Mac

I offer specialist Mac assistance and troubleshooting. This includes Mac buying advice, software selection, system software fixes (actual fixes, not a simple re-install which is what the Apple Store guys will do, erasing much of your data in the process), and replacing hardware components.

One of my most popular services is helping users get the most out of their Apple computers, Apple devices, and iCloud. You may have heard people talk about the 'Apple ecosystem'. It's a truly great system, useful for a number of things, but can be a little confusing to set up.

By taking advantage of the Apple ecosystem, iCloud, and related software, the following becomes possible:

• You create a calendar appointment on the family Mac at home. Instantly the appointment, along with its associated alarms, is synchronised to the calendars on your iPhone, iPad and office Mac.
• Your child has a school sports event on Saturday morning. They add a calendar appointment to their iPhone. This appointment instantly appears in the calendar on your family Mac at home.
• You receive a call on your iPhone. After the call you click on the 'Add to contacts' button. The name and telephone number are instantly added to your Address Book on your iPhone, and both your home and office Macs.
• You start writing a long email whilst on the train to work. When you arrive at the office you open up Mail on your Mac to finish writing the same email. ^[1]
• While browsing a recipe website on your iPad, you simply speak to your iPad and say "Add eggs to my shopping list". A new entry named "Eggs" is instantly created in a shopping list on your iPhone.
• While at work you realise you've forgotten to water the plants in your bedroom. You speak to your iPhone and say "remind me to water the plants when I get home". The minute you arrive home your iPhone will remind you to water the plants.
• While on the train to work you are having a lengthy iMessage exchange with a fellow iPhone user. When you arrive at the office you continue the same conversation using the real keyboard on your office Mac.
• While browsing YouTube on your iPad, you come across something that the whole family would like to see. With a press of a button you display the YouTube video on the living room TV. ^[2]
• You take a photo with your iPhone. It instantly appears in the Photos app on your iPad and in iPhoto on your Mac. It's also automatically added to the collection of photographs you use as a screensaver on your living room TV. ^[2]
• At work you are required to use dozens of websites with dozens of different passwords. In your web browser you click a single button to automatically log into these websites. The website addresses, logins and passwords are automatically synced to your iPhone and iPad so even when you're not in front of your Mac you can still access them when required.

Do any of these scenarios sound attractive? If so, call me. I can help you set it up.

[1] iCloud or Gmail email account required.
[2] £80 of extra hardware required.