Mac Repair Edinburgh

How To Protect Your Macbook From Getting Stolen

admin — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:53:35 +0000

The first thing to do to protect your Macbook from getting stolen is to make a conscious decision to keep it safe and under your direct or indirect control, protection, or supervision at all times. Develop a constant awareness of it. Do not underestimate the power of this decision, for it is the foundation for you to enjoy this marvelous computer for many years.

One of the most common mistakes is to leave it on your desk at work or school. Anyone can quickly remove it or come back to take it later if that is your pattern. Lock it in a desk drawer. If you are in a rush or must leave, simply take it with you. If you are in an office environment where you frequently walk about, you may consider a motion sensor which sounds a loud alarm if the Macbook is touched, moved, or picked up. That is to assist your personal observation – not to replace it.

Gentlemen, for work, buy a dark, low key briefcase. Ladies, enjoy a large carry all bag, and take it with you. College and younger students, get a simple, non-flashy backpack with a compartment for your Macbook. And always be aware of your environment.

A common mistake is to leave it on the table at Starbucks or on the desk in the library when you take a restroom break. You made a decision to never walk away from it unprotected, remember? What if you live in a dorm room at college and you go out for dinner – what should you do? In order to keep your Macbook from getting stolen, consider purchasing a heavy protective locker or safe, and always keep it locked inside when you leave the room.

Never leave your Macbook unattended during any part of your business trip, either in the air or on the ground. Similarly, never leave your Macbook unattended at the car rental dealership, nor leave the Macbook alone on the car seat when you fill up with petrol. It is easy prey and there are often people looking for opportunities.

Finally, do not leave your Macbook unattended in your hotel room. If it is too large to fit in the room safe, you can take it to the front desk and ask the manager to personally lock it in the hotel safe. Ask for a receipt as well as his or her business card.

The Future of Apple Without Steve Jobs

admin — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 01:19:16 +0000

Since Steve Jobs, Chief Operating Officer of the Apple corporation, has announced that he will be taking another medical leave, people are questioning what sort of future Apple has without him directing Apple’s course.

When Jobs took his last medical leave two years ago, Jobs gave a defined amount of time that he would be out. He left for six months and indeed returned in that time period after having a liver transplant. However, Jobs newest leave did not have any sort of time frame given at all, provoking many to ask the question of whether he will return and how serious is illness is.

Even though Jobs will be taking a leave, he is still the CEO and will be a part of all major decision making and strategic planning for Apple. However, with the new iPad 2 coming out, people are wondering if anyone else will be able to lead the introduction of new iPads or iPhones the way Jobs did.

Many people at Apple are confident in the company’s ability to remain successful with or without him. However, the announcement of Jobs medical leave was made on a day when US stock markets were closed, and in Europe where markets were open, Apple shares fell close to ten percent after hearing the news. This suggests to some people that someone at Apple was concerned about the way investors would respond to the news, and chose to make the announcement on that particular day purposefully.

If history is indicative of the future at all, then Apple should remain confident. Apple not only survived Jobs previous leave, it actually did very well as its stock went rising from $2.33 on January 16, 2009, to $163.39 on July 31st. That means Apple shares increased over sixty percent. Stock analysts are still suggesting that people buy Apple stock if a sudden stock sell off is available.

Apple’s board of directors continues to operate as though they are planning for Job’s return, and continuously reassure investors that a succession plan is in place. There are rumors that Chief Operating Officer, Tim Cook, will become Jobs successor.

Only time will tell if Apple is going to be as successful as in the past. Luckily, there’s a great road map in place and although Apple may not have that little extra something that Jobs brought, Apple will probably continue to move forward just fine.

HandBrake updated to 0.9.5, now Intel-only

admin — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 03:14:17 +0000

Handbrake, Eric Petit’s incredibly useful open-source DVD ripping/conversion utility, has been updated to version 0.9.5 and gone Intel-only.

The new version, which can be found here, boasts the following fixes and changes:

Core Library:
- BluRay disc structure support (No decryption support)
- Updated Libraries (x264, ffmpeg)
- SSA Subtitle support (Including burn-in)
- MP3 audio now supported in MP4 files (Note: Limited Player compatibility)
- VOBSUB subtitle now supported in MP4 files (Note: Limited Player compatibility)
- Updated Presets for newer devices and better quality
- AC3 encoding support
- Many Bug Fixes and other small improvements
- Improved DVD Main Feature detection (when using dvdnav)
- Universal audio downmix support (all audio types can be downmixed)
- Poin-to-Point encoding (second or frame start and end times)
- Peak framerate option (Capped VFR)

All GUIs:
- Updated x264 Advanced Panel
- Video Quality Slider drops % value and only shows RF for x264
- Batch Scan (Scan Multiple files at once. N.B: Does not include multiple VIDEO_TS folders / Image files)
- Many Bug fixes
- Many Tweaks to improve usability
- Ability to edit queue jobs

Mac GUI:
- New Audio Panel supporting >4 Audio Tracks
- VLC detection in /Applications and ~/Applications
- Multiple instance support

Windows GUI:
- Encode Status in GUI. (CLI window is now always hidden)
- Improved Auto-Naming for Destination file name
- Drag / Drop Video onto Main Window to scan

Linux GUI:
- Multiple instance support (run multiple copies of ghb at once)
- Many Bug fixes and UI improvements

Handbrake 0.9.5 is available for free and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later to install and run.

Tips For If You Get Liquid In Your Macbook

admin — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 13:26:51 +0000

Spilling liquid on a Apple Macbook is a fear which all owners dread, however keeping the laptop out of harms way can be impossible. So when the worse happens here are a few tips your Macbook is not ruined and all your documents are safe. First and foremost it is imperative that you do not try to turn on your macbook after liquid has spilled on it. If the Macbook is powered up it will immediately fry the circuit board and the whole computer will be destroyed.

If and when a liquid is spilled on your macbook quickly dry off the outside with a paper or cloth towel. Be sure to get as much moisture out of the keys, ports, and opening as possible. After the computer is completely dry their are a few options to save the computer. Depending on the materials on hand, grab a large bowl or dish where the laptop can be completely submerged. It will also be necessary to have a few pounds of rice and a paper towels at the ready. Put down a layer of rice on the bottom of the bowl or dish then place the laptop on then add the rest of the rice on top and around the laptop making sure the whole outside is covered. It sounds odd and obscure but it works. Wait a couple of days for the rice to full absorb the liquid, the longer the better to insure all the liquid is drawn out of the Macbook.

Once a couple days have passed take the Macbook out of the rice and dry all ports, keys and open contact points with a paper towel. Finally re-submerge the Macbook now open so the keyboard is exposed for a day or two then the liquid should be completely absorb. When the process is finished the Macbook should be powered up and ready to use, just as before the liquid accident. If everything is not working properly head over the best technicians in the business at www.macrepairslondon.com. They can replace damaged keyboards, power buttons, and more in a quick and timely fashion. Once your are out of home remedy ideas talk to the pros and they will get back on your way in hours not days. Spilling liquid on your Macbook can be tragedy but following these steps will help you save your Macbook from becoming an expensive paper weight.

Apple Computers Hold There Price

admin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:33:32 +0000

Apple computers have been known to hold their prices compared to other computers. A used PC is worth only a very small percentage of its original value, and that resale value drops significantly with each passing. For Macs, it is a different story.

The first and foremost reason why Apple computers hold their value is due to safety and protection. Apple computers simply do not get viruses. When someone buys an Apple computer, they know that they are getting a machine that won’t become useless if they visit the wrong website, or download a virus on accident. For PC computers, it is extremely easy to get a trojan or other viruses. The hardware and software leave tons of holes for viruses and hackers to get into. Apple computers use the latest, and most advanced technologies to make sure that nothing happens to them if a virus tries to install itself. The virus simply won’t be allowed to work.

Another trend with mac computers is the prices. The prices on their computers continue to increase over time, which allows for used computers to fetch a higher price as well. A lot of PC computers have been known to go down in price over time. This creates an artificial ceiling on how much used PC computers can sell for. If someone can go out and buy a PC for cheap, then why would they be willing to pay top dollar for a used one? Apple computers are more expensive, so most people wouldn’t be able to go out and simply buy a new one.

Another reason why Apple computers hold their value is because they are made with quality product. They are built to last through minor falls, and heavy use. Their hardware is designed to have a very long shelf-life compared to other computers so even an older model is almost guaranteed to last a long time. This also is one reason why a Mac computer may be the cheaper option in the long run. Since PC computers are known to break, or get infected with viruses, they don’t have a very long shelf-life. They often cost a pretty good amount of money, and have little to no resale value meaning they will have to buy brand new computers every few years. Mac computers on the other hand don’t break often, and when someone wants a newer model, they can often get back a fair percentage of what they paid for the original.

iPhone 4 Delivers Despite a Few Disappointed Users

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:21:14 +0000

All in all, the new Apple iPhone 4 is a worthwhile investment because of its significant improvements over its predecessors in design and function. Some users, however, have complained of dropped calls, and Apple rushed out a press release on July 2nd explaining that the problem of dropped bars of coverage was NOT from a design flaw in the antenna that frames the iPhone, but was from a software glitch. As with all technology, users always demanding “newest of the new” need to be tolerant when gadgets first roll off the line. The complexity of these machines requires patience as developers shake out the bugs once a product hits the real world. This is the risk consumers must take in getting the newest toys during opening weeks.

The iPhone more than delivers on its promise to make for a better user experience. For example, the Retina Display offers the best graphics of any cell phone or media device, with the highest pixel rate found anywhere. Functionality is improved considerably through real multi-talking that allows fast switching between apps. The two, hi-res cameras (front and back!) is the best of any iPhone yet, allowing users to ditch their standard digital camera and use the unprecedented 5-Megapixels of iPhone 4. HD video recording and editing far exceeds what users already loved about the 3GS. With these and other improvements, the one that trumps all complaints about a petty software glitch must be Face Time, the video chat feature that allows users real-time video calls with friends anywhere there’s a WiFi signal.

Most complaints leveled against iPhone 4 are bandwagon appeals that have consumers reacting without researching, and these can be readily dismissed. All cell-phones have moments of poor coverage, or occasionally drop calls. True, purchase of a bumper for iPhone 4 can lessen the odds of your hand reducing the antenna range, but this is true of all cellular phones, and unnecessary in light of the learning curve that needs to occur when any new gadget rolls around. Did text messengers complain when they lost physical keys and had to adapt to the touchpad? Probably, then they got used to it. A recall of the iPhone 4 is a terrible decision because it would reward lazy consumers whose skills can’t ramp up fast enough to the newest devices. Once the software update comes out, this case will be closed.