How to Stop or Remove Spam Calendar Invites on iCloud?

NOTE: If you "Accept" or "Decline" the calendar invite this alerts the spammer that you are a real user and the spam you receive will increase.

To remove the calendar spam follow these steps as highlighted by our Dutch friends at appletips.nl

Step 1. Open your iCloud calendar app (for this demonstration I am using the web version)

Step 2. Go to Calendars and add a new calendar




Step 3. Click the "Edit" button and then the "+" to add a calendar. You can call it anything you want "spam," or leave it as the default "untitled 1." I left mine as the default "untitled 1."

Step 4. Open each invite and move it to the new calendar "untitled 1"

Step 5. Repeat this step for all spam invites.

Step 6. Now delete the spam calendar "untitled 1." Click the "Edit" button then the red button next to "untitled 1." to delete the spam calendar.



Not only will this remove all current spam, but it should eliminate any further ones from that sender.

Podcasting with two USB Mic's in Garageband PICS -v2.0

After getting a few requests I have decided to update my old post to current info for OSX 10.6.4 and Garageband 3.0.5. Yes, I know that there is a new version of iLife'11 available but I have not had the need to purchase, but once I do I will update my post to v3.0. Also, new is a notes feature at the end of the post for strange things that I have come across.

This following post is an updated version of my original: Podcasting with two USB Mic's in Garageband PICS

So after searching the internet and apple forums I found some work arounds, but finally found a way that works great and is easy to setup using the utilities provided by my Mac.

So here is how I found out how to do it:

Step 1. Plug both of your USB mics into your Mac

Step 2. Open up the "Audio MIDI Setup" utility Applications -> Utilities -> Audio MIDI Setup

Step 3. In the bottom left of the "Audio MIDI Setup" window click on the "+" button to add a new aggregate device.

Step 4. Locate your two USB mics and check in the "use" column. You can now double click on the new device "Aggregate Device" and change the name. I changed mine to "Dual Blue Snowball Mics" so that I could easily identify it later on.

Step 5. Verify that your newly created aggregate device shows up in your audio settings. You can find it under System Preferences -> Sound -> Inputs

Step 6. Open your Garageband podcast project. You now want to set your Garageband Preferences to take the input from your new aggregate device. Garageband -> Preferences -> Audio/MIDI -> Audio Input and find your device for mine I added Dual Blue Snowball.

Step 7. Now to add the input to the podcast poject. For this I added two new tracks using the Podcasting -> No effects setting (you can set this by using the track info on the right hand side after clicking on the track).

NOTE: Don't forget to change the "input" on the track info to "Channel 1 & 2 (stereo)" for one of the tracks and "Channel 3 & 4 (stereo)" for the second track. Otherwise Garageband won't pick up both mic inputs.

You should now be able to test either mic and verify that they are input and being recorded by Gargageband.

Good luck and happy podcasting.

The dude abides.


NOTES:

- Make sure you are connecting your USB mics directly into the laptop or desktop computer. If you use a USB hub you may have some interference or it may not pickup the mic correctly.

Updated: 3-6-11

iPhone 3G - Release date TBD (coming soon)!

With all the recent news of the new revision of the iPhone due out in the next few months it has spurred some thoughts on how well received this will be and what will it mean for AT&T.

Recently during a presentation Walt Mossberg Co-editor of All Things Digital has stated that iPhone will be 3G within the next 60 days. This has increase speculation about the summer release of the iPhone rev 2.0.

As someone who has waited to jump on the bandwagon for several reasons, but most notably because of the 2 year contract I was tied into with Verizon Wireless has decided to wait it out and switch over in September after my contact expired.

Currently reasons to wait for the next generation of iPhone (mostly speculation):
- 3G network capabilities
- Ability to download and use native (non-internet depended) application on your iPhone
- Ability to cut and paste
- Larger storage capacity 32 GB +
- Corporate system integration (push email, iCal, etc)

Rhetorical Question no. 5002548

When will I be able to use an iPhone on the Verizon network?


Image from: http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/344/C11529/

Apple playing nice with others...

With the much anticipated release of the new version of Mac OSX 10.5 Leopard Apple has made some broad claims for the future. The bets have been made that this new version of the operating system will be the "anchor" for future application development. Having had the opportunity to install and use the new system I can see where they are coming from. This new version has several much anticipated features such as Time Machine, Cover Flow viewing, new integrated finder, and countless others.

See Apple's website to view the over 300 new features:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/300.html

However big the news isn't about Leopard. Personally I feel the big news came when Apple released info that beginning next year they would be offering a SDK (software development kit) for the iPhone and iPod Touch. This is a huge step in the right direction. I still don't think the end result product will be as smooth as the "install.app" and "jailbreak" versions currently used on hacked iPhones and iPod Touch's but it will be close.

So now I sit in anticipation to see what Apple's next big move will be to cause others to scurry around franticly in an attempt to beat the growing giant.

The Dude Abides.

iMac update soon upon us?

UPDATE: The Apple store is currently back up and now showing prices for the iMacs. Although I still hold that this may be an indicator of a soon update of the product line.


Currently the Apple Store is not showing iMacs for sale. This could be first indications new iMac with industrial designs are soon upon us.

Members of the Macrumors forums some people have begun experiencing delays with current iMac orders.

Rumors have pointed to an Aug 7th release, but this may be an indicator of an earlier release.

Here is a screenie from 7/28



Some recent rumors:
http://www.macrumors.com/2007/07/17/imac-revision-and-ilife-on-august-7th/
http://notes.thinksecret.com/secretnotes/0707august7.shtml

Even God Knows About the iPhone

Now that much of the hype of the iPhone has diminished I thought I would be able to escape the craziness that has ensued from the previous two weeks of the climax and intro of the iPhone... I was mistaken.

Recently I attended the funeral of my grandmother and while we were at her burial the pastor was giving a few words about death and the passing of the soul. During his talk he described the wait that she was going to have to participate in before she got into heaven "just like the people were waiting in line for the phone recently."

I was shocked and for a moment my spirits lifted a bit at the comedic humor involved in this situation. Later afterwards I took a moment to comprehend just how far this iPhone phenomena had really gone and asked my dad an aging boomer who only purchased his Razor phone because it was on-sale when he went into the store. He responded by saying that he had heard about the "iPhone" or Apple attempt at getting into the market, but also described it as an overpriced phone for the offerings.

So it seems that Apple has done a good job of getting the word out on their new "baby." I just hope this thing grows up to live up to the hype and expectations.

The Dude Abides.

Dear Santa (Jobs) where's my HiBRID device?

Dear Santa (Jobs) where's my HiBRID device?

I would love to purchase the new iPhone for many of it's features, but find the burden of a 2 year AT&T contract overwhelming (and frankly crazy) I currently have Verizon and they have EVDO. So with all the hype surrounding the launch of the new iPhone I thought I would take this moment to write my Dear Santa letter for the year.



Dear Santa (Jobs).
For Christmas (or sooner) I would like a hybrid device that can:
- Sync with iTunes
- Play's music and videos
- Has WiFi connectivity
- A mini version of OSX
- A great version of iCal that actually syncs with my macs
- A device that allows third party software development

You can give the coal and 2 year phone subscription to someone who needs it more than I do.

The Dude.

PS. What's up with the flux in the RDF (Reality Distortion Field) at the WWDC?

The Dude Abides.

Apple's Clever Product Placement

Recently while watching two of my favorite TV shows I noticed some clever product placement by Apple.

CSI New York: The non-tech savvy Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) ironic with the Mac, recently needed to view a video evidence found during an investigation. After bringing the DVD back to the lab Detective Mac Taylor proceeded to play the DVD on his MacMini.

Numb3rs: Although not as direct as the above reference if you are clever you can see that Dr. Charlie Eppes (David Krumholtz) relies on his trusty Mac Book Pro to aide him in his quest to finding the numerical probability with the use of (insert random math theory).

It's no mystery that Apple has already capitalized on their market share with the iPod while included several of their products in TV shows and movie.

It will be interesting to see how long it will take before the iPhone begins to make its debut on prime time.

The Dude Abides.

Apple iPhone: Remove the celluar provide = happier customers

Apple has release the information regarding their long awaited Apple iPhone.



"iPhone combines three products — a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching — into one small and lightweight handheld device. iPhone also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone. "

Retrieved from: Apple.com


However, now the catch to this whole equation "iPhone + Cingular = PDA / Phone." Cingular... Cingular has a lot to gain from this and it will find itself securing more customers in the future. But like myself there are many others who are unwilling to compromise on our phone service.

Why or when will Apple release a version of the iPhone for other cellular providers. Also does it beg the questions that how many people will purchase the iPhone with the sole intention to use it as a PDA only by passing the use of the cellular service if it is at all possible.

So I take my chance and prognosticate the fact that I believe Apple with release a new "upgraded" version of the iPhone that can still utilizes all the benefits of the iPhone minus the cellular service equalling happier customers or "iPhone - Cingluar = Happier Customers."

The dude abides.

Apple's Big News!

This image adorned the www.Apple.com homepage on January 1,2007.

In true Apple form they have increased the anticipation surrounding the release of their new 2007 products. Only one can wait and see what will be on the horizon for this increasingly viral company of products.

Here are a list of some of the suggestions mentioned so far:
-Apple iPhone
-New GUI for Leporard
-New features for the iTV
-Widescreen iPod

Who know's whats in store for the future, but one can sit back and smile at the anticipation of what is to come.

Look for more details after the WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) later this month.!