Why Disk Cleaning Can Be A Great Benefit

Just how much free room have you got on your hard drive at this time? While it is great to guess just how much free room you've, why not simply take another to visit your "Computers" application and find out how much room you've for yourself. Now that you have done this, you may be shocked at the amount of your computer's space has been taken up by what you have now on your Mac. What might shock you more, though, is the fact that lots of this space is absorbed by items that either you didn't know that you had in your hard drive, or believed that you had already deleted.

With regards to getting the most speed from your Internet service, and also the applications that you use on a regular basis, you must have a hard drive that has plenty of space on it. While deleting an application might take it off of your main screen, some aspects of it have a tendency to linger in your hard drive without you knowing. This is where knowing how to erase hard drive can help you out tremendously.When you're done with a specific program or application, you need to do just what the instructions tell you to do: you apply the "Erase" feature that comes with the program so that it will no longer appears on your computer. The thing is, although this option may take the program off from your computer, it doesn't always get rid of all the trace elements that it placed on your computer, such as Spyware, documents and other applications through the company. If you do not realize that these programs existed, you don't know you need to delete them yourself.

This is when a program like clean hard drive will help you out tremendously. Using the program you will get rid of all of the odds and end's that you didn't know that you had installed on your computer. Not just that, but it also takes care of all of those documents and important personal information that you thought you got rid of, but may be lingering on the computer ripe for hackers to take a look at.One of the leading pluses to having a clean hard drive is the speed that you get with applications. One of the major reasons that your Internet speed may be lacking is that your computer is congested with items which you didn't even know that it had. Through getting rid of these little leftovers you are able to finally get the speed that you are looking for out of your computer.

Not only will the clean drive program help eliminate leftovers from programs that you thought were gone, but it will also take care of pesky Spyware that can clog up your computer. Spyware isn't just annoying but it can also cause serious harm to the speed of your computer. By gettingrid of it you don't just have a safer computer, but also a much faster one as well.If you're in the market for the clean hard drive program, you can get it at most computer super stores, as well as a wide variety of websites. This program does not cost you a lot of money and it can make a huge difference in the speed of your computer almost immediately.

If you are the kind of person who tends to procrastinate on things, this is one of your times where you should go against your natural tendencies and get the program ASAP. The longer that you leave items on your hard drive the longer you run the risk of the info that you have on them getting out. It takes just a few minutes to download the program, so what is the reason for continuing to ignore it?

White Canyon has been an industry leader in hard drive disk cleaning for years and is known for its quality products. Jeremy Thorne has been involved in this field for a number of years and is very passionate about it. 

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The Pros and Cons of a Mailing Client like Mail

Apple's Mail Application, Microsoft's Outlook, we've all heard of them. But how many of us use them on a daily basis? Considering the convenience of using mailing clients and the eye-watering design of most browser based email services, not enough. So why use a Mailing Client?

What is a Mailing Client / Email Client?

A mailing client is essentially a software or application (for your computer, phone or tablet) to access and store your emails.

What does an Email client provide that a browser-based email service doesn't ?

With an email client (such as Mail), you can do everything that you would be able to do with your normal browser-based email service. But as an application, an email client brings much more to the table.

• First and foremost, email clients store your emails offline. This is, in particular, their most useful aspect and probably, one of their key selling points. (Even though Apple's Mail Application is free) This means that, if ever, you need to access your mail at a time when you are deprived of internet capabilities, your email client is the only thing that can save you.
• Email Clients such as Mail and Microsoft Outlook are capable of logging you in (see point 5) to more than one email ID. This is particularly useful for people who, like me, find it hard to keep track of several email IDs.
• Since they are designed as applications with user interface and appearance being key features to developers, email clients have a far better track record when it comes to appearance. (For me, this point would have been number one)
• Related to the above point, convenience in terms of usage and accessibility is one of the only reasons people actually switch to email clients.
• Email Clients have a one time-setup and login. So, you open your Email Client for the first time, type in your name, email address and password, choose your email provider (gmail, etc) and you never have to login again.
• Email Clients are usually cross platform. Apple's Mail Application, for instance, works on Mac, iPad, iPhone and iPod.
• Email Clients include your usual email capabilities like mail, tasks, notes, etc and also include more tools and features like cloud syncing, flagging and highlighting messages, conversations, previewing web pages, etc.
• Email Clients are the best tool for organizing your mail neatly. Apple's Mail Application, for instance, includes the ability to "flag messages by color", mark VIPs, sort into folders, etc. Apple's Mail also has an interesting ability to create "smart mailboxes". If you're familiar with Mac, you'll already know what this. Smart mailboxes allow you to set conditions for received (or sent) mail items to sort them into folders. For example, you can set a condition like, "All Messages from Facebook after 4th April, 2010", or "All messages with attachments..." The possibilities are endless. This is one feature you have to experience to understand.
• Adding attachments is a breeze. Drag and drop functionality.
• Your emails can look good too. In addition to downloadable templates, Apple's Mail has many options to format your email and make it look good,
• They usually have the ability to schedule email timings.

So what's the downside?

Like everything great, this too has its pitfalls. Surprisingly few of them, however.

• Unlike Gmail, Mail attaches its files while sending the mail which makes it a little more tedious.
• Mail takes time to come into your sent box. So confirming that an email has been sent is a tougher job than usual.
• Mail will only be received when application is opened. (I recommend auto-open at login)

What do they cost ?

I won't get into the details of other mailing clients in this article, but Apple's Mail is pre-included in all Macs and iOS devices. On Mac it is located in the Applications folder / Launchpad.

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How to Erase Your Computer's Hard Drive

A hard disk is the storage device found in a computer. They come in varying sizes and hence allow one to store data and programs until the space is full. When the space available is depleted, holding data and programs we no longer need or has been infected by computer viruses, the hard disk would need to be erased. This can also be done when one wants to sell or give away a hard drive or computer. Erasing a hard drive involves overwriting over existing data. This can be done in two ways; formatting the computer or using a disk wipe program.

Formatting the Hard Drive

Formatting a hard disk means completely erasing anything that was on it. It is like having a brand new computer. Any programs, photos, or videos you had on it previously will be completely erased. It is advisable that before you embark on this, you have backed up all the information you may still need. Besides, do not attempt formatting if you are not computer savvy, since it involves the use of computer commands that may be foreign. If you are a beginner with need to re-format a hard drive but is foreign to you, do not worry.

Erasing the Hard Drive

To erase one's hard drive, acquiring a good program for disk wiping is paramount; a number of these are available in the market. These do an excellent job of removing any data on your hard drive, you no longer need. They include WipeDrive from White Canyon software, Procypher Eraser Pro among others. These software are not hard to find, and available at reasonable prices. To ensure that the price you get is the best deal, do enough research online on the best prices and discounts available.
Once you purchase and install the disk wiping software, the rest is easy. Just follow the instructions provided.

Erasing your hard drive can give your computer a fresh start. It can avoid dangerous files like spam, or confidential information from being hacked into. Erasing your hard drive will also improve your processor by speeding it up. Please note that before you erase your hard drive, it is important to backup all the data you may still require after the hard drive has been erased. You may choose to do this by copying the information onto a DVD or CD or onto another computer. If you have tried avenues to improve your processors speed and nothing has improved, or you need to erase your hard drive for other reasons, making sure you have copied all the files you need to put back on the computer is crucial. Learning how to erase your hard drive is easy.


Guest Post by: Jonathan Rodriguez, WhiteCanyon Software
Formatted by: Shiv Sakhuja

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Security For iPad: Keep Your iPad Safe from Snatchers and Data Thieves

The launch of the new iPad was a record breaker, with 3 million of the shiny new devices flying off the shelves in just three days. If that was not impressive enough, analyst firm Sterne Agee has recently announced that it expects Apple to sell 55 million of its popular tablet this year.

Innovative, stylish and cool, the iPad is the must-have gadget for consumers and business users alike. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones desperate to get their hands on the tablet; with a high resale value and aesthetic design, iPads are also incredibly attractive to thieves.

So how can you make sure that your iPad does not fall into the wrong hands?

A good place to start is by setting your iPad’s passcode. Setting a password is a simple, but essential, way to protect your data, provided that it is not easy for others to guess. To set your passcode, go to settings/general/passcode and create a four digit code that you must enter every time that you turn on the device. Set a short ‘idle time’ interval (the time that it takes for the device to hibernate as a result of inactivity), as this will minimise the amount of data that a thief can access if they steal a device during use. 

Once you have set your passcode, you should then enable another feature of the iPad to minimise the risk of a thief using the device to obtain your personal data. By enabling the ‘Find My iPad’ tool, you will be able to remotely lock or wipe the device in the event that it is stolen, or even try and locate your iPad if you lose it. All you need to do is log into iCloud if you misplace the tablet. 

In addition to making use of the iPad’s inbuilt security features, you should also invest in some additional security measures to keep your tablet truly safe. Small and light, mobile devices are easy to steal, so physical security measures are essential for overnight storage and when working in public places. The iPad does not have a built-in security slot, meaning that it cannot be tethered to an immovable object using a conventional laptop security cable. With this in mind, you will need to look for a retrofit security pad. These pads fix to an iPad, without taking away from its sleek design, and come with a security slot to lock the tablet to a fixed object.
Another important point is that you should never leave your iPad unattended. Although this sounds obvious, with opportunistic theft accounting for a large proportion of petty crime, it is one that is worth emphasising. Do not leave your iPads in overhead lockers when travelling on a train, and never leave a device unsecured on a coffee shop table when you go to get a drink. If you do, it may not be there when you return.

Finally, you need to ensure that you back up your data. Hopefully, your iPad will never be stolen, but, if it is, you need to be prepared. By regularly syncing your iPad to iTunes, you can make sure that all your information is safely copied to your computer, just in case.

With ‘iPad-fever’ set to stay, unfortunately, so is iPad theft. Make sure that you take the necessary steps to protect your shiny new tablet.   

Byline: Mark Exley is the General Manager for Product Development at the UK’s expert in managing mobile computing, LapSafe® Products

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Roundup: 10 Mac Applications (Apps) You'll Fall In Love With - Part 1

Mac loves applications. In fact, Mac functions on something that I like to call "The Application System". Naturally, for any avid Mac fan or even an ordinary Mac user, the preloaded apps - amazing as they are - simply aren't enough.

So Where should you get Mac Apps from ? Probably the Mac App Store. Although applications for Mac are still available outside of the Mac App Store, the majority of app developers have submitted their applications to the Mac App Store.

The Mac App Store has recently expanded greatly and now has such a vast variety of applications that even skimming through them to find the best apps for you is impractical. Maybe even a waste of time .

So here's a list of 10 amazing applications that every Mac user will simply love:

 

The Hit List (Productivity) | Download

 

 

The tool to manage  your life shouldn't be as complicated as your life itself. And it has to look good, right ? That's where the hit list comes into play. A remarkable organizational tool that can make anyone's life seem like a breeze.

Pros

• Remarkably easy to use and great looking
• Unique features include Lists, Today's Events, Focus cards, Timer, Smart Folders, Keyboard Shortcuts, Quick Entry and iCal Syncing.

Cons

• Quite expensive for an organizational tool (scroll down)

Rating

7 / 10

Price

$49.99

Suggestion

If you're looking for a simple tool for reminders and notes, this is not for you. You'd be better off waiting for the new version of Mac OS X: Mountain Lion. You might as well buy an iPhone. But if you need a powerful tool which will be a major part of your life, then "The Hit List" is unmatched in its excellence.

 

Pages (Productivity) | Download

 

 

Pages is Mac's version of Microsoft Word. But there's more to it than just a word processor. "It's both a streamlined word processor (like Microsoft Word) as well as an easy-to-use page layout application. It allows you to be a writer one minute and a designer the next."

Pros

• Simple and easy to use
• Word processor and page-layout application - Best at both
• Comes preloaded with gorgeous templates for every imaginable purpose: letters, envelopes, forms, resumes, reports, flyers, brochures, newsletters, business cards, certificates. The list is never ending
• Add media with a click and without the clunkiness that Word provides when handling Media
• Effortlessly create files in Pages and convert them to Word or PDF format
• Cheaper than its counterpart: Microsoft Word
• Can sync with iOS version of Pages to your iPad and iPhone through iCloud or manually
• Create amazing 3D charts
• Meant for a Mac

Cons

• You'll give yurself a headache trying to think of a downside.

Rating

9.5 / 10 ( I'd have given it a ten on ten but they haven't updated it in a while )

Price

$19.99

Suggestion

An absolutely amazing application which no Mac user should have to live without. This application is the reason you bought a Mac. Also, although you may be accustomed to Microsoft Word, I strongly suggest you switch over to Pages. Give it a go. It's an application you simply cannot regret buying.

 

Keynote (Productivity) | Download

 

 

If you've ever seen an Apple keynote (at a product launch or online), you'll already be drooling over this application. "Create your presentation in Keynote and you'll be a hard act to follow. Powerful yet easy-to-use tools and dazzling effects put the show in slideshow"

Pros

• Easy to use
• Very similar to Pages in terms of designing
• Mind blowing animations
• Create amazing 3D charts
• Effortlessly convert presentations to Powerpoint, PDF or Video formats
• Powerful graphics tool
• Can sync with iOS version of Keynote to your iPad and iPhone through iCloud or manually
• Cheaper than its counterpart: Microsoft Powerpoint
• Meant for a Mac

Cons

• Conversions may often need to be corrected slightly

Rating

9 / 10

Price

$19.99

Suggestion

An fabulous application which no Mac user should have to live without. Also, although you may be accustomed to Microsoft Powerpoint, I strongly suggest you switch over to Keynote. Give it a go. It's an application you simply cannot regret buying.

 

Microsoft Office Suite (Productivity) | Download

 

The Microsoft Office Suite consists of the Microsoft Applications that every computer user is only too familiar with: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Powerpoint, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, etc.

Pros

• Easy and familiar for windows switchers
• No hassles related to conversions and compatibility
• Several Templates for different purposes

Cons

• More expensive than iWork (Pages, Keynote, etc)
• Clunky windows like interface. (This is not the reason you bought a Mac)

Rating

7.5 / 10

Price

$149.99 (for whole package)

Suggestion

You might have noticed the amount of passion with which I wrote about the iWork suite in comparison to what I did with the Microsoft Office Suite. Believe me, that was genuine. I love Microsoft Office. Word's notes layout is fantastic. But I love Pages more. And I don't believe that anything will ever compare. That is, until they launch the new version of iWork. But if you're looking for something familiar, you might prefer Microsoft Office.

 

Echofon (Productivity / Social Networking) | Download

 

 

For the avid tweeter, this is a dream come true. If you're familiar with iOS, you may already have heard of this application. The official Twitter app does the job, but Echofon does the job better. Much better

Pros

• It's fast, it's efficient, it's good looking and it's the best
• Take screenshots from within the application itself. Easy to attach images, links, songs and screenshots to a tweet.

Cons

• It's counterpart: the Official Twitter App provides tough competition and has the added ability to be able to tweet text directly from anywhere on your Mac.

Rating

8.5 / 10

Price

Free ! ($0.99 to disable ad)

 

Note: Most of the Applications listed above are available directly from the Mac App Store. However some are downloadable from the developer's website

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Expected Release Date of iOS 6

As I mentioned in another article recently, Apple - although often extremely unpredictable - does follow some patterns when it comes to software / hardware release dates.
Luckily for us, it usually doesn't digress much from these patterns. So it's a simple matter of observing this pattern for iOS major updates as well as the rumors floating around and figuring out when they'll be releasing the new version of iOS. For example:

• iOS 2 was announced in March, released in July
• iOS 3 was announced in March, released in June
• iOS 4 was announced in April, released in June
• iOS 5 was announced in June, released in October

From the iOS release date history shown above, we can glean a fair bit of information. Apple will probably release their next operating system, iOS 6, sometime in the new few months.

Now, assuming that Apple found June a preferable date to release iOS 5 due to some particular reason, it's possible they'll feel the same for iOS 6. But it may just be that they chose June because they needed enough time to develop iOS and OS X Lion. 

Still, since they generally take a year or so to release their next major update for iOS, chances are June will be the winner. Which means that, once again we'll have to wait for a few months - maybe september or october - to actually be able to download it.

With a little help from rumors floating around, I believe a possible expected release date will be sometime in mid-June.

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Miro: The Beauty and The Beast

The majority of computer users, be it a Mac or PC, all make great use of bit torrent clients. Media players and video convertors too are obviously an essential in today's computer age. Unfortunately, most media players and convertors preloaded on computers (even on Mac) don't live up to their expectations.

So here's where third-party apps come into play. Miro is a torrent client. Or is it a Media Player. Or is it a Video Convertor. It's everything. Literally, Miro can perform all your basic (and advanced) media related tasks extremely well.

Interface and Appearance

The moment you open Miro, you'll notice it's stunning design. On the left-hand side is a beautiful well-designed and non-clunky list which contains Videos, Music, Downloading, Video Sear, Connect and Online Sources. The bottom is an amazing control panel  with nice and large buttons. The main screen varies depending on what item you choose from the left sidebar. Music and Videos appear as large attractive boxes with an elegant thumbnail. They can be played through the click of a button, converted to dozens of different formats or deleted.
Truly, one would be hard pressed to find anything to complain about in this aspect of Miro. Kudos to Morgan Allan Knutson for his amazing work on the design of this application.

Functionality and Performance

In terms of functionality too, Miro is loaded to the brim with features. Naturally, all app developers cram their applications with as many features and facilities as they possibly can. But here's the difference between those applications and Miro: Miro does its job well. Very well.
Miro is so highly capable that writing all of its abilities here seems like it would take all of eternity. But here are some of the things that MIro specializes at:

• It is a highly functional torrent client (With an attractive user interface, which is more than I can say for most other torrent clients)
• It is a Media Convertor and can convert videos to several different formats including some formats specialized for specific devices such as iPad, Galaxy Tab, Nexus One, Apple Universal, iPhone, etc
• It is a Media player and library capable of playing almost all kinds of video and audio files
• It has online support and facilities
• It is capable of playing podcasts and creating playlists

In this regard too, Miro exceeded all expectations that I had from an application which I originally downloaded merely for its video conversion capability.

Comparison to Other Apps

It is in this regard alone - which is unfortunately too important to ignore - that Miro falls slightly short. Although it is amazing in its ability to integrate so much into one drop dead gorgeous application, the only problem is that many other apps already perform the same functions (albeit separately)
Media players are today a dime a dozen. iTunes is one such media player and library which is capable of playing podcasts and creating playlists. And, as much as I wish it did, nothing compares to iTunes. Not even Miro. See this great article: Miro: Just Another iTunes Wannabe? | Mac.AppStorm
For video conversions, people have their preferences. If I wasn't already hooked on to iSkysoft iMedia Convertor, I would definitely have gone with Miro
For torrents, Miro truly is amazing. The best I've used so far. Only Vuze comes close but it lacks the eye-candy that Miro has to offer.

Conclusion

Miro is truly a tremendous application. Download torrents, convert them to a different format (optional) and watch them in Miro or iTunes. The concept of Miro alone would have been enough to make me download it. And the great visuals don't hurt either. While it may not be in the same league as iTunes in terms of serving as a media player and library, it is still amazing at everything it does.

Rating

For its outstanding concept, design and performance, Miro deserves to receive a ten on ten. Unfortunately, due to tough competition and a few minor drawbacks, it receives:

8 / 10

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Write For Us !

You obviously love your Mac. We all do. You, Me, Readers, everyone. So if you wish to write an article yourself for Control Your Mac, don't hesitate. Write a complete and valid article with images and a catchy heading and mail it me at shiv.cym@gmail.com.
Feel free to add links to your own website / blog. You will be credited for your article.

A Few Guidelines

Here are a few rules, guideline and tips for submission of articles:

• All articles should be related to Mac, iPhone or iPad and your original work.
• Articles should be grammatically correct and largely free of errors. Slangs should be avoided
• Capitalizations are important. Application names, Proper Nouns, etc should be Capitalized. For Example: It should be "Control Your Mac" not "control your mac"
• When you need to stress on something, provide emphasis, etc use bold as appropriate.
• Articles have no word limit.
• Your articles may be slightly modified to correct mistakes, etc.
• You may not publish the article elsewhere unless as an extract or while providing the link to this article.
• Provide links as and when you see fit.

Acceptance and Publishing

For the large part, if your article is relevant and original, it will almost surely be accepted and published on www.controlyourmac.com. Your name will be written alongside the article along with a short description of yourself which you should attach to the article. A link to your website, blog, Facebook or Twitter page, if provided, will also be incorporated along with the article.

How to Submit Your Article

To submit your article, mail it to me at shiv.cym@gmail.com along with a brief description of yourself, and if possible, a small picture.

Make sure it follows the guidelines above and it'll surely be accepted !

Other Ways of Sending Your Input

If you've picked up anything that you feel we might have missed, send us your input.

Alternatively, if you feel you have a helpful article, tip, trick, review, tutorial or anything else you feel might be valid, feel free to send us your idea. 

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What and What Not to Expect and Hope For in iOS 6 ( Expected Release Date too )

iOS 5 brought about with it several changes and was called the greatest update for the most advanced mobile platform iOS. And I admit, it was amazing. But as a new platform - or rather, as a new category of platforms - iOS can only learn from its short comings. And as great as the platform is, there are several. Many, I believe, Apple will rectify in the next update of the operating system. Others, they may miss out on. And others still they may simply be too adamant or stubborn to incorporate into the Operating System.

Here's What to Expect in iOS 6:

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Notes on OS X Mountain Lion: Review and Tips & Tricks

Notes on iOS was a beautiful application. And with Apple's latest update for Mac OS X, the amazing Notes application has gained a place in Mac (OS X Mountain Lion) as well. Here is a full review and summary of the application, its functionality, interface and appearance, usage in everyday life and a few tips and tricks as well.


Interface and Appearance

Applications like Notes usually have a cluttered appearance and an interface that requires getting used to. But Notes exceeds most applications in this respect. For applications like Notes, many people - including myself - prefer minimalist designs and functionality. Either that, or catchy casual-looking designs. Notes has both a minimalist and a catchy casual-looking design. Notes on OS 10.8 has a beautiful interface almost an exact replica of its iPad counterpart. Account's appear on the left hand sidebar ( if you want them to ) and so does a list of notes.
Notes has two viewing options: a two-columned view and a three-columned view.

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What You Need to Know About Apple TV

Most people (even some hardcore Apple enthusiasts) haven't the faintest idea about what the Apple TV is.
So if no one's heard about it, must be quite pointless, right ? Wrong.

Apple TV is one of Apple's many neglected devices (right along with the iPod classic, Mac Pro, etc). Its not that consumers wouldn't love to have some of these devices. It's just that Apple doesn't pay enough attention to these devices.

So what is Apple TV?

Its a box. A tiny little (3.9 inch) entertainment box that allows you to buy / rent full HD movies from iTunes or Netflix and watch them on your Television.

What exactly can the Apple TV do ?

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Possibility of an iMac Touch ?

Recently, I discovered that patentlyapple.com had acquired what seems to be a patent filed by Apple for an iMac Touch ( Actual name unknown ). Needless to say, if Apple has actually developed it, they are still a long long way from releasing it. However I'll elaborate on what I seem to understand from this design.
Apparently, the key to it all is the base, or as the header of the image says "Flex base". Essentially when the screen is in the upright position as shown in the main center image, it will function as a normal iMac - on Mac OS X ( Or whatever the latest version of Mac is by then ). But when its screen is facing up such as in the figure on the top-left corner of the image, it will function as an iOS Device. Needless to say, this seems like an extremely convenient idea but for the obvious disadvantages such as which keyboard will be used and if its a touch keyboard won't it be extremely inconvenient.

Another appealing possibility, perhaps most likely too, is that Apple will develop an entirely new Operating System meant for such devices.
Of course, there's still a lot of thought that needs to be put into this, but I'm hoping that Apple's already doing that.

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Recover a Lost Password On Mac OS X ( Lion Included )

Hacking is the (unethical) act of using a computer to gain unauthorized access to a computer. Password Recovery is regaining access to password that you may have lost or forgotten to gain access to - in this case - your computer. But there are some cases when one is not so different from the other.



Recovering a Mac's password is one of those cases. Most Mac users, or computer users, tend to have a password to protect their confidential data. Generally, people set a password that is not too obvious and often quite long and complicated. I too am guilty of that. So when we forget such a password, we have one last hope left: Praying that Apple has in place for people like us a system to regain access to our beloved data. Now naturally, I wouldn't be writing all this if I wasn't going to tell you how to do it, so here it is.

For Lion or Previous Versions of OS X

This is for users of Mac OS X Lion or previous versions of OS X which includes Snow Leopard, Leopard, Tiger, etc. (Mac OS 10.7 or less)

1. Single User Mode

The first step is to reboot your Mac in Single-User mode which gives you root access to the computer. So restart your Mac, and while doing so, hold down command-s. You should now see a black screen with white text on it.

2. Type in the Code

Now that we have a black screen with text on it, its pretty evident what we have to do. We type. So here's what you have to type:

/sbin/mount -uw /
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone
reboot

Note: Make sure everything is exactly as typed above. Also, after each line, press return or enter.

What we did: The first line basically mounts your hard drive, so that you can now edit the rest of the stuff. The second line gets rid of the Apple setup file. Apple uses this file to check if the Mac has a user set up or not. The logic behind it is quite simple - If the file is missing, the Mac doesn't know if a user account has been setup or not. So it starts up as though its a new mac. That is, it sets up a new account. A new administrator account. The last line simply reboots your computer to do the aforementioned task of setting up a new Account.

3. Set it Up

Now all you have to do is watch the video and complete the set up process. If you don't remember, it's quite basic. Name, username, password, etc.

4. Delete the Old Account ( Or the New One )

If you want to use the new account, then you should probably delete the old user account. Go to System Preferences --> Accounts. Click on the old User Account name (you may have to authenticate first) and press the little minus button at the bottom of the window. Now, you'll need an administrator account and password. So type in your new account name and password (must be exact). You should probably save the contents of your old account. (Apple will ask you what you want to do with them)

If you want to use the old account, go to System Preferences --> Accounts. (you may have to authenticate first) Now click on the old account's name from the list on the left and click "Reset Password". Once done, delete the new User by using the above mentioned process.

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A List of 35+ Mountain Lion Features and Changes

The release of OS X Mountain Lion was announced last week on the 16th of February. The theme of this update to Mac's operating system is "iOS-ification"

If you've been on the Apple website, you probably already know about most of the major changes and features of Mountain Lion ( Mac OS 10.8 ) that Apple is advertising. Notes, Reminders, Notifications Center, the works. But that's just a few of them.

With a little poking about, I've compiled a list of all the new tweaks and changes in Mountain Lion that I could find. Here it is -

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Five Things to Do After Buying a Mac

When you buy a Mac, you probably want to make sure you get your money's worth from your Mac. More importantly, you want to use it to its fullest. So here's the ten essential things to do after you buy your Mac (Don't worry, these won't make your wallet any lighter) -

1. The First would naturally be to transfer all your content from your old computer to your new Mac. I personally just transfer my stuff to a hard drive and then to the new Mac, but you can also use Mac's Migration Assistant. (Located in Applications --> Utilities)

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Take an Instant Snapshot in Photo Booth

Take an instant snapshot in Photo Booth ( Without the countdown ) . Simply hold down option while pressing the capture button. Alternatively, press Command-Option-T simultaneously.

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Cateye: More Free Effects For Photo Booth

With the new photo booth effects in Lion such as Lovestruck and dizzy, as well as with the older inbuilt effects ( Pop Art, Sepia, Mirror, Dent, Eiffel Tower, etc ) photo booth along with its effects has definitely become more - for lack of a better word - iconic in a Mac. Well, if you like these effects and seem to feel that Apple hasn't included its fair share of effects for you, you might be happy to see this application - CatEye which include 3 sets of 8 effects each and straight into your Photo Booth app.

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10 Amazing Features of iCal 5 on OS X Lion

iCal on Mac OS X Lion is an amazing and easy-to-use software on the Mac. It incorporates the stunning looks of its iPad equal with mind blowing simplicity and convenience.

The majority of Mac Users, including me, have never really used iCal on a day to day basis. Unfortunately, I simply do not have the time or patience to spend several minutes in simply setting a reminder or an alarm. The process which included naming the event, prioritizing it, setting a due date,  duration for the event, an alarm, choosing an account and performing several other moronic tasks was far too time consuming and tedious for me to find useful.

But with some changes in Lion and a little digging around the app, I discovered the tricks of the trade ( or rather, tricks of the app ) -

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OS X Lion - Dock in Full Screen Apps

When you install Lion for the first time, you'll probably be excited about the new Full-Screen apps. But if you've read enough reviews or if you're attentive enough, you might think that the dock doesn't show up in Full-Screen apps when you push your mouse down to the bottom of the screen where the dock would usually be.
So here's the secret: You push your mouse down to the bottom of the screen where the dock would usually be. And you keep pushing it down. This way, it ensures that you weren't simply clicking ( or mousing over ) something at the bottom of the screen but makes sure that you were intentionally trying to bring up the Dock.

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Safari in Mountain Lion

With Mountain Lion, Apple has made several changes to their famous cross-platform browser. The majority of changes have been  minor changes have been made, some of which are lifesaving tweaks or layout changes while others just add a little color to the browser. However, other layout changes too have been made in Safari 5.2 ( Developers preview available )

Here are some of the visible prominent changes in Safari 5.2

Reader has always been, in my opinion, one of Safari's under appreciated talents. After all, the feature to turn cluttered and clunky multi-page articles into a single paged neat and ad-free article with the perfect layout and font-size has definitely earned a spot on my list of favorites. 

What was previously a small black  button that would appear upon availability is now a permanent and prominently visible button next to the URL bar. When Safari detects an article on the webpage, the reader button automatically turns blue. Click it to read in a clutter-free and clean environment space.

Unified Search and URL Bar - The google search bar on the right corner of the safari window has now been integrated with the main URL bar. ( Possibly an idea taken from chrome ). To google something, simply start typing.

Tabs on Safari now expand to fill the tab bar no matter how many tabs are open. Even if you have just two tabs open, Safari will expand them to fill the entire space which makes viewing and switching between tabs a breeze.

The 'http' before the site URL no longer exists.

Apple has grayed out the everything after the root domain making the root domain far more prominent.

A new iOS-like share button has appeared throughout Mountain Lion and this is included in Safari too. It allows you to 'share' or save the webpage you are on by adding it to your bookmarks or reading list or by sharing it through Twitter, Email or iMessage.

Here are the some other changes in Safari 5.2

Passwords can now be 'Autofill-ed'. Safari asks you if you want to save the passwords for any websites which require it. If you choose to, it will automatically appear in Safari's preferences under the new 'Passwords' tab

The options for default font and font size seem to have vanished.

Also, new privacy options such as "Tell websites not to track me" have appeared.

While these changes seem to be largely for the better, only time will tell how they actually work in practice.

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Top Ten Marks in Mountain Lion's Crosshairs

Mac OS X 10.8 or Mountain Lion - Apple's new operating system - has been incorporated with a variety of new features many of these borrowed from iOS.
But along with this, Mountain Lion has also "killed" ( replaced, renamed or removed ) many applications, services, devices and names. Here's what Mountain Lion has in its crosshairs:

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Mac OS X Mountain Lion Release Date ( Expected )

On the 16th of Feb, Apple announced their new operating system for Mac: Mountain Lion. Taking the Mac community by surprise, the announcement stated that Mountain Lion would be due to release sometime "late summer" which, by looking at previous release history, suggests a mid-August release.

Mountain Lion can be downloaded as a developer preview if you have a Mac developers account. ( $99 a year to enroll, if you were thinking about making one just for the new releases )
Some of the new features due to be included in Mountain Lion include Notes, Reminders, Game Center and Notification Center for Mac ( Such as the ones on iPad and iPhone )

Watch out for a detailed article on All the Features in Mountain Lio on Control Your Mac.

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