Year: 2011

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News

iPad 2.0, believe it’s here already?

A new generation full of surprises is coming to a new destination. The iPad was a hit and many people bought into the idea of a large screen with the capability of an iTouch and many more uses. The iPad can be used for many things such as reading a book without having to squint at a small screen, watching HD movies at your hand, and many more uses that don’t come with an iTouch. Everybody has wondered, when is the new iPad coming out? The so called iPad 2 has been swirling around the cult of the Apple world and rumors have been approaching us. Rumors have said that the iPad is to come in April, but then again, many did say it was suppose to come in December 2010 or January 2011. Neither of these two dates seems true because there has been no huge rumor that makes this true. The new iPad will come with cameras, CDMA, and a faster CPU. It will also be thinner and lighter then the original iPad. If you want to buy an iPad now, I would advise you to hold off on doing so. The new iPad will come with better upgrades and it will be lighter to use. The display will also be a lot better compared to what the iPad has now.

Compare the iPhone 3G and iPhone 4. When you see the phones, the first thing you notice is the design. Then you click the home button, and BAM, the screen resolutions hit you like a hammer. The iPhone 4 makes the iPhone 3G look incredibly low. The iPhone 4’s screen resolution is startling and that is what the iPad 2 is supposed to improve on. The screen resolution may take up more battery life, but I wouldn’t mind giving up battery life for better movies and clearer images from my photo booth. I cannot promise you any price differences. Of course by the time the new iPad comes out, many new tablets will already be out on the market. Apple will need to compete with the price differences and maybe lower their prices a little bit. Rumors have said that the iPad may start at $450.00 but rumors are usually never true. The iPad first started off at $500.00 and the success it has had, it seems no reason for Apple to change the price. It all depends on the competitive market when the iPad comes out. Samsung and RIM have been on top of their game. Researchers have been very impressed by the RIM tablet and have said that it is capable of competing with the iPad. Who will win this race of tablets? Stay tuned to find out more.

Categories
News

How to: Keep your Mac up to date

You should know what updates are. Update means to bring something up to date. Apple releases new updates regularly. The new updates help improve your system software. Apple releases free updates to improve your computing experience. If there is a bug or error on your computer, updates can fix some of those problems. Updates are very important because updating regularly helps keep your computer safe from security threats. Mac OS X has a program called Software Update. It automatically checks for updates weekly or you can modify the schedule for checking for updates. The only requirement is that you have an internet connection.

If Software Update finds an update, it is put on the list. A description of the update is found below if you click on the update on the list. If there are unwanted updates on the list, you can click the Make Inactive button, which is on the Update menu. When there is something on the list you want to update, just check the box under the Install column. Click the Install button on the bottom right and after typing in the Admin user name and password, the update begins. After the update is complete, you may need to restart your computer.

The good thing about updates is that it is convenient, usually makes your computer more stable, and usually increases your computer performance. Updates can also provide you with more features and programs for your Mac. Make sure you update your computer often, or else you will never know what you are missing.

What do you think about Apple Software Update? Comments?

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Categories
News

How to: The Mac App Store

The Mac App Store is pretty much a marketplace for various apps ranging from games to news. The Mac App Store is very similar to the App Store on the iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad. If you have used the App Store on iOS, you would know what the App Store is like. Many of the apps on the Mac App Store are the same as the apps on the App Store. First of all, you need to get the Mac App Store. How do you get the Mac App Store? The Mac App Store is available for free. You need the software update for Mac computers running Mac OS X v 10.6 or later. Run a Software Update and the Mac App Store should come with Mac OS X Version 10.6.6.

After you update your Mac and restart it, the Mac App Store icon should appear on your Dock. Click the icon labeled App Store to open it. When it is opened, you will see the main page for the Mac App Store. You can see New and Noteworthy apps such as Angry Birds. On the right side, you can see Quick Links such as Sign In and Account. The main page is a good place to look for the hottest and more popular apps. If you want to buy or download an app, you need to sign in or make an account. You can click Sign In under the Quick Link buttons on the main page or click the Sign In button under the Store button on the top left of your computer screen. After you make an account and sign in, you can buy and download apps. If the app is free, click the blue Free button to download it. If the app is paid, click the blue Buy button with the Price Tag on it. After clicking it, the blue button should say Installing. After it is installed, it will say Installed. The app should now be added to your Dock. To see the apps that you have purchased, you can click the Purchases button on the top.

If there are updates, you can click the Updates button on the top. You can click the grey Update button for each individual app or click the grey Update All button on the top right of the page.

What do you think? Comments?

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Categories
Average Joe's Tips

How To: Customize Your Mac Login Screen

Are you the kind of person who likes to customize every inch of your computer, but can’t find out how to customize your login screen? Well I found an application called Ravissant. It allows you to easily customize your login screen with your own personal pictures and texts. After you download the application and open it all you have todo is customize it to your standards. Todo that you click what you want to customize on the top menu bar where you can choose from logos to backgrounds. To put in you own personal texts just click on “OS Text” or “Welcome Text” and an area will be boxed to where your writing will go. Now for your background and logo you select which one you want to change and just drag a picture to the boxed area. This is fun and very easy todo.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Categories
Average Joe's Tips

Mac Security: Lock Your Screen When You are Away

Do you leave your Mac attended to get coffee or quickly talk to someone across the room. Instead of leaving access to your Mac when you are away, let’s enforce security from the spies around the office.

Keychain Access

One of the best ways to accomplish this is through Keychain Access (Applications>Utilities). Once Keychain Access is open, go into the preferences and check the box for “Show status in Menu Bar” a unlocked lock should appear in your Menu Bar. This will let you lock the screen easily from the Menu Bar.

System Preferences


Requiring a password after being awaken from the Screen Saver or sleep. This can be done in System Preferences (Applications). Once System Preferences has been launched, click on the “Security” pane. Then check the “Require Password after sleep or screen saver begins,” this will create a prompt requiring a password after being awaken.

Expose and Spaces

Though the Menu Bar lock may be helpful, triggering the prompt can be done by simply putting your mouse on any corner of the screen. Launch System Preferences, then click on the Expose and Spaces pane. In “Active Screen Corners” select from a drop down “Start Screen Saver”, the Screen Saver will begin once your mouse touches the corner, but make sure to wait a second.

Now your Mac should me a little more secure! Let us know how it works for you!