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User Group Leader Support
Update your groups record, get meeting ideas, and many other support access and requests.
User Group How-To's
User Group Leaders, are you looking to run a better meeting? These how-to articles guide you through a variety of topics.
User Group Special Offers
User Group Leaders and Members, find special deals and discounts from our vendors.
User Group News Bulletin
Meeting Idea: Accessibility and Apple
Groups have had a positive response to accessibility as a meeting topic. Apple’s Accessibility home page says that the true value of a technology is not measured by how powerful it is, but by how much it empowers the user, and every Apple product contains amazing and empowering accessibility features right out of the box. From being able to take a perfect group selfie without being able to see the screen, to VoiceOver, display accommodations, Live Listen, closed captioning that displays far more than text, LED iPhone notifications, Switch Control, customized gestures, AssistiveTouch, Guided Access, typing feedback, text-to-speech, fitness algorithms for wheelchair users, and more, there are features to make every user’s tasks easier.
Another great way to enjoy an accessibility presentation is to bring your group to a Today at Apple Accessibility session showing the basics of using the assistive technologies that are built into every Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
Check it out.
https://www.apple.com/accessibility/
https://www.apple.com/today/collection/accessibility-collection/
Nicholas Pyers Presents: Avoid Presentation Disasters
One way to avoid a presentation disaster is planning ahead for a presentation kit. This month, Nicholas Pyers of AppleUsers.org offers us an updated look at the cables, adaptors and accessories that any group conducting presentations on regular basis should consider having on hand. By being prepared, you can be sure that if your presenter arrives with the wrong, or no, cable or adapter, the show will go on. Check it out!
http://www.appleusers.org/ugr/presentation-kit/
Ever wonder what Nicholas is doing when he is not writing for the user group community? While his new cruise tips and commentary blog is coming soon, be sure to check out some of his current projects.
WWDC 2018 — The Developer Migration
Looking to add a bit of humor to your next meeting? Check out WWDC 2018 — The Developer Migration on YouTube. Apple describes this short documentary as a look at one of the world’s most extraordinary species as it makes its annual journey to the great plains of WWDC.
Leader Special Offer – Apparent Software: Leader Offer
Trickster keeps track of recent files you’ve been using on your Mac by giving you super easy and lightning fast access to them. ImageFramer is the Mac way to frame your pictures with over a thousand beautiful frame designs available and more being added constantly. Cashculator is the Mac way to plan, track your cash flow, make smarter financial decisions and reach your financial goals.Meeting Idea: Apple’s How to Shoot on iPhone Series
Photography is a popular subject at many Apple User Group meetings. Did you know that Apple has an entire section dedicated to helping users take great photos with their iPhones? Each video tutorial is under a minute and a series of videos could make for a great “How To” meeting topic and discussion. Ever wanted to take a bouncing live video? There’s even a tutorial for bouncing live photos and another for experimenting in color.
The How To Shoot on an iPhone series includes videos that show how to:
- shoot a portrait selfie
- edit a Portrait
- create a bouncing Live Photo
- shoot in black and white
- adjust slo-mo timings
- shoot an overhead
- experiment with framing
- experiment with color
- compose with telephoto
- shoot with Portrait Lighting
- shoot a close-up
- shoot a vertical Pano
- shoot with out a flash
- shoot action
- shoot a selfie with the timer
- capture a unique angle
- shoot stills while filming
- shoot with street light
- shoot a bold and simple image
- shoot during golden hour
- shoot a one-handed selfie
- shoot a sunset silhouette
- capture an intimate moment
- shoot a group portrait
- shoot a horizon
- shoot a backlit subject
- And more…
Check it out!
Apple and Earth Day 2018: 100 Percent Renewable Energy
You may think that you are aware of the many innovative products that came from Apple research, but did you know that Apple invented a line of disassembly robots (Liam)? While existing recycling techniques only recover a few kinds of materials and often diminish their quality, these robots can recover 1900 kg of aluminum, 1.3 kg Gold, 7 kg silver, 24 kg rare earth elements, 3.5 kg tungsten, 800 kg copper, 0.4 kg platinum group metals, 55 kg tin, 550 kg cobalt, and 2.5 kg tantalum from every 100,000 iPhone 6 devices that are turned in for recycling. read more…
User Group Stories: AUSOM
This is a new series presented by the Apple User Group Advisory Board to spotlight and share the experiences of Apple User Groups around the world. We will take a look at how groups are managing, meeting, growing, networking, and adjusting to the needs of members in the 21st century.
By Rick Ortiz, Chair of the Apple User Group Advisory Board
Visit: ausom.net.au
This month we share the story of Apple Users Society of Melbourne, better know as AUSOM. We traveled (virtually) around the world to find out the story of how AUSOM has been so successful. We had the opportunity to participate in a FaceTime meeting with the group’s members and leaders at their monthly meeting. What is amazing, is this group is in its 40th year, and the group appears to be going strong. In a day and age where social media, texting, and technology has become the mainstream communication method, this group has proven that in-person social interaction, networking and sharing creates true and long lasting friendship. And to that end, the sustainability of AUSOM. As one of their members stated, “It’s not about the computers, but what we do with them.” Let’s take a look at what makes this group so successful.
LACPUG: Apple FCPX and Motion Presentation
For January’s Los Angeles Creative Pro Users Group (LACPUG) a standing room only crowd of Hollywood editors and filmmakers enjoyed a special presentation on Final Cut Pro.
Apple marketing, with help from Patrick Southern and Sam Mestman from LumaForge, gave attendees a look at 10.4’s latest features. Wow! Thanks to Michael Horton, LAFCPUG founder and leader, and co-producer of Creative Pro SuperMeets for this link!
Check out LAFCPUG
Enjoy videos from LumaForge:
HAAUG’s 25th Anniversary: Woz Presentation
The Houston Area Apple Users Group regularly attracts top speakers, and their 25th Anniversary was no exception. Steve Wozniak, their Keynote speaker, shared memories about his experiences and offered thoughts about Apple today. Rex Covington of the Apple User Group Advisory Board generously posted the Keynote recently so that we could share. (Thanks Rex!)
Enjoy!
KansasFest 2018: 30 Years and Going Strong
KansasFest 2018, the premier annual Apple II convention, is scheduled for July 17 – 22 in Kansas City, Missouri. This year marks the 30th time that this event, an annual convention offering Apple II users and retrocomputing enthusiasts the opportunity to engage in beginner and technical sessions, programming contests, an exhibition hall, and camaraderie, has been held.
KansasFest was originally hosted by Resource Central and has been brought to you by the KFest committee since 1995. Any and all Apple II users, fans, and friends are invited to attend this year’s event. In upcoming weeks, the KansasFest web site will announce registration details, so keep an eye on the site listed below. read more…
CES 2018: Meeting the Stars
CES 2018: Meeting the Stars
by Tom Piper
This year’s January 9-12, 2018, visit to Las Vegas for the 51st edition of the Consumer Electronic Show was once again a dazzling mix of amazing products and puzzling potentials. Like Wonder Woman with her motorcycle, I met many “star” electronics from name brands like Samsung, LG, Sony, Kodak, Panasonic and others, while being introduced to a wide array of new ideas and concepts being featured by broad spectrum of unknowns from many diverse countries. read more…
Randy B. Singer of MacAttorney: Macintosh Word Processors
Randy Singer, leader of the 9.000+ member strong MacAttorney User Group, co-author of multiple editions of the well-loved Macintosh Bible, author of the ABA’s The Macintosh Software Guide for the Law Office, writer of the MacAttorney Newsletter, and popular presenter, recently commented about word processors for Mac users:
“I’ve found that lots of Macintosh users wish that they had more choices for a word processor. The thing is…they do. They just don’t know where to find out about all the available products.”
So, he has created a page covering currently-available offerings and it is both comprehensive and helpful.
Check it out – maybe even contribute to the conversation:
http://www.macattorney.com/wp.html
Visit MacAttorney.
Meeting Idea: HomePod on Apple Support’s YouTube Channel and ASW
Looking for a short presentation on HomePod for your group’s meeting? Apple Support’s YouTube channel and ASW have all the information you need to make a great group presentation.
Apple Support’s YouTube channel offers a series of three videos on HomePod, including how to adjust HomePod settings, how to use Siri to play music on HomePod and How to use touch controls on HomePod.Each video is under 2 minutes, easy to follow and interesting.
ASW offers HomePod – Product Presentation (L574599A-en_US ), HomePod – First Look (L574596A-en_US), HomePod Top Features Demo Guide (L574990A-en_US) and more.
Ambassadors: February is a great month to use Apple resources for your meetings.
Meeting Idea and How To: Apple Pay and Apple Pay Cash
Apple Pay and Apple Pay Cash can provide a quick and interesting topic for your next meeting. Apple Pay is easy to use since you can pay for store purchases with the iPhone or Apple Watch you always have with you without needing to open an app, pay within apps or on the web in Safari with iPhone and iPad with no need to enter billing, shipping, or contact information and pay on the web using Safari with Mac. And, you can send and receive money with friends and family right in Messages. Apple Pay is simpler and safer than using your physical card. Instead of using your actual card number, Apple Pay assigns a unique number for each purchase, so your card information is never shared by Apple with merchants.
Remember to Password Protect Discount Offer Codes
Please be respectful of the vendors who offer user group discounts by password protecting any user group offers that come from the Apple User Group Bulletin or the Apple User Group Resources blog. When a offer becomes public, we often hear from the vendor, either to discontinue the offer or to change their discount code and information. In January we heard from a vendor who forwarded screen shots of their discount on a specific group’s website. The discount code has been changed and the offers page has a new password as well. See the bottom of each month’s Apple User Group Bulletin or check with your group’s ambassador for password information.
Special Offer – EverWeb Software: 50% Discount – Updated Link
EverWeb is an easy to use drag-and-drop website builder. No coding, and no web building experience is required to get your beautiful website up and running. If you have ever used Apple’s now discontinued iWeb, your transition to EverWeb will be a breeze. EverWeb’s user interface, and most of its functionality, is very similar to iWeb. Build a website either from scratch using a blank canvas, or modify one of the many professionally designed built-in templates.
EverWeb is available as a standalone application for $79.95(US), or with a hosting account that allows you to publish your website without any FTP information for $99.95(US). Apple user group members can now purchase either versions at 50% off (not applicable to renewals and/or upgrades). You can try EverWeb free of charge before purchasing. EverWeb also comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can purchase with confidence.
To download or purchase EverWeb at a 50% discount, see your user group Ambassador for discount link.
This worldwide offer is ongoing.
– Meeting Idea: iMac Pro Demonstration
Looking for a full meeting presentation? ASW just released a fact-filled Keynote demo for the iMac Pro, an iMac packed with the most powerful graphics and processors ever in a Mac, along with the most advanced storage, memory, and I/O — all behind a breathtaking Retina 5K display in a sleek, all-in-one design to meet the needs of everyone from photographers to video editors to 3D animators to musicians to software developers to scientists. (L574107A-en_US)
Ambassadors: December is a great month to use Apple resources for your
meetings.
How-To: iCloud Sharing
By Rick Ortiz
With the introduction of iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, Apple has added some new features to iCloud Drive, offering the ability to share files. iCloud Drive is now offering sharing services similar to what DropBox and Google Drive offer. In the past iCloud drive was designed for personal access to files. For a user group, they can now create or use an existing iCloud account and share files with members or allow board members access to files.
iCloud Drive History:
Apple’s iCloud file services originally began as cloud storage for your iWork files. With the introduction of OS X Yosemite, it expanded to offer you storage of files and folders beyond iWork. In fact you can now access your Desktop and Documents folders in the cloud and on other devices. But in this article we are going to focus on the sharing features. As each macOS update has come along, Apple has continued to expanded its iCloud offerings. read more…
In The Beginning There Were User Groups
In 1986 members of Call-A.P.P.L.E from the Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange attended the 1986 Apple World convention. They enjoyed, and member Jack Connick transcribed, Steve Wozniak’s user group presentation. Woz talked about his early interest in electronics and microprocessors, his first user group meeting and more. The transcripts are a fun look.
Check out these great transcripts from Call-A.P.P.L.E: read more…
Pam Doughty: Thanks for 25 Years of Newsletter Excellence
Three of the best things about Apple User Groups are the community we create, the people we are glad to call friends, and the commitment that members share. Pam Doughty is a wonderful example of all three: she has been the faithful editor of AUSOM News for 25 years. In December 1992 she assisted with publishing the newsletter and in the months that followed became editor. read more…
