MacMost: Archives

The Airport Location utility allows you to take snapshots of your Mac's preferences and then manually or automatically switch between these preferences. This could save time if you use your Mac in different environments or in different modes. For instance, you could create snapshots for work, home, library or travel and then easily change dozens of settings with just one action.

When you print a document you are faced with many options. You might not realize, however, that these options vary depending on which printer you use and which application you are printing from.

Apple will be holding a special event on Wednesday, September 1. The invitation for the event features a guitar which fits with Apple traditionally scheduling iPod and iTunes-related announcements at this time each year.
While there is no official indication of what will be annoucned, rumors are flying that it will be everything from a new Apple TV system to an iPod Touch with a camera. However, many are focusing on an update to iTunes, either bringing the store to the web or adding cloud-based features. Non-music-related rumors include a 7-inch iPad, iLife 11, a cheaper and smaller MacBook Air laptop, and a Verizon iPhone.

Learn how to change some basic setting on your iPad to customize it to you needs and personality. Also, find out about Gary's new book: My iPad. https://macmost.com/myipad

You can search for files in the Finder using exclusions to narrow your search. This can help when the results are too numerous. You can also use exclusions in iTunes and iPhoto.

A short video explaining a common misconception about DVD quality. DVDs are standard definition, so HD video will not look as good on DVD as it does on your Mac.

Being the largest technology company in the U.S. doesn’t come without its drawbacks. A manager at Apple responsible for working with manufacturers in Asia has been charged with accepting more than $1 million in kickbacks from companies eager to get their hands on inside information.
The manager was accused last week of giving information to companies to help them get contracts from Apple. In addition to the arrest by U.S. Marshals, Apple, Inc. is suing the manager for damages.
While it has been a slow news week for Apple-related events, the rumor mill has been grinding at full speed. Several blogs are reporting that Apple will come out with a smaller 7-inch iPad by the end of the year. Rumors of a new Apple TV model, potentially named iTV, persist. And more bloggers are jumping on the bandwagon to predict a Verizon iPhone in January.

Take a look at the Downloads folder and the Safari Downloads window. Learn how to locate files you have downloaded and keep the Downloads folder clean. Also see how you can save files to other locations.

Learn how to set up guest accounts on your Mac. Guest accounts are a great way to allow friends or your kids to use your Mac without worrying about them messing with your documents or settings. Guest accounts are created on the fly and deleted after use. You can set parental controls for guest accounts and also save documents out of them using the Shared folder.

You can quit an application using the Finder, Dock, keyboard, Terminal and even your voice. Also learn how to force quit applications. See how many of these you knew about.

Apple came out with a minor but notable software update this week. iOS 4.0.2 for the iPhone and 3.2.2 for the iPad patched a flaw in the way PDF files are displayed. This flaw was used as a method of jailbreaking the devices, but could also have been used for malicious purposes.
Adobe also released a minor but notable update. The Mac Flash player now uses graphic card acceleration in video playback. This should make video smoother on higher-end Macs.
And speaking of higher-end Macs, the Mac Pro models announced in July are now available for order in the online Apple Store. Quad-core models start at $2,500 and a 12-core variation starts at $5,000.
Late last week there was a bit of a shake-up at Apple when Mark Papermaster, the head of the iPhone and iPod division, left the company. Some speculate that this may be fallout over the iPhone 4’s antenna issue. But Apple hasn’t commented on the change.

You can launch an application using the Finder, Dock, keyboard, Terminal and even your voice. See how many of these you knew about.

You can print envelopes, mailing labels and two kinds of lists from Address Book. You can also print to a PDF file to put a list on another device or send in an email.

Look at the services you get with MobileMe and decide whether the service is worth the price. You get email, calendars and contacts, storage, a web site, syncing, Back-To-My-Mac and Find My iPhone. There are free services that can be used to replace most of these, but they are not exactly the same.

Hackers this week released a method for jailbreaking the iPhone that only involves visiting a web site. The method uses a security vulnerability that allows code to hide in a font embedded inside a PDF file. Apple has reportedly been working on a fix for this vulnerability and will release an update soon.
Jailbreaking allows owners of the iPhone to install third-party apps that come from sources other than the Apple store. Modifications to iOS on the iPhone can also be made. This is often confused with “unlocking” which allows an iPhone to operate on wireless networks other than AT&T in the U.S.
A security fix is necessary because the same vulnerability can be used to install other software, even malicious software, on the iPhone without the user knowing.
Meanwhile, the legality of jailbreaking was in the news recently. Federal regulators stated that Apple should not use of copyright law to claim that jailbreaking is illegal. This legitimizes many companies and web sites that help people jailbreak their iPhones. But it does not prevent Apple from making jailbreaking difficult.
Microsoft announced a release date and pricing for an update to the popular Microsoft Office suite for Mac. Office 2011 will arrive by the end of October and will feature lower prices: $119 for the home edition and $199 for business. The suites include Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Messenger. The business edition also includes Outlook, a replacement for Entourage.

Check out the new Apple Battery Charger. Since Apple now has several peripherals that use AA batteries, they have come out with an energy-efficient wall charger and a set of NiMH batteries.

Take a look at five camera apps for the iPhone 4 that help you take better pictures and apply special effects and other elements when you are done. Learn how to two panoramas, time delay shots and time lapse.

Take a look at Apple's new Magic Trackpad. This stand-alone wireless device replaces a mouse and gives your desktop Mac a multi-touch interface like newer MacBooks.

Apple made changes to its iMac and Mac Pro lines this week. The new iMacs that feature i3, i5 and i7 processors, dropping the Core 2 Duo processor. Video chipsets in the new iMacs were also upgraded with 256MB to 1GB ATI chipsets. Faster memory is also included, and the SD card slots now support SDXC cards with up to 2TB of data. Drives on the new Macs start at 500GB with 1TB as a standard on most, and a 256GB SSD option as a second drive.
The Mac pro towers now come with either 4 or 6-core Xeon procesors, new ATI video chipsets, an option for a 512GB SSD and other improvements.
In addition to the new computers, Apple introduced a whole new interface this week with the Magic Trackpad. The device is essentially a trackpad like the ones on MacBook Pros, but as a stand-alone wireless Bluetooth device that replaces a mouse. The device allows an iMac, Mac mini or Mac Pro user to use touch gestures which have been available on MacBooks for a while.
Apple also changed its display line, adding a 27-inch (2560×1440) LED display that also features an iSight camera, USB hub and speakers. It also has a port for connecting power to the most recent MacBook line. This is now the top-of-the-line display for Apple, which discontinued its 30-inch display.

Gmail is the dominant email service used by MacMost users, followed by MobileMe. In a poll of 728 people, Gmail was reported as the preferred service by 41 percent. Mobile followed with 27 percent.