Calibrate the battery of Apple Macbookpro/MacBook Air

For any MacBook Pro/MacBook Air user, especially those who travel, a long battery life and top notch battery health are vital. The tips below will help ensure you get the most out of your MacBook Pro/MacBook Air’s battery over its lifetime.

1) Calibrate the battery once ever 1-3 months
Finally, if your battery is showing signs of shorter run times, you may want to calibrate the battery (once every 1-3 months). To calibrate the battery, follow these instructions:

a) Fully charge your MacBook Pro/MacBook Air.
b) Once fully charged, leave it plugged in for at least another 2 hours.
c) Remove the MagSafe power adapter, and use your computer until you get the battery level warning message.
d) Ignore that message and keep running your notebook.
e) Eventually the machine will go to sleep.
f) Do NOT plug it in. Instead, let it sleep for at least 5 hours.
g) After the time has passed, plug it back in, and let it fully charge.
h) Once fully charged, your battery has been properly calibrated.

2) Turn off AirPort Wireless
If you do not require the Internet and if there are no WiFi networks within range, turning off AirPort will considerably save your computer’s battery life. It is also wiser to use an Ethernet cable over wireless if the option exists.

3) Turn off Bluetooth
Once again, if there is no need for a Bluetooth device, the best thing to do is to turn off the Bluetooth feature of your MacBook Pro/MacBook Air.
 
4) Minimize use of iSight Camera
The iSight camera uses plenty of battery power. Keeps its use down to a minimum if trying to extend battery life.
 
5) Remember to eject discs from the DVD drive 
The motor in the optical drive required to spin DVDs and CDs can use a lot of power. Thus, eject your discs to maximize battery life. If you insist on watching DVDs, say on a long journey, rip them to your hard drive first instead.
 
6) Reduce screen brightness
Turn down the brightness of the screen to as low as you can comfortably work, and your battery life will significantly rise. The brighter the screen, the shorter your battery life.
 
7) Turn down/off the backlit keyboard
Similar to the brightness of the screen, keeping your backlit keyboard (if you have one) at its lowest or off will save plenty of battery juice.
 
8) Turn down volume or use headphones
Loud volume on your MacBook Pro/MacBook Air requires more energy. It is more energy efficient to plug in headphones instead if you fancy listening to loud audio/music.

9) Run fewer applications at once/turn off unneeded applications
By running less applications simultaneously, or installing more RAM, you reduce your risks of having unused parts of your memory being called for tasks, thus saving battery life.
 
10) Do NOT disable a CPU core
For all MacBook Pro/MacBook Airs with more than one CPU core, disabling a core is NOT wise. Your MacBook Pro/MacBook Airs chips were designed to run most efficiently with multiple cores active. Disabling one not only requires more power, but also generates more heat. Some users have reported losing up to 40 minutes of battery life by turning off a core!

Inside OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion: Screen Sharing adds drag and drop file transfers

Remote Screen Sharing is enhanced in this summer's release of OS X Mountain Lion, adding support for drag and drop file transfers between the viewer and the remote desktop and enhancing support for virtual displays.

Screen Sharing, a remote access feature Apple first added to OS X 10.5 Leopard to enable viewing or controlling another Mac's desktop, is gaining a feature from Apple Remote Desktop: the ability to drag files from the local desktop into a remote session.

After connecting to a remote host, the local user can now drag files to the desktop, or target a specific app, invoking Exposé to, for example, drag an image file to a Pages document, select the window of the desired document, and place the graphic in the document.

To Read more visit:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/02/23/inside_os_x_108_mountain_lion_screen_sharing_adds_drag_and_drop_file_transfers.html

Enable AirDrop Over Ethernet & AirDrop On Unsupported Macs Running OS X 10.7

AirDrop is the extremely easy local peer-to-peer file transfer tool that is built into Mac OS X 10.7, it allows you to easily send and receive files wirelessly over a network just by dragging and dropping. It’s a great addition in Lion, but it’s not supported on all Macs.

You can enable AirDrop support on unsupported Macs running OS X 10.7+ by using the following defaults write command in the Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser BrowseAllInterfaces 1


Paste that in and hit enter. You’ll need to then kill the Finder with ‘killall Finder’ or reboot the Mac for changes to take effect.

What’s really interesting is that this enables AirDrop over both Wi-Fi and wired Ethernet connections, which basically means any machine running Lion can use it whether or not it has a wireless card. As long as it’s connected to the same network you will be able to see the Mac in the AirDrop list of another Mac running 10.7.

If you ever want to disable this for some reason, you can just use this code.

defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser BrowseAllInterfaces 0

Enjoy........

OS X Lion: About Windows Migration Assistant

Summary
With OS X Lion, you can migrate all of the information from your old Windows PC to your new Mac. Lion automatically transfers your contacts, calendars, and email accounts and puts them in the appropriate applications.

Products Affected
OS X Lion
Windows Migration brings the following information from your Windows PC (Windows XP SP3 or greater) to your Mac:

Email: IMAP and POP accounts from Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Windows Live email accounts are transferred to Mail. Email metadata such as read, replied, and flagged are transferred from Outlook, Outlook Express and Windows Mail to Mail in OS X.
Contacts: Outlook and Outlook Express contacts, and Windows Contacts from the Contact home directory are transferred to Address Book.
Calendars: Outlook calendars are transferred to iCal
iTunes library, including music, photos, videos and apps and games for iOS devices, except rentals
Home directory folders and content, including Music, Pictures, Desktop, Documents, and Downloads
Browser bookmarks and homepage from Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari are transferred to Safari
User settings including localization, locale, and any customized desktop picture

What you need to do first

First, make sure that both the Windows PC and the Mac are on the same network, such as your home network.
Second, to avoid interrupting the migration process, disable automatic installation of updates in Windows.
Make sure know the name and password of an administrator account. The first account created on the Mac is an administrator account.
Note: This process will create a new user account on your Mac to contain the Windows PC information that is migrated over. It will not merge the information with an existing user account on the Mac.


To migrate information from a PC to your Mac

Download to the Windows PC the Windows Migration Assistant installer from here.

Install Windows Migration Assistant, then open it.

Click "Continue" to proceed.


The Windows Migration Assistant will wait for you to open Migration Assistant or use Mac OS X Setup Assistant.

If the Mac is starting up for the first time and Mac OS X Setup Assistant appears

Select the "From a Windows PC" transfer option.
Select the Source Windows PC then click "Continue" to proceed.
The Mac will display a Passcode that should appear on the Windows PC.
The Windows PC will display the Passcode from the Mac then click "Continue" to proceed.
On the Mac select the information to transfer from the Windows PC then click "Transfer" once it is dark to begin the migration process.


On both the Windows PC and Mac you will see a progress bar, messaging about what is being migrated, and estimated time remaining until the migration process is completed.

Next you will complete the "Mac OS X Setup Assistant" process.

Once completed, you can log into the new user account.

Note: At your first login, you will promoted to enter a new password for the user account. See this article about how to choose a good password.

If you are going to use the Migration Assistant from the Utilities folder on the Mac


On the Mac, open the Migration Assistant located in the Utilities folder. To do this: In Finder, select Go > Utilities or press Shift–Command–U (⇧⌘U), then double-click Migration Assistant.

Select the "From another Mac, PC, Time Machine backup, or other disk" option then click "Continue".

When prompted, enter an administrator name and password.

Select the "From another Mac or PC" migration method then click "Continue" to proceed.

When prompted, click Continue to quit other applications. Other applications can't be open on the Mac during the migration process.

Select the PC, then wait for the PC to show the passcode displayed on the Mac.

On the PC, once you see the passcode displayed on the Mac, click "Continue" to proceed.

The Mac will then begin to inspect your computer and build a list of information to migrate.

Select the information you would like to migrate to the Mac, then click Continue to proceed.

On both the Windows PC and Mac you will see a progress bar, messaging of what is being migrated and estimated time remaining. Once completed, you can log into the user account created.

Note: At your first login, you will promoted to enter a new password for the user account. See this article about how to choose a good password.

How to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4650

Summary

A recent phishing scam has targeted Mac users by redirecting them from legitimate websites to fake websites which tell them that their computer is infected with a virus. The user is then offered Mac Defender "anti-virus" software to solve the issue. 

This "anti-virus" software is malware (i.e. malicious software).  Its ultimate goal is to get the user's credit card information which may be used for fraudulent purposes. 

The most common names for this malware are MacDefender, MacProtector and MacSecurity.  

In the coming days, Apple will deliver a Mac OS X software update that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender malware and its known variants.  The update will also help protect users by providing an explicit warning if they download this malware.  

In the meantime, the Resolution section below provides step-by-step instructions on how to avoid or manually remove this malware.

Products Affected

Mac OS X 10.4, Mac OS X 10.6, Mac OS X 10.5

Resolution

How to avoid installing this malware

If any notifications about viruses or security software appear, quit Safari or any other browser that you are using. If a normal attempt at quitting the browser doesn't work, then Force Quit the browser.

In some cases, your browser may automatically download and launch the installer for this malicious software.  If this happens, cancel the installation process; do not enter your administrator password.  Delete the installer immediately using the steps below.

1. Go into the Downloads folder or your preferred download location.
2. Drag the installer to the Trash. 
3. Empty the Trash.

How to remove this malware

If the malware has been installed, we recommend the following actions:

• Do not provide your credit card information under any circumstances.
• Use the Removal Steps below.

Removal steps

• Move or close the Scan Window
• Go to the Utilities folder in the Applications folder and launch Activity Monitor  
• Choose All Processes from the pop up menu in the upper right corner of the window
• Under the Process Name column, look for the name of the app and click to select it; common app names include: MacDefender, MacSecurity or MacProtector
• Click the Quit Process button in the upper left corner of the window and select Quit
• Quit Activity Monitor application
• Open the Applications folder
• Locate the app ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector or other name
• Drag to Trash, and empty Trash

Malware also installs a login item in your account in System Preferences. Removal of the login item is not necessary, but you can remove it by following the steps below.

• Open System Preferences, select Accounts, then Login Items
• Select the name of the app you removed in the steps above ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector
• Click the minus button

Use the steps in the "How to avoid installing this malware" section above to remove the installer from the download location.

Note: Apple provides security updates for the Mac exclusively through Software Update and the Apple Support Downloads site. User should exercise caution any time they are asked to enter sensitive personal information online.
 

Windows 7 Keyboard shortcuts

The navigation keys allow you to move the cursor, move around in documents and
webpages, and edit text. The following is the list stating some common functions of
these keys.



Left Arrow, Right Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down Arrow : Move the cursor or selection one space or line in the direction of the arrow, or scroll a webpage in the direction of the arrow

Home : Move the cursor to the beginning of a line or move to the
top of a webpage

End : Move the cursor to the end of a line or move to the bottom
of a webpage

Ctrl+Home: Move to the top of a document

Ctrl+End : Move to the bottom of a document

Page Up : Move the cursor or page up one screen

Page Down : Move the cursor or page down one screen

Delete : Delete the character after the cursor, or the selected text; in
Windows, delete the selected item and move it to the
Recycle Bin

Insert : Turn Insert mode off or on. When Insert mode is on, text
that you type is inserted at the cursor. When Insert mode is
off, text that you type replaces existing characters.

Press Alt+PrtScn: To capture an image of just the active window, instead of the
entire screen.

F1: Display Help

Ctrl+C: Copy the selected item

Ctrl+X: Cut the selected item

Ctrl+V : Paste the selected item

Ctrl+Z :Undo an action

Ctrl+Y: Redo an action

Delete: Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

Shift+Delete: Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle
Bin first

F2:Rename the selected item

Ctrl+Right Arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word

Ctrl+Left Arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word

Ctrl+Down Arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph

Ctrl+Up Arrow Move: the cursor to the beginning of the previous
paragraph

Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key: Select a block of text

Shift with any arrow key: Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop,
or select text within a document

Ctrl with any arrow key+Spacebar: Select multiple individual items in a window or on the
desktop

Ctrl+A : Select all items in a document or window

F3: Search for a file or folder

Alt+Enter: Display properties for the selected item

Alt+F4: Close the active item, or exit the active program

Alt+Spacebar Open the shortcut menu for the active window

Ctrl+F4: Close the active document (in programs that allow you to
have multiple documents open simultaneously)

Alt+Tab: Switch between open items

Ctrl+Alt+Tab: Use the arrow keys to switch between open items

Ctrl+Mouse scroll: wheel Change the size of icons on the desktop
Windows logo key +Tab: Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip
3-D
Ctrl+Windows logo key+Tab:Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the
taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D

Alt+Esc: Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

F6: Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

F4: Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer

Shift+F10:Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

Ctrl+Esc: Open the Start menu

Alt+underlined letter: Display the corresponding menu

Alt+underlined letter :Perform the menu command (or other underlined
command)

F10: Activate the menu bar in the active program

Right Arrow: Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu

Left Arrow :Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu

F5 : Refresh the active window

Alt+Up Arrow: View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer

Esc: Cancel the current task

Ctrl+Shift+Esc: Open Task Manager

Shift when you insert a CD: Prevent the CD from automatically playing

Windows logo key : Open or close the Start menu.

Windows logo key +Pause : Display the System Properties dialog box.

Windows logo key +D : Display the desktop.

Windows logo key +M :Minimize all windows.

Windows logo key+Shift+M: Restore minimized windows to the desktop.

Windows logo key +E: Open Computer.

Windows logo key +F: Search for a file or folder.

Ctrl+Windows logo key +F:Search for computers (if you're on a network).

Windows logo key +L :Lock your computer or switch users.

Windows logo key +R :Open the Run dialog box.

Windows logo key +T :Cycle through programs on the taskbar.

Mac OS X 10.7 Lion

Mac OS X 10.7 Lion introduces following new feature:
Full-screen apps
The app and nothing but the app.
On iPad, every app is displayed full screen, with no distractions, and there’s one easy way to get back to all your other apps. Mac OS X Lion does the same for your desktop. You can make a window in an app full screen with one click, switch to another app’s full-screen window with a swipe of the trackpad, and swipe back to the desktop to access your other apps — all without ever leaving the full-screen experience. Systemwide support allows third-party developers to take advantage of full-screen technology to make their apps more immersive, too. So you can concentrate on every detail of your work, or play on a grander scale than ever before.

Launchpad:
A home for your apps.
Launchpad gives you instant access to your apps — iPad style. Just click the Launchpad icon in your Dock. Your open windows fade away, replaced by an elegant, full-screen display of all the apps on your Mac. It takes just a swipe to see multiple pages of apps, and you can arrange them any way you like by dragging icons to different locations or by grouping apps in folders. And when you download an app from the Mac App Store, it automatically appears in Launchpad.
Ready to blast off.

Finder
The new finder has now more user friendly option and its sidebar with main list 1)FAVORITES 2) SHARED 3) DEVICES.

NEW MAIN new feature introduces in finder AirDrop and All My Files:
AirDrop:-
AirDrop has nothing in common with DropBox, a cloud-based file sharing service more akin to iDisk. Instead, AirDrop allows users to discover nearby users and share files with them directly, without needing to configure a common WiFi network.

Lion's new AirDrop makes basic file exchange between nearby users as simple as Bluetooth, as fast as WiFi, and as easy as drag and drop, with layers of security and personalization that combine with Apple's easily understandable user interface to make a conceptually complex task easy to initiate even for non technical users.

Send it by air.
With AirDrop in Mac OS X Lion, you can send files to anyone around you — wirelessly. AirDrop doesn’t require setup or special settings. Just click the AirDrop icon in the Finder sidebar, and your Mac automatically discovers other people nearby who are using AirDrop. You’ll even see contact photos for those who are already in your Address Book. To share a file, simply drag it to someone’s name. Once accepted, the file transfers directly to the person’s Downloads folder. When you’re done with AirDrop, close the Finder and your Mac is no longer visible to others.


All My Files:-
It show all you files in your Hard disk categarised like image, documents...

Now from all sides you can resize the Finder window.

Mission Control
Mac command central.
Mission Control is a powerful and handy new feature that provides you with a comprehensive look at what’s running on your Mac. It gives you a bird’s-eye view of everything — including Dashboard and full-screen apps — all in one place. With a simple swipe, your desktop zooms out to Mission Control. There you can see your open windows grouped by app, thumbnails of your full-screen apps, and Dashboard, arranged in a unified view. And you can get to anything you see in Mission Control with just one click. Making you the master of all you survey.

Auto Save
Past perfect.
Say good-bye to manual saving. Auto Save in Mac OS X Lion automatically saves your work — while you work — so you don’t have to. Lion saves changes in the working document instead of creating additional copies, making the best use of available disk space. The lock feature prevents inadvertent changes from being saved and automatically locks documents after two weeks. And the revert feature returns you to the state the document was in when you last opened it, so you can feel free to experiment with confidence.

Mail 5
A whole new way to look at email.
Just like Mail on iPad, Mail 5 in Mac OS X Lion features a new layout that takes advantage of the widescreen display on your Mac. You see the messages in your inbox as well as a full-height preview of the selected message. The new Mailbox bar gives you one-click access to your favorite folders. Mail 5 also includes a powerful new way to search that makes finding what you’re looking for quick and easy, even in the largest of inboxes.

Keep the conversation flowing.
Mail 5 also introduces Conversations, a natural new way to read and manage email that automatically groups messages from the same conversation — even if the subject changes along the way. Just click a conversation in your inbox to reveal a streamlined feed of individual messages in chronological order, and easily file or delete an entire conversation.

All-new FileVault
A new level of security.
Keep all the data on your Mac even more secure with XTS-AES 128 data encryption at the disk level. Initial encryption is fast and unobtrusive — it encrypts everything in the background while you work. FileVault also encrypts for your external drives, and provides the ability to wipe all the data from your Mac instantaneously.