MacMost: Hardware and Accessories

Learn how your Mac uses memory and makes it seem like you have more memory than you actually do by compressing and swapping memory. Learn what Memory Pressure is and how you can use this measurement to improve performance in extreme situations.

If you use USB flash memory drives, also known as thumb drives or jump drives, you can encrypt them to make sure no one else can access your data if they get a hold of your drive. This is a system function in macOS Sierra that can be accessed in the context menu for that drive. Since these drives are easy to lose, it can be a good idea to encrypt them as standard practice.

If you have purchased a new Mac recently, it comes with USB 3 ports. These look just like USB 2, but are much faster. If you are still using USB 2 external drives you will want to consider upgrading as the speed difference is worth the price. Thunderbolt may seem like an even better option, but unless you are paying a lot for an SSD, the speed of standard drives will give you the same results between USB 3 and Thunderbolt, so you may as well go for the much cheaper option.

When you travel with Apple devices there are some small accessories that you can bring along to help you connect and use your devices. See which simple and cheap accessories I bring along when traveling.

Learn about the different hard drive formats like Mac OS, NTFS and FAT32. Find out how you can use NTFS drives with a Mac, and Mac OS drives using Windows. See how FAT32 formatted drives can be used to store files accessible to both systems.

The Image Capture app that comes with every Mac is a good alternative to scanner manufacturers' custom software. You can use it to scan images from most scanners and it will adjust its features depending on the scanner's capabilities.

Take a look at Apple's new connection port, Thunderbolt. Now on all MacBook Pros, we'll soon find it on all Macs. You'll be able to use Thunderbolt to connect displays, hard drives, video equipment and other devices.

If you are not a computer expert, you may not know some of the terms used to describe your Mac. Learn about your processor, graphics processor, memory, hard drive and other aspects of a computer.

You can use Activity Monitor to see how your Mac is using memory. But what do free, active, inactive and wired mean? How about page ins and page outs? Plus, learn to use them to figure out if you need more memory.

It can sometimes be tricky to set up a printer on your Mac. Make sure you are buying one that is Mac-compatible and that you have a USB cable if you need one. Also, typically ignore the CD-ROM that comes with the printer and download fresh drives from the Web site. Check reviews and support sites for for tips and information.

It is easy to hook up a second monitor to most Macs. Once you get a monitor and the proper cables to connect it, you can use the Displays preferences to control how the monitor fits into your desktop.

Take a look at the new Magic Mouse from Apple. This wireless mouse features a touch-sensitive trackpad-like surface for scrolling and gestures.

In addition to being a general upgrade to the iMac line, the new iMacs have 12 new and interesting features that you should know about.

You can connect two Macs together by re-booting one into Firewire target disk mode. This allows the first Mac to access the second as a Firewire drive. You can then transfer files between the two computers faster than using a network.