Are your members interested in what was offered during the WWDC21 Apple Keynote? Apple’s YouTube channel provides an in-depth look at updates on iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, macOS, AirPods, and Privacy, broadcasting from Apple Park.
Like many people, I have missed getting together with friends in the user group community since the last Macworld, and even more over the last year. Still, I was surprised at how truly great it felt to hear from the long-time groups that left their names in the survey.
Each name brought a fond memory (in some cases many, many fond memories) and a reminder that the user group community is both vibrant and caring. With more than 70 responses, here are some of the groups that left comments and a hello (in alphabetical order):
| Apple Charlestown Apple Group | Maryland Apple Corps, Inc. |
| appleJAC User Group | MIAMUG (Midland, MI) |
| ApplePickers of Central Indiana | Mountain View Computer Users Group, Sierra Vista, AZ |
| Ashland Macintosh User’s Group | Naples MacFriends User Group Inc |
| Atlantic City Area Mac Users Group | National Capital Apple Mac Users Group (NCA-MUG) |
| AUSOM Inc | PMUG-NJ.ORG |
| Club HyperPomme Paris | Portland (OR) Macintosh Users Group |
| Computer Users of Erie | Prescott Mac Users Group |
| CVMUG – Conejo Ventura Macintosh User Group | Silicon Mountain MacIntosh User Group |
| EAMUG Englewood,FL User Group | South Suburban (Chicago) Mac Users Group |
| EMUG | Suffolk Mac User Group |
| Exeter area Mac user group | The Macintosh Guild |
| Franklin Apple Orchard | The Oregon MacPioneers User Group (OMUG) |
| MAC2 (MAC2MUG) | TMG Dayton |
| MacinTech | TMUG – Tucson Macintosh Users Group |
| MacNexus | Tucson Macintosh Users Group |
| MacValley User Group, Northridge, California | VMUG (Victoria [BC] Mac and iOS User Group (vmug.bc.ca) |
Thanks for the comments and for sharing your thoughts, and thanks to Curt B. for suggesting the questions!
Responses show that prior to the pandemic most groups met face-to-face. True, well before the pandemic there were groups perfecting their streaming meeting skills while others excelled with fully online Zoom meetings, groups that were FaceTime experts and some experimented with truly novel formats (one group even met in a park with picnic blankets spaced 10′ apart). Still, most groups met face-to-face. Over the last 10-15 years, the number of solely online groups in the user group database has generally been around 10%. As one survey respondent said, “mostly on site, but dwindling numbers and meetings.” So, it is interesting to learn that some groups have been revitalized during the pandemic, helping members stay in touch during difficult times. Here are the results for pre-pandemic meeting formats:
When it comes to deciding how to meet, when to meet, and where to meet, it can be hard to make everyone happy. (In fact, most user group officers will tell you that it can be hard to make many members happy regardless of the question…)
Here are some of the factors that groups said go into deciding on their meeting format and location:
In the survey, we asked for guidance and groups offered their thoughts. Interestingly, some of the factors that groups considered, such as aging membership, was cited as a reason for, and against, Zoom-type meetings 🙂
Here is some of the advice offered:
Some groups find benefits in the online meeting format
Some groups see benefits in meeting face to face (more…)
Are your members interested in the newest version of Clips? Clips is an iOS-only free app for making and sharing fun videos with text, effects, graphics, and more? ASW has information to help you plan a great meeting:
Clips – First Look (L573379A-en_US), iPadOS 14 – First Look (L585034A-en_US), and iPad – Then and Now (L575791A-en_US) can provide the information you need.
Ambassadors: May is a great month to check out ASW.
Many groups changed their meeting location, day, or format in 2020-2921. As you might expect, the pandemic factored into meeting decisions, with some groups moving fully online due to loss of a regular meeting space, civic responsibilities, or need to socially isolate. Some groups have been meeting remotely for years, while others used the past year to master Zoom, FaceTime, and various remote streaming options.
A friend from the Tucson group wrote recently about how some groups may decide to stay online permanently. In fact, his group is currently seeing almost as many attendees for their online meetings as they saw when meeting in person.
We would appreciate your input in this very brief survey. Next month’s Bulletin will have the results.
Meeting Formats Survey – Apple User Groups 2021
(Thanks to Curt B. for this discussion – a lot of folk in the community are making plans and it will be interesting to hear their guidance.)
Tuesday’s Spring Loaded April 2021 Event brought amazing new products and one-of-a-kind features. Whether your members will want to know more about AppleTV 4k’s calibration system on iPhone (wow!), the cool Center Stage technology in the new M1 iPad Pros, the impossibly thin and high performing new iMacs, or more, ASW and Apple Support’s YouTube Channel have you covered.
ASW offers a wealth of resources about Tuesday’s announcements – here are just a few:
Better yet, if your members have not seen the keynote, Introducing the new iMac | Apple, or Mission Implausible | M1 chip | iPad Pro | Apple, you can watch it on Apple’s YouTube channel. (more…)
The new AirTags are here and they are amazing. What to help your members learn more about AirTag? ASW and Apple Newsroom have everything you need. Be sure to check you ASW for AirTag – Quick demos (L592426A-en_US) and AirTag – First Look (L592425A-en_US), then head over to Newsroom for more:
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/04/apple-introduces-airtag/
Ambassadors, April is a great month to check out ASW.
While the Macstock team hoped to offer a virtual conference in 2021, Macstock Conference & Expo is now planned for the end of July, 2022. The good news is that your ticket will be honored for the next gathering, no worries.
Check out past Macstock gatherings, and keep an eye on future announcements:
