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In order to mount a shared network folder in OS X, in general you first open a Finder window, where you will see a list of systems that are broadcasting network services, and upon clicking them you can provide authentication information to connect and mount their available shares.

When you mount a shared folder in this manner, the system uses a global mount point (within the hidden /Volumes directory at the root of the boot drive) to access the shared folder. This mount point can be seen by selecting Go to Folder from the Finder's Go menu and then … Read more

Users who are tired of running back and forth between multiple computers might want to give today's collection of freeware a look. First, we have two KVM switch replacements: Qsynergy, a more intuitive version of the popular Synergy; and Mouse without Borders, a quick and easy solution from Microsoft's Garage for sharing your keyboard and mouse.

A third alternative is Win Switch, a tool to share programs on multiple computers and unchain you from your desk. All three options differ from remote desktop applications such as TeamViewer or Splashtop, since all of the computers operate on the same … Read more

The economy may be slowly recovering, but that doesn't mean you need to hand over more of your hard earned cash to your wireless provider.

In this edition of Ask Maggie, I help two different readers figure out how to get the most value out of their wireless service. Of course, cheaper isn't always better. If the service doesn't work or doesn't offer you enough data for your needs, then the lower price tag is irrelevant. In the first question, I offer one reader some advice about switching from Sprint to either AT&T or … Read more

Facebook friends can now share data with one other courtesy of a new promotion from NetZero.

The new 4G Data Share plan lets NetZero subscribers dole out 1GB of data each month to fellow subscribers on Facebook, with up to five friends getting 200MB a piece.

To partake in the promotion, you need to subscribe to any one of NetZero's five 4G mobile broadband plans, starting at 200MB for free and going up to 4GB for $49.95 a month.

You'll also need to buy NetZero's 4G USB stick or its 4G hotspot device. Both items are … Read more

Cloud-storage vendors are falling all over themselves to attract new customers.

Dropbox, by far the most popular, offers newcomers freebie accounts with 2GB of space. SugarSync raises the bar to 5GB, while Microsoft ponies up 7GB for its SkyDrive service.

If you're looking for even more cloud storage and want to keep your wallet closed, check out 4Sync. The company, just out of beta, currently offers 15GB of cloud storage free of charge.

True to its name, 4Sync promises to keep all your files in sync across all your devices: laptop, desktop, tablet, and smartphone. But unlike, say, Dropbox … Read more

Like it or not, Web pages can count your Facebook shares as a "Like."

A Facebook Like multiplier bug going around highlighted a feature of the social network that may seem unfair to some: If you send a Web site's link to a friend via a Facebook message or if you post it to your Facebook wall, that Web page's Like counter ticks upward.

First noticed by The Wall Street Journal, the feature may rankle some users who don't want to be a part of an overinflated count for some Web site tracking its visitors, … Read more

Swedish police raided Web host PRQ earlier this week but it wasn't clear what they were after. Now, the ISP's owner is saying that the authorities seized servers for Web sites that allegedly dealt in illegal file-sharing.

According to TorrentFreak, police took three servers -- one belonged to one of Sweden's popular torrent sites called Tankafetast, another to an alleged Android app piracy site called Appbucket. It's unclear what was on the third server.

On Monday, the authorities targeted PRQ, which is known for hosting some of the most popular outlaw sites on the Internet. Former … Read more

While the default and most supported file-sharing protocol in OS X is AFP (Apple Filing Protocol), Apple does include support for sharing files with Windows machines using the SMB (server message block) protocol. With OS X being a Unix-based system, Apple initially included the popular open-source Samba suite as the means for doing this, but because of licensing violations had to replace it with its own SMB implementation.

Regardless of the specifics of the SMB implementation, the methods by which you can connect to Windows machines should be the same throughout the various versions of OS X:

Apple released an update for the Apple TV shortly after iOS 6 was made available for iOS devices. You should have already been alerted to update your black box to Apple TV software version 5.1. If not, you can manually update by going into Settings > General > Update Software. The update should take less than 20 minutes, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

Here are four new features the update brings to your Apple TV, each with a link to a guide covering how to use them.

Rearranging icons Finally! Up until now, Apple TV owners … Read more