Chris Pirillo Century Club: Twenty more Mac tips
September 8th, 2010
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.
