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Tips, tricks, and what's going on in the world of Apple.

Need to Mask Nearby Noise? Try Ventura’s Background Sounds

By pwsadmin | Aug 11, 2023 | Comments Off on Need to Mask Nearby Noise? Try Ventura’s Background Sounds
Need to Mask Nearby Noise? Try Ventura’s Background Sounds

Do you have trouble concentrating at work because of a loud office environment? Or do you work at home and want to block out the sounds of kids or appliances? In macOS 13 Ventura, Apple added background sounds you can play to mask what’s going on around you. Go to System Settings > Accessibility > […]

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Improve Privacy by Removing Metadata from Office Documents and PDFs

By pwsadmin | Aug 8, 2023 | Comments Off on Improve Privacy by Removing Metadata from Office Documents and PDFs
Improve Privacy by Removing Metadata from Office Documents and PDFs

When we share data with others, we do so intentionally—a law firm sending a client legal documents, for instance. But those documents shouldn’t include ancillary information that might reveal other, more sensitive details. Because all digital files contain metadata—additional information about the file or its contents—it’s worth knowing what you could share inadvertently and learning […]

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Convert Image Formats Directly in the Finder

By pwsadmin | Aug 4, 2023 | Comments Off on Convert Image Formats Directly in the Finder
Convert Image Formats Directly in the Finder

If you need to convert images to JPEG, PNG, or (unlikely) HEIF, try this hidden Finder feature: Control-click an image in one of those formats or other common image formats like TIFF, GIF, or PSD, and choose Quick Actions > Convert Image. A dialog lets you choose the destination format, the image size, and whether […]

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Choosing the Best Mac for a College-Bound Student in 2023

By pwsadmin | Aug 1, 2023 | Comments Off on Choosing the Best Mac for a College-Bound Student in 2023
Choosing the Best Mac for a College-Bound Student in 2023

Do you have a child starting college soon? It’s likely that your kid has been relying heavily on a computer throughout high school, but if it was a school-provided laptop or shared family computer, now’s the time to get them something of their own. Even if they had their own laptop throughout high school, if […]

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Consider Moving Your Mac’s Dock to the Side of the Screen

By pwsadmin | Jul 28, 2023 | Comments Off on Consider Moving Your Mac’s Dock to the Side of the Screen
Consider Moving Your Mac’s Dock to the Side of the Screen

For most of us, our Mac’s screen is wider than it is tall, so longer Web pages and documents often benefit from more room from top to bottom. To maximize the amount of usable vertical space and reduce the need to scroll as much, you can set the Dock to hide automatically and appear only […]

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The Hardware You’ll Need to Run Apple’s 2023 Operating Systems

By pwsadmin | Jul 25, 2023 | Comments Off on The Hardware You’ll Need to Run Apple’s 2023 Operating Systems
The Hardware You’ll Need to Run Apple’s 2023 Operating Systems

At Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in June, the company unveiled the upcoming versions of its operating systems: macOS 14 Sonoma, iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17. They won’t be available until September or October of 2023, and even once they ship, we recommend waiting a few weeks before upgrading your smaller Apple […]

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AirNow and Paku: Two Helpful Apps for Monitoring Air Quality

By pwsadmin | Jul 21, 2023 | Comments Off on AirNow and Paku: Two Helpful Apps for Monitoring Air Quality
AirNow and Paku: Two Helpful Apps for Monitoring Air Quality

Smoke from wildfires is causing significant air quality problems for much of Canada and the US. It’s important to check the Air Quality Index (AQI) before spending a long time outside, and that’s especially true for sensitive populations (children, the elderly, anyone with asthma or other breathing issues) and for those exercising outdoors. Although numerous […]

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At WWDC23, Apple Releases New Macs, Previews New OS Features, and Unveils Vision Pro

By pwsadmin | Jun 6, 2023 | Comments Off on At WWDC23, Apple Releases New Macs, Previews New OS Features, and Unveils Vision Pro
At WWDC23, Apple Releases New Macs, Previews New OS Features, and Unveils Vision Pro

Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference keynote (full video or 2-minute recap) is primarily an opportunity for Apple to give developers a first look at new features coming in its operating systems, and this year was no exception. However, Apple sandwiched those feature reveals between announcements of new Macs and the unveiling of its mixed-reality Vision Pro […]

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Integrate Your Cloud Storage Service into the Finder

By pwsadmin | Jun 6, 2023 | Comments Off on Integrate Your Cloud Storage Service into the Finder
Integrate Your Cloud Storage Service into the Finder

Many businesses, schools, and other organizations have adopted cloud storage services like Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive for excellent reasons. Cloud storage provides a centralized spot for shared data without the up-front cost or maintenance issues of a network-attached storage device. It also allows individuals to access the same files on multiple devices […]

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Prevent Quick Screenshots from Cluttering Your Photos Library on the iPhone and iPad

By pwsadmin | Jun 1, 2023 | Comments Off on Prevent Quick Screenshots from Cluttering Your Photos Library on the iPhone and iPad
Prevent Quick Screenshots from Cluttering Your Photos Library on the iPhone and iPad

By default, when you take a screenshot (instructions for iPhone and iPad), it saves to Photos. But what if you don’t want something like a quick image of a map for a friend to clutter your Photos library? In iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, Apple has added new options. When you tap the screenshot thumbnail […]

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