O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: setup

  • Clarus the Dogcow sighted in macOS 13 Ventura beta

    Clarus the Dogcow sighted in macOS 13 Ventura beta

    Clarus the Dogcow may return in Apple’s upcoming macOS 13 Ventura operating system.

    When Apple SVP Craig Federighi talked about how the “crack product marketing team” came upon the “stunning surf” and “lush alluvial plains” of Ventura, inspiring name of the new macOS, the team apparently ran into an old friend while they were out there, and decided to bring it back into the operating system.

    According to Shadowfacts, Clarus the Dogcow can be seen if you open Page Setup in an app that supports it (such as Pages) like the Clarus of old. Shadowfacts was also able to pull a high-resolution image from the Ventura code. Longtime Mac users will notice that Clarus seems to have found a good groomer in Ventura, since its coat has lost its pixelated look and is a lot smoother.

    Clarus is the creation of Susan Kare, the graphics design who created the icons and other graphical elements of the original Mac operating system. Kare also created the Cairo font that included an animal that looked part dog and part cow. Clarus was used in the Page Setup window to help the user with page orientation, but then Clarus disappeared.

    Apple’s macOS 13 Ventura operating system is still in beta, so we’ll have to wait and see if Clarus makes it into the final release this fall.

    Until then: MOOF!!!

    Via Macworld and Shadowfacts

  • Apple’s device activation servers facing heavy traffic following holiday gift exchange

    Apple’s device activation servers facing heavy traffic following holiday gift exchange

    If you snagged a new Apple device such as an iPhone or an iPad for Christmas and are having a difficult time activating it, there’s a good reason for it: Apple’s activation servers are being bombarded given the new activity.

    Although the Apple System Status page shows that everything is fine, it’s not difficult to find on Twitter or Reddit people complaining that they can’t activate their new iPhone or sign in to iMessage/FaceTime because it’s taking forever.

    The same thing happened last year, as many users had a difficult time setting up a new device via iCloud:

    We are experiencing a high capacity at this time which is impacting your ability to set up iCloud, please try back in a couple of hours.

    This year, fewer users complained about issues activating a new iPhone.

    Twitter user Willian Max, for example, described that he bought a new iPhone 12 and iCloud was taking forever not only to back up the older phone but to transfer the data for the new device.

    Over on Reddit, the following guide was posted for activating an iPhone:

    1. Restart your iPhone.
    2. If you’re using a cellular-data connection, connect to a reliable Wi-Fi network instead.
    3. If you get an error message on your iPhone that says the activation server is temporarily unavailable or cannot be reached when trying to activate, wait a few minutes, then repeat the previous steps.

    Another workaround is to use your Mac or Windows PC to back up and set up the device.

    If you’ve experienced issues setting up a new Apple device, please let us know what’s happened on your end and what you did to fix it.

    Via 9to5Mac, Apple, @willianmax, and Reddit

  • T-Mobile launches 5G Home Internet service, forgoes data caps

    T-Mobile launches 5G Home Internet service, forgoes data caps

    Wireless carrier T-Mobile on Wednesday launched a new Home Internet service that taps into the wireless carrier’s 5G network to provide home broadband access and quick setup through a companion iOS app.

    The service addresses a potential market of 30 million U.S. households while are eligible to sign up, and currently consists of a single plan that retails for $60 per month without added taxes, fees, contracts, or equipment charges.

    The carrier says most new customers will enjoy average speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. However, real-world 5G speeds on today’s mobile devices — including the iPhone 12 — often fall far short of these claims.

    T-Mobile has also stated that its Home Internet plan forgoes data caps, offering unlimited data usage.

    The company will send along a gateway router for customers that sign up for the service, and the device requires only a power outlet and central location for the home.

    The router includes a pre-installed SIM card, which will pick up a 5G connection and relay it as a local WiFi network. It also has a built-in battery, allowing users to move it around their homes to find the spot with the best signal.

    The gateway device uses the current WiFi 6 standard, and T-Mobile has stated that it can support 64 simultaneous device connections. The unit also features two built-in Ethernet ports, and will fall back to LTE speeds if it loses its 5G signal.

    Users will need to go to the T-Mobile sign-up page and enter their address to see if they’re eligible for the service.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and T-Mobile

  • Apple releases iOS 9.0.1 update

    ios9logo2

    This is probably worth snagging.

    And, with any luck, it’ll take care of some of the larger issues users have been having.

    On Wednesday, Apple released iOS 9.0.1. The update, a 34.2 megabyte download (or 1 gigabyte download from a pre-iOS 9.0 version), offers the following fixes and changes:

    – Fixes an issue where some users could not complete setup after updating.

    (more…)