Top Mac News

Why can’t I eject my DVD on my Mac?

Steve Top Mac News — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:42:56 +0000

There could be a few reasons. First, some running software could be using the drive. If you are using one of the Windows Virtual Machine software utilties such as Parallels or VMWare Fusion, that program might have “taken over” use of that drive for its own use, possibly as a Windows D: drive. Try ejecting the drive using a method in Windows, such as selecting “eject” on the drive under Windows Explorer.

What is an SSD?

Steve Top Mac News — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:31:44 +0000

As the price of memory continues to decrease as time goes on, it has recently become more cost effective to jam a lot of memory together and use it as a storage device like a hard drive. If you’ve used a USB flash drive or taken pictures and saved them to an SD card, the idea is the same. SSD’s and flash drives use a technology called NVRAM or non-volatile memory, which means that your information stays stored on the card or drive even if there is no power going to it, unlike your computer’s RAM. While they are more expensive byte-for-byte than standard hard drives, the performance gains from using “solid state” storage are significant. If you purchase an SSD drive, you notice an immediate boost in performance on your computer, and it could even give some extra life out of that old computer you’d like to replace.

Why does my iPad say “Not charging” after I’ve plugged it into my computer?

Steve Top Mac News — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:15:58 +0000

The iPad needs a relatively large amount of power to charge its battery. Once you connect your iPad to your computer via USB, the iPad checks to see if there is enough power on that line. If the iPad determines there is not enough power, it will not charge its battery but its data connection will still work.

If your computer cannot charge the iPad, you’ll need to purchase a powered usb hub (a hub that provides its own power through a wall-wart power supply). Plug your computer into the USB hub, then plug the iPad into the powered USB hub. If the USB hub is supplying enough power, you’ll see the power icon on your iPad notifying you that the device is charging. Sometimes powered hubs provide different power levels depending on the connector you’re using; if you still get a “Not Charging” message even after plugging into a powered hub, try another connector on the hub.

Can I legally Jailbreak my iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad?

Steve Top Mac News — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:10:33 +0000

Jailbreaking is the process of installing software that takes advantage of some exploit (a bug in Apple’s iOS code that a hacker can take advantage of) to install custom software to give you a “portal” into your device so install software that adds some functionality to your device that Apple doesn’t necessarily want you to have, such as turning your iPod Touch into a phone or playing movies you might not have rights to.

The Library of Congress in 2010 to being able to jailbreak your device.

Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications, when they have been lawfully obtained, with computer programs on the telephone handset.

We do not condone jailbreaking your device at TMN, but if you are so inclined, obtaining information is not too hard to find.

Can I run Mac OS on my PC?

Steve Top Mac News — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:02:44 +0000

Technically, it’s pretty likely that you could. Legally, probably not. Apple’s terms when you buy their software state that you may only install Mac OS on Apple hardware. Some have made the argument that as long as you buy a legal copy of the software, you can install it on whatever machine you like. If you are in this crowd (and we do not condone going against any Licensing agreements), if you were to do some online searches on procedures involved, you’ll probably be fruitful.

Why isn’t my eject key working? How can I get my DVD out?

Steve Top Mac News — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:58:51 +0000

Once upon a time, to eject your CD or DVD from your Mac, all you needed to do was tap your eject key, and out popped your disk. However, apple recently made a change in their OS requiring you to hold the eject key for a few seconds before your disc would eject, with the theory being that adding this delay prevented premature ejection. (Ahem).

I’ve heard to get an accurate reading of percentages and charge times on my laptop, I need to calibrate the battery. Why?

Steve Top Mac News — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:39:50 +0000

Once upon a time, if you purchased a new a Mac laptop, or bought a spare battery, you needed to perform a battery calibration to obtain the best performance out of your battery. Simply put, this meant first charging your battery completely or using your Mac with a power adapter until the battery was fully charged, then using it until the battery runs down completely, then charge it up again. Once this was done, the firmware in the battery had a reference on how long it took to charge, and can roughly figure out how long you could use your Mac before needing a recharge.

Fortunately, according to Apple, if you have recent laptop (which Apple lists as any portable with a non-removable battery) this calibration is no longer necessary. In their support document:

Current Apple portable computer batteries are pre-calibrated and do not require the calibration procedure outlined in this article.

However if you have a removable battery, there are different procedures you should follow depending on which Mac laptop you have.

Apple Returns Final Cut Studio To Apple Store

Steve Top Mac News — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 20:20:24 +0000

Apple has returned Final Cut Studio to market, responding to critics that its successor, Final Cut Pro X, is not a feature-rich at the previous version.

There is a catch, however. While the software is once again for sale, it is not available for order online. Customers must call 1-800-MY-APPLE to order the software.

Can Tim Cook Fill Steve Jobs’ Shoes?

Steve Top Mac News — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:59:36 +0000

Now that Steve Jobs has stepped down as CEO of Apple Inc,PCWorld takes a look at other Silicon Valley organizations who lost their superstar leader.

AOL, Google, and Microsoft have all been at similar junctures with unproven leaders thrust into the spotlight with big expectations. Can Cook replace Jobs at Apple? Here is a look back at some others who tried to walk in the paths of their predecessors.