mac

A picture being worth a thousand words makes screenshots often the most convenient method for conveying instructions to people. While Apple has a number of screenshot options built into OS X, these often result in intermediary files that can clutter up your computer if you frequently use them.

For example, if you press the classic Shift-Command-3 shortcut to take a screenshot, the image file will be saved to your desktop, where you can open it, crop, and otherwise edit it before sending it to your recipient. With this method, though, you are left with the file on your desktop that … Read more

Recently my brother-in-law, Ken Landau, was doing a major spring cleaning when he came across a bit of computing history in his basement: a Colby Walkmac, the first battery-operated Macintosh computer and first portable Mac with a LCD display.

I'd never heard of the Walkmac, which wasn't built by Apple but by electronics pioneer Chuck Colby, who founded Colby Systems in 1982. The Apple-sanctioned model you see here was "modded" around a stock Mac SE motherboard and hit the market in 1987, two years before Apple put out its Macintosh Portable in 1989 for $7,300. … Read more

With Finder options typically located in several different menus, XtraFinder for Mac combines them all together for easier access. This free program could use some design help but would be beneficial for those who have to constantly switch between menus and programs in the Finder window.

After installing into the applications folder, XtraFinder for Mac automatically restarts the Finder window to apply any changes. Double clicking the program icon brings up its main menu, which lacks any graphics and has a cluttered look. The first menu contains options for tabs, windows, and shortcut keys. Users can also change the tab … Read more

Voice for Mac works fairly well at translating text into audio, but the available voice options all sound very computerized. The application is available for free and installs easily.

The main menu seems sparse with few details that would be expected of an advanced application. Fortunately, the main functions are clearly labeled. A box allows text to be manually typed or pasted in from other applications. An export button allows the output to be saved for later use, and a Preferences menu allows selection of a number of playback voices and speed of the reading. After typing in the text, … Read more

While the interface could use some more detail, XnConvert for Mac makes it easy to change the attributes on one image or multiple images. In addition, the program allows for files to be matched in terms of orientation, size, and other attributes.

Upon startup, the program's initial menu is where users can click and drag files for modification. This immediately lists several criteria for the individual files, including creation date, size, and properties. Files and entire folders can also be manually loaded, which is a good feature for those wanting to modify batches of images. The second menu allows … Read more

For users with multiple computers, Xmarks for Safari for Mac is a handy tool that keeps all your bookmarks backed up and in sync across different computers. The application requires registration of an online account through which the backup and sync are done.

It takes only a few minutes to install this application and get it running. This application comes with its own installer, uninstaller, and a readme file. The installation will take around 3MB of space on your hard drive and it will install Xmarks for Safari for Mac in your Applications folder, as a preference pane, and as … Read more

By preventing the Mac system from sleeping while a program is running, Wimoweh for Mac keeps users from losing data or task progress, all in a small and easy-to-use package. The freeware program installs as a small icon on the top of the main Mac menu bar and performs its main function well.

When programs are operating that take a long time to complete, such as DVD ripping, having the computer sleep part way through can halt the process and frustrate the user. Wimoweh for Mac tries to improve this by allowing you more control over how your Mac sleeps. … Read more

If you have experienced problems with your Mac and have had to take it in for servicing, be sure to check your system's serial number when you get it back, especially if the service required a logic board replacement.

While most of the time applications and services you use in your Mac will be relatively independent from the hardware setup, there are some instances where specific software may matter. Recently a hint was posted on MacWorld that discusses the reliance of Apple's FaceTime technology on the hardware of the system, where people who have had logic boards replaced … Read more

A graphics related bug that affected MacBook Pro systems upgraded to OS X 10.7 Lion has resurfaced for a number of people who have upgraded and subsequently updated their systems to Mountain Lion.

When Apple released OS X 10.7 Lion in 2011, a number mid-2010 model MacBook Pro owners found their systems inundated with crashes and graphics-related errors in which the system would show a black screen and freeze, requiring a forced shutdown and restart of the system.

This issue affected a number of people, and because some users were able to overcome the issue with a logic … Read more