Mac OS X

Quick Fix: System services not showing up in OS X

Over at MacOSXHints there is a new tip on fixing problems with application services that do not appear properly in the Services section of the foremost application menu. Sometimes the services will not appear, show multiple of the same service, or at other times the menu may show a "Building..." status and never make the services available.

When services stop working in this manner, you can force the system to refresh them by running the following command in the Terminal:

/System/Library/CoreServices/pbs

The "pbs" service is provided by Apple to rescan the available services … Read more

iDisk unavailable when attempting to mount in the Finder

When trying to access the MobileMe iDisk in the Finder, you may run into a problem in which the disk will not mount and will give an error stating "Your iDisk is unavailable." This problem may crop up after applying software updates or reinstalling the system, but it may also happen after syncing with new mobile devices or computers, or even seem to happen randomly.

If this happens, there are a couple of things you can try to fix the problem:

Reboot

Sometimes a basic restart of the system will be enough to fix the problem. Usually just … Read more

MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed from our readers. This week, we have questions about Bluetooth suddenly not being available on a Mac when it was previously, whether or not it is possible to change the BSD device node ID for a drive, and tackling Safari Extensions not working.… Read more

Have problems installing? Check the media

There are numerous instances of things going wrong when installing new programs, especially if the program requires a more in-depth installation than a simple drag and drop to the Applications folder. Sometimes missing or corrupt system components will not properly check out with the installation utility, or you may be using a package that is not built for your computer's architecture (running PPC or Intel-only applications on the opposite platform). Other times, however, the problems people experience are not caused by the operating system or application software at all.

We were contacted by a new iMac owner "Allan&… Read more

Quick tip: iPhone, iPad, iPod photo syncing could be filling your hard drive

Many users, especially those with notebooks, are at a constant battle to maintain decent onboard hard drive space without having to sacrifice too much content on their machine. Syncing the photos on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod could be costing you some of that valuable space.

When you are using iTunes to sync your photos to iPhone, iPad, or your iPod, iTunes automatically creates a folder on your machine called iPod Photo Cache. This folder contains a backup copy of the photos currently synced to your device.

If you change the folder that is syncing to your Apple device, the … Read more

Managing problems with Apple's Magic Trackpad update

A few people who have installed Apple's "Magic Trackpad" update are experiencing problems with the new behaviors. The main issue seems to be that scrolling is jittery instead of smooth, but others have had problems with mouse movement also not working well.

If you experience these problems, the first step is to test the trackpad behavior in another user account, since there may be a faulty settings file in the primary account that is interfering with the software. If everything works properly, then you will need to locate the trackpad's settings file and remove it.

An … Read more

Statistics and solutions for computer theft

People are constantly leaving their systems in vulnerable situations, where thieves can easily take them. I once was at a public Wi-Fi hotspot at a cafe and decided to browse the network for connected computers (heck, they conveniently pop up automatically on the OS X Finder's sidebar). While most systems ask for a password and deny access, I was surprised to find at least two computers out of about ten available that had fully shared hard drives and documents folders, with one having everything from personal bank statements and finance spreadsheets to saved job applications available for anyone to … Read more

Tip: No wireless router? Use your Mac

These days, wireless routers are quite common, and most retail options out there have some wireless capability; however, there still may be times when you are without a router and need to set up a wireless network for multiple computers, iPhones and iPads, or other devices that support Wi-Fi connectivity.

To do this, all you need is a Mac with an AirPort card in it. Connect it to an available network with the Ethernet connection, and then set up a shared wireless connection with the following procedure:

Go to the "Network" system preferences.

Select the "AirPort" … Read more

Apple releases raw image profile update

Apple released an update to its raw image compatibility profiles, adding support for the raw format from a number of new camera models. The update lets you manage raw images shot by newer cameras in Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09. The update is available for Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6.

The specific cameras that Apple added to the compatibility list are:

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Olympus E-PL1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10 Samsung NX10 Sony Alpha DSLR-A390 Sony Alpha NEX-3 Sony Alpha NEX-5

In addition to this update, which is available for download at on Apple Support Web page, … Read more

CNET TV Apple Byte: Apple shows some magic

CNET TV's Brian Tong discuss the latest in Apple news, notes, and rumors. This week, Brian takes a look at the newest products released by Apple including the new Magic Trackpad. You'll also learn how to downgrade your older iOS devices if you're having issues with iOS 4.… Read more