But, here we will discuss as hot to make backup of your data using a network hard disk. Through this technique, the network hard disk can be deployed to backup several MAC computers on the network. This method is ideal for a home scenario where you have 2 or more computers to be backed up.

The following text will elaborate that hot to arrange the external hard disk (MyBook Live) to work with the MAC Time machine:

Time machine is basically software by Apple for which, you also need some hardware to be backed up on to. The first option you have is to engage a USB hard drive or external FireWire. This option is preferred, in case, if you have only one computer to be backed up. An external network storage device is the second option for this purpose.

The idea for the second option is to plug in the device using an Ethernet cable into your network, as any MAC system on the network can be backed up using these settings. This arrangement is preferred for backup, if you have 2 or more computers. Now, the following text will show as how to configure the Time machine on MyBook Live:

1. 
   Purchase a MyBook Live. It will cost you around $317 (including shipping cost). It is quite reasonable in price, especially as compared to the Apple’s Time capsule that is worth $649.

2. 
   Bend the power pins using pliers in order to fit in a 240V socket, if you are in Australia.

3. 
   You must be connected to the internet through a router. Then, connect the MyBook Live with the router using an Ethernet cable. Next, connect the power adapter.

4. 
   Click on Apple Menu. Then, go to your ‘System Preferences/Time machine.’ When the Time machine program opens, click on ‘Select Disk’.

5. 
   There must be a disk, which automatically emerges and says, ‘MyBook Live – Backup.’ Click on this disk to be selected and then, click ‘Use for Backup.’ Select the guest option when prompted for a password. Always keep the Time machine slider to the ON position and then, this will backup your MAC system 24/7.

6. 
   In System Preferences, go to Spotlight and select Privacy tab. Then, select the ‘MyBook Live is a . . . . . . out of the box.’ The rest is easy and you just need to connect your router with the computer using an Ethernet cable and your MAC computer can then find it simply as an external Hard disk.

For informative tips and trick about MAC machines and other Apple products, always log on to http://www.mac-how.net and feel the difference yourself!

In order to watch TV on your iMAC system, you need some kind of hardware to catch the digital signals of TV. Further, you may also need software, which can decode the signals and enable them to watch in the computer’s window. Following text will elaborate the procedure:

The Hardware

The hardware you need is a TV Tuner USB stick. Its one end connects in to the USB port of your iMAC machine, while the other end has the antenna to catch the digital TV signals. Your USB drive will act as a connection between your computer and your roof top antenna making your computer act as a TV.

In Australia, Europe and Asia, the TV tuner stick standard is DTT, while in USA its Cable TV and ISDB in Japan and South America. So, you need to buy the USB Tuner stick compatible to your area.

The Software

After connecting the TV Tuner USB stick, you need to download the software. For this, the EyeTV software is the most preferred one in the market. With the help of software assistant in this software, you will easily be able to tune up the channels on your iMAC computer.

Installing the hardware and software properly would then enable you to watch Live TV on your iMAC computer. EyeTV is the optimum solution for both your software and hardware. It can record TV shows, which you can watch later as per your convenience.

Moreover, it also has the feature of skipping advertisements for you. The EyeTV also has its own remote control, but it can also connect with the Apple’s remote. The versions of EyeTV are different for UK, USA and Australia.

It has some more excellent features like you can set fast forward a program by 30 second skip. So, by pressing the fast forward each time will skip 30 seconds forward as set by you and you can also go 2 or 3 seconds behind, in case you miss some part of a program that you were watching.

The iMAC automatically wakes up from the sleep position, if you set it up to record a program and after completion, the system again goes to sleep automatically. That is a WoW feature of EyeTV. This software could also switch on the computer from off state, if you want it to do so.

The IceTV has a subscription for just $99, which you can use to have perfectly up-to-date and detailed information. Further, its package also has an iPhone application that can instruct your computer as when to record a program.

This is just one out of the many exciting features of the Apple machines. For more such articles entailing Apple’s products and features, please log on to http://www.mac-how.net to get a closer to accurate insight of the Apple’s world.

Following is a step by step guide of MAC system software upgrades using different versions of operating system, as the procedure for opening ‘Software Updates’ menu can be different on different OS X versions of the MAC machines:

MAC system software upgrade using OS X 10.3 and above

1. 
   Click and open the ‘Apple’ Menu.


2. 
   Open the option of Software Update in the Menu.


3. 
   In the software update, select the upgrades that you wish to download.


4. 
   Click on Install.

• 
  Click ‘Check Now,’ when using version OS X 10. 3.


• 
  The software update check in OS X 10.5 and above can run automatic updates. These checks normally run in the background and your MAC system prompts you whenever an update is available.

MAC system software upgrade using 10.2.8 and Under

1. 
   Click and Open the Apple Menu.


2. 
   Open System Preferences in the Menu.


3. 
   Choose ‘Software Update’ in the View Menu.


4. 
   Click ‘Update Now.’


5. 
   Select your desired items that you wish to install.


6. 
   After selecting them, click ‘install.’


7. 
   Then, you will be prompted for your administrator account log in and password. Add the details accordingly.


8. 
   After that, you will be prompted by your MAC computer to restart your machine. Restart the machine for new upgrades to take affect.

MAC system software upgrades using a standalone installer

1. 
   Open your web browser in your MAC computer.


2. 
   Log on to the website of Apple Support Downloads.


3. 
   Choose the preferred system software update that you wish to install on your MAC computer.


4. 
   Click download.


5. 
   After the download is completed, restart your machine for the new system software to take affect.

Tips for system software Upgrades

• 
  There is a possibility that you do not need some of the system software updates in the software update window. By going into the system preferences in your Apple menu, and there in to ‘Software Updates,’ you can hide these updates.


• 
  Your software updates can be scheduled by deploying your software update pane. You can set the intervals, after which, you want the system to check for the upgrades. By default, the system search for updates after every 1 week.


• 
  Use a standalone installer if you wish to install updates on two or more computers. Standalone system installers should also be deployed in case of an update at a later time.

For more such informative guides, please log on to http://www.mac-how.net and find a unique world of useful tips and tricks for your MAC machine. No matter what issue you face regarding your MAC machine, just log on to this website and get an instant solution.

A lot of people who advertise their emails on internet and on their websites are more vulnerable to spam. Getting rid of spam is hard, if not impossible once you start getting them in bulk. Most of the users just ignore or block them at best, but if you explore them well, there are a number of ways to lessen the quantity of spam before it starts filling in your email inbox.

What to do in order to avoid spam?

1. 
   The first thing to be taken care of is to restrict your email getting on the internet (WebPages) as web crawlers are searching for valid email addresses on the internet all the time to add them in their list and sell them to the spammers.


2. 
   As discussed earlier, the best preventer of spam is the user itself. Never let your email out on the internet, as it can be openly accessed by anyone using internet. Once your email address gets public on the internet, and reaches someone’s spam file, then there is no easy exit. The result would be that you will get more and more spam by each coming day.

There are a few more key points for the spam receivers which are discussed below:

1. 
   If your email address has been hit badly with spam, change it. Or once you want to start from scratch in order to avoid spam, change all your email addresses in use.


2. 
   If you have a webpage and it has your contact email, then the best thing to do is to make two email addresses. One email for your very close family, friends and colleagues and the second one for general public use. Also ensure that you change your webpage at least once every year or so when you feel it’s getting jammed with spam.


3. 
   Request your internet service provider to enable spam filtering on your connection. This is an optimum solution and better than the email filtering in Apple mail for the reason that the spam emails are blocked prior to be downloaded on your system. There are numerous levels of spam blocking or filtering. Some levels can be quite aggressive blocking most of the spam, but they can also block some of the real emails that you do not want to be filtered. The best information you can get from your internet service provider. So, contact them about the desired level of activation for spam filtering.


4. 
   Among all different email services on the internet, Gmail is the one with the optimum spam filtering facility for its users. So, try using Gmail rather than employing any other option.

In order to facilitate your needs with effective information regarding MAC products and its associated issues, please log on to http://www.mac-how.net. This is a comprehensive website designed purely to match the expectations of MAC users, especially for the purpose of what exactly they are ‘looking for’ about MAC.

This huge demand created a huge gap between supply and demand in such a way that customers, especially in the USA, Europe and Greater China had to do a lot of effort to get the iPhone besides paying price of the phone. Although, this panic among customers was a good sign for the company, but at the same time, it demanded from Apple to carry on with its ‘Do More’ attitude.

The iPhone 4S was first launched in 7 countries in mid October 2011. 22 more countries would be able to buy iPhone 4S by October 28^th 2011. These 22 countries include Italy, Spain, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Denmark, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Austria, Latvia, Netherlands, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Singapore, Norway, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Apple’s online stores in all these countries have already begun to take pre-orders in order to satisfy the customers on first come first serve basis when the iPhone 4S will actually be launched.

Apple unfortunately does not operate online stores in all these markets. But, however, the new pre booking of iPhone 4S can only be made in the following few countries out of the 22 mentioned above: Spain, Norway, Singapore, Netherlands, Mexico, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Czech Republic and Luxembourg.

Customers in countries other than these and those who are looking to buy subsidized units can possibly arrange for pre booking of iPhone 4S through their nearest iPhone carrier partners on contract.

Apple Inc. is currently preparing itself for shipping to cover at least 1-2 weeks rather than promising its customers the October 28^th delivery of iPhone 4S  through online pre booking to the new batch of countries. It is very uncertain to determine at the moment that whether Apple Inc. is currently looking to go for the shipping of October 28^th in the newly added 22 countries in Apple’s online stores list.

Or maybe, the shipping will slip to a certain degree towards the countries where iPhone 4S is already been launched. Apple recently declared that the sale of iPhone 4S crossed over 4 million units in the opening weekend of its sale. This sale is estimated almost double to the sale of iPhone 4 last year.

This is job well done by Team Apple as iPhone 4 also set huge benchmarks to the technological world of that time and satisfied the needs and desires of millions of customers across the globe. But, iPhone 4S soon took over iPhone 4 with sales grossing double to its earlier version last year. To say the least about iPhone 4S, it is the technology at its very best!!!

For detailed news, reviews and updates regarding Apple products, log on to http://www.mac-how.net and get excellent articles and related stuff on Apple, its products reviews, their comparisons, features and descriptions etc. 

The problem of network congestion is that there are so many people in your vicinity using wireless networks. All these wireless network users get to interfere with each other thus compromising quality of the wireless service. The idea here is same like lots of people talking loudly in the same room. This result in a reduced range on your WiFi network, a slump in speed, signals dropping down and signals strength fluctuating randomly.

Following information will show you the approach of changing your wireless channel, which will keep you isolated from other wireless traffic.

Australia has 13 wireless channels while USA has just 11. When you use a wireless router, it will default you to one of these channels; mostly the middle channel 6. If your neighbours and other people nearby have done the same thing, then you will face congestion problems. The best thing is to change your channel, but the problem here is that all channels overlap. Channel 1 and channel 6 are considered best to be used, as they do not overlap much.

Suppose that you are using channel 6 and facing problems, then the best and quick thing is to move to either channel 1 or channel 6. But nowadays, more and more users are going wireless. So, these channels are filling up quickly causing more congestion problems. The solution then is to find an optimum frequency at your own location.

Locating optimum Frequency

The best way to accomplish this is to use hit and trial method and the WiFiFoFum utility of iPhone. Change the channel to 1 on your routers. After doing this, restart your router and measure the signal strength using WiFiFoFum utility. Change the channel to 2 and repeat the process. At the end, you will come up with the results like this:

• 
  Channel 1: 88 – 90


• 
  Channel 2: 92 – 93


• 
  Channel 3: 88 – 90


• 
  Channel 4: 82 – 84


• 
  Channel 5: 90 - 91


• 
  Channel 6: 92 – 94 and so on.

Choose the channel that carries the best signal. The lower numbers are the better. So, in the above case, channel 4 is the best to be used.

By this way, you can get best channel to use while avoiding network congestion and getting a better wireless speed. But, you might need to repeat this procedure again, because other people might also shift to your channel thus interfering once again over the wireless network.

If you want more exciting and innovative information on wireless networks and other related products, devices and gadgets, just sign up for mac-how.net and feel free to choose any topic of your choice. This way, you can make yourself well-equipped with all the latest technologies of today’s world.

There are usually more fonts when you buy a MAC machine. If you get a new Canon or Epson printer, they might have more fonts than the fonts present in your MAC machine. There are software applications like iWork, Comic life and Microsoft Office that install more fonts on your MAC machine. Or otherwise, you can also purchase to install some extra fonts that you want to use on your computer.

These fonts get stored in the ‘font’ folder inside your library by default. There are basically two library folders in your laptop. One is in your hard drive and the other one is in your users’ folder.

Inside these library folders, you may find another folder called font and that folder contains all the fonts present in your MAC computer. The fonts in the first folder may be those available to all users on your computer. The second font folder in your user directory contains fonts available to a specific user.

You can easily move or transfer these files from one computer to another, email or copy it through the network to your computer. When you get the font on new system through email or by thumbdrive transfer, you can preview it by just double click. This preview window gives you the option to install that font on to your computer or it may show installed if that font is already installed on your computer.

When you are copying, make sure that you copy all relevant files to that font. For instance, the Arial font has files for the Italic font, for the bold font and so on. Therefore, copy all associated files of that font.

If you face problems in finding a particular font on your computer, then look for the ‘Font Book’ tool on your MAC machine. Through that application, you can see all the fonts listed on your computer. To trace the font on your system, Ctrl + Click on any of the font names, it will give an option to find the font in Finder. You can then access the location of the font automatically from there.

If you want any of your documents to be used on any computer without the hassle of fonts, then save your file as a PDF. The PDF actually saves font in the file automatically and can then be used easily when migrated to another computer.

To get more tips & tricks in order to enhance your computer skills, log on to http://www.mac-how.net and explore the wonders of your Mac machine now.

There are two types of methods namely, “Firewire Method” and the “USB drive method.” Both the methods are elaborated below with a step by step process:

Firewire Method

The firewire method provides a simple and fastest transfer rate to transfer files from one MAC machine to the other. Despite being a simple and fast approach, it is getting obsolete in today’s time with very few users using it. Firewires connections are still more preferred for audio and video devices like the digital camcorders, but not everywhere anymore. Following are a few steps involved in transferring files from one MAC machine to the other using Firewire approach:

1. 
   Switch off the computer that you want the files to be transferred from while switching on the other MAC machine to where you want the files to be transferred.


2. 
   Now, hook up both MAC machines using a firewire cable.


3. 
   Switch on the MAC machine from where you want the files to be transferred while holding the T key on its keyboard.


4. 
   Open finder on the other MAC machine where you want the files to be transferred. Look for the Macintosh HD, which will be shown in yellow colour under devices.


5. 
   Drag the items that you are looking to transfer over to the folders on the target MAC machine.


6. 
   When you are completed, eject the source machine’s hard drive by using the eject button just next to the Macintosh HD logo or otherwise, you can also press cmd-E.

USB Drive Method

USB drive is a new and widely used method for transferring files. MAC users now prefer this method to transfer files from one MAC machine to the other. Following are the steps involved in this process:

1. 
   Plug in a USB drive into the MAC machine where you want the files to be transferred from. Using finder, move the items to the USB drive. When you complete, eject the USB drive.


2. 
   Attach the USB drive to the other MAC machine where you want the files to be transferred. Drag the items at your desired location and eject the USB drive when completed.

All your data will be transferred this way from one MAC machine to the other machine’s desired location through USB drive method.

This information is just a drop out of sea. A lot more of such useful information can be found on MAC machine issues and features by logging on to http://www.mac-how.net. So feel at ease if you have anything to be learnt about the MAC machines and other relevant gadgets associated with them.

The shortcuts are scattered down into two categories. The first category is the “Startup” and the second one deals with the “Finder” category. Both the categories along with their respective shortcuts: are here under

Startup – These shortcuts are incorporated when you boot up your MAC. These keys are expected to be held on until the desired command gets functional. Following is a list of Startup functions along with their brief descriptions:

• 
  Shift – Runs MAC machine in safe mode


• 
  Option – Starts Manager


• 
  C - Boots up MAC machine from a CD or DVD


• 
  X - It selects MAC OS X as default if you have more than 1 operating systems


• 
  Command + V – Starts computer in Verbose mode


• 
  Command + S – Starts computer in single user mode

Finder – There are a huge amount of keyboard shortcuts available to be used with Finder. So, this information keeps a track record of few of the most favourite and widely used shortcuts. Following are a few shortcut commands that can be used under the tag of Finder:

• 
  Command + A – Selects all items on the screen


• 
  Shift + Command + A – Duplicates the highlighted items


• 
  Option + Command + A – Deselects all selected items


• 
  Command + E – Ejects external drive or disk


• 
  Command + I – Displays info of the selected files


• 
  Command + J – Displays view options


• 
  Command + K – Connects to a server


• 
  Command + M – Minimizes the window


• 
  Shift + Command + K – Displays a new network window


• 
  Option + Command + M - Minimizes all windows


• 
  Shift + Command + N – Generates a new folder


• 
  Option + Command + N – Generates a new “smart” folder


• 
  Command + O – Opens the highlighted items


• 
  Shift + Command + Q – Logs out from the MAC machine


• 
  Shift + Command + T – Adds highlighted items to favourites


• 
  Shift + Command + U – Opens utility folder


• 
  Command + V – Pastes the selected items


• 
  Command + W – Closes window


• 
  Option + Command + W – Closes all windows


• 
  Command + X – Cuts a highlighted item


• 
  Command + Z – Redo or undo an action


• 
  Command + , - Displays Finder preferences


• 
  Command + Shift + ? – Displays MAC Help dashboard


• 
  Command + Delete – Transfers highlighted items to Trash


• 
  Option + Shift + Command + Delete – Vacant Trash

You will find these shortcut keys useful and handy for you to use as reference while operating your MAC machines. For more such tips and tricks about Apple’s MAC machines, please log on to http://www.mac-how.net, as we offer all the guaranteed solutions, authentic and up-to-date information on diverse issues related to the MAC machines and other related gadgets.

·         DVI

·         Mini-DVI

·         Mini-VGA

·         Micro-DVI

·         Mini Display Port

Therefore, the user needs to get a compatible port for to be plugged in to the laptop. The other end of the port gets connected to the data projector or the monitor. The three different types of port connected to the data projector or monitor are:

• 
  DVI


• 
  HDMI


• 
  VGA

Yet again, you need to use the compatible port to be plugged into your data projector or monitor. It is advisable and 99% successful to carry along the adapter in order to connect your MAC with the VGA projector. If you want your success to be 100%, always carry along a DVI compatible adapter.

The Laptop-end Port – Every MAC laptop is equipped with a “video-out” port. But, Apple Inc. is known to change the design of ports quite so often. This prompts the users to get a special adapter compatible with almost all MAC machines to be connected to a projector or a monitor.

The projector-end of the port – For projectors, there are basically three connections as VGA, DVI and HDMI. The HDMI projectors also have a DVI. So, it is preferred not to discuss HDMI here.

1. 
   VGA – VGA input is the most common input for projectors. If you travel a lot, then VGA input is the best option for you. VGA inputs are now quite old and also low in quality, but still, almost all projectors have the VGA input for the main reason of being a standard output of many computers for many years.


2. 
   DVI – DVI port is known for its better quality than the VGA port. So, if your projector has both VGA and DVI input, then go for a DVI input for better quality. All projectors does not support a DVI input, but most of the new projectors are equipped with the DVI input.

Conclusively, it is always advised to carry an adapter in order to connect your MAC machine with a projector. Depending on the type of your MAC machine output, you just need to carry two adapters to be plugged in to any projector; 1 with a VGA input and 1 with a DVI input.

As you are always sure about the type of your MAC machine output port, so by just carrying 2 cables, you can connect to any projector anywhere, anytime! If you want to carry just 1 cable, then VGA is the best option. Although, it will compromise quality, but still, you will be able to connect to any projector in the world.

If you are looking for further clarifications with detailed elaboration on MAC issues, just log onto http://www.mac-how.net. It is our aspiration to facilitate you with every bit of information regarding MAC machines, be they are old or new!

The speed is enhanced by upgrading the boot drive to the SSD drive. The SSD drive dramatically reduces the system boot time to 30 seconds or below from 60 seconds. Furthermore, the processing time required for running application is also curtailed to a very nippy time.

Following is a brief, but comprehensive guide to pace up your MAC machine using the solid state SSD drive:

1. 
   Identifying your Needs – An SSD drive can be expensive. So, be sure about your needs. All your user data will remain on your old hard drive and rest of the system files plus the boot files would be moved to the SSD drive. In order to find your “total disk” usage, click on your hard drive and press Apple-I. This will give you total disk usage. Then for finding “user folder” usage, select your user folder and press Apple-I. This will give the space consumption for that particular user. If multiple users are on the system, then space of each should be accumulated to get total user folder usage. The numbers obtained through this calculation are to be considered in order to select the size of the SSD drive.

2. 
   Plugging the SSD Hard drive to the MAC – It is a very simple and easy 30 seconds operation of connecting the SSD drive to the MAC (pro) machine. SSD simply connects to the spare optical bay slot of the MAC machine with no need of any adapters.

3. 
   Formatting the SSD drive – After connecting the SSD drive to your MAC, power on the computer and format it by using the disk utility application.

4. 
   Copying - After completion of the formatting, copy all the system files and all the applications to your SSD drive. Use the carbon copy cloner application for this operation to also enable hidden system files to be copied too. Make sure that all system files and applications should be copied and not the user files.

5. 
   Rebooting – After the necessary files are copied to the SSD drive, reboot the system. This can be done under system preferences, where you can bang on start-up drive to select SSD drive and then, restart.

6. 
   Selecting your Old User Folder – In order to transfer user files from the old to the new drive, go to the main user account and press “Advanced Options.” Then, choose your old user directory, which is available on your old drive. After this, restart your computer for new things to take affect with enormous speed.

The integration of SSD drive with MAC machines has paved up new horizons in the technological industry, specifically in terms of processing speed of the machines. The SSD drive has proved itself to be a best compromise between speed, quality, price and the user needs. So, what about your own Macintosh?

Creating a PDF is a rather simple process on a Mac. Traditionally, PDFs have been written in Adobe Acrobat, as Adobe is the company responsible for the development of the PDF file extension. Purchasing PDF editors and writers can be rather expensive, but the average user likely does not need to fork out a fortune to purchase one of these programs. Instead, you can easily transform your everyday documents into PDFs in just about any application that you currently run on your computer. This functionality is available in any program where the Print prompt can be used.

To transform any document into a PDF, you will simply need to open the Print dialogue on your machine. For example, if you are viewing a document in a word processor that you would like to save as a PDF, click “File>Print.” When the Print screen pops up, you should notice a small button that says “PDF” with a down arrow. This button is located on the bottom left of the Print dialogue.

Clicking the PDF button will provide you with a variety of different options. You can choose to save, mail, or fax the PDF in question. Remember to pay attention to the location in which you save your new document, so that you will be able to easily access it once you have finished. Many machines will also give you a list of programs that you can choose to export your newly created PDF document to for easy processing, most of which will likely be other word processing or image programs. You can easily edit the menu of options by clicking “Edit Menu.” This prompt is located at the bottom of the menu.

The next time you have a hefty document that you would like to share with someone, consider easily converting it to a PDF file. In addition to making the document display correctly on any machine, it also removes the need for a particular word processor in order to view the document. PDFs can be viewed without issue on a variety of different systems, and many mobile devices are also compatible with the files. Furthermore, creating a PDF is a great way to compress a file, making for easier downloading and uploading. 

The first step in setting up your hot corners is to visit your System Preferences. You can access this pane by clicking on the small apple in the top left of your computer's screen. Select System Preferences from the drop down list, and you'll see several different areas of your computer's functions. In order to set up your preferences for your hot corners, click on Exposé & Spaces. This category is located under the first subheading, “Personal.”

Once you've clicked on Exposé & Spaces, you should see the dialogue asking you what you would like to assign to the different corners of your machine. Make certain you have the Exposé tab highlighted if you do not see the hot corners segment of the pane. It is here that you will establish the actions you would like each corner to provide.

There are several different selections to choose from when setting up your hot corners. To activate an action, click the drop down menu that appears next to the particular corner of the screen you would like to edit. Some of the selections include All Windows and Application Windows. These are great tools that make it easy to see all of the windows you currently have open on your computer, or to focus on one single window from a particular application. You can also set your hot corners to start the screensaver, view the desktop, or put your display to sleep.

Once you have finished the setup of your hot corners, you are ready to go. In order to activate one of the functions, simply move your cursor over the corner you have assigned an action to. The computer should immediately respond, carrying out the assigned action. In order to resume where you left off, simply move your cursor back to that corner, and your screen will go back to normal.

In addition to hot corners, some users choose to set up Exposé. Exposé works in a similar way to the hot corners, in that it allows three of the actions that hot corners can include to be requested through keystrokes on your keyboard. You can set shortcuts for showing all windows open on your screen, just those of an application, or your desktop. Additionally, you can set a shortcut for the dashboard in this pane, should you wish to activate a keyboard shortcut for that function. Regardless of what works best for you, activating some of these functions can be a great way to keep your computing experience easy and fun!

Apple offers a solution for would-be Windows users known as Boot Camp. Boot Camp allows computer users to partition their hard drives, in turn installing two separate operating systems. This process works in a fundamentally different way to the other solutions available, as when your computer boots, you can choose to either load the Windows operating system or the Apple OS. To switch to the other system, you will need to shut down your machine, and reboot the system you prefer.

Virtualization software takes some of the work out of rebooting your machine every time you want to use the other. There are several different programs available that offer this functionality, allowing a “virtual” copy of an operating system to be installed on the computer. Switching between the two different operating systems can be done quickly with a simple keyboard shortcut, automatically transforming your screen into the other operating system.

Choosing the right option for your home computer requires looking at your specific computing needs. If you are primarily using Windows because you enjoy being able to use two machines simultaneously, you will most certainly want to opt for the virtualization software. Hardcore users who enjoy playing intense games or using software programs that require large amounts of the computer's available memory should consider using Boot Camp, as this will allow the secondary operating system to run at full capacity, utilizing all of the system's hardware to its advantage.

Boot Camp can easily be accessed on your existing Mac. If your machine came with the program preinstalled, you will find it located in the Utilities folder of your computer's applications. For Mac users who can't find Boot Camp on their machines, you will need to install the program from the system DVD you received when you purchased the computer. If you instead choose to purchase a virtualization program, you will need to either download it remotely or visit a local retailer. Remember that whenever you choose to install an additional operating system, you will need to have a valid license for the operating system to work correctly.

If installing a secondary operating system is not your cup of tea, many native Windows applications are now available for the Mac. For example, Windows' popular word processing suite, Microsoft Office, is compatible with Mac. This is a good solution for individuals who frequently edit documents on both Windows and Macintosh machines. Furthermore, many professionals who need to exchange documents with colleagues and clients opt for such software, as it guarantees file compatibility across different platforms. 

Erasing your hard drive is not as simple as reinstalling the operating system. While many computer users choose to rewrite their data in this way, this only hides information on the surface level. An advanced computer technician will be able to dig deeper into the machine, pulling out any files that may have been left behind in your erasing. If your old computer were to fall into the wrong hands, this could potentially have devastating consequences leading to issues like identity theft.

Before beginning, you will want to back up your data to an external drive. There are several different ways to go about doing this, though Time Machine and Disk Utility are arguably the most popular options available. Once you've backed up your machine, be certain to verify that the backup is functioning and all of your files are accessible.

Armed with the Mac OS DVD that came with your system, load the disk and hold down the option key. Your machine should give you the choice to boot from the machine's drive or from the DVD. Choose the DVD, and instead of installing the operating system, click the Utilities menu at the top of the screen. From there you will be able to launch Disk Utility. You'll want to click your drive, and then choose to erase it, selecting Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the format.

Beyond those options, you will see the Security Options prompt at the bottom of the dialogue. Click here to see all of the available erasing techniques available to you. Simply select the option that you feel is most appropriate to your situation, and then erase your machine. You will then be able to install the operating system once again with the Mac Install DVD.

When selecting the security that you wish to utilize for formatting the machine,  you may be tempted to opt for one of the single pass rewrite options. While this does erase some data, it is not as thorough as one of the 7 or 35 pass options. Of course, opting for a rewrite that takes place multiple times will take much longer, but it is also more thorough and will keep your machine safer. If you don't want to spend unnecessary amount of time rewriting data on your computer, you might instead opt for one of the lower security options, and simply perform the erase multiple times. This will save you time, but also protect your machine further than one single erase. 

Your first step in getting your Mac ready for television is to purchase a TV tuner. The television tuner is what allows your computer to decipher the signal being sent from your cable box. One of the easiest solutions is to purchase a USB tuner, which simply plugs in to any of the USB ports on your Mac. The tuner will likely have the small connector on the end where the TV signal will be plugged in directly.

Once you've purchased a tuner, your next step is to find compatible software that viewing the channels. Just like channel surfing on a traditional television, you will need to have a way to switch from one channel to another. There are several different options available when it comes to selection a compatible software program, all of which will allow you to watch television with ease.

In addition to the basic tuner and software, some users opt to purchase a package that includes both the tuner and software, along with additional features like a remote control. If the package contains a remote control, the tuner will likely take the form of a small box with an infrared sensor, which is needed to understand the commands from the remote. Such packages are a bit more bulky, and thus may not be the best option for those with notebook computers.

If you don't want to use a box tuner, some software programs will allow you to continue using your home remote control to change the channels. Cable television generally requires the use of a television set's remote control, which unfortunately will not work in this manner. For dish users, however, the box used to received the signal comes with its own remote control. With the signal hooked up to your computer via the TV tuner, you can change the channels by simply pointing the remote at the box and changing the channel, much like you would if you were watching the content on your home television set. This is also a useful function for checking guide information about what programs are currently on, and for scheduling digital recording events.

No matter what option you ultimately decide upon, setting up your Mac to read a television signal is a relatively simple procedure. Armed with the right software and hardware solutions, you could be enjoying your favorite show on your computer in a matter of mere minutes. Always remember to verify that any hardware you purchase is compatible with the technology standards in your local area.

All Macs come with the ability to require the user's password when the computer is launched. This setting can easily be accessed from the System Preferences pane, which is located under the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen. For shared systems and sensitive files, however, you will likely want to implement specific password protection. This can easily be done by creating a specific location on your machine which can only be accessed by providing the password that you have specified.

The first step in creating a secure location is to simply create a new folder anywhere on your machine. Control-click will bring up the new folder option. Drop and drop any files that you would like to keep password protected into this new location. Once you have completed this task, you will want to again control-click, this time on the name of the folder, and click Get Info. Note the total size of your folder.

The next step in the password protection process is to launch Disk Utility. Disk Utility can be accessed under the Utilities category of your computer's applications. Once the application has launched, click the New Image icon, which can be found along the top of the menu bar. This is where you will create the secure location.

You can specify details regarding the encryption (128 bit or 256 bit) and partitions here, or you can instead simply choose to follow system defaults. Furthermore, this is where you will specify the image format, meaning whether the data will remain readable and writable in the future. You need this option if you will continually be saving the data within the folder. You will also be asked for the size of this new location, which is why you noted the size of your folder above. It is advisable to give yourself some wiggle room if you will be continually updating files within the location.

Drag and drop the files from the folder you created earlier into the new disk image, and eject it once the transfer has completed. Voila, you've created a password protected location on your machine! Every time your new disk image is launched, you will be prompted for the necessary password to access the files. In the event that you want to change the password, you will need to create a new disk image by accessing Disk Utility once again. 

Fortunately, burning a CD on a Mac is a relatively simply process. There are several different applications available for burning disks with ease, but proprietary applications already located on your computer are often the easiest tools of all for completing this task quickly. Depending on the kind of CD you would like to burn, there are different steps you will need to follow.

If you are creating a data CD, you will first need to prepare the files you want to place on the disk. When you insert a blank CD into a Mac computer, you will be prompted with a screen asking what you would like to do with the blank disk. The disk will become visible in your Finder window with the title, “untitled CD.” Simply drag and drop any of the files you would like to include on the CD, and when you've completed the task, choose “Burn CD” from the file menu. In the event that you have attempted to include too many files and do not have enough room, you will be prompted and asked to remove some of the files from your CD. Available storage space is generally 750 MB in total.

Music CDs must be formatted differently than data CDs, if they are intended to be used in a standard CD player. If your do not need to make the CD accessible to stand alone CD players, you can simply use the same procedure as outlined above. For other purposes, you will need to burn a music CD.

iTunes is arguably one of the easiest ways to burn a music CD on your computer. To begin the process, you will simply need to create a playlist. You can do so by clicking “File > New Playlist.” Once you have created the new playlist, you can name it whatever you would like, and begin filling it with songs you would like to include on your CD. To add songs to a playlist, simply click the “library” tab, and drag any song over the name of your new playlist. The songs should in turn be added to the playlist in question.

Once you've added your songs, simply insert the blank CD, and click “File > Burn Playlist to Disk.” Your computer will begin to write the songs to the disk one by one, and the CD will be ejected when the process has been completed. iTunes will give you the option to burn another identical disk once the first is finished, in the event that you would like to make a duplicate.

If you suddenly discover that your mouse is no longer moving or your can't access the different windows open on your computer, your first response should be to open Force Quit. Much like its name suggests, Force Quit will force any unresponsive application on your system to close. While this is a great solution for preventing locked applications from freezing the entire system, it should be used sparingly, as Force Quit will cause all unsaved information within the application to be lose. For example, if you are working on a word processing document, force quitting the application will cause all of your text to be lost and the document to disappear.

There are two different methods available for opening the Force Quit function. The first is to click the Apple icon in the top left corner of your computer's screen, and select “Force Quit...” from the drop down menu. The more common way of launching Force Quit is to hit the “Command,” “Option,” and “Escape” keys simultaneously. When Force Quit opens, you will be presented with a list of all applications that are currently running on your machine. Any application that is not currently working will display (unresponsive) next to its name.

If you are concerned about losing your work, you may want to consider upgrading your computer's operating system to Lion. Lion was released earlier this year, and it automatically saves all of your files as you create them. This means that even if you are obligated to use the Force Quit function of your machine, the documents your working on should be saved.

If Force Quit is unsuccessful, the other alternative is to use your power button to force the machine off. Laptop computers have the button on the top right corner of the laptop base. Once you've located the button, you'll simply need to press it down for five seconds. Once the machine's fans have turned off and the screen has gone black, you can restart the system by quickly tapping the button once again.

In most instances, the cause of the Mac's freezing can easily be attributed to applications that use enormous amounts of memory or simple glitches within the application. In the event that these techniques do not work for you, you are likely dealing with a more serious issue. To resolve such problems, either call Apple's tech support or make an appointment to see a Genius at an Apple Store near you.

]]> article%2FHow_to_Easily_Resize_Pictures_on_Your_Mac Mon, 19 Sep 2011 06:13:40 -0400
Sharing and editing pictures is one of the most popular activities for many computer users. There are a wide variety of different applications and software suites that make it easy to edit your photographic masterpieces and share them with friends and family. Whether you are an amateur photographer, or you are a big-time professional shooting models and stars, Macs are popular tools for users across the board. While you can always use complicated tools to resize images that you are working with, you may instead be looking for a quick fix to resize a picture on your machine. Fortunately, there is an easy way to do just that!

Your first step is to locate the photograph that you would like to modify. If you have received an image from someone online, you will need to download the file to your system. In the event that you have misplaced a photograph, you can always use the search function within your Finder window to relocate what you have lost.

Navigate to the file in Finder, and then hold down the “Command” key while you click. Command-click is much like the right click function that Windows users are familiar with. Once you\\'ve performed this maneuver, a drop down menu will appear. Hover over the “Open with” text, and a short list of applications will appear. You want to select Preview from the list. If Preview does not appear, you can click “other” and manually select the application.

Once your image opens in Preview, you will simply want to click on the Tools button, which is located along the top menu bar of the application. Adjust Size is the fourth option under tools, which you will want to click to edit the photo. Here, you will be given the option to change the height and width of the photograph. You can choose to display the size in a variety of different formats, including inches, pixels, and centimeters. Remember to make certain that the box marked “Scale Proportionately” is marked. Failure to do so will result in a distorted final image.

After finalizing your size changes, you will click ok. If you want to replace the original image with your new, smaller photograph, click File>Save. If you would rather keep both images, you will instead need to select Save As, and create a new file name for the photograph in question.

That\\'s all it takes! Changing the size of an image is not only practical for users who want to make it easier to view the picture, but it is also a great option for those who frequently share their photos online. Reducing the overall size of the photo will retain the quality of the image when viewed at normal resolution, while also decreasing the amount of space the photo holds on your machine. This will translate into faster uploading times, and quicker downloads for the friends you choose to share your photos with online.

The desktop of your Mac is the first thing you'll see whenever you boot up your computer. If you're tired of looking at the same old graphic every time you use your machine, why not change it out for something more interesting? To do so, you'll simply need to click the Apple icon in the top left corner of your screen, and then select, “System Preferences.”

Once you've entered the System Preferences pane, you should see a small icon that says, “Desktop & Screensaver.” Much like the name suggests, this is also the area that you need to access if you would like to change the computer's screensaver. Click this button, and you'll be directed to the preferences for these two functions. You can easily toggle between the two areas by clicking on the “Screensaver” and “Desktop” buttons at the top of the Preferences pane.

Macs come with several different options that make it easy to place great artwork and photographs on your desktop. From abstract designs to natural sights and cuddly animals, there are lots of great options to choose from. If you're someone who gets bored looking at the same image all of the time, you can also set your computer to automatically rotate the desktop image every 30 minutes. Many users choose to use personal photographs for their desktop, giving their Mac an especially unique touch. Furthermore, you can often find great desktop images for free online.

Just as Mac users are given a plethora of options for changing their desktops, screensaver options abound on Apple computers. You can easily choose from abstract patterns, personal photos on your machine, or specialized screensavers developed specifically for Mac. There are also a few intriguing options, such as “Word of the Day,” which will display a new vocabulary word when your machine's screensaver is initiated. Some users also choose to display a clock over their screensaver, which makes it easy to check the time without waking the screen back up. Furthermore, this is the pane that you will use to dictate how long it takes for the inactive computer to begin displaying a screensaver in place of the application in use.

No matter what you choose to display on your computer, your screensaver and desktop are your ticket to expression! If you're lacking in ideas, why not perform a simple Google search for desktop images and screensavers that you might enjoy? Inspiration is nothing more than a mouse click away!

Mac developers recommend taking extra security measures to ensure that your system stays safe from outside intrusion. There happen to be many different antivirus solutions that are great products for keeping your machine safe. Some of these software programs provide not only antivirus protection, but also is automated tools that make it easy to manage routine tasks without thinking twice. You can easily find a similar program by reviewing some reviews from a wide variety of third party reviewers, including Enoda.co.uk, MacUpdate.com, and BrotherSoft.com.

One of the truly remarkable features of the these programs is that they will keep your machine protected from both Mac and Windows threats, wrapping your computer in a virtual shield of protection that will not budge for threats. Just like antivirus programs that run on a Windows machine, you will want to continually monitor the contents of your machine. This will guarantee that your system is running without an issues, and keep your computer safe from infection.

To run a scan on your machine, you'll first need to launch the application. Many such programs offers an intuitive design that makes it blend easily with your system, thanks to navigation bars that are rather reminiscent of those found in Finder. When scanning your computer, you can choose to specify specific areas of your machine that you would like to scan, or simply have the software check the entire computer for any current threats. If threats are found, you will be given the option to quarantine the offending file or delete it from your machine.

Because many programs offer automated features, you'll likely want to make system scans occur without any input on your end. This will ensure that no threats are able to go undetected, in the event that you would forget to scan the system. You can choose to have the scan repeat itself as frequently as you'd like.

Keeping your machine operating free from threats can be a real challenge, but armed with MacKeeper, your data and precious computer is safe. Staying proactive is the best way to make certain that your computer stays protected. Fortunately, installing a quality antivirus software makes it easy to do just that!

Firstly, the issue of memory use comes to my mind. You might have realized that your Mac is getting slow with time, and that you’re not getting the performance you used to get when you bought the computer. That is because of the space consumption that has taken place on your hard drive. Unlike the windows, which creates permanent files on disk drives to be used as virtual memory, the Mac uses temporary files that are used for memory if the existing RAM is not enough. These temporary files consume hard drive space and if there is not enough Hard drive space Remaining you’ll certainly notice your computer getting slow. So always remember to keep at least 20% of your hard drive free for running applications properly. Here is how you will clean your system

Cleaning the Mac

So to clean Mac you must know what to clean and why should they be cleaned.

To tell of the first part I’ll have to tell of the second part first: the Mac uses only a few files that it comes with. And many other applications install language packages that you don’t ever use. The Mac OS is designed to have binary packages for certain processors, when you use one processor the binary package for the other processors become useless and so it is a good choice to remove them from your Computer. Then there are unnecessary files and applications that run your ’s Hard drive down and makes your Computer slow.

Disabling features that you don’t need

There are features that the Mac comes with that aren’t so widely needed. Like the animation features. The Mac PC comes with two different types of software build settings, if you had mistakenly set it to Rosetta instead of Universal, set it back to Universal. Rosetta requires a lot of space to run and is not the better selection if you want performance. So it’s good to use the Universal settings. Then there are the widgets that take up your RAM, you can uninstall most widgets and have a better performance from your Mac.

Disenabling login items

There are applications that run on Mac and each application requires processor support and RAM to run. And the more number of applications you run at the same time the worse the performance of your computer gets. SO, try running fewer applications at the same time.

Then there are the Login Items. Login Items are startup processes like those used in windows. The Login Items can contain some unwanted applications to run without you knowing it. So go to the Login Items in your system preferences, you can find it in the Accounts portion, then take away the applications that you do not want system to run. 

After following these steps you would realize that a slow Mac PC can be easily made fast without the use of outside applications.  

This process is also known as shred files, erase files or wipe files so if you heard these names you have to make the connection between them and securely erase. It’s the same thing! However, you should know from the very beginning that there’s a big difference between “secure delete” and “delete”. The first one refers to the computer function that overwrites the data by using other characters. The data that you delete with this function cannot be recovered. The second term represents a computer function that mark the data as deleted but it doesn’t make it disappear forever. The main important thing is represented by the fact that the data that you want to delete forever has to be overwritten by other characters.

So, if you are interested about how you can secure delete files on Mac OS X with the help of ShredIt X, you should continue to read the article below.

Now let’s talk about the instructions that you need to follow if you want to use this program that was specially developed to come into Mac users help. First, you need to know that there are 3 methods to securely erase a file by using this program. You can choose from the drag-and-drop method, using buttons and using the menu of the program. If you opt for the first method you only have to drag the file you want to securely delete on the shortcut of ShredIt X and then drop it.  If you choose to use the buttons in order to secure delete files on Mac OS X you have to click on the program’s icon in order to open it. After that, you have to select the “Shred File” button that can be easily found on the main dialog. Pick the file (files) that you want to securely erase by clicking on the “Open’ dialog box. If you want to use the Menu of ShredIt X all you have to do is to click on the program’s icon to open it and then to pick the files that you want to delete by using the “File” menu.

By using this program you will securely erase all the files that you want and no one will be able to recover them. The main benefit of this program is represented by the fact that it can be used by all Mac OS X users. All people who want to secure delete files on Mac OS X can download it from the internet without being necessary to spend money on its purchase. There are also other methods that can be used in order to securely erase files from your Mac operating system but the ShredIt X program is easier and faster. You can use it if you want to delete forever useless files or when you want to sell your laptop or desktop computer.

Nothing causes distress to a computer user than when your contacts are hurling accusations at you for sending those viruses.  This is not a pleasant situation at all and should be avoided at all costs. Anti-virus software usually comes handy at such times but if not installed early enough it might be too late.  Do not wait until when the damage has been done. Some of your valued client’s or customers will not understand and might not forgive you.  When considering how to install a software program for your OS, look for functional software that will manage all infections, scan and remove all impending threats.

Although some anti-virus software promise to handle all the occurring threats in most of the OS’s, this is not so! With advent of new threats it will beneficial if on seeking functional software one goes for highest level of protection available without being too costly. Before going ahead to install a program on Mac, seek for a technician with administration privileges. The best way of how to go about this is to seek informed advice from their company. The way to go on how to install an effective software program would be by identifying a software company that will allow you a free trial period and are able to refund your cash if you are not satisfied.

Any anti-virus software comes with instructions on how to install their program. Installation can be done manually or through the standard online procedures. Whichever way you opt to go, if not sure seek advice from Apple’s free toll number. There are many anti-virus programs that are compatible with Mac’s OS.  They range from Kaspersky, Norton, Sophos (which is basically free for Mac users), BitDefender and McAfee amongst many others.  All this come with their advantages and disadvantages.

With very limited known virus attack on Mac OS, it is still vital to maintain and develop a working anti-virus system with any Mac OS. Computers have become part of our lives and it goes beyond saying that we have to find an effective way on how to keep them running effectively. In a true sense Mac’s still remain one of the most secure and stable OS of our times despite their costs. Faithful Mac users would not change their use for anything and would go to any length to keep them operating effectively.  Mac’s still remains one of the best computer companions that any age group can still have and use.