[DM-MUG] Meeting Notes from last night (please excuse the unnecessary change of tense in my notes)

[Bailey Ford]

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Here's how the meeting went down for those who missed it:

Introductions all around. There are some new people =96 a few folks=20
wanting to learn some basics. One guy (Mark?) from the unix group.=20
Jim=92s first meeting after 4.5 years on the list! One person=20
specifically asked that we discuss various broadband options in the=20
area.

There was no old business.

New business: ordering the presentations. The officers yammered for a=20
while and basically mapped out the next 6 or so meetings. One session=20
on Graphics followed by the iLife block: iTunes, iPhoto, GarageBand,=20
iMovie/iDVD.

Then Brian gave a great Bluetooth (BT) Presentation.

BT was named after a Danish King. He then showed the definition from=20
apple's tech note. Basically BT is short-range wireless technology to=20
connect devices.

What can you do with it:
Phones, headsets, keyboards, PDAs, mice and computers all can have=20
Bluetooth. Connected computers and phones and Palm OS based PDAs can=20
use the connection to sync or do file transfers. Also, printers are now=20=

being made with Bluetooth connections. We had a general discussion of=20
cell phones and providers and talked about syncing contacts via=20
Bluetooth and transferring midi files as custom ring tones with the=20
same connection.

Various software to utilize the Bluetooth connection:
iSync will help you transfer address book contacts and iCal=20
appointments. With iChat AV and a Bluetooth enabled headset you can=20
have audio chats wirelessly. The really impressive thing is a geeky=20
little tool called Salling Clicker. This application uses Bluetooth as=20=

a proximity detector to allow you to launch certain functions when you=20=

walk near your computer. Bluetooth range is about 30 feet for many=20
devices.

Update mentioned for the recent Airport 3.4.1 to repair some problems=20
that were introduced with the recent 3.4 update. Also the Bluetooth=20
drivers must be updated in order to use the headsets with iChat AV. We=20=

hypothesise that the Bluetooth devices have some kind of hardware id=20
number like a MAC address on Ethernet cards. Bluetooth connections are=20=

also encrypted so even the hard coded pin that allows a connection=20
between the headset a phone or the computer (as well as your actual=20
conversation) is encrypted for your security. Brian was talking about=20
BluePhoneMenu software to use the Bluetooth connection to give you=20
caller ID information when the phone is near the computer. This display=20=

also shows battery and signal strength for the phone right on the=20
computer screen. The last software reviewed is called Salling Clicker.=20=

It=92s shareware with 30 actions before it disables (=91till you start =
it=20
up again).

We are going to take a quick break before moving into the demonstration=20=

part of the program =96 the =93Lab Session=94 where all this will be=20
demonstrated.

Round Two, The LAB:

Some computers come with BT ability. Others require a little USB nub=20
that provides the feature. First stop in the lab is the Bluetooth=20
Preference Pane. There are three tabs in the pane =96 Settings, File=20
Exchange, and Devices. The Devices screen shows all of the devices in=20
the area =96 in our case, his phone and headset. One of the main options=20=

in the Settings area is that BT devices can be discoverable or not. =20
For the geeky, the network topology of the Bluetooth area network is=20
peer-to-peer. Other options here include turning encryptions on,=20
allowing devices to wake the computer or to support a wider range of=20
phones.

One of the main behaviors is to pair a device with the computer. To do=20=

this just select the device and click =91pair new device=92 in the=20
preference pane. Matthew=92s Powerbook also showed up in the device list=20=

and he already paired his laptop with the keyboard. Since it had been=20
set up already, The keyboard was unpaired with Matt=92s so that Brian=20
could attempt to connect. The first attempt to pair failed.

Then we turned on Kates machine and craziness ensued. We showed the=20
pairing procedure several times and used the FileSharing utility to a=20
file between Brian and Kate=92s Mac. We tried to connect with Kate=92s=20=

machine to Brians phone and we were summarily DENIED access by the evil=20=

overlord Brian. He then browsed the files on his phone. We could see=20
all the images that his phone had taken with its integrated camera.

More than the basic utilities that are used to control BT directly,=20
many of the iLife apps can make use of those connections. The Address=20
Book has a BT button right on the main screen that shows phones (and=20
presumably PDAs) and all of their info becomes available. The address=20
book can also dial his phone directly to make the call for you. iSync=20
will also use iCal to move your calendar info onto your BT phone. Brian=20=

recommends making a special phone group or category to keep iSync from=20=

loading up the phone with all of your contact and calendar info.=20
Instead, you can tell iSync to only use info in that group.

Soooo. In summary, we showed some of the basic settings for BT on the=20
computer and how BT devices are paired to be used together. Also the=20
File exchange program was demoed. The functions that we have discussed=20=

are all available from the BT menu. There are also several BT oriented=20=

Apps in the Utilities folder. Bluetooth File Exchange, Bluetooth Serial=20=

Utility, and the Bluetooth Setup Assistant. We also demonstrated how=20
the iLife apps are taking advantage of the BT technology.

OK. I think that's it. Corrections and questions are always welcome.

- Bailey





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<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>Here's how the meeting went
down for those who missed it:


Introductions all around. There are some new people =96 a few folks
wanting to learn some basics. One guy (Mark?) from the unix group.
Jim=92s first meeting after 4.5 years on the list! One person
specifically asked that we discuss various broadband options in the
area.=20


There was no old business.


New business: ordering the presentations. The officers yammered for a
while and basically mapped out the next 6 or so meetings. One session
on Graphics followed by the iLife block: iTunes, iPhoto, GarageBand,
iMovie/iDVD.


Then Brian gave a great Bluetooth (BT) Presentation.=20


BT was named after a Danish King. He then showed the definition from
apple's tech note. Basically BT is short-range wireless technology to
connect devices.=20


What can you do with it:

Phones, headsets, keyboards, PDAs, mice and computers all can have
Bluetooth. Connected computers and phones and Palm OS based PDAs can
use the connection to sync or do file transfers. Also, printers are
now being made with Bluetooth connections. We had a general discussion
of cell phones and providers and talked about syncing contacts via
Bluetooth and transferring midi files as custom ring tones with the
same connection.=20


Various software to utilize the Bluetooth connection:

iSync will help you transfer address book contacts and iCal
appointments. With iChat AV and a Bluetooth enabled headset you can
have audio chats wirelessly. The really impressive thing is a geeky
little tool called Salling Clicker. This application uses Bluetooth as
a proximity detector to allow you to launch certain functions when you
walk near your computer. Bluetooth range is about 30 feet for many
devices.=20


Update mentioned for the recent Airport 3.4.1 to repair some problems
that were introduced with the recent 3.4 update. Also the Bluetooth
drivers must be updated in order to use the headsets with iChat AV. We
hypothesise that the Bluetooth devices have some kind of hardware id
number like a MAC address on Ethernet cards. Bluetooth connections are
also encrypted so even the hard coded pin that allows a connection
between the headset a phone or the computer (as well as your actual
conversation) is encrypted for your security. Brian was talking about
BluePhoneMenu software to use the Bluetooth connection to give you
caller ID information when the phone is near the computer. This
display also shows battery and signal strength for the phone right on
the computer screen. The last software reviewed is called Salling
Clicker. It=92s shareware with 30 actions before it disables (=91till =
you
start it up again).=20


We are going to take a quick break before moving into the
demonstration part of the program =96 the =93Lab Session=94 where all =
this
will be demonstrated.


Round Two, The LAB:


Some computers come with BT ability. Others require a little USB nub
that provides the feature. First stop in the lab is the Bluetooth
Preference Pane. There are three tabs in the pane =96 Settings, File
Exchange, and Devices. The Devices screen shows all of the devices in
the area =96 in our case, his phone and headset. One of the main options
in the Settings area is that BT devices can be discoverable or not.=20
For the geeky, the network topology of the Bluetooth area network is
peer-to-peer. Other options here include turning encryptions on,
allowing devices to wake the computer or to support a wider range of
phones.=20


One of the main behaviors is to pair a device with the computer. To do
this just select the device and click =91pair new device=92 in the
preference pane. Matthew=92s Powerbook also showed up in the device list
and he already paired his laptop with the keyboard. Since it had been
set up already, The keyboard was unpaired with Matt=92s so that Brian
could attempt to connect. The first attempt to pair failed.=20


Then we turned on Kates machine and craziness ensued. We showed the
pairing procedure several times and used the FileSharing utility to a
file between Brian and Kate=92s Mac. We tried to connect with Kate=92s
machine to Brians phone and we were summarily DENIED access by the
evil overlord Brian. He then browsed the files on his phone. We could
see all the images that his phone had taken with its integrated
camera.=20


More than the basic utilities that are used to control BT directly,
many of the iLife apps can make use of those connections. The Address
Book has a BT button right on the main screen that shows phones (and
presumably PDAs) and all of their info becomes available. The address
book can also dial his phone directly to make the call for you. iSync
will also use iCal to move your calendar info onto your BT phone.
Brian recommends making a special phone group or category to keep
iSync from loading up the phone with all of your contact and calendar
info. Instead, you can tell iSync to only use info in that group.=20


Soooo. In summary, we showed some of the basic settings for BT on the
computer and how BT devices are paired to be used together. Also the
File exchange program was demoed. The functions that we have discussed
are all available from the BT menu. There are also several BT oriented
Apps in the Utilities folder. Bluetooth File Exchange, Bluetooth
Serial Utility, and the Bluetooth Setup Assistant. We also
demonstrated how the iLife apps are taking advantage of the BT
technology.=20


OK. I think that's it. Corrections and questions are always welcome.=20


- Bailey





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