It also uploads your pictures into your iPhoto without you having to plug in and synchronize!

To use it, you’ll first need to start using iCloud. But that’s a topic for another day (you’re welcome to call Jamie at 503-504-6392 to schedule a time to set it up)! Once you’ve registered for iCloud, go into the System Preferences>iCloud pane and slide the Photostream slider to the right to turn it on.

If you see a message that you need to upgrade your iPhoto, go to the App Store and either Update or Purchase the new version. Then you’ll be able to flip the switch!

Next, go into the settings on your iPhone and iPad through Settings>iCloud, and turn Photostream on there as well.

Now, every time you take a picture, it will be available to you in a new Photostream Album that appears in iPhoto or in the Photos app on your device.

You can’t delete pictures out of the Photostream – they stay in your stream for 90 days or 1000 pictures, whichever comes first. There’s no way to selectively delete individual shots. If you absolutely have to delete them, go to www.iCloud.com and turn Photostream off from there. It will erase ALL the photos, and you can start over.

In iPhoto, Photostream will also instantly import your photos into your library. You’ll need to manually delete the bad or extra pictures, just as you do with a regular import.

To delete photos from your Camera Roll after Photostream imports them, you’ll need to either do it manually right on your iPhone or iPad, or plug into your computer. When you plug in, you’ll get a dialog box that looks like this, and you can then remove all the shots at once.

While Photostream makes it easy to import and share pictures in your iCloud, for which I am grateful, the lack of ability to delete easily may convince you to turn the feature back off. As iCloud matures, Apple will certainly smooth out the workflow!

MacBook air starting at only $999
While they last, you can score a 13″ MacBook air for only $999! But you must tell your favorite MacPac Apple Specialist that you saw this ad on our website.

Specs:

New in box, last generation, MacBook air. Intel Core 2 Duo 1.86GHz Processor / 2GB DDR3 SDRAM / 128GB Flash Storage / NVIDIA GeForce 320M / FaceTime Camera / 802.11AGN / Mac OS X Snow Leopard (Free Lion upgrade – Click here for Apple’s “Up-to-Date” program.)

MacBook Air, the most Mobile Mac in every way, shape, and form. It features all-flash storage, a Multi-Touch trackpad, a long-lasting battery, a high-resolution display, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and NVIDIA graphics. All inside a unibody enclosure that’s light, thin, and strong enough to handle all your everyday tasks and then some, whether you’re on the couch, in a lecture hall, or at a conference.

Don’t forget to add AppleCare!

Box Contents: MacBook Air MC503LL/A, 45W MagSafe Power Adapter, AC wall plug and power cord, Printed and electronic documentation, USB Software Reinstall Key; Software Bundle: Mac OS X Snow Leopard, iLife, 1-Year Limited Warranty
Intel Core 2 Duo 1.86GHz Processor
6 MB L2 Cache, 1066 MHz Bus Speed
2GB of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM (4GB maximum)
128GB Flash Storage
Optional external USB MacBook Air SuperDrive (sold separately)
13.3-inch (diagonal) high-resolution LED-backlit glossy widescreen display (1440 x 900)
FaceTime Camera and internal Omnidirectional microphone
NVIDIA GeForce 320M with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main Memory (Dual display and Video mirroring)
AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi Wireless (802.11a/b/g/n)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Apple USB Ethernet Adapter (sold separately)
Full-size Keyboard
Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control
Stereo Speakers
Ports: USB 2.0, SD card Slot, Headphone Mini Jack, Mini DisplayPort, MagSafe Power Port
Unit Dimensions: 12.8 (W) x 0.11-0.68 (H) x 8.94 (D) inches
Unit Weight: 2.9 pounds

The trick is that the Date fields aren’t set up by default in Address Book. To start using them, click on the Address Book menu, and then choose Preferences.

Click on the third button for Templates.

Use the Add Field drop-down list to select Birthday. Go back up again, if you’d like, and also choose Dates.

While you’re there, look around at the other field options. You’re welcome to turn on any that you would find useful! You may want to add Profile to keep track of Twitter & Facebook accounts, and I REALLY like Related Names so that I can remember my coworkers’ wives’ names.

You can also turn off any fields that you never use!

When you’re done, close the Preferences window. Now, go to your own card in the Address Book. Click the Edit button at the bottom of the window. All your options appear.

Type in your birthday. If you’re running OSX 10.6 or earlier, you do need to enter something in the year even if you don’t know the year someone was born – I’ll generally use something like 2000 so that it’s obvious that’s not their real year. If you’re running OSX 10.7, you can leave the year blank if you don’t know how old someone is.

Do note that all the labels have choices. If I click on the Related Person field, I can alternatively select spouse, mother, child, assistant, or anyone else associated with that person. As soon as I enter in one person, a second entry appears in case I need it.

When I’m done entering all my info, click Done.

Now, let’s open up iCal and show the dates in the calendar. Click on the iCal menu, and then choose Preferences. On the General tab, there’s a checkbox for Show Birthdays Calendar. Now, my birthday appears on the calendar year after year!

You may ask why not put the birthdates right into iCal. Other features on your Mac also look for the Birthday field. If I use iPhoto to make a calendar, I’m given the option of including birthdays! In addition, other 3rd party software will also pull in your Birthday and Anniversary fields if they’re active.

Thanks, Apple, for attaching birthdays to my Contacts!

Where can I find more information about Section 179 Tax Deduction?
Click here for more info

Expenses: section 179 tax deduction for your computerTax deduction 179 is used to recover all or part of the cost of certain qualifying property. When conducting business you can include your tools, computer, etc. in your costs either as an expense, via depreciation or through deduction 179. Deduction 179 is short for the official name section 179 depreciation deduction.

What is section 179 depreciation deduction?
Small items such as office supplies, pens, writing pads, markers are expensed directly. They are included in accounting and in taxes in the year when purchased. Items that have useful life of more than one year are a bit more complicated.

Property with useful life of more than one year generally has to be included in your costs via depreciation deductions.

You can also elect to recover all or part of the cost of certain qualifying property, up to a limit, by deducting it in the year you place the property in service. This is the section 179 deduction. You can elect the section 179 deduction instead of recovering the cost by taking depreciation deductions.

The following summarizes key facts concerning the section 179 depreciation deduction:

Section 179 deduction property is generally limited to tangible, it must meet certain conditions of eligibility,
The property has to be depreciable,
The property that is deducted is personal property (that is acquired by the purchasee),
It is acquired for use in the active conduct of a trade or business,
The 179 election may only be taken in the year the equipment is placed in use.
These characteristics are explained more below.

What are the benefits of taking the section 179 deduction?
In addition to lowering your taxes for the year, the section 179 deduction also provides many less obvious benefits:

Lowers earned income which can increase your earned income credit.
Lowers adjusted gross income which could help you qualify for various deductions which are limited by the adjusted gross income.
Deduction 179 is allowed in full even if the eligible property is placed in service on the last day of the year.
The 179 deduction can be a very nice treat at the end.

Deduction 179: business use
To qualify for the section 179 deduction, the property must have been acquired for use in your trade or business. You cannot buy a TV set and claim that you watch it while growing potatoes that you sell for your business. The use must be related to your business.

When you use property for both business and nonbusiness purposes, you can elect the section 179 deduction only if you use the property more than 50% for business in the year you place it in service. If the property is used more than 50% but less than 100% for business, then multiply the cost of the property by the percentage of business use. For example, if you purchase a computer for $2000 that you use 80% for your programming and 20% for playing games, then the business part of the cost of the property is $1,600 (80% × $2,000).

Deduction 179: property acquired by purchasee
To qualify for the section 179 deduction, the property must have been acquired by purchase. This means that for example property acquired by gift or inheritance does not qualify. If the property is acquired from a related person, then it does not qualify as well.

Deduction 179: excepted property
Some property does not qualify for the deduction at all. That is for example air conditioning and heating units and property that is being used predominantly outside the United States.

How much can I claim for the deduction 179?
Your section 179 deduction is generally the cost of the qualifying property. However, the total amount you can elect to deduct under section 179 is subject to a dollar limit and a business income limit.

Section 179 deduction dollar limit…

The total amount you can elect to deduct under section 179 for most property placed in service in 2007 generally cannot be more than $125,000. It was $108,000 for year 2006.

Section 179 deduction business income limit…

After you apply the dollar limit to determine a tentative deduction, you must apply the business income limit in order to determine your actual section 179 deduction.

The total cost you can deduct each year after you apply the dollar limit is limited to the taxable income from the active conduct of any trade or business during the year. To make this clear, let us use an example. You are someone else’s employee for most of the year. Your wages exceed the Section 179 deduction. You start your own business at the end of the year and purchase business property. Even if your new business does not generate gross income that year, you can still take the Section 179 deduction on the new property.

Are there any exceptions to deduction 179?
Yes, there are many exceptions, but to name a few, for example buildings are not eligible for section 179 deductions, and also property that is being used outside of the USA is not eligible.

What do I do if I can’t take the deduction 179?
The section 179 deduction election is not mandatory, it is an option. If you cannot take this deduction, you can always depreciate the property that is not eligible for a section 179 deduction. A such property is still deductible over a number of years through MACRS depreciation (sections 167 and 168 of the code).

Can I deduct my computer from my taxes?
Let us picture a scenario that is very common. A web developer works for a corporation where he is being paid as an employee. Then he starts his own business of developing websites. Can he take section 179 deduction for the computer he purchased to do his business?

In general, the entire acquisition cost of a computer purchased for business use can be expensed under code section 179 in the first year if qualified, or depreciated over a 5-year recovery period. Computer equipment has a useful life of more than one year so generally it is depreciated rather than taken as an expense in the year purchased. For computers and their peripheral equipment the recovery period is 5 years.

However, under section 179, the developer could elect to recover all or part of the cost of certain qualifying property up to a dollar limit by deducting it in the year he places the property in service.

If the computer equipment is used more than 50% for business, the developer could claim a 179 expense deduction in the year of purchase. This is important. If he buys the computer in November 2008, he can only take the deduction for taxes in 2008.

This would allow the developer to write off the entire expense. There are however two catches to it:

If he uses the computer only 80% in his business and 20% is personal use, then the 179 deduction would be only 80% of the purchase cost.
If business usage drops to 50% or less within the 5 year recovery period, the developer would have to recapture some of that depreciation.
The business use proration is often forgotten.

What form do I need to report deduction 179?
Use Form 4562 Depreciation and Amortization to calculate and report your 179 deduction and attach it to your federal tax return for the current tax year. You can download this from www.IRS.gov.

Where can I find more information about Section 179 Tax Deduction? Click here for more info.

The MacPac and it’s employees are not “Tax-Experts” and do not offer official tax advice. Please consult with an accountant or tax expert for information specific to your business.

If you moved over to a Mac from a PC, you’ve been wondering where it is…

And if you’ve always been on a Mac, you may not even know it exists…

Yes, my friend, your Mac does have a right-click!

When you “right-click” on something, a list of context-sensitive commands pops up. For example, if I right-click on a file icon, I see options for 10 actions I can take, including opening it, moving it to the trash, or compressing it into a zip file.

By default this option is turned off so that people don’t get confused when they click their mouse and a list of commands pops up under their cursors. But personally, I couldn’t live without it.

Try this now…hold down the Control or Ctrl key in the lower left corner of your keyboard, and click almost anywhere on your screen. Violá! A shortcut list.

I find this particularly handy for throwing files in the trash. I hate having to drag, drag, drag, then slip and accidentally move the file to my desktop or some random location. Instead, I’ll Control-click on the file, and choose Move to Trash. Easy!

You can also set your mouse or trackpad to right-click as well. Open up your System Preferences, either from the gearbox in the dock, or on the Apple Menu in the top left corner. Then click on Mouse or Trackpad.

Here, a right-click is called a “secondary click”. Most people call it a right-click because that’s how it was done on older mice. But with Apple’s Magic Mouse or a Trackpad there are no buttons, so they call it something else in the settings.

The actual location of the setting depends on what kind of mouse you have, or what operating system you’re running. But look for “Secondary click”, and turn it on.

You may even be able to choose what part of your input device triggers the effect. I prefer the bottom right corner of my trackpad or right side of my mouse, but there’s a new option for a 2-finger click that I’ve been getting used to. I think I like it!

Jason Knopp and Kevin Wilson are our Network and Creative account managers. Kevin has 15 years in the color management and printing industries and Jason is our network and mass storage (Xsan) specialist.

You can contact them at corporate@macpac.com

The next event we are attending is the 2011 Color Management Conference in Phoenix, Arizona on December 3rd through the 6th.

Click on the banner below for more information:

Tailored solutions for creative businesses.
The Apple Specialists at The MacPac live and breathe Mac. We can help you choose which Mac or solution is right for you; give you impartial advice on every aspect of your purchase; and provide Apple-certified training on many aspects of the Mac platform. The MacPac offers the complete range of Macs, Mac based solutions, together with a full complement of software and accessories, so you can find everything you need in one place. We’re also the place to get expert advice if you’re a business or professional user wanting to do more with your Mac.
The MacPac is an independent reseller and Authorized Service Provider who can help you purchase, finance, install and support Apple and complementary third-party solutions.
The Apple Specialists at The MacPac are industry experts and have been selected by Apple for our proven expertise in the creative markets – such as video, audio, color management, photography – as well as the mixed environments that are increasingly widespread in today’s marketplace. With in-depth technical knowledge and years of industry experience, The MacPac offers comprehensive implementation and integration services for creative companies large and small.

We have deep expertise in a variety of solution areas (system design, system admin, mass storage, security, mobile deployment…) and are specialists in the following creative areas:

Color Management
Digital creatives require a solid workflow, allowing for professional creation, editing and preparing of files for web, print and mobile delivery. The MacPac combines a deep understanding of the creative workflow with superior knowledge of professional software, color calibration, printers and color-managed workflows to recommend, build and support the best solutions for your business.

Video
The MacPac has an explicit understanding of the video, analog and digital sources that are at the core of your projects, and can help you design the best, most efficient digital post-production solutions. The MacPac experts can help you acquire and manage digital assets, collaborate more effectively, deliver large projects on time and increase your overall production values.

Audio
The Mac is the platform of choice for many audio professionals, and The MacPac has the skills and training to give you peace of mind when purchasing the solution you require. We are experts in the field, and can help you chart a path through the vast array of audio interfaces, mixing consoles, keyboards and other third party products available on the market today, helping you build and maintain your dream audio solution.

Certified Professionals
Trained professionals holding Apple and complementary third-party certifications.
Industry Expertise
Industry-specific knowledge and experience with a wide range of business types and sizes.
Multi-Platform Services
Fluent in multi-platform solutions, platform switching and integration, and heterogeneous environments.
Onsite Availability
Provide warranty and out of warranty services and assistance on site at your location or remotely wherever you are.
The MacPac
12310 NE Whitaker Way
Portland, Oregon 97230
503-256-5210 • www.macpac.com • corporate@macpac.com