Welcome to my official home on the web. Below, you will find a list of the most recent technology articles that I have published and the sites/magazines where they have appeared. You can also subscribe to this list via RSS and be constantly updated of any new features that I write.
You can also use this site to find out more about my professional background and the technology consulting and training services that I offer.
Warmly,
Ryan J. Faas
Published at Computerworld - 7/30/2008
Since the announcement of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 firmware this spring, Apple has touted the device’s ability to integrate into business and enterprise environments. In the first of this three-piece series, I take a look at what IT departments need to know in order to successfully roll out and support the iPhone as a business device. In this installment, find out how to plan iPhone purchases and deployments as well as to create profiles that automatically configure settings and email accounts.
Published at Computerworld - 7/30/2008
Terminal servers aren’t new to the IT world - Citrix and Windows Terminal Services have offered clients the ability to remotely connect and run full GUI desktops and applications remotely for quite some time. AquaConnect now brings that capability to Mac OS X Server, allowing a diverse range of clients to run Mac OS X and Mac-specific applications through a server session. Even though it’s still very much a version one product, AquaConnect shows a lot of promise for many network environments. Get all the details in this review
Published at InformIT - 7/18/2008
Whether you’re an existing iPhone owner considering upgrading to an iPhone 3G, or a new user planning to purchase an iPhone for the first time, these tips will help you be prepared when you go to an Apple or AT&T store to buy your new iPhone.
Published at Computerworld - 7/12/2008
Despite standing in line since just after dawn and hours of frustrating delays in activation, the iPhone 3G proves to be well worth the wait. Get all the details of my iPhone launch day experience along with my first impressions of the the game-changing device in this review.
Published at Computerworld - 7/8/2008
Do you think you know how to get the most of your Mac notebook’s trackpad or about Apple’s history of introducing the first notebook trackpad and it’s subsequent innovations of the trackpad? If you answered yes, don’t be so certain. From accidental “features” of early PowerBook trackpads to multi-touch gestures ways to get add ranges of new tap and drag features to almost any Mac notebook, this article is bound to have tricks for Mac users old and new alike.
Published at InformIT - 6/12/2008
With all the iPhone news coming out of Apple about the iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 update, it can be confusing to find simple answers. This quick run down has you covered with this list of need-to-know information about the iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 software update features and availability.
Published at Computerworld - 6/10/2008
By now everyone knows that the new iPhone 3G is coming in July, as is the iPhone 2.0 update that enables many new software features on existing iPhones (improved mail, Exchange and enterprise options, support for the new MobileMe, and access to third party applications via the App Store to name a few). If you own a first generation iPhone, is upgrading to a new iPhone G3 your best bet or should you settle for iPhone 2.0? Find out what questions to ask yourself before making the decision.
Published at Computerworld - 5/23/2008
It may not be the notebook for everyone, but Apple’s 17-inch MacBook Pro with high resolution LED backlit screen is an amazing computer. The perfect desktop replacement for anyone in the video or design fields, it sports the best notebook screen I’ve ever seen with a native capable for full 1080p video work. Check out my review for all the details of this oversized portable machine.
Published at Computerworld - 5/14/2008
Whether you liked the way Mac OS X looked before Leopard or you just want to customize your Mac, these nine tweaks make easy and quick work of bending the look and feel of Leopard to your will. From tricking out the Dock with custom 3D backgrounds to new iChat/PhotoBooth special effects and from making Quicklook and Spotlight more useful to setting a custom login window background, find out about my nine ‘must-have’ Leopard tweaks.
Published at Computerworld - 4/3/2008
Time Machine, Spaces, Stacks, and Screen Sharing are all features of Leopard that any Mac user knows about, but with over 300 new features, there are lots that many Mac users have yet to discover. Join me as I count down the top 25 lesser-known features in Leopard.
Published by Computerworld - 3/26/2008
Introduced at Macworld in January, the Apple TV Take 2 updates packs new features like movie rentals from the iTunes Store, a new interface, and the ability to make iTunes purchases right from your couch. All these features (and a few others) combine to fulfill the promise of a device that floundered to find a market for much of its first year as a shipping product - but is it a perfect device for everyone and will replace services like NetFlix? Find out in this review.
Published by Computerworld - 3/24/2008
With Leopard Server, Apple introduced a number of new and innovative technologies, including two new setup modes designed to make installing and managing a server for small businesses and workgroups as easy as using a Mac desktop. Get the low down on these new setup modes, how they operate, what they can mean for your organization, and find out which services still require an advanced server setup.
Published at InformIT - 2/15/2008
Did you just get an iPhone as a gift (or as a gift to yourself)? Are you wondering which accessories are the ones that will be the “can’t-live-without” add-ons? Check out my list of top cases and must-haves, including options for using your favorite headphones instead of those white earbuds that Apple includes with each iPhone.
Published at InformIT - 2/8/2008
Apple may not have yet opened the iPhone and iPod Touch for full application development, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of great Web-based applications out there. In fact, there are so many choices that it might be difficult to discover some of the best. Find out about the top ten options for doing everything from social networking to office-style applications to how to find the cheapest gas prices in your area.
Published at Computerworld - 1/18/2008
Apple’s big announcement at MacWorld 2008 was the world’s thinnest laptop. Having gotten some one-on-one time with the MacBook Air, it is an amazing machine that has to be seen to be believed. Get the skinny (no pun intended) on all the innovation the Air offers, as well as the reasons that it won’t be the right machine for everyone.
Published at Computerworld - 1/15/2008
The Steve Jobs keynote as reported live from MacWorld 2008 via my iPhone. For a more full-featured keynote experience, you may also want to check out the Apple’s webcast of the event now that it has been published.
Published at Peachpit Press - 1/18/2008
One of Leopard’s many new features is screen sharing. Screen sharing makes it easy to control a remote Mac on a local network, over the Internet (with or without Apple’s $99/year .Mac service), and even through iChat. Find out how easy it is use screen sharing for personal and professional purposes as well as how to secure your Mac and connection when using screen sharing.
Published at Peachpit Press - 1/11/2008
Finally making the switch to Leopard? Be sure that you know everything about your upgrade options before you start by using these tips in this article.
Published at Peachpit Press - 1/4/2008
Dashboard widgets have been a great feature of Mac OS X since Tiger was released. With Leopard, Apple has introduced Dashcode, an intuitive tool for creating widgets that is both easy and fun to use. Find out how easy it can be to create a news/headline widget, for example, in just a few minutes.
Published at Peachpit Press - 12/28/2007
In Leopard and Leopard Server, Apple has updated Open Directory to allow for more flexible network design options, better integration with Windows networks running Active Directory, new managed preferences options, and a RADIUS server for secure wireless networking. Find out the details and how they affect your Mac network.
Published at Computerworld - 12/24/2007
Among the many new and updated features in Leopard Server is iCal Server, a shared calendaring platform that is powerful, easy to manage, and interoperates with clients available for all major computing platforms. Find out more about the technology behind iCal Server, how to configure and manage shared calendars, how to connect to shared calendars from Macs running Leopard as well as other clients.
Published at Peachpit Press - 12/21/2007
In Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, one of the biggest and least-visible changes is the complete retirement of NetInfo and some of the related processes to streamline and improve user and group management. Find out how Leopard stores user and group information now that NetInfo has been replaced and what this means for end users and IT staff supporting Macs in part one of this two part series.
Published at Computerworld - 12/17/2007
While solutions for integrating Mac OS X with Windows Server and Active Directory are relatively commonly understood, solutions for integrating with Novell are much less common topics for discussion. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to integrate Macs into Novell networks. Find out about the options from free techniques to third-party solutions in this article.
Published at Computerworld - 12/4/2007
The holiday season is here once again. If you find yourself wandering the mall or Apple Store aimlessly trying to come up with the perfect gift for, check out this list of top Mac/Apple gifts. From iPods and iPhones, to solutions to help build the perfect home media center, to custom Dashboard widgets, there’s something for everyone.
Published at Peachpit Press - 11/21/2007
If you’re the type of person who knows you need to back up your system, but just can’t ever get around to actually doing it, you’re going to love Leopard’s new Time Machine. Find out how easy it is to setup Time Machine, how effortless it makes backups every hour, and how to restore files or even your entire hard drive.
Published at Peachpit Press - 11/9/2007
When Apple released iWork ‘08, it included Numbers, Apple’s unique take on what a spreadsheet application should look like. Offering most of the features of Excel at a much lower price would be news enough for many users, but Numbers goes further by making spreadsheets easy (one might even dare to say fun) to create and edit. Find out all about how Numbers takes spreadsheets beyond a boring grid with easy to to use features as well as design and publishing options to make your information really stand out.
Published at Computerworld - 11/6/2007
With differing interfaces, licensing models, and support mechanisms, how do you compare these two platforms? Licensing cost and by functionality of their major features as well as thei effectiveness in different environments. Find out where Apple gets the most bang for your buck and where Microsoft still has some very real advantages.
Published at Computerworld - 10/30/2007
Leopard has redefined Mac OS X in many ways, but one of the greatest may go unnoticed by most users. NetInfo, the directory database technology used to store local user account or other machine information in every previous Mac OS X version, has been retired in Leopard. Other big user account changes include the ability to create groups of users and new user account types. Leopard also marks the first release of Mac OS X to easily allow users to share any folder anywhere on the hard drive - something not seen on Macs since Mac OS 9.
Published at Computerworld - 10/29/2007
Time Machine has probably garnered more attention than any other Leopard feature and with good reason. Time Machine may sport a rather over the top sci-fi interface for retrieving items from a backup, but it also offers the most user-friendly backup solution on the market. Find out how well Apple integrated Time Machine into Leopard and how to use Time Machine to backup, locate and restore individual files, and recover from a serious disaster in this in-depth guide.
Published at Peachpit Press - 10/29/2007
Spaces in Leopard let’s you have as many monitors as you want, virtually speaking. Apple’s new virtual desktop tool may not be the most exciting feature in Leopard, but it is a pretty powerful tool for organizing your digital workspace and increasing productivity. Get the scoop on all the features of Spaces and how to get the most out of them in this article.
Published at Computerworld - 10/28/2007
Leopard has roared into Apple Stores and onto Macs all over the world. Leopard Server, however, has gotten somewhat less attention despite offering many revolutionary new features of its own. From taking on the small business IT needs to Apple’s first calendar server and other collaborative tools, Leopard Server has something for every business (even those without any IT staff).
Published at Peachpit Press - 10/26/2007
The iPhone is one of the most advanced portable Internet devices on the planet (in addition to being an iPod and a cell phone). Find out how to make the most of those advanced Internet capabilities with these tips and tricks.
Published at Peachpit Press - 10/19/2007
Tired of tapping and scrolling to find contacts or songs on your iPhone? Check out the tips in the article for ideas on how to organize the information synced to your iPhone to make it easier and faster to use as well as some often unnoticed ways to navigate through your music.
Published at Computerworld - 9/30/2007
Part two of this series looking at Mac OS X Server’s NetBoot service, covers how to create and manage NetBoot and NetInstall images. Whether you want to create generic images from a Mac OS X install DVD or fully configured systems, this article has you covered. Along the way, it also discusses load balancing and some serious issues with recent Mac OS X releases.
Published at Peachpit Press - 9/24/2007
After all the hype, the price cut, and waiting to see if the iPhone really is all it seems, you’ve decided to buy one. This article (the first in a three part series of tips for for new iPhone owners), helps you know what to expect when purchasing and activating an iPhone through iTunes.
Published at Computerworld - 9/21/2007
Anyone who’s used an iPhone will tell you that it embodies a sense of very cool futuristic technology. The combination of style, ingenious interface, and all around function has made the iPhone one of the most successful mobile devices in history. There is, however, plenty of room for new features and improvements. So, here’s my list of the top 15 things Apple can do to make the next generation of iPhones even better.
Published at Computerworld - 9/17/2007
iWork ‘08 is the first version of Apple’s inexpensive office suite that can truly compete with Microsoft Office (thanks to the addition of Numbers, the first spreadsheet application that can be described as “cool”). Packed with value, aimed at enabling creative collaboration, and perfect for consumers, iWork is a compelling product. That said, some users may not find it to be a perfect Office replacement. Find out all the details in this review.
Published at Computerworld - 9/11/2007
Mac OS X Server’s NetBoot technology allows many Macs to boot from a single disk image hosted on a server, creating many identical configurations that can be updated simply updating the disk image. NetBoot’s companion, NetInstall, also allows Macs to boot from a server and then deploy complete Mac OS X installations onto their hard drives without the need for user intervention. Both technologies offer amazing opportunities to systems administrators. In part one of this two part series, find out how the NetBoot process actually works as well as how to configure the NetBoot service on Mac OS X Server.
Published at Computerworld - 8/31/2007
Open Directory is a robust directory services platform that can support both Mac and multi-platform networks, offering systems administrators an impressive solution for maintaining user, group, and computer account information throughout a network. Keeping that crucial information secure should always be a major concern. Here are a series of ways to strengthen and maintain the security of an Open Directory infrastructure.
Published at Computerworld - 8/22/2007
Apple’s latest release of iLife includes several new features that make it more than worth the $79 upgrade (free if you buy a new Mac). Get all the details about the completely new iMovie as well as iPhoto’s new Events feature, Magic GarageBand for making songs in seconds even if you lack any musical skill, and iWeb’s new abilities to integrate web widgets and HTML code, among the many other great new features.
Published at Computerworld - 8/9/2007
Leopard has been huge news for the Mac community for a year now and every new feature that’s announced has continued to intrigue and amaze. Leopard Server has gotten less attention, but it is also poised to be a generational leap for the Macs and Mac networks big and small. It could even open a whole new market for Apple, as a small and home office server that easily and intuitively supports both Mac and Windows clients. But it’s also got plenty of features for large companies.
Published at Computerworld - 8/5/2007
Similar in concept to group policies in Active Directory, Mac OS X Server’s managed preferences allow administrators to define virtually the entire user experience and restrict user access to many types of local and remote resources. These include applications, printers and local devices. Find out how to make use of this technology to improve the experience of network users and to secure your network and the computers within it.
Published at Peachpit Press - 8/3/2007
Instant messaging is a great tool for businesses and other organizations, but public IM systems don’t offer any management or security features. Setting up a secure internal messaging server can provide great ways for users to interact and to provide management and logging capabilities. It can also provide a voice and video conference tool. With iChat server, you can turn any Mac OS X Server into a full featured messaging solution in a matter of minutes.
Published at Peachpit Press - 7/27/2007
As computers store more and more of our personal information, it becomes more critical than ever to know how to keep that information secure. File encryption and security might sound complicated to the average user. Thankfully, Apple provides Mac users with plenty of powerful and easy-to-use security tools for free as part of Mac OS X.
