iUseApple

onTour updates my Dashboard with upcoming music performances around my area. The coolest part is that onTour scans my iTunes music library and brings all the bands I like to the top of the search. onTour uses Pollstar, a popular music tour website. Notice the links to purchase tickets and even preview a band in iTunes. This Widget is kinda new and I can’t wait to see how it evolves.

Download onTour from Apple’s Dashboard Downloads

I got real annoyed by the look of Terminal today. I found this article on Macworld that shows me how to customize the look of Terminal, even to the point of specializing certain styles for specific Unix commands.

When I open the Terminal and invoke top -u, it now appears like this:

I think it is always good to set the highlight color to the opposite color on the color wheel as the txt color. So, in this case magenta is the highlight and opposite of green on the color wheel. This makes highlighted text really pop.

Go to Macworld’s article to learn more:
http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/macosxhints/2005/09/savedterms/index.php

Here is a link to an awesome guide about how to fix a Mac when it won’t start.

CreativeTechs, Inc. http://www.creativetechs.com/iq/my_mac_wont_start.html

Here is a cool Automator trick that displays an iPhoto Browser anywhere in OS X.

Open Automator

Select iPhoto in the library browser.

Drag and drop Ask for Photos into the well on the right.

This action opens an iPhoto Browser. I can also open the pictures I select in the browser window in Preview so I can edit them.

Select Preview in the library browser.

Drag and drop Open Images in Preview into the well, underneath Ask for Photos.

Select File: Save As Plug-in. Name the plug-in Browse Photos and select Script Menu as the type of plug-in.

Now, if I click the script menu in the menu bar and select Browse Photos my iPhoto Library appears. If I don’t see a script icon in my menu bar, then follow the instructions at the end of this post. I can now drag and drop images to any application. Maybe I want to send a few pictures to a friend. I can just drag and drop the pictures I want into my email in Apple Mail from the browser. If I Hit Choose in the browser, Preview will open the image so I can edit it.

I found this tip on Automator.us: http://www.automator.us/examples-07.html

I get down with internet radio. There are very few local radio stations I like to listen to. Don’t get me wrong, I cohost a local Indie Rock show on WRPI Troy 91.5 every Wednesday 11am-1pm EST. WRPI is a college radio station in Troy, NY that airs award winning political broadcasting, video game music, jazz, indie rock, classical, jam bands, reggae, whatever the RPI community can cook up. WRPI, like most modern radio stations, offers a RealPlayer and Windows Media stream of thier live broadcast. How do I listen to these streams on a Mac?

What streams work with my Mac?

MP3 and Quicktime internet radio streams work out of the box with a Mac. RealPlayer and Windows Media do not. Just a little extra work is needed to run Windows and Real Media on a Mac.

A Brief Mention of Bit-rate

Bit rate is how many bits are travelling over my connection per unit of time. kbps=Kilobytes per second. If I am connecting to the internet via broadband connection, Cable Modem or DSL, my Mac can handle 24-128kbps streams. If I connect using a 56k modem, I can listen to 24-56kbps streams.

Using iTunes to Listen to Internet Radio

iTunes has built-in Internet Radio Stations in the Library. If Radio is not visible in iTunes, simply Select iTunes:Preferences (Cmd+,) from the menu bar. Check Radio in the General Tab of iTunes Preferences.

Select Radio, under Library in iTunes.

Here I can browse through Apple approved Internet Radio streams. Click on a Genre, then Select a Radio Station with an appropriate bit rate for my internet connection.

Select Advanced: Open Stream (Cmd+U) in the menu bar to specify a MP3 or Quicktime internet radio stream for iTunes.

iTunes will save these connections in my library.

Finding Stream Addresses

Radio-Locator is a free search engine for radio stations. I can search by genre and even go directly to a radio station’s website to view their streams.

When I find a stream in an internet browser, I can click a stream link and select Open with the appropriate program, most likely iTunes. Or simply Ctrl-Click and copy the link address in whatever internet browser I am using. Paste the address to the MP3 or Quicktime Stream in iTunes.

Flip4Mac

Microsoft abandoned Windows Media Player for Mac years ago. Flip4Mac is a third party freeware substitute by Telestream, Inc. that allows Mac users to play Windows Media in Quicktime Player. Why there is no iTunes support is beyond me.
To open a windows media stream in Quicktime Player:

Install Flip4Mac

In Quicktime Player, Select File: Open URL and enter the address.

Quicktime Player will save previous streams I have visited in the Open URL window. Just click the arrow.

Widgets

RabbitRadio is a sleak widget that connects to many popular radio station streams.

RealPlayer

Free RealPlayer is annoying. Use RealPlayer as a last resort.

RealPlayer is still a leading streaming method for internet radio stations. Weary of advertising, I gave Real my junk email address and downloaded the free player. Yes, they still hide the Free Download button on the main site. RealPlayer needs to be installed to listen to real streams on websites and widgets. Download and Install the latest version of RealPlayer. Open RealPlayer in Applications. The first time I open RealPlayer, I need to configure RealPlayer. Make sure I only associate RealPlayer with Real files, not Quicktime, MPEG, or AVI. This is annoying, I have to restart all my browsers to finish the installation.

To open a stream in RealPlayer, click a link to the realaudio stream in any Internet Browser. To manually open the stream in RealPlayer, Select File: Open Location (Cmd+L). Enter the address.

I bought a MacBook Pro a few months back and found I can scroll using the trackpad just by touching two fingers side by side and moving up and down. Hopping onto older laptops is a drag. iScroll brings two finger scroll on all pre-2002 G4 PowerBooks and iBooks, running OS X 10.3 or higher.

Beta testing now, so it’s free!

Download iScroll2 from VersionTracker.

I have a computer that many users want to access. But I don’t want my files and folders damaged or altered by their presence. I may not want a guest to install programs without my consent.

Passwords are Essential

When I first open my Mac and boot it up, OS X requires me to setup a new account and password. Passwords are built into OS X for a reason. It is good to protect my files via password. This first password must be rememberable, since I will be using it govern my Mac.

This first account is an administrator. Administrators can make new user accounts, adjust the accessibility of those users, change system preferences, and install applications. Standard Users can use applications and change their own system preferences. Manages Users are limited in access and control. In a family setting, it may be a good idea to share an administrator password so everyone can install applications.

How Do I Make a New Account?

Accounts are managed in the Accounts Pane in System Preferences.

Select Apple:System Preferences in the top left of the menu bar. Click Accounts.

Click the Lock to Make Changes. Enter the password for an administrator.

Click the + sign. Enter the information for the new user.

Typical Account Options

Password

Here I can change my password and even alter my username.

Picture

This is where I can select the picture I want associated with my account. This picture will be used at the login screen, in my address book, and even as my default buddy icon in iChat. Click Edit to change the picture.

I can drag and drop and picture into the well. If I have an iSight or webcam, I can take a video snapshot for my picture. I can even drag the snapshot around the pane and zoom in to crop it the way I want it.

Login Items

Here I can add or subtract items that startup when I login. Some of these are essential OS X functions, so do not subtract anything unless I know what I am doing.

Parental Controls

I can limit what Standard and Managed Users do here. I can limit what email addresses, websites, iChat buddies are safe for a user to communicate with. In the Finder, I can configure certain abilities for a user.

Login Options

Login Options are Account Preferences that apply to all users on a Mac.

Click Login Options.

Automatically log in as:

Here I can select a user to automatically login at startup. If this is not checked then the login window will appear at startup.

Display login window as:

I can make the login window display as a list of users or make a user enter their login and password. this second option is more secure.

Show the Restart, Sleep and Shut Down buttons

I can allow a person to Restart, Sleep and Shut Down the Mac at the login screen. This can mean the loss of information if a user restarts the computer while other users are logged in. If there are multiple users on my Mac, it may be a good idea to uncheck this option.

Show Input menu in login window

I can make the Mac accessible to multilingual users by checking Show Input menu in login window. If I then, log out I will see a pull down window with a flag at the top the the login window. A user can now select the keyboard layout appropriate for their language.

Use VoiceOver at login window

Checking this will give the login window the ability to speak.

Show Password Hints

This will enable password hints to be visible for users. It is more secure to have this unchecked.

Enable fast user switching

Check Enable fast user switching to allow users to log in at the same time as other users. The name of the currently logged in user will appear in the menu bar. A user can now click on this name to login.

I can even set the way I want to menu bar icon to appear by selecting this option from under the checkbox in the Accounts Pane.

Fast user switching opens the ability for other users to shutdown the system while another user is open. Another user’s data could be lost. Save often. This also means that the operations of multiple users are working on the Mac at the same time. It is a good idea to stop all major processes like Garageband, iTunes or Final Cut Pro before logging in to another user. Be courteous to other users and ask before logging in if you see a program running that may be chugging away.

I normally insert blank CDs when I want to burn an Audio CD in iTunes or when I want to make a Data Disc in Roxio Toast Titanium. So, say I set When you insert a blank CD to Open iTunes, then iTunes will always load and bring to front when I want to burn a Data Disc. I think this is annoying.

Select Apple: System Preferences at the top left of the screen.

Click CDs & DVDs

Here I can tell OS X how to handle any standard kind of CD or DVD media what to do at insert.

Select Ignore for When you insert and black CD & DVD. But, I can open whatever I like by selecting an Application in the drop down menus.

Apple just released iTunes 7 with a slew of new iPods today. So, let’s take a look at some of the new functionality inside iTunes.

If you haven’t already, Perform a Software Update. Click the Apple at the top left of the screen and Select Software Update. Hit Install. Wait for the install process to complete. Restart.

Open iTunes 7.

If iTunes 7 asks to Update Cover Art, Hit Yes.

Multiple Library Support

Hold Option while iTunes Loads and this message will pop up. This is quite handy if I store an iTunes Library on an External HD and want to quickly access it.

Browsing is Different But the Same

Click Music in the Library.

There are now three ways to view my music collection. These can be selected by the three icons by the search bar.

List

Classic iTunes List View

List with Album Covers

Segments List View into Albums and displays Cover Art.

Cover Flow

Cover Flow allows me to seamlessly scroll through my album collection. I can scroll left and right inside the covers section and Double Click an Album to Play. Or I can scroll up and down in the listings and Single Click a Track to advance to that album or Double Click a Track to Play.

iTunes updates Album Art automatically if I have an iTunes Store account.

To get album art for the entire library:

Select all the music in the library. Select Advanced: Get Album Artwork from the menu bar at the top of the screen This will take awhile, especially if I have a lot of music. Get Album Artwork only searches the iTunes Store for Album Artwork. So, I will have to manually add any albums not found in the iTunes store.

What if I don’t have an iTunes Store account? So, I visit art4itunes.com to retrieve my Cover Art. If that website fails to retrieve an album cover, I use Google Image Search. Kind of a drag, since Apple bought Cover Flow and stripped it down from search mutliple places for cover art. Try to find an image that is close to 300×300.

To insert cover art manually:

Find the image of the Cover Art.

Double Click the Album in iTunes (not a track in the album).

Drag and Drop Image to Cover Image Well on bottom left of iTunes window (if that image well is absent, click the box with an arrow inside at the bottom left).

To add album art for every track on the album, Select Track 1. Hit Cmd+I. Select the Artwork Tab. Select the Cover. Copy (Cmd+C). Hit Next. Paste (Cmd+V).

Gapless Albums, Compilations and Skip When Shuffling

Possibly the coolest new addition to iTunes 7. Ever get annoyed when an album that is supposed to be gapless plays odd in iTunes? I have one album called In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel that has many tracks that are supposed to play seamlessly.

To make an album gapless:

Select all the tracks from the album (Click the first track, Hold Shift and Click the last track).

Hit Cmd+I to bring up Multiple Track Information.
Check Gapless Album and Select Yes. Hit OK.

To skip a track when shuffling:

Check Skip When Shuffling and Select Yes. Hit OK.

To remember the position of a track:

Say I have a track that has a bunch of dead air in the beginning of it. This can happen with the bonus track of a CD. Remember Position will tell iTunes to remember the start position of a single track. Pause the track where you want it to start everytime iTunes plays the file. Hit Cmd+I to get the information of a single track. Check Remember Position and Select Yes. Hit Ok.

To make a compilation:

When I have a soundtrack in my collection or a compilation CD, iTunes tends to be all over the place with the tracks in my library. Select all the tracks in a compilation. Hit Cmd+I. Check Compilation and Select Yes. Hit Ok.

Burn Disc and Browse

Burn Disc is now in the bottom left of the iTunes window. Click the Eye to enter Browse in List and Album List Modes.

Back Up to Disc

Now iTunes has the ability to Back Up an entire Music Library to CD or DVD. This would be crazy for me to do with my 45GB music collection. That would be 10 DVDs! Apple thought of this, so they included an option to only back up items changed or added since last back up.

To backup my iTunes Music library:

Select File: Back Up To Disc

If this is my first back up:

Select Back Up entire iTunes Music library and playlists

If this is since my first back up:

Select only back up items changed or added since last back up

Hit Back Up

I will need to insert mutiple discs depending on the size of my iTunes library.

Restore iTunes Library from Disc

Insert First Back Up CD / DVD and wait for dialog.

Check Overwrite existing files. Hit Restore

iPod Summary

Now there is a detailed information screen about your iPod. Including a new bar that segments how much space is being used on my iPod. A tabbed browser interface has been added so I can look through all my music, movies etc separately.

Movies

Now I can download feature-length movies at the iTunes Store! All movies are now 640×480, encoded with H.264. Just about as good at 480p. There’s a new movie controller. Notice the fullscreen button on the right?

iPod Games

Some simple games are available via the iTunes Store for 5th generation iPods and above. It’s certainly no Nintendo DS. Tetris on an iPod is cool though.

Cover Flow has since been bought my Apple and stripped down to work with the iTunes Store. To download the original that works with iTunes 6, use the link below.

Last night I went on an Album Art binge. I started looking at all the different ways I could import Album art for my entire iTunes Library. There are a few cool utilities out there that updated my Album Art in iTunes, but most of them failed to find images for some indie rock albums in my collection. Sure, I know some of these are hard to find even on record store shelves.

Enter CoverFlow.

CoverFlow is a stand alone application that lets me browse through my iTunes Library in a whole new way. CoverFlow will automatically connect to Synergy, Clutter and Amazon to find Album Art for every album in my iTunes Library. The interface is simply amazing.

Find out more information at http://www.steelskies.com/coverflow/