shortcuts

Quickly add items to the OS X Finder sidebar and Dock

The OS X Finder sidebar and Dock are convenient locations for favorite folders, documents, applications, and locations, and in addition the Dock offers a convenient place for minimized windows, as well as the Trash. For new user accounts Apple puts a default set of items in the Dock and Finder sidebar, but these can be customized.

The standard and perhaps intuitive method of adding items to these locations is to drag them there; however, it's not foolproof. If you inadvertently release your mouse before the cursor has reached the Dock or sidebar, then you chance copying or moving the … Read more

Review: Save time and keystrokes with Shortcuts for Mac

Users who perform menu operations multiple times may want to automate them to save time in the future. Shortcuts for Mac, despite its overly complicated menu, has many options for creating hot keys and shortcuts.

Shortcuts for Mac downloaded and installed, easily. Instructions were available with the program in the form of a readme file with the installer--a great addition because the program is very difficult to use. It is also unclear if technical support is available. The user must choose whether to open the regular version or a 32-bit option. This choice could be confusing to a number of … Read more

How to create a VPN shortcut in OS X

A virtual private network, or VPN, is a method of securely connecting to a network from a remote location, and is commonly used in work environments. While some institutions require the use of third-party VPN client software, others allow the use of Apple's built-in VPN clients.

In these cases, you can choose to enable the VPN menu in the OS X menu bar, and can then use it to quickly establish a VPN connection. However, if you are regularly connecting to your VPN, you may choose to also implement a hot-key shortcut to speed things up a bit more.… Read more

Use Ctrl-Shift-Esc for quick access to the Task Manager

Windows Task Manager is a useful tool to monitor your system and quit applications that are not responding. If you are using the tried-and-true Ctrl-Alt-Delete to access the Windows Task Manager, you are taking the long way there. Instead, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-Esc to access the Task Manager directly.

In Windows 8, Ctrl-Alt-Delete calls up a menu, of which the Task Manager is one option. This means it's a two-step process to get to the Task Manager. With the Ctrl-Shift-Esc shortcut, you call up the Task Manager directly, giving you quicker access. It may seem like a trivial … Read more

Add a Web shortcut to the BlackBerry 10 home screen

Adding a shortcut to your favorite Web site is a convenient way to quickly access information while on the go. The ability to add home-screen shortcuts isn't a new feature by any means -- smartphones have had this capability for quite some time -- but it's still good to see it present in BlackBerry 10.

To add a shortcut to your favorite Web site on a BlackBerry 10 device, launch the browser and navigate to the Web site you'd like to add. Once the page has loaded, tap on the menu icon and select "Add to … Read more

Quick tip: Launch a pop-up compose window in Gmail

Google first introduced the new Gmail compose window last October. Users were encouraged to try out the new "compose experience," with the option to revert to the old compose method. Just a couple of weeks ago, Google announced that the new compose would now be the default and that it'd be rolled out to all users.

If the new compose window feels a bit cramped to you, we've got a tip that'll let you stretch it out a little while composing your e-mails. Instead of being stuck to the inside of your browser, you can … Read more

Tips for managing windows in OS X

Having multiple windows cluttering your screen can be inconvenient. While the Mission Control feature in OS X can be used to preview windows and switch between them, and isolate windows to specific desktops, even with this you may find your work space a bit cluttered with browser windows, Word and Pages documents, various utilities, and Finder windows.

Unfortunately, switching between multiple windows by clicking with the mouse can result in them overlapping in ways that are frustrating to deal with. While keeping things simple by continually closing windows is one approach, you can also use some OS X features to … Read more

Navigate your Facebook News Feed with keyboard shortcuts

Facebook doesn't have a large collection of keyboard shortcuts and many of them require browser-specific modifiers. Still, if you spend a lot of time in Facebook, using the keyboard shortcuts can be time-savers. The News Feed navigation shortcuts in particular, are convenient and easy to remember because they work the same in every Web browser (no modifier required).

To scroll through your News Feed, just use j to scroll down and k to scroll up. To comment on the selected story from your News Feed, use c. To like or unlike a selected story, use l.

Keep in mind … Read more

The Top Essential Hotkeys for Windows 8

Whether you're new to Windows 8 or a seasoned veteran, it's always good to have a few tricks up your sleeve. Let's face it: without a touch screen, Windows 8 can get a tad tedious to use. Here are the most essential Windows 8 shortcuts for accessing and working with the Charms menu, and system-wide. You can thank us later.

Useful keys to access Charms in a touchless world

Windows Key + C: Opens Charms Bar Windows Key + I: Access the settings or control panel for active app Windows Key + Q: Search your applications Windows Key + Z: Open … Read more