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<title>MacMousecalls</title><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/index.php</link><description>Troubleshooting and Tutoring</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright 2013 Pat Fauquet</dc:rights><dc:date>2013-02-05T16:57:24-05:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:13:36 -0500</lastBuildDate><item><title>Clean up your desktop&#x2026;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Finder</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2013-02-05T16:57:24-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/clean_up_desktop.php#unique-entry-id-191</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/clean_up_desktop.php#unique-entry-id-191</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There are always pictures for the next blog post, URLS that I want to reference when working with a client or writing and several folders generated by software to keep saved calls and audio notes nearby. 


...When I dragged the files over, we got a spinning beach ball and it took several minutes before we could see the folders moved to their new location.  ...  When we had only the new Pat&rsquo;s Stuff folder and the Hard Drive icon on the desktop, the computer was very speedy. 

...In fact the clutter is still there, but the computer is not having to deal  with all of those icons.


...Files stored on the desktop need to be redrawn and kept track of, just as if there were that many open windows.


...If I am not careful, I end up with this, folders inside of folders, but the files still need to be put away!


...It&rsquo;s very easy to drag files in and out of the window--and they are not being stored on the desktop.   If you need a file, just click on the icon, drag down to &ldquo;Open Panel&rdquo; and then drag the files to a new location--even back to the desktop.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>AppleWorks doesn&#x27;t work anymore--now what?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Pages</category><category>IWork</category><dc:date>2013-01-15T09:15:58-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/appleworks_working.php#unique-entry-id-190</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/appleworks_working.php#unique-entry-id-190</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We needed links that were clickable, spreadsheets with more than one table and we wanted presentations that had transitions, build and outflows.


...When they replace them with a new Macintosh those users assume that they can easily move to Microsoft Office because they are still angry that Apple killed Appleworks.


...Newer versions of Microsoft office can&rsquo;t even open many of the older Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. 


While there were companies that produced software that would translate older files to the latest formats, their business dried up long ago. 

...The next problem is that a .cwk file could be a document, a spreadsheet, a presentation or even an image file. 

...It worked very well for most of my files, but do you see the one named island.cwk? ...  It is a drawing of how I wanted our home builder to configure the island in my kitchen. 

...I often remind clients that it is important to save really important files into a format such as .rtf, .rtfd or .pdf. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Protect your stuff when you travel</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2013-01-14T16:50:36-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/protect_your_stuff.php#unique-entry-id-189</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/protect_your_stuff.php#unique-entry-id-189</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Because our trip was so long and the climates we visited were so varied, we took 5 large suitcases and two carry-on bags. 

...Because our base of operations would be Sydney, we arranged with our hotels there to store our unneeded luggage both when we flew to Alice Springs and when we visited the South Island in New Zealand. 

...We had all of our luggage when we were on the cruise portion of our trip, so everything was fine then. 

...While I had a number of good pieces with me, most of the high-value pieces were in a smaller zippered pouch that I normally carry just my smaller earrings in. 

...The airline is not responsible for items such as jewelry and cameras stored in checked bags.


Fortunately we have very good insurance and a special plan that covers certain items up to a specified dollar amount, but not everything was on that list.


...Now, all high-value items are enumerated with our insurance company, we have had appraisals done on both my new jewelry and other valuable items that we did not take on the trip.   We also plan to take digital photos of the items we will be taking with us so that we cannot miss any items in our trip inventory.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Recipes everywhere</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Safari</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2013-01-07T20:27:34-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/recipes_everywhere.php#unique-entry-id-187</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/recipes_everywhere.php#unique-entry-id-187</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In the second one, I showed you ways of saving recipes and displaying them on your computer.   In this post we will explore ways of accessing your recipes not only on your computer, but also on iPads and iPhones--and you can even use these recipes on a friend&rsquo;s computer.


While I would like to be able to tell you about a text editor on the iPad and iPhone that would read the rtfd files that I taught you to make on your Mac, unfortunately, that application does not exist -- yet. 

...So now we need to find an application that can be used anywhere, that doesn&rsquo;t use page breaks and one that is platform and device agnostic. ...  The biggest problem for free account users is that files on iOS and Android are not available when you are not on a WiFi connection. 

...Even if you don&rsquo;t choose to make it your place for recipes, it is a very good way to collect bits and pieces of information.   When I help someone set up a new iPad or iPhone, Evernote is one of the first applications that I suggest to them as a must-have item.


...We have special software that allows us to see your computer and we can work on the things you want to learn. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Saving Recipes</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Internet</category><dc:date>2013-01-04T19:48:37-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/saving_recipes.php#unique-entry-id-186</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/saving_recipes.php#unique-entry-id-186</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If the recipe was from a blog, the author may have stopped writing or they could have moved to a different web location. 


...If you click on the link to the Layered Mediterranean Dip that I showed in yesterday&rsquo;s post, you will see that there are some great photos. 


...My solution was The Black Cookbook, a composition book that I could write or paste recipes into it. 

...Those white spaces are page breaks that occur when objects such as pictures are too large to fit on the page along with the words.   It is impossible to remove those page breaks using a word processor because the program sees the content as pages to be printed.


...Instead of looking like a piece of paper with margins, you will have a box that can be as long and a wide as you want it!


...That means that instead of just being text, the file is actually a container and inside the container is not only the text but also the picture files.


...If I want to print out a recipe to use in the kitchen, I can copy out the text and take it into the kitchen, but I can also see the whole thing on my computer!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Pinterest and cooking</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Internet</category><dc:date>2013-01-03T10:07:51-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/pinterest_cookig.php#unique-entry-id-185</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/pinterest_cookig.php#unique-entry-id-185</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While I did not use my computer very much last year, I certainly used other technologies, ones that did not require sitting at a desk or using my hands (arms and shoulder) as much. ...  I did most of my reading on my iPad and it was easier for my to type on it than on a traditional keyboard.


While I did not do a lot of involved cooking, I found lots of new recipes that I wanted to try. 

...If you have created an account and have followed people, the things they have pinned will appear.


...If you have signed up for an account, you can save things that interest you to specific &ldquo;boards.&rdquo;


...If I click on a specific picture, it will take me to the Web site that the recipe came from.


I often emailed the Web site of the recipe to myself so that I could easily save them for later.


While all of the above images were taken from my iPad, you can also email web addresses to yourself from Safari.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>2012 - The year that I didn&#x27;t&#x2026;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2013-01-02T13:02:17-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/2012_the_year_I_didnt.php#unique-entry-id-184</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/2012_the_year_I_didnt.php#unique-entry-id-184</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The year of 2012 will go down in my life record as a year when I didn&rsquo;t.


I didn&rsquo;t blog much, I didn&rsquo;t accomplish much professionally and I didn&rsquo;t do much other than sleep, go to physical therapy and read. 

...While the pain relief effects were gone in less time than the dosage requirements, the sedative effects took a day or more to disappear.   So, I would take my medicine, get a few hours of pain relief, but along with it came hours and hours of sleep. ...  The only real relief came when my physical therapist was reliving pain by  releasing pressure points.


...I could finally spend more than a few minutes on my computer, I could do a few things around the house--but by then we were preparing to leave on a fabulous six week vacation to Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. 

...There are a few trips on the calendar this year, including two in January, so we won&rsquo;t be sitting still. ...  We missed having Thanksgiving with our family and traveling so close to Christmas makes the holiday just too hectic.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Life Continues</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2012-04-23T13:45:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/life_continues.php#unique-entry-id-182</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/life_continues.php#unique-entry-id-182</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s been a little over two months since I&rsquo;ve added to my blog. 

...My shoulder is still &ldquo;frozen,&rdquo; but not quite as immobile as it was in February.   My physical therapist says that I am making good progress, but the only acceptable progress for me is a complete  cure. 

...Our big plan for April was a MacMania cruise with Neil Bauman and his staff at Insight Cruises.   Our trip was cancelled at the last minute when my husband discovered he had a kidney stone. 

...Being able to stream things from the iPad directly to our big TVs is so convenient.   I am really looking forward to being able to stream directly from my MacBook Pro when Mac OS X Mountain Lion is released.


...I have lots of new things I want to write about, but after 10-15 minutes, I have to quit to rest my arms and shoulder.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Case of the Frozen Shoulder</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2012-02-20T11:15:12-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/7f3a9a1df2f97e9f1fe7bf30737c0e64-181.php#unique-entry-id-181</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/7f3a9a1df2f97e9f1fe7bf30737c0e64-181.php#unique-entry-id-181</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Not only did I come down with a cold, I also irritated something in my shoulder which made it really hurt.   My other two PT sessions were spent relieving pain instead of working on increasing my range of motion and strength. 


We accompanied my daughter and her family on a trip to Staunton VA to visit her daughter who attends Mary Baldwin College.   We went to a basketball game where Anna cheered, went to Edelweiss, a wonderful German restaurant and attended Much Ado About Nothing at the Blackfriars Playhouse. 

...Of course, It was only overnight and I did have my 3G iPad and my iPhone.   I didn&rsquo;t really miss it--but then I spent most of the car trip sleeping.


...Although my shoulder is not hurting, it is just achy, so hopefully, I am on the mend. 


...It looks pretty neat, but a lot of people may find they cannot make the requirements for the upgrade. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hidden Mac Secrets</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2012-02-10T10:48:09-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/hidden_mac_secrets.php#unique-entry-id-180</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/hidden_mac_secrets.php#unique-entry-id-180</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[My granddaughter, know as College Girl in her blog, wrote about learning a new Mac Keyboard Command, that really impressed her.


While I know lots and lots of keyboard commands, this was a new one to me.   Press Command > Option > Control > 8 all at the same time.   The result will look similar to this:


You&rsquo;ll have to excuse the photo, because the only way I could capture a picture the inverted screen was by taking a photo.


Press Command > Option > Control > 8 again and the your screen will be back to normal:


There are lots of other useful keyboard commands for your computer. 

...My granddaughter is having lots of fun watching the number of visitors to her blog grow. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The case of the missing menu bar</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2012-02-07T21:58:59-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/the_case_of_the_missing_menu_bar.php#unique-entry-id-179</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/the_case_of_the_missing_menu_bar.php#unique-entry-id-179</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While I upgraded to Mac OS X 10.7 Lion several months ago, there are many of you who have yet to install the latest Mac OS. ...  While we are now at 10.7.3 and Apple has fixed a number of bugs, all the helpful articles that appeared at various web sites and blogs in  the days following Lion&rsquo;s release are now more difficult to find.   Those of us who were on the &ldquo;bleeding edge&rdquo; have probably forgotten some of the tips and tricks we found in those early days.


...While there are some Mac users who are enjoying the new cleaner interface, some of us just don&rsquo;t like it when our menubar and toolbars disappear.


...As with most Mac things, there are several ways to exit the Full Screen mode. 

...If you take the cursor up to the top of the screen where the menu bar is usually found, it will reappear (though it can take a few seconds). 


...Now that the window is back to normal, notice the icon in the uppermost corner:


...We have special software that allows us to see your computer and we can work on the things you want to learn. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Back to blogging</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2012-01-12T12:20:47-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/back_to_blogging.php#unique-entry-id-178</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/back_to_blogging.php#unique-entry-id-178</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It has been far too long since I have added anything to MacMousecalls. 

...All of those are true, but perhaps the biggest obstacle has been my shoulder. ...  He diagnosed it as a frozen shoulder and ordered physical therapy.   When I finally got in, it was a week before we left for Macworld.   Now that we have been back for a week and I have had four therapy appointments, things are slowly starting to improve. 


It&rsquo;s pretty difficult to see that my shoulder is hurt. ...  It&rsquo;s those to side and to the back that are painful--like holding my arms in a position to type. 

...I still have several months of therapy, but it is now more comfortable to sit at my computer to type.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Steve Jobs&#x2c; 1990</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2011-11-04T23:22:41-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Steve_jobs_1990.php#unique-entry-id-176</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Steve_jobs_1990.php#unique-entry-id-176</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It has been a month since Steve Jobs died.   More and more primary source material is being released.   Each interview fills in a little more about him, Apple, and just how and why computer have been influenced and changed through him.


I found a link to this 1990 interview done for PBS.   Because it is in a raw, uncut format, it is even more revealing.   Don&rsquo;t miss it.


--Pat]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Writing foreign letters on Apple devices</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>iPhone</category><category>iPad</category><dc:date>2011-11-04T15:15:09-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Writing_foreign_letters_on_apple_devices.php#unique-entry-id-175</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Writing_foreign_letters_on_apple_devices.php#unique-entry-id-175</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One of the features I have really liked on my iPad and iPhone  is the ease  of adding foreign characters as I type. 

...Many of those same users have probably missed this new, added feature in Mac OS X 10.7, Lion.


...Press and hold a letter such as e, y, u, i, o, a, s, l, z, c, or n and you will see the pop-up.   Then use your trackpad or mouse to move the cursor up to the correct letter and it will appear in your writing!


Of course, this means you can no longer produce words such as nooooooooo by just holding down a key to have it repeat.   However, just tapping the o key will produce a string of o&rsquo;s. 


...However, if you need more help, we offer trouble-shooting, technical support and training over at Bob LeVitus Consulting....  We have special software that allows us to see your computer and we can work on the things you want to learn. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>iPhone iOS 5 Home button magic</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPhone</category><category>Podcast</category><dc:date>2011-10-18T09:44:22-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/iphone_ios_5_home_button_magic.php#unique-entry-id-174</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/iphone_ios_5_home_button_magic.php#unique-entry-id-174</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One of the side topics last night was just how to perform various new functions on the iPhone.   Let&rsquo;s take a look at what the home button can do from the off position.


...Remember that you can also use the Volume Up button on the iPhone to snap a photo or video.


The Play button for Music also appears. it will be blank if you have not recently played a song or podcast However, If you have, that item will show on the screen. 

...You will see the icon for AirPlay appear if you are on a WiFi network that is linked to other AirPlay devices:


...Because I have an Apple TV and two AirPort Express units on our home network ,they appear. 

...Click and hold the Home button, either from the black screen or at any screen of an iPhone 4S.


...If you don&rsquo;t know what Siri can do, click the &ldquo;i&rdquo; icon for some help.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>iPhone 4s buying adventures</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPhone</category><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2011-10-17T16:33:01-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/iPhone_4s_buying_adventures.php#unique-entry-id-173</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/iPhone_4s_buying_adventures.php#unique-entry-id-173</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I am acutely aware that this is not really that fair and so I try to make sure that he gets at least some things on the day they are released. 

...But I really wanted an iPhone of my own on day one, so I would have to wait in line for it.   I am proud to say I almost ALWAYS wait in line for new Apple devices, but this time there would be a few problems. ...  That would mean I would be traveling in the thick of rush hour and if lines were long, it could take me all morning and perhaps most of the afternoon. 


...It wasn&rsquo;t an Apple store, so there should be shorter lines, but the ambiance of waiting in line at the Apple store would be missing.   I decided time was important, so I headed south in time to be at the store at 8:00 am when it opened. 


...Buying an iPhone at AT&T turned out to be a great experience, They were able to cancel my online order with Apple, The salesman was very helpful and it was fast!


...I videoed my grandson&rsquo;s Ankle-biter football game, took photos of our family as we gathered for a large formal portrait at a local park, and I have had lots of fun with Siri. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>So long&#x2c; Steve Jobs</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2011-10-06T14:57:56-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/so_long_steve_jobs.php#unique-entry-id-170</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/so_long_steve_jobs.php#unique-entry-id-170</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I am struck by how many people have been profoundly affected by the death of Steve Jobs.   While I expected a reaction among my Mac friends and colleagues, I am awed by reaction of others. 

...I never really met Steve Jobs, though I saw him at about a dozen Macworld Expo keynotes.   I shook his hand briefly in the Apple booth once, but that is the only physical contact I ever had with him. 

...As my youngest children were beginning school, I started helping in the computer lab at their school.   As my knowledge increased, I became known as a teacher and troubleshooter, and perhaps as a bit of an evangelist.


I was fed by Apple magazines and books and eventually, by my many trips to Macworld Expos.   I loved the keynotes and I would stand in line for hours to attend them. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Is scrolling really backward in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Mac OS X 10.7 Lion</category><dc:date>2011-09-14T14:11:15-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/lion_backward_scrolling.php#unique-entry-id-169</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/lion_backward_scrolling.php#unique-entry-id-169</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In earlier versions of the Mac OS, dragging down the trackpad to scroll moved the page down. ...  Put a paper on the table in front of you. 

...It is more &ldquo;natural&rdquo; to use the trackpad or the flat upper surface of the Apple Magic Mouse in this way. 


Apple is slowly moving away from the mouse to the trackpad.   This is a screen shot from the iMac page in the Apple Store.   When we bought a new iMac a few weeks ago, we opted for the Magic Trackpad since both my husband and I are comfortable with trackpads in Apple&rsquo;s portable computers.

...If you don&rsquo;t want to re-train your muscle memory (but you should), you can &ldquo;fix&rdquo; this behavior.

...Be sure to pay attention to the video lessons in the Mouse and Trackpad System Preferences.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Painting and Sketching on the iPad</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPad</category><dc:date>2011-09-06T12:52:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/painting_and_sketching%20_on_the_ipad.php#unique-entry-id-168</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/painting_and_sketching%20_on_the_ipad.php#unique-entry-id-168</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I am working on a presentation for a meeting of an Interior Design group in this area. ...  There are many areas of the topic that I know quite well, but I am no artist. 

...I do know that the iPad is finding favor as a tool among many digital artists and design professionals.   I see more and more works that have been produced or started on the iPad.


I keep a watchful eye for articles and application reviews that enable me to make good recommendations. ...  They employ experts in many different areas and their articles and reviews are top-notch.


...One thing they like is the ability to save their work as a .psd file. 

...It finds favor with artists who enjoy oil painting and water color because of its ability to truly mimic techniques they use on traditional media. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Come to my party reinvented</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2011-09-05T11:54:01-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/come_to_party.php#unique-entry-id-165</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/come_to_party.php#unique-entry-id-165</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Today, when my children plan a party, the invitations are frequently sent by using Evite.  ...  There are a wide variety of themes that can be used or you can upload your own photos or illustrations


Click on the address, and you will be led to a Google map with the address already filled in, waiting to give you turn by turn directions. 


When a guest clicks to accept the invitation, the hosts will have a current response list.   The hosts or any of the invited guests can go back to the web site to check up on the guest list at any time.


...Although you do not have to sign up with them to view and respond to invitations, you do need to sign up to send invitations. 

...While the older crowd may still prefer paper invitations, Evite has a lot going for it.   Not only is it free, giving directions has never been easier and gently nudging your guests for RSVPs  and sending reminders it very easy. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Computer running hot?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac OS X 10.7 Lion</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2011-08-01T19:51:54-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Computer%20_running_hot.php#unique-entry-id-164</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Computer%20_running_hot.php#unique-entry-id-164</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[My first thought was perhaps I had a run away application, but my checks of Activity Monitor did not show any abnormal activity.


...One of my favorite ones is to see if the problem exists when a new or test user account is added. 

...First, I now know the problem is not being caused by a login item or a process running in the background. 

...My computer is not back to its normal 115 degrees, but at 135 degrees, it is running quite a bit cooler. ...  Then I will need to make a rescue disk for Lion since Apple will not begin selling USB stick drives for this process for at least a month. ...  If the problem persists, it will be time to take my computer to the Apple Store for diagnosis by one of the Geniuses. 


When the problem has been resolved I will then install all of my software from disk images, downloads and CDs. ...  While I don&rsquo;t plan on using my Time Machine backup as a part of the restore process, I will be transferring my documents, music, pictures etc. back to my computer since data files usually are not a part of software problems. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Adding images to iPhoto with Safari</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Safari</category><category>iPhoto</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2011-06-18T12:17:33-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Adding_images_to_iPhoto_in_Safari.php#unique-entry-id-163</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Adding_images_to_iPhoto_in_Safari.php#unique-entry-id-163</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While many the those questions are too complex to answer without suggesting a consulting or tutoring session, others are easy enough to answer in this forum. 

...I suspect it is a bug that got introduced in an update to either Safari or iPhoto. 

...In every application produced by Apple there is an item in the application&rsquo;s menu that provides a way to give feedback or report bugs to Apple.


...Clicking these items will take you to a web page that asks question such as which computer you are using, which version of the operating system etc. ...  While the fix is not always immediately implemented, Apple tries to resolve as many issues as possible in the next product update.


...If I hold down the Control key on the keyboard while I click and hold on the image I will get this pop-up menu:


...It looks like I have found a bug in Safari and I took a few minutes to report it. ...  I do know if more of us who report bugs, there greater chance that the Apple engineers will look for a solution to the problem.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Security Checkup - Safari and Preview&#x2c; Part 2</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac Security</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><category>Safari</category><category>Internet</category><dc:date>2011-06-01T11:19:35-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/security_checkup_safari_preview1.php#unique-entry-id-162</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/security_checkup_safari_preview1.php#unique-entry-id-162</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While I know that some of you are probably thinking that it is time to move to Firefox or Google Chrome, similar issues exist in those browsers and it could take far longer for those companies to fix the issue than it takes Apple.


...It is very important to make sure that there is NOT an x in &ldquo;Open &ldquo;safe&rdquo; files&hellip; at the bottom of the window. 

...If it is, put away the things you want to save and clean out unneeded files by putting them in the trash and emptying it. 

...If files that are out-of-sight never get dealt with, then change your download folder to be your desktop and then remember that a cluttered desktop slows your computer down and makes it inefficient.


...While your ultimate choices are up to you, I do want to know when Safari thinks I am entering a fraudulent web site. 

...I appreciate getting information about things around us when I do a search, but sometimes, I would rather be a bit more private, so the check here changes occasionally.


I am not bothered by Java and JavaScript, but I really dislike pop-up windows, so my checks don&rsquo;t change here very often. 

...Sometimes the lack of security on a form on a secure Web site is an oversight on the part of the programmer, but if it is not a site I am very familiar with, this warning will cause me to take my business elsewhere. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Security Checkup - Safari and Preview&#x2c; Part 1</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac Security</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><category>Safari</category><category>Internet</category><dc:date>2011-06-01T09:04:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/security_checkup_safari_preview1.php#unique-entry-id-161</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/security_checkup_safari_preview1.php#unique-entry-id-161</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While I will agree that on the Mac movies, pictures, sounds, and text documents are almost always &ldquo;safe,&rdquo; the other three are not nearly as &ldquo;safe.&rdquo; 

...If your computer is set to use Preview to view PDFs, the icon will look like this:


...If your computer is set up to use Adobe Reader, it will look like this:


...If your computer is set to use Adobe Reader, pdf icons will look like this. 

...From now on (or until sneaky Adobe Reader convinces you select it again) PDF files will open in Safari.


...A disk image is a single file or storage device containing the complete contents and structure representing a data storage medium or device, such as a hard drive, tape drives, floppy disk, CD/DVD/BD and key drive, although an image of an optical disc may be referred to as an optical disc image.   A disk image is usually created by creating a complete sector-by-sector copy of the source medium and thereby perfectly replicating the structure and contents of a storage device.


...The vast majority are quite safe, but if you do not recognize the file or your cannot remember where it came from, it is safest to put the file in your trash can and empty it!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Remebering Memorial Days Gone By</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2011-05-30T16:20:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/memorial_days.php#unique-entry-id-160</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/memorial_days.php#unique-entry-id-160</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[My father was a World War II veteran and we would often go to the local parade. 


When I was in high school, veterans and the military became more and more unpopular. ...  We married during the summer before our senior years and he was commissioned as soon as he graduated. 

...When he entered the Navy, being associated with the military continued to be very unpopular.   Being a Navy wife often earned more viscious comments and ugly stares the further I ventured from the Navy base. 


...We were there when Saigon fell and the refugees were evacuated to the island as it was the staging area for their entry into the US.   That was the first time I had ever heard anyone thank US military members for their service.


...But how many of you have ever thought to thank that Vietnam War veteran? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mac Defender&#x2c; MacProtector - Just BAD stuff&#x21;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac Security</category><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2011-06-01T08:42:50-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/mac_Defender_MacProtector.php#unique-entry-id-159</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/mac_Defender_MacProtector.php#unique-entry-id-159</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Back in the days of Mac OS 9 and earlier, there were a number of malware and viruses that could attack our computers, but due to a combination of factors those problems have been very rare in recent years.


...While none are viruses, an unethical individual has produced a program that purports to find a virus on your computer when you visit a web site.   These web sites have been around for years on the PC and hopefully Windows users have learned to ignore them.


...I have had this blog post on hold for several weeks as I have been looking for this malware so that I could show you how it works. 

...Because although I spend lots of time on the web, I tend not to visit &ldquo;those&rdquo; kind of sites.  

...You may have visited a web site that contained an advertisement that can supposedly detect and remove Windows viruses and malware. 

...Now there are a few links to Mac files and this can be a problem. 


In the next few posts, I will cover various things you can do to protect yourself and your Macintosh.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Trying something new</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2011-03-31T12:43:53-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Trying_something_new.php#unique-entry-id-158</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Trying_something_new.php#unique-entry-id-158</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As you probably noticed, I haven&rsquo;t put up many posts in the past few months.


While a part of the problem has been my frustration with blogging with software such as RapidWeaver, another problem has been a busy travel schedule, followed by my need to recover from a particularly virulent flu bug I caught while on vacation.   Since I have been home, taxes and family duties have interfered with getting back to a good routine.


I am solving some of the frustration problems by finding a way to blog from my iPad and iPhone.   So far, I have set up a companion blog on blogger.com.   I&rsquo;ve purchased a plugin for RapidWeaver, RapidBlog from Loghound.com.  

...While you can access the new material over on Blogger.com, an even more convenient way is to click the link in the page header:


...In general, MacMousecalls on Blogger will be more casual or personal in nature.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Too many photos on your iPhone?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Digtial Photography</category><category>iPhone</category><category>iPhoto</category><dc:date>2011-03-30T14:23:52-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/too_many_photos_on_your_iPhone.php#unique-entry-id-157</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/too_many_photos_on_your_iPhone.php#unique-entry-id-157</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Since the iPhone acquired the ability to take good photos, I have slowly abandoned my pocket camera and I have taken most of my photos with it instead.


...I have learned through some painful photo losses that I do not erase photos, either on my camera or on my iPhone, until they are located in at least two other places. 

...If I delete them from iPhoto, they are just added back the next time I sync my iPhone. 


The only obvious way to delete photos from the iPhone is to do it one at a time here:


...In the right column are the photos stored on my camera. in the lower right corner is a slider to enlarge the photo thumbnails. 


...When you hold the Command key down, you can select multiple images, even if they are not contiguous (next to each other).


...The photos you selected will be gone from your iPhone and you will be left with only those images that you want to keep.


...We can discuss your needs and help you formulate a plan that will give you the best &ldquo;bang for your buck.&rdquo; ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Adding Groups to Address Book</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Address Book</category><dc:date>2011-02-28T15:41:58-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Adding_groups_to_Address_Book.php#unique-entry-id-156</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Adding_groups_to_Address_Book.php#unique-entry-id-156</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I am sending the collected vCards to everyone so that we have at least photo and name for each of our fellow cruisers.


As I began sending out the vCards, I discovered that while some people knew exactly what to do with the file, others needed a bit of help. 

...If you use this method, you will want to click the arrow at the end of the file name box so that you can easily designate where the file should be saved.


...If there are any cards that seem to match ones already in your address, you will see a window similar to this one. ...  If you have lots of duplicate cards, you may want to read the article here to learn how to clean up your address book. 


Now it is time to make a Group for the people you just added to your Address Book.    Click on the arrow at the bottom left corner of the window and make a name for you new group.


...All of the vCards are now a part of your Address Book, and the names can be isolated by choosing that particular group.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Back from a month of travel</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2011-02-28T15:20:56-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Back_from_a_month_of_travel.php#unique-entry-id-155</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Back_from_a_month_of_travel.php#unique-entry-id-155</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[My husband I and departed Virginia on a very cold morning near the end of January.   We headed to San Francisco were we spent two day being tourists before spending the rest of the week at Macworld Expo 2011.   It was a busy week surrounded by old friends and a few new ones too. 

...On Sunday we departed for Los Angeles, then on to Buenos Aires for 4 days before we departed for MacMania 11.   We had a wonderful time, even if both of us got sick.   We caught whatever upper respiratory bug was floating around and we never completely shook it.   We have been home a week today and I I am finally doing much better.


I have lots to share, but it won&rsquo;t happen in this post. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How to copy a previously-burned DVD</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-11-26T14:14:43-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/copy_a_dvd.php#unique-entry-id-154</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/copy_a_dvd.php#unique-entry-id-154</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I hope the information presented here makes it possible for you to copy a DVD since photo slideshows and videos make great gifts.


This tutorial assumes that you made the DVD which you are trying to copy or that there is no copy protection or Digital Rights Management (DRM) scheme applied to the DVD.   Please do a search on the Internet and remember that piracy is illegal if you are trying to copy a commercial DVD.


...If the original disk was burned using a session mode, there may be one or more sessions. ...  Choose the name of the disk that is inserted in your CD/Drive.


...&bull; Enter a file name, choose a location, and choose "DVD/CD Master" from the Image Format pop-up menu.


...After the image has been created you should see it in the disk listing in the Disk Utility window.


...Give us a call at 408 627-7577, or visit our web site or send us a message at urgentrequest@boblevitus.com. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Choosing a backup drive &#x2013; a word of warning</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2010-11-22T08:48:04-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/backup_drive_warning.php#unique-entry-id-151</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/backup_drive_warning.php#unique-entry-id-151</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There are many software solutions and hard drives that can be used for backing up your files, photos and data. 

...If (when) you need to use the backup made by Carbon Copy Cloner or SuperDuper, it is often necessary to use the backup hard drive to boot your computer.


The cheapest form of drive to use for backups is a USB drive--and if you have a MacBook, it is probably the ONLY way you can connect an external drive.


...On their own web page, Western Digital notes that they do &ldquo;not provide technical support for booting your computer using an external hard drive.&rdquo; 

...I would NOT recommend them for use with Carbon Copy Cloner, SuperDuper or any other program that makes a bootable backup drive for your Mac.


...I am a strong proponent of Time Machine, Apple&rsquo;s backup software that is a part of Mac OS X 10.5, Leopard and Mac OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard.   It does  not make a bootable backup, but I can always use the System DVD that came with my computer or the Leopard or Snow Leopard DVD to boot my computer and then I can restore my computer using the backup files on my Time Machine drive.


The most valuable feature of Time Machine is that I can restore individual files, photos, addresses, emails and more and I can go back &ldquo;in time&rdquo; to restore a file I have changed or perhaps discarded if I need the earlier version or missing file.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Did you read&#x2026;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Finder</category><dc:date>2010-11-11T15:37:05-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/did_you_read.php#unique-entry-id-150</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/did_you_read.php#unique-entry-id-150</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When I add news, email and friend&rsquo;s blogs to the mix, I have many items to read each day. 


I have found a great way to keep up with my reading while work around my office and home!


...To get to it, highlight some text--on a web page, in Mail or in most Macintosh applications. ...  If you want to stop listening, you will need to click and hold the control button again and select &ldquo;Speech > Stop Speaking.&rdquo;


I have used this method for years, but I have always wanted a faster, easier way to have my Mac read to me.


...Now, click on whatever key combination you would like to use, but remember, there are lots of key commands already in use. 


...I just hold down all the keys to the left of the Space Bar, and the S key for speak. 

...You can telephone us at 408 627-7577, or visit our web site or send us a message at urgentrequest@boblevitus.com. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>My busy summer</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-11-07T16:24:11-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/2d627a8c9ccf508959ca40d79c4509d3-148.php#unique-entry-id-148</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/2d627a8c9ccf508959ca40d79c4509d3-148.php#unique-entry-id-148</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While many of the readers of MacMousecalls have no contact with me except through this blog, there are a number of readers who are family, personal friends, professional contacts or people who I have become friends with through the blog, Dr. 

...There are many reasons why I have had little time to write much lately, but this little guy has played a major role.


...He is still in the NICU and yesterday was the first time I got to see him. 

...My summer was busy with my daughter&rsquo;s wedding and I three of our grandsons (Corbin&rsquo;s brothers) and their dad spending the week-days with us.


...I have even delved into some techie stuff that involves other digital devices like my sewing machine.    I have also made a number of friends through this blog with whom I share other interests.


...While MacMousecalls will still cover Apple topics, I will be adding content that does not directly fit the old MacMousecalls.   There will be some homemaking and crafting items, some photography posts, some personal items and lots of Apple stuff.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Traveling With Technology: Internet Access</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPad</category><category>iPhone</category><category>Internet</category><dc:date>2010-08-24T09:07:08-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/traveling_with_technology_internet_access.php#unique-entry-id-147</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/traveling_with_technology_internet_access.php#unique-entry-id-147</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I find it odd that while a stay in a top-level American hotel does not include free WiFi access or a free breakfast buffet, most tier two hotels such as a Marriott Residence Inn, Hilton Garden Suite, etc. include those items in the cost of the room.


...If you are willing to attach one of the computers to the Ethernet cable, then you can use Internet sharing to set up an ad hoc network, but this is not allowed in the terms of service.


Since I bought the Virgin Mobile MiFi2200, I activated it for the month and I am using it to provide Internet access to our other device when thy are not connected by a different data plan.


...If I would modify our contracts, we could add iPhone tethering which would allow us to use the iPhone to provide WiFi Internet service to one computer at a time. 

...Therefore, I have turned off the WiFi on my 3G iPad and on my iPhone while I am in range of the MiFi.   Since there is a Starbuck&rsquo;s Coffee with free AT&T WiFi in a nearby mall food court, I used it yesterday morning and went back to upload a large audio file yesterday evening when the upload speeds on the MiFi were too slow to easily upload a 125 MB file.


...While I had planned to remove the data plan from my iPad 3G, we have found it to be very useful in day-to-day life around town. 

...If you need help choosing the best sources of Internet connectivity for you and your family, give us a call at Bob LeVitus Consulting. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>FaceTime Data Usage</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-08-23T12:15:25-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/facetime_data_usage.php#unique-entry-id-146</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/facetime_data_usage.php#unique-entry-id-146</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Since my sister, Sandy, and I used identical Virgin Mobile 2200 MiFi devices and since Virgin Mobile allows you to access your usage history, I called Sandy and asked her to make screenshots of her usage history. 

...Although Sandy activated her card in New Mexico, while I activated mine in Virginia, you can see that times are similar, but not exact. 

...While both charts seem to end at approximately the same time, and both contain 8 entries, they don&rsquo;t really corollate well except for two that I have circled.  

...In talking with Monique and Sandy, some calls were initiated with Sandy pressing the FaceTime Chat button while in other cases, Monique pressed the button.


...It is also interesting to note that the Session Start and End Times vary as does the amount of data used. 


...It is slow, weak and problematic most of the time, but occasionally, things seem to &ldquo;click&rdquo; and it can support decent speeds and signal strength. ...  There are several other occasions in the data records that seem to indicate that a call transferred between the two wireless networks.


...I suspect the data usage rate has much to do with the amount of movement in the camera&rsquo;s view, just as happens in video capture with a camera.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Solving iPad&#x2c; iPhone&#x2c; iPod and problems</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>iPad</category><category>iPhone</category><category>iPod Touch</category><category>iTunes</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2010-08-14T11:08:12-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/solving_iPhone_iPad_iPod_touch_problems.php#unique-entry-id-145</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/solving_iPhone_iPad_iPod_touch_problems.php#unique-entry-id-145</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It is not such a bad job if you can let it take place when you won&rsquo;t be needing your iPhone for a while. 

...HOWEVER, if the problem is not the iPhone software itself, but a problem in one of your data or settings file, restoring the iPhone from a backup will NOT solve your problem!


I have had several instances when erasing the iPhone or iPad and restoring it from the backup did not fix the issue. 

...In the case of things Evernote or DropBox, your data is stored on their server, so you will need to log in to retrieve it. 

...If you have decided to leave your old data behind, then click &ldquo;Set up as a new&rdquo; iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. 


...Use the Apply button at the lower left corner of the iPhone window to begin the process of moving things back to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.


If you are having a problem with your device and you want Apple to replace it, they will ask you if you have done a software restore and if you have set it up as a new device.   If that does not solve the issue and if it is truly a problem, Apple will generally replace the unit if it is in the initial warranty period or if you have purchased AppleCare. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A FaceTime Wedding</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPhone</category><dc:date>2010-08-18T11:36:40-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a_facetime_wedding.php#unique-entry-id-144</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a_facetime_wedding.php#unique-entry-id-144</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Not only would Monique not be able to participate in the wedding, she would also miss seeing her sister and her sons in it.


...A few days after getting my iPhone 4, I attempted to use FaceTime while at the hospital to place a call to Sandy at her home in Las Vegas NM.  

...While I might have been able to find a way to set up a network at our church, I knew there was no way I would be able to set up a network at the reception site, located at the Washington Navy Yard.


...Since I have lots of techie friends, I was certain that I could find a Mi-Fi device to borrow--or perhaps a mobile phone that we could use to set up a Wi-Fi network.   While several friends have Mi-Fis, they were paid for by their employers, so using one for a the wedding was not an option.


Although several friends had phones that could be used to set up a Wi-Fi network, no one had actually done it! 

...Monique was able to visit with friends and family, add her approval to Courtney&rsquo;s hairstyle, be a part of the group in the wedding room at church, make a final check of her boys in their suits, watch her sons walk down the aisle, see Courtney and Andy exchange their vows, listen to Fr. ...  She visited with friends at the reception, saw the table decorations she had helped to make, watched her sons be introduced, listened to her dad&rsquo;s toast, and watch her sons dance and dance.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Magic Trackpad troubles</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2010-08-03T09:33:08-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/magic_trackpad_troubles.php#unique-entry-id-143</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/magic_trackpad_troubles.php#unique-entry-id-143</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Although I loved the mouse on the Apple IIgs, I was bothered by having to remove a hand from the keyboard every time I used the mouse.


...I tried lots of different trackballs with my desktop Macs, but it was not the trackball, but its placement that made me a real fan of the PowerBook 100. ...  I have always had a desktop computer too, but I found that I do most of my work on the laptops. 

...I went back to the Apple Store to pick up the Magic Trackpad on Thursday, came home, installed the necessary updates to my iMac and I was ready to begin a new computing adventure.


...As soon as I had the Magic Trackpad configured to match the settings on my laptop, I was a happy camper!


...Both had bought Magic Trackpads and both had shoved them back into the box, ready for a return to the Apple Store.


...I like the Magic Trackpad better than a mouse, and even better than the Apple Magic Mouse--but still not as much as I like the keyboard and trackpad combination on my MacBook Pro. 

...However, for now I have the Magic Trackpad aligned with the end of my wireless keyboard and I have the Magic Mouse sitting above my keyboard, at the ready, in case I have a sudden urge to grab a mouse!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Time Flies</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2010-08-03T09:17:12-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/time_flies.php#unique-entry-id-142</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/time_flies.php#unique-entry-id-142</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The past few months have been a blur of travel, house guests, wedding preparations and grandchildren! 


Now that summer is winding down and most of our big events have passed, I hope to get back to blogging on a more regular basis.


I have had the opportunity to talk to a number of my regular readers and I am continually asked why I do not post more photos of events.   When I started MacMousecalls, there was no Twitter.   We connected with others on the Internet in far less personal ways.   Perhaps it is time to expand the scope of my posts on MacMousecalls and to add topics that are only tangentially tech-related.


Since I have not been blogging on a regular basis, there is a lot to catch up on, so please excuse me if topics are not necessarily in chronological order!


I&rsquo;ll be back soon with a real post about a real topic!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>AirPort Wireless a bit slow?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Safari</category><category>AirPort</category><category>Internet</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2010-06-08T06:47:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/AirPort_Wireless_a_bit_slow.php#unique-entry-id-141</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/AirPort_Wireless_a_bit_slow.php#unique-entry-id-141</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While the articles may not be interesting or relevant every day, I often find good information for learning more about the hardware and software that we use on our Macs.


...According to that standard, when a wireless device is using WPA or WEP, the fastest speed that data can travel is 54 MBps.   While that is fast, 802.11n devices are allowed to transmit data at a much faster rate if the device is using WPA2 Personal.


If you choose WPA/WPA2 Personal, then your AirPort Base Station transmissions are capped at 54 Mbps when there is a device that is using only WPA on your network. 

...If you choose WPA2 Personal, then devices that use WEP or WPA are locked out of your network.


Since all of the computers in my home are fairly new, and all of them can use WPA2 Personal, I have our network set to do just that. 

...Apple&rsquo;s latest Time Capsules and AirPort Extreme Base Stations cost a bit more than generic Linksys or Netgear wireless routers, the ease of setting them up, updating them and being able to set up guest networks make them a real bargain for me. 


...If you would like to discuss the information presented here or if you need help to make sure your wireless network is operating at maximum speeds, consider booking a tutoring session with us at Bob LeVitus Consulting. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Life with an iPad</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPad</category><dc:date>2010-05-22T18:15:20-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/life_with_an_ipad.php#unique-entry-id-140</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/life_with_an_ipad.php#unique-entry-id-140</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There are many great things about being a Macintosh computer consultant, but probably the best is that our clients give me an excuse to buy the latest computer equipment.


...Being away from home and at the mercy of the convention center, I quickly missed the 3G capabilities that would be coming when my 64 GB 3G version arrived.


...While this is also available for iPhones, we don&rsquo;t trade our iPhones around, but I can see that it will be easy to set up the 3G iPad for my husband when he goes on a business trip where the 3G capabilities will be desirable. 

...Without a data package, I was unable to use the apps I had enjoyed in New York, but I turned web pages about Bermuda into PDFs and I downloaded various PDFs that I found on the web so that the iPad was a good electronic travel guide. 


...It would have been nice to be able to add those files directly to my iPad, but at this time, that is not possible.


...Now that we have had our iPads for about 6 weeks, they have found their way into many places in our daily lives. 

...While I am working in my office on my MacBook Pro right now, I will move down to the basement to my craft workroom later and I will be using the iPad to do an inventory of supplies in Bento. 

...Bob has just finished his iPad for Dummies book and is waiting for it to be printed and I am exploring and learning new ways of integrating into daily life. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Life Happens</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2010-05-18T17:53:18-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/life_happens.php#unique-entry-id-139</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/life_happens.php#unique-entry-id-139</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The past month has kept me running and running and running.


It all started with an unexpected trip to the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas NV in mid-April.   It was quickly followed by the MacMania 10 cruise to Bermuda and then family events began.   In the past week we have celebrated the college graduation of our daughter Nicole, the 16th birthday of our granddaughter Kati, and had a visit from Bob and Lisa LeVitus.   Add to that a week of caring for three of our grandsons and our daughter, Monique and you can bet that I have been busy.   Oh, on top of it all, I have been graced with my almost annual May sinus infection.


I have also been doing a lot of working on and learning about Apple&rsquo;s new iPad.   Look for coming posts on a variety of topics. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Cleaning up your Desktop</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Finder</category><category>Safari</category><dc:date>2010-04-21T11:16:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Cleaning_up_your_desktop.php#unique-entry-id-137</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Cleaning_up_your_desktop.php#unique-entry-id-137</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I use the current date to name the folder and then I drag all of the files on my desktop into it.


...Computer experts will tell you that your computer will now be a bit faster because it does not have to spend as much time keeping track of the location and position of all the files on the desktop.


...If they are the same size and the Date Modified is the same, then they are duplicate files and you probably do not need both of them.


Webloc files are made when you drag the favicon from a web page to your desktop or a file folder. 

...As I surf the web, I often drag these .webloc files to my desktop so that I can quickly find the page links to use in emails or blog or Twitter posts. 


I often forget to throw away these files when I have finished using them, so sorting the folder by Kind makes it easy to group them for quick disposal.


...Using the Cover Flow view of the finder window allows me to take a quick look at these files to determine what I need to do with them.


...We do not bill you for the time needed to install our software to see your computer and if we cannot fix the problem, you are not billed for our time.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mail - Why do wrong addresses pop up?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Email</category><category>Address Book</category><category>Mail</category><dc:date>2010-03-22T19:44:30-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/mail_wrong_addresses.php#unique-entry-id-136</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/mail_wrong_addresses.php#unique-entry-id-136</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This ability for Apple&rsquo;s Mail program is one of its best features, but it can also be one of the most frustrating ones. 

...Mail will allow you to send emails to a whole group of people who are in a special list in your address book and those lists do not have the @somewhere.com as a part of their name. 

...If you are getting old or incorrect addresses when you are adding recipients to emails, take a few minutes to clean out the errors in Previous Recipients.


...If the arrow is pointing up, the list will be sorted from A to Z by last name.   If the arrow points down, the list will be sorted from Z to A (The items without names will be at the bottom of the list in Previous Recipients).


If you click the Email button, the Previous Recipients list will be sorted by email addresses. 

...Highlight addresses for friends that are not in your address book and use the button in the lower right corner of the window to add them to your address book.


If your addresses are in really bad shape, you may want to select all of the addresses (Command A), press the Remove from List button and start all over again!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Safari: Tabs - More Tricks</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Internet</category><category>Safari</category><dc:date>2010-03-10T08:11:13-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_tabs_more.php#unique-entry-id-134</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_tabs_more.php#unique-entry-id-134</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Who would have thought there is even more things that can be done with Safari&rsquo;s tab feature? 


...I can often find hidden commands and little-know tidbits in the View and Windows menu of application.


...If you look at the bottom of the menu, you can see that I had seven different windows open in Safari:


...This is a time when it would make sense to move all of  those windows into one--and there is a command for that!


...I have learned that most Mac users don&rsquo;t know what those little symbols mean, so here is a cheat sheet:


...If you would like a copy of the list of symbols above, just drag the graphic to your desktop or press and hold the Control key while clicking on the picture to see this pop-up menu:


...It is the little features like these that show how much thought and effort has gone into the programming of Safari. 

...We can show you how to make your computer easier to use and we can see where you are having problems. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Safari: Using Tabs</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Internet</category><category>Safari</category><dc:date>2010-03-08T08:28:13-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_tabs.php#unique-entry-id-133</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_tabs.php#unique-entry-id-133</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When you are on a web page with links to other pages , hold down the Command key as you click on the links.


Tabs will appear along the tab bar and the web page will load on the tabs.


If you click on a tab you will see that  web page, but your original page will not disappear. 

...If you want to close a tab, hover your cursor over the favicon (icon) on the tab. 

...If you try to close a Safari window that has multiple tabs, it will warn you that you are about to close multiple web pages:


While I like the way Apple has configured tabs to work, you can modify those actions in the Safari Preferences.


...We can show you how to make your computer easier to use and we can see where you are having problems.   The cost is $60.00 per hour and I can use our special software to &ldquo;see&rdquo; your computer. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Taking notes on your Mac and iPhone: Notes in Mail</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Email</category><category>General Mac</category><category>iPhone</category><category>iPod Touch</category><category>iTunes</category><category>Mail</category><category>MobileMe</category><dc:date>2010-03-06T09:20:48-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/notes_in_mail.php#unique-entry-id-132</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/notes_in_mail.php#unique-entry-id-132</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While adding notes to calendar events and people in your address book are good for many purposes, there are other notes that need to be somewhere else.


...If you see this screen, you either have no notes or you are looking at notes you have previously made.   To add a note, click the plus icon in the upper right corner of the screen.


...If you want to add a note on your computer, it is done in Mail:


Click on the Note icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen to add a new note. 

...While it is possible to sync Mail accounts, Contacts, Calendars and Bookmarks to the iPhone using MobileMe, Notes are not included.


...This means that in order to see the latest changes you have made on the other device (iPhone or Mac), you must connect your iPhone to the Mac and do a sync.


While there are lots of other applications that can be used for notes, I prefer Apple&rsquo;s Notes application. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Taking notes on your Mac and iPhone: iCal</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iCal</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Internet</category><category>iPhone</category><category>iPod Touch</category><category>MobileMe</category><dc:date>2010-02-08T13:12:20-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/taking_notes_ical.php#unique-entry-id-131</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/taking_notes_ical.php#unique-entry-id-131</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While storing notes about people or companies in the Address book on the Mac (or in Contacts on the iPhone) makes perfect sense, some information just doesn't belong there. 


For example, I am taking a Frontier Airline flight to Macworld later this week. 

...While I might put the telephone number and URL for Frontier in Address Book, information about my flight to San Francisco would be easier to locate in iCal or the iPhone Calendar. 

...One of the most interesting things is that although the links from the email do not appear in the iCal event, they are visible and available on my iPhone. ...  Just think of how convenient it could be to have such easy access for maps to hotels, restaurants etc.


Note that I edited the screenshots to remove personal and identifying information from the images above.


...Look for blog posts, Twitters and updates as we learn about new products for the Mac, iPhone and iPod Touch.   I will be traveling with my husband, Ron--if we don&rsquo;t get snowed in by yet another DC storm.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Taking notes on your Mac and iPhone: Address Book</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Address Book</category><category>iPhone</category><category>iPod Touch</category><category>MobileMe</category><dc:date>2010-01-11T10:20:46-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/taking_notes_address_book.php#unique-entry-id-130</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/taking_notes_address_book.php#unique-entry-id-130</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In fact, I need different ways of taking notes--and they need to be stored in different places or I would never be able to make sense out of them.


...There are extra fields that can be added to the Address Book template to make it easier to organize information. 

...At the bottom of the pop-up are two choices, other and Custom&hellip; If you choose &ldquo;other&rdquo;, a new item labeled Other is added. 

...Not only can the name and address fields be searched, but the results will include any information that is stored in any other field, including the Notes area.


...If you use MobileMe to sync information from the Address Book to your iPhone or iPod Touch, the information is available in the Notes section of each card. ...  For example, If you have entries for restaurants and you have added the cuisine that they serve in the Notes area, you would not be able to search the Contacts on your iPhone for Mexican food restaurants. 

...If you need help in organizing your address book or you need to move addresses from another application into Address Book, consider booking a help session with me at Doctor Mac Consulting.   I can show you how to move your addresses out of just about any program and into Apple&rsquo;s Address Book. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>iPhone and iPod Touch - How to update an application</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPhone</category><category>iPod Touch</category><category>iTunes</category><dc:date>2010-01-08T07:36:29-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/phone_and_ipod_touch_how_to_update_an_application.php#unique-entry-id-128</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/phone_and_ipod_touch_how_to_update_an_application.php#unique-entry-id-128</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The web site tracks every page of MacMousecalls and lets me know a lot about my readers. 


This report tells me that I get lots of visits to an earlier article about updating iPhones and iPod touches.   However the article is very out of date, so its time to do a complete update.


Keeping applications up-to-date was a bit buggy when the first article was written, but things have changed.


 The iPhone and iPod Touch lets you know, right on App Store icon, when there is a newer version of an application.


...You will be taken to the iTunes store to a special page that tracks your app updates.   You can click on the update button for each individual application, or you can click the Download All button in the upper right corner of the window.


...In the original article I wrote about having to delete earlier versions of applications through the finder. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Should I defragment my hard drive?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><dc:date>2010-01-07T11:01:28-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/should_i_defragment.php#unique-entry-id-127</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/should_i_defragment.php#unique-entry-id-127</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In the case of Windows computers and Macintoshes running Mac OS 9 and earlier, over time, hard drives slow down when the user tries to open, save or copy large files. 

...When the user saves a file to the hard drive, the directory looks for the first space large enough to fit the new file and uses that space. 

...Over time, as files are written and rewritten and as files are deleted, there are more and more little chunks that are too small for new files to be written into. ...  The directory then has to remember where the fragments are stored and it has to pull them together when the file is opened or copied.


...Mac OS X is written so that it uses some of its free time to keep your hard drive organized.   When your computer is on but asleep, Mac OS X is working in the background to defragment and rearrange the files to keep your hard drive running at its best. 


...If you are trying to  capture audio and video files for serious editing in programs like FinalCut or Logic, it is best to use an empty drive as a working drive for capture and editing. 

...After you are finished editing the file, you move it to a regular hard drive for storage and the working drive is erased the drive with Apple's Disk Utility before new files are added and processed.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>HDMI cables cost how much?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2010-01-06T08:42:22-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/hdmi_cables_cost.php#unique-entry-id-124</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/hdmi_cables_cost.php#unique-entry-id-124</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In fact, I purchased a Phillips HDTV for my husband as we moved into our new home about 5 1/2 years ago.   It is a 42&rdquo; Plasma and while not the very top of the line, it had most of the latest bells and whistles when we bought it. 

...Since I tend to stay on top of most tech topics, I was aware that HDMI was coming, but the time to buy the TV was then, not six months to a year later.


...Over the past five years, we have purchased two other HDTVs, one for my office that can also be used as a second monitor for my MacBook Pro, and a 37&rdquo; HDTV for our bedroom.  

...It is not the bottom of the line, and it is not the top of the line--but it has 4 HDMI connectors, and that was my minimum specification.


...We can connect our Cox cable box via HDMI, we have an Apple TV, we just got the Blu-Ray player That leaves us with one spare HDMI connector and I planned to add an HDMI to DVI cable to make it easier to connect our computers to the TV.


...I ordered the Apple TV the day it was announced and in the Apple press release, it mentioned that the Apple Store would be carrying HDMI cables for $19.00 to $29.00. 

...She  gave us info about the Rocketfish and Monster cables being THX certified, but there was very little information on the packages to really tell us the difference between the $19.00 cables and the $199.00 ones.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Welcoming in the New Year</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2010-01-04T08:50:36-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/welcoming_in_the_new_year.php#unique-entry-id-123</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/welcoming_in_the_new_year.php#unique-entry-id-123</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Whatever, it doesn&rsquo;t really matter, but as we start a new decade, its always fun to reflect on the past ten years.


...I went from living in a small house filled with two teenagers (and my husband) to living in a big house (with my husband) and a daughter who is back home for a year as she recuperates from her fall from a horse and prepares for her wedding in the summer.


I went from doing Macintosh consulting and teaching while driving miles and miles on the Washington DC beltway to working from home, doing much of the same work.


...Today I (sometimes) carry a 17&rdquo; MacBook Pro 2.93 Intel Core 2 Duo and I have an iMac 2.4 Intel Core 2 Duo sitting on my desk, mainly to act as link for my networked hard drives.


I went from a wireless newtork that ran on Graphite  AirPort running 802.11b to a Time Capsule running 802.11n.


I went from a Handspring Visor Prism and a nameless Verizon cell phone while I awaited the release of the Springboard cell phone module to an iPhone 3GS.


...The days ahead will bring even more changes and Steve Jobs and his crew at Apple, Inc. prepare to rock our world with new product announcements on January 27.


Welcome to the new year and come back often to learn more about your Mac, iPhone and other devices from Apple and the companies that support them.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>MacJury Duty on Case 920</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Podcast</category><dc:date>2009-12-09T13:51:05-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/macjury_duty_on%20case_920.php#unique-entry-id-122</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/macjury_duty_on%20case_920.php#unique-entry-id-122</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I received a summons to duty on the MacJury podcast the other night.   The jurors deliberated on the new 27&Prime; iMac, Apple&rsquo;s Acquisition of LaLa, the JooJoo Pad and several other topics.   My fellow jurors included Victor Cajiao, Mark Fuccio and John Martellaro.   As always, the panel was hosted by Chuck Joiner.   The discussions were lively and the opinions expressed were far-ranging.   You can listen to the podcast and find the links to what we discussed here.   There are also links for each of the jury members. 


--Pat
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Doctor Mac Newsletter 31</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2009-12-09T12:52:22-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Doctor_Mac_Newsletter_31.php#unique-entry-id-121</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Doctor_Mac_Newsletter_31.php#unique-entry-id-121</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Each month Bob LeVitus and I work together to publish the Doctor Mac Consulting Newsletter.   It contains the uncut versions Bob&rsquo;s recent columns for the Houston Chronicle, news and links for our recent activities and an article that details the Mac and iPhone problems that we are seeing most frequently.  


You can download the latest issue here. 


You can subscribe to the newsletter here.


--Pat]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Safari - I closed the window&#x21;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Safari</category><dc:date>2009-11-08T22:11:06-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_i_closed_the_window.php#unique-entry-id-120</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_i_closed_the_window.php#unique-entry-id-120</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I just closed my Safari window instead of sending it to the Dock.


Does this ever happen to you?   It occasionally happens to me--and there is a way to re-open the window.


Go to the History menu.   Choose "Reopen Last Closed Window". 


While the window will reopen, the items under the Back icon have disappeared.   Use the lower part of the History menu to find those items.


--Pat
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Safari - Know where you are going</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Safari</category><dc:date>2009-11-07T09:04:02-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Safari_know_where_you_are_going.php#unique-entry-id-119</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Safari_know_where_you_are_going.php#unique-entry-id-119</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Safari 4.0 made a few changes in the toolbar at the top of each web page. 

...One thing that disappeared was the blue progress bar that showed in the URL or address window at the top of each page. ...  Instead, I use the Status Bar that can be added to the bottom of all Safari windows. 


...If it says, "Show Status Bar," then you will not see it at the bottom of each window. 

...And it can show you the progress made in loading a web page:


Sometimes, the page will have stopped loading, but the count of completed items will indicate that the page did not completely load. ...  You can attempt to load the rest of the page by clicking the Reload icon that shows at the end of the address bar. ...  If they don't you may want to check the page with a different browser or later in the day.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Safari homepage - Make it yours&#x21;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Safari</category><category>Internet</category><dc:date>2009-11-05T20:20:42-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_homepage.php#unique-entry-id-118</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_homepage.php#unique-entry-id-118</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Another thing that I see as I work with client's computers is the default Apple homepage. ...  Your homepage should be something that you WANT to read when you open Safari.


...Other similar pages include  Yahoo.com and iGoogle, These can be personalized to include things that were of interest to the reader.


...Some of my clients prefer a large newspaper such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, or the Houston Chronicle.   Other favorites include the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle or even the San Jose Mercury News. 

...If you have a favorite hobby or special interest, think about a page with daily new content.


...Click the "New Windows open with" button if you would prefer something else:


The nice thing about being a Mac user is that there are lots of different choices available--and you can make new choices easily.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Safari Toolbar - Make it yours</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Safari</category><category>Mail</category><category>Printing</category><dc:date>2009-11-04T19:57:39-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_toolbar.php#unique-entry-id-117</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/safari_toolbar.php#unique-entry-id-117</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We all know that Apple is a minimalist company when it comes to esthetics--but minimalism doesn't  make Safari easy to use. 

...Above it, you will see lots of icons that you can add to Safari. 

...It allows you to instantly make not only the text, but also the graphics bigger (or smaller) on a web page. 

...Two more icons that I find to be very useful are the Mail and Print buttons:


...Since I do most of my news reading on the web these days, and since I frequently want to send a web page address to someone, this Mail button is very convenient. 

...While I could just print the page, instead, I usually make a PDF of the page and file it away in the appropriate place on my computer.


If your Print window looks different than mine, you need to click this disclosure triangle to see the really useful Print window shown above:


There are lots more buttons that you can add to the Safari toolbar. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Close those windows&#x21;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac OS X 10.6&#x2c; Snow Leopard</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><dc:date>2009-11-03T07:56:32-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/close_those_windows.php#unique-entry-id-116</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/close_those_windows.php#unique-entry-id-116</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I haven't taken time to count, but a quick view the Window menu in Safari shows lots of open windows:


I am sure thre are lots of other hidden windows since there are a dozen open applications on my computer.


Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard makes it easy to see the windows associated with any application &ndash; just click and hold on the application icon in the dock:


But how do you close all those windows without clicking on all those red dots? ...  To close all the windows associated with an application, hold down the option key and click one of its windows.   It's a fast way to get rid of desktop clutter &ndash; and you are still protected from closing items that have not been saved:


...We have special software that allows us to see and even control your computer.   The cost is $60 per hour and we have never heard a dumb question!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Editing iCal Events</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac OS X 10.6&#x2c; Snow Leopard</category><category>iCal</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-11-02T08:33:10-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/editing_ical_events.php#unique-entry-id-115</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/editing_ical_events.php#unique-entry-id-115</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[That was certainly the case in iCal in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. ...  There had been a "drawer" at the side of the calendar in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger that made it easy to quickly edit events. 


In Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, the drawer was replaced by a pop-up.   This pop-up remains in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard


While it is useful for adding the event, making changes with it is inconvenient, especially if you are making multiple ones.   To make changes with it, you must double-click on the event in the calendar, then click the edit button. 

...Apple must have heard the complaints because they have added a new Edit menu item, Show Inspector, in Snow Leopard:


...If you need to make changes in another event, just click on the event and continue editing.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Overcome by life&#xa;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2009-11-01T08:33:03-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/overcome_by_life.php#unique-entry-id-114</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/overcome_by_life.php#unique-entry-id-114</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Because it is also associated with my work with Bob LeVitus, I determined that it is not a place where I would post a lot of personal items.


...Our three older grandchildren moved in for a three-week visit which included home-schooling them, driving them to piano, technical music, choir, ballet, soccer, art lessons and Nutcracker practice. 

...My youngest daughter (who and moved home at the end of summer to prepare for her wedding) had been thrown from a horse. 

...Because we have a basement level that was outfitted for my husband's deceased parents who were handicapped, we had all the things she would be needing--an elevator, roll-in shower, wheelchair ramps and even an electric scooter, our daughter came home instead of going to a rehab hospital.   After still more equipment, including a wheelchair, walker and electric bed were delivered, I began my duties helping our daughter complete the necessary daily tasks.


...She can take care of her personal needs, and can fix a quick snack, but I still need to do many things for her.   She will be on crutches for 3-4 months, but can't start using them until her ribs heal, so it has been a slow process.


...Things are improving and I have many topics to cover, so hopefully I will do a lot more writing in the coming days.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Snow Leopard: Do I need Rosetta?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac OS X 10.6&#x2c; Snow Leopard</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Mac OS X 10.4&#x2c; Tiger</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-09-21T22:34:20-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/do_I_need_rosetta.php#unique-entry-id-111</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/do_I_need_rosetta.php#unique-entry-id-111</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This line of processors is still in use today and it will be used for the future.


It is the PowerPC (and 68K) hardware that cannot use Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. 


...It is included in many of the applications that you are using on your Mac today. 

...When Mac OS X 10.0 was released in March of 2001, Apple included the Classic evironment, &ndash; translation software, that allows applications that were compiled for Mac OS 9 to run in Mac OS X. 

...When the Apple moved to the Intel processor from the PowerPC they introduced Rosetta which allowed code written for the PowerPC processor to be run on Intel processors.   Although we do not expect Rosetta to be around forever, there are many applications that are still being used that contain PowerPC code. 

...Many of these applications were added when I upgraded to Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.   These may be are smaller (because they do not contain the code for PowerPC) and many are much faster because they run in 64 bit mode. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Snow Leopard: Slow to empty trash?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac OS X 10.6&#x2c; Snow Leopard</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Mac OS X 10.4&#x2c; Tiger</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-09-21T21:40:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/slow_to_empty_trash.php#unique-entry-id-110</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/slow_to_empty_trash.php#unique-entry-id-110</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While some problems can be blamed on a bug in the newest software, other issues occasionally appear, but it is difficult to point to a cause for them.


...However, I have not seen it happen on my computers or those of any of the clients of Doctor Mac Consulting.


...When you put a file into the trash and use the empty trash command, your file is not really erased. ...  The file can be recovered if that area of the hard drive has not had a new file written to it.


...In Mac OS X, there is a Finder command to securely empty the trash.


...If a file is large, or if there are many items in your trash, that can take a LONG time!


...Until just a few years ago, data that was over-written eight times was considered to be unrecoverable, even for government security purposes. 

...While there are lots of articles and resources available, some of us learn better with hands-on learning. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>More Option key menu bar tricks in Snow Leopard </title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Finder</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Mac OS X 10.6&#x2c; Snow Leopard</category><dc:date>2009-09-03T09:53:26-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/more_option_key_menu_bar_tricks_in_snow_leopard.php#unique-entry-id-109</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/more_option_key_menu_bar_tricks_in_snow_leopard.php#unique-entry-id-109</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In my last blog post, The Option key does even more in Snow Leopard, I told you about a cool new feature that I found in Mac OS X, 10.6, Snow Leopard. 


Since holding down the Option key brought up a whole new Sync menu, I wondered what other secrets might be hidden in the Menu bar. 

...Since I had no idea what might be reported if the condition was not normal, I did a bit of searching.   I went to the Apple Support page for Snow Leopard at http://www.apple.com/support/snowleopard/.   I entered "Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard battery condition" in the Search Support box:


I was lead to an article,  Mac OS X v10.6: About the Battery menu bar extra for portable Macs. 

...Does that mean I can recover files from other computers on my network that are using different backup drives?


...I have lots more to explore in Snow Leopard, but this is enough for today! ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Option key does even more in Snow Leopard</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Finder</category><category>Mac OS X 10.6&#x2c; Snow Leopard</category><dc:date>2009-09-02T10:38:16-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/option_key_does_even_more_in_snow_leopard.php#unique-entry-id-108</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/option_key_does_even_more_in_snow_leopard.php#unique-entry-id-108</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Right now there are so many tips, hints, Twitter messages and Web articles being written, so there are many sources for learning about its new features.


Last night I read a Twitter message (I wish I had saved it) that mentioned that you could learn lots of information about your last sync by holding down the "Option" key while clicking on its icon in the Menu Bar. 

...You are missing one of the Mac platform's best features, the ability to synchronize information between your Macs, iPhones, the Web and even PCs. 

...When there is a check in that box, the Sync icon will appear in your Menu bar.


If you click on the icon in the Menu bar, it will look like this:


...If there is a problem, there will be an exclamation mark in the middle of the icon and the problem will be noted in the box (Sorry--I forgot to capture that one!)


...Hold it down while clicking on the Sync icon in the Menu bar and you see this:


...Check back soon for more Snow Leopard secrets and try holding down that Option key while clicking on more of the Menu bar icons!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Using Speak Text in Snow Leopard</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Finder</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Mac OS X 10.6&#x2c; Snow Leopard</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><dc:date>2009-09-01T09:36:12-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Using_Speak_Text_in_Snow_Leopard.php#unique-entry-id-107</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Using_Speak_Text_in_Snow_Leopard.php#unique-entry-id-107</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While I await the release of Bob LeVitus new book, Mac OS X Snow Leopard For Dummies, I am doing a bit of searching to find features that have moved in this new version of the Mac OS.


...But when the computer is reading the text to me, I can spot errors in what I have typed and I can hear places where what I have written is awkward or unclear. 

...Getting to this feature was not easy in Mac OS X 10.5, Leopard, but I had learned how to get there:


...Then I needed to go to the "Safari" menu, pull down to "Services," pull out and down to "Speech" and then over and down to "Start Speaking Text."


...Never daunted, I reached for Bob's  Mac OS X Snow Leopard For Dummies, only to remember that it is still on the presses!


...If you are a person who is quick to rant and rail at changes, perhaps you need to wait for the flood of books about Mac OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard. ...  There is a lot to like about Apple's newest cat if you can accept the challenge of perhaps being a little on the bleeding edge!


...The cost is $60.00 per hour and we can show you lots of great new features in this new and exciting change to our Macs. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Equalizing song volumes in iTunes</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-08-12T10:43:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Equalizing_song_volumes_in_iTunes.php#unique-entry-id-106</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Equalizing_song_volumes_in_iTunes.php#unique-entry-id-106</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s one of those questions  that needs an answer, but something that is easy enough that we don&rsquo;t want to charge him for the service.


It seems as though he is making iTunes playlists that include music from diverse sources. 

...No, not Rich&rsquo;s preferences for music volume--but a preference for how iTunes handles music files.   If you prefer that iTunes would work in a different manner than it presently is, be sure to check out the iTunes Preferences:


...First, note that you will need to be in the Playback panel. ...  This will cause iTunes to begin analyzing the volumes of your iTunes files.   If you have never had Sound Check selected, this process can take a quite a while, especially if you have a large library. 


If you would like songs to crossfade (transition between songs) by lowering the volume of the song being played  while the other begins playing and then increase its volume to the set level), you will want to check Crossfade Songs. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Reading menus and drive directories</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>Blog</dc:subject><dc:date>2009-07-27T07:37:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Reading_menus_and_drive_directories.php#unique-entry-id-104</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Reading_menus_and_drive_directories.php#unique-entry-id-104</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There was free wireless access in the room and many of the participants brought their computers, so the first 45 minutes of our time was spent in trying to get everyone online.   My first lesson of the day was to have been a demonstration of how to interpret written directions for getting to specific menu items and directories. 

...While I have the luxury of using as many screen shots as I want, a number of post to this blog are turned into articles for user group magazines and other publications.   While there are many different ways to attempt to lead a reader to a specific menu, many authors use a system similar to this:


...So, Finder > Menu Bar > Go > iDisk > Other User&rsquo;s Public Folder&hellip; might replace:


...Go to the Menu bar at the top of the page and locate the File menu. 

...In fact, when I am writing directions to menu items or file locations, I read &ldquo;>&rdquo; as &ldquo;go to.&rdquo;


...For example, Finder > Menu Bar > Go > iDisk > Other User&rsquo;s Public Folder&hellip; will lead you to this dialog box: 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Do you back up your external drives?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2009-06-29T13:13:39-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/back_up_external_drives.php#unique-entry-id-101</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/back_up_external_drives.php#unique-entry-id-101</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Along with a few other pieces of hardware, I took my favorite portable hard drive and my favorite drive gadget, the NewerTech Voyager Q. 


...Instead, they are filled with other files that are too large to keep on my internal hard drives. 

...If you have outgrown the internal hard drive of your computer, you need to have a system similar to mine. ...  If that backup is stored in your home, you also need to have a separate backup that is stored away from your home.   It could be in a drawer at the office, in a safety deposit box or at the home of a friend or relative, but it needs to be in a different location than you desk. 

...To cut down on the expense, a device like the NewerTech Voyager that allows you to easily mount and use bare drives can save you lots of money--I calculate it at about $70 per case. 

...To do that, he would either need a case for the drive (notice the two drives to the far left in the photo above) or he would need a Voyager. 


...A combination of external drives in cases and a hard drive dock like the Voyager help you keep your data backed up and safe.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>New gear for my new iPhone</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPhone</category><dc:date>2009-06-25T07:04:56-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/new_gear_for_my_new_iphone.php#unique-entry-id-100</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/new_gear_for_my_new_iphone.php#unique-entry-id-100</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Since Apple did not change the form between the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS, and since my husband also bought one, we will be needing another external battery pack at our house! 

...I got a Mophie Juice Pack for the original iPhone, and I bought one for my iPhone 3G, but the differences in size and form of the newer iPhone mean we will want another external battery.


While external batteries for the iPhone can take many different forms, I have determined that I prefer batteries that can be attached to the iPhone without adding a lot of extra size. ...  It adds too much length for me to easily carry the iPhone with the battery attached in the side pocket of my purses.   I also think the connection might not be sturdy enough for me to leave the battery attached to my iPhone


...While I have really enjoyed my two Mophie JuicePacks (and my husband will continue to use my older one), I want to take some time to compare the prices, structure and battery capacity of several other possible choices.


...Since I am looking for an external battery that will also act as a case for my iPhone, I am looking at three different options:


...The difference in mAh is not enough to give it a clear advantage over the mophie juice pack air and I like the idea that I could buy a replacement for the top case if I lost it.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Printing from blogs and other long pages</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Printing</category><category>Safari</category><dc:date>2009-06-24T09:07:26-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/printing_from_blogs.php#unique-entry-id-99</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/printing_from_blogs.php#unique-entry-id-99</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Aunt Lee lives in California--and I am in Virginia, so we have used iChat screen sharing many times as I teach her more about her computer.


...In the case of Bakerella, there are often lots of photos along with a recipe, so we have only fixed half of the problem.   Printing out all of the photos along with the recipe would just be a waste of ink, so now we need to isolate the text.


...Whenever you see a button like this that points downward, click it and you will have a more detailed and much more useful dialog box:


In this one, you can scroll through the web page using the arrows under the preview to find just the part that you will want to print. ...  If you would like to print more than one page, simply erase the number in the &ldquo;to:&rdquo; box and enter the desired page number.


...While there are many other ways to print and save specific parts of a web page, this is probably the easiest method. ...  We use our special screen-sharing software to see your screen and we can even control your keyboard and mouse if you need an extra hand!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Interesting links 2009-06-17</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Interesting links</category><dc:date>2009-06-17T07:39:56-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Interesting_links_2009-06-17.php#unique-entry-id-98</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Interesting_links_2009-06-17.php#unique-entry-id-98</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If you ask that question to a friend, most people will say that they want to be able to surf the web to find information and do email.


I have noticed that several of the authors of blogs that I follow occasionally post interesting or useful links. ...  The links I provide will generally be to technical sites or to sites that I think will be of interest to a wide audience of readers. 


...He eats sensibly, watches his weight, exercises regularly and his medical tests were in the normal or very slightly elevated range. 

...I stood in line and had a lot of fun visiting with other early adopters.   Last year, I stood in line and bought my iPhone on day 1 again. ...  When I went to the Apple page to check my status and possibly order my iPhone instead of waiting in line, was disappointed to learn that I will need to wait until July 12 to buy my new iPhone without paying a penalty to replace my phone early. 

...If you have a first or second generation iPhone, you probably want to upgrade it soon after the iPhone 3.0 software is released. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Is your Internet connection down? Part 2</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Internet</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2009-05-28T06:58:13-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Internet_connection_down2.php#unique-entry-id-96</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Internet_connection_down2.php#unique-entry-id-96</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Some of them eventually bought wireless set-ups of their own and they were stunned by the difficulties in setting up their new routers while my AirPort made the task so easy. 


...The problem was that all of us were using the &ldquo;automatic&rdquo; mode to choose which channel our wireless networks would use. 

...So, if you are experiencing lots of dropouts, the first thing to do is change your channel to something other than 6. ...  If you live in a neighborhood with several other wireless networks in your range, it is probable that you are experiencing interference with other nearby networks.


So let&rsquo;s take a look at AP Grapher, a free utility that can tell you about some of the networks in your neighborhood.


...That is my AirPort Express that we use to extend the range of our network, so it is not a problem. 

...Click on the button beside Channel and choose a channel that is not is use by other wireless networks around you. 

...If you live in an area will lots of wireless networks, it would probably be helpful to plan a neighborhood meeting of wireless network owners to discuss this information and to choose wireless channels for the least interference among neighbors.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Is your Internet connection down? Part 1</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Internet</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2009-05-25T07:53:56-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Internet_connection_down.php#unique-entry-id-95</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Internet_connection_down.php#unique-entry-id-95</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[And, more than likely it is not the fault of your AirPort (if you have one). 

...If you were on the Internet a few minutes ago (or yesterday), the same settings on your computer will probably get you back on the Internet tomorrow. ...  You have just hit a slight snag, and diagnosing the problem and fixing it are best left up to the tools and utilities hidden away in your computer.


...If it happens only occasionally (once every few months), don&rsquo;t worry about it--just  close the window and continue on.


...They might need to do as little send a refresh signal over the network to your modem, but more than likely, there is a problem out at the street. 

...In my case, I turned the AirPort setting off in my menu bar, so choosing the AirPort and clicking the Continue button brought up this screen:


...At this point, choose Always Allow and Network Diagnostics will make sure your settings in Keychain Access are correct and up to date.   The next screen will be the one that tells you that you are back on the Internet and things are working correctly.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Capturing YouTube Videos</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Internet</category><dc:date>2009-04-18T06:25:53-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Capturing_YouTube_Videos.php#unique-entry-id-94</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Capturing_YouTube_Videos.php#unique-entry-id-94</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Let&rsquo;s take a look at the process of capturing a video and converting it to a video file on your Mac.


...If the video has not been set to auto-play, you will need to click the play button (usually an arrow or triangle pointing to the right). 

...You can access and change the CosmoPod preferences at any time by going to the Window menu in Safari and selecting CosmoPod.


...(When that window is visible you can drag videos that are already on your hard drive into the window to convert them.)


...While any of these will play on the AppleTV or your computer screen, larger files show at better quality when they are specifically saved for AppleTV.


...While you might want to use a lesser quality such as MPEG-4 if you do not have much space on an iPod or iPhone or if you want to put the file on a device that does not support H.264, you will be much happier with the file if you use a higher-quality codec.


...When a video or audio file is saved to your hard drive, it is not necessarily available to iTunes. 

...So, it would be a good idea to place a check in the last box above so that you can save space on your hard drive. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Keep your MacBook and MacBook Pro batteries happy and healthy</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>Portable computers</category><dc:date>2009-04-29T06:47:04-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Keep_your_MacBook_and_MacBook_Pro_batteries_happy_and_healthy.php#unique-entry-id-92</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Keep_your_MacBook_and_MacBook_Pro_batteries_happy_and_healthy.php#unique-entry-id-92</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[During some days I found myself eeking the last bits of energy out of my battery, so I have learned ways to stretch battery life to its fullest potential.


...This change can make a huge difference in battery life and your tolerance for the dimming of the screen will increase over time. 

...Turn AirPort off &ndash; While I seldom turn my AirPort off when I am home, I keep it off when I am away from home, both for computer security and to increase battery life. 

...The energy savings is not nearly so dramatic as dimming the screen, but it will give you more than a few minutes in energy savings. 

...If the drive is not present, battery power is wasted as your attempts to find the drive, so suspending Time Machine stops that activity.   The act of backing up uses quite a few system resources, so if you cannot plug the computer in, temporarily turning the backup off will save battery power. 

...Unplug iPods and iPhones &ndash; Plugging in an iPhone or iPod uses the computer battery to recharge the device battery, so unless you need to steal some energy, have your devices stand on their own!


...The default setting suggested by Apple are probably optimal for most uses, but to make your battery last even longer, lower the settings for computer and display sleep. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Taking iPhone Screenshots</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPhone</category><category>iPod Touch</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-03-25T08:40:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Taking_iPhone_Screenshots.php#unique-entry-id-90</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Taking_iPhone_Screenshots.php#unique-entry-id-90</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There are lots of iPhone screenshots appearing on the web these days!   It seems as though everyone wants to know about the changes coming in the iPhone 3.0 software.


...Mac Consulting clients sent me a tweet :


The ability to make screenshots was added in the iPhone 2.0 software. 

...Go to the screen you want to use for your image.


Hold down the Home button and then press and release the Sleep/Wake button.   The screen will flash to let you know that the screenshot was taken.


Use the Home button to navigate to your Photos Button and choose it.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Creating and editing PDF files</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2009-03-22T21:59:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Creating_and_editing_PDF_files.php#unique-entry-id-89</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Creating_and_editing_PDF_files.php#unique-entry-id-89</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Let&rsquo;s take a look at how that information  would look if I used the File > Print > PDF > Save as PDF&hellip; command:


...The links in the article are clickable and there is at least one that will lead me back to the article on the Macworld site so that I can pass the link on to other people.


...Did you know that you can make text appear larger or smaller on a web page by using  commands that appear in the View Menu?


...In Safari 4, you can either make the entire page larger or smaller using either the menu or keyboard shortcuts or you can use the View menu to make the text larger.


...Adobe Acrobat is very full featured and can do many things, but for this project, we want to two documents together, make a few notes and highlight a few passages without spending any money.


You can do all of that and more using Preview which is a part of the software that came with your Macintosh--in other words, for free!


...Right now there does not appear to be any tools that will allow us to make notes and highlights in Preview, but a trip to the View menu will solve that problem!


...Now that we have easy access to some tools, take a look at some of the things I did to my Derrick Story pdf:
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Windows switcher or Mac virgin?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Finder</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-03-18T08:17:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Windows_switcher_or_Mac_Virgin.php#unique-entry-id-88</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/Windows_switcher_or_Mac_Virgin.php#unique-entry-id-88</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One of the effects of my being a consultant with Bob LeVitus Consulting is that I get a window into the habits of Mac users that most writers never see.


...When visually looking at your iCal in monthly view, the appointments hug the left side of the date box and (it) is confusing as the date next to the text is the previous day.   I can't begin to count the mistakes I had made by looking at appointment and seeing the date next to it (date is right justified).   Is there some setting that can either move date to right or appointments to the left. 

...When I take a look at my calendar, it is difficult to see the problem:


...In his view, it would be much easier to associate the list of events with the previous day.   In mine, the date is right over the events for the day and the number is in its traditional place on a desk calendar.


...Perhaps a look at the differences between the screen habits of Windows users and Mac users might be more helpful.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>New MacBook Pro - Two Week Report</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2009-03-10T16:48:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/new_MacBook_Pro_2_weeks.php#unique-entry-id-87</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/new_MacBook_Pro_2_weeks.php#unique-entry-id-87</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s hard to believe that I have owned my new MacBook Pro 17&rdquo; for over two weeks now. 

...While I had enjoyed several smaller laptops, I was no longer on the road doing Macintosh training and consulting and I wanted a bigger screen since I tend to work all around my home instead of just at my desk in my office. 


...Just in case I ever want things to appear a bit larger, switching to the 1600x1200 resolution also keeps the screen crisp and sharp, as long as I do not switch to the stretched mode. 


...When I go outside, the 100% brightness makes it easy to work in bright sunshine as long as the sun is not reflecting directly on the screen.


...While $300 is a bit of extra money, I knew that between my using this computer for about two years and then passing it down to my husband, we would appreciate every bit of extra power in the later years of using this computer.


...I found that I could buy after-market RAM for about $330.00 less, but it is not in my budget right now. 

...I paid to have the hard drive upgraded on my previous MacBook Pro, and I also did it on this one. 

... While I was accustomed  to the similar-style keyboard on my iMac, I had a bit of trouble getting used to this keyboard. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Removing False Invaders</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Intermediate</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Finder</category><category>Networking</category><dc:date>2009-03-09T17:58:03-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/removing_false_invaders.php#unique-entry-id-86</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/removing_false_invaders.php#unique-entry-id-86</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In my previous blog post I answered a question from a Doctor Mac client regarding strange icons that appear in the Sharing section of the sidebar in Finder windows. 


...I thought about it, but I had spent several days on that post and it was time to get it online. 

...Although I had been able to remove the icons from my sidebar, I had not documented the process, so the answer had to wait until I had time to get down to some serious work! 


...If this was going to work, I should be able to turn File Sharing back on and the strange icon should not reappear:


...	&bull;	When File Sharing is begun on a computer, other Macs on the network will see it in the Sharing area of their sidebar. 


...	&bull;	If an Ethernet cable is used for sharing files while AirPort file sharing is enabled, a second icon with the MAC address of the CPU will appear.


	&bull;	Once that icon has appeared, there is no way to turn it off (make it disappear) unless you disable file sharing. 

...	&bull;	If you later connect an Ethernet cable, the icon will reappear and you will need to turn off File Sharing again to make it disappear
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How to change the highlight color for text</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2009-03-02T14:36:23-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/change_highlight_color.php#unique-entry-id-85</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/change_highlight_color.php#unique-entry-id-85</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This is an older post but hopefully you may get this: I see in this post you say that the default for TextEdit's highlighting color for the Find function is yellow. 


Well, when I restore to default the color I get is this almost invisible pale blue-gray.   Which makes "finding" tend to involve lots of squinting and hunching and glaring at my page. 

...We have had very little snow in the Washington DC area in the past few years, so many of us are loving our cold snowy day!


...In fact, it is one of the first customizations that I make to my computer.


...You can also click the System Preference icon if it is your dock.


...There are lots of methods to deal with color, but the crayon box is probably the most straight-forward.  

...Now, you can have a color that is easy to see!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Who is invading my computer?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Intermediate</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Networking</category><category>Finder</category><dc:date>2009-03-07T19:28:35-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/who_is_invading.php#unique-entry-id-84</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/who_is_invading.php#unique-entry-id-84</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I use them as a place to store extra files so that I can access them from my other computers, so I need to use File Sharing.


...That address is used to identify your computer when it is connected to the Internet or to a computer network by Ethernet, by Bluetooth or by FireWire.   However, when your computer is connected to the Internet or a network using its AirPort card (WiFi), it displays the MAC address of that card. ...  If you have a Mac Pro with an extra Ethernet card in a PCI slot, then you would have a third MAC address for your computer.   If you have a MacBook Pro and you have a wireless card in the Express Card slot, then you will have an additional MAC address associated with your computer.


Since I do not have a Mac Pro with an extra Ethernet card and I do not have an additional wireless card in the Express Card slot of my MacBook Pro, I cannot show you how to access those MAC addresses.   But I can show you how to find out the MAC addresses of your computer and your AirPort card.


...If you have problems on your network or if you would like to have the experts at Bob LeVitus Consulting assess your network security, give us a call at 408 627-7577 or send an email to urgentrequest@boblevitus.com. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>New MacBook Pro 17&#x22; First Thoughts</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2009-02-24T09:09:57-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/new_macbook_pro_first_thoughts.php#unique-entry-id-83</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/new_macbook_pro_first_thoughts.php#unique-entry-id-83</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[However, my last backup with SuperDuper was not yet finished, so I had a slight wait before I could really do much with my new computer.


Apple has built some really wonderful migration tools into the operating system and while I frequently suggest using them, I knew that I really needed to make a fresh start with this computer!


...While adding a larger hard drive to my older MacBook Pro would have been a useful stop-gap measure, I had decided to limp along with my old hard drive. 

...Since I also needed to be able to work with clients, I had decided to use the automatic migration assistant to move the files from my OWC portable hard drive that I had copied using SuperDuper.


...I quickly decided that I would simply create an account on my new computer and then I would drag the files from my cloned drive to it. 

...I had planned to be ready to head to the Apple Store this morning to have one of the USB ports fixed and to have Apple take a look at a problem with run-away scrolling that occurs frequently.


...I am sitting with a window behind me now and I have to move my head to find my reflection in the screen.


...I will be ready to turn on Time Machine and I will be ready to reformat the drive in my old computer to pass it on to my husband.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Time for a new Mac?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-02-20T06:38:21-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/time_for_new_mac.php#unique-entry-id-82</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/time_for_new_mac.php#unique-entry-id-82</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It wasn&rsquo;t that many years ago when a computer was a nicety instead of a necessity. 

...	&bull;	We read one local newspaper that appeared on our doorstep instead of reading articles from many on Google News or Drudge Report.


...	&bull;	We had a stack of telephone books to find local businesses instead of doing a quick search on YellowPages.com


	&bull;	We collected catalogs from Sears, Penny&rsquo;s and Wards to find items that were not available locally instead of using Amazon.com or one of the hundreds of online shopping sites we use today.


	&bull;	We had to wait to have a houseful of friends over to play cards instead of playing bridge round-the clock at BridgeBase.com.


...Most clients that I work with have several computers for their family, even if they are a family of one!


...	&bull;	Sometimes there is a hardware failure and it is foolish to replace the failed hard drive or CD drive because the computer is so old. 


...	&bull;	Sometimes the hard drive is too small, the RAM too little, and the processor is too slow to make the computer useful.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Need an Editor? You Have One - Part 2</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Word Processing</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-02-12T21:12:50-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/need_editor_2.php#unique-entry-id-80</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/need_editor_2.php#unique-entry-id-80</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In the last blog post I discussed Services, a technology that allows applications to interact to share common dictionaries and tasks.   While that post dealt with grammar and spell checking turned on through the Preferences in TextEdit, there are far more Services that can be shared between applications.


...Just what appears in that menu will depend first, on the applications that you have installed and second, on the capabilities that are available in the application that you are using. 

...Although the choices are shown, none are available in applications that were written for Mac OS 8 or 9. 


...To use it, just select some text and then go to the Services menu and select Speech > Start Speaking Text.


...Although your computer will make a few pronunciation errors, the speech is clear enough for you to hear errors such as using the word &ldquo;the&rdquo; when you needed the word &ldquo;they.&rdquo;  

...I often go back for a second or third read-through to catch more subtle errors. ...  I don&rsquo;t have to rely on someone else to read my articles and I can use my editing friend any time I need a hand!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Need an Editor? You Have One - Part 1</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Word Processing</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-02-12T19:43:25-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/need_editor_1.php#unique-entry-id-79</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/need_editor_1.php#unique-entry-id-79</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While some of the comments have been about correct word usage, other comments have been wishes for someone to be an instant editor--always available to do a quick check of what has been written.


...Now, they are all off on their own and I can&rsquo;t for them to come home to read my writings. 

...Even though it will work on even the latest Intel-based computers running Mac OSX 10.5, it will never be able to take advantage of parts of Mac OS X such as Services.


...Because I have checked the box for TextEdit to check spelling as I type and to check grammar along with spelling, those same capabilities  show up in RapidWeaver, the application I use to write this blog.


...And, if you pause with the cursor placed over the word (but not holding down any keys), you will see a pop-up with the explanation of the error after a few seconds


...You will see that when I have typed the same word (of)  twice in a row, the second occurrence will be underlined.


While the spell checking is much more accurate, it is possible to introduce incorrect spellings by choosing Learn Spelling when a word is incorrectly spelled.


...While these editing tools may not work in all applications, you can take advantage of them by using  TextEdit to do basic composition and then finish your final formatting by copying and pasting the text into a different application.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Is Your Mac Slow? - Old Programs?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2009-02-12T09:29:21-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/is_your_Mac_slow.php#unique-entry-id-78</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/is_your_Mac_slow.php#unique-entry-id-78</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While there are many things that can cause your Mac to run slowly, this blog entry is aimed at users who have migrated from earlier Macs.


...When they purchase a new computer, they use the Migration Assistant that appears as a part of the set-up process to move their older files and applications to their new computer.


...However, it does bring older programs with it, and if you have one of the newer Intel Macintoshes, you may be running applications that cause your computer to use Rosetta.


...Just storing older programs on your computer&rsquo;s hard drive does not slow your computer down but when they are running, you may find that your computer is slower.


...If you see PowerPC in the list, you are running an application that is using Rosetta so that it will work on your computer. 

...If you would like to see all the applications that are on your computer and see whether they are Intel, Universal or PowerPC, you can use the System Profiler.


...Others will make a new application based on the old one, but with so many new features that they will give it a new name. 

...Keeping your applications up-to-date may help your computer run faster when you are using them and it will make sure that bugs that have been discovered in applications are eliminated.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Do You Know about the Control Key in iPhoto?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>iPhoto</category><category>Digtial Photography</category><dc:date>2009-02-10T11:11:25-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/control_key_in_iphoto.php#unique-entry-id-77</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/control_key_in_iphoto.php#unique-entry-id-77</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[However, it is also a great time to review features that you may have missed or forgotten about.


...I am excited by the updates to the Edit features and because I am looking through photos that I may not have viewed in a long time, I am finding photos that I want to print out, edit, and even add to my web pages.


One of the iPhoto features that many users may not be aware of is the ability to edit photos in different picture editing program simply by selecting the photo and then clicking the Edit button in the toolbar at the bottom of the iPhoto window.


...While there are some times that I want to use an external editor, there are probably more times that I would prefer to use the editing tools in iPhoto since they are fast to use and very powerful in the later releases of iPhoto.


...That Control key is very powerful in iPhoto and it acts differently, depending on where you are in the iPhoto. ...  The first time that you use the Control key in iPhoto, you may see the spinning beach ball for at least a few seconds. 

...Probably the best feature is that I can go back to the iPhoto preferences to  change the setting for Edit back to the editing in the Main window, but I can still get to my external editor quickly and easily.


While the Control pop-up looks like the above picture when you are looking at a group of pictures, it will have different commands when you use it in other locations.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Did They Tell You About the Option Key?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-02-03T13:50:58-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/option_key.php#unique-entry-id-76</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/option_key.php#unique-entry-id-76</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It sits in the bottom row of keys, but it doesn&rsquo;t say Magic. 

...While this little key sits quitely between the Control and Command keys, you may not have discovered its hidden powers.


For example, if you want to quit an application, you can click and hold on its icon in the dock. 

...If you hold down the option key, you will see that Force Quit has replaced Quit:


Another example is the AirPort icon in the Menu Bar.   With the Option key held down, you get information about the wireless network you are using:


...These changes even take place in the menus of the Finder and some applications:


...You may be surprised at the options that are available using this key!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Finding things near you with Google</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Internet</category><category>Safari</category><dc:date>2009-01-31T22:31:27-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/finding_with_google.php#unique-entry-id-75</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/finding_with_google.php#unique-entry-id-75</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Do you know where the nearest Starbucks is?   I don&rsquo;t -- I am not a coffee drinker, but when out of town friends arrive, that is a frequent question.


To find out where a particular store or restaurant is located near you, type in its name and your zip code.   Google will return a map the addresses of locations near you, and even telephone numbers.


How&rsquo;s that for a neat trick?


--Pat]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Paragraphs&#x2c; Tabs and Lists</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Word Processing</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-01-31T09:54:57-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/paragraphs_tabs_lists.php#unique-entry-id-74</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/paragraphs_tabs_lists.php#unique-entry-id-74</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Since the tools for paragraph setup in Pages are a bit different from those in TextEdit, let&rsquo;s take a look at the tools in Pages.   In the coming weeks I will try to do blog entries about the process in Microsoft Word and even AppleWorks.


...Notice that while the Right Margin tool is pretty simple, there must be more to that Left Margin tool.


Before we go any further and I forget to mention the Tab tool, lets take a look at it. 

...Sometimes you will want to inset a section of text so that it has larger margins than the rest of the text.   To do that, drag the entire Left Margin tool to the right and the Right Margin tool to the left.


...In that case you will leave the top rectangle at the left margin and drag the triangle to the right.


...If you would like to learn more about word processing with whatever application you use, think about setting up a one hour tutoring session with us at Bob LeVitus Consulting. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>When is it time to reformat a hard drive?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2009-01-30T13:28:19-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/time_to_reformat.php#unique-entry-id-73</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/time_to_reformat.php#unique-entry-id-73</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The back story of his troubles at Macworld involve a hard drive that developed some catalog errors that could not be fixed with Apple&rsquo;s Disk Utility.


...While parts of the hard drive&rsquo;s file catalog might be working, the data stored in a particular area can be &ldquo;messed up.&rdquo;


...So, third party companies have stepped in and made some very powerful (and expensive) tools to fix the problems that Disk Utility cannot fix.


...My mechanic will patch the inner tube if he does not have a new tube, but he warns about driving with a patched inner tube. 

...While Apple&rsquo;s Disk Utility can fix smaller (but important) issues and while some Apple Store Genius Bar personnel may suggest and advanced utility, the usual recommendation is to back up the drive and reformat it.


Programs like Alsoft Disk Warrior and Micromat TechTool Pro are, in essence, like the patches that can be applied to an inner tube. 

...Then, when you run into a problem, you will have the tools needed to do one last backup and then reformat your hard drive.


...We can even help you attempt to recover data from a failed drive or we can help you get your drive to the professionals at DriveSavers (and get you a discount too). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Griffin Technology 25&#x25; Discount</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>iPhone</category><category>iPod</category><dc:date>2009-01-07T16:06:54-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/griffin_technology_discount.php#unique-entry-id-72</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/griffin_technology_discount.php#unique-entry-id-72</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Since I am not at Macworld this year, I am really missing my annual trip to their booth to look for new items and to take advantage of their special show pricing. 

...I did a bit of shopping on the Griffin web site before the holidays, so there are a few products I want to tell you about!


...However, sometimes the volume is not quite loud enough and when I am away from my desk, I am always on the move and my speakers are always in the wrong place. 

...There are simply too many other toys on my list of wants and since I work from home, I just don&rsquo;t spend that much time in my car. 


...In addition to charging my iPhone and playing  it though my car&rsquo;s radio, this little device will let me control my iPhone with buttons on the back of the charger while displaying the song titles on my RDS stereo! 


Although I live in the suburbs of Washington DC, I have not had any difficulty finding empty FM channels at the lowest and highest ends of the FM spectrum with Griffin products.   Although the sound is not as good as my husband&rsquo;s new stereo that routes the iPhone sound directly to his speakers, the Griffin FM transmitters are the best I have found. 

...Since this discount was offered to readers of Twitter, you might want to set up an account and follow griffintech I have taken the pictures used in this post from the Griffin web site.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Bee Docs timline 3D sale</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Digtial Photography</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><dc:date>2009-01-07T10:15:10-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/bee_docs_timeline_3d.php#unique-entry-id-71</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/bee_docs_timeline_3d.php#unique-entry-id-71</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I find this very useful in my project of getting all of our family photos and mementos in order.   Many of our early family photos have no dates on them and most are in boxes instead of albums, so as I sort new ones, I find myself adding lots of dates to my timeline.


...I have considered adding photos to it, but that will probably not work -- it runs the WRONG way--and the passage of time does not display correctly.


...I received a Twitter message this morning about a new application, Bee Docs timeline 3D, that is being sold for less than half price.   I visited the Web site, and I must say, I am impressed by what I learned about timeline 3D. ...  I also found some excellent video tutorials on the site, including one by my friend, Don McAllister,  of ScreencastsOnline.


...It is being offered for $30 instead of $65, making it even cheaper than the $40 Standard version.   Be sure to check out this offer if you want a new way to organize and display event--it will even output files to Keynote, the iPhone and iPods.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Macworld Bargains</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2009-01-07T09:36:24-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/macworld_bargains.php#unique-entry-id-70</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/macworld_bargains.php#unique-entry-id-70</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I am at home, cuddled in warm clothes, recovering from the first cold I have had in two years. 

...It&rsquo;s not just about missing the keynote and the Apple booth--in fact in the scope of Macworld, those are pretty minor. 

...I have many friends that I see only once each year, during the week of Macworld.   I  follow many of them on Twitter, but it&rsquo;s not the same as getting to see them at Macworld. 


Because of my work, Macworld is the fastest and cheapest way to learn about new products, software and techniques. ...  As I look for new products, holding them and trying them out is the easiest at Macworld. 

...Am keeping up with every tweet, blog and Mac news Web site possible to find out about the discounts being given during Macworld this week.   I plan to write about products that catch my eye and those that are offered at a significant discount.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Big Words and the Mac Community</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPhone</category><category>iPod Touch</category><dc:date>2008-12-20T06:42:57-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/fdec52235603dc2ba0a39150121cbd84-69.php#unique-entry-id-69</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/fdec52235603dc2ba0a39150121cbd84-69.php#unique-entry-id-69</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As I look around the world of Apple users, it is very apparent we are not just people who use Macintosh computers, iPods and iPhones. 


...When I found out that one of the hosts of that program lived in my area, we invited him to do a presentation for our user group--and then I was invited to &ldquo;appear&rdquo; on the program. 

...He envisioned an application that would allow the user to display a visual message that would be large enough to be seen across a room.


Now, Tim is not a programmer, but he is a member of this Macintosh community and members of our community have helped him turn his idea for Big Words into a reality.


...I am sure many of them have never met in person, but together they have turned his idea into a reality.


To learn more about Big Words, read Tim&rsquo;s column on MyMac.com or check out this story on AppMinute. ...  Now that Big Words has been released, I am sure Tim will talk about it on his next podcast. 


Big Words is now on my iPhone and I am sure I will find myself using it to send messages in a crowd or across a room.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Email Returned? Need to send the same message to multiple people?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Email</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Mail</category><dc:date>2008-12-03T18:55:44-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/email%20returned.php#unique-entry-id-67</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/email%20returned.php#unique-entry-id-67</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[You compose an email and send it out--and then suddenly you get a message like this one in your mailbox:


So now you have to go to your Sent mailbox, open the message,  copy the message body into a new message, then copy the Subject into the subject line, then you have to use a different address--Right?


...Instead, locate the message in your Sent mail, highlight it, and then go to the Message menu and choose the Send Again command:


Instead of a blank message, you have the old one, looking just as it did before you pressed the Send button.   Delete the bad address and enter the new one--and send it on its way!


This command can also be used to send the same message to multiple people without having to resort to blind carbon copies (these are sometimes intercepted as SPAM) or adding everyone&rsquo;s email address to a message and suffering the wrath of friends and family who are upset that you gave unknown people their email address.


...It takes just a second to send the same message to multiple people.


If you send your holiday message via email, this method will make your message &ldquo;look&rdquo; more personal.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Christmas Cards Addressed?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Address Book</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><dc:date>2008-12-02T16:41:23-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/christmas_cards_addressed.php#unique-entry-id-66</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/christmas_cards_addressed.php#unique-entry-id-66</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Getting ready to send out the cards can be a lot easier if you spend some time getting ready, then use your computer and printer to streamline the process.


...If you have an earlier list, you may want to select that list, then select all the members of the group and drag them to the new list. 


Of course, if someone is off the list and you need to eliminate them, just select them in the group and press the Delete key. 

...When your data is cleaned and your list is complete, it is time to print the envelopes or address labels.


...Once you learn how to load the envelopes in your printer, record the information on a label and attach it to an inconspicuous spot on your printer for next time!


...Ink jet printers and laser printers require different glue formulations to adhere properly, so be sure to check the package to make sure it is appropriate for your printer type. 


...In addition to fixing computers that just aren&rsquo;t working the way they should, we at Bob LeVitus Consulting help our clients with tasks such as getting Address Book files in order and setting up holiday envelopes and letters. ...  Give us a call at 408 627-7577, send us a note at urgentrequest@boblevitus.com or fill out the form on our web page and we can discuss giving you a hand!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How to indent paragraphs</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Word Processing</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2008-11-06T03:16:54-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/how_to_indent_paragraphs.php#unique-entry-id-65</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/how_to_indent_paragraphs.php#unique-entry-id-65</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[However, most of us use the same procedures that we used way back then to format our writing on a computer!


...If you have just a bit to say, you can use larger borders, fonts that use more horizontal and vertical space, and even more space between paragraphs to make the document more pleasing to the eye.


If your words occupy just a small space on the second page, it might be better to have smaller margins, use a font that uses less horizontal and vertical space, or use a different paragraph scheme to squeeze those last few words on to one page.


If you make formatting decisions at the end of the writing process, it will take less time and effort to make your documents look &ldquo;good.&rdquo;


...What number you choose is really up to you and the amount of space that is pleasing to your eye--or the space that you need to fill.


...If I have only one or two lines on the last page, I will choose to either decrease the size of the text or I will choose a different font that is slightly narrower.    If there is more text on the last page, I will try to make it fill at least half of the page by increasing paragraph spacing or increasing the text size or choosing a font that is larger.


...If you prefer to use an indent at the beginning of a paragraph, you should select all of the text, and then use the icons on the ruler. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Where&#x2c; oh where did my icons go? - Part 1</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Finder</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2008-10-23T07:19:25-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/c6c339befeab9877a13eee63c72da6ea-61.php#unique-entry-id-61</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/c6c339befeab9877a13eee63c72da6ea-61.php#unique-entry-id-61</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I do my best and most consistent blogging if I write my entry before I begin my day.   This morning I was reading the latest TidBITS Talk messages and today&rsquo;s topic was the question posed in the first message I read:


I have been asked that same question several times in the past few days, so I know some of you probably have had the same problem.   And even if you knew the answer, it is pretty easy to forget some of the tiniest details of the Mac OS X interface.


Do you see that tiny little &ldquo;jellybean&rdquo; in the upper right corner of the window above? ...  Click it and the toolbar is gone &ndash; just gone! ...  But if it has been a while since you accidentally clicked that jelly bean, it can sure make simple tasks difficult!


Of course, not every window has a toolbar at the top. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Did you know iCal could do this?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>iCal</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><dc:date>2008-10-22T10:42:53-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/9f85b4964b9050a5b767f30a2e0d07b9-60.php#unique-entry-id-60</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/9f85b4964b9050a5b767f30a2e0d07b9-60.php#unique-entry-id-60</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It works by typing in a few letters that are in the title of the event into the search area at the top of the iCal window. 

...Then any calendars that are checked in the list of calendars will be shown in a list form at the bottom of the calendar.


Now that you have a list, you can sort them by calendar, date, type or title by clicking the desired column header in the list view. 


...For example, if you wanted the events to be in date order, sorted by calendar, you would first do a sort by date, then click the calendar header to apply the next sort. 


...If you want to select a group of events that appear next to each other, select the first event, then hold down the Shift key and click the last event you want to choose. 

...If you want to select multiple events that are not contiguous (in a row), select the first event, hold the Command key and select more events. 

...When you have selected the desired events, you can copy them using Command-C or by going to the menu Edit > Copy. 

...If you would like to learn even more about iCal or other programs on your computer or iPhone, why not schedule a tutoring session with us at Bob LeVitus Consulting? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Making sense out of SMS or text messages</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Address Book</category><category>Email</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>iPhone</category><dc:date>2008-10-21T08:16:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/92b2f99ffc4b4eee4d2e7da5cf1274f7-59.php#unique-entry-id-59</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/92b2f99ffc4b4eee4d2e7da5cf1274f7-59.php#unique-entry-id-59</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Okay &ndash; I will admit it &ndash; I am not a member of the under 20 crowd, I am not a member of the under 30 crowd, I am not a member of the under 40 crowd. 

...My five children fall into some of those age groups, and they are much more likely to embrace new technologies a bit more quickly than I do. 

...Everyone under 30 seems to just get it, and those over 50 probably need a little help in figuring this one out.


...Of course, this would be much easier to handle through an email, but we don&rsquo;t always have our computers handy.


So, let&rsquo;s see how it would go if I could simply send a quick message in a text format that Bob could receive on his cell phone.


...If I do not catch the ring, or if my iPhone is in the vibrate mode, just tapping the On button will cause them to appear.


...While not all cell phones can receive SMS messages, it is estimated that 74% of all cell phones can send and receive them. 


...If it involves a Macintosh or an iPhone, we can help you troubleshoot problems or teach you how to do something new. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>iPhone Battery - Getting the most out of a charge</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>iPhone</category><dc:date>2008-11-07T10:16:33-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/iphone_getting_the_most_out_of_charge.php#unique-entry-id-58</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/iphone_getting_the_most_out_of_charge.php#unique-entry-id-58</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Although each successive version of the iPhone software has caused the battery to go longer between charges, I quickly found that some power management techniques would go a long way in assuring I had enough battery life to not worry about my iPhone going dead. 


...I leave the Wi-Fi on when I am at home, but when I put my iPhone in my purse, I take a second to turn it off. 

...While one of the coolest features of the iPhone is it&rsquo;s ability to have exactly the same information on the iPhone and one or more computers at exactly the same time, having your iPhone set to frequently send and look for new data means that it is frequently pinging the MobileMe server. 

...I have my computers set to automatically send data to MobileMe as I make changes in my calendar and address book. 

...When the Fetch setting is off, it simply means that in order for new email to come to my iPhone, I must open the Mail application, It means that my address book and calendar are not updated until I open Calendar and Contacts on my iPhone. 


...When I open Contacts, any recent changes made to my Address Book on my computer are downloaded and any changes made on my iPhone are sent to MobileMe and synched to my computer the next time it syncs.   When I open the calendar, any new events or event changes made on my computer are added or updated on my iPhone and any changes made on my iPhone are sent to MobileMe and the next time my computers sync with MobileMe, those changes are made on my computer.


...If I am at home and my iPhone is sitting on it&rsquo;s charger, I probably don&rsquo;t have many features turned off. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What do you keep under your MacBook?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><category>Portable computers</category><dc:date>2008-09-22T20:15:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/752b8be1bffa34de2e6d9ad3c57acf06-57.php#unique-entry-id-57</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/752b8be1bffa34de2e6d9ad3c57acf06-57.php#unique-entry-id-57</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Recently I have taken part in several online discussions about MacBooks and MacBook Pros and just what to set them on. 


In each discussion, various objects and surfaces have been suggested as the perfect thing to keep under a portable computer. 

...One gentleman suggested placing the computer directly on a wooden desk and rationalized that the desktop would act as a heat sink.   Another woman said she uses her MacBook sleeve, made out of wetsuit material, to protect her legs from the heat. 

...The laptop sleeve is also a bad idea because not only does it impede air flow, but it may also block the airflow vents and the book is equally bad, once again because there is no airflow under the computer.


...In fact, one of my daughters had two hard drives that failed in her MacBook in less than two years. 

...In fact, I buy one for every member of our family when they get a MacBook or MacBook Pro. 

...The height of the unit can be changed by adding or removing risers and it is even possible to use the CoolPad &ldquo;backwards for a negative keyboard tilt.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>iPhone and iPod Touch - How to update an application</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>iPod Touch</category><category>iTunes</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>iPhone</category><dc:date>2008-09-22T22:33:20-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/ace72b88207c04a211b734f2a2a102d6-56.php#unique-entry-id-56</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/ace72b88207c04a211b734f2a2a102d6-56.php#unique-entry-id-56</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There is a bug, either in the software for the iPhone or in iTunes that may cause applications on the iPhone not to update properly.   I started to write this post several weeks ago, but decided to wait until the iPhone 2.1 software update was released to see if it fixed the problem. 

...First just how can you tell when you have an application on your iPhone that needs to be updated? 

...Clicking on &ldquo;Applications&rdquo; will show you a list of the applications that are in the iTunes Library on your computer:


To see the updates that are available for your computer, click on &ldquo;Check for Updates&rdquo; in the lower right corner of the window:


...As it begins its sync you will notice that the Applications Pane will be set to download only selected applications to your iPhone and that the applications that you removed from your iPhone will be un-checked:


...Then it is time to click the &ldquo;Apply&rdquo; button in the lower right corner of the screen so that the updated applications will be moved to your iPhone.


This is a bug that I hope Apple will fix in the near future, but this method will help you keep your iPhone applications up-to-date.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Just where have I been?????</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2008-09-10T13:49:15-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/d758951ae91bf37df1c8561f3c820f34-55.php#unique-entry-id-55</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/d758951ae91bf37df1c8561f3c820f34-55.php#unique-entry-id-55</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Actually, I went out to California to spend a week with my husband who was on a long assignment for work. 

...However, due to mechanical difficulties, the plane was cancelled and I spent several long hours while the airline arranged a hotel and flight back to DC for the next day.


...He had been rushed there and subsequently into surgery to have a stent placed after having a heart attack while I was flying home.   I was panicked until I realized that he could not be too bad if I was talking to him on his cell phone, and he had answered it himself.


My plans suddenly changed and I flew back out to San Diego to spend another week there until the doctors determined that he had recovered enough to fly home.


...Having him home for a month has meant I have had lots of interruptions and there has been lots of extra things to do.   Although he is feeling very well, he is still distressed that his activity level is still curtailed, and is more than a little bored. ...  He was jogging 30 minutes a day before his heart attack, his cholesterol and blood pressure were in the normal range, but those 80+ hour work weeks were very stressful.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Taking notes from the web</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Internet</category><category>Safari</category><dc:date>2008-07-29T09:14:47-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a5dcfe6d5fe4ae97ec0a0894a52d6934-54.php#unique-entry-id-54</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a5dcfe6d5fe4ae97ec0a0894a52d6934-54.php#unique-entry-id-54</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I know that I spend far less time in the library looking for information--and I spend far less money and use far less space since I don&rsquo;t have to rely on photocopies to keep information.


...For example, if I go to a recipe site on the web I can use their tools to store my flies on their website. 

...Since I seek to run a paperless house, and since my Mac does such a great job of making files searchable, I might print a copy to use next to the stove, but I will print the recipe as a PDF file if I might want to use it again. 


...To do this, highlight the portion of the web page that you want, then move your cursor so that it is over text, wait about one second, click and hold the mouse button or trackpad button, then drag it from the web page to the page in Notebook (or a blank document in your word processor--even TextEdit!


As you can see in the screen shot above, I highlighted the portion of the recipe I wanted and then used Drag and Drop to move the selected text (and picture) into TextEdit. 

...While some people store many items as textClippings because they are so small, I tend to only use them as an intermediate step in producing some other document.


...I cannot make blog entries for every tutoring session I do, and you probably don&rsquo;t want to wait around for a blog entry to be published!


...While I am showing you how to do something on your computer, we will be taking screen shots so that you can remember what you learned!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How to add custom paper sizes</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>Printing</category><dc:date>2008-07-29T08:54:41-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/how_to_add_custom_paper_sizes.php#unique-entry-id-53</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/how_to_add_custom_paper_sizes.php#unique-entry-id-53</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If you did, you probably found that there are lots of papers and sizes that were listed, but your applications did not have them in their list.


...While I cannot fix that, I can tell you that there are a wide range of printers available for your use (often at a fee), and somewhere there is one that will accommodate each of those different sizes. 

...In the case of items that are small enough to fit through your printer, you can add custom items to the paper sizes using the Page Setup&hellip; command found under the File menu of most applications.


If the application does not have a Page Setup command, you can use another application to add the custom items.   In the case of Address Book, which does not have Page Setup&hellip;, custom items will appear in the Paper Size list after you have added them in another application.


...If you are working with a paper with a decorative border, be sure to measure those margins and enter them in the box to make sure your printer will not print over them.


...Now, each time you print, you will see your custom papers listed at the bottom of the Paper Size pop-up in the Print&hellip; dialog box. 

...While the custom sizes will be available in applications (such as Address Book) that do not have a Page Setup&hellip; command, you will need to use another application with that command to add additional custom sizes.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Just what size is it?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>Printing</category><category>Word Processing</category><dc:date>2008-07-28T07:21:23-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/just_what_size_is_it.php#unique-entry-id-52</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/just_what_size_is_it.php#unique-entry-id-52</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While I know that US letter paper is 8.5 x 11&rdquo;, and US Legal paper is 8.5 x 14&rdquo;, that is only the start of the sizes that can appear in a print dialog box.


...In Apple&rsquo;s Pages, while you will use the same command in the File menu, the printer you are using will cause changes in the Paper Size pop-up menu.


...A-9 - 5 3/4&rdquo; x 8 3/4&rdquo; - Use 5 1/2&rdquo; x 8 12&rdquo; enclosure


A-10 - 6" x 9 1/2" - Use 5 3/4&rdquo; x 9 1/4&rdquo; enclosure


...7 1/4 - 7 x 10" - use 6.75 x 9.5" enclosure 


...9 1/2 - 9 x 12" - use 8.75 x 11.5" enclosure


...9 3/4 - 8.75 x 11.25" - use 8.5 x 10.75" enclosure


10 1/2 - 9 x 12" - use 8.75 x 11.5" enclosure
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Computer Troubles or Power Problems?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2008-06-19T07:55:50-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/power_problems.php#unique-entry-id-49</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/power_problems.php#unique-entry-id-49</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At this time of the year, you don&rsquo;t get rain, much less thunder or lightning &ndash; but you very probably are having surges, spikes and brownouts as overloaded circuits are being re-directed around the power grid. 

...While I do have an APC UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) and I have added several new surge protectors, too much of my equipment is no longer plugged into that UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply).   In fact, only a couple of the hard drives, my iMac and the power supply for my MacBook Pro are plugged into it.   It looks like it is time to buy another UPS and to trace all of my power lines to make sure the most vulnerable equipment is plugged into a UPS. 

...It would be nice if I could shut down my computers systems gracefully while they are running off the battery, but we have very few &ldquo;real&rdquo; power outages and those often occur when I am not at home or asleep. 


...The natural inclination is to just plug a surge protector into one of the outlets of the UPS &ndash; DON&rsquo;T DO IT!  

...The first unit contains my two all-in one printers, my telephone and it is the place where I plug recharge things like cameras and iPods. 

...If you see signs that your circuits are overloaded in your computer area, a visit from a good electrician could help to solve some of your power issues.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Training&#x2c; Training&#x2c; Training</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>MaclevelTen</category><dc:date>2008-06-24T08:57:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/f70a24ccc1351550e5f88101e83942d2-48.php#unique-entry-id-48</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/f70a24ccc1351550e5f88101e83942d2-48.php#unique-entry-id-48</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I am always looking for ways to learn about new programs for my Macintosh, but I want the training to be reasonably priced.   While Apple provides training on Apple products in the stores and Lynda.com provides training on Apple and Adobe products, where do you go to find training on software and web services such as Evernote, TextExpander, and Fluid.   Even more difficult, were can you find information about how to expand the capabilities of your AppleTV with ATV Flash?


Don McAllister creates weekly videos on these programs and a lot more at ScreenCastsOnline. ...  While there is a free edition of his programs, the videos offered with a membership to ScreenCastsOnline offers so much more! 

...Even better, if you are a member, you get access to all of the older shows. 

...He is offering a 15% discount when you use the  coupon code SCOJUNE as you check out and pay. 

...Let us know what you would like to learn and we would be happy to schedule a session!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Rethinking Periodic Maintenance.</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Mac OS X 10.4&#x2c; Tiger</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2008-06-11T08:25:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/849e30ac790d4e9f5ca48d2f91a93fa7-47.php#unique-entry-id-47</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/849e30ac790d4e9f5ca48d2f91a93fa7-47.php#unique-entry-id-47</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The crew over at Macworld produce an outstanding web site and magazine and Dan Frakes, who joined the staff in recent years, is one of the people I regard as a true Mac expert.


...When Mac OS X 10.1 came out, we had to change the tasks we did in Mac OS 9, but without periodic maintenance, our computers just ran into problems.   With every Mac OS upgrade, the amount and type of maintenance required has changed as Apple has built more and more of the maintenance tasks into the daily running life of the Mac and coders have gotten better at writing routines that cause less damage to the operating system.


We have arrived at a time when I can say that those people who insist on periodic maintenance routines seem to have more problems than the people who respond to issues as they occur. 

...These programs will let you see when your computer's memory needs to refreshed with a restart, see when your computer is just busy instead of frozen, and see when background network activity may be causing your computer to be slow on the Internet.


...	◦	Be aware that long startup and shutdowns are probably a sign that your Macintosh is running a maintenance routine in the background. ...  Do not use the Disk Warrior CD that you bought for Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger on your computer that is running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.


...That list can get very long, causing extended startup times and since many of the items are hidden, you may be forgetting to keep them up-to-date.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The case for using TextEdit as your word processor&#x2c; Part 1</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Word Processing</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2008-06-05T23:18:09-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/beb167f8189c595aff09bff4e16d36d6-46.php#unique-entry-id-46</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/beb167f8189c595aff09bff4e16d36d6-46.php#unique-entry-id-46</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Newer products take advantage of the features built into Mac OS X such as the ability to search a document using Spotlight and to view a document in the finder without opening the application itself. 

...Actually, we do have a program, MacLinkPlus Deluxe that makes it pretty simple to translate earlier word processing formats, but at a price of $79.99 and with yearly updates, translating old files can get very expensive.


...If you have never considered it as your word processor, it is time for a fresh look at an almost forgotten but very powerful application that comes on every Macintosh sold. 

...Spelling and Grammar &ndash; Again, while the basics of this command have not changed, note that in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, the ability to check both spelling and grammar has been added. 

...Smart Links &ndash; Since many documents may never be printed and many contain web or email addresses, having the ability to make web and email addresses &lsquo;clickable&rsquo; is a very useful feature of TextEdit. 

...The Bigger and Smaller commands are very useful when you have completed a document and then find that you need to adjust the text to make it more visually pleasing. ...  The Bigger command can also be used to make a page more visually pleasing by slightly enlarging the text when there is just a line or two of blank space on the last page. 

...I can go back through that whole process, or I can select the title and then use the Copy Style command to have the computer remember all of those selections. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Aging eyes and tiny type on the web and in Safari</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Finder</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Internet</category><category>Safari</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><dc:date>2008-05-23T08:10:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/de5c44aa0d783a862dc4cf4cb72d425d-45.php#unique-entry-id-45</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/de5c44aa0d783a862dc4cf4cb72d425d-45.php#unique-entry-id-45</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[However, it increases the size of all of the text by the same percentage, in every case (except where the text is really not text, but instead it is a picture of text). 

...Apple should have made a way to make the change permanent, and there ought to be a way to just affect the smaller text without affecting the whole page!  

...While this change will not affect text size in a few instances, it will make text much easier to read most of the time!


By the way, there are a few more icons that I have added to my Safari toolbar using the View > Customize Toolbar command. 

...While you are in the Customize Toolbar window, you can add, remove, and change the order of the icons to best suit your needs.   Remember, you are a Macintosh owner and Apple gives you many opportunities to make your computer look and act just the way you want it to.


One of the things that we at Bob LeVitus Consulting can do is to help you make your computer easier to use if your eyesight is not as good as it used to be. 

...Why not give us a call at 408-627-7577 or send a request for a training session to urgentrequest@boblevitus.com and we can help make your Macintosh computer easier to use!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Does your computer do strange things?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Finder</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Word Processing</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2008-05-17T11:03:42-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/cae03aaf52d4d11dc9ff5a50e020c246-44.php#unique-entry-id-44</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/cae03aaf52d4d11dc9ff5a50e020c246-44.php#unique-entry-id-44</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I while occasionally provide an answer, I am often frustrated that the all-text listserv format does not make it easy to "show" someone how to fix a problem. 

...The most obvious might be an icon in the dock, but I have noticed that quite a few Mac user tend to remove the icon from the dock, so let's use a different method of getting there. 

...By the way, when you see an ellipsis (&hellip;) in a menu, it is a signal that choosing that menu item will cause a dialog box with additional options to appear.


...If there is a check in the box "Flash the screen when an alert sound occurs, then each time you computer alerts you that you cannot do something, the screen will flash.


While I do not know if this has fixed the writer's problem, I know that over the years we have received many calls from the clients of Bob LeVitus Consulting who could not understand why their screens would suddenly flash.   I wish all problems were as simple to fix as those caused by making changes in Universal Access, but if you are not expecting your screen to flash or the display to suddenly enlarge or several other unexpected problems, check out the settings in Universal Access.


...Have you ever tried to use them, and then had them get all messed up as you tried to print or have you ever tried to make them look "right?" 


...The real way to produce them on your computer is to hold down the Option key on your keyboard while typing a semi-colon &ndash; then they look a act just as they should&hellip;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Bob LeVitus is presenting seminars in metro Washingtion DC</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><dc:date>2008-05-06T10:36:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/fbc8992f718d05cb4f70d7a7f197651d-43.php#unique-entry-id-43</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/fbc8992f718d05cb4f70d7a7f197651d-43.php#unique-entry-id-43</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It is always fun when Bob LeVitus comes to Washington DC.   This year he will be doing two days of seminars for my user group, Washington Apple Pi.


These seminars will be much like attending his seminars at Macworld Expo, except the price is MUCH cheaper! 


If you would like to learn more about this event, be sure to check out the information page.   To sign up, click here.    I have linked to a copy of the pdf that we are sending out.   To view or download a pdf file of the seminar information, click here -->]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Know when to fold &#x27;em&#x21;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2008-04-22T11:31:16-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/45b1897694998e7eacf808acbc1fe67c-42.php#unique-entry-id-42</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/45b1897694998e7eacf808acbc1fe67c-42.php#unique-entry-id-42</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Since I live in the eastern time zone, our friends in the Pacific time zone are just getting to their personal computers about the time that I am getting ready for bed! 

...The point of this blog post is to help you determine when it is all right to simply install a new operating system right over the old one, when an "Archive and Install" is a better plan, and when it is time to do the "dirty deed," or as Macintosh consultants often call it, a "nuke and pave." 

...My computer was fairly new and I don't run a lot of third party software that "enhances" the Mac experience, so I repaired permissions with Disk Utility while still in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger.   Then I started my computer up off the the new Leopard DVD, ran the First Aid part of Disk Utility to make sure there were no hidden directory problems and then installed Leopard right on top of my old version of Tiger.


Now, for any of you who are Mac geeks, I can just see you shaking your heads and thinking that Pat is such a fool, but I did it this way since I knew that many Mac users would do exactly the same thing. 

...Probably, the moral of that story is that disabling start-up items is not a bad idea when your are going to do an archive and install. 

...It has been quite some time since I had done any real maintenance work on it, the hard drive was pretty full, and there had been lots of software upgrades since it had last had the drive reformatted. 

...I knew Ron would appreciate all the cruft being removed so that its 80 GB hard drive was as empty as possible and all the programs would be registered to him, and it would finally really be HIS computer instead of a hand-me-down with my name lurking in odd places. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>ScreenCastOnline Tutorial for Vector Designer</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>MaclevelTen</category><dc:date>2008-04-16T09:18:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/3749eb037e9d522fec392beba1da754e-40.php#unique-entry-id-40</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/3749eb037e9d522fec392beba1da754e-40.php#unique-entry-id-40</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Last week's episode was a tutorial on VectorDesigner, a piece of software included in the January MacHeist bundle.   I bought the bundle, downloaded the software and filed away my new serial numbers, then got busy with all of my current projects.


...I can't say I use it much, but I occasionally work with a client who needs help and I can usually figure out what is wrong or I can point them to a good resource for help.   The learning curve for Illustrator is so steep, that I just never use it for my own projects.


However, I certainly need a tool to help me produce vector graphics easily &ndash; and oh, yes, I need a quick tutorial to get me going. ...  His tutorial is easy to follow and in less than 30 minutes, I now feel ready to tackle a project or two.


Be sure to check out the ScreenCastsOnline shownote if you want to buy a copy of VectorDesigner as Don has secured a $10 discount for his listeners.


...Check out the details at the web site and be sure to look for more tutorials at ScreenCastsOnline!. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>MacLevelTen - Just What is it?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>MaclevelTen</category><dc:date>2008-04-15T19:58:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/b33f46ab71d793802f053496dfb91cfc-39.php#unique-entry-id-39</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/b33f46ab71d793802f053496dfb91cfc-39.php#unique-entry-id-39</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Have you ever noticed that any time a group of people get together with common interests and needs, they tend to form a group or association or club -- or something that brings people with like interests or problems together? 

...Back in the fall, Chuck Joiner contacted some of his blogging and podcasting friends and suggested that we form a media group, MacLevelTen. 


We got together at Macworld in January to get to know each other, share in a podcast or two, and we even had a meet-up to give us a chance to meet and share time with our listeners and readers.


...Of course, I also work with Bob LeVitus, and I am on the Executive Board of my user group, Washington Apple Pi &ndash; and that keeps me pretty busy! 

...He is actively producing MacNotables, MacVoices, the MUG Center, and Talking WordPress His latest venture is MacJury, which is so new that it just got listed in the iTunes Music Store. 

...He produces both a free feed and a weekly premium subscription based podcast, ScreenCasts Online that seeks to teach us more about our Macintosh computers  and the programs and devices we use with them. 

...In between classes and podcast appearances, Dan writes for MacUser, Macworld, IPhone Central, MacAddict, MacDirectory, TidBITS, Macteens, Macsimum News, Chicago&rsquo;s Daily Herald newspaper, and Northwest Passages, as well as numerous Mac User Group newsletters across the world. 

...However, I keep pretty close tabs on what is being produced, so I plan to add a post when I see new content that might appeal to my readers. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The jury is in - That is the MacJury</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2008-04-08T09:33:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/1696b460aa6f133bd07bf327c6e575f1-38.php#unique-entry-id-38</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/1696b460aa6f133bd07bf327c6e575f1-38.php#unique-entry-id-38</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It's always fun to be a part of a new project!


Chuck Joiner ( MacNotables, MacVoices, The MUG Center, etc.) has just started a new podcast, MacJury, and I was honored to be a guest on the first show.   Along with several of the other members of MacLevelTen, we discussed lots of topics.   Most notable were BlueRay, Apple TV and Twitter.


The mix of guests made for interesting conversation.   As the only woman (and a grandmother too), my perspective is sometimes different from that of the guys.   Having Dan Pourhadi there to give the college-age perspective, Don McAllister for the European perspective and Jay Nelson to represent the creative market along with Chuck's leadership, I think our thoughts and opinions made for a well-rounded presentation.   I hope to be invited back participate in future shows!]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>iWork &#x27;08 vs Microsoft Office 2008</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Pages</category><category>Word Processing</category><category>Email</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><dc:date>2008-03-28T21:51:28-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/4038d10c5f3986acc5aee0e6516221f5-37.php#unique-entry-id-37</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/4038d10c5f3986acc5aee0e6516221f5-37.php#unique-entry-id-37</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I will be needing to share a lot of links with my friends from Washington Apple Pi, a Macintosh User Group that serves Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.


...While there are three different price points for Office 2008, most users will not need to get more than the Home and Student edition. 

...I have not checked the license, but I am pretty sure that while you can install it on up to 2 computers, only one can be running Office at a time. 

...As for the $500 version, they throw in a new product, Expression Media that apparently organizes you media files -- um -- sort of like iTunes and iPhoto.


...While there is no support for Exchange Server in iWork '08, there are clear advantages to using Mail, Address Book and iCal. 

...For only $25 per month, or as little as $250 per year, you can visit the web site and watch in-depth tutorials on a huge variety of subjects -- but most courses include 7 to 8 hours of video, so it is a real time commitment. 

...Don's offerings are not as in-depth as the Lynda.com videos, but there is enough depth to learn a lot about the application that he is covering in an episode. 

...While there are many other resources available for learning about iWork '08, these are the ones I consider to be the most valuable.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The best tool for Mail is back&#x21;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Email</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><dc:date>2008-03-26T09:19:47-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/5ba09c25ca54fb7d64ff165b2a0ca7b9-35.php#unique-entry-id-35</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/5ba09c25ca54fb7d64ff165b2a0ca7b9-35.php#unique-entry-id-35</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I had come to rely on a little tool, Mail.appetizer, to make sure that I immediately saw any messages coming into my Bob "Dr. 

...I get lots of email ever day and while much of it is important, I need to see any messages that come into my Dr. 

...Now each time I receive an email, a translucent gray box appears on top of whatever is open on my desktop and I can scan the message to decide if I need to deal with it immediately.


I can control the length of time that it is displayed, how transparent it is, the font and size in which it is displayed and even more in the Notification setup panel in Mail Preferences.


...While I know that many of my readers are experienced in downloading and installing software such as Mail.appetizer, I know that some of you have never tried downloading and installing new software. 

...If you would like to learn more about how to install software and what to do when faced with the many different ways new software is presented, then consider booking a tutorial session. ...  We will use our special software that allows me to see your screen and even control your mouse and keyboard so that I can help you learn whatever you need to do on your Macintosh.


For all of those sons and daughters who need someone to give Dad or Mom a hand, consider the gift of a tutoring session or two for Mother's Day or Father's Day. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Fragmentation - Do I need to De-frag my Mac?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2008-03-06T10:37:22-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/1f6efbb25f58d77390499af1f984d2c7-33.php#unique-entry-id-33</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/1f6efbb25f58d77390499af1f984d2c7-33.php#unique-entry-id-33</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Now just wait a minute--before you begin thinking age discrimination, you need to know that not all of us gray-haired people people are in the defrag camp, it is just that there are way too many of us there.


...The engineers over at Apple know that every utility that helps you "fix" your computer is soon out of date, and running old utilities on newer versions of the operating system is a recipe for a mess!


Our newer Mac users have never had to perform periodic maintenance tasks on their computers, so they are much more content to let hidden maintenance routines take care of keeping things running.


...Defragmentation on HFS+ volumes should not be necessary at all, or worthwhile, in most cases, because the system seems to do a very good job of avoiding/countering fragmentation. 


...If you don't have at least that much, it is probably time to think about installing more RAM and you can install it yourself!


...While Mac OS X reduces the amount of memory being used by applications that are running in the background, they are still using some RAM and if your computer is low on RAM, quitting programs you are not using can help to speed it up.


...Although this will count as a troubleshooting call, we can still usually diagnose and fix slow computer problems about 30 minutes, so the cost of the service is usually only $60.00.    If the problem is RAM, we'll even tell you about several places to order RAM and get you ready to install it yourself using nothing more than a screwdriver (except for the Mac Mini). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Saving files to the right folder&#x2c; easily</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Intermediate</category><category>Finder</category><dc:date>2008-03-01T07:03:23-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a3c77fcb31ca787464149b8c1879e874-32.php#unique-entry-id-32</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a3c77fcb31ca787464149b8c1879e874-32.php#unique-entry-id-32</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If you are using Mac OS 10.5 Leopard, it is very easy to see the path to the folder (more about that later)


...No, that is the hard way &ndash; and this is supposed to be an easy way, so let's start again.


 In the finder, I can see both my Save window and I can see the folder that I want to use. 

...Let's go back to Mac OS X Leopard and learn how to see the location of a file.


...If the window is too narrow to see the full name of the folders, just position your mouse over each folder and the name will be revealed.


This is just one of many tricks and shortcuts that can be used on your Mac.   If you need a refresher course, or just have some questions, why not spend an hour with me in a tutoring session.   We have some special software that we can use at Bob LeVitus Consulting to see your screen and even control your mouse! ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Getting Your Digtial Images to Look Like What You Saw</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Digtial Photography</category><dc:date>2008-02-21T09:07:01-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a15fe031e5372487d3a5d92a6416ec54-31.php#unique-entry-id-31</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a15fe031e5372487d3a5d92a6416ec54-31.php#unique-entry-id-31</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Do you share my frustration that your camera just can't see to capture what your eye can see.   Think about that beautiful sunrise or sunset.   You can see all the detail in the foreground, but the camera produces an image where the sky is great but the foreground is lost in the shadows or the foreground looks great, but the sky is all washed out.


The type of image you are visualizing has a "High Dynamic Range."   While it is possible to produce HDR images  with Photoshop, the $649 pricetag and the steep learning curve prevents amateur photographers from producing what they saw.


Creacreed has introduced an inexpensive HDR image builder available for $59.95 that is also easy to use.   To learn more about HDR images, ready Kelly Turner's Macworld article, Hydra: low-cost HDR image builder and be sure to check out his links not only to Hydra, but also another Macworld article by Derrick Story, Extend Your Dynamic Range.   If you visit the Cancreed Hydra web site, be sure to watch the screencasts to learn how to use Hydra.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Internet Access in Rural Areas and on the Road</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Internet</category><category>Networking</category><dc:date>2008-02-20T07:05:24-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/af2b372cbeecc1d596731af37295ed56-30.php#unique-entry-id-30</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/af2b372cbeecc1d596731af37295ed56-30.php#unique-entry-id-30</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The article discusses the use of Verizon, Sprint Netxtel, and ATT for cellular data access and then continues with the topic of cellular routers to provide a network for multiple users.   This article should also be of interest to people who must consider satellite access to the Internet as cellular data service is in the same general price range and is often faster.


We have helped several clients set up Internet access services using mobile broadband cards.   Some are people who cannot get service via cable or DSL because they live in a rural area.   Others are "snowbirds" or they are on the road in their RVs.   In the case of my daughter, she was on bedrest in a high-risk pregnancy unit at a local hospital for several months. ...  She and her husband have continued to use the card to ensure secure and reliable Internet service when the vacation, work away from their home or office or take business trips.


If you need help or advice about using a mobile broadband card for your Internet access, give us a call at Bob LeVitus Consulting.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Moving Forward</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Personal</category><dc:date>2008-02-09T20:37:40-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a8d8d7da73c967e58e3485bb65137df2-29.php#unique-entry-id-29</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/a8d8d7da73c967e58e3485bb65137df2-29.php#unique-entry-id-29</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[DreamHost is one of the best web hosts out there for WordPress bloggers, but I am not using WordPress right now.


...In fact, I helped set up a web site for my children's elementary school back in 1992, and ours was one of the first school web sites out there. ...  Since the purpose of the web site was to enable the students and teachers to make their own web pages, I used the Mac OS Notepad to hold the common tags used in writing HTML. 

...Over the next few years, I became a master of both Adobe PageMill and Claris HomePage and I taught many professional development classes for teachers so that they and their students could make school and class web sites.


...When DreamWeaver was introduced, I learned it well enough to teach it, but stuck to Adobe GoLive to produce most of my pages.


...Although I am basically satisfied, there are still lots of things I would like to do, but once again, I will need to learn to do some coding.


...I plan to learn to use WordPress, and perhaps I will eventually move back to it, but the most important part of a blog is content, so I will be using RapidWeaver for now.


...When I had the chance to meet some of my readers at the MacLevelTen meetup and at Macworld I found out they wanted to know more about what I am doing, so I will be adding a few personal items to the blog.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Where is that darn Quick Look button?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Intermediate</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Beginner</category><dc:date>2008-01-30T17:06:45-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/cef01ff994217fcdabf75bc85c8c8d1f-28.php#unique-entry-id-28</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/cef01ff994217fcdabf75bc85c8c8d1f-28.php#unique-entry-id-28</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Eventually, in the life of every Mac user, that "something" disappears.   In the case of Terry, a recent potential Bob LeVitus Consulting customer, it was the loss of the Quick Look Button in the toolbar of each window.


Now, while we are in the business of making money by fixing people's computers, answering question and giving tutoring sessions, there are many questions that are so easy to answer that we simply cannot charge for them.


Bob answered this one, using a great new program, Skitch, to take a screen shot and annotate it. 

...Also, don't forget that you can press the space bar to have a Quick Look at any selected icon in the Finder.


...Now, not all questions are that easy, and we cannot answer them all for free, but when there is a good, quick  question, we will probably post the answer here.


If you need more help, need some tutoring or need to get your computer working again, just give us a cal at 408-627-7577 or send an email to urgentrequest@boblevitus.com.   If your question is simple, send an email to pat@macmousecalls.com.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What is this SUID thing?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Troubleshooting</category><dc:date>2008-01-04T11:12:46-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/485070f4a32f77514e28179003791d50-27.php#unique-entry-id-27</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/485070f4a32f77514e28179003791d50-27.php#unique-entry-id-27</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We get questions &ndash; lots and lots of questions over at Bob LeVitus Consulting.   While many people really need help (and that's why we exist), there are some questions for which the answer is so simple, that I put up an entry here on my MacMousecalls blog.


In the case of SUID warnings, just what they are and how to fix them would require a LOOOONNNNGGGG explanation, but Apple Inc. provides an easy answer in its Technical Information Library article #306935 &ndash; just ignore them!


Although Apple has not said anything beyond "You can safely ignore these messages.   They are accurate but not a cause for concern," I suspect we are seeing a bug in Disk Utility, and I bet these messages will disappear when Mac OS X 10.5.2 is released in the very near future.


If you are having a problem bigger than an SUID, warning, we can give you a hand at Bob LeVitus Consulting.   While our hourly rate is $120 per hour, we can fix most problems in 15 to 30 minutes using our special software that allows us to see your computer screen. ...  If you just need to learn more about your computer, we also offer training at $60 per hour. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How to write a date</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Mac OS X 10.4&#x2c; Tiger</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2007-12-29T07:46:49-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/122dbe5ce8bf8c3c3510601ea95b434d-26.php#unique-entry-id-26</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/122dbe5ce8bf8c3c3510601ea95b434d-26.php#unique-entry-id-26</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[That date form works just fine for things like letters, and although it was a little inconvenient, it works just fine for hand-sorting things like checks. 

...While many things can best be sorted by a title, many items that we store on our computer work best by date.   For example, each time I buy something on the Internet, pay a bill, or receive a password, I make a pdf of the document and store them is a folder that I call Passwords and Receipts.


...My earliest files included the name of the program or site or item, but did I store my license number for Photoshop as Photoshop or Adobe Photoshop?   Each time I get a new version of a program like Photoshop, it becomes  more difficult to find the latest information quickly and easily.


It really makes more sense to store such items by date, but using the date format I leaned back in elementary school puts all the Januarys together, but as soon as I add Feburary, things begin getting out of order!


...When I first began using this format, I would write todays date as 20071227, which looks all right, but January first might look like this 200811. 

...Some people insert slashes so that the date looks like 2008/02/01, but slashes can cause problems because the slash is used to designate folders in computer directories, so they are best avoided.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks - Part 2: Aligning Paragraphs</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Pages</category><category>Word Processing</category><dc:date>2007-12-13T07:06:37-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/252fe289b5e5752a48bcab1332dda980-23.php#unique-entry-id-23</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/252fe289b5e5752a48bcab1332dda980-23.php#unique-entry-id-23</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In typewriter days students were taught to position the carriage in the center of the platen and then to spell out their title in their head, pressing the space bar once for every two letters in the title. 

...In each of these applications, the keyboard shortcuts are the same, so learning how to use the keyboard to change the alignment means you do not have to go searching through the menus to choose text alignment.


...In many cases, two or more modifier keys must be held down together, and just to make things a bit more confusing, if the letter key is really not a letter, the keyboard shortcut may not make it clear that you will need to hold down the shift key. 

...The shortcut to move the text back to a left alignment looks like Command - {, but you will have to type Command - Shift - {.


To center text or a title, the shortcut is Command - |, but you will have to type Command - Shift - Pipestem.   Yes, I know that it looks like I typed and upper case I or a lower case L, but in fact, I just used the key that resides between the Delete key and the Return Key. 


...Items in a list are a paragraph, or a collection of sentences on a single them are a paragraph, and the date at the beginning of a letter is a paragraph.


...In the meantime, if you need to learn more about your Macintosh or word processing or many other topics, you may want to check out our services at Bob LeVitus Consulting. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks &#x2013; Part 1: Fonts and Spacing</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>General Mac</category><dc:date>2007-12-07T07:20:06-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/10ba301233e57864e00d3c6b6835469e-22.php#unique-entry-id-22</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/10ba301233e57864e00d3c6b6835469e-22.php#unique-entry-id-22</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Times have changed with the use of computers and word processing software, but many of the old-time rules are still used. ...  I will take a look at some of those old rules over the next few blog entries and show you the current way to handle text in a wide variety of applications.


...Here is a example of what type would have look like along with the same line in a proportional font


...You will have to consciously think about using one space and even as hard as you try, double spaces will sneak in! 

...Although you will not be able to "see" what you have typed, put two spaces in the box labeled "Find:" Put one space in the box labeled "Replace with:". 

...So click the Replace All button as many times as it is necessary to see a dialog box that reports "Not found."


...It is one extra step, but text with only one space after punctuation tells the world that you are a modern computer user!


...Give us a call at 408 627 7577 or send an email to urgentrequest@boblevitus.com the next time you want to learn more about using your computer!]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Checking your spelling</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Pages</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Mac OS X 10.4&#x2c; Tiger</category><dc:date>2007-11-30T22:33:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/242d9cf7c3b2c4f631c9fcd16734a061-21.php#unique-entry-id-21</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/242d9cf7c3b2c4f631c9fcd16734a061-21.php#unique-entry-id-21</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One of the really nice features of Mac OS X is the system-wide dictionary that is available in all applications that are written in Cocoa, Apple Inc.'s programming environment for programming.


For you, the end user it means that when you make a spelling error, the same database is used to check the spelling of a word.   This means when you add a word to your user dictionary in an application such as Mail, that same user dictionary is used to check the spelling of the same word in TextEdit, Pages, Keynote and a wide variety of third party applications.


...The most frequent method seems to be moving the cursor to the end of the word, then clicking the delete key until the incorrect letter is deleted, then re-typing the word. 

...Since Fauquet is spelled correctly, I would scroll down to "Learn Spelling" and in the future my last name would not be underlined in red as a misspelled word. 

...Control - clicking on the word while it is underlined in red will bring up the contextual menu, but this time there are two suggested spellings. 

...Now try spelling the word, if you have spelled it incorrectly, all of the words in the list will disappear. 

...If it was originally a part of the computer's dictionary, there will not be a way to unlearn the word. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Quick Look - Making it Easier</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Mac OS X 10.5&#x2c; Leopard</category><category>Finder</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-11-26T11:50:23-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/8ccfa92295c2be712867198dbd70fce5-20.php#unique-entry-id-20</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/8ccfa92295c2be712867198dbd70fce5-20.php#unique-entry-id-20</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After I installed Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, I spent some time learning my way around the new operating system and assessing its features. 

...While some users enlarge every window to fill their screen, I keep windows large enough to be useful, but small enough that I can move between applications by simply clicking in their window.


...Clicking on the Quick Look button left me with little room to see the files inside a folder:


If I really wanted to see what the documents inside a folder looked like, it meant moving the window to the upper left corner of the screen then dragging the lower right corner of each window.    While it is possible to use the green button in the upper left corner of each window, that works best if the window was aligned in the upper right corner of the screen. 

...He told us about a wonderful little AppleScript that has can be placed in the toolbar of Finder windows. 


...If you would like to learn more about using the new Leopard operating system for the Macintosh, remember our training sessions at Bob LeVitus Consulting.    Tutoring is scheduled in one hour increments and using our special software, we can see and help your control your keyboard and mouse. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Links in my emails won&#x27;t work</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Email</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Safari</category><category>Beginner</category><dc:date>2007-10-19T13:17:34-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/2444655bfdc3a6e5d764c673448973b5-16.php#unique-entry-id-16</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/2444655bfdc3a6e5d764c673448973b5-16.php#unique-entry-id-16</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[	&bull;	Too long &ndash; If a link in an email is too long to fit on one line or if it occurs too close to the end of the line, then it will be placed on two lines in the email. 

...My favorite way is to highlight the lines containing the URL or Internet address and then to use the copy them using Command - C. 


...Because TextEdit is probably in a format called RTF or rich text format, if you click on the line to place the cursor so that you can remove the space, it will open the link in Safari. 

...To make sure that your URL is continuous, drag the TextEdit window until it is long enough to get the whole URL on one line.


Now it is time to highlight the entire URL and paste it into the Address Bar of your Browser.


...You can begin at one end of the line and then click and drag with your mouse to the other. 

...Just how the URL is handled by the Email application is determined in its programming, and unfortunately, Microsoft Outlook (the most common Windows email program) is inconsistent in how it handles long URLs.


Just remember, not all problems are caused by Macs and Windows users will need to learn how to handle URLs that arrive with spaces in them, just as you have learned. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Desktop&#x2c; Sidebar and Toolbar Printers</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Printing</category><category>Finder</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><dc:date>2007-10-14T08:19:07-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/fb7d817f97e9c920436bc46fd3edf933-15.php#unique-entry-id-15</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/fb7d817f97e9c920436bc46fd3edf933-15.php#unique-entry-id-15</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There are several alternate things you can do to give you the functionality of desktop printing while keeping the clutter down and we will discuss those after we have made a desktop printer to try out.


When you use the Print and Fax icon located in the System Preference window it takes information about your printer that is stored in the main library of your computer and makes a small application that it stores in your user library. 

...While it is now possible to make additional aliases of the alias, a neater and more efficient procedure would be togo directly to that little application and use it to make aliases for your dock, your Finder window sidebar or your Finder window toolbar.


...If you do not know which of the printer applications to use, take a look at the Desktop Printer that we made earlier. 

...Many of the items that are placed there by default are folders, so it is important to watch the sidebar to make sure you are adding an item (notice the line that indicates the item will be placed in the list.


If you see the name of an item in a box, that indicates you are about to drag your printer application into a folder. 

...The other really good place to store a printer icon so that you can drag files on top of it to print is in the toolbar of the finder window. 

...You can see that I also have the icons for Preview and TextEdit in my toolbar since I frequently drag documents over these applications to view them. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Fancy Type</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Pages</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-10-09T16:54:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/fancy_typing.php#unique-entry-id-14</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/fancy_typing.php#unique-entry-id-14</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If you do not own it, you may want to take a look on the Apple web site to learn about the suite and what it offers. ...  While there have been major improvements to Pages which is a Microsoft Word replacement, and while Keynote is even better than PowerPoint, the addition of Numbers to the suite to provide some of the functionality of Excel, makes the iWork a real rival to Microfsoft Office for the home and small business user.


...If you have a multiple button mouse, or if you have a Apple Mighty Mouse that has been configured for a left click, then you can also reveal the contextual menu using the left click button:


...However, since I am trying to get as much content as possible into this blog entry, you can choose a size in between the listed ones by typing it into the small box at the top of the size column. 

...Now you can choose the different fonts in the Family column and the name of the font will be shown in that typeface at the top of the Inspector. 

...You can even make your own Collections by dragging fonts from the Family column into Favorites in the Collections column, or by clicking the add (+) button in the lower left corner of the window.


...To be able to see this, click in the white area to the lower left of your words and drag to draw a box that ends above them to the upper right. 

...When you are satisfied with the look of your words, it is a good idea to group the two text boxes together as one so that they stay in place. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>I lost my arrow&#x21;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Finder</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-10-05T10:41:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/i_lost_my_arrow.php#unique-entry-id-13</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/i_lost_my_arrow.php#unique-entry-id-13</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I don't know how I could work if I could only use one program at a time, but I hate not being able to find that little tiny arrow that is my cursor. 

...I give lots of presentations from my computer and being able to locate my cursor needs to be easy and effortless. ...  Whenever Mouse Locator pops up during a presentation I am sure to get several questions regarding exactly what that neat "thing" is that appeared on my screen.


...In my case, I find Mouse Locator to be distracting if it is always on. ...  I find that being able to click the option and the space bar keys to activate Mouse Locator  works best for me.


If you would like more information and a quick tutorial guide to Mouse Locator's features, click the Info button in the upper right corner of the window. 

...I also discovered that there are a wide variety of cursor indicators available on the 2Point5Fish.com web site if the green circles are not attention-grabbing enough for your screen. 

...If you would like help in customizing your Macintosh to make it even easier to use, consider booking a tutoring session with me at Bob LeVitus Consulting. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>All the wrong information</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Safari</category><category>Address Book</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-10-03T21:33:15-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/all_the_wrong_information.php#unique-entry-id-12</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/all_the_wrong_information.php#unique-entry-id-12</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I had an interesting call recently.   The client complained that whenever she tried to fill out a form on the Internet, Safari seemed to have all the wrong information. 


So, where does Safari get its information?   It uses your entry in the Address Book:


To choose your card, go the Card menu in the address book:


To edit your information, click the Edit button at the bottom of the window.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Too many fonts&#x21;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-10-02T11:46:56-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/too_many_fonts.php#unique-entry-id-11</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/too_many_fonts.php#unique-entry-id-11</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While designers and graphic artists love having lots of fonts to choose from, many Mac users are dismayed at the length of their font list.


Over the years we have received many calls from clients who decided to take the matter into their own hand and suddenly their computer or their favorite application will no longer work. 

...There is a long list of font that are installed as a part of Mac OS X 10.4. ...  Also note that there is a link at the bottom of the page for Mac OS X 10.3 users.


If you are a Microsoft Office user, there are a number of fonts installed with Word, Excel and Powerpoint.   You can find the complete list of what is installed at http://word.mvps.org/Mac/Disable-Fonts.html#appendix. 

...Another application that installs fonts is Apple's iWork, though many of the fonts may already be on your computer from other sources. 

...If you think you are having font problems, give us a call at Bob LeVitus Consulting and we can give you a hand.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Labels and how they work</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Finder</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-09-13T09:20:23-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/labels_and_how_they_work.php#unique-entry-id-10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/labels_and_how_they_work.php#unique-entry-id-10</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Back in the days of Mac OS 9, there was a feature that allowed the user to add a color label to icons of folders, documents, and even applications. 

...The first method is to select an item, then go to the File menu and choose "Color Label:" at the bottom of the menu.


...Still another way to add a color label is to select the item, then use the Control key to cause a pop-up contextual menu to appear.


...If you are viewing a window in the List mode, it is possible to view the name of each label.


To do that, make sure you are in a list view of the window, then go to the View menu and select "Show View Options" or press Command-J.


...It is interesting that there is no way to choose by the label name if you assigned one in the Finder Preferences window.    However, if you chose a color to label items that needed to be backed up or copied to a separate location, being able to find items based on a label color can be very helpful.


...Once again, if you need help learning more about your Macintosh and how to use it, please consider our tutorials, troubleshooting, and technical advise at Bob LeVitus Consulting.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How to change names on drives&#x2c; icons and folders</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Finder</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><dc:date>2007-09-10T21:36:07-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/how_to_change_names.php#unique-entry-id-9</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/how_to_change_names.php#unique-entry-id-9</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[John (not his real name) asked how to change the label on the icon for a flash drive.


...If you want to change the name of a drive or a folder or even a file, there are several ways to do this. 

...If the icon's name has been selected with a "click and hold"  which is sometimes also called a click and a half, the corners of the name are square and the name is colored in the highlight color of the computer. 

...On the new wireless keyboard, the Enter key has been replaced with a second Option key and there is no separate Enter key, so the Enter trick for renaming will probably not work.


...If you want to add something to to name, then click again while the name is selected, then a cursor will appear in the word:


...Of course, there are times when you did not intend for an icon to be renamed, and suddenly the name has disappeared. 

...To prevent this renaming from happening, click and hold on the picture part of the icon to move things around on your computer screen. 

...We use our special remote control software to see your computer and we can take control of your keyboard and mouse to show you how to do things. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hooray for Expose&#x21;</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Finder</category><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-09-03T11:23:50-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/hooray_for_expose.php#unique-entry-id-7</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/hooray_for_expose.php#unique-entry-id-7</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As a Macintosh user, it is not uncommon for me to have dozens of windows open on my computer.   I usually have several Finder windows open so that I can copy files between different folders and hard drives.   I probably have two or three different Safari windows, at least a couple in Mail, my Address Book, iCal, and at least a couple of windows open for any application that I am using.


...Suddenly pressing one key (F11) cleared away all the window and let me get to the files on my desktop!


...The F3 key now activates the part of Expose that tiles all open window on the computer. ...  To hide all the windows required holding down the Function (fn) key that is in the group of keys above the arrow keys while clicking the F11 key. 

...While this tip will only work on the new aluminum keyboards, Apple has stopped producing the white plastic ones, so as we buy new computers, this change will affect more and more of us.


...Tutoring is scheduled in one hour increments and using our special software, we can see and help your control your keyboard and mouse. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How full is too full?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-08-28T11:55:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/how_full_is_too_full.php#unique-entry-id-5</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/how_full_is_too_full.php#unique-entry-id-5</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When they use their System CD to restart their computer and run Disk Utility, they are met with the message that their disk catalog is corrupted and it cannot be repaired. 

...Others will recount that they had been seeing a message that indicated that their startup drive was almost full, but they did not know what to do, so they ignored it or they were waiting to call us in the morning. 

...That rule worked pretty well on my old iMac with its 80 BG hard drive, but on my new Mac, that would mean I should keep a whopping 32 to 48 GB empty! 


...Apple sold it to me with a 160 GB hard drive, but when I use the Get Info command I see that its true capacity is 148.73 GB. 

...So, by the time we account for  the fuzzy math and the required files, my 160 GB drive has a capacity of 148 GB. 


So let's apply this information to the minimum amount of hard drive space you need to have empty on your computer.   First, from experience, I know that my computer begins to slow down when it has less that 15 GB of empty hard drive space. 

...If you have less than 5 GB of hard drive space left, there is a great chance that your hard drive will crash. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Advanced Google Searching</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Internet</category><category>Intermediate</category><category>Advanced</category><dc:date>2007-08-03T11:30:09-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/advanced_google_searching.php#unique-entry-id-4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/advanced_google_searching.php#unique-entry-id-4</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[And for our example, we are going to search for the song "Happy Birthday."


...It is particularly important to note that there cannot be a space between the "intitle:" and the following word. 

...The next part of our seach query, (mp3|aac|mp4) tells Google what kind of files we are looking for. 

...If you are looking for more than one file type, then the need to be separated by pipes. ...  Using (jpg|jpeg|png) would return files that end in .jpg, .jpeg, or .png, Note that while there is a space before the opening parentheses, there should NOT be a space following the closing parentheses.


...We want both of those words to be present, but since we are searching a file directory, they could be separated by a space, a dash, and underscore, or perhaps even a dot. ...  It is also important to note that Google ignores case, so Happy Birthday, happy birthday, and even HaPpY BiRtHdAy are searched. 

...We are not looking for web pages  containing the phrase happy birthday, so we can use the minus sign to exclude these files. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Got some time to waste?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>Beginner</category><dc:date>2007-08-02T14:16:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/got_some_time_to_waste.php#unique-entry-id-3</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/got_some_time_to_waste.php#unique-entry-id-3</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Somehow, I am not into first person shooters and the other styles of games that are on most gaming consoles don't do much for me.


...We must train our eyes to see details such as links and buttons on web pages, icons and words in application menus and small details in general on the computer screen.


...I also noticed that I got fewer and fewer calls to follow along on a web page or in an application to complete tasks.


...I attended a lecture series on The Older Learner and several of the speakers emphasized that doing puzzles help to keep our minds sharp.


...The best part about the MacGameStore is that you can download their games and try them for one hour of play before you buy them. ...  I stayed up way to late trying to solve the puzzles and the next morning, I had a long conference call that did not require my full attention, so once again, I found myself clicking away, trying to solve those darn puzzles. 

...So if you need help in "seeing" things on your computer screen, if you are a bit bored, or if you have children or grandchildren to entertain, check out the games at the MacGameStore. 

...If you would like to learn of software bargains for your Mac, put MacZot in your bookmark bar, and if you would like to listen to some great podcasts, subscribe to MacVoices in iTunes. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Can&#x27;t Get on the Internet?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Networking</category><category>Internet</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-08-02T09:29:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/cant_get_on_the_internet.php#unique-entry-id-2</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/cant_get_on_the_internet.php#unique-entry-id-2</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I have a favorite motto: If you were on the Internet yesterday, you will probably be able to get there tomorrow, but today may be a problem. 

...If you have only one computer, and it has an ethernet cable plugged into it, then the first thing to do is to put your computer to sleep. 


...In the back of it will be a cable that runs from it to an electrical outlet. ...  If it does not, call your ISP and inquire if there is a problem with service in you area. 

...If they are still not reporting an outage, then tell them that you cannot connect, and ask them to ping your router (modem) to determine if they can see it. 

...When your computer connects to the Internet using high-speed service hardware such as a router or modem, it checks the MAC address (Media Access Control) of the computer and gives it an IP Address (Internet Protocol address). ...  If you disconnect your computer and connect another one, the modem will not recognize the new computer's MAC Address and so it will ignore it.  


...Start by disconnecting the electrical cable from the back of each device that is between your computer (or AirPort Base Station) and the wall. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Printer won&#x27;t work?</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>Printing</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2007-08-01T15:11:19-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/printer_wont_work.php#unique-entry-id-0</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/printer_wont_work.php#unique-entry-id-0</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[All ink jet printers should be turned off when they are not in use to prevent the ink from drying out and clogging the printer heads.   However, in our days of wireless computing, this means you need to go to the printer to turn it on and off each time you print. 

...If the printer is on, and you still cannot print, the printer may have been "stopped" in the printer utility. 

...If there is a problem, you may see the printer jumping up and down in the dock and the icon will have a yellow caution triangle on it:


...Now, each time the user try to print, there is an exclamation point in the printer dialog box, warning the user that there is a problem, but many overlook it.


...The printer will then send out a signal to every printing device that is attached to it, either physically or through a wireless connection and the results will be reported in this screen:


...The Stylus Photo is attached to my iMac, and printer sharing has been turned on in the "Sharing" System Preference. 

...While it is possible to print and sometimes fix problems, diagnosing a printer problem is much easier when the printer is directly attached to a computer.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Traveling with your Mac</title><dc:creator>pat@macmousecalls.com</dc:creator><category>General Mac</category><category>iPhone</category><category>iPod</category><category>iPod Touch</category><category>Portable computers</category><category>Beginner</category><category>Intermediate</category><dc:date>2009-07-09T09:12:01-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/traveling_with_your_Mac.php#unique-entry-id-103</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.macmousecalls.com/files/traveling_with_your_Mac.php#unique-entry-id-103</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In taking our family to the beach we packed 6 Mac laptops (and two Windows PCs), 6 iPhones (plus 3 Blackberries and 3 assorted cell phones), a Nintendo Wii, 3 Nintendo DS and at least 4 iPods.


...Since this power adapter can be used to plug actual USB cables, it is far more useful that this one that has the iPhone/iPod cable attached


...There are some obvious things to pack when you are traveling with a portable Mac, but adding a few more items can make your computing a bit easier. 

...It also means that forgetting an adapter in a hotel room is less of a crisis (Don&rsquo;t forget to put an address label on your power adapter so that hopefully it will be returned if it is misplaced).


...	&bull;	extra memory cards &ndash; on our trip last week, we had one card that was ruined when the camera was turned off while a video was being written to the card. 

...I am very careful to put it in its case &ndash; and I am careful to snap or zip the case shut so that in a trip to the floor, my camera is well-protected.


...If I have a rental car, I will probably plug into the car&rsquo;s power outlet, but if I am riding in someone else&rsquo;s car, the power outlet is frequently unavailable, so I use my external battery case more frequently. 


...If my pants or skirt don&rsquo;t have a pocket, I like to have a case with a hook available so that I can slip my iPhone on my belt. ]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
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