Adam Engst. TidBITS Presents "Adieu MobileMe" Vladik Uchikura. 10 cool things you didn't know your Mac could do. The number of cool things you can do with your Mac will probably surprise you. For example, did you know you can use it to catch a burglar, take over somebody else's Mac or even save the world? Yes, it's all true! Here we'll show you some of the cool tips and tricks the MacFormat team have picked up over the years, using Macs day in and day out. Of course, seasoned pros will know most of these tricks, but we expect there could still be a few in there that will surprise even the most gnarly old Mac expert.
So, let's start our little tour with a look at how to turn your Mac into a home-security camera. 1. See that camera leering at you from your Mac? Using an app such as EvoCam ($30), you can use the camera as part of your home security system. Then there are apps such as iAlertU (free), or Lockdown (free) that sound an alarm and take a picture if someone meddles with your Mac, so they'll be put off and you'll know who it is. 2. 3. 4.
First of all, plug in your scanner. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Top 10 Projects, Features, and Tips Every Mac User Should Try. If You Have A Mac, Memorize These 13 Keyboard Tricks Now. If you're going to spend your life with your hands hovering over a keyboard, you might as well do it right. Or at least make the experience as tolerable as possible. And while most Mac users know basic keyboard shortcuts -- command + "X" to cut, command +"V" to paste, etc. -- there are so many more life-altering, time-saving tricks to be discovered. Let us lead you into the light. 1. If your boss walks by while you're reading this article, press... Command + W quickly closes the current tab on your web browser, which is helpful if you're trying to sneak in a cat video (or worse) at work. 2.
Command + H hides the current application and all of its windows. 3. Command + Option + M minimizes all your windows so you can create the illusion of a fresh start. 4. Command + F3 pushes all your open applications out of the way so you can actually see your desktop, so you can procrastinate dealing with impending application overload. 5. 6. And 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 30+ Super Secret OS X Features and Shortcuts. Think you know everything there is to know about OS X? Here’s a list of secret features and shortcuts known only by the most elite nerds. Test your knowledge and see if you are a good candidate to stand at the Genius Bar and wear a clever T-shirt. We’ll start with some simple features before moving on to the more obscure. Topics covered include downloading YouTube videos using Safari, accessing an entire second clipboard, placing widgets on your desktop, and taking control of your system volume! Screenshots Screenshot Everyone knows that OS X has built-in screenshot functionality, but few are aware of how deep the functionality actually runs.
⌘+Shift+3 (Full Screen) ⌘+Shift+Ctrl+3 (Full Screen to Clipboard) ⌘+Shift+4 (Selection) ⌘+Shift+Ctrl+4 (Selection to Clipboard) To change the format of the screenshot, type the following into Terminal: defaults write com.apple.screencapture type png killall SystemUIServer The default is png, but you can replace this with jpg, pdf, tiff, etc. Snippets Sound.