It was the most successful year in Apple’s history and MacYourself’s first full year on the web. To celebrate the conclusion of 2009, let’s take a look at the most-viewed articles this past year. You just may have missed a few gems!
It’s always fun to look back at what has happened over the past year when a new one is about to start. When you throw in Apple, their products, and an awesome community of helpful users, that makes for one heck of a retrospective. Our countdown features the posts which received the most pageviews between January 1 – December 31, 2009. Together, they contain some of the most useful information you’ll find about Macs, iPhones, and iPods.
If you’re a loyal MacYourself visitor/subscriber, thanks for supporting this site and contributing to the wealth of information we’ve built. I’m willing to bet this list includes a few tips and tricks you’ve already forgotten about, so this is a great opportunity to refresh your memory. And if this is your first time here, there isn’t a better place to start digging in. We look forward to pumping out even more articles and tutorials in 2010!
20. Reformat your USB flash drive to access its full storage capacity
Did you know each volume or drive you connect to your Mac has its own Trash directory? Find out how to reclaim lost storage space by getting rid of the hidden files and junk that accumulates on your USB flash drive over time.
19. Dashboard widgets on your desktop, plus other tricks & shortcuts
One of the most common complaints about Dashboard in Mac OS X is the inability to run widgets on the user’s desktop so they’re always visible. Learn how to fix that pesky problem along with a couple other helpful hints related to Dashboard.
18. Fix for MacBook Pro 7200rpm hard drive beeps, clicks, & freezes
Owners of Apple’s new unibody MacBook Pro notebooks with 7200rpm hard drives were suffering widespread problems such as beeping, clicking, and freezing. While we waited for an official fix from Apple (which may or may not have solved the problem), there was an alternative solution.
17. 8 more must-have Dashboard widgets for the average Mac user
The follow-up to our popular list of “12 must-have Dashboard widgets” (more on that later) turned out to be pretty well-liked itself. Here are 8 widgets that are sure to appeal to just about anyone who loves trying these awesome little apps.
16. 21 Apple Safari internet browsing tips and productivity boosters
Users of Apple’s Safari internet browser will absolutely adore this robust collection of tips and tricks. You’ll be surfing the web faster (and with less effort) in no time!
15. Paranoid? Quickly lock your Mac’s screen while staying logged in
When you have to temporarily walk away from your Mac and don’t want anyone snooping around, locking the screen is a good way to keep them out. A few methods are explained here with valuable additions in the reader comments.
14. Review: Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter with digital audio
As you’ll see later on in the countdown, Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters were a hot topic in 2009. This is the long-awaited review of Kanex’s adapter, which includes digital audio along with HD video – perfect for connecting to a high definition television.
13. The ultimate guide to ejecting a stuck disc from Mac SuperDrive
It happens to everyone at some point… a CD or DVD gets stuck in your Mac’s SuperDrive and frustration ensues. As we later did with our recent “Trash won’t empty? The ultimate guide to deleting stubborn files,” this tutorial goes through just about every possible solution to the problem – one of which is bound to work.
12. Transfer voicemail messages from your iPhone to your computer
Every now and then a gem of a voicemail might find its way to your cell phone. It could be a drunken friend rambling about nonsense or perhaps something more sentimental. Whatever it may be, wouldn’t it be great if you could save and archive that audio on your computer to keep forever? You can!
11. How to resize a window on your Mac’s screen that’s too big to drag
I had no idea how many people shared the same problem as me! This could be the answer to your prayers if you switch your Mac between displays that have different resolutions. Be sure to check out the comments, which may even be more helpful than the article itself!
10. How Dell ruined the industry with $500 PCs and why Apple won’t
A good debate sure can be a lot of fun, which is likely the reason why this opinion article took off with readers. The morale of the story: Apple refuses to make cheap products that compromise the user experience, while PC makers lack innovation and continue to see decreasing margins.
9. 6 best free Mac video converters to handle nearly any file format
Everyone loves free software. When the time comes to convert videos into other formats, check out this valuable list of free Mac tools.
8. How to show hidden files on a Mac with the help of Automator
Although most people will rarely need to look for a hidden file on their Mac, certain occasions do arise. This tutorial shows how to easily toggle between showing and hiding the files in Finder. For now, the solution described is not compatible with 10.6 Snow Leopard.
7. Keep your Mac’s volume settings (and startup chime) under control
There’s more to controlling volume settings than simply hitting the designated keys on the keyboard. You can precisely make incremental changes, keep audio feedback silenced when changing the volume, and turn off the jarring startup chime when the machine is powered on.
6. How to reset your Mac OS X password without an installer disc
Let’s say you totally forgot the password to log on to your Mac. Or maybe you purchased a used Mac from someone else and they’ve got it locked down. There are numerous ways to reset a password with no OS X discs.
5. Kanex Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter with audio in August
The Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter saga of 2009 continued when Kanex announced they were developing an adapter that supported audio – unlike the adapters shipped earlier in the year.
4. 28 tips & tricks all iPhone and iPod touch users should know
While the iPhone and iPod touch are simple on the surface, there is a ton of functionality packed in these little devices. A tap here, a shake there, a swipe up, a scroll down… take a look at what you might be missing out on!
3. 5 not-so-obvious Finder features new Mac users might not know
Getting used to Finder for browsing files is one of the biggest adjustments new Mac users have to make after switching from Windows. Once you’ve got the basics down, check out these tips to bring yourself to the next level.
2. MacBook owners rejoice: Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter soon
Hooking up MacBooks and Mac minis to HDTVs… what a concept! Too bad Apple’s brand new Mini DisplayPort didn’t have any peripherals to support it when the first unibody Macs came out. A half year later, we could finally pass video over HDMI. Another half year later, we could funnel both video and audio over HDMI. Better late than never, right?
1. 12 must-have Dashboard widgets for the average Mac user
The one that started it all. Far and away the most-viewed post of 2009, this simple list of cool Dashboard widgets helped jumpstart MacYourself in late 2008 and kept on trucking. Thanks a bunch to everyone who took a peek and decided to stick around and read some more!