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Mac OSX Tip: Finding The First Available Printer

GeekSugar — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 14:05:32 -0800

Have you ever been in the situation where you need to print a document for a meeting immediately, but all the printers on your network are busy? This literally happens to me a couple times a week because one of my co-workers likes to print volumes on top of volumes of things she finds online.

It took only a little web searching but, I've found the answer. If you find yourself in the same situation and you are using a Mac running OSX, you can pool these printers together so your document will automatically print to the first available printer. For steps, read more

Just go to the Printer Setup Utility (in the Applications folder, within the Utilities folder), Command-click on all the printers you want to pool together, then go under the Printers menu and choose Pool Printers. A dialog will open where you can name your pool (the default name is “Printer Pool”), and it shows a list of printers that are in that pool.

You can click-and-drag the printers into the order that you want, and then click Create, which adds a new printer in your Printer list called Printer Pool. Choose that as your printer, and then when you choose Print, Mac OS X will start looking for the first available printer.

Did Microsoft Rip Off OSX When Creating Vista?

GeekSugar — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 07:04:05 -0800

According to New York Times Tech guru David Pogue's recent video blog, the answer is yes. That is, if you understand sarcasm.

Windows Vista will be available January 30, 2007.

To read Pogue's response to some of the e-mails he received after posting his Vista review, just read more

Some of you claim, with much anger and swearing, that Apple steals from Microsoft just as much as the other way.

My response to one such response: “You’re right–very few things were actually invented wholesale by Apple. The mouse, menus, overlapping windows, the CD drive, Wi-Fi wireless, and so on–all of these things were developed elsewhere.

“But Apple *standardized* them. Chose them, recognized their potential, perfected them, made them over in its own way, and brought them to the masses.

“In Vista, on the other hand, Microsoft did not select unrecognized features, did not have any particular vision in knowing what would work and what wouldn’t, did not put its own stamp on anything. It simply waited for Apple to recognize and perfect good technologies, then duplicated them bit for bit. Oh, and then claim to be a leader in innovation. That’s quite a difference!”

Check out Pogue's full response >The Redmond Copying Machine? on his NYT blog. All hail a sarcastic geek!

Daily Tech: Palm Pre Up Against the iPhone 3G

GeekSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:11:17 -0700

See how the new Palm Pre stacks up against the current iPhone. - Wired
The stunning Catherine Zeta-Jones is back as spokeswoman for T-Mobile. Her latest commercial will air tonight during the American Idol finale. - The Wall Street Journal
Today Pandora launches Pandora One, a subscription Pandora service which costs $36 a year and will provide you with a desktop app, high-quality streaming, and a mini player. - TechCrunch
Looks like Microsoft's Laptop Hunter commercial campaign is paying off. Younger people think that you get better value for a laptop running Microsoft Windows than one running OSX. - CrunchGear
Here's the lowdown on the $100 rebate for the Palm Pre. Best Buy will be one of the only places where you don't have to deal with the hassle of mailing your rebate. - Gizmodo
Check out some celebs who have been given photoshop makeovers. - Switched

Geek Tip: Tag Your iTunes With Moody

GeekSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:02:08 -0800

Similar to what we experienced with Musicovery, where you search web radio according to your mood, Moody allows you to tag the tunes you already have by the way they make you feel.

Tags are color coded and their names are customized any way you want them to be. Have tons of Al Green? He might be a little more towards the red end of the color spectrum, under the "Gettin' in the Mood" tag if you know what I mean. Whereas, Daft Punk might be a yellow "Lets Dance!" tag. It's all up to you! You can even label your tunes as you listen, so you don't have to sit for hours tagging photos when you should be doing other, more productive things - like reading geeksugar, of course! Moody is free and available for iTunes on OSX and Windows.

Daily Tech - The Amazon Kindle eBook Reader Is Here

GeekSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 12:00:08 -0800

Source

The Amazon Kindle costs $399 (includes free 2 day shipping) and offers access to 88,000 books - Engadget
Singapore bans a video game for same sex alien make-out scene - Switched
T-Mobile and Motorola temporarily pull the new Sidekick after confirming a power defect - Crave
The first OSX Leopard update is now available - Apartment Therapy
AT&T gets LG Vu, Sony Ericsson K850, and iPhone business edition? - The Boy Genius Report

Sync Your iPhone/iPod With Beyond TV

GeekSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:00:18 -0700

Whenever I download new songs or shows on my laptop, I try to make it a priority to transfer them onto my iPhone and iPod. What usually happens is I grab my iPod just as I'm heading out the door and then get irritated when I remember that all my hot new shows went on my iPhone instead...urgh! Gizmodo has announced that there's a new software version of Beyond TV that will automatically sync recordings to both your iPod and iPhone with an optional plug-in...helping forgetful people like me to keep their gadgets synced.With Beyond TV version 4.7 you can sync your shows and import your iTunes podcast RSS for syncing as well. There is also support for Firefly Mobile which allows the use of iPhones and other cell phones to act as remote controls for the device. You can currently test out Beyond TV with a free trial, and then it will cost you $70. Beyond TV doesn't have OSX support just yet.

Geek Tip: Getting The Ideal iTunes Equalizer Settings

GeekSugar — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 11:00:43 -0700

Here's one of those "always good to know tips" from Mac OSX Hints that may in fact make your music sound better with improved balance. These 'non-flat' iTunes equalizer settings are said to output the music the way it was intended to be listened to. To get started, open up your equalizer from the view menu and select "make preset." Call it whatever you'd like for future reference and set the levels, just like below, from right to left (while skipping the preamp section): db +3, +6, +9, +7, +6, +5, +7, +9, +11, +8 db. Make sure that the 'on' box for the equalizer is activated. The pic above will show you what it is suppose to look like. One thing I noticed is that it works well with external "high quality" speakers but not when you are playing music through your laptop. So if you just use your laptop for sound, it may be best to keep your settings on default.

My Favorite Gadgets: Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard

GeekSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 14:00:23 -0700

Ever wish you could laser-project your keyboard on any flat surface? Yeah, that's what I thought. Rachie Rees added the Think Geek Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard, $179, to the My Favorite Gadgets group. The device allows you to type away accompanied by simulated key click sounds, but you aren't typing on anything...

The device connects to PDAs Smartphones and Computers using Bluetooth, projects a full size keyboard onto any flat surface, allows the convenience of regular keyboard typing in a tiny form factor and has a rechargeable battery that lasts for 120 minutes of continuous typing. read more

Note: Compatible with PalmOS 5, PocketPC 2003, Windows Smartphone, Symbian OS, and Windows 2000/XP. Limited Mac OSX Support.

I want to know what's in your purse, on your desktop and in your pockets. Send me pictures of your favorite gadgets by adding them to our My Favorite Gadgets! group. I'll feature the greatest (and most inventive) pictures here on geeksugar.

Windows' New OS 'Vista' Hits Stores Today

GeekSugar — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:00:05 -0800

Windows' new operating system, Vista, which is the first new operating system from Microsoft Corp. in five years, is being released today and despite controversy over whether or not certain elements of the system were "borrowed" from Mac OSX, there will be plenty of folks upgrading to the new system, which comes with moderate to good reviews. Microsoft boasts that it has managed to tighten security, increase parental controls, make media - from photos to videos to songs to cable television - easier to use and share, and linked everything even more tightly to the Internet, says the SF Chronicle. Here's a fun look at what Bill Gates likes about the new system.

Video: Gates On Vista

For reasons why you should considering upgrading, just read more
According to Microsoft, these are the Top 5 Reasons to Buy Vista

Windows Vista features a breakthrough design and easy-to-use organizational tools that make it simpler to get things done and get on with life! Find what you need instantly, on your PC or on the web, with Instant Search. Bring more clarity to your tasks with the spectacular Windows Aero user experience and Windows Flip 3D, allowing you to see everything you're working on at a glance.
Navigate and play your music collection with just the click of a remote control! Windows Media Center and a compatible remote control let you quickly search and select tracks visually by album art, or by artist, album title, song, year, or genre. Share your Media Center screen and remote and give everyone the chance to mix and play their favorites.
Windows Vista provides better protection for your PC, your personal information, and your family than any previous version of Windows-with new security tools like Windows Defender, anti-spam and phishing filters, and Parental Controls. Automatic backups, Performance Self-Tuning, and built-in diagnostics help you keep your data protected and your PC running smoothly.
The breakthrough design of the Windows Aero user interface brings new clarity to your PC experience. With spectacular visual effects, like translucent glass-like menu bars that let you see behind your application window, you're one click away from everything you're working with.
All-new search and organization tools in Windows Vista will help you quickly find what you need on your hard drive or on the web. Instantly find and launch a document, photo, e-mail, song, video, file, or program on your PC with Instant Search.

Check out the rest of Microsoft's list of reasons to upgrade to Vista. I also recommend going into an electronics store and testing it out yourself. Some online stores are offering special deals today.

Go Wireless Without Worries

GeekSugar — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 17:48:48 -0800

The holiday season means more traveling and less time at your desk, which sounds promising but really means you'll be fighting for an outlet at the airport terminal and desperately trying to find a WiFi coffee shop to send your boss an e-mail.

So what are the security and viral implications of going online anywhere? Luckily, most WiFi networks are safe enough that your risk of getting a virus is slim to none. If you're still worried, you can read more

If you’re a virus conscious PC user, I’d recommend putting up a firewall every time you go online in foreign places. If you’re “riding dirty,” you should do the following:

Click on START in your control panel
Choose SECURITY CENTER or WINDOWS FIREWALL, and then WINDOWS FIREWALL.
When the Windows Firewall box appears, select GENERAL tab and click the button next to ON.
To finish, you can check DON’T ALLOW EXCEPTIONS and OK to close the box. Still worried? Consider downloading the Norton Personal Firewall.

Mac OSX or higher users need not worry.

Source