The Mac Wizard

Apple Mail Basics

admin — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 01:24:03 +0000

A simple guide to setting up and using the Apple Mail application which is bundled with OS X. Most users want to know how to send emails, attach photos, and about viewing files and photos they have been sent.
Mac OS X: Mail Basics (length 0:03:04, source: http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/)

[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

Mail is Apple’s bundled email app. It can use most email services and types of email account.

Setting up Mail. MobileMe (now iCloud) automatic. The video skips over settings for other services! (Though my experience has shown Mail to be thoroughly capable if you know what settings are needed, and it already knows them if you are using Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc).

What you can do with Apple Mail.
Creating a new email message, addressing an email, finding email addresses.
Adding attachments, adding photos from iPhoto, sizing images prior to sending.

Quicklook: viewing attachments without having to open other applications. Viewing photos in emails as a slideshow.

Searching through emails: use anything you can remember about the email you are trying to find using Mail’s powerful search facility.

Send large email attachments

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:56:47 +0000

You can send large email attachments for free (up to 50mb) using YouSendIt. This is tremendously useful for sending designs and images that would normally bounce back if emailed. From a Mac user perspective they have an app and some plugins for Photoshop and Acrobat.

But sometimes I have found that the YouSendIt app will refuse to send and come up with an error message that says my connection to the internet is broken, when it patently isn’t. I mention the following fix mostly because I could have done with it when sending some large files against the clock this morning! Things always go wrong when you need them most. I searched the internet in vain. Only after I had calmed down did I start to think what the answer might be…

The solution – for the record – is to close the app, bin the following files and folders (at your own risk of course):

in /Library/Application Support/YouSendIt

in /Library/Preferences/com.yousendit.YouSendItExpress.plist

and then start the app again. To get to your Library folder under Lion, hold the alt key while pressing the Go menu in the Finder.

The app, by the way, at time of writing is YouSendIt Express. There is a “Desktop” version coming soon that I imagine allows for online storage.

Welcome to the new Mac Wizard site

admin — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:10:55 +0000

This site used to be a little directory of Mac users – people using their Macs professionally could post their work and details on this site for free. I always enjoyed seeing the work that some users had done with their Macs. However, there is no doubt that there are other sites doing the same thing, but better – just find an appropriate group on LinkedIn or MyAppleSpace – and this realisation, coinciding as it did with a meltdown of my web host’s service, made me drop that aspect of the site.

The site now exists primarily to promote my Mac technical support service in South Oxfordshire and West Berkshire. I help home-based Mac users as well as small businesses to keep their Macs running, set up new Macs, or repair older ones. I also train people to use Macs and other Apple products, to get the most out of their iMac, iPhone or iPad.

Backup and restore your Mac

admin — Sat, 15 May 2010 06:44:48 +0000

Backup and restore your Mac (length 0:02:45, source: http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/)
Automatic back-up and restore of your Mac and your files with TimeMachine. Time Machine is a back-up technology introduced to the Mac with OS X 10.5 Leopard. Earlier versions did not have this facility.

[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

Time Machine

Can backup your whole Mac

Setup Time Machine

Wireless backup via Time Capsule

Restoring lost files

Finding lost files anywhere on your Time Machine backup

Restore your data to a new Mac

Full wireless backup and restore can take a long while. The video does not explain how to exclude something from the backup. If you want to exclude items, open Time Machine Preferences either from within System Preferences, or from the Time Machine menu at the top of your screen. There you see an options button. Click it, and any folder or volume you add in the window that follows will be excluded from the back-up.

Basic wireless networking

admin — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:23:49 +0000

A very basic overview of wireless connections available to your Mac. Included here because it does simply explain some basic terms. However, there is the impression given that you need an Apple Airport Basestation to set up wireless networking in your home or office. This is not so, as is indicated towards the end of the video when connecting to wireless networks in other places is explained.
Basic wireless networking (length 0:02:48, source: http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/)

[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

Wifi – used for access data, internet, email

Bluetooth – shorter range compared to wifi. Used to transmit data between close or adjacent devices, i.e headsets or keyboards, mice

Wireless networking in the home – basestation connects to modem. Computer connect wirelessly to basestation or printer

Connecting to existing networks – Airport symbol in menubar, select from list of networks, enter password if prompted to do so

Indesign: Create a new document

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 01:34:06 +0000

Getting started with Adobe Indesign (CS4 – but good for any version, length 0:05:15, source: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/learn-indesign-cs4/getting-started-01-starting-a-new-document/)
The Indesign welcome screen and options in the New Document dialog box.

What you can do with Indesign: multipage documents for different purposes

The welcome screen

Creating a new document, ‘Book’, ‘Library’

Using templates (via Bridge)

Create a new document from scratch

New document dialog options

Single and facing pages

Entering custom page sizes. Options entered in the dialog box can be changed later! So don’t worry if you haven’t got all the information… Columns, margins, and presets

Save your settings as a custom preset

Voila! Your new document…

Switching from PC to Mac

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 00:33:09 +0000

Don’t be intimidated by the Mac. If you have used Windows, you will soon be up and running with the Mac.
From PC to Mac length: 0:05:40, source: http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/

[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

Start menu and taskbar functions in Apple Menu and Dock.

Opening applications. Pinning applications. Finding your applications, files and downloads.

Minimalising windows. Trash/Recycle Bin

Right-clicking, control-click, double tapping trackpad.

Menubar, switching and quitting applications. Keyboard shortcuts

Windows Explorer function in the Finder

Customize Your Mac Desktop

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 00:10:43 +0000

Some built-in customization options for your Mac, to change your Mac wallpaper, screensaver and what’s in your Dock.
Personalize your Mac (length 0:02:12, source: http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/)

[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

Changing the desktop background

Screensavers and photo slideshows

Customize the Dock: size, position, effects. Add folders or applications to the Dock

This all offers only a basic makeover. Many of us have been disappointed with how little can be customized with OS X as compared to the earlier Mac OS9. For a more complete transformation of OS X, checkout Candybar, which will allow you to change the look and feel of system icons, folders, and the Dock to a remarkable degree. The trial download gives you plenty of time to get your Mac looking the way you want before it runs out.

Mac OS X Finder Basics

admin — Sat, 08 May 2010 08:30:42 +0000

Get to know the Finder and find your way around your Mac. Keep track of your files and documents.
Mac Finder Basics length 0:01:15, source: http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/

[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

Opening a Finder window

Finder windows: the sidebar; Devices, Shared, Places, Smart searches, Spotlight.

Changing your view of your files and folders; icon view, list view, column view, cover flow.

Where to find more help.

How to start using your new Mac

admin — Sat, 08 May 2010 07:10:32 +0000

Short video to explain the things you see when you first set up your Mac.
Mac Basics (source: http://www.apple.com/findouthow/mac/)

[See post to watch QuickTime movie]

Start using your new Mac

Anatomy of a Mac

Setup Assistant

The Desktop

The Dock (1) how to open applications: Finder, Dashboard (Widgets), Mail, Safari, iChat, Address Book, iCal, Preview, iTunes, Photo Booth, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, Time Machine, System Preferences
(2) Stacks: Application folder, Document folder, Downloads folder

The Menu bar, changes with open application, status icons

Finder Basics, Quick View, create and rename folders

Spotlight, finding anything on your Mac, calculator functions

Mac Help menus

Apple’s support website

AppleCare.