iPhone

Seamlessly Switch from a Windows PC to a Mac

Mar 2 2022

Seamlessly Switch from a Windows PC to a Mac

Mac Migration

1. Be Prepared for a Learning Curve

It is not realistic to expect that you can learn everything there is to know about a Mac in one sitting. It does take some time to become familiar with all of the features on a Mac. However, the learning curve should not take a really long time. As long as you are sharp, you will become familiar with a Mac in a few weeks. No matter how long this takes, being prepared for the learning curve is the most important thing. That will allow you to organise yourself properly in case there are any pending issues that you need to deal with. Remember that upgrading your computer is similar to upgrading your car or switching phone providers. It takes a while to get used to, but once you do, it’s well worth it. 
 
So do not expect everything to be normal and be able to shred your keyboard as soon as you turn on your new Mac computer. Give yourself some time to learn, so you will not be as frustrated with your Mac after a very short time and begin to regret your decision to switch. 

2. Data Transfer

You want the things that are on your old computer to be transferred over to your new computer so this is fairly important. Before you start the data transfer process, make sure there is enough storage space on your Mac for everything on your Windows computer. 
 
It should not be too hard to transfer data from one computer to the next. First, you will need to download the Windows Migration Assistant app. You should download the version that matches the current macOS version of your new Mac computer. 
 
Next, open up your Mac. The setup assistant will be automatically started if it is the first time that you are starting your Mac. The option for the Open Migration Assistant will be in the utilities. Follow the prompts on the screen until you choose the device that you are transferring your data from. 
 
Continue to follow the prompts on your screen until your Mac shows all of the folders that you would like to move to your Mac from your Windows computer. Then click on continue and the data transfer will start. How long it takes depends upon the amount of data to be transferred and the network connection speed. Videos will, by far, be the largest files you’ll be transferring. Once you have moved the data, set your password up on your new Mac computer, and you will be ready to go. 

3. Learn the Mac Keyboard ShortCuts

The sooner you start to learn the Mac keyboard shortcuts, the easier using your Mac is going to be. It will, of course, take some time to get used to. However, once you get used to it, it will be completely worth it. The shortcuts are not too complicated and there are not too many of them either. 
 
You can always have the shortcuts on a piece of paper next to your Mac computer. 

First thing to know is that the Command Command Symbol key is the same as the Ctrl key on a Windows PC.

One of the most useful and popular keyboard shortcuts is the copy and paste function. This is similar to Windows except the Command Symbol key is substituted for the Ctrl key. 

e.g. Command Symbol-C = Copy
Command Symbol-V = Paste
Command Symbol-X = Cut

Another thing you will need to get used to is right-clicking. Go here to learn how to do this.

Mac Migration

4. Using Finder  Finder

Finder is the search feature on the Mac and can be found on the dock of the desktop with the icon like above. Finder is the equivalent of Windows Explorer and can help you easily find anything on your Mac. From music, photos, documents, and other types of files. The tool is especially helpful right after you transfer data from your old Windows computer.

On your screen’s right corner, there is a small magnifying glass icon Spotlight. This is called Spotlight. To find things without opening Finder, click on the icon.

You can also use Spotlight as a calculator and many other things!

There are some pretty cool things hidden on Finder that you will discover after you have become familiar with your new Mac computer.

5. Explore the Mac Apps

There is a great selection of Map apps available to explore. Before downloading any paid apps, start by exploring the preloaded apps. The Web Browser on a Mac is called Safari but if you prefer you can also download Google Chrome. Safari, however, is a brilliant browser that integrates beautifully with the Password Keychain, and synchronises with your iPhone and iPad. 
 
Fortunately, the Microsoft Office Suite can be used on a Mac. So you will be able to pick up right where you left off on your Windows computer. 
 
Your new Mac computer comes equipped with some amazing hardware that you can take full advantage of. You can download a few movies and then watch them on your computer’s retina display. Or you can get a few business or game apps and take full advantage of the amazing processing capabilities of your Mac. 
 

By • iPhone, Tips • 0

How your iPhone could… SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Sep 5 2017

Did you know that your iPhone could actually SAVE YOUR LIFE?

Adding your medical ID to your iOS device could be a real life saver.

You’ve probably seen or used an app on your iPhone called the “Health” app. It counts your steps and tells you how far you’ve walked as well as the ability to track and monitor your health and activity. In amongst these great features there is a page called “Medical ID”. This page can hold a lot of important information that you might want a paramedic, doctor or first responder to know in case of an emergency and it can be accessed from your lock screen without a passcode.

Medical_ID

To setup your Medical ID, open up the Health app and click on the Medical ID tab at the bottom right. Then either click on create medical ID or edit to see all of the available options. You can add all kinds of information to your Medical ID including, height, weight, medications that you take, medical conditions, blood type, allergies/reactions, emergency contacts (next of kin) and even organ donation preferences.

In case of an emergency the Medical ID can be accessed from the lock screen. When the screen comes up to enter a passcode, you can click on the word “Emergency”. This will display a phone keypad and down the bottom left there will be a button called “Medical ID”. This then displays your medical ID to any emergency personnel who might be attending to you and because the iPhone is the most popular phone in the world it should be familiar to anyone.

It doesn’t take long to setup your Medical ID and it could save your life, so why not set it up now?

By • iPhone, Tips • 0

How to fix a frozen iPhone screen!

Aug 11 2017

5 Ways to fix a frozen iPhone screen!

If you’ve been having issues with your iPhone screen not being as responsive as it used to be, here are a few quick and easy ways that might solve your issue.

  • Clean your screen!
    • Our iPhones and iPads are always on the go with us and because of this they gather a lot of dirt and gunk on the screen which can affect the screen and devices performance.
    • Screen wipes or a soft, micro-fibre cloth are the best ways to clean your screen.
  • Updating Apps also deleting and reinstalling them
    • You may notice a particular app is freezing the iPhone screen or isn’t performing like it should.
    • Firstly, check for an update on the App Store as the developer may have fixed a known bug/issue in the app.
    • Secondly, you can delete the app and re-install it from the App Store.
  • Do a hard reboot
    • Doing a hard reboot is normally the best way to solve any screen unresponsiveness but also any other performance issues that your phone might be having.
    • If your device is an iPhone 6s or older, hold down the home button and the lock/power button at the same time until you see the Apple logo then let it reboot.
    • If your device is an iPhone 7 hold the volume down button and the sleep/wake button at the same time until it reboots.
  • Clear up storage space
    • If your device is low on storage space then it will start to slow down and this can affect screen responsiveness.
    • You can check your storage space in, Settings > General > Storage and iCloud Usage > Manage Storage.
    • Try and keep at least 1GB of available space on your device.
  • Still having issues? Do a full restore
    • If none of the above methods have worked then you might need to do a full restore.
    • Firstly, make sure your device is backed up either on iTunes or iCloud.
    • Then erase the data and settings and restore from the backup.

By • iPhone, Tips • 0

Apple’s new HEIF image file format in iOS11

Aug 10 2017

Better quality photos, half the storage space!

With Apple’s new HEIF image file format in iOS11, that will be possible.

HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) is the new photo file format that Apple has adopted in order to replace the existing JPEG file format.

You may not know this but JPEG has actually been around for a quarter of a century now and since then there have been many technological advancements in the area of photography and image quality. So Apple has now decided that its time to push the boundaries and replace the use of JPEG with HEIF.

But you are probably wondering, what is HEIF? what makes it better than JPEG? And what will it do for me?

In simple,

HEIF is smaller and better.

For you it means that the photos you take on your iPhone will be roughly half the file size of JPEGs and have better image quality. This will allow you to store double the amount of photos on your iPhone whilst making them look better.

Now if you do happen to share any of these images with people who are on a not running iOS they will still be able to view the image as iOS11 will convert it to JPEG file if it is being shared to a non iOS device or if it is being displayed in an app that doesn’t suppo

rt the HEIF format. So as a consumer you won’t notice anything except for the fact that the file size of your photo library will be smaller with better quality images.

JPEG has been around for a very long time (since 1992) and it is one of the most commonly used image file formats. But it is time for change, it is time for JPEG to be put to bed, it is time for the future, it is time for HEIF.

By • Apple, iPhone • 0

iOS11 will free up space on your iPhone or iPad

Aug 8 2017

Is your iPhone or iPad running out of storage space?

When iOS11 is released later this year it will make it easier to avoid seeing the “Storage Almost Full” message.

When you run out of storage space on your iPhone or iPad it slows down your device and can make it impossible to download files, take pictures and perform other tasks.

Apple has announced several features in iOS11 that will help free up space on your iOS device. Here’s a quick look at some of the useful features and how you can take advantage of these.

  • Offload unused apps
    • This deletes the app but it keeps the data within the app so that you can restore it later from the App Store
      • To enable it, go to Settings > iTunes and App Stores and enable Offload Unused Apps
  • Storage management recommendations
    • This section will offer recommendations to free up space by using the iCloud photo library, clearing out the “Recently Deleted” photo album, Auto deleting old conversations, Reviewing videos that are hogging storage space and suggest to upload all messages to iCloud
      • To access it go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
  • HEIF Image Format
    • When you take photos on your iOS11 device it will automatically use a new picture format called, HEIF. This offers better image quality than JPEG and HEIF images are about half the size of JPEGs.
  • Double the iCloud storage at the same price
    • iCloud users get 5GB of free storage space but a lot of people especially in iOS11 will notice this just isn’t enough space for growing demand on iCloud storage. So Apple has doubled the highest iCloud storage plan from 1TB to 2TB for the same price. Unfortunately, lower level plans will remain the same however, multiple users can share iCloud storage with Family Sharing in iOS11 and Mac OS High Sierra

By • iPhone, Tips • 0

Jun 29 2014

iPhone 5 Help and Technical Support: Common Issues

Within the first three days of its release, Apple had already sold around 5 million iPhone 5s. This massive initial success serves as a testament to the trust consumers have in Apple and its iPhone products. Unfortunately, it does not mean that the iPhone 5 is without any issues. If you’re having trouble with any of the functions on your iPhone, you’re not alone. Our team at Mac Smart enjoys helping people with all kinds of iPhone 5 technical issues and general questions.

 

Apps: Apple Maps for the iPhone 5

The days of Google and Apple working with each other are officially over. With the introduction of the iPhone 5, Apple stopped offering Google Maps as the official default and instead replaced it with their self-developed Maps application. Many users have experienced bugs within the app and have noted inaccuracies in the navigation system. For some places, the data is simply inaccurate.

Since most users we’re already so familiar with the features of the Google Maps applications, it is no wonder that there were complaints with the lack of these features in Apple’s Maps application. While there is no simple way to fix the Maps app, you do have some options. You can use the internet browser to access Google Maps by going to maps.google.com, or you can download the new Google Maps app.

Wi-Fi Connectivity iPhone 5

Your iPhone 5 should be able to connect to any open Wi-Fi network whenever you need it, but some users have reported issues with this function. In some cases, the device simply won’t connect to Wi-Fi at all or drops the connection entirely. In other cases, the signal strength is very low even when standing by the router. Rebooting your iPhone 5 can sometimes help solve the problem, but it isn’t a permanent fix.

Since the problem became well-known, Apple has worked to fix the issue through software updates. By downloading the most current software version, most users are now able to connect to Wi-Fi properly. If you’re still experiencing issues with Wi-Fi connectivity, give Mac Smart a call or consider getting a replacement from Apple.

Camera issues iPhone 5

Although the camera on the iPhone 5 is one of the best ever introduced in the mobile phone industry, some users have reported a distinctive purple glare on photos. This problem is most prominent when a strong light source is just out-of-scene. Many experts believe that this is simply a flare effect caused by strong edges and brightness within photographs. Apple recommends moving the positioning of your camera so that the bright light enters the scene or shielding camera lens with your hand. Call Mac Smart with any questions!

These common issues can stop you from getting the most out of your iPhone 5. The team of professionals at Mac Smart in Brisbane want to help. Email or give us a call to let us help!

Call us on 1300 622 762

 

By • iPhone, Tips • 0

iPhone Help and Technical Support: Common Issues

Jun 18 2014

iPhone Help and Technical Support: Common Issues

Although the iPhone from Apple is a proven device with good performance, there can still be issues. As with any technological device, there will always be problems. If you don’t know how to fix those problems or just can’t seem to get your iPhone to function like you want it to, don’t stress about it too much. Mac Smart helps many people just like you with common iPhone issues like these.

Email issues for the iPhone

Email may be one of the main reasons you bought your iPhone in the first place. When working properly, the email function of the iPhone is user-friendly and effective; however, many have a lot of trouble getting their email to work correctly.

One of the most common problems I see with email, not just on the iPhone, is that the email is not synchronised with their computer and other devices. The man cause of this is that the mail account is set up using POP instead of IMAP. With POP, the emails are just downloaded to the phone, but when they are read and/or deleted, that information is not sent to any other devices or computers. So, when you have read all your emails on the phone, and then get to your computer, there they are all over again for you to delete. IMAP on the other hand, synchronises between devices, so when deleted on the iPhone, it’s deleted on the computer, and vice versa.

If setup and configured well, the iPhone can be an invaluable tool and joy to use, especially if you use Mac Smart in Brisbane for your technical support.

Call us on 1300 622 762

 

By • iPhone, Tips • 0

Apple iPhone Help and Technical Support Brisbane

Apr 8 2014

iPhone Help and Technical Support: Tips and Guidance

Your iPhone can be an amazing tool for entertainment and productivity, but sometimes technical issues make it painful to use. At Mac Smart, our team understands your need for a fast reliable iPhone.

Apple iPhone Help and Technical Support Brisbane

Although we are happy to help with your iPhone technical support on-site at our location in Brisbane, it may be easier for you to try a few of these tips first:

  • Are you worried about the amount of cellular data you are using? Some of your apps may be draining your bandwidth. Go to “Settings” – “Cellular” – “Use Cellular Data for…” to see an alphabetical list of installed apps paired with their amount of recent data usage. If you don’t want a certain app to be accessing your cellular data, just switch it to “Off.”
  • If you don’t like having frequent location tracking on your phone, you can disable it by following this procedure: “Settings” – “Privacy” – “Location Services” – “System Preferences” – “Frequent Locations” – Change setting to “Off.”
  • Although using Siri is a little hit and miss, there are a few ways to make it work more effectively. Make sure that you wait until the  tone is finished before speaking or your voice will be missed.  To get the current time, just activate Siri and ask “What time is it?”

For more complex iPhone help and technical support,  give us a call or email. We can help you with almost any mac technical support issue including iPhone technical issues from set-up to syncing to app problems and more. Don’t let your iPhone stress you out, let us restore it to the entertaining and easy-to-use device you paid for!

Call us on 1300 622 762

 

By • iPhone, Tips • 0

iPhone 5S Commercial “Metal Mastered”

Jan 15 2013

iPhone 5S Commercial “Metal Mastered”

http://youtu.be/xYsSiaBZmRk

By • iPhone •