Microsoft Office is the industry standard in office productivity apps. Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are used by offices around the globe. If your a home user paying monthly for Office you're looking at around $7 a month or $70 a year. Have you ever thought if you really need Office? Maybe you just need a place to type in some notes in Word or calculate some numbers in Excel. In this case, it may not be worth spending $70 a year on Microsoft Office. So here are 3 free alternatives for Microsoft Office.

https://youtu.be/lyaIezUvTm8

Apache OpenOffice

Apache OpenOffice is a free open source app. OpenOffice is a single app where you can create text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, databases, and formulas. It works on practically any desktop computer including macOS, Windows, and Linux.

OpenOffice 4 StartCenter

If you ever used Microsoft Office before 2004 you will find yourself right at home with customized toolbars that stretch across the top of the window. It's a simplified look that uses the traditional universal icons that we see across most office apps.

OpenOffice Writer (Text Editor)

OpenOffice Impress (Presentations)

OpenOffice Calc (Spreadsheets)

OpenOffice Formulas (Math Equations)

OpenOffice Base (Database)

Download Apache OpenOffice

LibreOffice

LibreOffice is the exact same as OpenOffice. The little difference is LibreOffice is updated more often. It also has a more modern and cleaner look to it while keeping the original design of OpenOffice intact. Like OpenOffice, LibreOffice is available cross-platform on most desktop computers including macOS, Windows, and Linux. It still has the same apps that come with OpenOffice including a text editor, spreadsheet, database, presentations, drawings, and formulas.

LibreOffice Writer Document (Text Editor)

LibreOffice Impress Presentations

LibreOffice Calc Spreadsheet

LibreOffice Math Formula

LibreOffice Draw Drawing

LibreOffice Base Database

Download libreoffice

iWork (Pages, Numbers, and Keynote)

Apple's iWork suite comes preinstalled on every Mac, iPhone, and iPad. If their not on your computer find them in the App Store where you can download them for free. iWorks is exclusive for the Apple ecosystem including Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

iWork is a little different than OpenOffice. The iWork suite is made up of three different apps. Keynote for presentations, Pages for text documents, and Numbers for spreadsheets.

Each of these apps uses the same styled layout including a single top customizable toolbar which is great for tools that you use often, although most of the tools can be found on the side toolbar. iWork is the wild card, in that it's different than the rest of office programs, and may take time to get used.

Pages

Numbers

Keynote

Since 2005 Intel has provided processors for Apple's iMacs and MacBooks, this is all about to change. This year Apple has announced they are switching from Intel to their own custom processors. After hearing this you probably have a lot of questions. What does this mean for my current Mac? How will this affect me? Is now a good time to buy a new Mac? What does this mean for Boot Camp? What even is a processor? Let's dive in and answer these big questions. Here is an Elementary guide to Apple Silicon.

https://youtu.be/aN3x-kg8Py4

What is a processor?

The processor is the brain of your computer. This is the computer component that handles the basic instructions you or an app gives to your computer. The processor doesn't stop with the computer but is found in almost every piece of technology. It's what processes your mathematical equations in your Calculator. Alexa uses its processor to answer your questions. You can even find them in chargers that optimize your device battery's health. You can find them everywhere.

What is Apple Silicon?

Apple Silicon is the processors' Apple is switching to in its Mac line of products. So why don't they call them processors, like Intel processors? It's because Apple Silicon is more than just a processor, they are systems on a chip or SOC. At the heart of Apple's SOC is a processor. Built on top of the processor are many other technologies that when taken advantage of by the operating system, and software can tremendously increases the performance of the computer.

Why the switch?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGfRUSdc_o4

Then what was wrong with Intel processors? Apple, of course, will not say for sure. I can speculate that it's because of Intel's clear lack of innovation. Since around 2016, when Apple switched to their new design for their MacBooks, Intel as struggled to keep promises and keep up with the competition. Over the past few years, there has been little gain in performance with newly released processors. In the PC market, they have been surpassed in performance by AMD, their biggest competitor. In addition to little performance gain, they have also not solved the heat problem. When a processor gets too hot it slows itself down as to not cause damage to your device. You can see that since 2016 Apple has wanted to make their laptops thinner. The trick is how to make the device thin while at the same time dissipating all the heat that the processor is producing? You then have the problem of Intel's irregular schedule of releasing new chips.

Since when does Apple make processors?

You can see Apple Silicon at work in all of Apple's product lines other than the Mac. In the iPhone, iPad, HomePod, and Apple TV you have Apple's A-Series chip. In the Apple Watch, you will find the S-Series chip. Small traces of their silicon can even be found in the Mac line with their T-Series security chips. You can even find them in Apple's headphones like the H-Series found in the AirPods, AirPods Pro, Powerbeats Pro, and Beats Solo Pro. So Apple has a lot of experience in making its own processors and it shows.

How fast will these Macs be?

In comes Apple Silicone which has solved many of the problems with Intel chips. To put this situation into perspective look no further than the iPad, specifically the iPad Pro. That thing is fast, like really fast. The 2018 iPad Pro is faster than my 13" MacBook Pro from 2017 while at the same time running cooler and in a slimmer design. In Apple's product line their mobile devices have become faster than their MacBook line.

According to rumors, there is a chance that Apple will be removing accessories including headphones and chargers from the box of the not yet released iPhone 12. This may seem radical but that's also what we thought when Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone. Let's take a look at what this world would look like if the rumors are true. What would a world look like without accessories in the box?

https://youtu.be/hH7NaYwuLTA

To explain this let's look at how purchasing an iPhone 12 may be different. Please remember when reading this that this is all speculation. What Apple decides to do in the end is up in the air.

So your going to Apple.com to check out your new iPhone 12.You click the iPhone tab and choose the iPhone 12. Now it's time to customize your phone. Choose the color, storage, and the cell phone carrier. After clicking continue this is where things start to change. Instead of the iPhone going straight to your shopping cart and checking out, you have to choose your accessories.

First, with no charger in the box would you like one on the side? If so Apple may let you choose between one of their options: slow speed charger (5w), medium speed charger (12w), or fast speed charger (18w). Each charger would come with its respective charger cable. You could also get the option for a wireless charger. Since Apple still doesn't have an Apple-branded wireless charger you would be offered a different brand that Apple sells like Belkin. The different charger options give buyers a choice rather than being stuck with what's in the box or having to buy a different one later. This would also give you the option to not include a charger at all. Now, why would you not want a charger in the box? If your upgrading from an iPhone 5 or newer then you already have a charger that will work with your new iPhone. This is also for the people who prefer buying a charger from a 3rd-party like Anker or AmazonBasic.

The next step is the headphones. You can choose from any of Apple's headphones like the basic EarPods,

Browsers are the apps that allow you to navigate to any website on the internet from Apple.com to Amazon.com, from DisneyPlus.com to Netflix.com and everywhere in between.

Built off Netscape, the Firefox browser was born in 2004 by the Mozilla Corporation. Since then they have updated the app continuously. With it being so quick, have many ways to customize and give it your own look and feel, on top of having strong but simple privacy settings it may be a good alternative for your current browser.

https://youtu.be/FX_WFTHzAFI

So here are Firefox's top 7 features.

1. Syncing with a Firefox Account

Just like most other browsers you can create a Firefox account that will sync your history, open tabs, settings, extensions, and bookmarks between all your other computers that you have Firefox installed on and signed into the same Firefox account. For instance, if you bookmark a page on your Mac in which you are signed in with your Firefox account. Then pop over to your iPhone which has Firefox has signed into the same account you will see the bookmark copied to your iPhone. The same thing will happen with your history, tabs you have open, and settings.

Click Here to learn more about what comes with a Firefox account

2. Password Manager

In addition to syncing your history, open tabs, settings, extensions, and bookmarks Firefox will also sync your password through your Firefox account using a feature they call Lockwise.

When you go to a website and enter your username and password like you usually would. You will then get a popup from Firefox asking if you want to save the password. If you click yes that password will be saved. Then, the next time you try to sign in on that site again the username and password will automatically be filled in.

Unlike other browsers, Firefox has a mobile companion app for iOS and Android called Lockwise. With the Lockwise app, you can access all of your password saved in Firefox and even add new ones. It even supports Apple's autofill password feature on iOS.

3. Apple Share Sheet

If you're familiar with sharing things on iOS then you are familiar with the share sheet. It's where you share whatever you want to share with Facebook, email recipient, or send to another app. macOS has the same thing but it not as widely used, however, it's one of the few ways to AirDrop files in macOS. Back to Firefox, when you click the three dots on the address bar you will see "Share" which will open the built-in share sheet. (On a side note you can also take screenshots, and send the current tab to Firefox on another device.)

4. Enhanced Tracking Protection

In Firefox when you go to settings and click "Privacy and Security" on the left sidebar the first settings you see is Enhanced Tracking Protection. Firefox gives you 3 different levels of protection from online trackers and other malicious scripts.

* The standard preset stops social media trackers, cross-site tracking cookies, Cryptominers, fingerprints, and tracking content only in private windows. * The strict preset stops everything the standard preset does with the addition of stopping tracking content in both regular and private windows.

https://youtu.be/Ctw0BFYbA0I

All browsers come with a different set of exclusive features that make them each uniquely different. But, there are some features they have in common and that's what I will be talking about today.

If you recall, a browser is an app installed on all your devices that allows you to surf the web. It's the app you go to when you want to go to www.appleguideweb.com, www.apple.com, or www.amazon.com. Last week we went more in-depth on what a browser is and how it works. This week will be about common features that all bowsers share.

Topics

* Address Bar* Search bar and/or Search Engines* Home* Windows & Tabs* Bookmarks* Downloads* Privacy Settings* History* Cookies* Private Browsing

Address Bar

At the very top of the window, is the address bar which holds the Uniform Resource Locator or URL for short and commonly referred to as the web address. The URL is essentially the file path to the page you are currently looking at. Now let’s dive a little deeper and analyze the URL for this blog post.

https://www.AppleGuideWeb.com/blog/common-browser-features/‎

* https:// refers to one of the many internet protocols called hypertext transfer protocol secure, shortened to https. This tells your browser that you are visiting a website* www.AppleGuideWeb.com is the server that you are trying to access. Think of the server as a computer that is openly available on the internet. Now your computer, through your browser, will scour the internet for that computer.* Everything after appleguideweb.com/ is the file path to the site you are visiting. Think about how to save a Microsoft Word document to your desktop. You open the save window and navigate to the desktop. How you navigate to the desktop is the file path.

So why might the URL be important? This link is the direct path to what you are looking at. So, in the case that you want to share the website you're on you can send them the URL which will get them to the same page you are on.

Search Bar and/or Search Engines

Searching the web is one of the top things to do in a browser. Google gets 5.6 BILLION searches a day. In most modern browsers you can type your searches into the address bar but you may still find a dedicated search bar.

For most browsers, you will find Google as your default search engine but somewhere in the browsers settings, you should be able to change your default to another service such as DuckDuckGo, Bing, or Yahoo.

Windows & Tabs

If you find yourself multitasking or wanting to keep pages open for later you can use windows and tabs to organize the pages you have open. With a browser window, you can move it around the screen or minimize it to save it for later. Tabs are helpful for opening multiple pages in one window. With most browsers, you can drag the tab off the window which will create a new window with that tab being the only page. You can also drag tabs between multiple windows.

Homepage and Home Button

In 2020 the world runs off of the internet. You probably don't realize it but you use this software probably every day. So what is a browser? How does this app that you use everyday work?

The ability of an app to use your location helps the app provide data that is relevant for where you are is powerful but also poses a security risk. Here's what iOS 13 is doing to protect you.

With iOS 13 comes a complete overhaul of Apple's Reminders app for creating To-Do lists. The new update makes the app so elegant and simple to use. Read and find out for yourself!

At Apple's WWDC Apple announced iOS 13 the latest update to their mobile operating system that runs on iPhone and iPod Touch that will be released in the fall. Here's a list of the most notable features.

When you update your Mac this fall to macOS Catalina (10.14) you will find an app from missing from your dock, iTunes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5qtLmwdq6A

This past week at Apple's World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) Apple previewed some updates that will be coming this fall to an iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac near you.

The removal of iTunes has been a long time coming. So here is a brief history of how iTunes when from revolutionizing the music industry to adware.

The story starts in the 90s. Personal computers and home internet are on the rise. The Walkman was becoming a thing of the past, being replaced by mp3 players. Suddenly the digital age of music was here!

At this point, the record labels were not offering their music for online downloads. Instead, people turned to illegal sites, like Napster, for music. Along came Apple with Steve Jobs back at the helm. Seeing the issue with the music industry he jumped into action. In 2001 Jobs unveiled two new products. At the beginning of the year, he unveiled the device that could put "1,000 songs in your pocket", the iPod. It was a revolutionary device that became the standard for mp3 players for the future to come. By the end of the year, Apple released the iTunes, a place to manage your music both on your Mac and iPod.

Since then iTunes has exploded in features. The app has gained support for streaming podcasts, buying and watching tv-shows and movies, buying and listening to audiobooks and music, as well as subscribing to Apple Music. On top of being a place to manage and sync your iTunes content to an iPod.

Meanwhile on iOS, as Apple offered each new service they created an individual app. Music in the Music app, podcasts in the Podcast app, and audiobooks in Apple Books.

Unlike on iOS with all its services spread out, iTunes on the desktop tried to do it all. Because of this iTunes has become a struggle to use. It's no longer as intuitive and simple as it once was as it is now juggling 100s of different features and services. It was no longer a simple music app, but now bloatware.

Apple announced at WWDC that they will be discontinuing the standalone iTunes app in favor of 3 new apps: Music, TV, and Podcast. It appears that Apple will be using the same interface as found on the iPad. In the Music app, you can listen to music purchased from iTunes and CDs or Apple Music if you are a subscriber, manage, and buy music. Podcasts are for all your podcast needs. Finally, the TV app is where you can find, buy, and stream movies and tv shows. For the most part, each of these apps will look and work exactly like their iPad counterparts.

As for other previous iTunes features: audiobooks can be purchased and listen to in the Apple Books app. If you sync your iPhone or iPad to iTunes you will find your device on the sidebar of a Finder window as an external device. Clicking on your device will give you the same options that used to be in iTunes.

It's sad to say goodbye to the Music app that brought music into the digital age in 2001 to the clunky app that it has become today. Now its time to wait and see if these new apps will be able to fill the void created by iTunes.

Helpful Links

* Apple Newsroom: Apple previews macOS Catalina