Archive for the ‘Hardware Tips’ Category

If you have an external hard drive or USB flash drive that you’d like to use on both Macs and Windows PCs, choosing the right file system to format the drive can be confusing. Learn a few ways to make your drive Mac and PC friendly. Need to access or transfer files…

We all have technology geeks in our lives (including ourselves!), which means you can’t go wrong giving gadgets as Christmas gifts. This year, there are a ton of cool and useful hardware accessories that any Mac user would be excited to receive. Despite its 35 year history…

You insert a CD or DVD into your Mac’s SuperDrive and it spits it right back out at you. You might think you’re in for an expensive optical drive replacement, but there is one last resort that could fix it. A few weeks ago, one of my family members came to…

Does your Mac’s battery not last as long as when it was new? Users experiencing noticeably shorter battery life on a MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air can take a few steps to determine it’s health and overall condition. It’s completely normal for…

If your Mac’s CD/DVD drive is dead, you might not have to get a replacement or external drive. All you need is another Mac or Windows PC on your local network so you can remotely access its drive from your Mac. As one of the few components…

With just 10 days left till Christmas the clock is ticking fast for procrastinating shoppers. If someone you know has a Mac, one of these 10 hardware accessories will surely be a hit. As a follow-up to our collection of 10 Mac software titles that would make excellent…

A common complaint amongst MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro owners is the seemingly low “maximum” volume level of the built-in speakers. It’s frustrating, but there are a few ways to get around it. Although some may blame…

Mac users: Have you ever wondered what all that system memory stuff in the Activity Monitor was all about? Understanding the terminology – free, wired, active, and inactive RAM – can help you decide if your Mac has enough memory. A quick…

Magic Mouse owners who are still running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard have been left out in the cold. Apple only officially supports momentum scrolling in 10.6, but a simple hack can bring 10.5 users up to speed too. For those of…

Although Macs are reliable machines, they are not exempt from hiccups. All you need to do is carry around a single USB flash drive to be ready for situations the require you to diagnose, repair, or experiment with Mac OS X…

‘Tis the season to freak out about gifts and who is getting who what for the holidays. To help ease the stress, we’re launching a weekly shopping guide with gift ideas for the Apple product owner in your life. Nothing shows…

Apple’s current generation of Macs come with glossy LCD screens, which are much more reflective than the matte screens that preceded them. If you own one of these machines, you can turn glossy into matte one of two ways…