How-Tos

In the past, it was easier to load the Redbox Web site and reserve copies of movies or games there. The reserve feature is especially useful in heavily populated cities, where something might be gone by the time you make your way to the physical Redbox. With access to this same functionality on your mobile device, you can easily reserve a rental during (provided you're not driving!) or before your commute home from work or school.

Grab a copy of the new Redbox app for your mobile Android device. You will need Internet connectivity to use the … Read more

The Android style guide was updated to include Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean Holo theme variations, and this is (thankfully) causing many apps to update their user interfaces. Change is good -- well, most of the time -- but what if you want to take a look at reviews that are only pertinent to your device? Or maybe you're only interested in opinions about the latest version? That's why the Google Play Store has filtering options, even though they're kind of hidden.

Here's how to access them:

The newest version of Spotify's mobile app now features a NFC (near-field communication) sharing ability. This new feature allows users to share albums, artists, playlists, profiles, or search results by tapping NFC-enabled Android devices together. However, it's worth noting that to get the best use of this feature, you'll want to be on a Premium Spotify membership so any shared music content can be played.

To get started, you'll first want to make sure that NFC is supported and turned on for both devices. To do this, press the menu button and then Settings. When the … Read more

To make sending multiple files by e-mail or other means easier, Apple includes a quick Finder contextual menu option to zip a selection of files and folders into an archive, which not only will ensure that the files stay together, but can also greatly reduce their size for the file transfer. While convenient, Apple does not provide a means to encrypt or secure the contents of the ZIP archive with a password; however, there is a way to do this if needed.

To place a file or folder into a ZIP file that is encrypted, you will need to use … Read more

iCloud is the latest iteration of Apple's cloud-based services, and while it can be accessed from any Web browser, it requires at least OS X 10.7 to integrate into the Mac OS. Unfortunately this means that if you are on an older Mac system running Snow Leopard that you either don't want to or can't upgrade, then Apple no longer supports accessing its iCloud services.

Recently MacFixIt reader Brandon wrote in wondering about the options for people with these setups:

At WWDC, Scott Forstall, Apple's senior vice president of iOS, promised that iOS 6 would bring 200 new features, including tighter Facebook integration, an empowered Siri voice assistant, and the capability to make FaceTime calls over a cellular network (Read what we've learned so far of iOS 6). Just three months later, we expect to hear the official launch date for iOS 6 at the Apple event tomorrow. Like every Apple event, it's tough to predict the timing, but it's safe to say iOS 6 will be coming out in the very near future.

The question … Read more

Depending on which version of Android you're running, there might be a Bugdroid or gender-neutral silhouette that appears for each contact that is missing a custom photo. While seeing these instead of a contact's photo isn't too big of a deal, it's always nice to see the faces of your family and friends that are calling you. This is especially useful if you're at a location where the volume of your device needs to be turned off and you can see who is calling with just a quick glance.

While this method is a bit … Read more

OS X will automatically attempt to mount an attached volume when the system is started, and if successful the volume will appear in the Finder either in the sidebar or on your desktop if you have these options enabled. However, there may be instances such as in multi-boot environments when you might want a specific volume to remain unmounted.

With multiple boot volumes in a system, when loaded in one operating system it is relatively easy to access and edit important files on the boot disk of other operating systems. Therefore, keeping the unused boot drive unmounted may be a … Read more

Matching the colors on larger items you can't tote into stores or around town can sometimes be difficult -- especially when it's something like your walls or furnishings. If you love color matching and coordination, then SwatchMatic is the app for you.

All you need to get started is an Android device with a camera and a copy of the SwatchMatic app. Once installed, simply point the app at an object to start matching the color. When you see a color tab in the wheel that looks like an exact match, or at least something close, tap … Read more