First, find your serial number

Probably the quickest and easiest way to learn about your Mac is with the serial number. Look on the surface of your Mac or on your sales receipt or original packaging. If you can’t find it either of those ways, you can locate this while running your Mac:

• From the Apple menu, select “About this Mac.”
• Click on “More Info…”
• Highlight the “Hardware” category, and look for the serial number there.

(If you have OS X 10.1 or higher installed on your Mac, you can also go to the Apple menu, choose “About this Mac,” then double-click on the OS version number. It will change to your serial number.)

Then use these sites to get the help you need

With the serial number, you can find out the hip version name of your particular model. For instance, how are you to remember that the MacBook Pro 4.1 was also referred to as the MacBook Pro Early 2008. To get even more information about your Mac, Apple has provided a few online services that can help you out:

• Apple’s Support’s Tech Spec Search Utility: A great, well-maintained source of information about Apple products that includes all the product information even after it has been removed from the primary site as well as the Apple Online Store. Enter your serial number into the search box, and you will find information about the processor speed, size and weight, memory, storage and much more. support.apple.com/specs
• Apple’s Service and Repair Web Site: If you are in need of service or repair, whether you have Apple Care or not, this site will help get you started on the road to recovery. You can contact an Apple advisor, make an appointment with a genius at an Apple Retail Store, or search for a local Apple Authorized Service Provider. selfsolve.apple.com
• Apple’s Apple Care Registered Products List: If you have purchased Apple Care for any of your products, or if you have very recently purchased a new Mac and are still covered by the free Apple Care coverage, then this is the place to go when you need help or support. apple.com/support/applecare
• Apple’s My Support Profile list of My Products: Relatively unknown site that helps keep track of all of your interactions with Apple support as well as maintain a list of the products you have registered with Apple. In fact, this site will help you keep track of all of your Apple purchases. supportprofile.apple.com

What I find interesting about being an owner of Apple products is the amount of time and energy people, including myself, put into knowing everything there is to know about the next piece of hardware Apple is to release. Yet as time passes, many of us simply forget the exact details of what we already have. I hope this guide will help close this knowledge gap.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• The Case for Increased M&A in 2011: Actions and Outlooks
• The Structure 50: The Top 50 Cloud Innovators
• Connected Consumer Q1: The Over-the-Top vs. Pay TV Battle Heats Up

Apple Support Communities offers more than just a fairly standard discussion board. It centers on product-specific communities, which are themselves divided into sub-communities depending on the type of support you’re looking for. The site surfaces the most recent content, is based around more of a question-asking model like Quora, a popular social Q&A site, and provides status incentives to help encourage community members to assist their fellow users.

The redesign seems aimed at making support more accessible for new users, and at incorporating more social features to make it easier to give feedback and follow discussions. For example, users can now “Like” any post made in community threads, and you can follow individual communities using a bookmark feature, or by signing up to receive email notifications of new replies. Users can also customize which community feeds appear on their home page quickly and easily using links posted throughout the site.

There’s also a new incentive system that borrows from the recent popularity of gamification. Users can choose which are the most helpful answers, which awards five points to a user, and Apple will sometimes single out a “correct” answer, which grants an additional 10 points. Earning points increases your level, which tops out at level 10 (80,000 points). Apple hasn’t yet revealed what specific privileges are unlocked at each level.

Apple previewed the new site in August last year, but hadn’t made mention of any progress until the new version went live this weekend. My early impressions are that this might be Apple’s most successful foray into social networking yet, or at least the best-designed one. Anyone else agree?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• How Mobile Is Changing the Video Game Market — and What It Means
• 5 NewNet Milestones That Won’t Happen in 2011
• Can Apple Build a Real Social Network?

In a mailing list posting on Tuesday, Mozilla’s Firefox honcho Mike Beltzner affirmed: “I am gathering data on the number of PPC users we have, but the likely outcome is that we will not be supporting PPC [PowerPC] for Firefox 4.”

Mozilla has already cut off Firefox support for Mac OS X 10.4 after version 3.6, and the new SeaMonkey 2.1 Alpha released yesterday (SeaMonkey is based on the Firefox browser engine) also dumped support for OS 10.4.

Feeling The Pain

These developments were inevitable, and the proverbial writing has been on the wall for some time for Tiger support especially, but looming termination of all PPC support is a splash of cold water for legions of holdout users. With two old 550 MHz G4 Pismo PowerBooks running OS 10.4 Tiger still in daily service, I’m definitely feeling the pain of constricting browser support. At present, I’m using SeaMonkey 2.0.6 (current stable release), Opera 10.01, and iCab 4.8 on the Pismos along with old Netscape Navigator 9.

Indeed, in many respects, Navigator 9 remains the most satisfactory all-round browser on low-powered Power PC machines, although its security profile is woefully out of date, so I wouldn’t recommend it for visiting your online banking site, or anywhere else that security is a particular concern. You can still download Navigator 9 here.

SeaMonkey: The Best Compromise?

SeaMonkey 2.0.6 is probably the best compromise at this point between performance, reliability, and security, and I was disappointed when I downloaded the version 2.1 Alpha 3 build, which features some interesting interface upgrades, only to discover that the system requirements cited on MacUpdate were in error, and it doesn’t support OS 10.4.

iCab 4.8 still fully supports Tiger, and I don’t anticipate that it will be dropping it anytime soon, since they still offer a browser on their download page that supports 68k Macs running System 7.1, but the latest 64-bit version of iCab 4.8, of course, requires Snow Leopard, and it’s doubtful that legacy versions get much security updating, if any.

The latest version 10.6 of Opera nominally supports Power PC Macs running Tiger as well, but in practice, I’ve found that it’s slow and unstable on the old Pismos, with lots of spinning beachball time. The last build that works well on those machines is version 10.01 (c. October 2009).

Curtain Dropping On Power PC

Consequently, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that the curtain is dropping on Power PC Macs. I’ll not be giving up on my beloved Pismo PowerBooks any time soon, and hope to continue using them for years to come, but I’ll do any security-sensitive web stuff on my MacBook and whatever supersedes it. Opera 10.6, Google Chrome, Firefox 4, and Safari 5 all offer a superb browsing experience for Intel Mac users.

It’s interesting that Web browsers seem to have emerged as the tipping point of practical computer obsolescence. Are you feeling the pinch?

Related GigaOM Pro Research: What Does The Future Hold For Browsers?

Next Gen Customers on Previous Gen Devices

The most likely recipients of older iPhone 3G devices will be the siblings of the owners of the devices which have replaced them with the new iPhone 4. This is a very important class of user that Apple cares a lot about. The new owners of these older iPhone 3G devices will be potential Apple customers throughout their academic life. And it appears that students are serious about Apple. Providing a less than awesome experience now could jeopardize their loyalties later.

One iOS to Rule Them All

The current burden on developers targeting Apple’s mobile devices is that there are too many software versions to manage; 3.1, 3.2, and 4.0, to name a few. The number of devices on each of these three major platforms is still significant. With the upcoming iOS 4.1 update, Apple has the opportunity to converge more of these devices to just one OS platform. That is, if they can convince iPhone 3G owners that performance is no longer an issue.

Focusing on multiple platforms does take time away from adding features and releasing new titles. Giving developers the tools they need is only part of the equation. Switching between simulators and managing several different devices takes time. Cutting down on the number of device and OS combinations that developers need to support will only strengthen the quality of the apps for devs that don’t test across the matrix of combinations, and give back some development time to those that do.

Engineering Pride

Apple has been quite public about the engineering capabilities of other software development shops. Apple was also adamant all along that iPhone 3G devices would be supported on iOS 4, minus some features. Nonetheless, Apple proclaimed support for these devices. Taking on its own challenge, stepping up to the plate and delivering an awesome experience to its next generation of customers is what Apple’s core values are all about.

Related GigaOM Pro Research: Rogue Devices: The Consumer Influence on Enterprise Mobility, Part 1

That budget goes not only towards things like putting a computer in the hands of each employee, but also keeping the lights on and paying the rent. Given those constraints, many non-profits are much more likely to look at sub-$500 Windows computers instead of Macs.

Unfortunately, by making that decision you may be costing your organization in the long term. Here are three reasons why even a non-profit with a tight budget should be strongly considering Macs.

1) Support costs

There are the obvious reasons why Macs cost less to support, ranging from the fact that you don’t need to worry about viruses to the stability of OS X. Less obvious is the fact that recent surveys of IT professionals have found that Mac computers are less costly to manage than Windows PCs.

For smaller non-profits who don’t have an in-house IT department, you’ll also want to consider the value of the Genius Bar. If you have an Apple store anywhere near your office you can simply walk in with a problematic computer and usually have your problem solved quickly and easily. Compare that to the cost of spending time on the phone with Dell or HP support, or the lost opportunity that can accrue if you have to ship your computer away for repairs.

2) Longevity

I’m not one of those people who thinks that all Windows PCs are built like junk. You can certainly find a reliable computer running Windows, but there are two key things to consider. First, your chances of getting a reliable computer at a very low price isn’t great. Second, the odds of picking the right model from the array of available Windows computers also works against you.

By contrast, almost any model of Mac is a solid bet to be a reliable computer for three or four years. Trust me, I’ve been in organizations that have had to replace their entire collection of computers barely a year after buying inexpensive Windows laptops. You have to ask yourself if you want to buy two cheap computers over four years or one more reliable one. If it’s the latter, you’re probably better off going with Mac.

3) Software

This is usually a mark against the move to Macs, the argument being that you will need to repurchase all of your expensive software for another platform. Non-profits can avoid much of this cost due to services like TechSoup, which allow them to purchase software at a steep discount. If you’re a small non-profit iLife provides you with excellent tools to produce multimedia and a simple website without spending a single additional cent.

If you do need to do something more complex you have an incredible array of easy to use, attractive and relatively inexpensive applications to choose from. A few suggestions that would work well in a non-profit setting include Bento, RapidWeaver, iWork, iBank and Acorn. These range in cost from free to well under $100.

The value of any computing platform is defined by what you can do on it, and the Mac is without peer in this regard. There is value in having software that just works, and there is also value in having employees that enjoy working with their platform rather than suffering under it.

The Dell Experience

Client #1 comes in because Windows won’t boot. The minute she turns on the PC, I know the problem. It’s that horrible high-pitched clicking noise that is worse than nails on a chalkboard to any technician. It’s obvious the drive has failed and the solution is to replace it. I booted off a test CD and verified the hard drive failure.

Fortunately the computer is under warranty. No big deal, Dell should replace the hard drive. I call Dell. After 20 minutes on hold, I’m not getting a live person, so I try the online chat and wait and wait and wait. Eventually, someone comes online. The first obstacle is that the client is a student and the father bought the computer via his work. Dell will not assist us until we tell them the owner of the computer and the shipping address. Arrrgh. So we play a multiple choice game for about 20 minutes trying to find out which name and address it was under.

We are now at about an hour. When we get the “correct” answer to the shipping address, our tech then begins to help us. I explain that the hard drive is making a high pitched clicking noise and the system doesn’t show a hard drive. First, the tech wants me to try a special diagnostic that is preformed off the hard drive. Of course the hard drive is dead, so we go back and forth with that I must be doing something wrong. His English was so shaky that I often didn’t understand his questions. (How does one answer  ”Is this issue not facing now?”) Eventually the tech believes I’m doing it right and then asks me to boot off a CD that come with the system, which of course the client doesn’t have. We’re supposed to look for the disks and contact them again, but I refused. The client didn’t know where the disk is and we needed this resolved.

Eventually, the support person realizes we don’t have the disk, but he now wants us to open up the computer and reset everything. We’re now at the 1.5 hour mark. Eventually the agent agrees the hard drive should be replaced. Thank you! However, they must ship the hard drive to one of their contracted field techs per her warranty. Actually, that’s lucky; sometimes you have to ship the computer back to Dell. Her warranty was “upgraded” to include on-site repair. The tech will then contact her to set a time to install the hard drive. Three days later, there was no contact from the tech, no hard drive. Fortunately, I gave her a loaner and got her up and running.

We tried calling Dell to no avail. There was no record of the request for the hard drive. Eventually we contacted Dell “Unresolved Issues” and the hard drive was shipped. Total time on the phone: three hours. Delay in hard drive replacement: almost two weeks. The time involved on the chat I assure you is very typical and it’s not just Dell. I see it with HP/Compaqs as well. Service is simply not part of their deal.

The Apple Experience

My next client had a Macbook. I could hear it was the same problem immediately. Ironically, it was the same brand and size of hard drive as was in the Dell. I entered her serial number on Apple’s support web site, and it showed the computer was still under warranty. We then set up a “Speak to an Apple Expert” call-back for about 20 minutes later. On the dot, the technician called. I explained the loud noise and told the tech I booted off the Leopard DVD and the hard drive showed errors. He agreed to ship a new hard drive the next day. Total phone time was less than five minutes and it was 30 minutes from problem diagnosis to closure and less than 24 hours from the time I called until the new hard drive arrived on her doorstop. Again, this interaction was very typical.

For the sake of argument, let’s say these clients didn’t use a consultant to solve their problem. The Mac client could have made an appointment with a genius if an Apple store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider for the repair. The PC client has no physical store she could go to unless she bought that PC at a store that also offered warranty repair.

The phrase “Penny wise and Pound foolish” comes to mind. Did the first client end up saving money because she bought a PC?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• The Near-Term Evolution of Social Commerce
• A 2011 Infrastructure Forecast
• Big Data 2011 Preview

We usually love our Apple products. They work well, are easy to understand and when we have a problem, Apple works quickly to resolve it. Most of the time. What happens when Apple simply won’t play ball? Read on and find out how to work Apple’s system.

Step 1: AASP and Geniuses

For many people, their first interaction is with the Apple store, however some will go to an Apple Authorized Service provider (AASP). AASP determinations can be overridden by an Apple store, so going to the Apple store would be your first escalation if you are not satisfied by the AASP. Typically a Genius determines you have a problem, but alas, you may be out of warranty. Maybe they are claiming the item was abused or tampered with and you disagree. Often you are just barely out of warranty or fall right outside a Repair Extension. Be sure to keep careful notes of the dates and times of your conversations and with whom you’ve spoken. All is not lost.

Step 2: The CS Code

Your next step can be to call the general number for Apple technical support (800-275-2273).  Explain your situation and ask for an accommodation; usually you want a repair at no charge to you. Your ultimate goal is to get a “CS code.” A CS code acts like a coupon. Give the CS code to the AASP and the cost of the repair will be discounted by the amount the CS Code authorizes. Apple tech support is based in North America, so you’ll unlikely have the communication barriers you face with other brands. Again, keep careful notes.

Step 3: Customer Relations

What if tech support won’t play ball? Your next step is to call technical support, or pretty much any Apple number, and ask for “Customer Relations.” That’s the magic phrasing that gets you talking with people who can override the decisions of any AASP. They’ll usually be the one to issue a CS code.

When talking with Customer Relations, always be polite, fair and accommodating. These are human beings who will often rise or fall to the level of politeness and aggressiveness they receive. Having learned from others’ success with Customer Relations, it’s best to focus on the fact that you are a loyal Mac user. Briefly tell them about your love of all things Apple. Be enthusiastic and authentic.

Next, tell them about your problem and your frustration that Apple didn’t cover it but you think they should. It may be that your Mac or iPod is just barely out of warranty, or maybe it’s been in for similar problems before and Apple didn’t fix it right the first time. Often it’s related to a known defect that Apple hasn’t quite admitted yet. Mention places you’ve read about others having the same problem you have.

In a previous article, I talked about reading Apple’s Annual Report to determine what issues Apple could be facing lawsuits about. Focus on the fact that you want to be an Apple supporter, but its actions in this particular matter that have shaken your confidence. You might playfully mention some of the ads you’ve seen and how much you are a believer.

Ask the Apple representative for something reasonable and fair — usually the repair of the item under warranty. Frequently Apple will meet you half-way by agreeing to cover the parts, but not the labor. Consider that a win. If you don’t get the answer you want the first time, don’t be afraid to call back and speak with another rep. Don’t get into an argument. Thank them for their time and try again.

Step 4: Bring in The Steve

What if even Customer Relations isn’t appearing to be fair with you? Now it’s time to bring in Steve. No, not the Woz, but rather Mr. Steve Jobs. Write him at steve@apple.com or sjobs@apple.com. Your email will be read by a member of his staff (and even Steve himself on occasion). Make the same case you made to Customer Relations in the same fair, accommodating and professional way. They’ll often find you a solution. Maybe it’s not a CS code, but usually a fair deal that protects Apple’s financial interest, yet goes the extra mile to keep you as a Mac user.

Alternatively, and in addition to contacting Steve, if you are an Apple investor, contact investor relations (408-974-3123). You can mention all the things you mentioned to Customer Relations, but add the fact that this experience has tainted not just your technology buying experience but your confidence in Apple as an investor. If you’ve posted your woes on Twitter, stock boards, or on your blog, you can mention that. Be honest and direct. These people will get you in contact with people in the “Exec” team, who are usually the same people who handle the steve@apple.com email.

Still no dice? Well, I think you are out of luck. Sometimes it just happens. At least now you know the escalation methods and at least have a fighting chance with Apple.

Do you have a successful Apple war story?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Report: Monetizing Digital Content
• Microsoft Azure: What It Is, What It Costs and Who Should Care

My own experience is that the iPhone charges in far less time than it normally would, and then only lasts about 12 hours on standby with my average daily usage of around three hours talk/browsing/gaming time. That’s probably a full 12 hours of standby off of what it used to be able to handle post-updating.

The behavior seems to indicate that the iPhone isn’t recognizing or using the full capacity of the battery anymore. I’ve tried resetting the phone, but I haven’t done a full restore, since I’d rather wait and see what kind of fix Apple comes up with before I lose all my data and settings. Also, support forum posters indicate that doesn’t correct the problem.

Other problems include a sticky battery indicator, which sometimes also won’t go below 100 percent after a full charge, and a huge additional drain when using Push features. My temporary fixes include turning off Push altogether, and charging the phone whenever I’m near an accessible power outlet, since the battery indicator can no longer be trusted.

Hopefully, Apple can solve this quickly with a x.x.1 release, but until then, drop by the support forums and answer the questions Apple is asking about the problems to help expedite the process. You might even be able to get one of the “Battery Life Logging” profiles Apple is distributing to gauge the extent of the problems. If you’re experiencing similar issues, please share in the comments with specific details.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Mobile Q4: All Eyes Were on Android, 4G and the Rising Tablet Tide
• Report: A Mobile Video Market Overview

The list is split into two parts. The first, which features software that will be automatically moved to an “Incompatible Software” folder, contains some familiar faces, like Unsanity’s Application Enhancer 2.0.1 and earlier, versions of which caused a fair amount of BSOD (including one of my own) when users upgraded from Tiger to Leopard. At least your system won’t just seize up and die this time around. Other programs on this list include:

• Parallels Desktop 2.5 and below
• AT&T’s Laptop Connect Card (1.0.4, 1.0.5, and 1.10.0)
• Norton AntiVirus 11.0
• launch2net 2.13.0 (for some 3G USB dongles)

The second part contains programs that Snow Leopard will prevent from opening, though they will remain in their usual location on your drive. Oddly enough, two of Apple’s own software offerings appear on this list. Here are the most popular offenders:

• Aperture 2.1.1 and below
• Keynote 2.0.2 and below
• Parallels Desktop 3.0
• EyeTV 3.0.0 to 3.1.0
• Ratatouille 1.1

I’ve only posted some of the programs on the list, which will probably be updated by Apple as new incompatibilities are discovered. Note that Apple’s not saying these programs will break or prevent a Snow Leopard install, just that they most definitely will not work with 10.6. If I happened to have any of these currently installed on my system, I’d probably do my best to get rid of any trace of them using AppZapper or something similar before upgrading, just in case.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• The Near-Term Evolution of Social Commerce
• Content Farms: The Players, The Benefits, The Risks

For the past few months, I’ve been in the process of moving from one side of the country to the other. Now that my family and I are settling into our new location, I thought I would share some stories of small business owner encounters I’ve had during my travels. From the end of April to the middle of July, I crossed the country twice by car, and three times flying. Each time, I was reminded of why a Mac is a great small business machine.

iPhones Everywhere, Not a Mac in Sight

During my travels, I met people from all over. Being a tech guy, I would immediately ask questions about what they did for a living, what types of tools they used, the problems their business faced, etc. Of course, for me, the most fascinating part was the software and hardware they used.

Generally, I would hear that they used Microsoft Outlook to manage their email and contacts, Microsoft Word or Publisher to manage their documents, and Microsoft Excel for spreadsheets. Basically, the standard issue PC purchase and Microsoft tools. Some were a little more advanced and used QuickBooks Pro or Adobe graphics tools.

The funny thing is that of the half-dozen or so folks I met, all of them (and yes, I mean all of them) had an iPhone to manage their information on-the-go. They would explain how they loved the user experience, the apps available (not to manage their business, just fun apps) and the cool factor.

Elevator Pitch

Of course, I would then ask why they didn’t use a Mac instead of their current PC. Most of the replies blamed a lack of initiative, the cost of switching, or a fear of change. The cost issue tended to be the less significant of the three. The biggest was the fear of change. Would their documents work? Would they have to change how they completed their daily tasks? What would they do without Outlook (other than have hours of their lives back instead of waiting for that molasses app to run)?

Generally, I would explain the standard Apple business proposition to them: premier/high quality hardware and software, simplicity and fun factor. I would then explain how their documents would migrate with minimal fidelity loss (not every file converts perfectly). I would then begin to sell them on how their data would be better managed.

I really enjoyed showing these business owners how powerful the iPhone can really be when you use it for business. I would demonstrate MobileMe sync and how changes made to their contacts/calendar on the iPhone would be waiting for them when they got home (this usually drew gigantic smiles).

Next, I would open the App Store and show them different Office Apps (QuickOffice and/or DocsToGo), CRM Apps (Daylite, Salesforce, Highrise) and more. I would also show how they can manage tasks with a variety of tools, too.

Support is Key

Before trying to really pitch the Mac, I would spend time understanding their workflow. It’s pretty amazing that regardless of how computer literate people claim to be, they’re often missing huge chunks of know-how. Literacy comes at many levels. So does hardware/software support. That’s why I really believe small business owners need a Mac more than a PC.

As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, small business owners are inherently busy. Because of their limited resources, they don’t have the money to afford onsite IT support. Hiring a consultant to come fix their software problems is expensive, and the service isn’t always consistent.

Once the discussion began centering on support, it was easy to pitch the Apple Store experience (Genius Bar, One to One, etc.). I mentioned how they could call an 800 number and get support from a technician here in the U.S., and how they also have potential access to a local user group for additional help. You could see them coming around. Everyone has heard the horrible PC software support stories. The prospect of something better never fails to impress.

If you’re a small business owner, I highly recommend looking at the Mac. It isn’t just about avoiding viruses and spyware. It isn’t about being the cool kid on the block with the new shiny device. It’s about having a solid, well-supported product so that you can conduct business without wasting your precious time on IT issues.

Please note, I am neither an Apple employee nor affiliated with Apple in any way. I just like seeing people successful in what they do, and to my mind, a Mac helps make that happen.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Mobile Q4: All Eyes Were on Android, 4G and the Rising Tablet Tide
• Report: A Mobile Video Market Overview
• In Q3, the Tablet and 4G Were the Big Stories