Terminal - The Kill Command in Mac

The terminal 'Kill' command cancels the process which you choose to 'kill' and if it is a system process such as the Dock or Finder, it will relaunch them. To use it simply type - 'kill {Process ID}'. ( Replace Process ID with the actual process ID ) To see the process ID's of all running applications, open Activity Monitor.
The "killall" command can also be used to terminate a number of running processes. For example "killall Dock" kills the dock (reloads it)

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Reveal the Dock in Full Screen Applications

Dock in Mac OS X

See and Access the Dock in Fullscreen Applications in Mac OS X Lion by dragging your mouse pointer all the way down your screen to the position where your Dock would have been. The Dock will now pop up from the bottom.

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Quicklook in Fullscreen with the Keyboard

Quick Look

View Quick Look in Full screen with a simple Keyboard command by selecting the file and then pressing Option (Alt) - Space simultaneously.

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Mac OS X Lion's New Copy and Move ( Cut and Paste ) Function

Mac OS X Lion now has a new copy and move function which allows you to copy a file and 'move' it to a different location on your mac, hereby removing it from the previous. To do so, select the file by clicking on it and copy it ( Command-C ). Now open the location where you would like to move this file to and press Command-Option-V as opposed to Command-V to paste.

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Change File / Application / Folder Icons Yourself

Default icons seem a bit dull after a while, don't they ? Well, of course you could use some software to change them but then you HAVE to choose a package. Why not just change "some" icons yourself ?

To change the icons yourself -

1. Download an icon for your file / folder from google images or iconfinder.com or you could make the icon yourself using some software such as Photoshop.

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Change the Desktop Icons Size

Change the size of your desktop icons in a flash. Now this may seen obvious to all trackpad users who merely have to pinch in to increase and pinch out to decrease the size of the icons on their desktop. However for desktop users, the process is a little different.

1. Go to your desktop.
2. Right click and click "Show View Options" or simply press "Command-J"
3. Now change the icon sizes by dragging the slider left and right.

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MagicPref - Add Functionality to your Mouse / Trackpad

Add additional functionality to your magic mouse or trackpad with MagicPrefs, an application which allows you to add numerous new functions to your magic mouse or trackpad if you're unsatisfied with Apple's limited selection. It is one of the absolutely essential applications for your Mac. It features the ability to bind a variable number of finger clicks, taps, swipes, pinch and other gestures to functions like Middle Click , Hold Down Both Mouse Buttons , Spaces , Expose, Dashboard , Recent Applications, Tweet, Read Tweets, Google Reader etc.

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Update to iOS 5

iOS 5

Did you know that you can update your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad to iOS 5 whenever you want provided you're a registered iPhone Application Developer.

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Mac OS X Lion - Bring Back the Dashboard !

I'm going to go ahead and say it. I DON'T LIKE LION'S DASHBOARD. It has a opaque background and doesn't ripple. But read my logo - "Love your Mac ? ...Then Control it" So that's exactly what we're going to do. Control Our Mac. And bring the back the original dashboard that we all love so much. So Open System Preferences --> Mission Control and uncheck the box which says "Show Dashboard as a space". And that's it. It's done.

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Mac OS X - Force Dock Magnification

Force your Dock to magnify without actually changing the Settings. Try holding down Control-Shift while moving your mouse over the Dock.

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OS X - Black Your Screen Superfast

If you want to turn off your screen / black your screen superfast, simply press Control-Shift-Eject.

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Mac OS X Lion - iOS Style Accents

Accents in OS X Lion

OS X Lion now includes a much easier wat to add accents to your text anywhere on your Mac. Similar to iOS, simply press and hold the key on which you want an accent / special character. A list of all available special characters will pop up. Simply choose one, either with your mouse, arrow keys or by pressing the number assigned to that character.

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Open an Application at Login / Startup

Right click on the Application's Icon in your Dock --> Options --> Open at login and Done. The application will now open the minute you switch on your mac. To disable auto open at login, do the same thing and 

uncheck 'Open at Login'

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Why I'd pick an iPhone 4 over another Phone

When you're buying an iPhone, you'll probably wonder what's so great in the iPhone 4 which isn't there in some other smartphone.

Well, this list is a start - 

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New List View in Stacks

List View in Stacks

Stacks are the little folder icons in your Dock on the right hand side which provide you with quick and easy access to any file in those folders. By default, they are set to "automatic" wherein they display items of the folder in 'Fan' or 'Grid' mode depending on the number of files in the folder. Alternatively, you can also choose to display it in 'List' mode which is a neat and organized view of all the files. Sadly though, it lacks eye candy. But what if we could add the visual effects ? To add these effects simply Open 'Terminal' ( Applications --> Utilities ) and type in the following -

defaults write com.apple.dock use-new-list-stack -bool YES && killall Dock

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No Jailbreaking iOS 5 on iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch

iOS 5 which as we know, is the most advanced software update for iOS Devices ( iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch ) so far. However it will not be released by Apple until this fall. Apple developers on the other hand can download it today. And as rumour has it, Apple's latest software update will not allow downgrading to previous versions of iOS. Now our best guess is that this is Apple's attempt to prevent Jailbreaking and if a Jailbreak isn't released for iOS 5, this may result in us having to choose between Jailbreaking and iOS 5.

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Minimize Windows using Genie / Scale Effect in Mac

Minimize using genie effect on Mac OS X

In Mac OS X, you can Minimize windows using a genie effect which looks something like the one shown above or using the scale effect. Try experimenting ! Go to System Preferences --> Dock and select Minimize windows using genie / scale effect. ( Hint: To minimize a window on Mac OS X, click on the yellow button on the top left corner of your window or simply press Command-M )

Bonus Tip: To slow down any animation on Mac including minimizing of windows, hold down Shift while activating the animation.

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New Macbook Air - Review

It's no big secret that I've never been a big fan of the Macbook Air. I mean it's small and light but so is an iPad. Then there's the fact that it doesn't have a CD Drive and isn't very powerful... Or atleast, it wasn't. However, after some reading up and research on it, I've reconsidered. I won't go so far as to say it's my favorite Mac or anything but the fact of the matter is that I might have been a little too... disparaging.


So, I thought to myself, perhaps it's not very powerful but not everyone needs it to be so. And let's face it, it still runs on the world's best operating system. And who else has managed to create a fully functioning notebook computer merely 3mm thick. And believe me, many have tried. Anyway, I think providing you with a summarized version including Pros and Cons might function as a refreshing change.

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Mac OS X - Zoom Text Only in Safari

Zoom only text in Safari. Click View ( Menubar ) --> Zoom Text Only. Then Press Command-Plus (+) to zoom in on text.

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Versions in Mac OS X Lion

Versions in Mac OS X Lion is a way to browse through every edit you've ever made to a document, image or any other file in a timefield and Restore it to whichever one you preferred. Stunning appearance, very functional and one of the best features in Lion. Never lose your data again.

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Mac OS X Lion - Safari Reading List

One of my favorite new features in Apple's New Operating System - Mac OS X Lion, is the fact that Safari has a "Reading List" ( Another one of my favorite features is Safari's Superfast loadtime ). Anyway, Reading list basically provides you with a list of all the Articles that you might want to read but dont have time to read at the moment. To add an article or website to your reading list, click the glasses icon on the left side in your bookmarks bar and the reading list will pop out. To add the website you are currently on to your reading list, click add page in the reading list sidebar. Alternatively shift-click a link to add it to your reading list.

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Mac OS X Lion - All My Files

Lion provides you with a beautiful, organized way to view all files on your Mac. It conveniently and neatly organizes them by last opened such that you can easily find whatever file you're looking for. It also only shows you your own personal files and doesn't add system files to the list.

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Photo Booth in Mac OS X Lion

The new Photo Booth in Mac OS X Lion is a wonderful application with a page of new features as well as the ability to operate in a beautiful fullscreen mode. Photo Booth on Mac is one of the most recognized pre-installed applications on a Mac. It's effects are known to be amazing and Lion has made it even more so. With it's new facial tracking technology, take photos of your self with "dizzy" birds flying around your head or twirl your nose. Enjoy other effects lile chipmunk, frog, space alien, lovestruck, dent, twirl, bulge, light tunnel, mirror, strtch, fish eye, comic book, pop art, sketch, Thermal, X-ray, Glow, B&W, Sepia and more. Or take a snap of yourself in front of the Eiffel Tower, or in a Roller Coaster or perhaps, a beautiful beach. Or take a video of the same. Enjoy
Bonus tip: To take an instant snapshot / photo / picture, Hold down alt / option on your keyboard and press the capture button. Or press Command-Alt-T.

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10 Things Lion Stole / Borrowed from iOS

Mac OS X Lion was released earlier this week, and a number of changes were seen which Lion has stolen or borrowed from iOS -

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Launchpad in Mac OS X Lion

Launchpad on Mac

Launchpad is another one of Apple's favorite new features in Lion, It's basically a new quick way to launch applications conveniently straight from your Desktop.
To view launchpad, Simply click on the Launchpad icon in the dock (the same as the one to the left) It may take upto a minute or so the first time you launch it. However the next time, It'll launch with amazing speed.
Those of you who've used an iOS Device previously, will immediately recognize the similarity between this and the gridded applications launching system ( Springboard ) on iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.
Click and hold on an application to move it around and click the cross on it to uninstall ( delete ) it. Drop it into another app to create a folder.
Apple. Coincidentally, I had designed an application with the same name and purpose too. Strange.

Launchpad Folders

Bonus tip: Click on the name of the Folder to rename ( for example, in this case, you would click on "Developer" to rename it.
Related - Similarities between iOS and Lion )

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Mission Control in Lion - What is it and How to Use it

You've probably heard of a new feature that Apple keeps bragging about in their new OS - Mission control.

So what is it ?

Mission Control on Mac OS X Lion provides you with a new way to monitior all open Spaces, Full screen Applications, Windows of Applications, Dashboard and more in a beautifully displayed screen.

What's it good for ?

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Resume in Lion

Mac OS X Lion, released earlier this week, has the added ability of being able to resume your previous work, windows and applications exactly as you left them. The best part about this is that it works even after a reboot To my knowledge, this is the first Desktop Operating System which is able to do this. This is an amazing leap forward in Computing Technology and will no doubt, soon be replicated by other operating systems. However it may be potentially harmful for you incase it's a shared computer. So I'll also tell you how to disable it -

Open System Preferences --> General.
Uncheck the box which says "Restore windows when quitting and re-opening apps."

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Picture in Picture Zoom in Lion

In the new Mac OS X Lion, there is an added Picture in picture zoom capability which allows you to zoom in on a segment of the entire window without disrupting the rest of the window. To do so Open System Preferences --> Universal Access, Turn on Zoom and select zoom in Window. Your mouse will now have a zoomed in window alongside the actual screen.

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Lion - Full Screen Apps

Lion now allows you to open most applications in Full screen mode including Safari, iPhoto, Photo Booth and many others. Full screen Safari on a Mac is especially very brilliant.
Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone

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Lion - Inverted scrolling or Normal ?

Mac OS X Lion is out ( available on the Mac app store ) as you probably already know. Now one of the many changes in the OS is that scrolling is now inverted or as Apple calls it "Natural" which basially means that like in iOS Devices, to go up on a page you scroll down on your mouse / trackpad and to go down on a page, you scroll up on your mouse / trackpad. Scrolling is now also momentum based which means that it will move based on how you scroll on your mouse.

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Mac OS X Lion is Out

Apple just released their newest, much awaited operating system - Mac OS X Lion along with a New Macbook Air and a New Mac Mini. What's more Lion, with over 250 new features in a single update is available for a mere $29.99 for all your Macs as opposed to previous operating system updates which were priced at $129.99 for a single Mac. 

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Hide all Applications in a Split Second

The keyboard shotcut to hide an application is Command-H. However, to hide all applications except the one you're currently using, just press Command-Option-H.

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Remove an Icon from the Dock

Remove an Icon from the Dock by simply dragging it and throwing it out of the dock. ( It goes out with a swoosh sound )

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Change File Format of Screenshots ( JPEG ) - Terminal

By default, Mac OS X saves all screenshots as PNG or portable network graphics format. While this a perfectly good format. In fact, a very good one, there is always the possibility that a PNG may not open on some computers. So rather than converting it each time, why not simply change the default format of screenshots ? Open Terminal ( Applications --> Utilities --> Terminal ) and type in the following -

defaults write com.apple.screencapture type JPG

Then press enter and type -

Killall SystemUIServer

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Increase / Decrease Dock Size Quick

Increase or Decrease your Dock Size withing seconds. Simply click and drag the dock seperator. Drag up to increase the size and down to decrease it.

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Merge Multiple Safari Windows into One

Merge many Safari windows and change them into one window with multiple tabs. When more than one window is open in Safari, simply click on Window ( Menutbar on top ) and click Merge all windows.

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Make a Beatiful Document / PDF Design Quick

Make a stunning document / PDF design in seconds with Apple's Pages app and it's predefined templates. Simply download Pages from the Mac App Store and open it to choose a beautiful template. Alternatively, you can create your own design superfast using it's simplistic yet powerful user interface.

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Free iPad Game of the Week - GT Racing - Motor Academy HD

A racing game, this provides a rich user interface and controls coupled with brilliantly designed graphics, this app is not only this week's best one, it has also gained a place in my favourite iPad apps list.

Pros

- Brilliant Graphics
- Simple yet stunning user interface
- Fairly Responsive Controls

Cons

- Large file size

Download

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Scan on Mac Without any Software

Connect your scanner to your Mac, Open Preview and Click File ---> Import from Scanner

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Stacks on Mac

Fan in the form of a stack

What are stacks on Mac ?
Stacks on Mac provide an easy way to access folders right from your Dock. These folders are positioned to the right of your Dock seperator. You can add stacks to the Dock by simply dragging a folder here. You can view these stacks in the form of a fan, grid, list or let Mac decide.

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Drag Dock's to Right or Left in a Click

Position the Dock to the right or left hand side of your screen in one fluid drag - Click and drag the Dock's Seperator to wherever you want it while Holding down alt / option and shift. ( Click on image to see enlarged view )

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Turn on Magnification in Dock

To turn on Magnification in the Dock, Simply right-click on the seperator in the Dock, and click "Turn Magnification On". Alternative go to System Preferences --> Dock and Turn Magnification On.

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How to Create a Dashboard Widget in Safari

Create Dashboard Widget in Safari

Dashboard widgets are generally created in Dashcode which requires a lot of programming. However there is a simple way to create your own dashboard widget for Website updates. Simply open Safari. Click File in the menubar and then "Open in Dashboard". Select what part of the Webpage you want in your widget and click add in the purple slide down menu on top.

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iPhone / iPad - 5 Tips to Increase Battery Life on iOS

Battery life on iOS Devices is pretty good anyway. But when you find yourself in a tough spot where you need to conserve your battery, these tips might prove handy -

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Update your Mac and it's Applications

Did you know that your Mac can be updated frequently to a newer bugless version in minutes ? Your apps require updates too to fix bugs. To update, just click on the Apple icon in the top right corner of your screen and click on software update. Select your updates and click Install.

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