Apple stuff - Mac, iPad, iphone
 

This thread is for Apple and Mac users to share hints, tips, problems, solutions and advice.

If you don't like Apple, stay out!

SD

Helllloooo ... anyone in?

OK I'll kick off with a little personal experience..
If you have a problem do a thorough search of the discussion forum on the Mac website. I have had the video card replaced twice on my old iBook despite being out of warranty, and on my MacBook I have had the battery charger, cover and battery all replaced free after discovering that they had known problems, this despite all being out of warranty. All info' I gleaned from the discussion forum.
Some years ago I had a software problem (either the mail programme or the address book I forget which), initially the gentleman dealing with my problem actually made things worse, I called back, but part way through the consultation (which wasn't going well) the call was dropped. I called back, and was redirected to a VERY clued up lady in Ireland who solved the problem quicksmart. Now the interesting snippet here was that she said that if you need to make three calls concerning the same problem, you will be redirected to a "level 2" technician who should be more experienced and better placed to solve your problem.

Here's a tip - don't drop your Macbook onto a tiled floor. The hard drive doesn't like it

5 best free software
 

OK, here is my personal list of 5 bits of software you should download now. They are all free and unrestricted:

1) VLC - http://www.videolan.org/vlc/ - this is a media player that allows you to play almost anything. Doesn't restrict you to DVD regions like DVD Player and will allow full screen (goodness know's why Quicktime doesn't - seems like a rip off to me)

2) iStumbler - http://www.istumbler.net/ - lets you find available wireless networks. Don't steal wifi though...

3) Handbrake - http://handbrake.fr/ - lets you rip DVDs onto your hard drive so you can watch them without having to lug discs around. Don't pirate them though, that would be wrong

4) Firefox - http://www.mozilla.org/download.html - not as pretty as Safari but if you are used to it, you can use it on Windows or Linux too. Highly extensible

5) Gimp - http://www.gimp.org/macintosh/ - Macs like to bang on about how great they are for graphics. They don't come as standard with anything that can edit photos. Gimp is like free Photoshop


For many other recommendations, try http://www.opensourcemac.org/

Open Office 3 is going to fully support the Mac, so no need to pay for Microsoft Office any more!
(The link's just to a brochure - OO3 isn't out for a few months yet.)

Perian is an add-in to Quicktime which will play .mkv files and is WAY better than VLC if you watch anything with soft subtitles.

Flip4Mac is another add-in for Quicktime which plays Windows Media files.

I believe the latest Quicktime does let you view in full screen mode without having to shell out for Quicktime Pro.

Totally agree with all the previous recommendations and would add the following useful free utilities:

Onyx (www.titanium.free.fr/pgs2/english/download.html) is a free tool for occasional maintenance and cleaning out of cache files.

Stuffit Expander (my.smithmicro.com/mac/stuffitexpander) is a free tool for expansion of various compressed file formats.

Useful websites for support help and news of the latest updates are:

www.macfixit.com
www.macintouch.com

Flight simulator on Google Earth.......
Google Earth>Tools>Enter Flight Simulator>Enjoy!

NeoOffice is a version of OpenOffice especially designed for Mac's

iSquint - converts all video formats into mp4 (itunes and ipod) format, efficiently and without fuss.

I was so impressed that I paid for the upgrade (£11 approx) to VisualHub and have never looked back.

Skitch - from plasq.com(the people who gave you Comic Life) - lots of fun and more useful than you may imagine!

I can highly recommend Firefox. I've run it for years alongside Tiger and Leopard. No issues at all and a world of difference from Safari.


Thanks for the links to the free stuff, I've been after some of those!

Bea

I find iphoto buddy really useful as an add-on to iphoto - it allows you to use different photo libraries.

Lots of useful downloads from apple's own dowload section

Peter Borg's "Smultron" - http://smultron.sourceforge.net/ - is an excellent free text editor.

"...some of its features are tabs, line numbers, support for syntax colouring for many different languages, functions list, support for text encodings, snippets, a toolbar, a status bar, preview, split window, multi-document find and replace with regular expressions, possibility to show invisible characters, authenticated open and saves, command-line utility, full screen editing and running commands and scripts from within the application."

http://smultron.sourceforge.net/screenshot1.png

Mac

VirtualBox
 

X86 Virtualiser, free for personal use, currently in beta for Mac, availble to download from:
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Right.....Sticky is up and running, Keef's tried to have a bite of the Apple, but was not tempted ;) , other macophiles have kindly informed us of helpful free software and now may i humbly be the first to ask for help to a problem.

Me bluetooth has done a runner.

It was there and now it doesn't seem to exist anymore.....:ooh: There is a jagged line through the bluetooth symbol and "bluetooth not available" shows when it is clicked upon....I have done nothing out of the ordinary in the last days that might have deleted it from the OS. I checked on the Apple discussions forum and it would seem that it happens to others, one chap recommending that a resetting of the PRAM and NVRAM might be the answer.

Does anyone have any recommendations/ advice ?


Regards


SHJ

I operate with an iBook G4 laptop.

Can anyone please tell me where I could find the necessary software to 'jailbreak', or 'unlock' an iPhone?

Ta!!!

http://www.tuaw.com/2007/08/08/iphon...-jailbreaking/

is one suggestion, along with

http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/11/...r.iphone.v112/

and

http://blog.gadgetlite.com/2008/01/2...team-released/

HadesEdge


Thanks a bunch! Been to all the URLs that you have suggested.


The first one has not worked out: I found too many 'ifs' and 'buts' there!! And then, there was some other issue there which confused me!!

Am reading up on the second suggestion right now.

Look: I did not mention this earlier, but I am bit of a 'virgin' in using these fiddling sites etc!! :hmm::hmm:


However, thanks very much indeed!


When I actually try and tackle the iPhone, will surely report back on the results!! :ok:

The easiest unlock
 

Is here: http://www.downloadziphone.org/

I used it to unlock my UK iPhone. It is idiot proof. Just tick jailbreak, activate and unlock.

lekkerste


Someone from Apple has obviously been wised up about this!! :ugh::ugh:


When I click on the download for Mac option, I get the computerese goobledygook instead of a d/l file!! :confused::confused:


And then, the Safari goes into a hang!!:{:{