Articles by Stephen Korecky
Stephen Korecky has been using Macs for as long as he can remember, and he currently supports Macs at a photography studio. He has extensive knowledge of the Mac OS X operating system and is always trying to learn something new and exciting. Stephen has been designing and building web sites for many years and is currently working towards a degree in graphic design.
Simple Mac Troubleshooting
January 7, 2008
Macs have a reputation for being user-friendly and easy-to-use personal computers. And, generally speaking, they live up to that reputation. Most Macs perform flawlessly for years. However, every Mac occasionally misbehaves. You might know what we’re talking about. Sometimes programs on your Mac won’t launch, wireless hotspots won’t appear in the menu bar, or applications keep crashing. Things just act wacky. Macs have come a long way since they were capable of displaying the infamous “Sad Mac” image, but things can still go wrong on your new Mac.
Mac Your Xbox 360
October 31, 2007
If you’re a Mac user who owns an Xbox 360, you’re probably hankering to get your computer and game station talking to one another. After all, both of these powerful machines are capable of playing games, music, and video content. Why not share content between your Mac and Xbox 360? If you’re looking for solutions, we have some answers for you. These tips aren’t perfect – there’s still a lot that can be done in the way of developing applications that can facilitate communication between the two devices.
Speed Up Your Sluggish Mac
October 15, 2007
Remember when you first bought your shiny new Mac a couple years ago? It was snappy, speedy, and responsive – so responsive that at times it actually seemed to know what you were thinking. These days, however, it seems to be anything but speedy. Indeed, your aging Mac is now the epitome of slow. And more and more you’re finding that your Mac is unbearably sluggish and difficult to use.
How to Use Gmail With Apple's Mail
July 11, 2007
Do you have a Gmail account? Do you know that Google’s free email service works with Apple’s Mail client? It does, and it’s pretty nifty! Using Gmail with Mail.app means that you won’t have to use Google’s website to send and receive email messages, and you won’t have to look at those pesky text advertisements Google displays next to your messages. Here’s how to use Gmail with Apple’s Mail: If you don’t already have a Gmail account, you’ll need to get one.
How to Clone and Backup Your Hard Drive
June 7, 2007
When you need to clone your drive, or simply do a full backup, someone usually tells you to use Carbon Copy Cloner (Donation Recommended) or SuperDuper! ($27.95). Sure, both of these applications are great programs, but they aren’t necessary. You can use Apple’s own software that comes free with your Mac! We’re talking about Disk Utility ( User > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.app ) It’s free, easy-to-use, and it does the job right.
Advanced AirPort Extreme Configuration
April 16, 2007
In last’s week Nerdification Station, we covered AirPort Extreme basics. We showed you how to use the Airport Utility for the first time, and we walked you through the entire AirPort Extreme set up procedure. If you read that article and followed along with your own AirPort Extreme Base Station, you should have a working, password-protected wireless network. So what do you do now? Start tweaking! We’re not going to cover every detail of the AirPort Extreme, because we’d be here all day if we did!
Stupid Apple Remote Tricks
March 19, 2007
If you’ve purchased a Mac recently, you probably have an Apple Remote. This nifty little device allows you to enter Apple’s Front Row interface and control your Mac from afar. It’s common knowledge that you can use your Apple Remote to play music, watch movies, and flip through pictures. This all comes in very handy, especially when you use your Mac as a full-blown entertainment center. What you might not know is that you can also use your remote to put your Mac to sleep, present a Keynote presentation, and lock your Mac.
How to Make a Favicon
March 15, 2007
Have you ever noticed those little icons in the address bar of your web browser? They also appear next to your bookmarks, and sometimes next to the items in your RSS feeds. These favicons - or “favorites icons” - are more fun to look at than they are functional, but almost every website has one these days. Now, your website can have a favicon, too. It’s easy to make these little icons with your favorite graphics editor.
How to Fix a Dead Pixel
February 19, 2007
There comes a time in the life of every computer where one of the pixels on that beautiful LCD screen decides to not “play along” with the others. Usually it does one of two things: It stays one color and refuses to change (Stuck Pixel). It goes to sleep (Dead Pixel). There is always a slight chance that the pixel is dead for good. But 90% of the time it can be fixed.