To take a screenshot on a Mac simply do the following:

Command-Control-Shift-3 to save the current screen to the clipboard.

Command-Shift-3 to save the current screen to a file on the desktop.

I’ve recently had a lot of people come up and ask me what firewall and antivirus they should buy for their Mac Desktop or Macbook laptop. Well you don’t have to buy an antivirus (there is currently no virus out there for the Mac, and no trojans unless you pirate software) and the Mac computers already come with a built-in firewall. You just have to turn it on.

So how do you do it? Here’s how:

Step-By-Step:

1. Click on the Apple Logo on the upper-left corner of your screen.
2. A Menu will pop up. In that menu click on System Preferences.
3. The System Preferences window will open. In that Windows find and click on the Security Icon.
4. The Security Window will open. Check the bottom of the Security Window. If the padlock icon is closed then click on it and enter your password. This will enable you to start the firewall. If the padlock is already unlocked then leave it that way.
5. Click on the Start Button.
6. Close the Security Window. And you’re done!

Cheers!

As many of you know Apple is close to releasing a new update to it’s much applauded Mac Operating System OS X. The update is called Snow Leopard and will introduce several low-level fixes to the Mac. It will also add a few nice new features.

Some of the improvements:

1) About 6GB stripped right out! The new OS is much much lighter.

2) Faster start-up and shutdown.

3) A new version of QuickTime (called QuickTime X) that adds many of the pro features to the free version. You can also now edit in Quicktime!

4) Up to 50% times faster Time Machine Backup.

5) Faster Wireless connectivity.

6) The brand spanking new Safari 4. Which is supposed to be much faster and much more stable then previous versions.

*Note: PowerPC Mac users are unable to install Snow Leopard. They have finally been dropped. Intel Macs only.*

So. How do you get all that and more for only $9.95? Well it’s simple. If you bought a Mac after June 8th that includes OS X Leopard but not Snow Leopard then all you need to do is go to this website: http://www.apple.com/ca/macosx/uptodate/. Fill out the form, mail it off, and your upgrade should come soon after that! You have until December 26th, 2009 to get your copy.

But what if you didn’t buy your Mac after June 8th? What then? Don’t fret. As long as you’re running Leopard you can buy the upgrade from Apple for the awesomely reasonable price of $29. If you’re running an older version (such as Tiger) you’ll need to shell out $169. However that price includes an upgrade to both Leopard and Snow Leopard.

Cheers!

I run a business and I don’t want people going on youtube or Face Book, is there any way I can block these sites for cheap? I have a mac and Safari.

NOTE: New method below.

Do you work in a retail store? I see teenagers on Facebook at the local mall or Best Buy all the time. Hilariously enough the employees at these stores are either annoyed…..or on Facebook themselves!

Onto your question. There is a simple way of blocking websites on a Mac. Simply modify a file called “HOSTS”. This file allows you to add as many websites to it as you want. You can either block the websites outright or have them redirect to whatever site you want. The procedure is ridiculously easy.

Here’s how:

1. Click on Go at the menu bar.
2. Go to Utilities and select Terminal in the window that opens. (without quotation marks)
3. Type in “sudo pico /etc/hosts” (without quotations)
4. You will be asked for you password. Enter it.
5. Terminal will open the hosts file. Move the curser down to the end of it and enter in the following (without quotation marks):

“127.0.0.1 http://www.facebook.com”

“127.0.0.1 http://www.youtube.com”

And that’s it! Save the file and exit the terminal. When you’re done fire up Safari and try to go to facebook. You can’t!

EDIT! PLEASE FOLLOW THESE STEPS IF THE ABOVE DO NOT WORK!

Several people have told me in the comments below that the above did not work for them. I tried it on 10.5 myself recently and could not find a way to save the HOSTS file after it have been modified. So here is a workaround.

1. Disregard the above.
2. Click on Go at the menu bar.
3. Go to Utilities and select Terminal in the window that opens.
4. Type in sudo su. Press Enter.
5. If at any point you’re prompted for a password please type it in.
6. Type in “echo “127.0.0.1 www.xxx.com” >> etc/hosts (with quotation marks and substituting xxx with the site you want to block. Press Enter
7. Type Exit. Press Enter.
8. Close Terminal, restart your browser and you should be good to go!

Having other problems with your computer? Simply scan your computer for free to identify problem areas. Click here to start a free scan.

Anybody out there encounter MacBook cracks? I’ve seen a few myself but apparently there is a large amount of people who have complained to Apple about these cracks forming seemingly spontaneously. Apple’s response: Too bad, we’re not gonna fix it.

Until now.

Apple Insider reports:

“The Cupertino-based Mac maker is said to have issued a bulletin to its authorized service providers in March that essentially reverses its stance on replacing the bottom casing of notebooks that may be experiencing these symptoms.

In the event that providers are unable to identify signs that the user is at fault for the cracks, they’re advise to escalate the notebook for coverage by Apple, regardless of whether its 1-year limited warranty has expired.”

So if you find  someone with this issue send them to Apple. The only caveat to keep in mind here is the nature of the announcement: it’s internal. That means the owner of the MacBook will have to rely on the support person they’re dealing with to interpret the crack correctly and authorize a repair. But if one denies you just move on to the next guy!

Here is a pic (from Apple Insider):

Cheers.

Apple has announced iLife ‘09 and has given current Mac owners the opportunity to upgrade to the new version.

From the site:

“iLife ’09, a significant upgrade to Apple’s digital lifestyle applications, features updates to iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, and iWeb. If you’ve purchased a qualifying computer on or after January 6, 2009, that does not include iLife ’09, you can upgrade to iLife ’09 for US$9.95 plus tax.”

For those you working at a retail store that sells Apple Computers please let your customers know about this offer as the Macs that you are selling will most likely still have the ‘08 version of iLife.

The link to the upgrade forms: http://www.apple.com/ca/ilife/uptodate/