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How to Eject Stuck CDs or DVDs

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:16:36 +0000

I wonder how long it will be before people ask what a CD or DVD is? What with Apple eliminating optical drives from new Macs, and the availability of most audio and video content as digital downloads or via streaming, CDs and DVDs are going the way of the dinosaur.

Nevertheless, the majority of Macs and PCs currently in use still have optical drives, which is why, after being asked earlier this week to assist in un-sticking a DVD from a Mac's optical drive, I thought I would share the three easiest methods with you.

Use Terminal to Eject a Stuck CD/DVD

Use OS X Boot Manager to Eject a Stuck CD/DVD

Use Your Mouse or Trackpad to Eject Stuck Media When Booting

OWC Mercury Accelsior E2 Review - Upgrade Your Mac Pro's Storage and Performance

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:48:03 +0000

The Mercury Accelsior E2 is a PCIe expansion card for the Mac Pro that provides a pair of SSD blades configured in a RAID 0 array. This internal storage provides a huge performance boost for Mac Pro users who have been using the older, slower SATA II drive bays.

Courtesy of Other World Computing

But the Accelsior E2 doesn't stop there. With its Marvel-based SATA controller, the card also offers two 6G eSATA ports for external storage.

That's a pretty nifty card configuration. We put it to the test, looking to see how well it performs on our bench tests, and how well it operates in a Mac Pro as well as a Thunderbolt-based expansion chassis.

Find out if the Accelsior E2 is right for you.

OWC Mercury Accelsior E2 Review - SSD RAID and eSATA in One PCIe Card

Apple Provides Details of Federal Requests for Data

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:44:11 +0000

Apple today posted details about a number of data requests made by federal, state, and local government agencies. Apple, along with Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and others, sent requests to the NSA for permission to release some details regarding the number and type of requests the government made for user data.

"From December 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013, Apple received between 4,000 and 5,000 requests from U.S. law enforcement for customer data. Between 9,000 and 10,000 accounts or devices were specified in those requests, which came from federal, state and local authorities and included both criminal investigations and national security matters. The most common form of request comes from police investigating robberies and other crimes, searching for missing children, trying to locate a patient with Alzheimer's disease, or hoping to prevent a suicide."

Apple went on to say that not all requests were granted. In many cases, the scope of information that Apple provided was greatly reduced from what was originally requested.

In addition, Apple made it very clear that neither the U.S. government nor any law enforcement group has any type of direct access to Apple data or servers, and that all requests for information were handled by Apple's legal department, which required court orders before providing any information.

Apple also pointed out that conversations, text, and other data sent via iMessages, Messages, and FaceTime are encrypted end-to-end, and that Apple isn't able to decrypt the information. Apple also doesn't save location information, map searches, or Siri requests in any form that could be identified by user.

You can read the full text in the "Apple's Commitment to Customer Privacy" press release.

Apple Steals & Deals: Sunday, June 16, 2013

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 19:04:51 +0000

The Apple refurb store is my go-to place for finding discounts on Apple products, from Macs to iPhones, iPods to iPads. Just about every product that Apple makes will eventually end up in the refurb store. I check the refurb store every week and post the best deals that I find. I tend to focus on recent generation products, but once in a while an older item is available for a price that's just too good to pass up. If you're looking for a deal on an Apple product, check this blog every Sunday.

Screen shot courtesy of Coyote Moon, Inc.

MacBook Airs saw a nice price cut this week after the introduction of 2013 models. You can pick up a 2012 MacBook Air for a very reasonable price, but you'll have to act fast. Stock of the 13-inch models is already depleted, and the 11.6-inch models won't hang around long either.

But don't worry if the MacBook Air you're looking for isn't in stock today; there will always be more.

The refurb store is also well stocked with 2010 and 2012 Mac Pros. I still recommend holding off on purchasing an older Mac Pro, unless you have an immediate need. When the new 2013 Mac Pros become available in the fall, there may be a slight price drop in refurbs of the older model.

Apple Refurbished Store

Quantities are limited, so if any of these tickle your fancy, be fast on the trigger to make a purchase.

MacBook Air

2012 11.6-inch MacBook Air 1.7 GHz Dual-Core i5 with 128 GB SSD and Intel HD Graphics 4000: $799.00

2012 11.6-inch MacBook Air 2.0 GHz Dual-Core i7 with 128 GB SSD and Intel HD Graphics 4000: $929.00

MacBook Pro

2012 13.3-inch MacBook Pro (Review) 2.5 GHz Intel Dual-Core i5 with 500 GB drive and Intel HD Graphics 4000: $1,019.00

2012 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display (Review) 2.5 GHz Dual-Core i5 with 128 GB SSD and Intel HD Graphics 4000: $1,269.00

2012 15-inch MacBook Pro (Review) 2.3 GHz Intel Quad-Core i7 with 500 GB drive and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics: $1,449.00

2012 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display (Review) 2.3 GHz Intel Quad-Core i7 with 256 GB SSD and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics: $1,599.00

2011 17-inch MacBook Pro (Review) 2.4 GHz Intel Quad-Core i7 with 750 GB drive and AMD Radeon HD 6770M and standard glossy screen: $1,899.00

Mac mini

2011 Mac mini (Review) 2.0 GHz Quad-Core i7 with dual 500 GB drive, and Intel HD Graphics 3000, outfitted with OS X Server: $759.00

iMac

2012 21.5-inch iMac (Review) 2.7 GHz Quad-Core i5 with 1 TB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M graphics: $1,099.00

2012 21.5-inch iMac (Review) 2.9 GHz Quad-Core i5 with 1 TB hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics: $1,269.00

2012 27-inch iMac (Review) 2.9 GHz, Quad-Core i5 with 1 TB hard drive and Nvidia GeForce GTX 660M: $1,529.00

2012 27-inch iMac (Review) 3.2 GHz, Quad-Core i5 with 1 TB hard drive and Nvidia GeForce GTX 660M: $1,699.00

Mac Pro

Mac Pro (Review) 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon with ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics: $1,819.00

Displays

27-inch LED Thunderbolt Display 2560x1440 resolution: $799.00

27-inch LED Cinema Display 2560x1440 resolution: $799.00

Mac Accessories

2012 AirPort Express with simultaneous dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi. Includes support for attaching a printer as well as using Apple's AirPlay to send audio to any attached speakers: $85.00

iPad - Fourth Generation (Review)

16 GB Wi-Fi iPad 4 $419.00

32 GB Wi-Fi iPad 4 $499.00

64 GB Wi-Fi iPad 4 $579.00

16 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad 4 $529.00

32 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad 4 $609.00

64 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad 4 $689.00

iPad mini (Review)

16 GB Wi-Fi iPad mini $279.00

32 GB Wi-Fi iPad mini $359.00

64 GB Wi-Fi iPad mini $439.00

16 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad mini $389.00

32 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad mini $469.00

64 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad mini $549.00

Want to find out more about Apple refurbished Macs? Take a look at the process my wife and I experienced when we took the Apple refurbished store for a spin.

TotalFinder: Tom�s Mac Software Pick

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:26:41 +0000

TotalFinder from BinaryAge is a Finder plugin that brings many advanced features to the Finder, features that Apple should have included from day one.

TotalFinder

TotalFinder adds tabs to the Finder, letting you display multiple locations within a single Finder window. Even better, dragging files or folders between tabs is a breeze; you can also choose to move or copy files or folders when dragging them.

When you need to see a bit more, TotalFinder offers a Dual Mode that lets you see the contents of two of your TotalFinder tabs in side-by-side windows. This lets you compare files or drag files or folders with ease.

TotalFinder has many additional features, although two of my favorites are pretty basic: the ability to view a Finder window with all folders displayed first, and the ability to quickly view hidden system files with just a keyboard shortcut.

TotalFinder isn't a Finder replacement. It works with the Finder, so there's no learning curve.

While some of TotalFinder's features will be part of the Finder in the new OS X Mavericks, you may not want to wait until it's released, or you may not be planning to update right away. Either way, TotalFinder provides many of the advanced features that will be in Mavericks, as well as some features that won't, all with no waiting.

TotalFinder is $18.00. A 14-day demo is available.

See other software choices from Tom's Mac Software Picks.

Weekend DIY - Sharing Printers on Your Home Network

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:14:40 +0000

Sharing printers on a home or office network is a great way to economize on computing resources and costs. There's no reason why your computers, whether Mac, Windows, or both, can't share a printer or two. This can be especially important if you're a Window user who has just made the transition to a Mac and you're keeping your PC around for various uses.

Courtesy of Epson

Instead of going out and spending money on a new printer, or moving your printer from your Windows PC to your Mac, consider sharing your printer between the two platforms.

To get you started on this project, here are various guides to printer sharing that should cover just about any situation.

Tom's Mac Software Picks � 4-Plus Years of Out-of-This-World Software

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:07:13 +0000

For 4-½ years, we've been sharing weekly software picks with our readers. With over 200 apps in our library of Mac apps, there's bound to be something for everyone.

Stellarium, the first software pick

I started the weekly software picks in late November of 2008. We originally called this feature Tom's Budget Software Picks, because budget was a key factor in selecting an app. At the time, the U.S. economy was taking a nosedive. It was also the holiday season, and free or inexpensive software can make a great gift.

In 2011, we changed the name to Tom's Mac Software Picks, which allowed us to include more expensive apps in the list. But we still like to feature the inexpensive gems that are sometimes difficult to find.

This morning I received an email from an About: Macs reader who asked me to name my all-time favorite app from the list. I'm still trying to decide. I certainly liked the very first pick, Stellarium, which is a planetarium for the Mac. I'm also a big fan of Audio Hijack Pro, which has made the list several times, after the developer released updates.

I'm still wrestling with the problem of selecting a favorite app. To some extent, my answer changes based on what I need or want to do on a particular day.

How about you? Out of all the apps that have made it to Tom's Mac Software Picks, which one(s) do you like the best? Below is a list of the candidates, organized by year.

Tom's Mac Software Picks 2013

Tom's Mac Software Picks 2012

Tom's Mac Software Picks 2011

Tom's Mac Software Picks 2008 - 2010

Leave a comment below and let us know your favorite.

If you have a favorite app that isn't on the list, you can submit a software nomination.

Teardown of New AirPort Extreme Reveals Unused Drive Bay Inside

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:38:17 +0000

Apple's newest AirPort products, the AirPort Extreme and the AirPort Time Capsule, share the same overall look and wireless specifications. According to the folks at iFixit, who have gotten their hands on an AirPort Extreme, they may also share the same chassis and electronics.

Courtesy of Apple

During the teardown, iFixit discovered that the AirPort Extreme has a cavity just the right size and shape for a standard 3.5-inch hard drive. Unfortunately, there didn't appear to be a SATA connector that could be used to turn the AirPort Extreme into an AirPort Time Capsule.

But that doesn't mean that an avid DIYer couldn't add a SATA connector, assuming the logic board supports it.

We'll be watching iFixit when they tear down an AirPort Time Capsule. They can then check to see where the SATA cable connects to the logic board.

While it would be nice to be able to DIY your own Time Capsule, I suspect the AirPort Extreme logic board doesn't have a SATA controller installed, so we're not getting our hopes up. We'd be happy to be wrong, though

What�s Inside the 2013 Mac Pro? We Take a Look

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:24:14 +0000

On Monday, Apple gave us a sneak peek at the 2013 Mac Pro, which bears no resemblance to previous models.

Courtesy of Apple

The new Mac Pro features a lot of surprising technology and innovation, but Apple wasn't very forthcoming with details about what's inside. We took a look at what Apple revealed, and speculated about the rest of the details, including components and possible configurations.

Apple also didn't provide even a hint about pricing. We have some figures in mind, but we'd also like to get your input. What do you think the baseline and high-end 2013 Mac Pro configurations will cost? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.

Apple Announces New Mac Pro and MacBook Airs at WWDC

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:12:36 +0000

Apple today took the wraps off new MacBook Airs and gave us a sneak peek at an all-new Mac Pro.

Courtesy of Apple

The new MacBook Airs are available in the 11-inch and 13-inch sizes that we're accustomed to, but have new processors, new graphics, and amazing battery life.

As expected, Apple is using the new Haswell ULT processors from Intel. These processors can supply up to 40% faster graphics, better low-power energy management, and much better battery life. The 11-inch MacBook Air is expected to provide 9 hours of usable battery run-time, while the 13-inch model gets a boost to 12 hours, due to its larger battery space.

The 11-inch MacBook Air is available in two models:

1.3 GHz Dual Core Intel Core i5 (Haswell)
Intel HD Graphics 5000
4 GB RAM
$999 with 128 GB SSD, or $1,199 with 256 GB SSD

The 13-inch MacBook Air is configured with:

1.3 GHz Dual Core Intel Core i5 (Haswell)
Intel HD Graphics 5000
4 GB RAM
$1,099 with 128 GB SSD, or $1,299 with 256 GB SSD

The new Mac Pro will have an all-new look; a small cylinder roughly 9.9 inches tall by 6.6 inches wide. The new Mac Pro is all black, and occupies a volume that's only 1/8 the size of the current Mac Pro.

Configuration information was somewhat vague. The Mac Pro will use the latest generation of Xeon E5 processors, with the promise of double the CPU performance of the current Mac Pros. Dual AMD FirePro graphics cards will be able to support multiple 4K displays.

Available ports on the rear of the Mac Pro cylinder include 4 USB 3.0 ports, 6 Thunderbolt 2 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI out, and audio out.

The Mac Pro will include PCIe-based flash storage that can outperform SATA-based SSDs by up to 2.5 times; that works out to speeds in the 1250 MB/s range.

Expansion is handled externally using the 6 Thunderbolt 2 ports. Thunderbolt 2 provides up to 20 Gb/s data transfer speed, twice the speed of the current Thunderbolt interface.

Pricing and detailed configurations have not yet been set. Availability is expected sometime this fall.

Apple also unveiled a new AirPort Time Capsule and new AirPort Extreme, both of which use the new 802.11AC wireless standard, which can provide 3x the speed of the older 80.11n. The Time Capsule can be configured with up to 2 TB ($299) or 3 TB ($399) of storage. The AirPort Extreme is available for $199.