It is a difficult task to choice which Apple iPad apps to feature in our upcoming social, with some many new and interesting apps available, each serving a slightly different role.

Art Apps

Time to drop that mouse and start drawing like you used to. There are a wide range of art apps that are worth using, here are a few of the iPad art apps that I tend to use most often.

Useful iPad Apps

Track the news topics that more interests you with Flipboard, and save the articles you like with Pocket.

Gardening Toolkit HD

The Gardening ToolKit HD iPad app is for the Gardeners – track your plants, with an interactive journal and informational resource and image gallery. Here is a video that features some of the time saving tools from this powerful gardening app.

Top Apps from Apple for your iPad

The Apple iMovie app was the app that had me sold. Never before was video so easy to capture, edit and share. If you know music, GarageBand is a breast of an app, if you don’t know music, GarageBand is still really fun to play with. Keywords is number one for presentations on your iPad.

Adobe InDesign CS6 – leads the way for creating print, tablet, smartphone, and the web content. With pixel-prefect control, you can now learn how to control your design and typography even when the content is repurposed across different devices.

At Charlotte Street Computers – we now offer three Adobe InDesign classes.

• Adobe InDesign – Introduction
• Adobe InDesign – How to Publish an eBook
• Adobe InDesign – Series - STARTS Jan 24 2013

Video Tip – Adobe InDesign – Place images in a grid

Placing images in a grid with Adobe InDesign now can be done in one simple step, watch my video and discover the short cut for taking control of your images. This demo is an example form the Adobe InDesign – Series

Learn Adobe InDesign with our 3-week Adobe InDesign class in Asheville

August – Computer Training Classes and Workshops

We have over 25 classes in August. Discover the world of 3D with our two Google SketchUp classes. Expand your design styles with our four Adobe InDesign classes. Marvel at what you can be done with Google Chrome - it really is more than just another browser.

Our “IPAD For Business“ class is a great resource for integrating the iPad into your workplace, with tips on how to best work in the cloud, take advantage of suitable business apps and what to expect from your iPad at work.

WordPress users will be happy to learn that our WordPress class, “Tips for Maintaining Your Website” has returned. Including a LARGE list of recommended plugins, SEO rules and tips to keep your website up and active.

For our Apple users, don’t forget our ONE-HOUR MAC CLASSES. With at least three classes a week, you can enjoy a quick crash course on all the Mac / iPad basics (iPhoto, iMovie, Mac OS Basic, IPAD Basics).

Be sure to enroll early as classes do fill quickly.  We’ve recently added a waitlist for the Adobe Illustrator Level 1 class for August 24th, as the class is almost sold out.

Two months ago Charlotte Street Computers was featured on Asheville’s WLOS on the early morning TV show to discuss PC Security. We’ve received some requests for details from early risers who saw that show. Below are some of the key points we made at that time:

1) Visit www.microsoft.com/security
This website is an EXCELLENT resource for information about security on the PC, as well a safe place to download the free Microsoft Security Essentials software. (This free software from the company that makes your Windows Operating System leaves you with no excuse for NOT having a decent, up-to-date Anti-Virus program).

By the way, if you decide to change your anti-virus software follow this order:

1) Download the new software from a trusted location,
2) Uninstall the old software,
3) Run the installer that you downloaded in step one.
(Two Anti-virus software packages are NOT better than one.)

Back up your important stuff!

2) Keep these things up to date:

2a) Windows software is kept up to date with Microsoft’s Automatic Updates. Get familiar with what that looks like while things are working well. Update and Restart when advised.
2b) Adobe Flash, Acrobat Reader & Java: These programs are necessary for normal use, but are known targets of the bad guys for vulnerabilities. Updates address these vulnerabilities.
2c) Your Antivirus “virus definitions” (these are updated almost daily).
2d) Keep your internet browser of choice up to date. The major browsers are building in more features to protect against fake web-sites.
2e) Back up your important stuff!

3) Know WHAT anti-virus software you have by name (for example: Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, Microsoft and AVG). This is important because if you are browsing and some impressive looking “SuperDuperSecure 2012″ (or other such fake software) pops up and says you are infected, but this is not the name of your anti-virus program, you should immediately quit the web browser you are in. Many viruses get in by scaring people into clicking buttons that will actually launch the virus…Know how to quit with the keyboard command (“Alt+F4“). Also… Back up your important stuff!

4) Navigate to your financial institutions from your web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, or Chrome) yourself, not from links in email. The advice also applies with Facebook, webmail accounts, etc. If you do use an email link, LOOK carefully at the web address it takes you to. Most institutions will not ask for your account information from an email.

iPad at Work

Register for:
iPad at Work
March 31st, 2012 from 2-4pm

Topics will include:
• Overview of iPad 2 features
• Accessing and managing documents and files
• Creating and delivering presentations
• Hosting and attending virtual meetings
• Analyzing business intelligence

Your Business on a Mac

At this Seminar on March 3rd, we showed how easy it is to introduce a Mac into your business, and some surprising ways a Mac can help increase your productivity.

We learned:
- How to get around on the easy, user-friendly Mac OS X interface
- How included apps on the Mac can enhance your productivity
- How to connect a Mac to existing workgroups including PCs
- How to run Windows apps on the Mac

It’s too late to come to this Seminar but you can still download these FREE PDF resources:

1. Getting Started on a Mac (for Businesses with a Windows Server)
2. Getting Started on a Mac (for Businesses without a Windows Server)
3. PC World’s “Switching to a Mac” SuperGuide

In celebration of our 10th year in business, Charlotte Street Computers will host the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours at our 252 Charlotte St. location on June 7th, 2012, from 5:30pm-7pm.  Please join us, and enjoy quality networking along with complimentary beverages and hors d’oeuvres!