for iOS can now send money to any contact using just a phone number
With the rise of contactless payment systems like Apple Pay and Android Pay, the Google Wallet app has needed to reinvent itself somewhat as a peer-to-peer payment system. With the latest update, it’s become a whole lot easier to send money to your friends, family and contacts.
From today, the updated app on both iOS and Android will let you send money to anyone on your contact list, even if you don’t have their email address. You can send money to them using their phone number, and it’s secure and fast.
When you send money to a phone number, the recipient gets a text message containing a secure link. Once they click on the link, they input their debit card details to claim the money and the funds are available in their bank account within a few minutes.
Before today, you could send money to contacts, but you could only do so by using an email address.
This is just one of several new features added to Google Wallet in recent weeks. It’s clear then that the company is working hard to make it a useful app, and one that isn’t made redundant by the arrival of Android Pay, or competitor payment systems like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or *coughs* Walmart Pay. Those improvements include:
- Improved contact suggestions, so you see the people you send money to most often first
- A security feature that lets you lock the Google Wallet app with the tap of a button
- The ability to link a second bank account
You can download the latest update for iPhone from the App Store for free. Apple is rumored to be developing its own peer-to-peer payment feature for Apple Pay in 2016.
Filed under: Apps Tagged: Apple pay, Apps, Google Wallet, iOS, Updates
Continue reading more about Apps, iOS, and Apps at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Google Wallet for iOS can now send money to any contact using just a phone number” with our community.
Review: TarDisk Pear increases your MacBook’s storage in one-click with an SD card fusion drive
Adding extra storage to a MacBook using an SD card is easy, but it works like a thumb drive or external hard drive and not like your permanent, built-in storage. That means you’ll have to manually manage the storage, dragging files to and from the drive. But TarDisk Pear lets you add extra flash storage to your MacBook using the SD card and with 1-click setup to merge the storage with your external drive. After a quick setup, the TarDisk SD card installed in your Mac will act as one fusion drive with your built-in storage. I’ve been testing the product to see if it works like it should…
Setup:
To get started, you simply stick the TarDisk Pear in your MacBook’s SD card slot like any ordinary SD card. The installer software is supposed to launch automatically, but I had to open it from the SD card itself which was recognized and popped up inside Finder after inserting.
There are a few steps to go through (more on that below), but all the formatting happens behind the scenes, with the entire process taking me around 50 minutes with a few clicks of the mouse and a few restarts.
Requirements: You’ll need a MacBook with an SD port, 8GB of free space (at least temporarily for the installation), and Bootcamp partitions aren’t officially supported. After starting the installer, it then prompted me to turn off encryption on my internal drive by switching off FileVault and to enable Core Storage (you can enable FileVault again once Pear is installed).
A little over half of the installation time mentioned above was spent on turning off FileVault and Core Storage with a couple restarts in between. I already had a recent back up, so the install time will vary depending on what your current setup is, how long your backup takes (the company not surprisingly recommends running a full backup first), and whether or not you run through the recommended steps to check the health of your current drive, remove BootCamp if installed, etc.
Using TarDisk:
You shouldn’t have to think about TarDisk much after installing it. The idea is that it merges with your internal drive so you can use it as if you have just upgraded your internal drive, and I found the process went smoothly. In my month-long test I didn’t run into any issues with my upgraded storage, and I didn’t find a noticeable difference in performance overall on the original, 2012 Retina MacBook Pro I tested it on.
How does it work? The company explained it uses “a combination of undocumented OSX commands and proprietary software.” For those that want to know a little bit more about what’s happening behind the scenes, the drive itself is formatted with Apple’s Disk Utility into Mac OSX extended Journaled. And in the background, this is how OS X will handle your storage between the two drives once installed:
- The new logically merged volume is managed by OSX.
- Internal SSD is primarily used before data is sent to the product.
- More frequently used files are maintained on SSD hardware.
- TRIM enabled SSDs maintain original speed benefits of Trim.
- Read/Write buffer (“swap-space-equivalent”) is maintained on SSD to buffer writes to files located on the product.
- Failure modes, if ever encountered, allow for direct restoration from TimeMachine backups.
Disk Utility allows users to format drives and since OS X 10.8.3 create DIY Fusion drives, but the entire process is a one-click step with TarDisk’s installer software handling everything for you.
Since the TarDisk Pear works like one drive in combination with your built-in storage, you won’t see the SD card mounted in Finder anymore. And you’ll be able to manage storage in the same way you manage the built-in storage in your Mac. Once installed, you’ll see the new drive appear under “About this Mac” and System Profiler (as pictured above).
Removing TarDisk isn’t recommended. The company refers to the product as a “permanent upgrade” and warns you’ll have to restore your old drive completely from a backup if you remove the product:
“…This is comparable to the level of involvement required to replace a hard drive. Because it creates a hybrid drive, removing it will cause files to appear as missing. Re-inserting the TarDisk remedies this problem. As with any storage device, a backup should be a part of your routine. TarDisk Pear becomes part of your hard drive, and just like your regular hard drive if it fails, you lose that data.”
Should you buy it?
Out of all the options for upgrading the storage on an old Mac— a standard SD card, an external drive, or upgrading the internal drive— the TarDisk Pear proved to be the easiest overall solution. If you can deal with the pricing ($149 to $399) and the available storage and speed options, and you don’t want to put up with the mess of upgrading internal drives on Macs, then I’d recommend TarDisk as the easiest, although one of the priciest, approaches to upgrading your storage.
The TarDisk Pear is available now in 128GB ($149) and 256GB ($399) versions. It’s compatible with MacBooks that have an SDXC port and Yosemite or El Capitan installed.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Disk Utility, DIY, Fusion Drive, MacBook, SD Card, SSD, Storage, TarDisk Pear, Upgrade, upgrade Mac hard drive
Continue reading more about iOS Devices, MacBook, and SSD at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Review: TarDisk Pear increases your MacBook’s storage in one-click with an SD card fusion drive” with our community.
Kate Winslet, Michael Fassbender among Golden Globe nominees for roles in Steve Jobs movie
Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs biopic ultimately may not have performed so hot in theaters with reports saying the film likely lost money, but Michael Fassbender who portrayed the title character in the movie is being recognized for his performance. Earlier today the Golden Globe Award nominees were announced with Kate Winslet, Michael Fassbender, and Aaron Sorkin among the list of nominees credited for their roles in the Steve Jobs movie.
Michael Fassbender, who was eventually selected to play Steve Jobs after Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio turned down the role, is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Actress Kate Winslet, who played marketing exec Joanna Hoffman, is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture.
Aaron Sorkin could also win a Golden Globe Award as he’s nominated for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture. Daniel Pemberton is similarly nominated for Best Original Score – Motion Picture for his work on Steve Jobs.
Winners will be announced in one month on January 10th, 2016, during the 73rd Golden Globe Awards ceremony airing on NBC from 8-11 PM ET.
While the film was rather short-lived in theaters, its limited release saw the highest per-theather earnings of the year and the best yet for director Danny Boyle on opening weekend, grossing $2.26 million once it reached 60 theaters. The film was widely criticized for its artistic liberties, however, by the likes of Walt Mossberg and Jobs’ widow Laurene Powell Jobs who say the Steve Jobs in the movie does not represent the late Apple co-founder.
The film was originally released on October 9th and appears to still be playing in a select few theaters.
Filed under: General Tagged: Aaron Sorkin, christian bale, Daniel Pemberton, Golden Globe, Golden Globe Awards, Joanna Hoffman, Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs, Steve Jobs movie
Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of Steve Jobs, General, and Aaron Sorkin.
What do you think? Discuss “Kate Winslet, Michael Fassbender among Golden Globe nominees for roles in Steve Jobs movie” with our community.