I have been using brainwave generators for years and was disappointed for quite some time that one was not available for OS X. Brainwave generators make binaural beats that through headphones can create specific brainwaves associated with calming, awake, deep sleep, intuition, focus, etc. Instead of taking uppers to get through studying in college like most undergraduate students, I used binaural beats to stay focused and get the creative juices flowing.
The theory behind binaural beats is that if you apply slightly different frequency sine waves to each ear, a beating affect is created in the brain itself, due to the brain’s internal wiring. If, in the presence of these tones, you relax and let your mind go, your mind will naturally synchronize with the beat frequency. In this way it is possible to tune the frequency of your brain waves to particular frequencies that you have selected, using of the four bands: Delta: deep sleep, Theta: dreaming and intuitive stuff, Alpha: awake, focussed inside, and Beta: awake, focussed outside (SBaGen Website: http://uazu.net/sbagen/#dl_mac).
SBaGen is a Unix-based Brainwave Generator. Download the .dmg file and Drag The Sbagen folder to your Applications folder to install it.
Sbagen is an UNIX Application, so we will need to use the Terminal to open Sbagen and play binaural beats.
Follow these instructions to start listening to binaural beats:
Navigate to the Sbagen Folder inside the Applications Folder. Double Click the file called START.command.
This will open the Sbagen Application inside Terminal. Instructions for using Sbagen are listed here. To view a listing of all the sequences (sound files), type “ls *.sbg”.
what are all these sequences? They are basically sound files that produce certain tones that get translated into brainwaves for various levels of activity. See the list below for some examples:
ts-Brain-Alpha - awake, focused inside
ts-Brain-Beta - awake, focused outside
ts-Brain-Delta - deep sleep
ts-Brain-Theta - dreaming and intuitive stuff
Focus 10 - brain awake, body asleep
Focus 12 - expanded awareness, in the mood to head out and explore
Focus 15 - no time, 3 hours seems like 2 minutes
Focus 21 - alternate energy systems, bridge into worlds with non-human entities
Focus 22 - place where people with ‘loose, chaotic thoughts’ go after death
Focus 24 - belief system territories, place where dogmatically inclined people go when dead
Focus 27 - the park, a way-station, a place of high creativity, a stepping stone to areas beyond.
To play a sequence, type “Sbagen nameofthesequence.sbg”.
To play another sequence, quit Terminal and start over again. The documentation reveals how to link sequences together. For instance, I can induce an entire night of lucid dreaming by scheduling different sequences to play after one another. Read the documentation and the Sbagen website for more information.
Looks like somebody leaked the new Welcome Video for Leopard OS X 10.5. This will be the video you see when you first install Leopard on a Mac. It shows off the new Core Animation features in Leopard and looks much more sophisticated than the Tiger Welcome Screen.
Hopefully Apple will release Leopard on time. I know I am anxious. What do you think about the new Welcome Video?
Since Apple has taken the time to make some changes in OS X Leopard that reflect our workflow habits, I have prepared some smart tips for anyone using Tiger so the transition will be smoother. Leopard is coming out in October and while some Mac users have already preordered Apple, Inc.’s next release of OS X through Amazon.com, others will be skeptical after watching Microsoft users disappointed with Windows Vista.
Even if there are a few bugs when OS X Leopard 10.5 is launched, Apple Inc. will take care of them rapidly with Security Fixes and Updates via Software Update. Will your old Applications work? There should be a seamless transition for the most part. Apple hasn’t reinvented the wheel with this release, just added features that will make your workflow easier and your files well organized.
The idea is to cut down on our Desktop Clutter by moving files that are usually place the Desktop to Folders in the Dock, make the Menu Bar transparent so digital photos can show through, organize open Applications in different Desktops, and set up automatic backups of files using Automator.
The Look and Feel of Leopard
For years, Apple has been changing the look of Application windows. In Panther, there was the blinds look; Tiger had the brushed metal look; and recently iTunes and iLife were given a new and softer appearance. In Leopard, all the windows will be uniform. What what can we do in Tiger to achieve this look? UNO to the rescue. “UNO is a theme that brings the sunken unified toolbar/titlebar look&feel to every single window on your system (cocoa or carbon, metal or aqua and already unified windows as well).”
It is easy to redirect Downloads to a folder in the Dock. Just follow these simple steps for Safari:
Select Safari: Preferences in the Menu Bar. Click the General Tab in the window that appears. In the Save downloaded files to: field select Other… In the next window, Navigate to Documents and Click New Folder. Name this new folder Downloads and Click Select.
For other Applications like Firefox or iChat, just follow a similar procedure for finding the Downloads location in each Application’s Preferences. Remember, the keyboard shortcut to get into an Application’s Preferences is Apple + ,.
Navigate to the Downloads Folder in the Finder. Drag the Folder to the right side of the Dock, just to the right of the small vertical crease. An alias of the Downloads folder will appear in the Dock. Ctrl + Click the new Dock folder and a listing of the files inside the Downloads Folder will appear.
Make the Menu Bar Transparent
An Application called MenuShade will make the Menu Bar semitransparent until I hover my mouse cursor over it and then it becomes opaque. This Application allows me have digital photos that seamlessly integrate with the Menu Bar.
After I install MenuShade, I can adjust the transparency in MenuShade’s Preferences.
I can automatically load MenuShade when I login if I place MenuShade in the Dock and Ctrl+Click the Menu Shade Dock icon. Select Open at Login from the options. Now Menu Shade will load automatically at Login.
Use Multiple Desktops with VirtueDesktops
The motto of Leopard is “Conquer Time and Spaces”. We can certainly accomplish this with Tiger. I don’t have to be constrained to just one Desktop in OS X 10.4 Tiger. VirtueDesktops allows me to create alternate Desktops in a grid fashion. I switch between these spaces using the Menu Bar or the Shift + Control + Arrow Keyboard Shortcut.
There are several effects I can apply to the transition of each Desktop. I can even assign certain Applications to specific Desktops. I can set up Templates for the organization of all the Desktops too.
Backup Files Automatically
If I really want to get the most out of Backup, it is best to go out and purchase an external hard drive larger than the one I am backing up. Go out and buy a Lacie that has both Firewire and USB 2.0. If I have a G5 or a Mac Pro, I can even install a second internal hard drive that will make backups happen even faster. For Professionals, get an external hard drive that can connect via eSATA and purchase the appropriate eSATA add on cards for the computer are using.
Leopard uses Time Machine to make automatic backups, but there are several solutions that do the same thing in OS X 10.4 Tiger. The two solutions below are both free. The first option allows me to set up scheduled backups of individual folders using an Automator Action and iCal. It takes a few minutes to set up, but is well worth it if I only want to back up crucial files to a small hard drive. The second option requires downloaded a freeware Application called SuperDuper! that will allow me to backup a copy of my entire System to an external hard drive.
I have written step by step instructions for setting up automatic backups of folders with Automator.
If you are looking for a simpler and free method of backing up an entire Hard Drive, I’d recommend an Application called SuperDuper!
Do you want to be ahead of the curve? Hedi over at MacAmour.com has figured out how to install the Leopard Movie Widget in OS X in 10.4 Tiger! This widget is extremely useful if you want to find movie times, watch trailers, or even purchase movie tickets at your local theater!
Click the Read More link below to Download the Widget from MacAmour.com
Sometimes readers ask where I learn about Mac OS X Tips and Tricks, so I figured I’d share what I consider to be the top Apple OS X news and tips blogs out there on the world wide web.
TUAW is always on top of the latest Apple Inc. news, rumors, product releases, gadgets, well everything to do with OS X. TUAW is updated daily with many different articles on a variety of topics.
Wow! All the Apple news I could ask for! MacNN features several different blogs and podcasts. One of the more interesting ones is an Apple Patents Blog that details all the latest patents Apple is filing, giving me a heads up on future innovations.
Dave Taylor is an Internet Pioneer who has been developing for the world wide web since the beginning. He offers to answer questions about OS X on his blog. The wait time is often long, but when he does answer it will be some of the best advice you could ask for. The link goes to the OS X Basics section of his blog, but you can navigate to an Advanced section in his Sidebar Categories.
iUseApple is updated regularly with Mac OS X Tips and Tips related to my experience with Apple Computers. Anyone can ask Steve Blue questions or advice concerning anything related to Apple, Inc.
Address Book is an Application that comes with your Mac. Each entry you make into Address Book will then be available in every Mac Application that supports it, which is all of them: Mail, iChat, iWork even iCal. Address Book can then be synced with your cell phone, PDA, or online Mail service like GMail.
It is extremely easy to get started with Address Book. Just find it at the top of your Applications in the Finder. It may even be in your Dock.
I have even import contacts successfully from cell phones connected via bluetooth and USB using VCards. I do this all the time when I gain new contacts on my cell phone.
I can organize contacts by Groups and Names. Just click the plus sign beneath the names column to create a new VCard and enter in the information for the new user. Organize the names into groups by adding groups in the left column.
If you need any further help with Address Book, don’t be afraid to look in the Help found in the Menu Bar. If you are trying to import contacts from a specific device or application, just enter the following query into Google: “Device Name + Import Contact + OS X + Address Book”. Listings should appear on Google. If you need further help importing contacts, write a comment below or Ask Steve Blue! via the link above and I will answer it as soon as possible with a step by step tutorial.
Address Book couldn’t be simpler. So, take the time to manually enter the old information you still need from your PDF and JPG files into Address Book. You will then have your contact information in a universally recognized Application for years to come.
I can end up leaving huge files all over my Mac when it comes time to uninstall an Application. I don’t know everywhere an Application puts files and folders when it installs. There are a few Uninstallers out there, that seek out everything to do with an Application and erase it from my hard drive. Sometimes it is hard to believe Apple forgot such a utility.
I tested out a few and found that AppCleaner was my favorite. This application will allow me to not only uninstall applications, but Widgets and Preference Panes too! AppCleaner can also protect Applications from being uninstalled. AppCleaner utilizes the newest Quartz effects. The interface is tight and easy to use.
