MacMost: Video Podcast

Use the iTunes Up Next list to pick which songs will play next without needing to create an entire temporary playlist. You can add to the list at the top or the bottom, clear it or reorder it all while you music is playing. You an view he Up Next list from the iTunes toolbar, or the mini player.

You can find your MacBook's battery cycle count in System Information. A cycle is a complete charge of the battery and will not count partial charges as a full charge. So you can feel free to use your battery as needed. Do not be afraid to charge your battery after only using a fraction of the power. Apple maintains a page with expected battery cycle counts for different MacBook models.

You can use the Open With feature to open a file with something other than the default app on your Mac. You can also use Always Open With to change the default for that one file, and the Get Info window to change the default for all files of the same type.

You can use CONVERT to convert numbers from one unit to another. Convert distances from meters to feet, temperatures from Fahrenheit to Celsius, and so on. You can also use cell formatting to attach unit symbols to numbers.

If you need a transparent image, like a circle, arrow or piece of text, you would usually create it in a graphics app. However, there is a way to create transparent images quickly using only Keynote. You can then use these as overlays on other images in Preview or in iMovie.

It is relatively easy to use a VPN service on your Mac. Simply install the software that the service provides, and then set some preferences. From there it is usually automatic. Some services let you pick a server location and set some networks to be trusted at all times.

What is VPN and why do people use it? VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and it allows you to establish a secure connection from your device, though Wi-Fi and your ISP, to the VPN service, and then out to the Internet. Using a VPN you can mask what you are doing from your ISP, which is particularly useful if you don't trust your ISP, such as when using a connection in a public place.

You can use three special whole-hand gestures on your iPad to switch between apps. There is a gesture for switching to the App Switcher, one for going back to the Home screen, and one for moving left and right between apps. You can also disable these gestures if you are triggering them inadvertently.

A new feature in Pages is the ability to export into Rich Text Format. This kind of file can be opened and edited by almost any text editor or word processor. You can use RTF to move a document from Pages to TextEdit, or to send to someone when you are not sure what kind of word processor they are using.

It is important to understand that just because you have a great Wi-Fi signal, it doesn't mean that your Internet speed will be fast. Wi-Fi signal only tells you about the connection between your device and the local Wi-Fi-router. But that router's connection to the Internet is what really determines your speed.

A new feature of Keynote allows you to easily embed your finished presentation as a piece of interactive media in blog posts. This works in the popular platforms WordPress.com and Medium.com, as well as possibly others.

In macOS you have the option to have the Dock always be present, or to have it automatically hide itself until the cursor is at the bottom of the screen. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages.

A new feature in Keynote puts all of the objects on a slide in a list so you can easily access and arrange them. You can also group and name objects easily, and move them between slides.

When you open a Pages, Numbers or Keynote document that is missing fonts, you can use a handy new feature to globally replace that font throughout the document. You can also use this to quickly change any font in your document.

A new feature in Numbers is the ability to add leader lines to pie charts. This makes the charts look more professional and easier to follow. This also works with pie charts in Keynote and Pages.

You may be surprised to learn how most passwords are hacked. It isn't by breaking into the account that is threatened, but by stealing the password from another site entirely. This happens because many people use the same password for different sites. You can easily protect yourself against this.

A new feature in Keynote allows you to have your presenter notes in white text on a black background. This makes it easier to present in front of a dark room using a MacBook connected to a large screen.

You can now use LaTeX and MathML to add math equations to your Pages documents. This creates a separate element that exists inside of the flow of text. You can copy and paste equations from other math apps, or type the code to create the equations on your own. This also works in Numbers and Keynote.

Night Shift is a new Sierra feature for recent Macs that shifts the colors on your screen to include less blue light. This can be useful for people using their Macs in the evening as more blue light may make it harder for some to get to sleep. Learn how to turn this feature on and off, and adjust it on your Mac.

A new feature in Numbers allows you to use live stock prices and other information in your spreadsheets. You can get the current price, volume, change and other data. You can also grab historical data.