installers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature where we answer questions e-mailed to us by readers. This week, we have questions on an old PC hard drive not being writable on a new Mac, how to tell if Software Update is working properly, and OS X installation hanging with fans blowing.… Read more

Remember the world's first in-dash iPad from last week? Well, the guys over at SoundMan Car Audio are at it again. This time, they're modding a place for Apple's slate into the dashboard of a Nissan Maxima.

Last time, the installers planned to utilize an aftermarket pre-amp and amplifier setup. For this go-round, they've opted to run the iPad's audio out through a double-DIN Kenwood eXcelon receiver's auxiliary input to power the speakers. This way, they get all of the benefits of having the iPad in-dash, but still have a variety of audio sources … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature where we answer questions e-mailed to us by readers. This week, we have questions on how to install OS X to old Macs that do not have DVD drives, Time Machine missing files, managing small text size on MacBooks, and managing system slowdowns after booting to Safe Mode.… Read more

HP on Tuesday lifted the curtain on three new laser jet printers for small businesses, the first batch of HP devices to include the company's new "Smart Install" feature that eliminates the need for a separate driver installation CD. The HP team showed me this technology in a briefing last month. It streamlines the installation process down to one simple step: just plug a USB cable into the host computer and you're done--all the drivers you need to establish a connection are embedded within the printer's memory bank so there's no need for external … Read more

When installing the latest version of OS X, Apple has made it quite seamless to boot from an installation DVD and upgrade the existing operating system without having to format and lose settings, application installations, or important data. This works great for the most part; however, there may be times when the OS X installer will present an error and prevent you from upgrading your current OS installation.… Read more

I'm not saying that this is a good idea, but I am saying that I saw this coming. The freshly minted Apple iPad has found its way into the dashboard. Installers at Sound Man Car Audio have modified the dashboard of a Toyota Tacoma to accommodate Apple's tablet, which will serve as the brains for a much more extensive installation.

It appears that the iPad will still be removable, which is good for security. Also, because until the Apple iPad 3G goes on sale, there isn't any GPS functionality for nav and Pandora Radio streaming will only … Read more

Wednesday's video was a basic overview of how to wire up an amplifier to your car stereo system. Well, today's clip is a practical demonstration of grinding grounds, soldering the terminals, and running the power cable from the front end of the car all the way to the back.

To run the wire from the front of the car where your alternator and battery are, you'll need to find or make a hole big enough for your wire to make it into the interior of the vehicle. (Don't worry, the narrator describes where to look for … Read more

In case you didn't know, my articles this week are all about car audio. Today, we start at square one with picking out your most basic components for your car stereo: the head unit and speakers.

Rich Richards of Utah-based Innovative Home and Car Audio explains some basic things to look for and consider when designing your car audio system. Rich discusses the importance of getting a deck with high-voltage output through the preamp for better sound, the benefit of component speakers (midrange and tweeter) being as close together as possible, coaxial rear speakers, amplifiers, wiring, fuses, and everything … Read more

I ended last week's blog with a video and blurb about the new lightweight, energy-efficient stereo system designed for the 2011 Chevy Volt by Bose. And then I realized that I'd never done a full-fledged blog theme week about car stereos. But better late than never, right?

And so here I start a new theme all about car stereo systems, how they work, and how they're installed. And just to whet our appetites, I have a video of European cars being made over into bass-thumpin' beat machines. Unfortunately I don't have any specs on the components … Read more