John Martellaro

Periodically, Apple updates OS X, and we get our hopes up that things will get better, not worse. That's what always happened in the past, and we loved it.  Nowadays, however, there is some concern that instead of fabulous new OS technologies to serve us, we'll be dragged into something that unnerves us.  That's a big difference.  What can Apple do to reemerge as the hero?

UX Write for the iPad is an excellent word processor for the iPad and includes Dropbox support. Last summer, it was reviewed by The Mac Observer and given a Solid rating.  Since then the author has continuously improved this app, and now it includes the ability to export in the .docx format. This Part II is an update to the current state of the app and includes a revised rating.

The purpose of advertising is to create demand and then sales. If a company that's behind in market and mind share spends enough, it not only influences the customers, it influences the tech community. Is this what's behind the Apple malaise?

There are two new, next generation technologies being discussed these days: smart glasses, being pursued by Google and wearable computing devices which Apple may be considering with its rumored iWatch.  Are they equivalent ways of achieving the same thing? Perhaps not.

Companies that claim they make the very best product of its kind but then waffle on selling low volume, premium, awe inspiring, likely very expensive high end products will implicitly lose credibility. That seems to be the discussion around the Mac Pro lately. Will Apple's next Mac Pro light the world on fire? Or just be a case of slash and burn?

Recently, Andy Ihnatko announced that he had switched from an iPhone 4S to a Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone. He wrote a multi-part article about his experiences -- an assessment of the competing technologies and why the Galaxy S3 suited him better. What does his decision mean for those of us using iPhones?  John Martellaro weighs in with his own analysis of Andy's great adventure.

There are several, escalating steps you can take to force quit a misbehaving app in iOS.  This how-to describes successively stronger and stronger measures to achieve that.

There are writers who understand Apple. They've been covering Apple for years, decades.  Some of them are very smart and accomplished at research and analysis. Other writers just write about Apple to earn some money and see their name in lights. Is there a war emerging between the two?

The Cally app for iOS is a units and currency converter plus a scientific calculator. It is brilliant at conversions, but flubs badly as a calculator. John Martellaro explains why the calculator part needs a complete overhaul.