You may not be familiar with the company Tronical but you will know their work because they are responsible for Gibson’s Robot Guitar tuning systems. Well judging by this video it appears that Tronical are about to launch some standalone systems that can be retrofit to pretty much any guitar be it a Les Paul [...]
Tag: Mac
CCleaner Now Released For The Mac
No matter how intuitive and reportedly “trouble free” Macs are to run, believe me, several months after you add hundreds of files, applications, and download thousands of webpages, your shiny new iMac or MacBook Air is going to run slower than when you first booted it out the box. That’s because like any computer, digital junk files pile up in the hard drive; and eventually it just needs to get cleaned out.
CCleaner is one such application utility that can perform cleaning operations for you. It was recently released from its beta version for Mac users, and it can now be downloaded for free in the Mac App Store, or directly from the Piriform website. Windows PC users have been making use of CCleaner for a while, and now Mac users can finally take advantage of it. The interface is similar for both platforms, but the program is of course optimized to address the particular system clutter of OS X.
Everything You Need To Know about OS X Lion
The wait is over, you can finally get your digital fingers all up in Lion’s mane. Apple released the latest iteration of OS X in the Mac App Store and the hefty download is ready for anyone with $29.99 burning a hole in their pocket.
While waiting for Lion, you’ve no doubt checked out Apple’s Lion Features page. It boasts more than 250 new features, some of them more featurey than others. Full Screen Apps is one feature, counting it as a separate feature for each app, that sort of seems like cheating.
To help you get the most out Lion, we compiled a list of features and tips to help you conquer your new feline friend.
How To Tame Six of OS X Lion’s Early Problems
Apple finally uncaged OS X Lion in the Mac App Store on Wednesday, and as is typical with most new operating system releases, early adopters are already scratching their heads trying to work around some oddities introduced by the big cat. Here are a few suggestions for taming the new king of your Mac jungle.
How To Use the Screen Sharing Features in Lion
The Screen Sharing application has been around in OS X since the days of Leopard (oh so long ago!), but Apple has added some nifty features to the application and underlying support in Lion. From a new tool bar, to a new per-user screen sharing feature, Lion has you covered when doing screen sharing on your local network between two or more Macs.
How To Use Versioning Control in Mac OS X Lion
With Lion, Apple has included a way for developers to implement versioning control in their apps. So when you’re saving files like documents you’ll have access to both the past versions and current version. With a Time Machine-like interface, you’re able to view all of the changes in your documents and restore past versions if you accidentally delete something in the current version.
How To Use Search Tokens in Lion Mail
Apple has completely revamped the Mail application in Lion. Not only are they going for an iPad-influenced user interface, but they’ve also enabled a searching system that makes finding messages easier through the use of tokens. With tokens, you can search by date, name, message contents, or any combination of these.
How To Navigate, Organize and Delete Apps with Launchpad
Launchpad allows you to organize, manage, and launch Mac applications just like you would on an iPad. The feature show and store applications as immediately as they’re downloaded from the Mac App Store, and they can even delete applications downloaded from the App Store.
Does Your Favorite App Work on Lion?
Want to know if Adobe Photoshop CS5 will work on Lion? What about AOL Radio?
The good people at RoaringApps have put together a wiki detailing which apps have been tested so far on Lion, and if they work properly or not. There are currently seventeen pages of apps on their App Compatibility Table, all listed in alphabetical order, with details about each app.
How to Burn a Lion Install DVD and Create Bootable Thumb Drive
Lion is Apple’s first disc-less distribution of Mac OS X, and as such, is leaving many users with slow or no internet connections without any fun today. We’re going to show you how to easily burn your Lion installer to a disc in order to install the OS on a computer without a network connection, or even as a way to make an emergency backup copy of your $30 investment.
7 Annoying Settings You Can Change in Lion
Lion has a ton of wonderful features, but there are a few new ones that might make long-time Mac users a little crazy. Fortunately, if you’re a creature of habit, Apple has enabled the ability to simply toggle them off in the System Preferences — so yes, you don’t have to live with Lion’s new way of scrolling. Read on to find out which settings you can change in Lion and get back to your normal life.
How To Use Gestures in Safari 5.1 for Lion
Mac OS X Lion ships with a brand new version of the Safari web browser. Version 5.1 of Safari gives many new features, including the much anticipated Reading List. But, Apple has also included some new gestures for Safari that gives the web browser more of an iPad feel.
How To Use Spaces in Mac OS X Lion
Spaces first appeared in OS X Leopard, but in Lion, the feature has been rebranded, along with Expose, into the new Mission Control feature. Mission Control is your one-stop place for viewing all of the opened application windows on your Mac, full screen apps and. Dashboard widgets. It also lets you create multiple desktops, which enables you to organize your windows by the types of applications or by the work you’ll do in each Space. Read on to find out how to best utilize Spaces.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
Clean Install of OS X Lion
OS X Lion is now available from the Mac App Store and we know that many of you are preparing or have already started downloading and installing the new cat.
Because installation takes place entirely from within the Mac App Store, the usual ‘clean install’ option isn’t present. If you’ve followed our guide for preparing your Mac for Lion, you’re probably in good shape to proceed with an upgrade. If, however, you long for the ability to do a clean install without having to first install Snow Leopard and THEN install Lion, Mashable has you covered.
If you want to create a bootable USB stick or burn a DVD of OS X Lion, read along.
Step 1: Download Lion From the Mac App Store
Go ahead and download OS X Lion from the Mac App store. This is a nearly 4GB download, so if your Internet connection isn’t super fast, you may want to plan to get some other stuff done while you wait.
As soon as the download is complete, exit out of the installation prompt. We don’t want to do an install right now.
Step 2: Find The Install Lion App in Finder (in Your Applications Folder)
Locate the Lion installation program.
Step 3: Right-Click on the Installer, Select ‘Show Package Contents’
Right click or control-click on the program icon and select ‘Show Package Contents.’ Now, you want to browse to the ‘Shared Support’ folder inside of ‘Contents’ and locate a file called ‘InstallESD.dmg.’ This is the file we will use to create our bootable Lion image.
Copy this file to your desktop or another folder you have easy access to.
Step 4: Start Disk Utility
Open up Disk Utility (it’s in the Utilities folder in Applications). At this point, you should see the various hard drives connected to your Mac. If you haven’t already plugged in an empty USB thumb drive or a hard drive with an empty partition, do that now.
Step 5a: Insert a Blank DVD
For users that want to create a DVD for installation purposes, go ahead and put it in your Mac.
In Disk Utility, click the ‘Burn’ icon and then select the ‘installESD.dmg’ file that we just copied to our desktop.
Let it burn.
Step 5b: Select the USB Drive You Want to Use
Click on the tab that says ‘Erase.’
If, however, you’d prefer to create a bootable USB drive. Select it now.
In the source menu, select the ‘installESD.dmg’ file we already copied to our desktop.
For destination, choose the partition of the drive you want to use. Be aware that you will erase everything on this partition and replace it with OS X Lion, so be sure you don’t have anything important on that drive or partition.
Click Restore.
After the image is burned to USB or DVD, restart your computer by holding down the option key. You will now be given an option to boot from the DVD or USB drive. Go through the installation, ready to enjoy a new, clean install of Lion.
(Via Mashable!.)
Installing The Developer’s Build Of OS X Lion
Apple will be releasing, perhaps as early as July 9th, its latest version of Mac OS X, Lion. Unlike with previous OS X updates, Lion will be significantly cheaper ($29,00), but getting your hands on a physical disc copy of the Lion upgrade will not be possible. This will be because, for the first time, this OS X update will only be available for download through Apple‘s Mac App Store.
As of this writing, Apple has not indicated that it will provide hard disk copies of Lion. This new method system of updating has its pros and cons, but having downloaded the developer’s build of Lion, I think for many previous users of the Mac App Store, the process should further simplify new system upgrades.
This article does not address all the questions users may have about the Lion upgrade. After the system is fully released, we will address any other major issues (if any) that may arise with the upgrade.
System Requirements
In order to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion, the Mac you want to install it on will need to be at least an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 processor. I believe most Macs produced in the last five years meet one of these qualifications. To find out which processor your Mac is using, click on the Apple icon > About.
You will need to be running the latest update of Snow Leopard 10.6.6. (See here for more information about the App Store upgrade).
This SL update should include the Mac App Store application in which you use to purchase and download Lion, as you would any other applications in the store.
Download Process
The developer’s build of Lion that I downloaded is over 4GB, and more than likely it will not be any smaller than that in its final release version. So once you pay for Lion, be prepared for a 30 minute to 2 hour download time, depending on the speed of your network.
You will want to make sure you have backed up your existing hard drive onto Time Machine and/or cloned it to another external drive.
If you need to install Lion on other Macs in your home, you can open App Store on those computers and click on your Purchases (located in the App Store menu bar) to download the installer app again to those other Macs.
However, instead of another download through a Wi-Fi connection for your other Macs, you probably should be able to copy the Lion installer app via your networked computers or through a FireWire or Ethernet connection so that process is a little faster.
Installation Process
What’s great about downloading Lion from the App Store is that the process will begin once downloading is complete.
Most users will simply download Lion on top of Snow Leopard, which means that the new system will replace Snow Leopard but all your existing files, applications, songs, movies, and other data will be remain intact, and will appear after you restart your computer with the newly installed Lion upgrade.
There will be a Customize button that you can click to selectively exclude any default Lion apps, system foreign languages and the like that you don’t want installed in the upgrade (in the developer’s build of Lion the ability to customize the installation was not yet available).
After you’re done with the installation app, you can delete it from your Application’s folder, as once you purchase it in the App Store it will always be there for to download again if need be. The big issue with this App Store process is you won’t have an external copy of Lion on disk to plop into your Mac just in case you need to run a fix on a corrupted disk or partition.
Alternative Installations
If you need to, you can install Lion on a separate partition or external drive, so that you can have access to both Snow Leopard and Lion. Why might you want to do this? Well, some applications like older versions of Microsoft Word will not run on Lion, and you’re not prepared to upgrade the software for Lion just yet.
So to create a partition, you will need to make sure you have plenty of internal hard drive space. I would recommend at least 12-20 gigs of space on the partition.
You can create a partition by launching Disk Utility and selecting your hard drive. Click on the ‘Partition’ tab and then click the + button at the bottom of the Volume Scheme. Name the partition ‘Lion’ or any name you like. Set the partition size for Lion to be about 12-20GB. Click the ‘Apply’ button and the partition will be created, similar to how it’s shown above.
Now when you run the Lion installer app, you will be able to select the partition (see the screen in the previous section.)
You can switch back and forth between systems by opening System Preferences and selecting ‘Startup Dist’ under the System category. From there, you can select the system you want your computer to start back up in. Your Mac will boot in the last system you used.
(Via MakeUseOf.com.)
Mac Defender Malware Scam Plagues OS X Users
A malware scam is making its way to a wide range of Mac users recently. It works by putting malicious links at the top of search results and tricks users into accidentally clicking them. After doing so, a fake virus scanner pops up on the screen. It then falsely informs the user of potentially harmful software on their computer and recommends downloading an even more dangerous application: MacDefender. The scam soon gets even worse when it prompts the user to provide credit card information before downloading the fake anti-virus removal tool.
On May 24th, Apple acknowledged the malware scam’s existence and posted a tip on how to remove the virus or just avoid it altogether. It states the following:
If any notifications about viruses or security software appear, quit Safari or any other browser that you are using. If a normal attempt at quitting the browser doesn’t work, then Force Quit the browser. In some cases, your browser may automatically download and launch the installer for this malicious software. If this happens, cancel the installation process; do not enter your administrator password.
Apple has promised to deliver a software update for all Mac OS X users that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender, also known as Mac Protector or Mac Security, within a few days. It will also prevent users from accidentally stumbling onto it.
While these types of threats are relatively new for Mac users, Windows users have been experiencing scams and viruses of all sorts for years now. In fact, this exact type of scam — i.e. one that tricks users into downloading fake anti-virus software — is now almost infamous. Critics have said in the past that as the Mac becomes more and more mainstream, it will begin to face the same issues which have haunted Windows advocates for so long.
As of April 2011, Mac OS X had a worldwide market share of approximately 5.4% according to Net Applications. Windows remains strong at 88.91%, but has declined by about 2.5% in the last ten months while Mac usage continues to grow. At this rate, could Mac users see a rising amount of threats in the future? It is plausible, but still a concept that should be taken lightly.
Links: Apple Support
Mac Defender screenshot courtesy of Ubergizmo.
(Via Skatter Tech.)
The Best 5 Free Universal Video Players For Mac
I recently purchased a shiny new MacBook Pro and while it’s pretty awesome, I didn’t realize how much time it would take for me to re-adjust to a new operating system. Being fairly new to the whole Mac experience, I’ve been browsing the MUO archives for as many tips, tricks, and interesting tidbits I can find that will help me better learn the new OS. From researching free apps I should download to finding a good screen capture tool, I’ve found some great resources. I can finally edit photos again and, yes, even play games.
One of the things I was curious about however, was which universal video player to install. QuickTime is pretty cool, sure, but I quickly found out its limits after a short time using it. Where can I find a good, lightweight video player that’s capable of playing every type of file?
1. VLC Media Player
Regardless of what operating system you’re using, VLC Media Player is one of, if not the, best video players out there. VLC is an open source cross-platform multimedia player that plays pretty much every type of video file, making it truly ‘universal’.
You can also use it to play DVDs, CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. No codec packs are needed and it’s completely free. Anyone who is familiar with VLC should not be surprised to see it on this list.
2. DivX
DivX Player for Mac is also a nice alternative for you to play videos, especially if you’re looking to play something in HD. Naturally, DivX Player allows you to play all native DivX videos (.mkv), but it does also support other popular video file types, including QuickTime files. The player also includes a desktop dimmer, window fade, and free full screen playback options.
3. NicePlayer
NicePlayer is a relatively unknown application but it’s a pretty impressive video player for Mac. Jeffry dedicated a post on MUO to NicePlayer back in June 2010. It’s an open source app that was designed for playing movies and it features full screen or border-less floating windows, on the fly playlist creation, and more.
4. Elmedia Player
Elmedia Player is a Flash and media player for Mac OS X that supports playback of FLV, SWF, XAP (Silverlight), RM and RV (Real), AVI, MOV, MP4, and many other formats. It features a built-in web browser, so you can browse through websites and watch movies without leaving the application as well.
5. Windows Media Components for QuickTime
You may be surprised to learn that this even exists, but it’s a viable solution if you’re just looking for a little bit of Windows love. With Windows Media Components for QuickTime, you can play Windows Media files (.wma and .wmv) directly in QuickTime Player and view Windows Media content on the Internet using a web browser. It gives you added support for numerous audio and video codecs, as well as different file formats (like .avi).
(Via MakeUseOf.com.)
How to Calibrate Any Display in Mac OS X
Regardless of what you use your computer for, there’s one thing that’s in common with all set ups: a display. There are tons of different display manufacturers to choose from with varying standards of quality, and because of this, each of your displays may not have the exact same color accuracy. There is a remedy however: your Mac’s built-in Display Calibrator Assistant. Read on and we’ll show you how to ensure you’ll always see the most vivid, true color on your display.
Switching to Mac
There are many reasons you might want to switch to a Mac: design, software, sheer awesomeness. Whatever your reason, you might not yet have your heart set on a specific machine, but don’t worry, I am here to fix that very issue.
Apple have six main product lines for Mac OS X: MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, iMac and Mac Pro. That’s a whole lotta Mac. But, whether you’re a student wanting a notebook to write essays at Starbucks, or a hardcore, photo/editing user who wants a desktop, there’s a Mac that’s perfect for you.
Today we’ll take you through each of the six product lines and also tell you whether it’s the right time to buy, who each model is best suited for, and where you should purchase from.
MacBook
The MacBook is Apple’s entry-level notebook and their most affordable Mac with a screen (this one starts and ends at 13″). It’s a bit of an outlier in terms of design, with it supporting a white, polycarbonate unibody design. It supports the slighty-outdated but still useful Intel Core 2 Duo clocked at 2.4GHz, with 2GB RAM.
It has the standard array of connectivity including WiFi built in (obviously) and a range of ports including two USBs. It runs NVIDIA 320M graphics, which, for most non-video-intensive or gaming use, is just about fine.
Who’s It For?
If you’re looking to browse the internet and primarily use the bundled software (Safari, iLife etc.) then this will be fine. If you’re going to be extensively utilizing the 2.4GHz processor for heavy processing, it might not be so productive. It’s for people on a budget and those who aren’t too attracted to Apple’s obsession with aluminium. This is certainly a very capable device that should fit 80% of most users needs.
When/Where Is Best to Buy?
Apple last introduced an update to this product in May 2010, meaning there could be an imminent update. It’s probably best to hold fire for a few months if you’re not in a rush. If you’re a student (and can afford to wait a few months), wait until the summer and grab yourself a free iPod touch with the usual ‘Back to School’ offer. Even if you decide to sell the iPad, it’ll knock a few hundred dollars off the overall price.
For most of the products we discuss today, Apple is often the best place to buy from. It’s easy to customise your model, and their prices are often comparable to elsewhere (as they set the baseline standard). Occasionally you’ll see Amazon providing discounts or rebates on older models.
MacBook Pro
The MacBook Pro is essentially the same as the entry-level MacBook but is housed in an aluminium casing and has more room for upgrades. If you don’t feel like the MacBook is strong enough for you, this probably is. A range of build-to-order options are available including capacity for higher amounts of RAM and larger internal storage.
Who’s It For?
For the user who wants a high capacity portable, but where the white MacBook is not good enough. It’s main strength is the wide build-to-order options and the larger screen sizes. Most users will prefer the Pro and is my recommended portable for mainstream use. It is a great, reliable system and one that you can’t go wrong with. Gamers will appreciate the improved graphics card, and you can opt for Firewire on the higher-end models.
When/Where Is Best to Buy?
Like the MacBook, the Pro is due an upgrade and it’s generally accepted this is coming during March or April this year. I’d strongly suggest you wait at least 45 days before buying, if not just to judge the rumors at that time. However, once again, the MacBook Pro is still a great machine and whether you buy now or later, it’ll surely make you proud.
A lot of people buy MacBook Pros and they have a large push in Apple retail. There’s always a wide selection of refurbished MacBook Pros in the Apple Refurb store and the cash-conscious side of you would recommend you check it out first.
MacBook Air
The MacBook Air is Apple’s most recent release and (I think) their best designed product by far. While the MacBook Air starts at a lowly-clocked 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor, it makes up for that with a fast solid state drives. The MacBook Air also starts at a smaller, 11″ screen size making it a perfect accessory for travelers or students.
Even though it is a very premium product, the 11″ product starts at the same price point as the white MacBook. If you are someone who won’t require a lot of processing power for editing (even though video production is fairly impressive) or a DVD drive, this could be a perfect companion to your computer life, especially if you’ve already got a desktop.
Who’s It For?
The MacBook Air can be a primary computer for the average user with the 13″ screen size. However, it’s most suited to being a secondary machine alongside a Mac or PC desktop. Don’t let the low clock speed or the outdated processor worry you – the SSD more than makes up for it. It’s small form factor also means it’s great for portable lifestyles.
When/Where Is Best to Buy?
The MacBook Air was released just last October so don’t expect an update anytime soon. Now is a perfect time to buy and you’ll get the same deal at Best Buy or Apple. Apple did, however, put a bunch of MacBook Airs on the refurbished store and you can grab a great deal there.
Mac Mini
The Mac Mini is Apple’s small, but powerful, desktop that lacks all peripherals. The minimalist computer houses a 2.4GHz+ Intel Core 2 Duo processor and a user-upgradeable 2GB of RAM. This is the product that was made for PC switcher, allowing them to keep their existing keyboard, mouse and display.
Even if you purchase Apple Bluetooth accessories and a standard monitor, it still comes in at under the entry-level iMac and is a great machine for most users (just like the MacBook).
The Mac Mini also features a removable base, making it easy for you to upgrade the internal RAM.
Who’s It For?
The switcher. The Mac Mini is a fairly-cheap product that will be useful for the majority of users and is great for switchers who already own their own peripherals. If you, however, are lacking a display and accessories, I’d highly suggest the more-powerful entry-level iMac.
When/Where Is Best to Buy?
The Mac Mini is coming up to a refresh (if history is any hint) and I’d suggest you wait off until the summer, at least. I’m sure Apple has some sort of CPU refresh planned, possibly to Intel’s latest processors (the same ones you see in the current generation iMacs).
iMac
The iMac is Apple’s main desktop line and probably their most popular. The machine is an all-in-one Mac that ships with keyboard and mouse, so it’s a great starting point for new Mac users. Most desktop switchers will appreciate the Arrendale processors that start at 3.06GHz, the dedicated graphics and the user-upgradeable RAM which starts at 4GB as standard.
The iMac is my choice as an upcoming switcher due to the high-powered entry level model. It’s also priced at a relatively average range, so it’s worth serious consideration.
Unlike the Mac Mini, the iMac opts for a dedicated ATI graphics card rather than the integrated/shared ones of it’s smaller brother. It also has many build-to-order specs, including the availability of a solid state drive.
Who’s It For?
Anyone. The iMac really suits everyone with it’s large screen and high-performance internals. Apple has packed high performance into style, with an affordable price for the serious user. Whether this is a machine for college, work, gaming or just normal home use, it’s the perfect all-rounder.
When/Where Is Best to Buy?
The iMac, in this form, was released just around the same time as the Mac Mini in it’s current form. Whilst i’d suggest waiting off getting a Mac Mini, I say go right ahead with the iMac. The Sandy Bridge processor delay means it’s unlikely the iMac will see a major update before late this year or into next.
However, there are some rumors of a more ‘affordable’ price point so if you want to hold off, you can.
Mac Pro
The Mac Pro is the desktop that I doubt many of you will be suited to. It’s not a prosumer desktop, but rather a straight-out pro desktop. This is meant for the heavy duty user who needs the power of additional cores for intensive applications. If you’re coming from a custom built or highly-powered PC, consider the higher end iMacs over the Mac Pro.
However, the Mac Pro does allow for some serious upgrading in a beautiful case. If you change your specs around a lot, the Mac Pro allows for this with ease.
You may think you need a Mac Pro coming from a PC background, but I highly suggest you buy a higher end iMac first. If it doesn’t fit your needs, then opt to return it under Apple’s 14-day buyer’s remorse and then go for the Mac Pro. This will save you a lot of money without the need to buy a display or keyboard/mouse first.
Who’s It For?
(Probably) not you. The Mac Pro is for really heavy duty users who need that raw power, or at least the ones who need to upgrade a lot. Like I said, the higher-end quad-core i5 and i7s CPUs provide enough power for even the more CPU-intensive users. I suggest you at least try one out and then return it, if it’s not up to your needs. There’s nothing to lose and it may save you significant amounts of money.
When/Where Is Best to Buy?
It’s always a good time to buy a Mac Pro, especially now with the new 12-core monster. And I suggest the Apple Store once again, to try out the machine before you buy. This is super important if you’re willing to make such an investment.
The Types of Users
Most users (or at least the ones who read this site) will fall into one of three categories: the browser (someone whos life is mainly on the web and involves browsing the internet and light app use), the editor (a Photoshop/graphics editor and someone who deals with a lot of video) or the gamer.
Here’s a rough idea of where you might fit into Apple’s product lineup:
The Browser
MacBook
MacBook Air
21.5″ iMac
Mac Mini
The Editor
Mac Pro
i5/i7 iMac
15″+ MacBook Pro
The Gamer
i5/i7 iMac
i5/i7 Macbook Pro
Quad-core Mac Pro
(Via Mac.AppStorm.)
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