Soooo I hear there’s a contest going on over at the Parallels Consumer Tech blog with Parallels Desktop 6 and an iPad as prizes…

Computers are sometimes tough – even Macs – so sometimes we need to tap the intellectual capital of power users. Like Chris Pirillio, for example. If you have been following us for the past 3 weeks, you have seen tips us post 60 tips in 20-tip increments each week. Today we are showing tips number 61-80, all thanks to tech evangelist and Mac guru Chris Pirillo. Because these tips need to be shared with the world, all in the spirit of a better computing experience globally, we are recruiting your help.

If you spread the word, you will have a chance to win a copy of Parallels Desktop 5, with a free upgrade to the next version of the software when it comes out. If you retweet the following, you will be entered to win a copy of Parallels: RT: @ParallelsMac 20 more Mac tips from @ChrisPirillo. RT to win a copy of Parallels Desktop 5. http://ow.ly/2APeR. It’s an exciting contest, and we’re rooting for you. Good luck.

Thanks again to @ChrisPirillo for compiling these tips. Stay tuned next week when we will reveal the last 20 tips to make you a well-rounded, optimized computer-using machine.

61. The near-universal “Undo” keyboard shortcut is Command+Z in any given app.
62. Select a file, folder (or combination thereof) and press Command+Delete to move the object(s) to Trash.
63. Looking for a Mac alternative to your favorite Windows software? Check http://alternativeto.net regularly.
64. Click the clock in the Menu Bar to open “Date & Time Preferences,” where you can modify settings. You can even have your Mac announce the time!
65. Do you have several windows open in any particular app (like Finder)? Close them all at once by pressing Option +Command+W.
66. Mac OS X’s “Time Machine” is an excellent feature for backing up all your data. You can !nd it in your System Preferences and all you need is an external hard drive.
67. To remove an icon from your Dock, simply click, hold, and drag it off. Note that open apps will not be removed until you quit them.
68. There’s more than one way to view objects in the Finder. Press Command+1, Command+2, Command+3, or Command+4 to try them all.
69. If you purchase another Mac, or replace the one you have, use Mac OS X’s “Migration Assistant” to transfer all of your data seamlessly between the two.
70. Don’t get stuck staring at the same wallpaper. Right-click the desktop, Change Desktop Background, and set it to “Change picture.”
71. If iPhoto doesn’t impress you, consider using Google’s Picasa: http://picasa.google.com (free).
72. Can’t stand the translucent Menu Bar? Right-click the desktop, select “Change Desktop Background,” then toggle the “Translucent menu bar” option.
73. Wish you had a definitive list of Keyboard shortcuts for Mac OS X? http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1343 is what you’re looking for.
74. Missing your “Paint” application? Try using the Web-based app on http://www.sumopaint.com (for free) instead.
75. Are you having problems playing certain video formats that “used to work?” Try installing Perian from http://perian.org (free).
76. Select an object (file or folder) and press Command+I to view and edit its properties. Detailed information galore!
77. To change the default application for a file type, right-click a file while pressing Option, hovering over “Always Open With,” then selecting an app in the submenu.
78. You can drag & drop object icons into the Finder sidebar for quicker access. It’s recommended to do this for all your favorite folders.
79. Looking to install a VNC client for remote desktop viewing? It’s already built into Mac OS X. Instructions can be found in Mac Help.
80. In the Finder, press Command+Shift+G — this will allow you to jump directly to a folder if you know its path. The Tab key autocompletes.

*Contest exclusive to U.S. residents. Ends 11:59 p.m. PDT on 9/8/2010. Cheers.

Last week we invited you to enter our Switch to Mac contest featuring Chris Pirillo’s video of him helping Uncle John switch to a Mac using Parallels Desktop Switch to Mac.  After compiling your Twitter retweets and comments, we have randomly selected two winners: congratulations to Debora Corrin and David Walker, @DNWphoto!  David is our retweet winner and Debora is our comment winner for sharing why she wants to switch to Mac:

“I want to switch my Windows laptop to Mac because there IS NO easier OS than Mac, but, there ARE still some Windows based apps that I LOVE and want to keep!”

Thank you to all our participants.  Be sure to keep checking in with us @ParallelsMac on Twitter and Parallels on Facebook.

Tech expert Chris Pirillo has written 100 tips on how to optimally use your Apple computer.  Today we are excited to share with you his first 20 Mac tips.  If you think that you have a good Apple tip that we haven’t included, share with us your tip as a comment below, tweet us at @ParallelsMac with #SwitchToMac, or like us and write on our Facebook page with the hashtag #SwitchToMac.  Every week we’re giving away copies of Parallels Desktop 5 (the best way to run PC applications on a Mac), and you’ll also be entered to win one of two Apple Magic Trackpads (the best way to zoom, scroll and work on a Mac). The more you share, the more chances you’ll have to win, so Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and share these amazing tips!
To read all of Chris’ 100 tips, you’ll have to wait for the next installment, or you can click and download all 100 Mac Tips.  Make sure to check in next Monday to see what tips Chris has next up his sleeve!

1. Forget about walking through folders to find a file. Tap Command+Space to pull open Spotlight – then tell it what you’re looking for.

2. ⌘ indicates the Command key; ⌥ indicates the Option key; ⌃ indicates the Control key; ⇧ indicates the Shift key.

3. The “Finder” is essentially Mac OS X’s “Explorer.” With it, you can browse files, folders, and other devices on your network.

4. Programs are referred to as “Apps” or “Applications” – but essentially have the same function.

5. If you don’t have “right click” functionality yet, enable “Secondary click” in the Mouse preference pane.

6. To uninstall an application, find where it sits on your drive, then drag its icon into the Trash. Download “AppCleaner” for complete erasure.

7. To switch between running apps, simply hold down Command and tap the Tab key – it works like “Alt+Tab” does in Windows.

8. Hold down the Command key, right-click the Trash icon, and select “Secure Empty Trash” to ensure those files can’t be recovered.

9. Hold down the Option key, click the upper-left Apple logo in the menu bar, and select “System Profiler” to see what kind of hardware is installed.

10. Hold down Control+Command+D while your cursor is hovering over a word to see its definition.

11. Create a new keyboard shortcut for a menu option by pressing the “+” button in the Keyboard preference’s “Application Shortcuts” menu.

12. Right-click the Dock’s “dash strip” to see more options for it. You can click, hold, and drag this line up or down to resize Dock icons, too.

13. Just so you know, it’s pronounced “Mac OS Ten” – the “X” is a roman numeral.

14. To hide or show the Dock dynamically, press Option+Command+D to toggle.

15. To enable file sharing with Windows PCs, turn on “File Sharing” in the “Sharing” preference pane – toggle the SMB feature in “Options.”

16. To boot into “Safe Mode,” hold down the Shift key as your Mac starts up (depress before the chime and hold until you see a progress bar).

17. To move your menu bar to another screen, move the white line in the “Monitor” preference pane’s “Arrangement” tab.

18. When you’ve selected an object in the Finder, tap the Space Bar to “Quick View” it (and potentially, its contents).

19. If an app isn’t responding, right-click its icon in the Dock and select “Force Quit” – or, press Option+Command+Esc.

20. Need more information? Select some text in an app, then right-click it and select “Search with Google.”