mac

Those who want to use their laptop as a media server or to play continuous music may want to keep operating it while the lid is closed. InsomniaX for Mac is a simple application that performs this single purpose well.

InsomniaX for Mac downloads quickly and comes with no restrictions. The program installs without any problems, too, although the user must accept a licensing agreement to complete the process. The user agreement contains several warnings and disclaimers about the potential problems the program may cause to the computer, which is troublesome. There were no user instructions or technical support available, … Read more

Advanced Mac users may want the ability to install programs, called kext files, to modify basic system information. Kext Drop for Mac, while simple and with limited features, works well for installing these files.

Kext Drop for Mac is free. The application downloaded quickly, but had no technical support or user tutorials available. The program's small and uncomplicated menu is well thought out, though. The entire program consists of a small window with no buttons. A dotted box indicates the place where the user can click and drag kext files. Users can also select them by file from the … Read more

OS X is a multi-user platform, where each user account has its own settings and documents separate from those of other accounts, allowing for both customization differences but also for security and privacy. Not only do password requirements prevent other computer users from accessing one another's account data, but it can help deter unauthorized users from accessing the system.

While keeping the system secured with a log-in password is highly recommended for most cases, sometimes this password requirement can be a burden. For example, if you have a Mac set up as a kiosk presentation system or as a … Read more

The latest update to Microsoft Office addresses a number of critical bugs with the program and offers new integration with Office 365, Microsoft's next-generation Office suite for both the Mac and Windows platforms. The update is available either through the Office 2011 AutoUpdate utility, or from the updater's Web page as a 113MB download that will bring the latest version of Office to 14.3.4.

If you have not yet installed any updates for Office 2011, this update requires that you have Service Pack 1 installed, so some people may see two consecutive updates for Office available … Read more

It feels good to own a new Mac notebook. You're on top of the world until you haul your laptop someplace and let your battery run low before realizing that you're a MagSafe adapter short of juicing up. If only you hadn't lost that tiny, but critical, piece of equipment.

Apple changed the MagSafe power adapter hookup for its laptops in 2012, leaving consumers with a few gazillion out-of-date power adapters. To remedy the situation, Apple offered a $9.99 MagSafe to MagSafe 2 converter. It works, but it's small and easy to lose. … Read more

In this week's episode of Hooked Up, Kevin Frazier hangs out with Grammy Award winner and multi-Platinum recording artist Nelly. He talks about all the tech he can't live without, and how he co-founded Vatterott College in St. Louis and the Extreme Institute to teach students skills for making music.

Nelly also talks about his MacBook Pro, Canon EOS 7D that he uses for shooting videos, and the Monster Diamond Tears headphones that surprised him with their sound.

I'll break down the best dSLR cameras for shooting video with Kevin that broadcast professionals are using today. And … Read more

Those using Safari may want to add features to the browser for easier use. While Glims for Mac does add some useful features, not everything worked in our test, lessening the app's usefulness.

Glims for Mac is available for free as an add-on to Apple's Safari Web browser. The program downloaded and installed easily to the browser, and only required a program restart to take effect. Once installed, the program brings the user to a page containing tutorials and other information on its use. The tutorial was helpful and contained explanations of the different options available. The program … Read more

Users who have trouble with font caches may need an easy way to display and clear them. FontNuke for Mac is an easy-to-use, yet effective program for those few users who must remove these records.

This free program downloaded and installed easily without any problems. A simple readme file accompanied the program, but it contained no user instructions. Support for updates was available, but the presence of other technical support was unknown. The main purpose of FontNuke for Mac is to display and remove font caches, which are temporary files a computer uses to track font use. Sometimes these become … Read more

Excentro for Mac allows for the creation of unique vintage designs, but its lack of modern security and limited usability make it difficult to recommend for most users.

Excentro for Mac comes as a free trial version that lacks the ability to save. The complete application requires a hefty payment of $500 to unlock. The program downloaded fairly quickly over a high-speed Internet connection. Instructions did not come with the program, but after searching the readme file, there was a link to a manual on the developer's Web site. It was also unclear if technical support was available. The … Read more