Macfixit Australia Blog

The OWC Aura SSDs For Mid-2013 & Later MacBook Air, MacBook Pro with Retina are available now from the Macfixit Australia store. It is the first and only PCIe-based flash storage upgrade for Mid 2013 and Later Apple MacBook Air as well as MacBook Pro with retina display computers. The new Aura SSD emanates from over two years of research and development and it is believed to offer a unique upgrade for users of the more recent MacBook Pros as well as MacBook Airs.

Highlighted below are its features;

• 480GB and 1.0TB capacity options
• Capacity is about 8 times that of Apple factory SSD
• Tier 1 PCIe-based flash having 7% over-provisioning
• Upgrade kits comprise all tools as well as an OWC Envoy Pro drive enclosure that is used for data migration and for repurposing original Apple SSD
• 24x7 support that enables users to upgrade the flash themselves
• 30-day money back guarantee
• Three years warranty

Improved Factory Capacity
The SSD has about 8 times the stock and double the factory capacity through its 480GB and 1.0TB options. This gets rid of the worry and stress of buying a new computer with higher capacity SSD flash drive.

Complete Upgrade Solution
The OWC Aura SSD also come with upgrade kits which make it easy to replace the drive in the MacBook Pro with Retina display or MacBook Air. The upgrade solution also comprise free, comprehensive install videos and top-notch customer support.

No Complicated Hacks
OWC SSDs are advantageous because there will be no need to compromise one’s data by depending on complex software hacks or TRIM enablers to enjoy the best service from the upgrade.

Top-Notch Quality Is the Priority
The Aura PCIe-based flash upgrades that come with quality, tier-1 NAND flash memory that provides about 8 times the capacity upgrade offered by the original factory drive. Since the OWC SSDs are originally meant for Mac, and have excellent technologies for enhanced performance which include error correction, cell-level refresh as well as global wear-leveling algorithms.

Repurpose the Apple Factory SSD
All Aura SSD upgrade kits include the award-winning OWC Envoy Pro, a high-performance enclosure designed to reimagine your Mac’s original drive as a lightning-fast external storage solution. 

Availability and Pricing
OWC Aura SSD for 2013 and Later Macs can be ordered at Macfixit Australia OWC SSD Page. The price for the OWC Aura Upgrade Kits as well as the tools and Envoy pro enclosure include:

• $619.99 for 480GB model - OWCSSDAB2MB05K
• $959.99 for the 1TB model. OWCSSDAB2MB10K

The drive only options are:

• $529.99 for the 480GB model - OWCSSDAB2MB05
• $869.99 for the 1TB model - OWCSSDAB2MB10

The OWC Dual Boot Enabler for Apple Boot Camp has been announced by OWC Digital, adding Boot Camp in support to some of their OWC marquee products. This includes the award-winning Aura SSD along with the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro w/Retina display.

Boot Camp allows users to partition their drive and install Microsoft Windows directly to their Mac. This enables simultaneous use of Windows while providing a straightforward transition between both operating systems. While most OWC products support Boot Camp, this addresses the incompatibility issues that a few of the solid state drives were experiencing, but no longer.

OWC Digital offers a free download that eliminates this particular barrier with a simple, pivotal solution that Gizmodo called “hands-down fantastic”. The OWC drives have augmented their overall function and effectiveness by the inclusion of Boot Camp. Thanks to the OWC enabler, users can now install Windows with the following products along with the SSDs that already support Boot Camp.

• OWC Aura SSD, MacBook Air & MacBook Pro w/Retina Display
• OWC Aura SSD for Mac Pro
• Mercury Accelsior E2

The Gold Stevie Award-winning storage upgrade for Macbook Pro Retina 2013 and later builds upon its unparalleled value which offers the opportunity to expand upon the use of their computers that did not exist before. With eight times more capacity that reaches up to 1TB, those who want Boot Camp capabilities can enjoy the first and only PCIe-based flash storage upgrade for 2013 and later Mac Laptops.

In addition, the Mac Pro models of OWC Aura SSD is available in 1TB, 2,TB, and 4TB capacities. This will add Boot Camp to the internal capacity upgrade that is 16 times the factory drive. In addition to the higher performance and overall capacity, this will create even more possibilities for content creators who use recent Mac Pro models.

Also, the PCIe-based Mercury Accelsior E2 is now part of the OWC SSD line which is compatible with Boot Camp. Delivering over 800MB/sec speeds and enhanced storage expansion flexibility of the eSATA that goes up to 1TB, the Mercury Accelsior E2 gets even more out of older computers that offer PCIe slots thanks to the Boot Camp.

“Ever since the company’s beginning, OWC has been customer-driven, and the introduction of OWC Dual Boot Enabler for Apple Boot Camp is just a recent example,” said Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO of OWC. “In pursuit of continual improvement towards excellence with each and every OWC product, we will work to continue OWC’s dedication to giving customers the freedom to do more with their Mac.”

The OWC Dual Boot Camp Enabler which is designed for Apple Boot Camp is compatible with all versions of OS supported by the affected computers. The OWC Dual Boot Enabler for Apple Boot Camp is now available as free download which you can find on OWCdigital.com. Users can choose to uninstall the enabler afterwards if you only need to use it for setup purposes. Or, you can leave it installed since it uses no memory or other resources within the system.

Backup Your iOS Devices

There are many ways to backing up Mac devices, including the built-in Time Machine app (in OS X). Online Cloud services are important for backing up, especially for a redundant backup strategy. Bootable backups are a way to get your Mac running again in case of a primary drive failure. As for the iOS devices, however, we have three different options.

iCloud Backup

One of the easiest and most popular ways to back up an iOS device is to use the function that is already built in, the iCloud. Enable the iCloud backup by going to Settings > iCloud > Backup. iOS devices include iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads – they are backed up when you are logged into iCloud as shown above, at the Lock Screen and not being used, and connected to Wi-Fi. So every time you plug your phone in to charge, whether it be while you’re sleeping or just while you’re not using it, it gets backed up.

The main things that iCloud backs up are account information, documents created on an iOS device, Health information, Home settings, and regular settings. So if you need to reset your phone for any reason, it is incredibly simple to get right back to where you were. It is also useful when it comes to getting a new phone or device. During the setup process for iOS devices, it will ask if the user wants to set up a new device or restore using a backup. You can then select a saved backup from the iCloud, so that settings and data are restored and apps will begin downloading to the home screen.

You must have an iCloud account however. Apple provides 5 GB of free space, so if you have one or two devices, this may work for you. For greater than 5 GB, however, you will need to pay – 50 GB for $.99 a month, 200 GB for $2.99 a month, and 1 TB for $9.99 a month.

iTunes Backup

iTunes can also be used to back up iOS on any Mac or any PC. All you need is a Lightning cable or 30-pin Dock Connector Cable. Which cable you need depends on the model of the iOS device you’re planning to back up.

1. Plug the cable into the USB port of your Mac or PC, then launch iTunes. Connect the device using the cable. Any content that you purchase from iTunes or App Store will then be transferred to your Mac or PC.
2. Go to File > Devices, and then Transfer Purchases, all on the menu bar. If the File menu is not available, hold down the Control and B keys at the same time, allowing it to pop up. Let the content finish transferring before you unplug your device.

When it comes to backing up Health or Activity data, or an Apple Watch, you need to first encrypt the data.

1. Go to the phone menu on iTunes, then select "This Computer", and check the "Encrypt Data" box. You may have to make a password – make sure it’s one that you’ll remember, because you’ll need it to access the backup. If you don’t have to back up Health or Activity, you can ignore encrypting the data.
2. Click “Back Up Now” and the back up will begin.

When it is done, check to make sure it was done successfully, by clicking iTunes Preferences and then the Devices button. It should show the name of the device backed up, along with the date and time. If it was encrypted, a lock will appear next to the name of the device.

iOS Flash Drive

There are iOS flash drives are available from a multitude of manufacturers, with the most recommended being Leef iBridge, which can be found at macfixit.com.au. This particular iOS flash drive is available in 16GB, 32 GB or 64 GB. It works as a free companion iOS app, displaying when it is available to back up onto the iBridge. It uses a fast, one-tap way to move files from the device to the iBridge. Once it is stored on the drive, it can then be used to transfer onto the computer, or even another iOS device.

Our devices go everywhere with us, carrying a lot of personal information, media, and data. These backups are easy to do, and should not be neglected as they’re incredibly important for restoring, resetting, or transferring data to a new device. Make sure that you include your iOS devices in your overall backup plan.

Most portable storage solutions tend to be somewhat unreliable, and also, pose performance issues. It does not have to be that way. The OWC Envoy Pro Mini can take care of all your portable storage needs without compromising on anything. And guess what? It looks cool too!

Don't make a mistake, the Envoy Pro Mini is not just another flash drive. It uses controller electronics and solid-state memory similar to the kind seen in OWC desktop SSDs.

You may want to take a look at the complete review of the device from Examiner.com, to really understand what it has on offer for you. If an ultra-portable storage solution is what you need, and you expect performance that is no less than desktop-class, the Envoy will truly make you happy.

The Envoy Pro SSD from OWC is a true win

www.lafcpug.org/tutorials/basic_owc_aura_pro_install.html

This article was originally published on the OWC Blog website.

As expected, Apple released iOS 9.3 at Monday’s spring event. With it came the usual minor bug fixes and security updates, as well as a new feature called Night Shift.

There were also some additions to the Wi-Fi Calling feature. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile now all support Wi-Fi Calling. Additionally, AT&T has now enabled international Wi-Fi Calling on the iPhone 6 and later.

If you’re looking to take advantage of Wi-Fi Calling, here’s how to enable the feature on your iPhone 5c or later if your network supports it:

1) Under Settings, choose the Phone app and then tap Wi-Fi Calling.

2) You’ll then toggle Wi-Fi Calling on This iPhone into the on position and receive a warning about location data collection.3) You will then be prompted to enter an emergency 911 address. This is the address you will want emergency services sent if you call 911. The emergency address can be changed at any time.

When the Wi-Fi Calling feature is available, you’ll see Wi-Fi after your carrier name in the status bar. Note: Not all Wi-Fi networks support Wi-Fi Calling.

By going into the Phone app and tapping Calls on Other Devices and then Add Wi-Fi Calling for Other Devices, you can also enable Wi-Fi calling from a Mac, iPad, iPod or Apple Watch linked to the Apple ID

Citing a risk of electrical shock, Apple has issued a voluntary recall on AC wall plug adapters designed for use in Continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Argentina and Brazil. Apple said today that the adapters may break and create a risk of electrical shock.

According to Apple, the adapters in question were shipped from 2003 to 2015 with Mac and certain iOS devices, and were also included in the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit.

If you suspect you may have bought one of these adapters, you can follow the instructions at Apple’s website to confirm whether yours is one of the affected models and also find out how to exchange it for a new and safer one.

Sept. 25 has finally arrived! And you know what that means – The new iPhone models have arrived.

Our good friends at iFixit have once again travelled all the way from sunny California to camp out at the local Apple store to then bring the new iPhone models to our our office in North Melbourne. They proceeded to completely destroy all them all to examine what's inside.

If you're one of the lucky ones to have picked up a brand new iPhone 6S or 6S Plus, check out our range of iPhone accessories and iPhone cases to make sure you're ready for the awesome experience. 

There is no excuse to stop learning just because the week is about end. After all, learning about the Apple devices you like the most is always fun!

Today, we are going to put the spotlight on Messages, the very popular iOS app. Used in order to receive SMS, MMS, and iMessage files, the app is one of the most interesting iOS apps available at the moment. Capable of keeping us in contact with our loved ones on a constant basis, this app truly rocks.

Given below are some important tips that will help you use Messages in a whole new and fun way:

1. Send any voice message

It may seem like typing a text message on your iPhone or dictating something to Siri is as easy as it gets, but there is something even easier: sending voice messages.

To start recording a message, simply launch your Messages app and put the recipient’s name. Note that it is important for a recipient to have iMessages compatibility in order to receive your messages. Whether a person can receive iMessages or not can be understood by checking the color of that person’s name. If the person can receive iMessages, his or her name will appear blue. Otherwise, it will appear green.

A small button resembling ‘Microphone’ toward the right corner of the edit field of iMessage will help you record your message. To record something, simply press and hold the button. During the recording phase of your message, the screen of your device will show visual speech representation.

You continue recording your voice message as long as you keep your finger on the ‘Microphone’ symbol.

You lift your finger and this is what happens:

If you want to hear your recording, choose the ‘Play’ button. If you want to remove the recording, pick ‘X’, instead. The ‘Up’ arrow is useful if you want to send it.

In case you like to do things quickly, you can even slide your recording finger directly up after recording your message. That way, your message is recorded and sent in one go!

2. Send a video message within seconds

If you are on a vacation and you shoot a mesmerizing video, you do not need to edit your video and then fit it inside an email to share it with your friends. If you choose to, you can send it to your friends with just a single tap!

Toward the left part of the edit field of the app, one camera button can be found. You have to use that when recording a video message. Generally, the button takes care of the purpose of attaching pictures to a message, but it can be used to capture videos, as well. When you tap the button and hold it for a while, you will find that a semicircle appears on the screen.

Your device’s background starts showcasing whatever scene your camera is pointed at. After that, it is just a matter of tapping on the red button you see to begin recording a video. If you want to stop a recording, you can tap the same button once more.

You can even take stills to complement your video. For the purpose, tapping the button with camera icon is enough.

If you want to switch from FaceTime or front camera to iSight or rear camera, and vice versa, you can do that by using the small camera button which can be found toward the upper right corner.

Checking your video clip before finally sending it is possible, too. Once you are done recording a video, the ‘Record’ button transforms into ‘Play’ to allow you to do exactly that. To send your video, locate the button resembling up arrow, and tap it.

3. View when a message was sent or received in time stamp mode.

The Messages app keeps track of the time when a message is sent, or received. However, at first glance, that may not seem obvious, as it hides the time-stamp in order to keep the appearance free of clutter. If you want to see when a message came in, you can just swipe toward your left and have the time-stamp appear in all its glory. Once you lift your finger after swiping, the time-stamp will disappear automatically.

4. Let Siri say it all

If you get a quite lengthy message from your buddy or boss, and you have no desire to read it yourself, you can simply ask Siri to read the same for you.

Locate the message and double tap on it. Once that is done, a menu will appear containing the options ‘Speak’ and ‘Copy’. Select ‘Speak’ to hear Siri read your message. In this case, Siri will even speak misspellings pretty well.

Note, however, that you must allow the feature beforehand. In order to do that, Go to ‘Accessibility’ under ‘General’ settings and tap the ‘Speech’ option.

5. Get your message sent using Siri

Even at times when you do not have the convenience of typing a message for someone, you can still get your message through using Siri. Just use the microphone of your phone to record your voice message, and send it. In case you want to send a video message, the camera will be of assistance.

This feature is especially helpful for keeping in touch with people via message when you are driving. To enable the feature, take your iOS device, go to ‘Siri’ under ‘General’ settings, and allow the ‘Hey Siri’ feature.

You can send many different messages with the help of Siri. One example of what you can dictate is “Hey Siri, tell Janet I’m on my way home.”

Whatever message you choose to send, Siri will present to you a screen containing your message in every case. However, be sure to avoid looking at the same in case you are driving your car. Siri will also ask you whether you would like to send your message, or not. To allow, say ‘Send it’, or ‘Yes’.

In case you want to cancel sending the same, you can simply say ‘Cancel’. You can even review your message if you want to, by giving the command ‘Review the message’ to Siri. When you ask Siri to review your message, your message will be read back by the app, followed by seeking your confirmation to send the same.

If, after hearing your message, you do not want to send it you can simply change your message by asking Siri to ‘Change it’.

Even though it seems like cellular signal is available pretty much everywhere on the planet these days, sometimes there are still places where cellular signal does not reach. You may find your phone without signal in the middle of Australian Alps when you are climbing a mountain, for instance, or in the outback when you are riding a bike in the countryside!

Fortunately, to help you deal with those times when you just cannot get phone reception no matter how hard you look, Google Maps gives you the feature to save any map for offline use.

Of course, when you are offline you will not be able to get directions or do any other fancy stuff, but still, having a good map can save you from getting lost.

If you have never used the offline map feature before, the following steps will guide you:

Step 1:

Turn on your Wi-Fi or cellular data in a place where signal is available, like your hotel or house, and launch your Google Maps. Make sure that you sign into your Google Account before using the app.

Step 2:

Search the map of your destination by either speaking its name or by typing the same inside the search box.

Step 3:

Look for the location name toward the lower part of the phone screen, and tap it. A screen containing data about weather and certain facts will appear.

Step 4:

Locate three dots toward the upper right corner of the screen and tap the dots (see the arrow in the screenshot above).

Step 5:

Click on ‘Save Offline Map’ option from the list of options you get. The app will ask you whether you want to save your map. To go ahead, perform a bit of zoom in and zoom out in order to adjust the total area you wish to save. Once you are satisfied with the area, click the ‘Download’ button, which can be found toward the bottom left corner. Then, save your map using a name that you can remember easily.

Step 6:

To make sure that your saved maps have fresh information, you may want to update your maps on a monthly basis. That is because 30 days is the default period for which Google Maps are considered as up to date. To open any of your saved maps later, click the ‘Hamburger’ button after launching your Google Maps app. The ‘Hamburger’ button can be found toward the left of the search box.

Step 7:

Select ‘Your Places’ from the menu you get. You will see a list of all the maps you have saved lately to use offline. Locate whichever map you wish to view and tap on it to expand.

Even though you cannot get directions or search for anything specific when dealing with your offline maps, you can still get a lot of information, including points of interest. You can locate a great restaurant, for instance, even when there is absolutely zero cellular reception in the area.

In case you use a limited data pack on your iPhone, offline maps will help you save some of your precious megabytes. On the other hand, in case your phone does not have much space left, you will reduce its space further by saving maps to use offline.

Mozilla seems to be making good progress with the release of its iOS Firefox browser. The company recently launched a trial program for a limited period in New Zealand, in order to gather important data and eliminate any bugs present before the browser’s worldwide debut, which will take place in the later part of 2015.

The company announced the initial preview of the iOS Firefox browser through its blog on the 3rd of September. In the blog, the company noted that, apart from New Zealand, testing will take place in certain other countries too before the browser’s public launch.

Several different features are being tested by the Mozilla team, including Intelligent Search, which is a tool that provides relevant results to a user when the user searches for something with the help of the user’s selected providers. Other than that, Firefox Accounts are also on the Apple watch. Such accounts provide cross-device synchronisation of history, tabs and passwords, and also, portable account management feature.

Through its trials, Mozilla is collecting feedback from different users not only to fix bugs, but also to optimise the overall performance level of its new browser. The company is fully committed to launching its new product in the App Store by the year’s end. To make things easy for its users, Mozilla has provided an in-app system via which messages can be submitted directly.

When it comes to mobile web browsing, Apple Safari is the browser of choice for most users. Still, Firefox is a name that every desktop and laptop lover is familiar with, and so it can very strong impact the mobile world, too.

Interestingly, in the year 2013, Mozilla announced that it had no aspiration to build a Firefox version for the iOS platform until restrictions placed on web browsers sold via the Apple App Store were loosened a bit. It seems like the company eventually decided to backtrack.