This was originally posted by Dave Stewart, Senior Software Engineer. I wanted to repost on here for your reference!

When we first announced Gmail offline last August, we told you that it was only the beginning of our HTML5-powered offline journey. Since then, we’ve been listening to your feedback and today, we want to let you know about some of the key updates we’ve made to the Chrome Web Store app.

The first update - and a personal favorite of the team- is the addition of a settings page (look for the new settings icon). You can now choose whether you want to synchronize 7, 14 or 31 days worth of mail. So the next time you get on an airplane, you can sit back and tackle up to 31 days of mail all while offline.


We’ve also made a number of other updates to Gmail offline:

• Improved attachments: All attachments are now downloaded and available for offline use
• Keyboard shortcuts support: If you have keyboard shortcuts enabled in Gmail, your setting will transfer over to the Gmail offline app. If you're not sure what you can do with keyboard shortcuts, try pressing ‘?’ next time you’re using Gmail or Gmail offline.
• Numerous performance enhancements: Messages and attachments now download at a faster rate and some bugs have been fixed.

If you haven’t tried it already, you can install the Gmail offline app from the Chrome Web Store. If you’re already using Gmail offline, you'll see these improvements the next time you open the app. To get the best experience using Gmail offline, please make sure you are using the latest version of Chrome as some features may not work on older versions.

As many of you know, it has been widely advertised that apple computers do not need anti virus software. We see the Mac ads about how they are immune to infections from trojans, worms, malware, and spyware; but is this really the truth? The answer is NO!! To go about thinking your apple system is immune to attacks from what we call "malicious" files is simply unwise. Especially with Apple's market share growing, we will begin to see more and more wide-spread threats toward our Macs. As a matter of fact, there are already many threats out there. For example:

• Troj/JSRedir-BV:HTML files defy Windows, Mac and UNIX computers, infecting them with Trojans
• MalWebStartA: Cross-platform malware takes advantage of vulnerabilities in Java
• iPH/Duh-A: Malicious worm specifically targets jail-broken iPhones
• Troj/PDFEx-DT: PDF meant to help jailbreak your Apple product (iPhone, iPod, iPad) can introduce exploits to your device

These are just a couple of the many that are known and are out there.

While many don't and won't affect us as Apple users, they still might affect those around us using Windows based computers. So how do we defend our Apples and possibly our Windows friends against these different attacks? One way is to make sure your computer is up to date. Under your apple menu, you will see an option for Software Update. Apple releases very important security updates, and when they do, it means there is a weak spot in your operating system that needs fixed. So run that whenever possible, or when it asks you too!

Another way is to run anti virus software. Here at orange, we have Sophos Enterprise Anti Virus software. It runs both on the Mac and PC, and as time goes you will notice a little sophos icon appear on your mac. We will start pushing the software to our school macs as another way to keep you safe! For your home mac we obviously cant use our school license, but Sophos now makes a home version that is free, and it works!! I've been testing it, and i like it. Here is a link if you are interested in that for your home mac!

http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/free-mac-anti-virus/?utm_source=Magnet&utm_medium=Cross-link&utm_campaign=M-CL-SAVpromo

So thats it! Be proactive and make sure you keep your computers up to date! Remember, a good offense is the best defense. If we equip our computers and do our best to stay safe, we will minimize the potential for people messing with our data!

Sometimes it is necessary to add a printer to you mac when you dont see it in the AppleTalk list, or the Default (Bonjour List) The following are instructions on how to add a printer by calling up its network IP address. 10.5 leopard and 10.6 Snow Leopard both come with extensive drivers, so downloading software for most our district printers is rarely necessary.

1.) Open System Preferences, and click on Print and Fax





2.) Click on the plus sign at the buttom of your list of printers. The following window will appear.



3.) On the top of this window, Click on the globe icon with IP under it.

4.) in the IP address window, type in the IP address of the printer in which you are wanting to connect to. If you dont know, refer to the list of printers we have at http://10.93.10.10/pages/technology.html

The computer will automatically find the driver associated with the type of printer you entered.



5.) Once the Add button lights up, Click it, and you will then see the printer in your list! All done!

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

William A Foster

In one of Apple’s well-known “Mac vs. PC” commercials, “PC” laments the fact that his Windows-based computer is prone to security threats, while “Mac” stands complacently by. The implication is that the Mac operating system (OS) is far less vulnerable to security threats than Windows—so Mac users are more protected against online criminals.

Today, there are signs that criminals want to debunk the widely held assumption that the Mac OS is less prone to online attacks. Criminals are not targeting Macs because they perceive them to be less secure than they used to be, but rather because they offer greater opportunity for profit than before. Gartner Inc. has predicted that Apple will double its share of the computer market in the United States and Western Europe by 2011.

The first botnet that seems to be specifically aimed at Macs was identified by security researchers in mid-2009. A malicious file appears to have been placed in pirated copies of Apple’s iWork software and Adobe Photoshop for the Mac OS. That malware infected the computers of users who downloaded the pirated software and turned the systems into nodes for the botnet. There are signs the botnet is being used to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.

In short, while ”Mac” in the Apple commercial may have a relaxed attitude toward his ability to ward off online scammers, businesses and individuals relying on Macs should not adopt a similarly laid-back stance. Much like forward-thinking businesspeople, online criminals look for markets to exploit.The popularity of Macs presents the chance for criminals to launch new attacks in more places and grow botnets with more infected computers. Security policies should be applied regardless of the operating system or device that is used to access and share corporate data—whether it’s a Microsoft Windows or Mac system, Apple iPhone, Palm or BlackBerry, protection needs to reside in the network.

Cisco 2009 Security Analysis

MacBook computers are powerful, light, and durable enough for mobile learning. Every MacBook includes the Mac OS X operating system, iLife software, wireless access, a camera, and a full range of tools for creativity and collaboration. Mac OS X is based on UNIX and is recognized as the world’s most reliable, secure, and powerful operating system with ease of use that is a hallmark of Apple design. A rich set of accessibility features built into Mac OS X empower individuals and make technology accessible to all learners. Apple's award winning iLife suite of digital media applications for 21st century communications lets teachers and students make podcasts, movies, music, photo projects, websites, and blogs.

Did you know...

The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 dedicates more than $100 billion for K-12 and higher education. By spending strategically, states, districts, and schools have an unprecedented opportunity to contribute to America’s short-term economic recovery and long-term competitiveness.

Federal Funds for Apple Solutions
The stimulus money will be distributed in 2009 and 2010, and includes funds for state stabilization, school construction, and federal programs such as Title I, Title II-D, and IDEA.

Apple in Education
Apple is the only company that provides a digital learning environment that includes hardware, software, operating system, and services. Because all of the components are designed to work together seamlessly and delivered by one company, Apple products are easier to use, manage, and maintain – saving you time and money, and maximizing your return on investment.