Upgrading Mac OS X

With the release of OS X Mountain Lion in the summer of 2012, Apple made the switch to an online-only delivery method for its operating system. This means that it can be obtained by one method and one method only: purchasing it via the Mac App Store, which is available in Mac OS X 10.6.6 and later, for $19.99.

Many of you have Macs that are powerful, even if they aren't recent Mac models, and would like to install as up to date an operating system as possible. Sadly, Apple does not make this an easy task.                                                           You require a guide, and iOSolutions4u is that guide.

If you have have Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, would like to upgrade, but your Mac is not supported by Mountain Lion, then it is possible to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion. To accomplish this, you will need to call 1-800-MY-APPLE, and purchase the operating system for $19.99 from a salesperson over the phone. They will send you a series of emails, containing the installation file and the installation instructions.

If your Mac is too old for Mac OS X Lion, then you can still upgrade to Mac OS X Snow Leopard. To accomplish this, you can either call 1-800-MY-APPLE, and purchase the operating system on DVD for $19.99 from a salesperson over the phone, or purchase from Apple's online store for the same price.

To find out which operating systems your Mac will support, reference Apple's support pages or contact iOSolutions4u.

External Hard Drive Questions

This is an external hard drive. In specific, it is a Western Digital My Passport for Mac. Why is it here? It is here because this post is all about external hard drives. This post shall answer a couple questions about external hard drives and your Mac.


1. Can I backup my iOS device (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) to an external hard drive?

No, you cannot backup your iOS device to an external hard drive. The best backup option is via iCloud on iOS 5 or later.

2. Do I need to buy a hard drive that specifically says it is "for Mac" in order to use it with my Mac?

No, you do not need a hard drive that specifically says it is "for Mac" in order to use it with your Mac. The reason that hard drive manufacturers label certain hard drives "for Mac" is because the drives are formatted in Mac format for your convenience. Often, the manufactures make these drives more expensive for this convenience. It is possible to format the drive yourself, but that will be addressed in a different post.

3. Should I use an external hard drive to store all my (photos or videos or iTunes)?

The answer is again, no. An external hard drive is the exact same technology as an internal hard drive (what is inside your computer and storing your files), so there is no technological advantage to storing them on an external hard drive. As your Mac ages, external hard drives will become available with storage sizes far greater than what you have installed in your Mac. The desire to free up space on the internal drive is usually the reason behind this question. Keep in mind that as external drives increase in size, so will internal drives. The best use of an external drive is for backup. If you want or need more space on your internal drive, just replace the internal drive with a new, larger capacity one.

4. How do I backup my Mac to an external hard drive?

The simplest and easiest way is using the amazing software that came preloaded with your Mac, Time Machine. This software will backup your entire system to your external hard drive every time you connect the drive to your Mac. Rest assured that all of your music, photos, and documents will be backed up using Time Machine.

 

Featured App-YouTube

Today, Google released an updated version of it's YouTube app. This update is a big milestone because it now natively supports the iPad's larger screen. Until today, users had to stretch the small screen of the iPhone-focused YouTube app in order to use it on their iPads.

This update will be a relief to the many users who have upgraded to iOS 6, only to find the YouTube app that Apple had originally installed as part of the core system missing.

YouTube is a FREE app, and the update is free as well. It is available in the App Store on your iPad or iPhone.

iOS Christmas Gifts Ideas

iHome bluetooth speaker - $39.99 - http://bit.ly/X2q7GQ

Light and compact providing great sound for the size.

Apple TV - $99.99 - http://bit.ly/UelZ1F

An absolute gem for $99 allowing endless opportunities of enjoyment ... link Apple TV to your iTunes library with Home Sharing to spice up your home entertainment center, beautiful screen savers that can be linked to Photo Streams, movie rental from the comfort of your home, Netflix, sports recaps ... and oh yea, wireless mirroring from iPad, iPhone or Macbook Pro top notch tool both in the home and the workplace.  You are really going to enjoy your Apple TV.

iPad Wall Mount - $14.99 - http://amzn.to/TtX1L1

For $14.99 ... give me a break, this is a no brainer. 

Dual USB wall charger - $9.99 - http://amzn.to/X5Ada4

A great price for a dual USB wall charger to maximize wall socket efficiency for multiple device charging.

iPad Smart Cover - $39.99-$69.99 - http://bit.ly/QthKRP

Once again, Apple designs a simple and beautiful product as a screen cover that folds nicely for prop up.  Magnetic edges can put your device to sleep upon "closing".

iTunes or App Store Gift Cards - $15 and up - http://bit.ly/RadjsX

With the incredible amount of apps, music, ringtones, TV shows, and movies available at your fingertips ... who wouldn't enjoy free money in the iTunes and App Stores?  Stuff a stocking with one of those.

Airport Express - $99.99 - http://bit.ly/ofSZ

A pretty little router, indeed.  Using the Airport Utility for Mac or iOS devices, the Airport Express setup can be completed in minutes to take on the road to extend or create a new network in a flash.  An audio port enables another slick avenue for AirPlaying to connected speakers or receivers from Mac, iPad or iPhone to enhance the home entertainment experience.

Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation, and Powerstation Duo - $79.99 - $99.99 - http://bit.ly/nzpp1D - http://bit.ly/LM0AtH

Using your iPhone/iPad to the extreme and always look for a charger?  This compact accessory provides comes with one or two USB ports for mobile device charing on the go.

Bluetooth keyboard - $69.99 - http://bit.ly/12aybpJ

Typing on your iPhone or iPad a little cumbersome?  Hook up a bluetooth keyboard, and the iPad can easily replace the needs of a laptop for college students and professionals.

Stylus - $16.99 and up - http://bit.ly/12n9RQH

Ranging from a simple little pen like stylus to our personal favorite, the stylus, pen, laser pointer triple threat, styli help keep your screen clean from fingerprints and can help with tapping in specific areas of your screen.

Community Education class - $30 - http://bit.ly/QZGzGu

New Mac, iPad or iPhone and have questions?  We have answers.  Classes range from helping you get out of the gates with setup to maximizing the potential of your Apple products in the workplace.  We look forward to seeing you in class in the SE MN regions of Rochester, Kasson, Stewartville, Austin or Owatonna.

Take a screenshot on your Mac

Capture Screen Shots

In Mac OS X, you can use simple keyboard shortcuts to do all sorts of things, including capturing images of what’s on your Mac screen. For example, you can take a screen shot of your entire screen by holding down the Command and Shift keys and pressing a 3.

If you hold down the Command and Shift keys and press 4, Mac OS X turns the cursor into crosshairs you can use to select whatever portion of your display you’d like to capture in a screen shot.

If you immediately hit the Spacebar after typing Command-Shift-4, Mac OS X replaces those crosshairs with a little camera. Using the camera, you can take a screen shot of the Dock, the entire menu bar, a single open menu, the desktop, or any open window.