HomePod Mini

The HomePod is back and better than ever. The new HomePod Mini is Apple’s newest smart speaker and is only half the size of the original HomePod. The HomePod mini is smaller and packs in more features.

New HomePod Mini Features

One fantastic new feature is stereo pair. When you put two HomePod Minis in the same room, they will recognize each other and separate left and right channels to create a stereo pair. If you want to put two HomePod Minis beside each other on a bookshelf they will recognize each other and ask you if you would like to pair them.

Another new feature is Intercom. To use Intercom all you have to do is tell your HomePod Mini, “Hey Siri, tell everyone to come for dinner.” and your message will broadcast through all your HomePod Minis, all your household members AirPods, and send every ones iPhones, iPads, etc. a text to come to for dinner.

A third new feature is automatic Bluetooth connection between iPhone and HomePod Mini. All you need to do is unlock your iPhone and connect the HomePod Mini to your iPhone by using Bluetooth. This allows you to play any song, movie or video through your HomePod Mini.

My favourite new feature is that Siri can recognize up to six different family members and create a personalized experience.

Intercom on the Apple ecosystem

Pre-Order Date and Price

The pre-order date for the HomePod Mini is November 6, 2020 and the price is $129 (CAD).

Apple - Macs and iPads in Education

iPad technology is one of the most recent innovations schools are implementing in classrooms. This implementation has generated tremendous excitement among students.

Pure iTek is pleased to be part of the excitement. To date, Pure iTek has managed the iPad deployment at Elk Island Catholic School's new high school, Archbishop Jordan in Sherwood Park, utilizing Mobile Device Management (MDM), setup iPad profiles, and Volume Purchase Plan for Education (VPP). Last school year we had the honour of setting up a Mac Lab for an Edmonton Catholic School, Mother Margaret Mary High School.

It excites us to be on-site, powering classrooms with the most current Apple technology.

The iPad is so popular in school. During spring, 2013, I was the parent volunteer in our son's Kindergarten class at Woodbridge Farms School when iPads were introduced to the students. The teacher had me work with students individually in order to assess their familiarity with the device. (Only one student had never used an iPad, but had used her mom's phone to plays games.) The students were to demonstrate how to turn on the iPad, open an App, play the game, change the volume, close the App and turn off the iPad. At each turn, students immediately turned it on, went to the game icon I described and began to play.

New Apple technology in classrooms inspires and and engages students and Pure iTek is proud to participate. 

Why You Should Passcode Protect Your iPhone

Protect your data.

The answer is simple - to protect your data.

There is a bug that can bypass security in iOS 7. This bug allows anyone to disable Find My iPhone and bypass Activation Lock without a passcode. Disabling efforts don't always work and it's difficult to complete, but if someone does steal your iPhone, or if you lose your iPhone all your data can be compromised. The bug is irrelevant so long as your iPhone is passcode protected.

 So to be secure, put a passcode on your iPhone and have a great weekend!

Apples Newest iPad

Yesterday Apple announced the iPad with Retina display will replace the iPad 2.  This new iPad is a great alternative giving customers 4 models to choose from. 

iPad 4 starting at $399 with cellular $529

iPad Air starting at $519 with cellular $649

The iPad with Retina display is an affordable option for people to have an enjoyable experience from an iPad because, let’s face it, that iPad 2 was so slow and clunky running iOS7. Also, it finally gets rid of the 30-pin adaptor making all iPads Lightning cables, so there is no need to carry multiple cords.

Let’s not forget the iPad mini. For those of you who have started drifting off to sleep while reading your iPad in bed, or while laying on the couch, you know what happens next. Your eyes close, your arms get tired holding the heavy device and *Smack* you drop your iPad 2 on your head.

iPad mini starting at $319 with cellular $449

iPad mini Retina starting at $419 with cellular $549

So the only thing that's left to decide is - Which size works for you? Give us a call if you’d like to discuss.

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iCal Sharing

A lot happens in a single day.  The days whiz by in a blur and before you know it Christmas is 2 weeks away. Between being a husband, father and running a business, it is easy to lose sight of our priorities. 

 iCal sharing implemented across all home and business devices (Mac, iPad, iPhone) keeps our family in sync. 

You can share a calendar both publicly and privately with other people. 

Share a calendar privately

    1.    Click the Share button to the right of the calendar name in the sidebar, then select Private Calendar.
Note:   You can also share the same calendar publicly. For instructions, see the next task, “Share a calendar publicly.”

2.    Type the invitee’s email address in the Add Person field and press Return.

    3.    Click the pop-up menu with the invitee’s name and choose access privileges (View & Edit or View Only). 

    4.    For each person you want to share the calendar with, repeat steps 2 and 3.

    5.    When you’ve invited everyone and set their privileges, click OK.

Invitation emails are sent from your iCloud email address to the participants you specified.

Share a calendar publicly

    1.    Click the Share button to the right of the calendar you want to share, then select Public Calendar.
Note:   You can also share the same calendar privately. For instructions, see the previous task, “Share a calendar privately.”
 

    2.    To invite people to view the calendar, click Email Link.

    3.    Type one or more email addresses in the To field, then click Done.

The people you specify automatically receive an invitation email that includes the calendar’s URL. An invitee doesn’t need to be an iCloud user to accept an invitation to view a shared public calendar.

You can also resend invitations to one or more invited participants at any time.