Sell Your Book on the iTunes Store, Read it on the iPad

Sell your book as an ebook, readable on the
Apple iPad.
You set the price (it has to end in 99 cents), and keep
70% of the profit. And your book will look gorgeous on the iPad -- if
you format it correctly.

Sell Your eBook on iTunes

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Big Book of Apple Hacks (book review)

Here is a book that could renew your passion for technology.




Big Book of Apple Hacks
Tips and Tools for unlocking the power of your Apple Devices
by Chris Seibold
Published by O'Reilly
Paperback, 627 pages, $ 34.99

You've probably already read about the stunning success of Firefox. In the past month since the latest version 3.0 appeared, this pop-star of web browsers has been downloaded more than 28 million times. Along the way, it set a Guinness Book of World Records record for the most downloads in one 24-hour period: more than 8 million. Here are four reasons why I use Firefox: It works; it has 15,000 improvements; it's free; and I can customize it, to get the browser that is perfect for all my needs.

Move into a new house or apartment, and you know that you don't need to keep those ugly green rugs or the yellow polka-dot wallpaper in the kitchen. You fix it up the way you want it. Why not do the same with your hardware and software? Seibold writes:

"This is the essence of hacking: getting your stuff to do what you want in the manner you want. Fortunately, tech stuff tends to be near infinitely hackable, customizable and extensible, which means that you can truly be the unbending overlord of your Apple gadgets."

This is a truly a big book, that explains how you can make changes to your Mac desktop, laptop, Leopard operating system, iPod, web browsers, iTunes, iChat, iWeb, Apple TV, and many more products in the Apple universe. Some of the hacks are simple to do, a few of the hacks require a daring streak of geekness, but almost all of the hacks can be done by anyone who has patience, and can follow the very clear instructions in the book.

Take a look inside Chapter 8, at hack number 69, called: "Move from Windows to Mac OS X Painlesly." The pages that follow succinctly explain the essential similarities and differences between these two operating systems. (This information is available from the Internet, of course, but it would have taken me hours to find it and assemble it as efficiently as the material presented here.) So in addition to the stellar hacks, there is an unadvertised feature of the book: you'll get a deep education about the inner workings of your computer, your software, and your gadgets.

Hacking can be habit-forming. The book made me think like a hacker, in other words, ask the simple and all-important question: How can this software or hardware be improved? ... Last night, when the new Firefox location bar dropped down websites I had no interest at all in seeing, it took less than a minute to edit some code to fix that pesky bar. Would I have tried that without hesitation, if I had not read the Big Book? ... Maybe yes &mdash but maybe not.

A heavy reference book that's fun? ... Yes, somehow the author and the contributors and the editors have managed to make a big useful book without the boredom factor. The Big Book of Apple Hacks is a big winner. Read it, back up your essential files, and then go forth and hack your Mac.



Story Links:

MAKE magazine ... http://www.makezine.com
Maker Faire ... http://www.makerfaire.com
Hacks ... http://www.hackszine.com

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10 Tips for Switching to a Leopard Mac from a Windows PC

You remember, of course, the classic story by O’Henry, “Gift of the Magi.” The husband [text deleted to not spoil the story -- ed.]; and the wife [text deleted to not spoil the story -- ed.]. Something similar happens when you first get your beautiful new Mac machine. You’ve got the hardware, but with everything you’ve spent on it, your budget is low and dry for buying new software for your Mac.

But wait! Nil desperandum! ... Your new Mac comes with some terrific software; and iWork ( $79) can solve your simple word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation needs. And yes Virginia, there is not only a Santa Claus, but there is freeware for the Mac. ... All at once you grasp that there’s no need to toss out the old as you ring in the new. Using BootCamp (free with Leopard) you can run your favorite Windows programs on your new Mac computer. Enthusiasts and fanatics have been talking about that possibility for the past 10 years. And now it’s it’s possible, it’s real, it's here now, and it’s easy to do.

This article describes a strategy for moving from a Windows computer to a Mac. It assumes that -- at least for a few months -- you’ll want to use the best of the software, shareware, and freeware that you’ve been accustomed to on your old Windows nag.

Here’s how I made the great transition. Use this as a rough guide to help you to devise your own plan.

1. Learn about the Mac basics. ... Learn how the Finder works; how the Mac keyboard differs from the one on the PC; and how to find your newly made files.

2. Carefully install Bootcamp. ... Bootcamp is the software made by Apple that allows you the choice of starting (and restarting) your computer with the Windows operating system or with the Mac Leopard. Apple provides (as a downloadable PDF from their website) a 26-page Installation & Setup Guide that you should read carefully; especially the part where you must choose which drive to partition. One false move here and you wipe out your entire hard drive, and obliterate all of Western civilization.

3. Install Windows XP with service pack 2. ... I prefer XP to Vista; but you could choose Vista instead. And yes, you’ll need to buy a copy: check the web for deals.

4. Move your data from your old computer to your new one. ... I used a Maxtor OneTouch USB external hard drive: its 300GB capacity was more than capable for the job. I simply dragged everything from the MyDocuments folder to the Maxtor; and then (when booted up in Windows) dragged everything from the Maxtor to the new machine.

5. Install your essential Windows software. ... WordPerfect, File Locator Pro, Manny’s Simple Note Cards, and TreePad were the first to bless my new machine. For your shareware shareware and freeware, it’s often simpler to download these installer files fresh from the Web, rather than dig up the original ones on your old hard drive. If you can’t find your registration numbers, contact the software seller and request these magic numbers.


6. Move your software's special settings from the old machine to the new one. My Wordperfect had macros and custom-made keyboards: the macros were dragged into the macro folder; and the keyboards re-appeared by dragging in a template file. Dreamweaver contains special information about folders, and the passwords to access your websites: a migration tool (free) made life a lot easier here.

7. Upgrade your hardware drivers. ... Now is a good time to search the websites of your hardware companies to find updates to the latest drivers, for hardware such as printers and scanners.

8. Test your Windows and your Mac systems. ... Open your programs; try to print and scan something; make sure all your important data is where you want it. Practice switching operating systems, from Mac to PC (just restart and hold down the “Option” key) and from PC to Mac (click the small button on your toolbar, then choose “Restart in OS-X”.

9. Soup up your Mac with Freeware and Shareware. ... Download Firefox and Open Office; and then check out useful shareware and freeware programs for the Mac.

10. Open up iCal -- set your tiny mouse button (on the top) to bring up iCal instantly -- and then wonder in wide-eyed stupefaction how you ever accomplished anything without it.

You’re done. Woo-hoo! ... Now go forth and have fun with your Mac.

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10 Reasons Why I Switched to an Apple Mac

After a thousand years as a Windows PC user, I'm switching to an Apple iMac. Here's why:

1. The Leopard Operating System. Take Apple's Guided Tour of Leopard.

2. You Can Run Every Program in the Universe. Abiltiy to run the other major operating systems, including Windows XP and Linux.

3. Sound and Video. This generation communicates via voice and moving images. The computer most-often used by sound-and-video professionals is the Mac.

4. Apple's Other Stuff. Easy integration with other appealing Apple products and gizmos, such as iPods and iPhones and iTunes.

5. MS Non-compliance. I want to send a message to Microsoft: "Make your web browser compliant with web standards." . See this
article by Hakon Lie from The Register. See also, Lie's Open Letter to the Web Community

And for 5 more reasons ...

6. Hasta La Vista, Vista ... I don't like Microsoft's new operating system.

7. Security. With Macs, there is less to worry about concerning the many varieties of malware.

8. Keynote Presentation software. ... Whenever I see a stunning presentation, it's been made with Keynote. Keynote comes included in Apple's reaonsonably-priced iWorks.

9. Value. At first, PCs seem to be cheaper than Macs — until you put together your ideal configuration of PC hardware and software. And then you discover that the Mac is a good deal.

10. Why not? .... As Zorba the Greek says: "You're like a grocer, you weigh everything. Can't a man do something just because he wants to!"
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