Category Archives: My Mac

Why iPad? Because it’s Cheap!

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ordinary people just want something cheap that works. And that’s how the iPad will seem to them. Many will never make a conscious decision to switch. They’ll get an iPad as well, then find they use their Windows machine less and less. When it dies they won’t replace it.

via ycombinator.com

I think this is totally true.  And interestingly, I think its the same reason why the MacBooks have taken off recently.  I am one of the converted.  Mac “gets” mobile computing.  They  seem to understand that when I am on the move, I dont want headaches with network connections and I just want my Laptop to work!

This being said, the iPad is a disappointment for me because I really wanted something a bit more.  I wanted something that run OSX, and had a stylus with multiple sensitivities.  I also wanted it to have a conductive touch interface and I wanted it to be as thick as the air.  THAT would have blown my world – however, I am convinced that this may actually be coming (at least in part) in the future.

I do think that the iPad was rushed and I do think that its uninspired (the iPhoneesque interface is starting to show its age).  But I also think that this wont matter at the till.  I also think that it opens up some interesting development ideas, specifically in the area of table-top gaming and traditional board games – especially when coupled with ‘linked’ iPhones.

I am very hopeful that the iPad succeeds in creating a new category of applications that use it unique feature set.  I truly think that limiting it to Web browsing and Book Reading would be a terrible shame.  And a waste.

Apple’s Magic Mouse Now Running Properly Under Windows

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As I’ve indicated earlier, I am a massive fan of Apple’s Magic Mouse.  While it does carry a heavy price tag, I thought it was completely worth it.  But a sad draw-back was that under Windows (pecicially Boot Camp), the mouse only works as a standard 2 button mouse.

But thanks to a little hackery from Apple’s Bluetooth Update (located here) the Magic Mouses driver was extracted via WinRar resulting in a 32bit version and a 64bit version that you can install on any ordinary Windows PC that will enable all the scrolling ‘magic’ of the Magic Mouse.
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MagicPrefs – Making the Magic Mouse Even More Magical

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500x_magicprefs
MagicPrefs is a free menubar application which aims to improve the functionality and configuration options of the Apple Magic Mouse.

  • It features the ability to bind a variable number of finger clicks, taps, swipes, pinch and other gestures to functions like Middle Click , Hold Down Both Mouse Buttons , Spaces , Expose, Dashboard etc.
  • Touch Sensitivity implements a single point control for a number of factors impacting the algorithms of the taps, swipes, pinche and other gestures.
  • Tracking Speed adds the ability to increase the maximum mouse speed by a extra 200%.
  • Also featured is a real-time display of the fingers touching the surface of the mouse that you can enable to test

You can download it, here for free.

(Via Gizmodo)

The Ultimate Mac Keyboard Shortcut List

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I have found possibly the best site on the Internet:

I like to figure out the fastest way to do things. I hope these shortcuts will help you become the power user that lies within. These keystrokes should work on Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard and 10.5 Leopard (many also work on 10.4 Tiger). I add new shortcuts as I find them, so check back! I’m still exploring Snow Leopard and will be updating this page as I discover new goodies.

Please note that Cmd is short for the Command key (otherwise called the Apple key).

Guide to the Mac’s Menu Symbol:

Symbol
 Key on Keyboard
Symbol
 Key on Keyboard
Command/Apple key (like Control on a PC)
Delete
Option (like Alt on a PC)
Escape
Shift
Page Up
Control (Control-click = Right-click)
Page Down
Tab
Home
Return
End
Enter (on Number Pad)
Arrow Keys

Finder Shortcuts

Action Keystroke
Open Sidebar item in a new window Cmd-Click it
Switch Finder views (Icon, List, Column, Cover Flow) Cmd-1, Cmd-2, Cmd-3, Cmd-4
In List view, expand a folder Right Arrow
In List view, collapse a folder Left Arrow
Rename the selected file/folder Press Return (or Enter)
Go into selected folder or open the selected file Cmd-Down Arrow
Go to parent folder Cmd-Up Arrow
Go Back Cmd-[  (that’s left square bracket)
Go Forward Cmd-]  (that’s right square bracket)
Select the next icon in Icon and List views Tab (Shift-Tab reverses direction)
Alternate columns in Column View Tab (Shift-Tab reverses direction)
Instantly show long file name (for names condensed with a “…”) Hold Option while mousing over long filenames
Resize current column to fit the longest file name Double-Click column resize widget
Resize all columns to fit their longest file names Option Double-Click resize widget
Copy and Paste files Cmd-C, then Cmd-V
Move a file instead of copying. (Copies the file to the destination and removes it from the original disk.) Cmd-Drag file to disk
Move selected files to the Trash Cmd-Delete
Empty the Trash (with warning) Cmd-Shift-Delete
Empty the Trash (without warning) Cmd-Opt-Shift-Delete
Cancel a drag-n-drop action while in the midst of dragging Esc
Show Inspector (a single, live refreshing Info window) Cmd-Opt-I
Undo the last action (such as rename file, copy file, etc.) Cmd-Z
Hide/Show Sidebar (on the left) Cmd-Opt-T
Move or Remove item in toolbar (at the top of the window).

This works in most programs.

 Cmd-drag
Open Quick Look (Mac OS 10.5) With file selected, tap Spacebar (or Cmd-Y)
Zoom In/Out on a Quick Look Preview Cmd-Plus(+) or Cmd-Minus(-)
Find by File Name (Mac OS 10.5) Cmd-Shift-F

 

How To Install BootCamp 3.0 on Windows 7 x64 (on a 2008 MacBook)

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Yes you can – but not directly.  To install boot camp 3.0 on Windows 7 x64 follow these instructions.

  1. open command prompt in administrator mode
  2. type “net user administrator /active:yes” hit enter
  3. log out then log in as “administrator”
  4. then open cd and navigate to “bootcamp/drivers/apple/”
  5. run “bootcampx64”
  6. once done reboot, logback in and turn off administrator account by entering “net user administrator /active:no”

viola! boot camp 3.0 on x64!

This successfully installed on my late 2008 model uni-shell MacBook (the non-pro single cast aluminium one).  Windows 7 managed to get most of the drivers by default, which was a refreshing change from XP and Vista (including the wireless drivers), but once BootCamp had installed the audio was fixed, and everything was great.  I installed the GeForce 9M drivers from nvidia.com and I was in action.