Wednesday is the twentieth anniversary of Mac OS X. And those who went though the many versions over the decades can download some reminders. Every major new version came with a fresh wallpaper, and they’re all available for free.
OS X, the most important piece of software in Apple history, turns 20 today.
Going on sale in its full, public version on March 24, 2001, Mac OS X 10.0 — code-named Cheetah, the first of many cat-themed names — transformed Apple’s operating system forever. It brought user interface enhancements that persist to this day, as well as technological advances that form the backbone of Apple’s current operating systems. In fact, OS X paved the way for today’s post-PC devices, from the iPhone and Apple Watch to HomePod and Apple TV. If you’d like to know more about Apple’s operating system evolution, check out this deep dive into its history.
While Apple eventually ditched the “OS X” branding for “macOS,” and switched from naming Mac software after big cats to California locations in 2013, Cheetah’s impact continues to be felt two decades after its introduction.
If you’ve always dreamed of running a Windows or Mac operating system on iPhone or iPad, this is your lucky day. We’ve got how-tos that show you how to run Windows XP or Mac OS X on an iOS device. It turns out it’s not that difficult — and it doesn’t require a jailbreak!
If you’re not up for a weekend project like that, don’t worry. We’ve got plenty of other good reading in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now and enjoy all the week’s top stories on your iPad or iPhone.
It’s got plenty of Apple news, including info on iOS 13.6 and the other software updates Apple released this week.
It’s highly unlikely Apple will ever give us an iPad that runs macOS — and that’s OK. Because with a few tricks (that do not require a jailbreak), you can easily install Mac OS X on your iPad all by yourself.
The process won’t void your warranty or interfere with iPadOS in anyway. All you need is a copy of Mac OS X, an app that lets you run virtual machines, and plenty of storage space.
Check out our step-by-step guide to learn more.
With Apple’s new two-step authentication procedures in place, resetting your password is a little trickier than it used to be. That’s a good thing, because if it’s tough for you, it’s even tougher for scammers to get into your iPhone, even if it’s stolen.
Here’s how to reset your Apple ID password with Apple’s current security system.
Want to get your hands on the latest, greatest iOS and OS X features for your iPhone, iPad, and Mac before anyone else does? Do you love checking out all the new stuff in iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan so you can be the first to comment on them?
All you need to do is sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program, and you’ll be able to access the public betas of these flagship operating systems before they’re available to the rank and file.
Here’s how to sign up for (and install) Apple’s latest public betas.
For any mobile developer, learning Swift is a must. It’s an intuitive and fast language that’s key to iOS, OS X, tvOS, and watchOS. This bundle of four lessons — in the form of 3 apps and an E-book — will get you up to speed in practicing coding, testing scripts, and more. And the best part: the whole shebang is just $9.99.
Ever wish you could watch all those great Key & Peele or Inside Amy Schumer clips from YouTube on the big television in the living room?
Sometimes the small screen on your MacBook just isn’t large enough to contain all that hilarity. It’s times like these that you’ll want to send video to that massive HDTV, and El Capitan makes it even easier with a new AirPlay feature.
Here’s how to beam your favorite clips to your favorite screen.
While the latest version of Apple’s fantastic (and free!) music production suite, GarageBand, has lost some functionality like podcasting and Magic GarageBand, it still has plenty to recommend it for those new to music or old vets alike.
One of these cool features is the Learn to Play function, which has some pretty good basic music tutorials baked right in, along with the capability to purchase videos from hit artists like Sting and Norah Jones, who teach you how to play some of their famous songs.
It’s a pretty heady set of music learning; here’s how to access it. Getting really good at your instrument will take more than watching a video or three, but this is a great start if you want to try your hand at the guitar or piano.
Every once in a while a software bundle comes along that is almost impossible to pass up. This would be one of those times.
Cult of Mac Deals has assembled 7 top Mac apps in The Mac Freebie Bundle. Valued at $119, this nundle has a little bit of everything – and best of all its price is tough to beat.
Yup. Thirteen years ago today, on March 24, 2001, Apple and Steve Jobs unleashed the first version of Mac OS X 10.0 (code named ‘Cheetah’) on to the world.
Despite officially being a teenager, OS X is holding up better than most 13 year olds: its voice isn’t cracking, it’s not awkward around girls, and since Scott Forstall’s departure, there’s barely a blemish to be seen on its otherwise pristine countenance.
What’s your earliest memory of OS X? Share it with us in the comments.
I swear, the more I learn about the Mac OS X operating system, the more there is to know!
There are so many little hidden key strokes on the Mac that help you do all sorts of things, and there’s really no way to find them out.
This little gem is something I just found out today, and I’ve been sending you OS X Tips for the better part of two years.
To get rid of the system menubar icons, you can drop into each System Preference pane and uncheck the “Show in Menu Bar” option, or you can just do this.
Have you ever wanted to easily run Windows applications & PC games on your Mac? Well, you can…and thanks to this Cult of Mac Deals offer you can do so at a price that makes choosing to do so a whole lot easier.
CrossOver 13 allows you to install Windows software right onto your Mac without a Windows license, without rebooting, and without a virtual machine. Your Windows applications and games integrate seamlessly on your Mac OS X and run alongside your other Mac applications. And Cult of Mac Deals has this revolutionary piece of software available for a limited time for just $29.99.
If you store your user name and password details via the Keychain in OS X, you know that Keychain makes it a lot easier to do so. You can store login details for all those websites you visit, including banking info, social network details, and the like, right in the Keychain.
At some point, though, you might forget the actual passwords. It’s like how we used to know all our close friends’ phone numbers by heart, but with the advent of the smartphone, I doubt many of us even know too many of our buddies’ actual digits.
If you want to remember the passwords that are stored in Keychain, though, you’re in luck.
When an app gets stuck on my Mac, I typically force quit it by hitting Command-Option-Escape, and then clicking on the app that’s frozen, then hitting the OK button. Then, I hit the “are you sure” dialog button that invariably pops up. It’s a several step process, but I figured that was the price for having multi-tasking that no longer takes down my whole machine.
Turns out, there’s a quicker way to do that right from the Apple Menu. Here’s how.
When you open up a new Finder window, at least in OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, you’ll see a snapshot of all the files on your Mac. Apple calls this view, “All My Files,” and it’s a good way to just see what you have on your Mac.
It’s also an annoying view if you’re looking for stuff on your Desktop or Documents. If you want to change the default view for any new Finder windows, here’s how.
Network locations are extremely useful if you use your Mac across a variety of networking environments, like a Proxy-laden school building, a super secured enterprise site, or a special set up at home. Each environment could take a ton of extra time setting up the details if you only had one networking setup system.
Luckily, Mac has always had this idea of Locations, a way of setting and saving all the little networking details for each location you use your Mac in. Did you know, however, that you can switch between network locations in the Apple menu? I didn’t, so I figured I’d share what I found out.
The Finder in Mac OS X is specifically designed to help you find stuff. In any Finder Window, you can arrange the icons or lists of files alphabetically by Name, by Kind of file, by the Application that opens that file, by Date Last Opened, Added, Modified, or Created, and also by Size and by Label.
In list view, you can also click on the top column title to sort the list in ascending or descending order. It’s a pretty comprehensive way to find your stuff in the Finder, without even having to search for it.
Did you know, however, that you can also arrange Applications by application type (Productivity, Social Networking, Music, Video, and so on)? I didn’t, so here’s a tip on how to do just that.
If you’ve already got Parallels Desktop for Mac – version 6 or 7 – then The Parallels Upgrade Mini Bundle from Cult of Mac Deals is going to get you that much-needed upgrade – along with an app that will clean up your Mac in the process.
Your Mac is a finely tuned, intricate machine. Just like a car, every aspect of your Mac plays a crucial role in your computer’s overall performance. But you need to have something that will help you get your Mac running at optimum levels. That’s where this offer from Cult of Mac Deals comes in.
xScan has been specifically designed to help you monitor the behavior and health of your Mac in a simple and straightforward manner. This is the same software many professionals use to diagnose technical issues with Mac operating systems and now you can get xScan for a third of its original price – just $9.99 – during this limited time offer.
We’re still finding some great new features and tricks in OS X Mavericks beta, and while it’s not a huge overhaul like the more populare iOS 7 update, Mavericks has plenty of great things going on under the hood. And some of it even on top of the hood.
Here are five more interesting tips and tricks about the latest iteration of Apple’s Mac operating system, OS X Mavericks beta.
Apple just posted a couple of tiny updates to both OS X and iOS versions of Airport Utility, bringing the Apple-branded router setup and management utility to version 6.3.1. The patch apparently fixes a bug that would keep AirPort base stations from being detected in some cases. It’s a little under 22 M to download, and can be downloaded from Apple’s support site, Software Update, and the iTunes App Store, if the iOS version is the one you need.
If you’re rockin’ OS X Mavericks beta, you’ll also see a new update for the as-yet-unreleased beta software. This should fix some sort of problem with the Recovery Mode, though the details are light at this point as to what, specifically, is being fixed. It will show up in Software Update, too.
Source: Apple Support
Via: MacNN
Yes, I’m totally making fun of those “lose belly fat” ads you might see all over the internet (or maybe it’s just me) with that headline, but the truth is, while many Mac users may know that hitting Command-Tab will bring up the Task Switcher in OS X, they may still be doomed to endlessly loop through their running apps with that keyboard shortcut.
If you’re running a lot of apps, that’s a lot of wasted time. Time that could be better spent actually in the apps you’re cycling through in and ever more frustrating rightward bound loop of task switching.
The Dock is one of those things that we all use on our Macs, but may not really do much more than swap out applications and use whatever Stacks were put there when we got the darn Mac.
However, if you really want to get the most out of your Mac, you might as well learn how to do a bit more with the Dock, and master your use of this oft-overlooked bit of user software. Here are four great ways to do just that.
Typically, when you hit Command-N while you’re in the Finder, you’ll get a window for the folder you have set in the Finder’s Preferences dialogue. But what if you want to open two copies of the same folder on your Mac, to move stuff around in sub-folders when in icon view, for example? If you want to open two copies of the same folder on your Mac at the same time, simply do the following.