utilities

Canon EOS utility updated to work in OS X Lion

If you're a photographer who uses Canon equipment and has been unable to use the Canon EOS utility after installing OS X Lion, some good news: Canon has issued an update to the tool that allows it to run properly in Apple's latest operating system.

The Canon EOS Utility is an application that allows you to interface your Mac with your digital EOS camera, allowing you to not only transfer images from it and manage them but also remotely operate the camera from your computer using Canon's interface cable.

When OS X Lion was released a number … Read more

Get a fast, free toolkit for system cleaning and maintenance with Glary Utilities Slim

Glary Utilities has a good reputation among users who need safe and reliable system cleaning and maintenance in an easy-to-use package. Glary Utilities Slim is a freeware bundle of Glary's disk and registry cleaners and other system tools. It also enables easy, centralized access to a number of built-in Windows tools. Some of its features you'll only need once or twice a year, like an oil change; others are for regular duties. It slims the package by leaving out some automatic and duplicate features.

Glary Utilities Slim bears a strong family resemblance because it shares the family interface. … Read more

AirPort Utility 6.0 missing a number of features

Yesterday Apple released AirPort Utility 6.0 along with an update to the older Version 5.x of the same program. The new tool offers an updated and intuitive interface for managing your Wi-Fi network, but it also is missing some key features that, while not necessarily beneficial to most home users, might frustrate IT professionals and network administrators.

After installing the utility and exploring its features, MacFixIt reader Joshua O. wrote in regarding a number of these he found:

I've been surprised that no one has commented on the massive loss of functionality in the new Airport Utility. … Read more

Apple updates AirPort utility and Base Station firmware

Apple has released a couple of updates for its AirPort Utility software for OS X Lion, and also has released new firmware updates for its AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule router devices.

AirPort Utility 6.0 is available to edit and configure both AirPort Base Station, Time Capsule, and AirPort Express networking devices. Apple has updates the prior version to version 5.6 that resolves issues with accessing passwords in the system keychain, but has also released version 6.0 which implements support for configuring iCloud to remotely access mass storage attached to the AirPort and Time Capsule devices. … Read more

Apple AirPort Utility 6.0: No love for Windows or Snow Leopard

Apple today launched version 6.0 of its AirPort Utility that enhances the networking experience for those using its networking products.

These products include the AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express, and Time Capsule.

The new version lets you do all that you can do with the previous version (version 5.5.3), but with a more streamlined interface that resembles that of Apple's apps.… Read more

Troubleshooting toolkit recommendations for Mac users

When troubleshooting OS X it helps to be prepared with an arsenal of tools that can help narrow down what exactly is contributing to the problems at hand. Having tools that help you investigate files, monitor system events and input or output, and control aspects of the hardware is very useful to have when trying to perform troubleshooting tasks.

If you want--or need--to troubleshoot a problem with your Mac, here are some recommended tools. You don't need to keep these on your system at all times, but knowing they're available makes them easy to access in the event … Read more

Apple uses 'slide to unlock' patent in lawsuit against Galaxy Nexus

In October 2011, Apple won a patent detailing the method of sliding an onscreen mark to unlock the iOS operating system on a mobile device. Now, just four months later, Samsung's Galaxy Nexus is coming under fire for violating that patent.

As Samsung and Apple have been going head-to-head in court lately, this should come as little surprise. The latest battlefield was in Germany where Samsung was hoping to stop Apple from selling the iPhone, a fight that Samsung ultimately lost. In response, Apple broke out one of its biggest patent wins of 2011, the "slide to unlock&… Read more

Get Acronis True Image Personal 2010 (Win) for free

To butcher an old saying, people don't plan to lose data, they lose data because they don't plan. In other words, many users don't bother to make regular backups, and often suffer the consequences when their hard drive dies or falls victim to a virus.

How can you avoid such consequences? Step one: buy an external hard drive. (If possible, go back in time a few months and buy one when they're significantly cheaper. Also: place a few strategic sports bets for me. Cool, thanks.)

Step two: get yourself a comprehensive, easy-to-use backup program--preferably one that … Read more

Make your own icons with this easy-to-use freeware

Junior Icon Editor is a free graphics drawing tool optimized for creating and editing icons to use in Windows. You can create icons in sizes up to 64x64 pixels and 32-bit True Color. It includes a variety of standard drawing tools like paint brushes and text tools, and its tabbed interface lets you create several icons at once. You can set transparency, enlarge or reduce images, and smooth edges, among other functions. Once you've created and saved your custom icons, you can use them to replace other icons in Windows.

Junior Icon Editor is basically a simplified, specialized image … Read more