TechPatio » Mac

Best Wireless Routers for Mac Users

Guest Author — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:10:05 +0000

Apple Airport Express

There are dozens of wireless routers in the retailers’ electronics departments that infamously claim to be “Mac compatible.” If you or one of your friends has ever purchased one of these routers, they either own a PC or know that compatible is used quite loosely. So what router should you buy if you have a Mac and don’t want to find out what “Mac compatible” means? Check out these three products by Apple:

Apple AirPort Extreme

Admittedly this is not the cheapest router on the market, but it syncs beautifully with Macs and has additional features that make it a top pick. The AirPort Extreme meets most users’ needs working with 802.11n and 802.11a/b/g connections. It also features 2.4GHz/5GHz operation to keep newer machines and older machines working separately allowing for full internet speed to be reached every time. Guest networking for up to 50 simultaneous connections and hard drive sharing capabilities deliver more functionality for those who do more than simply surf the web. Some may find having only three Ethernet LAN ports to be a drawback, but for a strong Macs-Only connection with enhanced features, the AirPort Extreme is the clear choice.

Apple AirPort Express

Staying on the runway and sticking with the Apple theme is the AirPort Express. This router is significantly cheaper than AirPort Extreme. Designed for simpler use, this router has no Ethernet ports, but can still connect up to 10 users. A favored feature of the Express is the ease of wireless printing which involves simply connecting the printer to the router. Though it is an 802.11n router, it still has backwards compatibility for those who use an 802.11a/b/g connection. A fun feature of the Express is the AirPlay function. This allows users to stream their iTunes library to any stereo or speaker system in their home. No longer will you have to balance your laptop in the living room or burn a bunch of CDs to access all of your music and playlists.

Apple Time Capsule MC343LL/A 1TB

The Time Capsule is a pricey piece of Apple equipment, but it offers much more than a wireless connection. This router is very similar to the AirPort Extreme, but has also incorporated a 1TB hard drive which can be upgraded to 2TB if you have a monster of an iTunes library. The Ethernet ports, backwards compatibility and 802.11n connection from the Extreme have all made the transition to the Time Capsule. Your files are backed up automatically, so if you are plagued with a crash or nasty virus, your files will have been saved without any manual work. Though you could probably save money by purchasing an external hard drive and combining it with the less expensive, AirPort Express, those who are looking for an all-in-one solution are likely to fall in love with the Time Capsule.

If you’re a Mac owner, it’s better to keep it in the family than risk your internet connection on a “Mac compatible” router. Though you can usually get those routers a bit cheaper, they were designed with PCs in mind. For peace of mind, choose a router that was designed for you, then surf, shop, download, and email frustration and worry free.

Guest article written by: Katie Campbell is a Computers Expert for Bestcovery.com where she seeks to help discover the best of everything. She is a dedicated Mac convert and hasn’t missed her PC since she made the switch. She is interested in a variety of computer topics including the best wireless router for Mac computers.

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Why I will not upgrade to new Sandy Bridge MacBook Pro’s. Or, what I’m hoping for in next upgrade

Klaus — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 21:35:57 +0000

Apple updated their MacBook Pro’s last month with super fast Sandy Bridge stuff. They also got the new Thunderbolt I/O technology which is brand new so there’s basically nothing out there you can connect to it yet, but I’m sure it will come soon – I’m just not sure what we need that much speed for just yet, at least not us normal people. Anyway, new MacBook Pro’s also got AMD graphics, so bye bye to Nvidia in those new MacBook Pro’s.

Would I want one? Of course! Will I pay for it? Uhm, no, not right now. I got a pretty good MacBook Pro with i7 processor from last year which is great – and it was insanely expensive since I needed it with 8GB of memory – so replacing it is definitely not in my plans for this latest MacBook Pro upgrade cycle.

Even though the performance gains with the new Sandy Bridge MacBook Pro’s are amazing compared to the “old” 2010 models:

I could definitely use some more power when editing RAW files in Aperture 3. Even with my Aperture 3 performance/speed fix, it still shows spinning beach ball quite often while it works.

Just FYI, a new Sandy Bridge 15″ MacBook Pro i7 with 8GB of memory will cost $2,400, plus tax I guess. I don’t know how much tax is in the US but let’s just say 8% which I think is what it is in New York, more or less, right? So that’s almost $2,600. If I were to buy the same machine, locally, it would cost me $3,360 including tax though. Quite a difference. I would maybe have thought about it if it was $2,600 like in the US.

So I’m waiting for the next MacBook Pro upgrade, hopefully around this time next year. Maybe it will even come in a different/new design?

What I’m hoping the next upgrade will see, compared to what it has today:

No optical drive: Who uses this anyway?! I would rather have a smaller laptop – and/or a bigger battery. I’m perfectly fine with having a Firewire connected optical drive for those five times a year I might find it useful to use one of those old discs. And don’t even get me started on blu-ray…
SSD instead of spinning hard drives: SSD’s are fast, quiet, use less power (I think?) and more durable than a 7200rpm spinning disc. I wouldn’t want one with less than 512GB though.
Re-design: I love the current design, but maybe they could change it a little bit? Just to make it stand out as “new”, especially if it comes without optical drive and with SSD or something.
Even better battery: Would be possible if that useless optical drive is removed.
Thinner: Would (maybe) also be possible with the optical drive gone. But I’m not unhappy with the current size, so if it were to be the same as now, I’d still buy it.

That’s basically why I won’t be selling my current MacBook Pro in order to raise money for a new Sandy Bridge version. But, if I were to win the lottery…
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Apple reveals new MacBook Pro’s with Sandy Bridge, AMD graphics and Thunderbolt I/O

Klaus — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:19:23 +0000

Surprise, surprise. As if the world didn’t already knew that Apple was going to release Sandy Bridge MacBook Pro’s in the near future – well, the near future has arrived, because today the Apple Store was updated with new MacBook Pro models.

All of them with the new Intel Sandy Bridge Core i5 and i7 processors, some with AMD Radeon HD 6000M graphics, FaceTime HD cameras and the blazing fast Tunderbolt I/O technology for transfer speeds.

13″ MacBook Pro

Core i5 and i7 processors.

Lower end model starts at $1,199, and features a 2.4GHz dual-core Core i5 processor and 320GB hard drive.

Higher end model goes up to the 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 CPU and 500GB hard drive which will cost you $1,499.

This duo doesn’t get the AMD graphics like the 15″ and 17″, but the Intel’s new powerful HD 3000 integrated graphics should be more powerful than ever, so it might not be that big of a loss for most users.

15″ MacBook Pro

No more Core i5 CPU’s for the 15″ MacBook Pro’s, they’re pure Core i7 now. They also come with AMD Radeon HD 6000M graphics. $1,7999 will buy you a 2.0GHz quad-core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6490M graphics and 500GB hard drive. In the even higher end you’ll find a $2,199 model with a faster 2.2GHz i7 CPU, 6750M graphics and 750GB hard drive.

17″ MacBook Pro

And finally there’s the 17″ MacBook Pro as well, which is basically the same specifications as the higher end 15″ model, though as 17″ it will cost you $2,499 instead.

Apple’s press release:

Apple Updates MacBook Pro with Next Generation Processors, Graphics & Thunderbolt I/O Technology

CUPERTINO, California-February 24, 2011-Apple® today updated the industry-leading MacBook® Pro family with next generation processors and graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and a new FaceTime® HD camera. Featuring the very latest dual-core and quad-core Intel Core processors, the entire MacBook Pro line is up to twice as fast as the previous generation.*

“The new MacBook Pro brings next generation dual and quad Core processors, high performance graphics, Thunderbolt technology and FaceTime HD to the great design loved by our pro customers,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Thunderbolt is a revolutionary new I/O technology that delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second and can support every important I/O standard which is ideal for the new MacBook Pro.”

Starting at $1,199 the new 13-inch MacBook Pro offers amazing value and performance in a compact design. The highly portable 13-inch MacBook Pro features Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors up to 2.7 GHz and Intel HD Graphics 3000. The powerful 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models feature quad-core Core i7 processors up to 2.3 GHz and AMD Radeon HD graphics processors with up to 1GB of video memory for high performance gaming, pro video editing and graphics intensive applications.

MacBook Pro is the first computer on the market to include the groundbreaking Thunderbolt I/O technology. Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, Thunderbolt enables expandability never before possible on a notebook computer. Featuring two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, Thunderbolt delivers PCI Express directly to external high performance peripherals such as RAID arrays, and can support FireWire and USB consumer devices and Gigabit Ethernet networks via adapters. Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays. Freely available for implementation on systems, cables and devices, Thunderbolt technology is expected to be widely adopted as a new standard for high performance I/O.

The MacBook Pro now includes a built-in FaceTime HD camera with triple the resolution of the previous generation for crisp, widescreen video calls. With Apple’s innovative FaceTime video calling software, the new camera allows high definition video calls between all new MacBook Pro models and supports standard resolution calls with other Intel-based Macs, iPhone® 4 and the current generation iPod touch®. FaceTime is included with all new MacBook Pro models and is available for other Intel-based Macs from the Mac® App Store℠ for 99 cents. The MacBook Pro lineup continues to feature its gorgeous aluminum unibody enclosure, glass Multi-Touch™ trackpad, LED-backlit widescreen display, illuminated full-size keyboard and 7-hour battery.**

As the industry’s greenest notebook lineup, every Mac notebook achieves EPEAT Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements, setting the standard for environmentally friendly notebook design.*** Each unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Mac notebooks contain no brominated flame retardants, are PVC-free and are constructed with recyclable materials.

Every Mac comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music. Snow Leopard builds on more than a decade of innovation and includes multiple features for portable computing such as Multi-Touch navigation, advanced wireless networking, easy file sharing, automated data backup and intelligent power management. The new iLife ’11 features iPhoto® with stunning full screen views for browsing, editing and sharing photos; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use tools to transform home videos into fun theatrical trailers; and GarageBand® with new ways to improve your playing and create great sounding songs.

Pricing & Availability
The new 13-inch MacBook Pro, 15-inch MacBook Pro and 17-inch MacBook Pro are available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available in two configurations: one with a 2.3 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 and 320GB hard drive starting at $1,199; and one with a 2.7 GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5 and 500GB hard drive starting at $1,499. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro is available in two models: one with a 2.0 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6490M and 500GB hard drive starting at $1,799 and one with a 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 750GB hard drive starting at $2,199. The new 17-inch MacBook Pro features a 2.2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 750GB hard drive and is priced at $2,499.

Configure-to-order options include faster quad-core processors up to 2.3 GHz, additional hard drive capacity up to 750GB, solid state storage up to 512GB, more memory up to 8GB DDR3, antiglare and high-resolution display options and AppleCare® Protection Plan. Additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/macbookpro.

*Testing conducted by Apple in February 2011 using preproduction MacBook Pro configurations. For more information visit www.apple.com/macbookpro/features.html.

**The new Wireless Web protocol testing was conducted by Apple in February 2011 using preproduction MacBook Pro configurations. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit www.apple.com/macbookpro/features.html.

***EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

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Is Your Precious Mac Running Too Slow? Here are Simple Ways to Speed It Up

Guest Author — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:32:45 +0000

Even if you have done all of the possible things to make it faster, your beloved Mac might still be running a tad slow. As time goes by, your hard disk space is filling up rapidly and applications seem to be moving at a snail’s pace. Do not worry too much about this, because you can do something about it.

First Things First – Your Mac Unit

Before you start, it is important to remember that none of these tips will change the performance of your old G4 as if it had Intel’s Quad-core processor. One of the time-proven and tested ways in improving the speed of a rather old computer is by upgrading some of its hardware. Investing in more memory as well as a larger hard drive can greatly help in boosting its speed.

Back then, upgrading even just the hard drives of Macs was very complicated. Fortunately, they have decided to let go of this trend by making recent and newer models that are easier to upgrade, especially with memory. In fact, replacing the hard drive on G4 and G5 iMacs, whether it is a Macbook or a tower, is a cinch. However, there are still some Mac machines, such as the Mac Mini, that are difficult to upgrade and it is wise to have a specialist to do the upgrading for you.

If you are planning on making some upgrades on your machine, it is best that you consult your manual or a trusted supplier first before purchasing any upgrade parts. This will help to determine if the memory modules or hard drive is compatible with your machine.

Basic System Tips

- Desktop Clean Up: If your desktop is littered with tons of icons, chances are that your Mac’s performance may suffer. Mac OS X regards every desktop icon as if it were an opened window (even if they’re not opened at the moment), so this results to a tiny memory hit. This may not be an issue to many people, but if you have lots and lots of icons, then it is advisable to put them in another location.

- Get Rid of Unnecessary Startup Items: If you think that your Mac is slow when it starts up, just open your System Preferences, then click accounts. Choose your username and view what is listed in the startup items. There are times applications will include themselves here without asking for your permission (or maybe they asked before, but you may not want them anymore). Get rid of unnecessary startup items as this will definitely speed up your boot time.

Speed Up Applications that tend to be Slow

Most people who complain that their Mac is running slow usually have these applications on their Mac. You will find below some common reasons why.

- Dashboard Widgets are considered useful tools, but they still eat up memory even if you are not using them. This results to your Mac having less memory for the applications you are actually using. Go into your Applications Folder, choose the Utilities Folder and look for the Activity Monitor. The Activity Monitor is a clever way to observe which applications are using the most of your Mac’s memory. If you see several Dashboard Widgets on the top of the list, then consider disabling them.

- Firefox is one of the most-used browsers nowadays, so if you are using versions 1.x or 2.x of Mozilla Firefox, then you might notice that this browser tends to slow down after it has been running for quite a while. Try uninstalling extensions that are not needed. Eliminating the add-ons that you are running (to about 3 or 4) will more likely speed up most installations. One recommendation is to switch to the latest version of Firefox 3.6 which has considerable speed improvements over its earlier versions.

- Safari is known to be fast and lightweight, but it can still slow down if it is storing a bunch of Autofill entries or if your browsing history is extremely large. One easy yet effective way to clear all your caches and reset nearly everything at the same time is to select Reset Safari in the application menu.

While there is no perfect solution for making your precious Mac as cool (and as fast) as the first day you’ve laid your hands on it, the simple ways mentioned above can help get rid of the unwanted clutter, reclaim disk space and essentially speed up your Mac.

What do you think? Do you have any other solutions to speed up your precious Mac? Please feel free to comment. Thanks for stopping by!

Guest article written by Johanna. Cat lover, cleanaholic, immune to horror movies, anime otaku, and a nightmare to gummy bears and all squishy candies out there! Johanna is a happily married, part-time blogger who writes about a variety of topics which include cats, dogs, blogging tips, tech, food and health, self improvement and other stuff that you might be interested about. If you want to learn cool new things, visit her humble online abode at GIJoh.com.

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10 Best Printers for Macs

Guest Author — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:35:55 +0000

As a Mac user, you already realize that some peripherals are simply not suited for use with an Apple computer. Most printers are capable of interfacing with both Mac and Windows machines, but there are some printers that are just better when used with Mac hardware. Here are the ten best printers to consider if you are a Mac user, looking for convenient printing options with excellent quality. The list is broken down into inkjet, laser and all-in-one printing solutions for your convenience.

All-in-One Printers

Epson Artisan 855: ($300) This moderately priced color inkjet printer also provides the ability for users to copy, scan or fax documents if they should require this technology. The printer has wireless printing capabilities and can also be networked with a wired ethernet connection or connected directly to your computer. The printer comes with printing software that will be an excellent addition to your Mac software.

Epson Stylus NX420: ($79) This inexpensive all-in-one printing solution is perfect for your home and family use. It prints excellent quality documents at a relatively fast speed compared to other printers in its price range. The simple to set up wireless connection makes getting started quick and easy.

Canon MP560: ($115) Mac users want high quality printing and all-in-one convenience with their home printers. The MP560 is an excellent choice, as it can be set up in just a few minutes and it provides high resolution prints. This printer works well with Airport Extreme and can work well with Macs and Windows machines simultaneously.

Kodak ESP7250: ($117) Even in color, this printer puts out about 30 pages per minute. The very low purchase price makes this an attractive all-in-one home printing solution for Mac users. It is simple to set up and comes with a suite of printing software that can be installed in just a few minutes.

Laser Printers

Brother HL5370W Black & White Laser: ($200) An affordable monochrome laser printer with wireless connectivity is perfect for small businesses where Macs are used. The wireless networking is simple to set up with the intuitive interface and this printer provides high quality prints with a very short start up cycle. The toner cartridges are affordable with a cost per page of roughly 1.1 cents if using the high capacity cartridge.

Brother HL2170W Laser: ($191) Less robust than the 5370W, this printer prints at about 23ppm and requires very little time to set up. There is a short start up delay as the printer warms up prior to printing. For most home users, this is an excellent choice.

Samsung ML2525 Laser: ($99) This is one of the quietest personal laser printers you will ever own. As a Mac user, you need robust printing and this small printer will provide you with high resolution prints. This printer takes a bit longer to set up with networking than other options, but it is simple to use.

HP LaserJet CP1515n Color Laser: ($200) This full color laser printer is an excellent solution for small businesses and home offices. It has a low per page printing cost and produces sharp and high quality prints. This is a decent photo printer for it’s low start-up pricetag.

Inkjet Printers

Canon PIXMA MP620 Inkjet: ($100) This full-color inkjet is a very affordable inkjet printing solution for those who will print infrequently. There are very few options for printing with this machine and there is no option for draft quality. For home users, it is an excellent choice.

Canon PIXMA iP100: ($200) This printer is a specific photo inkjet printer that works excellent for Mac users. The output rate is only about 10-15ppm depending on whether it is black and white or color printing. This is the highest quality available in a mobile wireless photo inkjet printer and although it is relatively expensive to operate it is an excellent printing solution for its price.

Mac users have come to expect high quality workmanship from their printers. Many Mac users are looking for high end personal printers to produce high end photographic quality printing. These ten printers are rated as among the best for Mac users and each has qualities that sets it apart from the competitors. Every year, new printing technology comes along that appeals to Mac users. These printers will be models that can be used for several years without a need for replacement. An important thing to make a note of is the maintenance costs and how much you will use the printer.

Guest post written by: James Adams reviews a range of Canon supplies and supplies from other top manufacturers at CartridgeSave.co.uk.

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Mac App Store now open!

Klaus — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:13:35 +0000

The Mac App Store was launched today which now gives you access to tons of apps and games directly on your Mac and not just on your iPhone and iPad. The apps are not the same as the apps in the iOS App Store are developed and designed for use on a Mac, so if you’ve bought e.g. Angry Birds on your iPhone, you’ll need to re-purchase it in the Mac App Store if you want to play the game on your Mac.

The interface is pretty nice and simple and it’s very easy to use and navigate as well, just like you know it from the iOS App Store. Purchases are made using your iTunes Store account, also just like the iOS App Store.

To get Mac App Store on your Mac, you’ll need to fire up Software Update and install the new Mac OS X 10.6.6 update which doesn’t have much else to offer than the App Store. After installation it will appear in your Dock as a blue app icon.

Learn more about the Mac App Store at Apple.
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Flash no longer included on Macs per default

Klaus — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 06:06:20 +0000

The new MacBook Air from Apple comes without Flash pre-installed, something which Mac’s have had for a long time. But as you might know, Steve Jobs is not a big fan of Flash and Flash is not even possible on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

Apple is now doing the same as Microsoft by not including Flash with their operating system per default. Basically this means you’ll have to download and install it yourself, if you want to use it.

The reason, according to Apple, is said to be “We’re happy to continue to support Flash on the Mac, and the best way for users to always the most up to date and secure version is to download it directly from Adobe”.

With YouTube already offering a HTML5 alternative for Flash video playback, and many more major sites also switching to HTML5 instead of Flash, HTML5 is slowly catching up to Flash, so the question is, how does the future look for Adobe and their Flash technology?
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Wrapup: Apple’s “Back to the Mac”-event. OS X 10.7 Lion, iLife ’11, FaceTime, Mac App Store, MacBook Air.

Klaus — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:20:19 +0000

Apple and Steve Jobs just wrapped up their October 20th “Back to the Mac” Apple event in San Francisco with a bunch of new stuff. Here are the highlights:

Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion” & Mac App Store

The next big cat in the OS X line will be the “Lion” for OS X 10.7. It’s basically “Mac meets iPad”, ie. bringing iOS innovation to Mac OS X on the desktop.

New stuff revealed in OS X 10.7 Lion is the Mac App Store which, as you know from your iDevice(s), is a collection of free and paid apps. Apps will be licensed for all your Macs, not just a single device.

Launchpad is also something new in Lion, it’s like the homescreen from your iOS device, except it’s for the Mac. Instant access to your apps – iPad style!

Mission Control gives you a bird’s-eye view of everything including Exposé, Spaces, Dashboard and full-screen apps.

OS X 10.7 Lion will also have systemwide support for full-screen apps to make them bigger and more immersive, taking away all the distractions so you can concentrate on every detail of your work.

The Mac App Store should “ship” within 90 days and Mac OS X 10.7 Lion will be available Summer 2011.

More “Lion” on Apple.com.

Mission Control in the new Mac OS X 10.7 Lion on a MacBook Air

iLife ’11

It’s been a while since iLife was last updated and today Apple announced the new iLife ’11. iWeb and iDVD was not mentioned by Steve Jobs on stage, rumors said iDVD would be removed but also that iWeb would have been completely re-written. What we do know, however, is that iPhoto ’11 will have a revamped full screen mode, big Facebook integration and new slideshows.

iMovie ’11 now comes with audio editing style effects, People Finder, more themes and an “auto movie trailer feature”.

GarageBand ’11 also got some new stuff such as FlexTime, groove matching, new effects and lessons.

iLife ’11 is just $49 or $6.99 if you bought a new Mac between October 1st and 19th 2010. Apple Store lists iLife ’11 as “Ships within 24 hours”, so I assume it’s already available.

More iLife ’11 on Apple.com.

FaceTime

FaceTime was, until now, only available on iPhone 4 but when Apple announced iPhone 4 and FaceTime, they also said something like “more FaceTime devices would ship in 2010″, so we kinda knew that something would happen with FaceTime soon – and now it has. It’s not a new device per se, but FaceTime is coming to the Mac as well – already available for download on Apple’s website. It’s a very simple app that integrates with your Address Book and allows for Mac to iOS calls or simply Mac to Mac. Simple as that.

I’m yet to actually try FaceTime on the iPhone 4 but I guess I’ll need to give it a shot soon so I can try out FaceTime on the Mac afterwards – or maybe just call myself, if that’s possible, then I won’t have to worry about looking stupid…

More “FaceTime for Mac” and download on Apple.com.

MacBook Air

Finally, as rumored, a new MacBook Air aired. There’s a 11.6″ model and a 13.3″ model. Both comes with SSD storage, 64GB for the small model and 128GB for the bigger, but can be upgraded as you order. Memory starts out with 2GB but can be upgraded to 4GB – though you’ll have to order it with 4GB, you can’t upgrade it yourself.

Battery life is now even better with 5 hours on the 11″ and 7 hours on the 13″ (using wi-fi), and 30 days standby.

More MacBook Air and watch the new ad on Apple.com.

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Mac Uninstaller – How To & FAQ

Guest Author — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:47:54 +0000

Mac Uninstaller

If you collect many Mac applications, images, large files and the like, you might be overdoing it for your Mac. Have you checked available disk space lately? Maybe it is time that you unleash the power of Mac uninstaller.

That’s easy, I just bring it to my trash icon and its gone, right?

Not always.

Understand that the majority of your Mac applications will have been installed on your Mac as bundles. A bundled application, such as iTunes, has the majority of its files contained within the icon. However, additional disk space is used for your preferences files. These files are typically small and contain settings for your particular Mac OS and operating environment unique to your system. In fact, keeping them allows you to re-install the application faster should you wish to do so in lieu of using your Mac uninstaller for other programs you find you don’t want anymore.

You will find your preferences files within the user’s library folder (as ~/Library/Preferences) or in the root of your hard disk’s system volume name as /Library/References.

Are there other files I need to find and delete?

Yes. There are application support files that can take up significant disk space that you may wish to remove. While not all Mac applications have large support files, the ones that do are typically your multimedia and graphics applications such as DVD Studio Pro.

The location of application support files can be either the Application Support folder within your user name’s library folder, or ‘Application Support’ within the ‘Library’ folder. Alternatively, select the application of interest and hold down the CTRL key for a list of menu options. Select the Show Package Contents option to open the Finder window to view the files and folders that are part of the application.

For any application support file found, just click on it and drag it to the Trash icon. Be sure the application is not running during any Mac uninstaller activity, as this can cause stability problems.

Does an installed application have its own uninstall program?

It might. A number of Mac applications come with an uninstaller. To determine if the application you wish to remove has an uninstall program, go to the application installation file (or icon) and run it to see if there is an uninstall option. You might otherwise use the command line to try to uninstall an application, by using the same name of the installation file with the uninstall name instead. For example: ‘[appname]uninstall.pl’.

Are there Mac Uninstaller programs that work?

There are also uninstaller programs that you can buy or try to do the mac uninstaller work for you. But be careful of which you choose as some may not remove all files to an application. A program such as AppZapper or AppTrap does in fact look for files beyond the application executable. You want to read reviews by other Mac users to determine that the program of interest does in fact remove all files.

Guest post by Stefi Nickson from Mac-How

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Product Updates & News From Apple: Magic Trackpad, iMac, Mac Pro, Battery Charger

Klaus — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:54:58 +0000

Apple has updated their Apple Stores today by presenting two brand new products and a few updates to existing products:

1) Magic Trackpad

The most exciting new product, without doubt. This takes your laptop trackpad, blows it up bigger and separates it from the computer. It’s like a mouse pad – but without the mouse. Apple says the Magic Trackpad is more gentle for your hand rather than using a mouse. I guess we’ll have to see about that – I’ll try to get my hands on one of them. It sells for $69 in the US Apple Stores.

More about Magic Trackpad.

2) Apple Battery Charger

For some reason, Apple felt that they needed to make a battery charger. Hey, it looks a lot better than the chargers I currently own. It only takes two AA batteries at a time though. It sells for $29 and comes with six AA batteries, two for your keyboard, two for your mouse or your trackpad and two for charging. The batteries have up to a year 10-year lifespan and hold a charge for an incredibly long time – they say.

More about Apple Battery Charger.

Updated: iMac

Apple also updated the iMac today. CPU has been upgraded to i3, i5 and i7. The biggest begin 2.93 GHz for the quad core i7 iMac. The built-in SD card readers can now also read SDXC cards (should support up to 2TB).

More about iMac.

Updated: Mac Pro

Mac Pro, the biggest beast of all Macs, also saw an update today. It now boasts up to 12 processing cores and up to 50% greater performance than previous generations.

More about Mac Pro.
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