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Average Joe's Tips

The Basics and More: Stickies

Use:

The application Stickies is the simplest application on the Mac making it great for making reminders or lists. One of the basic use of stickies is changing colors, this is done by going to the top Menu Bar and selecting Color then scroll down and select the color you would like, or another thing Stickies allows you to do is make it transparent by going to Note on the top Menu Bar and then scrolling down to Translucent Window. To change fonts hit the keys Command + T then different fonts and colors will appear. To get a new stickie select Command + N and to delete a stickie select Command + W. One cool feature of Stickies is that it has speech enabled by selecting the desired stickie note and going to Edit in the top Menu Bar scrolling down to Speech and then selecting Start Speech. Clearly, Stickies is an application meant for simple everyday lists and reminders with special color-coding that you can use to organize as well as nice add-ons like Speech.

Stay connected at my new twitter handle to stay updated 24/7 @TRMGaveragejoes and @realmacgenius What do you think? Let us know in the comment section.

 


 

Categories
Average Joe's Tips

Top 5 Essential Applications for Every iPhone User

Guest Post:

I know that there are a lot of similar articles reviewing top 5/10 and so on of essential applications every iPhone user may need but I think that the majority of such reviews are based on the personal preferences of a reviewer while I’ll in the following post to describe the so-called “default” applications actually everyone who uses an iPhone may need despite his age, occupation and social status. Surely, you are free to add to my top 5 your own essential applications you got used to apply day by day and can’t imagine your life without their features.

Find My Phone won’t make you an iPhone “loser”!

Offered for free in the AppStore

This is one of those programs that should be installed to all iPhones. The application was developed by Apple and it is strange that it is not included by default, along with a calculator and other standard software on an iPhone. To prevent a disaster after the accident loss of your iPhone, you can use this smart program. Find My Phone gives a chance to find your Apple’s device anywhere worldwide, as well as to protect all personal data a stolen/lost iPhone keeps.

To let Find My Phone determine the location of your smartphone, it must be connected with the iCloud service (choose “Settings” to set up this connection). The application is available for free in the AppStore and runs on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad having iOS 3.1.3 or higher.

Gplayer allows playing any format of audio and video files on your iPhone

Price in the AppStore: $ 2.99

 The diversity of media formats is constantly growing, but by default an iPhone still supports only.MOV and ALAC. Gplayer is a video/audio player and video converter for your Apple’s phone. This app plays on an iPhone video and audio in any format. A Gplayer lite version is also free for the users of the AppStore.

Supported formats are:

  • Audio: WMA, OGG, MP3, WAV, FLAC;
  • Video: MKV, RMVB, XVID / DIVX AVI, WMV, ASF, H264, TS, M2TS;
  • Subtitles: TXT, SMI, SUB, ASS, SRT.

Gplayer is compatible with the iPhone 3GS/4/4S, iPod touch 3 and 4 and iPad.

DropBox: probably the best “cloud” service for storing and sharing data!

Distributed for free in the AppStore

I’m sure you are aware of Dropbox being is of the most convenient cutting-edge “cloud” services for storing and sharing files. Users of iPhone/iPad can also access their DropBox’s accounts via their smartphones and tablets.

The program runs fast enough, folders are displayed almost instantly. Through the application I can access not only those files on my hard drive, but also to the resources other Dropbox users chose to share with public via this “cloud” service. Any file can be downloaded and viewed on iPhone and then saved on a hard drive while you are calling your friends or listening to music on iPhone. The program allows you to view all major file types – PDF, Word, Excel and even Pages. You can add any file to the folder “Favorites” and then it will be available in an offline mode. To the service can be also downloaded made by iPhone photos or videos.

To sum up, I must say that this application has a user-friendly interface, supports an ability to view files within an application, can playing music files and allows downloading files from the iPad/iPhone to Dropbox service.

Skype for iPhone — because it’s better to use to call for free!

Free distribution in the AppStore

 Skype for iPhone is an official mobile application released by the developers of the popular VOIP software — Skype. This mobile application allows making free calls worldwide and it is available on all devices supporting iOS – iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Via this smart program you will be able to communicate with friends, family and friends wherever you are, using IM chat, audio and video (webcam) calls. Skype for iPhone application supports video calls via WiFi and 3G, can connect via calls computers and other mobile devices, offers a profound video display in two modes, as well as a vibration reduction technology that allows you to communicate on the go. I can’t tell more about SKYPE than you already know since it is one of the most popular VOIP program all over the world.

Evernote makes is easier to keep your notes and files organized!

Free download from the AppStore

 Evernote is very useful and free application that allows you to store various data (files, notes, to-do lists and so on) on any device, including MacBooks and iPhones. By means of program you can quickly take notes, create a to-do list, or simply save an image. There’s even a voice memo recording function I constantly use and like.

Evernote’s features you will definitely like:

  • Sync any note on any device;
  • Create to-do lists and text files as well as notes;
  • Support of the synchronization of different files;
  • Transfer the saved files to your PC and vice versa;
  • Create memos;
  • Search text data in the images;
  • Send multiple files to friends by e-mail;
  • Share your notes on Twitter and Facebook.

Read more guides about iPhone on http://www.softwarewithstyle.com

Categories
News

Spark: The Social News Network

photoSpark is working to make strides to revolutionize the consumption of news. The new app allows users to share and read articles posted by friends from sources such as The New York Times and Medium.com. Spark’s aesthetically pleasing interface takes a minimalist approach allowing the user to focus on the content and easily navigate through the application.

This application divides articles into timelines (home, spark, fire) promoting articles within the network of users followed as well as trending articles. Users are encouraged to post intriguing articles, the more likes and comments brings the possibility of an article to catch “Fire” on the Fire timeline.  Overall, Spark offers an intuitive user interface and personalized news. Download Spark on the App Store today!

For more on Spark visit thesparkapp.com

Categories
Reviews

Review: Bowers and Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones

While Beats by Dr. Dre are becoming very popular with the younger generation, adults are wondering, “What kind of headphones should I get?” Most adults don’t want to be wearing big flashy headphones. They want something classier, and that is exactly what the C5s have — a lot of class.

 

Look:

The Bowers & Wilkins C5 do not disappoint with the very classy and elegant look that B&W is so famous for. The earbud itself is bullet shaped and comes with some very nice ear tips. The one down fall in the earbuds look is the micro porous filter, that when hit by lights looks like a bunch of mini diamonds, making it look flashy instead of classy. Another downfall of the C5s is the wire that feels rather weak and flimsy.

 

 

Features:

There are also very many special features of the C5s. For example, the micro porous filter (on the back of the earbuds) are made up of hundreds of mini steel balls and makes your music sound like you’re at a live concert.  The MFI Cable that the C5s use is Apple approved and has a remote control/microphone.

Bowers and Wilkins claims that their C5s have a perfect fit and so far they are right as they stay put in your ears and do not fall out allowing you to move around. Many people who have looked at the C5’s ear loops may be wondering how they fit in and if they are comfortable. The C5s fit in your ear similar to the Sennheiser ear fin design. With the Sennheiser, the fin rests inside the ear’s inner groove. However, the C5s ear loop goes from the middle of the inner ear groove to the bottom providing a more snug fit. If you would like to have a less snug fit, you can adjust the secure loop. The C5s’ snug fit does take a while to get used to.

 

Sound Quality:

The sound quality is astounding! The bass of the C5s are powerful without sacrificing the clarity of the vocals and background music. The C5s are also great for listening to classical music making you feel like you are in a room listening to the orchestra. The only downfall I could find is a little distortion of vocals while turning the music up to full volume.

The C5s has fairly good noise isolation, especially because the ear tips seal the inside of your ear. However, it’s not perfect and I was still able to hear loud outside noises. B&W wants to make sure you can hear outside noise so that you can be aware of your surroundings, especially if you are out and about.

 

The Breakdown:

-Brand: Bowers and Wilkins

-Name: Bowers and Wilkins C5 In-Ear Headphones

-Price:  $180 USD

– Frequency Range: 10Hz to 20kHz

-Color: Black/ Silver

-Intended for: iDevices with 3.5mm Stereo Mini Jack

-Cable Length: 1.2m

-Weight: 20g

-Special Features: Micro Porous Filter, Noise Isolation, and Secure Loop

-Comes With: a Semi-Hard Shell Case (Similar Design to the P5’s Case), and Four Total Pairs of Silicon Earbuds

Point-Scaled Grading:

For reviews of all products by The Real Mac Genius.com, a point-scale grading system is used to cover each individual aspect of the product. Said grades on varying scales are then weighed to determine a final score, which is then translated to an overall grade, as follows:

Style: 1-25 Given: 24
Price: 1-15 Given: 10
Quality materials: 1-15 Given: 13
Sound Quality: 1-10 Given: 10
Modern technologies: 1-15 Given: 15
Compatibility: 1-15 Given: 15
Comfort: 1-5 Given: 4

OVERALL: 91/100 A-
For further explanation, continue reading.

 

Continued Evaluation:

All in all, the Bowers and Wilkins C5 are a great buy for anyone looking for a pair of quality earbuds that sound great, look great, and feel great. But with everything great, there are some downfalls like the $180 price tag, the shine of the porous filters, and the need to get used to the snug fit of the earbuds.

 

What do you think about the Bowers and Wilkins C5? Let us know, give us your feedback.

Stay connected at my new twitter handle to stay updated 24/7 @TRMGaveragejoes and @realmacgenius What do you think? Let us know in the comment section.

 

 

 

Categories
News Reviews

How to use OS X Mavericks 101

 

 

OS X Mavericks Intro

 

The latest version of OS X has brought even more comfort to Mac Users. The powerful OS X Mavericks has so many new features that you may miss some of them if you’re not careful. So to help you become a Mavericks expert, we’ve decided to provide you a few tips and tricks for more efficient use of the new operating system.

Finder

By pressing Command + T, now you can open tabs in your finder, a lot like browser tabs in Safari. Furthermore, the previous Mac OS X Lion Finder could label folders and files with various colors. Now with Mavericks, these color labels could be assigned specific meanings under Finder Preferences.

Notifications

Few years ago, Apple enabled notifications from websites on Safari. Now, these notifications can be delivered even without having to be on the website that is sending the notification. These notifications can be managed under Safari preferences. Mavericks also allows a Do Not Disturb Mode which can be set under System preferences. This allows you to be free from notifications disturbing you for a certain period of time. In addition, Update notifications can be delayed through clicking the Later button on the Update notification.

Performance

App Nap  is a new feature that aims to extend battery life while enhancing overall performance. The App senses windows behind others and slows them down until they are switched back in to main focus. For example a video will stop playing once it is not visible in the window, to save power. In addition, the new OS X automatically frees up memory space when needed and compresses memory of other applications when inactive.

OS X Mavericks App Nap

Want to learn more about the OS X Mavericks?

Check out: http://www.apple.com/osx/advanced-technologies/