Use BBEdit's Clippings Menu to Optimize Workflow
Justin Busch June 4, 2007
We’ve written a lot about TextWrangler, the free text editor from Bare Bones Software. In fact, we like TextWrangler so much that we included it in our list of 20 must-have Mac apps. But if you’re a Mac power-user or programmer, there’s nothing like BBEdit - TextWrangler’s big brother. It has all sorts of cool stuff, like the clipping menu. To start using the BBEdit clippings menu, you’ll need to launch BBEdit.
Twenty Must-Have Mac Apps
Matt Cone May 25, 2007
Every Mac you can buy these days comes pre-installed with powerful and practical applications. You get the amazing iLife suite as well as other applications like Safari and Mail.app. In fact, Macs include so much software that you could probably do practically everything you need to do without ever downloading or purchasing another application. But if you did that, you’d be missing out on dozens of freeware and shareware applications that can help you do much more with your Mac.
How to Mute Your Mac's Startup Sound
Matt Cone May 24, 2007
If you have a Mac, you’re probably tired of hearing the familiar startup chime every time you turn your Mac on. Maybe you have a baby in the house that you don’t want to disturb. Or perhaps you just want your MacBook to be quiet when you turn it on in the coffee shop. Unfortunately, not every Mac allows you to turn that stupid startup sound off. It can be the bane of your existence!
How to Create a Cell Phone Ringtone
Matt Cone May 23, 2007
So you want a ringtone for your cell phone, huh? You could purchase one from your cell phone provider, of course, but it’s also pretty easy to make a ringtone with your Mac. All you need is your favorite song, some free software, and a cellphone capable of connecting to your Mac (via Bluetooth, USB, etc.). Here’s how to do it. Decide what song you would like to use as a ringtone.
Use PithHelmet to Block Internet Ads
Matt Cone May 22, 2007
Ever wonder how to block advertising on websites? If you’re a Safari user, all you need is PithHelmet, a practically essential plug-in for Safari. PithHelmet is free to download and try, but we’d encourage you to drop the $10 for a license. It is quite a powerful tool, as you’ll soon see. PithHelmet automatically blocks all ads on most any given webpage using an arsenal of pre-made rules. However, sometimes those ugly banners can slip through the cracks and into view.
Use AppleScript to Control Startup Apps
Matt Cone May 21, 2007
You probably know that your Mac can automatically open applications when you turn it on or log into a user account. The problem is that automatically opening Internet-dependent applications (such as iChat or Mail.app) can slow down your Mac if you’re not connected to the internet. To improve your Mac’s startup time, we’ll utilize a simple AppleScript to determine whether or not your Mac is connected to the Internet, and then automatically open selected applications if an Internet connection is present.
Five Mac Apps for Professional Presentations
Matt Cone May 18, 2007
At some point, you’ll probably call on your trusty Mac to help you make a presentation in front of a live audience. Whether you’re at work or school, we’ve got just the tools for you. We’ve rounded up the best presentation applications for Mac OS X - the ones that will help you look classy and organized. The best part is that they’re all free! Mouse Locator 2Point5Fish http://www.2point5fish.com/ If you’re giving a technical presentation and want to point out important mouse actions, Mouse Locator is for you.
How to Transfer LP Records to Your Mac
Matt Cone May 16, 2007
We didn’t live through the heyday of vinyl, but we do own a few LPs. The recording industry is currently trying to figure out if we have the right to “own” digital copies of our records. While they work on that, we’re going to quietly show you how to digitize old LPs and cassette tapes. Just don’t put the resulting files on a peer-to-peer network! Connect Your Turntable to Your Mac First, you need to connect your turntable to your Mac.
How to Play Windows Media Files
Matt Cone May 16, 2007
There are lots of proprietary video delivery systems out there. Apple’s QuickTime, Adobe’s Flash, and Microsoft’s Windows Media Player are among the most popular. And guess what? There’s no Windows Media Player for Mac. (We know - you’re shocked that Microsoft wouldn’t make one of their applications for Windows and Mac.) Believe it or not, this is a pretty big deal. Lots of websites embed audio and video clips that have to be opened with Windows Media Player, and there’s also a lot of Windows Media Player content you can download.
Boot Into Windows With Quicksilver
Matt Cone May 14, 2007
If you have an Intel Mac with a Boot Camp partitioned hard drive, you’re probably getting sick of restarting your Mac again and again, just so you can hit the option key to select your Windows partition. In this article, we’ll show you how to create an AppleScript and Quicksilver hotkey that will let you easily restart your Mac and boot into Windows - without the hassle of selecting your partition!