Productivity

Solutions The Pink Mac

The Right Stuff: The Pink Mac’s Ultimate Guide to Macbook Protection

After painstakingly choosing which type of Macbook you want, the next most difficult decision is how to keep said Macbook protected. There are so many options out there, ranging from no protection to complete protection, and in many different forms, that sometimes it can become difficult to decide. Well, don’t worry, because this easy guide will help you to choose between the many options and levels of protection out there for your Mac.

The Birthday Suit

Perhaps one of the many reasons you decided to purchase one of Apple’s beautiful Macbooks was because you were in love the form and finish of the machine. Perhaps you love the glossy white of the Macbook, or the sleek aluminum of the Macbook Pro and you are not about to cover that up! So, what are your options? Let’s discuss.
Zagg’s Invisible Shield

Leaving your Mac naked is not the best idea to prevent from scratches or dents, but if you want to let the natural beauty and sleek physique of your notebook shine through, you might want to think about using a clear protective film. BodyGuards and Zagg’s Invisible Shield are two highly recommended brands of full body clear protection. These military grade films are easy to install and removable in case you need to, and for about $50 for complete coverage, they are a great way to protect the natural beauty of your machine from scratches. Downside, however, is that they do not protect against dents to aluminum models, so as long as your careful not to bump your Macbook, this protection could work for you.

Sticking to It

So, you bought your Macbook because you are one of those expressive types that likes to show off your individuality, creativity and genius, and the best way to do that is through a computer that is designed just like you. You don’t just want your Macbook to create but you also want it to be a creation. Well, they make an App for that, err…. well, they make as skin for that at least!
GelaSkins makes a full line of protective sticker skins that provide an excellent source of protection for the lid of your Macbook for about $30. Only thing is, it provides no protection to the sides or bottom of your notebook, leaving it vulnerable to scratches and dents. You may want to use this option in conjunction with another form of protection, like a hard shell or one of the previously mentioned protective films. BodyGuardz actually sells their protective films by the piece so you can buy exactly the protection you need.
GelaSkin for Macbook
By the way, if your not happy with the choice of artwork offered at GelaSkins and other similar skin manufacturers, you can always create your own skin at Skinit ($34.95).

Protection, in a nut Shell

Scenario: You purchase a shiny new Macbook pro, stick a nice colorful skin on it to protect it, but one fine day you drop it as you’re pulling it out of your bag. It has only fallen a few inches, but UT OH, you dented it! It is one of the worst things that can happen physically to the aluminum Macbook casing and after checking the machine to make sure it is still working properly, you are left with a fully functional, but physically deformed, Mac.

Speck SeeThru Hard Shell
How could this scenario have been avoided? Well, since the exterior casing of the Macbook is metal, denting is an issue you may run into, but one that can be curtailed to an extent by using a hard shell case. Hard shells are made by a variety of manufacturers, however, the two most popular and highly recommended brands are Speck and Incase. Coming in a variety of colors, these hard shells are an excellent source of dent protection for your Macbook when it comes to short distance falls or things falling onto your laptop. Obviously, a hard shell won’t be able to save your Mac from a drop off a building, but for those everyday accidents, it is not only excellent scratch protection but also amazing shock protection.
These hard shells aren’t just great for the aluminum Macbook models, but they also come in versions for the plastic cased Macbooks as well and for about $50 each, they can be a real case saver!

Wear your Mac in a Sleeve

Whichever level of protection you choose from, you can still always do with a sleeve case for keeping your Mac protected while traveling. Although some sleeves can offer a pretty tight fit like the Contour Design sleeves, others like Incase allow extra room so that you can keep your notebook covered by a skin or a hard shell and still fit it into the case. Some sleeve manufacturers actually design cases that act as both a sleeve for traveling but then also open up to allow the user to work on their Mac while it is still incased by the sleeve. Isis Dei and iSkin are two reputable and well priced manufacturers who allow for this flexibility in their case lineup.
Contour Design rE-versible Sleeve
The best part about sleeve cases is that with so many manufacturers, you are certain to find something that fits your needs and your budget, not to mention your personal style!
Solutions The Pink Mac

Tethering Blackberry Tour to Mac.

So, I found an application that gives Mac users the ability to tether their Blackberry devices to their Macs. TetherBerry, costs about $50 but so far it is the only solution I have found that lets me utilize my mobile broadband plan.
In case you can’t watch the video and still want to know my tips on getting your Blackberry device to tether to your Mac, I am going to provide written directions below.
1. To begin, you will need to download the Tetherberry application on both your Mac and your Blackberry. Follow the link above, select Free Trial, and then choose the Mac Version of the software. From your Blackberry, open the TetherBerry webpage from your browser, select Free Trial, and then follow the URL provided to download the software onto your Blackberry.
2. Once you have successfully downloaded the software onto both your Mac and your Blackberry, go to Options on your Blackberry, then select Memory, and make sure Mass Storage Mode Support is ON and that Auto Enable Mass Storage Mode When Connected is either PROMPT or YES.
3. Next you must connect your Blackberry to your Mac via the USB cable that is provided to you with your Blackberry. At this point it would also be a good idea to check to make sure you are not connected to the internet by any other means. On your Mac, go to System Preferences and select Network. Check to make sure you are not connected to the internet at all before you continue.
4. The next step is to run the TetherBerry GUI on your computer and then also run the TetherBerry application on your Blackberry. You may need to provide your password in order to allow the connection between the Mac and the Blackberry on your computers end.
5. At this point, if everything has gone correctly, the Status of Tetherberry on your computer should say “TetherBerry Connection Active,” and you should see activity in the numbers of Packets and Data Sent and Received. You can also check that you are connected to TetherBerry by going back to the Network settings we visited earlier, where you should see that TetherBerry has an active connection.
6. Test your internet connection by opening up a browser window on your Mac. If it opens in a reasonable amount of time, you are good to go. However, if your browser does not open a new page or you get an error message from your web browser saying you are not connected to the internet, then Exit the TetherBerry Application (you may need to provide your password on your computer again) and then begin again from step 4 until the tethering is successful.
On a side note, the first time I attempted this method, it took me a few times of connecting and reconnecting to the TetherBerry software before my Mac was successfully receiving an internet connection. On subsequent attempts, it takes me two trials of step 4 onward to successfully get a browser page to load.
Solutions The Pink Mac

A Good Idea.

A few months ago, my house was broken into at 2 in the morning when the garage door was accidentally left open. The thief was only in the house for about 10 minutes while we slept upstairs, unaware of what was going on downstairs, until an odd noise woke someone in the house and when they went downstairs to see what was the matter, the thief ran out of the house. They only had enough time to grab a few things, but they ended up taking an HP laptop and an iPod as well as a purse and a container full of change. When I think about that night, I always go back to the question of why we felt safe enough to just leave the laptop sitting out on a table. Had we tucked it away in a desk drawer or someplace of out sight, it most likely wouldn’t have been seen, and therefore wouldn’t have been taken. Since then (although the stolen gadgets weren’t my own) I have learned my lesson and I keep my own tech gadgets hidden away when not in use. I think, however, accessory manufacturers need to come up with some good solutions beyond the traditional heavy wire Kensington locks that are just not practical for everyone.

There was one accessory I found though, that did a good job of being functional and I thought I would share my thoughts with you. The Belkin Laptop Hideaway seems like a great little hiding spot for a laptop. It appears to be nothing but a simple magazine and book holder that a family would keep next to a desk or sofa, but it actually has enough room for a laptop, books and accessories as well. What I like about the design is that it does not draw attention to itself, it seems like a common enough addition to a family room that could hide your tech goodies from strangers who are unfamiliar with your home and no one would think to bother with it. Of course, this hideaway isn’t a sure bet to prevent your laptop from being stolen, but I think it is a good start for a family who can easily tuck their computers away out of sight when not in use. Perhaps this accessory would be a good solution for you, perhaps not, but I just wanted to put it out there that I think people need to do something to protect their gadgets because you never know when you could have a bad situation of your own and loose valuable electronics.
Solutions The Pink Mac

Designing the Perfect Deskscape.

For the past few days I have been working on creating a desktop image that would help me to enter a creative mindset whenever I used my mac. Since I am a sucker for interior design and I love images of desk setups, I decided to create my own fantasy Deskscape filled with elements of my design taste as well as some of my favorite things. The image includes a white tulip table desk, hanging lotus lamp, inspiration board with some of my favorite images, a monthly calendar, my Macbook Pro and an ipod touch. I think this Deskscape is a successful example of my personal style and design influences, and I am very pleased with the affect it is having on me already. I love the idea that my desktop image is a desktop set up itself, so that wherever I take my mac, so goes my fantasy desk top.
I have the full Deskscape image available for download on my Flickr, here. Enjoy and I would love to hear your feedback! I will be making a video on this Deskscape so keep an eye out for that as well!
Solutions tech The Pink Mac

Edit Image Colors with Photoshop or Gimp.

So this is a short how to video on how to quickly and easily change colors of images, icons or pictures by using photo editing software like Photoshop or Gimp. I use this quick trick to change the color of images I use for my desktop, but it can come in handy for a variety of projects.
Solutions The Pink Mac

Why I love the SD Card Slot

One of my favorite things about my new Macbook Pro is the presence of the SD Card Slot, the new addition to the Macbook Pro lineup. As someone who uses their digital camera frequently for both images and video, there is nothing easier than slipping the slim card into the side of my Mac for quick uploads of my digital media onto my computer and the internet. In fact, it is so easy to upload my digital content onto my computer now, I actually credit it with the increase in my productivity.
Before the SD slot, I would have to do one of the following. (1) I would have to connect my camera to my Mac via a cable and then upload my images through Image Capture or (2) I would have to attach my USB SD Card Reader to my Mac and then insert my SD card to upload my media that way. Either way, I had to use another device to transfer my media, and although it wasn’t a difficult task, it certainly wasn’t something I was willing to do frequently, and I would actually hold off on uploading my pictures and videos because I didn’t feel like making a mess and pulling out extra cables for a small transfer.
Those days are over! Now, not only can I easily connect and transfer data from my digital camera, but because my cell phone uses micro SD, I can easily transfer media to and from my cell phone’s memory card (a task I could only previously accomplish by using the USB SD Card reader. It feels great not having the constraints of extra cables, not just at home, but especially on the road- I have definitely lightened my load!
It’s actually kind of sad that I am so pleased that Apple finally added something as simple as SD Card Slots to their notebook line. For a company that is so quick to boast that their machines are made for entertainment and creativity, they were really lacking a very simple and very popular element on their Macbooks. It took Apple until 2009 to add an SD slot to their machines, and yet my father’s 5 year old Toshiba PC has multiple card slots, including SD.
Well, despite the late arrival, the SD Card Slot is certainly an amazing and useful addition to the new Macbook Pro line. I think this small element is so necessary to so many Mac users and I know we all appreciate it! As a Blogger and YouTube(r) the SD Slot will have such a positive affect on my output, giving me the ability to publish my content sooner rather than later!
{Image via here}
Solutions The Pink Mac

Required Reading.

I am really excited today for three reasons, but let me give you a little back story first. Whenever I go to the mall, I always search the magazine sections in book stores and in large stores like Target to locate my favorite magazines. Unfortunately, most stores don’t carry all of the tech magazines that I like to read. So, after yet another unsuccessful trip to Target this weekend to find the new MacLife, I decided that I needed to get my reading from the source. So, I finally went ahead and subscribed to MacLife, Macworld, and Wired Magazines! I am really pleased with my decision because MacLife specifically also provides you with digital copies of the magazine, so you can just take it with you on your computer! No more scouring news stands and bookstores for me!
Solutions The Pink Mac

How to Safely remove a Hard Shell Case.

So, I have seen a bunch of reviews and videos about how difficult it is to remove the Incase and Speck hard shell cases and so I decided to make this video tutorial on an easy method of removal. It shouldn’t take anyone 10, 20, 30 minutes to remove a hard shell. As you can see it takes me 2-3 minutes to remove the case and I do not damage the macbook in the process.
DIY Solutions The Pink Mac

Clean your dirty yellow Macbook!

Since I am in the process of refreshing my old white Macbook to factory-like conditions, I have decided to attempt to clean the dirty hand rest. As many of you might already know, the white Macbook’s hand rest yellows and collects dirt over time, and there have been many suggestions out their on how to keep the hand rest clean, so I decided to try it out myself. To be fair, my hand rest is not as dirty as it was once. About 6 months after I bought it, the hand rest was so yellow that I sent it to Apple to have them repair it. They said it was a defect in the hand rest, that it shouldn’t yellow, and they replaced it. It has since been over 2 1/2 years and as you can see in the video, the hand rest is not too bad. However, I really want it to look perfect so I went out and bought the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser because I heard that was the best way to clean the white Macbook.
Now, I would just like to clarify before you watch this video, if you are going to try this at home, it is better to start slow and clean a small area first. This will only work on the hand rest, so don’t try this on the screen or on the track pad or on the glossy casing of your Macbook. I ended up cleaning my hand rest, my keyboard and the frame of my screen (basically any place where that same white matte material is used). When it comes to cleaning the keys, make sure to be very gentle, because I have heard how strong these Erasers are and they could take your lettering off if you are scrubbing to harshly.