The April meeting was another successful one and another meeting where we welcomed new members.
The evening started off with some club announcements and details:
- Change of venue from the next meeting (10 May 2013) to the Wick Community Centre (also in Wickford), mentioning the benefits for the club and it’s members
- Monthly meetings will continue on the 2nd Friday of each month
- New Q&A format for the meetings, making them more involved for every attendee
- Plan for a club trip to the Silicon Dreams & Vintage Computer Festival 2013 in Coalville, Leicestershire, in July. Anyone interested in going to contact the club so that the club may consider transport options.
Next up was Apple related news and discussion. News items consisted of:
- iOS Podcasts app updated with custom stations and iCloud support
- Apple’s data centres now running on 100% renewable energy
- Apple changes iPhone warranty policies in China after government media pressure
- Google Forks WebKit for Chrome
- Firefox updated to version 20 with new download manager and private browsing improvements
- Apple faces Siri patent law suit in China
- Apple blocks yontoo trojan
- iMessage is highly secure
- Mac OS X 10.8.3 update available
- iOS 6.1.3 update available
- Final Cut Pro, Motion & Compressor updated
- Funny or Die iSteve biopic with Justin Long as Steve Jobs (80 minute movie released at the time of writing)
- JOBS film starring Ashton Kutcher delayed
Next up was a Tips & Tricks presentation by club Chairman Robert, on Recording Audio on a Mac - audio that is being played on the computer in any application, be it a browser (running YouTube), or a VoIP program such as Skype, DVD player, microphone or even a game.
Robert explained and demonstrated doing this using an application called Audio Hijack Pro by Rogue Amoeba. The in-depth demonstration and tutorial showed the powerful features of the application and how to achieve required results.
One of our members produces music and she quickly showed a piece of music where she had grabbed some sound with extreme clarity using Audio Hijack Pro to integrate into it.
Robert mentioned another application, WireTap Studio by Ambrosia Software, however this is has big limitations on OS X 10.7 and above and he mentioned that AudioHijack Pro was easier to use.
The application is a free download and the unlicensed version allows up to 10 minutes of recordings. The licensed version with unlimited length recordings costs just US$32 (approx £21)
The second presentation of the night was given by club member David. He gave a walkthrough and demonstration of the recently introduced Apple ID two factor authentication (also called two-step verification)
It was explained that this two factor authentication was only for your Apple ID (when needing to change any details such as email address, or credit card details) and not for when using your Apple ID to sign in to iCloud or make App Store or iTunes purchases. It is there to protect unauthorised changes to your Apple ID (which could affect everything you use your Apple ID for - purchases, etc).
As this is an option (at no charge) on your Apple ID security, you need to switch it on manually within your Apple ID account if you wish to use it.
David demonstrated the process of setting it up and showed the different options available, needing to select two of the three to set up two factor authentication: email, SMS and Recovery Key.
An important point made was that the Recovery Key should be kept separate from other passwords. A number of club members use the 1Password password manager and David explained that if one uses 1Password for all login details then the Recovery Key should not be stored in that application - storing both ‘factors’ of the authentication in the same place would in effect render it useless as anyone who could gain access to one’s 1Password details would then have the ability to change the details in the Apple ID, in this instance. It was advice well-given.
Apple themselves have a support page for two-step verification at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5570
The night closed with the interactive Q&A section - attendees helping each other by answering questions posed by other attendees.
The next SEAL meeting will be on Friday 10 May at the new venue:
The Wick Community Centre
Silva Island Way
Salcott Crescent
Wickford
Essex
SS12 9NR.