MakeUseOf - OS X Mountain Lion

How To Run Widgets On Your Desktop In Mountain Lion [Mac OS X]

Justin Pot — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 00:30:57 GMT

Relegated to a separate desktop since Lion, developers seem to have abandoned the Dashboard in favor of making apps for the iPhone. That doesn't mean there aren't still useful widgets, though. If you like widgets, but wish you could access them on your desktop, WidgetRunner is perfect for you. With it you can use your favorite widgets as though they were regular pieces of software – or even pin them so they become part of your desktop wallpaper.

Make Siri Do What You Want With SiriProxy On Mac OS X And iPad 3

James Bruce — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 23:30:29 GMT

I've been wanting to try out SiriProxy for some Arduino home automation projects, but I refuse to buy a new phone when my iPhone 4 is still working just fine (yes, I stopped using my HTC One X; 6 months with Android is more than enough for me). But then I realized; I have Siri already, on my iPad 3. Surely I could use that? Indeed you can. So in this tutorial I'll walk you through getting SiriProxy working with your iPad 3 and Mac OS X - much of this will be relevant to Mountain Lion only though.

8 Mac OS X Annoyances (Yes, They Exist!) Resolved

Jackson Chung — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 02:31:45 GMT

Mac computers are the very model of simplicity and usability. When you plug one in and try to do something, it just works.

3 Ways To Manage Display Settings In Mac OS X Mountain Lion

Simon Slangen — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 06:01:56 GMT

With Mac OS X Mountain Lion, Apple introduced a number of changes; some small, some big. One of those tiny changes that impacted my workflow most is the disappearance of the menu bar display menu. Before the update, ticking off a checkbox in the Mac OS X display preferences pane would introduce a nifty display icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen. That menu bar icon is now gone.

How To Post To Facebook & Twitter From The Notification Center In Mountain Lion

Simon Slangen — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 05:00:45 GMT

If you're a bit of a social enthusiast, simply posting regular status updates to social networks like Facebook and Twitter can turn out to be a bigger chore than you'd expect. Firing up a web browser and waiting for the website to load, only to post a quick status update is hardly an efficient way of doing things.

OS X Mountain Lion Is Far From Perfect & Here's Why

Tim Brookes — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:01:25 GMT

I've held off writing this article for a few weeks now, in the hope that Apple themselves would step forward and acknowledge that their latest release, OS X 10.8 "Mountain Lion", has some serious problems that need to be sorted out. Unfortunately the company hasn't said a word, ignoring hundreds of reports of problems on their own Support Communities website.

Tweak Mac OS X & Access Hidden Settings With Mountain Tweaks & Lion Tweaks [OS X]

Tim Brookes — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 04:31:09 GMT

Apple’s walled-garden approach to computing has some pretty far-reaching implications for an everyday user of OS X. Apple provides, on the whole, a smooth and pleasant experience while using your computer, partly because the options that will break something aren’t there. Conversely, this approach can be quite limiting - especially to those who are used to endless preferences on Windows or Linux.

What's AirPlay, And How To Use It In Mac OS X Mountain Lion

Simon Slangen — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:30:59 GMT

Imagine you want to play your favorite album in Spotify. Naturally, you'll be hooking your computer up to a better sound station. But what if you're lying in bed, or sitting on the couch? Ideally, you'd just stream the music to your speakers. Streaming your content locally, between devices, is where AirPlay comes in. With Apple's latest operating system release — Mountain Lion — it's easier than ever.

Bye Bye iChat: Getting Started With The New OS X Messages App [Mountain Lion]

Tim Brookes — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 06:30:09 GMT

As the dust surrounding Apple’s OS X Mountain Lion release settles, it’s time to evaluate whether those killer features announced earlier this year are really that good. For me the most exciting addition when I first heard the announcement was the new Messages app, which brings Apple’s closed iMessage platform to the desktop.

8 Tips For Making Great Use Of The OS X Notification Center

James Bruce — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:01:56 GMT

With Mountain Lion came the introduction to the desktop of the familiar Notification Center, ported from its iOS origins. It’s brought even more unity between the desktop and mobile OS, and essentially replicates functionality that’s been available with third party applications for a few years now.

Bought A Mac Recently? Claim Your Free Upgrade To OS X Mountain Lion

Tim Brookes — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 04:31:26 GMT

If you purchased a new Mac recently then you might be pleasantly surprised to hear that you’re entitled to a free upgrade of Apple’s latest version of OS X, 10.8 Mountain Lion. Customers who purchased directly from Apple or from an authorised reseller on or after June 11, 2012 are eligible - and who doesn’t love a free upgrade?

4 Reasons I'll Be Switching to Safari 6 on OS X Mountain Lion

James Bruce — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 00:01:22 GMT

Until now I’ve put Safari firmly in the same box of horrible things as Internet Explorer - a sluggish, default browser that’s only purpose in life is to download other shinier and faster browsers. Safari 6 - which comes with Mountain Lion - may have just changed all that.

How To Install Mountain Lion On A PC [Hackintosh]

James Bruce — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 22:31:44 GMT

Are you not looking forward to Windows 8? Perhaps you're jaded by Microsoft’s decision to kill of Windows Home Server? Are you maybe tired of Windows Media Center being treated like a second class citizen? Have you got some extra PCs lying around and wish they were as awesome as your Mac? Welcome to the world of Hackintosh. Now let’s turn your PCs into Macs - Mountain Lion roaring Macs, no less.

5 Highly Useful Productivity Apps and Features in the New Mountain Lion

Bakari Chavanu — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 04:30:59 GMT

We covered some of the cool new features in Mountain Lion when it was first released to developers at the beta level back in February. And now after less than twenty-four hours of getting my hands on it, I've had a chance to go beyond a first look of the new OS and discover some of the most welcomed productivity features. For me, computers are about getting things done faster and more efficiently, and while Mountain Lion may not roar, it is a great sign of things to come.

First Tests With Apple's New Messages Beta [Mac]

Bakari Chavanu — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 05:30:44 GMT

Last week, without a lot of fanfare, Apple released the beta version of its new Mac chat program, simply called Messages. Messages also happens to be a sneak preview application of what's to come in the next version of its operating system, Mountain Lion—to be released later this summer.

The iOS-ification Of OSX - The Beginning Of The End? Or A Natural Harmonisation? [Opinion]

James Bruce — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 01:01:28 GMT

Recent announcements about the next major upgrade of OSX, named Mountain Lion, have garnered mixed reactions from the community. Some are proclaiming the death of the Mac; some think it's the first step in dumbing down OSX; while some believe it's a natural evolution given the success of iOS devices. One thing is certain - the iOS-ification of OSX has been officially confirmed. Is that a good thing though?

A Preview Of Features In The Next OSX, Mountain Lion [Mac]

James Bruce — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 23:31:48 GMT

Last week, Apple announced preliminary details of the next major release of OSX, named Mountain Lion. Some are calling it non-news - an incremental upgrade with no real new features or changes. I'll let you be the judge of that. Inspired by the iPad is the theme of this upgrade - though iOS-ification of the desktop might be more accurate.

5 Reasons Why You Might Not Want to Upgrade to Lion Just Yet [Mac]

Angela Randall — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:01:33 GMT

Apple users are renowned for being fans of new gadgets and operating system releases. With every new iOS release there are people worldwide lining up outside Apple stores overnight to get in first. So, it's hardly surprising this stereotype has come about. In the pool of Mac users, amongst the die-hard "Cult of Mac" fans, there still remain plenty of sceptics who would prefer to sit back and watch how each new product is received before they rush out and buy it.

'Apps Enhanced For OS X Lion' Receive Special Treatment In The App Store [News]

Matt Smith — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 12:31:01 GMT

One of the many features included in OS X Lion was a set of application enhancements, such as a full-screen view with multitouch gesture support, enhanced auto-saving, and more. The new features are only available in apps updated to support them however, and Apple is now highlighting software updated for Lion in the app store.

Having Trouble Installing OS X Lion? Thumb Drives Bring New Hope [News]

Matt Smith — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 12:31:37 GMT

Apple’s decision to release OS X Lion exclusively through the Mac App Store was bound to cause a few problems, and indeed it has. According to an internal memo sent to Cupertino’s customer support, those unlucky users who’ve hit a snag can now find a savior in the form of a USB drive.

10 Tips For Taming OS X Lion

Bakari Chavanu — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:30:34 GMT

The user interface changes of Apple's new operating system, Lion, are obvious to experienced Mac users. But some of the changes might have you scratching your head, when you don't for example see traditional scroll bars, the mailbox and folder list, or large enough icons in the Finder sidebar.

Apple Releases iTunes 10.4 With Full Screen Support, Updates iWork [News]

Matt Smith — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:31:10 GMT

Just a few days after the introduction of Apple’s latest operating system, OS X Lion, the company has revealed a small update to iTunes 10.4. The update’s most obvious addition is a new full screen mode that works alongside Lion’s multi-touch support to provide a smooth, immersive experience.

An Extensive Guide On Upgrading To OSX Lion & Making Installation Disks [Mac]

James Bruce — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:31:35 GMT

With OSX Lion in the App Store awaiting you, I’m sure some of you have some concerns about the upgrade process, so today I’m going to walk you through some of those concerns, give a few warnings, and show you how you can copy the download-only installer to a USB and DVD drive.

Apple’s Lion Scheduled For Release Today In The Mac App Store [News]

Bakari Chavanu — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:31:51 GMT

If you‘ve been eagerly awaiting Apple‘s new operating system Lion 10.7, then it‘s available starting today for download from the Apple Mac Store, for $30. We have previously covered options for downloading and installing the system, which will clock in at a little over 4GB.

How To Install OSX Lion On An External Drive To Test It Out [Mac]

James Bruce — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:31:07 GMT

One of the great things about Macs is that the OS is bootable on any Mac machine, regardless of which computer it was originally installed on. This means that if your desktop breaks, you can grab the drive and boot it from your laptop instead, without having to worry about data recovery services and lost work time.

Preparing For & Installing The Developer's Build Of OS X Lion [Mac]

Bakari Chavanu — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 19:31:23 GMT

Apple will be releasing, perhaps as early as July 9th, its latest version of Mac OS X, Lion. Unlike with previous OS X updates, Lion will be significantly cheaper ($29,00), but getting your hands on a physical disc copy of the Lion upgrade will not be possible. This will be because, for the first time, this OS X update will only be available for download through Apple‘s Mac App Store.