mac

Sometimes you may wish to get the full path of an item in the Finder, and while there are several ways to access file paths, not all will allow you to extract them as text to paste into documents you may be composing.

For example, if you select a file in the Finder and press Command-C to copy it, the behavior when pasting it will be different, depending on the program being used. In some cases the program will only paste the file name, but in others it may try to embed the file's contents or its icon where … Read more

Despite Apple CEO Tim Cook having knocked the idea of a convertible MacBook-iPad hybrid device, the company has filed a patent application for just that. The proposed patent, titled "Wireless display for electronic devices," was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today.

The application describes a computer display that is removable from its base -- basically a convertible laptop. But, what's different about this idea from other convertibles made by other companies is that it has wireless display technology. That means the device could be charged wirelessly.

Here's how Apple describes it in … Read more

Sometimes it's convenient to work with a document in more than one program at once. For example, if you initially open an image in Preview to quickly crop or resize it, you might decide you want to touch it up in Photoshop instead.

One approach for doing this is to switch to the Finder, right-click the document, and then use the Open With contextual menu to open the document in the program of interest, but there are a few other approaches you can take to quickly open the current document in one application in another without having to use … Read more

Microsoft announced today that it will end support for Office 2008 for Mac on April 9.

Office for OS X has been a staple in integrating OS X systems with many work environments that rely on Microsoft's popular office productivity suite. With its Mac Business Unit, Microsoft has maintained a dedicated development team for its Mac software which has spearheaded development of Office 2004, 2008, and the latest 2011 and 365 offerings.

With this development, those who use Office 2008 will still be able to do so, but will not be able to get any official support for the … Read more

For those who conduct extensive research and writing on their Macs, organizing this information for later use can be difficult. Papers for Mac works well to sort this data, and advanced students or researchers will likely benefit from the program.

Papers for Mac is available as a free trial version with unknown restrictions, while the full version costs $79 to unlock. While the download and installation took place quickly, the program required acceptance of an extremely long user agreement, which is uncommon for this type of program. Upon startup, the program recognizes the new user and prompts entry of basic … Read more

Proper Internet security requires users to manage multiple, complex passwords. Password Genie for Mac automatically stores and saves passwords in one secure location, and is a good option for those using various passwords.

After the user accepts a user agreement, installation of Password Genie for Mac occurs seamlessly due to the well-designed, native installer. Upon startup, the program requires exiting any open Internet browser before beginning its set up. Users can initiate the program by signing in with a Google ID or by registering their e-mail address. While designed to run in the background during Web browsing, the interface is … Read more

Users who want to easily search for information may not want a separate browser window open to a search engine. PopSearch for Mac allows access to a favorite search engine using a keystroke.

Available as a free application, PopSearch for Mac installs easily as an extension to a web browser, such as Safari. There do not appear to be any user instructions or technical support available. Users unfamiliar with installing and setting up extensions may have some difficultly figuring out how to configure the program, but this is easy with some trial and error. There is no menu for the … Read more

Those seeking alternatives to popular presentation programs like PowerPoint may have difficulty finding options. Project Canvas for Mac solves this problem, but its dated interface and lack of useful instructions make it hard to operate.

Project Canvas for Mac offers a free 15-day trial version, while unlocking the full program requires a $29.95 payment. The native installer set the program up quickly and required acceptance of a lengthy user agreement. Support for updates was available and several bugs had been fixed in the latest version. The program's interface was very basic and akin to simple drawing software from … Read more

Many applications used to create diagrams and graphics are costly, especially for small businesses and individuals. Shapes for Mac's basic features leave much to be desired, but could work for some basic uses.

The program's free trial version restricts the ability to save created diagrams. To unlock the full version, a payment of $4.99 is required. While Shapes for Mac states it supports product updates, it does not appear that there is active technical support. Instructions were not available and would have been welcome, but some users will probably be able to work with the menus as … Read more