MacMost: Archives

Carriers charge a premium for text messaging bandwidth. But you can send and receive text messages for free using some apps. With a Google Voice account and the Google Voice app, you can send, receive and get notifications of incoming messages even when the app isn't running.

You can add functionality to Gmail using Gmail Labs extensions. Take a look at some of the most useful extensions, like Multiple Inboxes, Superstars, Canned Responses, Inserting Images and Undo Send.

You can use the Track Changes feature of Pages in iWork 09 to edit documents. Suggestions are recorded and can be accepted or rejected later. Multiple writers and editors can work on a document and all changes will be recorded along with the editor and time. Comments can also be added.

Web developers should know that they can edit their Mac's hosts file to supersede DNS and point a domain name to a different web server. This is very useful for testing out sites before launching them or switching DNS.

Learn how to use all four Finder view types: Icons, List, Columns, and Cover Flow. Each has its own uses and options.

You can email a slideshow to a friend by exporting the slideshow from iPhoto as a video and then attaching that file to the message. But there are many good reasons not to use email, but instead share the video online and send a link instead.

Some newer Macs may not come with Adobe Flash installed. You can install this popular browser plug-in yourself by going to Adobe's site and downloading it. Flash allows you to view some video, game and other interactive content in your web browser.

You can share your Pages, Numbers and Keynote documents using Apple's iWork.com service. Others can view your documents right in their browser, and make comments and notes if they are using Safari. You can even upload Keynote presentations and present right from the Safari.

Verizon and Apple announced that the iPhone will be coming to the Verizon network in the U.S. on February 10. There will be a new version of the iPhone 4 to support Verizon's CDMA network.

In iWork Pages you can import images and manipulate them in various ways. You can resize, rotate and crop images. You can also place them inside of shapes and adjust colors.

In episode number 500 of MacMost Now, Gary Rosenzweig takes a look at the Mac App Store. After updating to Mac OS X 10.6.6 you can browse, purchase and download Macintosh software using the Mac App Store, which fundamentally changes the way Mac users get software.