GeekSugar

Geek Tip: Empty Your Trash For Good

GeekSugar — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:00:14 -0700

Spring cleaning your gadgets isn't confined to just their surfaces - your desktop and hard drive need to be spruced up as well (the better to keep you running, my dear).

And what does everyone do? We throw files into the trash, and then conscientiously empty the trash.

Even after you've emptied the virtual can, though, your deleted files still exist.

Want to get rid of them for good? Then use this feature (for Mac OS X Leopard only): Secure Empty Trash.

Just select Secure Empty Trash from the Finder menu, and when the pop-up asks you to confirm that you want the items in the trash permanently erased, click OK. Poof, they're gone.

Source

Geek Tip: Take Cleaner Screenshots

GeekSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:32:18 -0800

Being able to take screenshots is useful for many reasons, but no matter how practical your reasons, your shots can still be clean and aesthetically pleasing.

If you're a Mac OS X Leopard or Tiger user, you probably know to take screenshots with Shift + Command + 4, which gives you a little cross hair icon to select the area to take a screenshot of. Take that further and press that combo, and then hit the space bar. Instead of a cross hair icon, you'll get a little camera icon.

This enables you to take a perfect shot of one single application (even if it's buried under layers of windows). The resulting screenshot, like the one pictured here, gives you perfect edges, that cool shadow effect, and zero messiness.

Geek Tip: Work Together With Screen Sharing

GeekSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:05:53 -0700

The first time I used iChat's Screen Sharing feature was to help my mom figure out how to attach a photo in an email. Apparently, this whole technology thing still keeps my parents entertained, 'cause they told all of their friends what went down the next day. Since then, I've used screen share to collaborate on stories, photos, and of course, help my parents figure out how to spin up their www, aka, check their emails.

A sweet little feature from OS X Leopard, is screen-sharing capabilities, which are just a click away in your system preferences (under sharing). They'll allow you and the other user to share a screen, while letting you both participate. In the past, if someone "shared" your screen, you wouldn't be able to click around on your own. But Screen Sharing not only lets you iChat, but share ideas at the same time.

It comes in pretty handy on those times when you and a co-worker need to flesh out a design, approve photos, or even troubleshoot, but aren't in the same office. I know I get good use out of it with my family alone! Just call me Geek, IT Specialist!

Geek Tip: Smart Folders In Mac OS X

GeekSugar — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:03:52 -0800

Yes it's true, your Mac is even more brilliant than you ever imagined! Smart Folders contain items which are based on search criteria that you set in the preferences of that particular folder! In real time, these folders automatically add or remove your documents from your Mac, unlike traditional folders where you would manually need to put documents in certain folders.
Want some more clarification? Check out this official definition from the Mac OS X website:

"Smart Folders contain documents grouped together based on search criteria that you define instead of their physical location. Computer file systems are rigid: a file can only be in one folder inside a hierarchy of other folders on your disk. Smart Folders fundamentally change the way you organize your stuff because now a file can literally be in two folders (or many) at once without duplicating or moving the underlying file."

WWDC Wrap Up: Near Final Mac OS X Leopard

GeekSugar — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 10:30:11 -0700

Turns out that controversial leaked e-mail from an Apple employee was partially correct. While the iPhone will be released June 29, yesterday Apple unveiled a near final version of Mac OS X Leopard that won't be scheduled to ship until October. The announcement was made by Steve Jobs himself at the World Wide Developers Conference in my homebase of San Francisco. It will be the sixth major release of the operating system.

According to Apple, Leopard introduces more than 300 new features, including a new Desktop and Dock with Stacks, an intuitive new way to organize files; an updated Finder featuring Cover Flow and a new way to easily browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, a new way to rapidly preview most files without opening an application; Time Machine, a new way to easily and automatically back up and restore lost files or a complete Mac; Spaces, a new feature to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; and enhanced iChat and Mail applications, which easily allows users to communicate even more creatively. By creatively, they mean iChatters will be able to use fun holograph effects.

Source

Daily Tech: Mac OS X Snow Leopard Ships on Aug. 28

GeekSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:23:10 -0700

For those of you waiting for Apple's OS X Snow Leopard, it will be available for purchase on Aug. 28 - Gizmodo
Justin Timberlake's new fragrance Givenchy closely resembles a MP3 player - Boing Boing Gadgets
You can now stream your Qik videos over your iPhone's 3G network - Engadget
The Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York City is making a ton of money - Silicon Alley Insider
Paid Twitter accounts are coming by the end of the year - CNET
Test out The Beatles: Rock Band in Best Buy stores today - Joystiq

Daily Tech: The Latest Mac OS X Is Now Available For Download

GeekSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:25:20 -0800

Apple has just released its latest OS X update - 10.5.6, which offers many improvements and fixes. - Gizmodo
Here's a pretty sweet deal from Best Buy. If you purchase a second-generation iPod Touch (8GB), you'll get a $50 gift card in return. - CNET
Optimal Home Location is a neat new site that uses Google Maps to help you find a central home location between your family's daily stops. - Unplggd
Here are some cool camcorder suggestions for those who are looking for a quality camcorder at a decent price. - USA Today
We're not only giving away one Palm Centro this holiday season - but seven - thanks to our friends over at Palm! Be sure to log in for your chances to win! - geeksugar

Daily Tech: Nikon Reveals Its New Projector Camera

GeekSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:05:49 -0700

Here is Nikon's new lineup of digital point-and-shoot cameras, including the S1000pj projector cam - CrunchGear
The US Department of Defense has banned marines from using public social networks like Twitter or Facebook - Mashable
It looks like Amazon is now taking orders for the new Mac OS X, Snow Leopard - MacRumors
Actor Greg Grunberg talks about his new iPhone app Yowza - Switched
A 16-year-old boy died at a boot camp in China for Internet addicts, after being beaten by supervisors - The Wall Street Journal
INQ is in the process of making some pretty sexy Twitter-friendly phones - Wired

Tony's a Mac and Eva's a PC

GeekSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:36:55 -0700

During a recent trip to St. Tropez, Eva Longoria and husband Tony Parker were not only captured jet skiing and soaking up some rays, but the happy couple also managed to mix business with pleasure by squeezing in some laptop time. Now I already knew that Eva was a PC girl, but I didn't know that her hubby was an Apple lover: here she is with her black Lenovo ThinkPad whereas Tony is rockin' a MacBook Pro. When I met my boyfriend, he was a PC user and then switched over to Macs, so we're now both using MBPs (which works out well for photos when we're both geeking out). What about you? Are you and your significant other both PC or Mac users? Does it ever become an issue when one prefers Windows and the other Mac OS X?

Bauer-Griffin Online

Do You Know Your WWDC Facts?

GeekSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:33:14 -0700

Today marks the beginning of the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco. The big event is aimed at developers and IT professionals, who get the chance to soak up all kinds of deets about the iPhone OS and Mac OS X from the engineers who created them. It's also the day Apple announces exciting updates. In fact, the rumor mill believes there will be some hot new iPhone software and features by the close of the conference. Have you been enjoying your apple a day? Take my quiz and find out, and be sure to keep checking back here later on for all of the keynote updates, live from the WWDC!

Take the quiz