iUseApple.com is looking for writers who want to teach others about their experiences using Apple computers. This means you could become a writer for iUseApple! Always showing your friends cool tips and tricks? Now you can show people all over the world what you know. Every writer will be given full credit for their material, author privileges, a bio page, links to their websites and publications, and email. Are you knowledgeable about any of the following topics?
- UNIX Terminal Commands
- Podcasting
- Apple Pro Apps
- iLife Apps
- DVD Creation, Ripping, and Burning
- Media Center Options
- GUI Customization
- iPods
- Email Solutions
More specifically, iUseApple is becoming an online resource for Mac users of all different system configurations. We want writers who can relate to any Apple user. Do you own a Mac? iUseApple is looking for a diverse range of Apple users.
iUseApple writers must know and have the following:
- Own a Mac
- OS X
- Basic HTML
- English language
- Basic image manipulation
Email Steve Blue, the current iUseApple site admin if you are interested. Please include a short bio/write up about your experiences with Apple computers, and a picture of you using your Mac!
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.
Targeted more for the advanced user, macosxhints.com offers many Applescript and System modification tips and tricks.
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.
Useful OS X Tips and Tricks that relate to anyone using a Mac. Well written and viable quick tips.
Another blog similar to iUseApple, dishing out great tips and tricks about Apple, OS X, Macintosh and iPods.
Did you just switch from Windows? MyFirstMac.com has great advice concerning buying and getting started with your new Mac.
Over 100 Screencasts featuring different tips and tricks surrounding Mac OS X!
A blog focused mainly on the design, graphic arts, and news surrounding creativity on a Mac.
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.
To celebrate the 100th blog post on iUseApple, I have created an online community for the blog. Now iUseApple readers can join an online community with other Mac users to discuss OS X tips and tricks, and the latest news coming from Apple, Inc.
iUseApple has a new social network on Ning.com, a social netwokring website created my Marc Andressen, co-founder of Netscape. If you join you can ask questions and discuss everything Mac OS X with other Mac users. Members will receive future incentives, including a 10% off iUseApple.com’s upcoming eBook about the 300+ new innovations about OS X Leopard. Get advice straight from a Mac Pro, for free!
To sign up for iUseApple’s new social network, hover your mouse over the iUseApple widget under “Subscribe” in the Sidebar and Click Join Us >>
Check out this awesome listing of every App that should be on your Mac. This post is more a “reminder” for every Mac user and for me.
Here is a pot-pourri of the best Mac applications that you really have to have…
read more | digg story
Sometimes I find myself opening the same three Applications when I turn on my Mac. This post shows how to automate this process with AppleScript.
To really know my Mac, I should really get to know AppleScript. According to Apple, “AppleScript is an English-like language used to write script files that automate the actions of the computer and the applications that run on it.” AppleScript is the foundation of Automator.
I chose this example because it will be extremely useful when used with Spaces, a new feature in OS X 10.5 Leopard that allows me to organize Applications into separate desktops. It’s like have four monitors in one! I can even tell my Mac to run it whenever it turns on, giving me touch free access to the Applications I always use.
Below is an AppleScript that tells three applications to open, tells Firefox to visit Gmail, opens Adium, opens and hides another application called Transmission. You can insert your own applications and even substitute Safari for Firefox.
Open Script Editor in User:Applications:Applescript:Script Editor
Type in the following, inserting the names of any Applications you want to open:
In Script Editor, Click Run.
Tada! All the Applications open!
Now, we must save our little Applescript so we can use it in our everyday actions…
Select File: Save As. Name Your Script something like Open Apps.
Save As to User:Library:Scripts.
To be able to click on the AppleScript via the menubar:
Open Applescript Utility found in User:Applications:Applescript:Applescript Utility
Check Show Script Menu in Menu Bar. A little black script icon now shows up in the top right of the screen. Click the Script Icon and you will see your Full Screen script, probably at the bottom. Go here whenever you want to view a movie in fullscreen. You’ll notice a bunch of other scripts. If you want to tidy up the Script Menu, go back into the Applescript Utility and uncheck Show Library Scripts.
Did you learn something new about your Mac? Donate to iUseApple.com now, so I can improve the site and set up an online community for Mac users. If you donate $50 or more, I will give you a FREE 1 hour tutoring session on iChat AV. Just email steveblue@iuseapple.com with the subject line “PAYPAL DONATION”. Include your PayPal ID and what you would like to learn. I will send you back an email asking what time would be best for you to receive expert knowledge about your Mac! If $50 sounds like too much, please donate a small amount to support iUseApple.com.
iUseApple visitors can now receive new Tips and Tricks inside email! Be the first to learn new and helpful hints about Apple computers straight from iUseApple! Get direct access to questions and answers from Steve Blue!
Just sign up below with FeedBlitz. I promise your email will be safe with me and you will not receive SPAM or solicitations. I will not give out your email to anybody. You will be on top of the latest tips and tricks from iUseApple.com!
iUseApple received brand new features and design this morning! You can expect the same old quality information with a stunning new design and exciting new opportunities for you to put your two cents in as well! Below I list some of the changes. Thanks for visiting and please tell me what you think!
Ask Steve Blue!
Possibly the best new feature of iUseApple.com is the ability for you to directly ask me questions about your Mac via the Ask Steve Blue link at the top of the site. An example of this is found at the bottom of this post. Please contact me concerning any problems with your Apple computer, cool ideas for new articles and posts, and comments and critiques. I love to hear from anyone reading iUseApple.com. I will help you as soon as I can with any problems or questions you may have about a Mac. New Apple customers especially! Please feel free to Ask Steve Blue anything!
Stunning New Look!
I updated the iUseApple theme this morning with a stunning new look created by Xu Yiyang. This new design completely trumps the old one, providing support for widgets and an overall better and more customizable feel. I would love to hear what you have to think about the new design, so please leave comments!
Widgets
Widgets are now available in Wordpress 2.0. I will be carefully selecting and inserting Widgets on the sidebar. Stay tuned for Widgets to appear!
Beautiful Categories and Links Section
Categories, Links, and Archives are now found in a drop down menu accessible underneath the header image in an Open/Close link. I really dig the way this cuts down on clutter on iUseApple.com.
What do you think?
Software Update is an Application that allows me to update any Apple made Applications easily and without any hassle.
Before running Software Update, it is advisable to quit all Applications. Do not try to install anything else or move large files while Software Update is running, especially if I am updating OS X itself.
To update my software, Click the Apple and Select Software Update. I must be connected to the Internet. Software Update will automatically check for new updates to all my Apple software, including OS X. A list of updates appears. Now I can Click Install, and Software Update will automatically download and install all the updates available for my Mac.
Preferences
Software Update Preferences allows me to set the frequency of automatic checks. Select Preferences from the Software Update menu. I would uncheck Download important updates in background. This could potentially be hazardous. Sometimes there is a loophole in an update, that may crash my computer. This happened to me once, when an OS X update corrupted my G5. I went on some forums and saw this could have easily been avoided, had I checked for any possible conflicts beforehand. Always check to see if anyone using my same Mac is having problems with an update, just Google the update name and the model of my Mac (ex. OS X 10.4.8 + Powerbook).
Busy now? Install later…
I happen to be in a place that has Internet, but I am busy working on a presentation. It would not be a good idea to update right now, because I will have to reboot. I can still download the updates by Selecting the items in Software Update and then in the menu bar, Select Update : Download Only. Now I can go back into Software Update and Select Install Updates in the same manner, when I actually want to install them.
What’s up everyone! I thought I’d introduce myself as well. My name is Leo de Leon, 25-years-old, and I use my MacBook Pro for all kinds of cool stuff such as making a full-time income from home, recording soundtracks with GarageBand, making Keynote presentations for church every week, making DVD’s with iDVD and editing videos with iMovie HD, staying in touch with family in other states thru iChat, etc, etc.
My Mac is a HUGE part of my life, and if you’re a lucky Mac owner like me, I want to show you how to use it to make your life MUCH easier just like mine does for me.
I will be covering mostly iLife and iWork stuff. If you would like for me to cover a specific project you have in mind, i.e. how to record a song using real instruments and you singing in GarageBand, or how to transfer your old home videos into awesome, professional DVD’s, please feel free to email your request to: leodeleon@iuseapple.com.
Check back often for new posts!
Cheers!
Leo
