Post by Jordan Wheelock

Since the initial release of the iPhone, Google and their division called Google Maps has stood valiantly at their rivals side. Providing support for all the iPhone users and Android users, Google Maps really did have the entire smart phone market. So for five years, nobody questioned Google Maps, rather they accepted it for what it was and lived their life. Over those five years, we have seen tremendous advancements in the world of technology everywhere. Holding an original iPhone next to the iPhone 5 is like looking at an ancient relic from the past. We can now stream media wirelessly through cloud services. Not to mention that we have a computer that is lighter than ever, more powerful than ever, and has more pixels in 15 inches than HD televisions do in 55 inches.

With the new iPhone came the 4-inch screen and the new maps software preinstalled. Just by tilting the new iPhone, users can get a widescreen view of their maps, providing easier navigation and more detailed maps. This combination provides us with arguably the most portable and sophisticated turn-by-turn GPS navigation system the world has seen. This is called “future-proofing”, meaning that Apple has created a product that is so useful that it will withstand the test of time and be useful for many more years to come.

The hardware wasn’t the only thing that saw a drastic change. In the new maps application comes the stunning new 3D maps. This means that the user can direct the interface around a city and view everything in three dimensions as opposed to the standard birds eye view that every map has been using since their inception BCE (before common era). This advancement in technology coupled with turn-by-turn directions provides the user with no excuse to ever get lost again!

Yes, mankind’s technology is sure something. So then why, in the midst of all this new technology, are we still using the same exact maps we were five years ago? Google Maps has hardly changed over those years and there is no sign of them doing so in the near future. So Apple did what Apple does best. They changed something up, put their foot forward and most importantly, they thought different. It is with this in mind that we can learn to appreciate Apple’s risks, because they aren’t doing it for fame or fortune. They are doing it for innovation, and because they are Apple.

“Shoppers are expected to spend a whopping $1.6 billion on extended warranties…and almost all of it will be money down the drain” Said the trusted publication Consumer Reports.

As a society we’ve been conditioned to just say no when it comes to the money sucking, invisible product called the Extended Warranty. Best Buy and Radio Shack offer it on nearly all of their products and bombard you with it until you finally give in. Most of the time the warranty isn’t applicable and is still limited by the time frame. Even if the product does break, the warranty can still be forgotten and is as good as money thrown into the wind. So why even consider Applecare when you get your new Mac this summer? Well, let Consumer Reports set your mind at ease.

“It is wise to get an extended warranty (which includes extended tech support) if you’re buying an Apple computer.” Consumer Reports

 The magazine mentioned this as the one exception to purchasing extended warranties. Why is that? Well for starters it extends the telephone support you get on your new computer to a full three years. That means that when you can’t seem to get your computer functioning just the right way, you can call up Apple’s 24/7 telephone hotline, with Apple Specialists that will guide you step by step.

If that isn’t enough then think about it this way. You purchased a MacBook Pro two years ago, but you failed to purchase the Applecare agreement plan. Unfortunately certain conditions led up to the graphics card failing. If this happens, the integrated graphics processor needs to be replaced, but can cost upwards of $1000 with labor.

However, if you were the well learned and wise purchaser of Applecare, the process would be a little different. First you would bring your computer in to us, we diagnose the issues and order parts. Apple ships your part to us overnight at no cost and we replace the part the next day. The expected wait time is less than 3 days in most cases. All with no labor charge or part cost. You pick up your now working computer with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. Thankfully you bought AppleCare, so it’s all sunshine and rainbows from here on out. The only thing that would make your experience better is if we gave out free cookies. (With enough pressure we just may…)

So next time you’re taking the exciting plunge into a new computer, spend the small amount extra on a piece of mind, free 24/7 tech support, and covered parts/labor. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Field incoming support calls from business clients.
Initiate, document, and update our Service Repair Order (SRO) system.
Troubleshoot and repair Macintosh networks and workstations.
Provide onsite and remote management support.

Required Skills:

Solid Mac OS X and networking experience
Responsive, attentive to detail, and solid communication skills
Desire to work within a team, and the ability to work independently
Excellent technology problem solving skills and ability to stay current on best solutions
Already certified or desire to become certified in Mac OS X support
Must have own transportation and be willing to work occasionally on nights and weekends
Must be able to self-manage projects with minimal supervision

Highly Desirable Skills:

Previous experience performing Macintosh network support
Familiarity with Apple GSX system
Apple Certification (Mac OS X 10.4 or greater)
Experience with Ethernet/Wireless networks
Remote and on-site support capabilities
Ability to maintain and administer Mac OS X Client and Mac OS X Server
Ability to maintain and administer Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server, 2008 Server
Linux or Unix Experience

We are a Madison-based consulting business serving small to mid-sized organizations and institutions. We focus on Macintosh sales, service, and support along with implementing Mac based productivity software solutions. We are known for our Macintosh technical expertise and professional consulting. We are currently recruiting a Macintosh Support Professional to effectively manage business clients needs.

If you are an IT professional with extensive experience with Macintosh workstations and networks, this may be the job for you!

This is a full-time position. Compensation will depend on the blend of required skills, highly desirable skills, and proven accomplishments.

Interested candidates can send in a resume and cover letter to info@graphiteas.com. Please include a paragraph of why this position interests you and how you feel your employment would benefit our company.

Are you in search for some great headphones?

Check out Skullcandy and their new lineup with Supreme Sound.  Supreme Sound is Skullcandy’s new technology engineered into all of their new models.  With Supreme Sound Skullcandy offers a product that goes against what most other headphones have become focused on, which is bass heavy tuning.  Skullcandy has their headphones balanced and tuned in a way that offers listeners crisper highs, clean mids, and attacking bass.  This means that while other headphones may have thick bass, they are sacrificing mids, highs, or even both which will result in a muffled or distorted sound.  With Supreme Sound, you get to hear your music as the artist intended without sacrificing anything.

There are many reasons I personally recommend Skullcandy.  They don’t just focus on producing the most bass possible, they try and make music sound the best that it can in a very well priced set of headphones.  Another reason that I recommend Skullcandy is their broad appeal and selection.  With all of the different colors and different designs, you can get almost any style of headphones you are looking for with Supreme Sound you know will sound the best.

Audio Engine is a US based audio company with a reputation for designing and manufacturing high end audio products.  Their target audience is audiophiles, but everyone can appreciate the quality of the sound produced by these speakers.

The product line includes speakers, wireless systems, and digital audio converters.  The speakers, all in hand polished wood or bamboo cases, produce amazing sound, as well as look spectacular.  They have kevlar woofers, and silk tweeters that will give you amazing highs, and deep lows.

At Graphite we know that seeing and hearing is believing, so we have all of the Audio Engine models on display for you to hear for yourself.  Stop on by for a demo with our music, or bring your own, so you can experience just how rich of a sound you will receive from these wonderful and compact speakers.

In an effort to better serve our existing customers and hopefully earn some new ones, Graphite has opening a retail focused location on the west side of Madison.

2848 University Avenue

Graphite West Hours

Monday thru Saturday 10AM-7PM

Our space is located in University Station between Edible Arrangements and Sa-Bai Thong Thai Cuisine.

The new location is focused on providing the best possible purchasing experience as well as providing the continued support and service after the sale for the ultimate ownership experience.

Updates about Graphite will be posted on our Twitter account @GraphiteInc and our Facebook account Graphite Inc.  If you can’t find us easily, simply click through from the icons in the menu bar of our website.

We are really excited to see you at the new location!  Sign up for the Graphite Connection to be invited to the grand opening where door prizes and incredible sales will be happening!

It’s hard to envision some of the accomplishments of Steve Jobs.
As Graphite – Apple Specialist, embarks on our next phase of growth – the opening of a new retail location – one of the many accomplishments that was credited to Steve Jobs really jumped out at me, as I was watching the media coverage of his passing. Not the iPod, or the iPad, the Macintsosh itself, or even the magical iPhone. It was the astonishing fact that he started Apple in a garage, and within 2 years, had 4,000 employees and 2 Billion dollars in sales. I can’t fathom how you add 4,000 employees in two years. That is 10 employees every single day!

I have had the opportunity to be in the same room as Steve on several occasions, at Dealer briefings during the annual pilgrimage to MacWorld.
His presence in a room was electrifying. I have vivid memories of those discussions, and how much respect he garnished the minute he walked in the room.

We all have a lot to learn from Steve Jobs; his style, his charisma, and his genius. We will continue to enjoy the gadgets that have changed our lives for better and for worse. I doubt Steve actually conceived the notion of the iPod or the iPhone. I was lucky enough on one occasion to visit the sacred and secretive halls of Apple’s R&D building. There are a lot of brilliant minds constantly developing products and most of them never see the light of day. Whether he had any of the ideas for the products that he is credited with creating or not, his brilliance has been in guiding the development, the manufacturing, the mystical secrecy, and the unbelievable success that crosses multiple industries.

No question, Steve Jobs has changed our world, and today I’m sad, yet proud that I was a believer in Apple from the beginning. We’ve endured the dark years, when Apple was nearly bankrupt, and have been with them as they have become the most powerful company on earth.
Steve Jobs legacy will be with us for many years to come, and our country needs more visionaries like Steve Jobs. One company – that created 4,000 jobs from a garage in two years. Makes our next phase seem pretty easy.

For years the Windows PC has dominated the business world, but that is all beginning to change.  Did you know that Apple has surpassed Microsoft in market capitalization?  Apple is charging ahead and turning its attention to enterprise sales.  Here are some reasons why Macintosh computers are ideal for business and may be perfect for yours.

Easy to Add
If you currently have PC’s, the Mac will seamlessly integrate into an existing PC network.  The Mac OS X operating system can easily connect to almost any server.  The Mac will share files with virtually any computer, and can share printers and other services over any network.

Keep What’s Comfy
Are you used to programs like Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point.  Not to worry, Apple not only has these programs available in a suite called Microsoft Office for Mac, they have their own suite of office productivity software called iWork.  iWork has programs for you to produce incredible documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Automatic Back Up
Macs come with a program called Time Machine, which once enabled, automatically backs up your entire system.  Time Machine keeps an up-to-date copy of system files, documents, email, music, pictures, and all other important files.  Using an external hard drive (sold separately), Time Machine will make sure you can easily go back in time to recover your entire system in the event of a hard drive failure.

Security
Macintosh computers don’t get Windows viruses.  No more anti-virus subscriptions, no more spy ware, no more slowdowns, and no more headaches.  The Mac comes with a multilayered system of defense.  The built-in security features include application-based firewall, a VPN client, strong encryption tools, and integrated Internet security.

Software
Macintosh has many options when it comes to business productivity software.   The standard Apple programs begin with “i” (iLife, iWork, iChat, etc.), but there is so much more.  The Adobe Creative Suite includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, and Acrobat.  Did you know that Mac also has powerful accounting, billing, CRM, project management, POS software and more?

Windows on a Mac
You can also run Windows files and applications on a Mac.  You can even run the entire Windows 7 operating system on a Mac, in most cases more reliably than it runs on a Windows PC.  This is made possible through third-party applications like Parallels Desktop for Mac.  A side-by-side set up of the Windows and Mac operating system even allows you to cut and paste between them.  It’s unbelievable!

For more information on how Macintosh can be a valuable tool in your business, call Graphite for a free consultation 608-838-6650.

Posted by Paul Stokes

Time Machine
Every Mac comes with a fantastic program called Time Machine.  Never worry about losing your important data again.  Time Machine will automatically back up everything on your computer including photos, music, videos, documents, applications, settings, and more.  If your computers hard drive ever crashes, you can simply go back in time and recover from the day and time you choose from your Time Machine.  All Time Machine needs to back up your data is an external hard drive.

Time Machine makes an initial backup on the external hard drive and then saves every change, every hour, every day.  Set your external hard drive up and let it do all the work.  Even if your system doesn’t crash and you simply need to retrieve a file that you accidentally deleted.  You can go back and see how your computer looked on the date that you know you had the file and search to find the file across all of your backups.

External Hard Drive
An external hard drive is used to store the data of your choosing.  You can store a copy of your entire computer (Time Machine) or you can choose to copy only specific files that are important to you.  External hard drives connect to the computer by a USB cable, a Firewire cable, or some other means.  The hard drive itself is stored in a portable disk enclosure to protect it.  The enclosure will have plugs available to connect the drive to your computer.  Using an external drive can come in handy if you need to transport files to another location or if you want to take the drive with you to protect against potential fire and theft losses.

Optical Drives
Optical disk drives use laser light or electromagnetic waves to read or write data from optical discs.  The most common optical discs are CDs, DVDs, and Blue Ray Discs.  Recording to discs is typically kept to small-scale backup and distributing files.  Although the backup is solid and dependable, the process is slower and more expensive than other types of backup.

Tape Drives
Tape drives are data storage devices that reads and writes on a magnetic tape.  Unlike random access storage on a disk drive, tape drives provide sequential access storage.  This means that tape drives are slower and can spend a considerable amount of time finding any specific file or data.  They can however stream data very quickly.  So recovering lost data can be quite efficient once the desired data is found.

Remote Backup Service
Remote backup services are provided by several online companies.  These companies provide a program that collects, compresses, encrypts, and transfers the data that you would like backed up to a remote server.  Features and cost vary with these types of service depending on the amount of storage you need and features you want.

There are several advantages to remote backup.  One is having a backup offsite away from your original data helping prevent loss from theft, fire, or other disaster.  Some services offer the ability to back up files continuously as they are changed.  Another nice advantage is the user does not have to change tapes, label CD’s or perform any other hands on steps.

There are a few disadvantages you should be aware of.  Restoration can be slow depending on the available bandwidth.  Recovery must be done over the internet or from a shipped tape or disk from the location that the offsite data is stored.  The data may be unsecured or the provider could go out of business.  Broadband services may have limits on the amount of bandwidth available for large backups.

In general, remote backup services are a great option.  Look for a service that offers assistance configuring the initial backup, has continuous monitoring, sends proactive failure alerts, and offers assistance in restoring or recovering data.

Conclusion
In the end you need to educate yourself and make sure that anything digital that is important to you or your business is properly back up.  For individuals the Time Machine back up is sufficient in most cases.  We recommend any size business consult with professionals on what their best and safest solutions are.

For more information on back up strategies, contact Graphite today!