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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching, 3rd Edition: Explore the Latest Advances in This Exciting and Popular GPS Adventure
by Editors & Staff Geocaching.comGeocaching has steadily grown into a fun and enduring outdoor adventure and with the popularity of GPS units and the development of applications for nearly all of the most popular smartphone platforms, it has become an adventure that's available to pretty much anyone. In The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Geocaching, Third Edition, the editors and staff of Geocaching.com open the world of geocaching up to a much broader audience and take the reader through all of the core essentials for caching including how to play, tips and tricks for finding and placing caches, variations on traditional caching, and much more. In addition, the reader can learn about exciting new changes to the game and the new GPS-enabled games that will take cachers to an entirely new level of fun and adventure.
Mrexcel 2021: Unmasking Excel
by Bill JelenOriginally designed for Bill Jelen's live Power Excel seminars, the target audience already uses Excel 40 hours a week. These tips are the "aha" tips that uncover secret methods in Excel. The book covers general Excel functions, pivot tables, and formulas such as VLOOKUP and the new XLOOKUP. It introduces elements of modern Excel such as the Power Pivot Data Model and cleaning data with Power Query. Updated annually, this edition for 2021 adds information on LET and LAMBDA functions, amazing new data types, dynamic array formulas, and more.
Excel Insights: A Microsoft MVP Guide To The Best Parts Of Excel
by 24 Excel MVPsLearn favorite techniques from this group of twenty-two Excel MVPs. The Excel MVPs are friends and competitors who each pulled out their favorite tricks to impress you and their fellow MVPs.
Power Excel 2016 with MrExcel
by Bill JelenUpdating the previous edition's tips to include features in Excel 2016, this new edition of MrExcel's popular software guide even incorporates suggestions sent in by readers. Each featured topic has a problem statement and description, followed by a broad strategy for solving the problem. MrExcel then walks readers through the specific steps to solve the issue. Alternate strategies are also provided, along with common scenarios that trip users up, leaving readers with not only answers to their specific dilemmas but also new and quicker ways to use formulas and spreadsheets.
Guerilla Data Analysis Using Microsoft Excel
by Oz Du Soleil Bill JelenThis book includes step-by-step examples and case studies that teach users the many power tricks for analyzing data in Excel. These tips have been honed by Oz du Soleil, a former financial analyst charged with taking mainframe data and turning it into useful information quickly, and “Mr. Excel” himself, Bill Jelen. Topics include data quality, validation, perfectly sorting with one click, matching lists of data, data consolidation, data subtotals, pivot tables, pivot charts, tables, and much more. This new edition has been updated for Excel 2013.
Digital Sharing for Apple Users: A Take Control Crash Course
by Joe KissellLearn the best ways to share your data, documents, and devices!Beyond what's new in Yosemite or iOS 8 is the larger problem facing most of us--how to work effectively in today's ecosystem of devices, servers, and collaborators. Frankly, sharing with other people and devices is messy, because everyone wants something different. That's why this may be our most important book of the year, and why we are so grateful to Joe Kissell for taking on the challenge of describing how to share nearly everything you can think of in nearly every imaginable situation. The pre-reqs for this course include either an iOS device running iOS 8 or a Mac running 10.10 Yosemite, or both. Here are just a few of the gems in this book:How iCloud Photo Sharing and My Photo Stream are entirely differentHow to share photos fleetingly, privately, permanently, or with your fridgeThe best ways to sync a project's worth of files with othersServices to provide ubiquitous access to your own files across devicesQuick ways to make a file available for download by anyoneHow to share calendars with others, whether or not they use iCloudA tutorial on enabling Family SharingTweaky workarounds for contact sharing, which is surprisingly difficultHow to rip a DVD to your MacBook Air using an older Mac's SuperDriveHow to turn your iPhone or Mac into a Wi-Fi hotspotWays of watching your uncle work remotely, as you help him with iTunesApproaches to syncing Web browser bookmarks and tabs with multiple devicesHow to securely share a collection of passwords with someone elseThe list of essential but often frustrating tasks goes on and on, and the solutions go way beyond what Apple offers, so the book does too. Non-Apple products mentioned include 1Password, AirFoil, BitTorrent Sync, Cargo Lifter, CloudyTabs, Dropbox, Exchange, Facebook, Firefox Flickr, Google+, Google Calendar, Google Chrome, Google Docs, Instagram, iPhoto Library Manager, LastPass, Outlook, Pandora, PhotoCard, Printopia, Reflector, Rdio, Spotify, Syncmate, Syncphotos, Transporter, Twitter, Xmarks, and more.And, thanks to the Take Control Crash Course format, you can jump right to the chapter that answers your question, without having to read through lots of other information.
Yosemite: A Take Control Crash Course
by Scholle McfarlandLearn OS X 10.10 Yosemite's new features quickly!Read this ebook to get more out of your Mac as you go about your everyday activities. Written by former Macworld editor Scholle McFarland, this book introduces Yosemite's new interface and discusses new features like iCloud Drive, Handoff, iPhone voice/SMS relay, and Notification Center's Today view. You'll learn about key changes in core Apple apps with chapters about Safari, Mail, Messages, and Calendar. You'll also find answers to questions brought on by recent additions to OS X, such as how to control notifications, tips for using Finder tags, and working with tabbed Finder windows. The book closes with two under-the-hood topics, setting up a new user account (for a child, guest, or troubleshooting) and troubleshooting (with techniques including Safe Boot and OS X Recovery).The book kicks off with an overview of the major changes in Yosemite, so you can come to grips with what's new before you dip into any of the longer topics:The look: Find out what's important about Yosemite's new look, plus discover how to toggle Translucency and Dark Mode. You'll also learn tips for working with the new close, minimize, and full-screen buttons on the windows.Spotlight: Spotlight can now do more than ever before, so make sure you aren't missing out, and make sure you've customized Spotlight to match your needs.iCloud Drive: Find out what it's for, where it works, how to turn it on, and more.Handoff: Discover how to use Handoff to move from one device to another (say, from your iPad to your laptop) and pick up where you left off in. Use your Mac as a speakerphone: Learn how to make and answer telephone calls from your iPhone on your Mac (even if your iPhone is in a bag on the other side of your house).AirDrop: Get the latest on Apple's odd AirDrop feature, which now lets you transfer files between an iOS devices and a Mac, instead of just between iOS devices or just between Macs.Notifications: Get more practical (or fun) use from Notification Center by making use of the new Today view, which you can customize with third-party widgets. Also find directions for getting rid of annoying or distracting notifications.Scholle also tells you about key changes in core Apple apps:Safari: You'll notice that Safari is new right away because the toolbar and URL/address field are so different, but it's really worth reading this chapter because quite a lot has changed and you can surf more efficiently if you know about the new capabilities.Mail: If you use Apple Mail, you should know about Mail's two major new features: Mail Drop and Markup.Chat and SMS: Messages in Yosemite is far more useful now, due to its beefed up group chats and capability to send and receive SMS messages relayed through your iPhone.Calendar: Learn about Calendar's new intelligent autocomplete, calendar overlays, and updated Today view.Finally, the book offers help with aspects of using Yosemite that haven't changed much since 10.9 Mavericks, but which many people either haven't yet started using or need help with:Finder tabs: De-clutter your Desktop by using Finder tabs to bring multiple windows into one.Finder tags: Flexibly organize and find your files with tags rather than relying solely on old-fashioned standard folders.Accounts: Avoid problems by setting up user accounts for kids and guests, and for troubleshooting unexpected problems.Problem solving: Make sure you have a copy of this book on an iOS device or secondary Mac so you can pull it out if you need to troubleshoot a serious problem, like an app that won't launch, a login item that's gone bad, or a Mac that won't boot.
Take Control of Upgrading to Yosemite
by Joe KissellMake a smooth transition to 10.10 Yosemite!Gain confidence and stay in control as Mac guru Joe Kissell explains how to ensure that your hardware and software are ready for Yosemite, prevent problems by making a bootable duplicate of your main drive, eliminate digital clutter, prepare your Mac, and decide on the best installation method for your particular situation. You'll also find full installation directions plus advice on over a dozen things to do immediately after installation and troubleshooting techniques. The book covers upgrading from 10.9 Mavericks, 10.8 Mountain Lion, 10.7 Lion, 10.6 Snow Leopard, 10.5 Leopard, and even 10.4 Tiger. It also looks at upgrading from the Yosemite public beta and at "upgrades" that involve moving your data to a new Mac from an old Mac or Windows PC.You'll experience an easy upgrade and quickly deal with post-installation quirks with these topics:Take in the view: Find out what you can look forward to in Yosemite, and why this upgrade is important for Apple.Catch-up upgrade: If you're upgrading from 10.4 Tiger, 10.5 Leopard, or 10.6 Snow Leopard, you'll want to know about a few special compatibility issues and decide on the most effective way to upgrade.Compatibility check: Make sure your hardware and software are ready for Yosemite (and for the new Continuity features that work with iOS 8), and consider if this might be a good time for new hardware, even if it's not essential for your upgrade.Backing up: Avoid upgrade calamities by ensuring you can return your Mac to its previous stateâ "and that you can boot your Mac from a backup. This crucial step can save a lot of trouble, and Joe recommends software that can make a bootable duplicate with minimal hassle.Cleaning up: Your operating system is getting a fresh start, but what about the rest of your stuff? Whether you need the disk space or just want to delete some digital detritus, you'll find helpful tips. You'll also run either Apple Hardware Test or Apple Diagnostics as well as Disk Utility, to be sure your disk is good to go.Prepping your disk: For those who need it, this chapter covers special cases relating to disk encryption and partitioning.Picking a plan: Most people can go with an easy in-place upgrade, but some will want the more complex clean install. Yosemite beta testers will find a special sidebar, 10.5 Leopard users will find special help, and those still on 10.4 Tiger will learn about the extra steps they'll have to go through.Installing: Find out the smartest way to download and store the installer, with special tips for people who want to install on multiple Macs or who have bandwidth limitations. And, although running the installer will be easy for many people, you'll get full instructions on what to click and when.Post-installation tune-up: Make sure your new system is running smoothly by answering questions posed by Yosemite, specifying your Apple ID in all the right places (and perhaps setting up Family Sharing), checking your Handoff status, and handling translucency. You'll also find advice on Spotlight, Java Runtime, iBooks, enhanced dictation, and more. Plus, learn how to unhide the user Library folder.Troubleshooting: Yikes! It's possible that something will go wrong during installation, or once you've booted up under Yosemite that you'll discover an incompatibility with an essential piece of software. Find time-tested troubleshooting advice to get your system working again. Joe also explains what the Recovery HD volume can do for you.Migrating to a new Mac: If your "upgrade" includes moving from an older computer (Mac or Windows PC) to a new Mac that's running Yosemite, learn the best way to move your user account to the new Mac.
Read Me First: A Take Control Crash Course
by Tonya EngstFind out what most tech writers hope you already know!Find out what most tech writers hope you already know in this free ebook by Tonya Engst. Tonya takes you behind the scenes, explaining why tech writers write the way they do and helping you decode the directions for everything from Desktops to directories, keys to menus, and paths to preferences.Although Read Me First: A Take Control Crash Course has plenty of basic information about using the Mac (and a few chapters about iOS), its focus is not on helping inexperienced users master important basics. Instead, it focuses on explaining the assumptions that tech writers make when writing directions. This book aims to make sure people reading technical documentation don't get stuck for the lack of basic know-how, such as how to match the name of your operating system with its numerical version, how to understand written shortcuts for navigating menus, what Control-click means, how to enter something on the command line, how to follow a path, and more.Because we feel strongly that everyone should know this information, the book is wired with social media options at the end of each chapter, so you can easily share individual chapters with anyone who could use the information.
Take Control of FileVault
by Joe KissellProtect your Mac's data in the event of theft with Apple's FileVault!If your Mac were stolen, would you worry about the thief seeing your email, photos, financial data, and other sensitive information? OS X's built-in FileVault encryption technology ensures that your Mac's contents are safe from prying eyes, but if you're hesitant to entrust your data to an algorithm before you understand how FileVault works, this book will dispel any misconceptions, answer your questions, and get you running FileVault with confidence.Security expert Joe Kissell begins by demystifying FileVault in a quick FAQ that explains, among other things, how it is that you can work with your startup drive normally even though all the data on it is encrypted. After the FAQ, Joe provides detailed steps for activating and using FileVault on both your startup volume and external drives. He also explains how FileVault interacts with your backups and how to use Find My Mac (because, remember, the point of FileVault is to protect your data in the event of theft) once you've turned on FileVault.Additional topics include making and using encrypted disk images, third-party software that can encrypt just a single file or folder, and accessing special FileVault features from the command line.FileVault facts and features that you'll master include:Essential tips for protecting external drives with FileVaultPros and cons of encrypting the backup of a FileVault-encrypted driveImportant steps for safeguarding encrypted drives from motivated thievesWhether your data is safe when your Mac is sleepingWhether your data is safe from other logged-in users on the same MacPros and cons of letting Apple store your recovery keyHow to avoid panicking if you forget your FileVault passwordFileVault and Disk Utility features found only on the command lineThis book covers FileVault 2, which was introduced in 10.7 Lion and is far better than, and completely different from, the original version of FileVault (now called Legacy FileVault). Everything in this book works with 10.9 Mavericks. A few minor things have changed over the years, but anyone with 10.7 Lion or 10.8 Mountain Lion should also find the book useful. It appears that 10.10 Yosemite, slated for release later this year, will change very little about FileVault.
Take Control of Automating Your Mac
by Joe KissellFind shortcuts that make tedious tasks quick, accurate, and repeatable!If you use copy and paste, you're eliminating unnecessary retyping and possible typos. But did you realize that you could be using dozens of additional shortcuts that make tedious tasks quick, accurate, and repeatable? In this essential title, Joe Kissell shines a light on OS X's many built-in shortcuts and provides sweeping coverage of the utilities that go even further.You don't need to be a programmer -- or even particularly geeky -- to automate your Mac. Everyone uses copy and paste, and most of what Joe explains can be used by anyone, from novice to expert, to make their work quicker, more accurate, and more easily repeated when needed. Nor is specialized software necessary, since OS X has oodles of built-in automation features like keyboard shortcuts, configurable gestures, and automatic launching of key apps. But clever Macintosh developers have created brilliant utilities that go far beyond OS X's features, and Joe discusses the key players, devotes a chapter to Keyboard Maestro (which gives you control over nearly any task on your Mac), and delves into the included automation capabilities in Microsoft Office and Nisus Writer Pro.In short, Take Control of Automating Your Mac will:Show you lots of tools and techniques for automating your Mac.Offer concrete examples you can use as is or adapt to your needs.Inspire you with extensive lists of further possibilities.We've included discounts totalling over $60 on eight of the key apps Joe covers: 20% or 30% off on Keyboard Maestro, LaunchBar, Hazel, Nisus Writer Pro, TextExpander, TextSoap, TypeIt4Me, and Typinator -- look for coupons at the back of the ebook!Take Control of Automating Your Mac has chapters about how to:Develop an automator's mindsetUse OS X's built-in automation featuresTake full advantage of input devices to save clicksAutomate text expansion for faster, more consistent typingControl the Finder with a launcher and by organizing files with HazelSupercharge your clipboard to remember and reformat previous copiesWrite macros in Microsoft Office and Nisus Writer ProCreate rules to file email automatically in Apple Mail and OutlookLog in to Web sites faster with a password managerAutomate cloud services with IFTTT and ZapierSet up automatic backup and syncingGet started with Automator and AppleScriptControl nearly anything on your Mac with Keyboard MaestroThis ebook was written for users of 10.9 Mavericks, but many of the functions described work similarly in older (and upcoming) versions of OS X.
Take Control of Your Apple Wi-Fi Network
by Glenn FleishmanTake Control of Your Apple Wi-Fi Network: Get help with Apple 802.11ac and 802.11n networking!Although setting up a simple Wi-Fi network with Apple gear is no longer an especially geeky endeavor, making an existing network work optimally still takes effort, given the numerous possible options and places where problems can crop up.Wi-Fi wizard Glenn Fleishman helps you create a fast, reliable, and secure Apple Wi-Fi network using 802.11ac or 802.11n AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express, and Time Capsule base stations. You'll find plenty of practical directions for working with Apple's AirPort Utility 6 configuration software (for Mac and iOS), including steps for setting up a base station, swapping in new gear, adding base stations to extend your network's range, attaching USB drives or shared printers, enabling security, creating a guest network, and more. You'll also learn about what's going on behind the GUI in AirPort Utility. If you better understand channels and bands, for instance, you may be able to reconfigure your network to dramatically improve performance. And, Glenn provides advice and directions for coping with tricky IP situations.For those using older base stations or AirPort Utility 5, the ebook includes a free download of any prior edition, dating back to 2004."If anyone knows about real-world Wi-Fi, it's Glenn Fleishman." --Mark Frauenfelder, co-founder of bOING bOINGYou'll learn how to:Create a basic Apple Wi-Fi network, and connect Macs, iOS devices, and Windows 8 computers to the network.Efficiently swap in a new base station in place of an old one.Extend the range of a network by connecting base stations with Ethernet or Wi-Fi (or a mix).Print wirelessly to a Wi-Fi or USB-connected printer.Add a USB-attached drive to a Time Capsule or AirPort Extreme, and set up user access.Keep intruders out by setting up reliable and relevant security for your network. Easily put visitors on the Internet with a guest network.You'll also find information about how to:Back up to a Time Capsule, and work with the Time Capsule's internal drive.Pipe audio through an AirPort Express.Share files the new Apple way with AirDrop. You'll find lots of problem-solving help about:Avoiding interference problems.What the icon on your Wi-Fi menu means.What the colored light on your base station is trying to tell you.Dealing with a base station that can't be found on the network.Making a base station assign an IP address to a client.Finding a MAC address. (Hint, 1 Infinite Loop is not the MAC address that you seek.)Updating the firmware in your base station, and reverting to an older version.And, on the geekier side, you'll learn about:Putting computers more directly on the Internet with port mapping or a default host. Setting up Software Base Station.Ad hoc networking.Saving effort and avoiding problems by exporting a copy of a base station configuration.Accessing a base station remotely, whether to get at the contents of its drive or to configure it, via iCloud's Back to My Mac service.
Take Control of Podcasting on the Mac
by Andy Williams AffleckThe ebook opens with a look at how to plan a podcast's topic, format, and polish. Then Andy focuses on choosing the right microphone and audio software, followed by step-by-step instructions for recording using Audio Hijack Pro, GarageBand, Sound Studio, WireTap Studio, and Ubercaster, with advice about conducting interviews by phone, iChat, and Skype. Once your audio is in the can, you'll learn how to use audio plug-ins to make the recording sound better, complete with downloadable sound files to supplement the text. You'll also find out how to edit out any awkward bits, plug in additional audio, and mix tracks. Finally, the ebook covers how to encode your podcast, add useful tags and chapters, find a publishing tool, and publish your podcast for the world to hear. Read this ebook to learn the answers to questions such as: What types of microphones are best for podcasting? Which software should I use to record and edit my podcast? How can I find and use audio plug-ins to improve my podcast's sound quality? What's the best way to conduct a podcast interview? Should I record directly into MP3 format or encode later? How do I remove weird pauses or other glitches from my recording? How do I smoothly add music to the start and end of my podcast? What should I watch out for when choosing an Internet host for my podcast? What tools are available for publishing podcasts? Where should I promote my podcast to attract the most listeners? Can anyone create a podcast and list it in the iTunes Store?
Take Control of the Cloud
by Joe KissellCut through the hype, understand cloud services, and enhance your privacy and security!What, exactly, is the Cloud? What are cloud services, and how can you make smart decisions about which ones to use and how to set them up? Join award-winning author Joe Kissell as he pins down nebulous cloud concepts, helps you evaluate claims about cloud services, and points out how to enhance your privacy and security in the Cloud.You can read this approachable ebook quickly in your recliner, deck chair, or airplane seat, but you'll want to pull it out again next time you're considering signing up for yet another cloud-based product or service, whether it's data storage, syncing, or sharing; a productivity or entertainment app; or something else. Along with lists of popular, recommended, or interesting cloud-based services, Joe provides advice on desirable (and undesirable) features. And, if you'd like still more control over your data, there's a special chapter about setting up your own personal cloud.Teach This Book! Do you need to give a presentation concerning the Cloud? We'd like to help. This ebook includes links to a free PDF cheat sheet and a PDF-based slide deck that you can show on any computer or mobile device.Here's what you'll find inside Take Control of the Cloud:18 essential FAQs about the CloudWhat's special about modern-day, cloud-based data syncingWhy it's so hard to mingle calendars from different servicesHow using the Cloud can reduce your hardware costsPopular cloud apps and what they can do for youHow to run Windows or Linux in the CloudWhy Adobe Creative Cloud is a lame example of cloud computingWhat a VPS (virtual private server) is, and why you might want oneWho are the big players who want to grab your cloud dataHow to avoid the weak points when it comes to cloud securityWhy you should back up to and from the CloudHow to know if a particular cloud service is right for youBarriers and benefits to running your own personal cloudHow to choose hardware and software for a personal cloudFree download of a cheat sheet and training materials about the Cloud
Take Control of iBooks
by Sharon ZardettoIndulge your inner bibliophile with Apple's iBooks ebook reader!You know how to read a book, but do you know how to read and manage an entire library in iBooks, Apple's ebook-reading app for OS X Mavericks and iOS 7? On its surface, iBooks appears simple, but the more you add to your library, the more your questions will pile up. Get answers, plus learn about ebook-reading features that are not immediately obvious. If you need advice on collecting and reading ebooks in the Mavericks version of iBooks, want to know how iBooks stores and syncs your ebooks, or want to become more adept with iBooks on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, this ebook is for you.Whether you're catching up on your favorite authors, poring over textbooks, or perusing work-related documents, self-described readaholic and Mac expert Sharon Zardetto teaches you the ABCs of iBooks. Sharon helps you optimize your onscreen reading environment, use the navigational controls (which differ depending on which type of ebook you're reading!), manage bookmarks, highlight important passages, make notes, and more. You'll also learn about auto-downloading and re-downloading purchases from Apple's iBooks Store, and where to find ebooks outside the iBooks Store.As you turn the virtual pages of Take Control of iBooks you'll read about:Ebook file formats: Here at Take Control, we often hear from people who aren't sure about the differences among the major ebook file formats--PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket, and Multi-Touch. If you're struggling with these basics (the difference between a hardback and a paperback is easier to understand), Sharon sets you straight, and helps you understand how the format of an ebook affects its behavior and features in iBooks.Mavericks mysteries: Discover what iBooks on your Mavericks Mac does with any ebooks that were previously in iTunes, where your library is located, and how to add EPUB, PDF, and Multi-Touch ebooks to iBooks. Synchronizing details: Find directions for syncing your Books library among your Apple devices. In addition to keeping copies of your ebooks on all your devices, you can sync your custom collection names and your position within any given book, as well as your bookmarks, highlights, and notes.Book acquisition: Whether you buy from Apple's iBooks Store, buy from a third party that sells ebooks in EPUB or PDF format (such as Take Control!), or make your own titles (such as with Apple's free iBooks Author--see Take Control of iBooks Author for help), you'll find out how to populate iBooks with your ebooks.Collection management: If you don't have time to "shelve" your ebooks, don't worry, because Sharon teaches techniques for taking advantage of iBooks' built-in organization and search function. But, the persnickety arrangers among us will learn how to further organize an iBooks library.Control your reading environment: Just as you may read best in the real world with the right lighting (and a bowl of grapes on hand, with a cat at your feet), you can also optimize your onscreen setup. You'll find tips for adjusting the font and type size, changing the page color, reading full-screen on the Mac, and even how to best "turn" the page.Enjoy the "e" in ebook: All those tiny electrons running around in your device can do more than display text on a screen. Sharon describes how to highlight passages, make in-book notes, insert virtual bookmarks, look up a selection in the dictionary (or on the Web--great for looking up a historical character or event that's mentioned in passing!) and more. A special chapter, "Explore Multi-Touch Books," guest-written by ebook expert Michael E. Cohen, helps you fully understand what's so special about Apple's Multi-Touch format and makes sure you can enjoy the special features, such as Study Cards, available in those ebooks.
Take Control of Upgrading to Mavericks
by Joe KissellInstall Mavericks easily, and fly through important post-installation steps!Gain confidence and stay in control as Mac guru Joe Kissell explains how to ensure that your hardware and software are ready for OS X 10.9 Mavericks, prevent problems with a bootable duplicate of your main disk, and decide on your best installation method, whether you're upgrading from 10.4 Tiger, 10.5 Leopard, 10.6 Snow Leopard, 10.7 Lion, or 10.8 Mountain Lion. You'll find smart suggestions for managing the installer, with tips for installing on multiple Macs and dealing with bandwidth limitations. Joe walks you through installing Mavericks and then gives important advice for handling your Mac when it first starts up in Mavericks, including working through a pile of post-installation alerts, signing in with the right Apple ID(s), turning on iCloud Keychain, enabling enhanced (and local) dictation, managing user accounts, and quite a bit more. Additional important topics include troubleshooting installation problems, upgrading from an older Mac or PC to a new Mac running Mavericks, and a brief look at installing OS X Server.You'll experience an easy upgrade and quickly deal with post-installation quirks with these topics:Start fast: A short Quick Start overview links to detailed content behind each topic, letting you read lightly or more deeply, depending on your specific needs.Catch the wave: Find out what you can look forward to in Mavericks, and why this upgrade is important for Apple.Older cat upgrades: For people who are upgrading from 10.4 Tiger, 10.5 Leopard, or 10.6 Snow Leopard, Joe offers advice about the most effective way to carry out an upgrade.Compatibility check: Make sure your hardware and software are ready for Mavericks, and consider if this might be a good time for new hardware, even if it's not essential for your upgrade. (Tip: if your Mac can run Mountain Lion, it can also run Mavericks.)Prep steps: Avoid upgrade calamities by ensuring you can go back to the previous state of your Mac - and that you can boot from your backup. This crucial step can save a lot of trouble, and Joe recommends software that can make a bootable duplicate without a huge hassle. Also, your operating system is getting a fresh start, but what about the rest of your stuff? Whether you need the disk space or just want to delete some digital detritus, you'll find helpful tips. You'll also run Apple Hardware Test (or Apple Diagnostics) and Disk Utility, to be sure your disk is good to go. Finally, for those who need it, Joe discusses special cases relating to disk encryption (including FileVault) and partitioning.Picking a plan: Decide on your installation method. Most people can go with an easy in-place upgrade, but some will want the more complex clean install. 10.5 Leopard users will find special help, and those still on 10.4 Tiger get a special sidebar.Installing: Find out the smartest way to download and store the installer, with special tips for people who want to install on more than one Mac or who have bandwidth limitations. And, although running the installer will be easy for many people, you'll get full steps for what to click and when.Post-installation tune-up: Make sure your new system is running smoothly with a few important housekeeping tasks, including managing Spotlight, Software Update, Java Runtime, enhanced dictation, user accounts, Apple IDs, iCloud Keychain, FileVault, Time Machine, iTunes changes, and more. Plus learn how to unhide the user Library folder.Troubleshooting: Yikes! It is possible that something will go wrong during installation, or once you've booted up under Mavericks that you'll discover an important incompatibility with an existing piece of software. Find time-tested troubleshooting advice to get your system working again. Plus learn what the Recovery HD volume can do for you.Migrating to a new Mac: If your "upgrade" includes moving from an older computer (Mac or Windows PC) to a new Mac that's running Mavericks, learn the best way to move your user account to the new Mac.Installing OS X Server: Find a brief intro...
Take Control of 1Password
by Joe KissellSpeed through Web logins with 1Password 4!Remembering and entering Web passwords is both difficult and insecure, but it doesn't have to be that way, thanks to 1Password, the popular password manager from AgileBits. In this ebook, Joe Kissell brings years of real-world 1Password experience into play--plus many hours with the 1Password 4 for Mac beta--to explain not only how to create, edit, and enter Web login data easily, but also how to autofill contact and credit card information when shopping online, audit your passwords and generate better ones, and share your passwords with key people and among multiple devices. Joe focuses on 1Password 4 for the Mac, but he also provides details and directions for the iOS, Windows, and Android versions of 1Password.You'll find expert advice on these topics:Meet 1Password: Set your master passcode and make first-run configuration decisions. Explore usage strategies for 1Password on your Mac, PC, iOS device, or Android handheld, and understand the different components of the software on the different platforms. Get lots of ideas for how to share your vault (or vaults!) among your devices and with other people.Master logins: In 1Password, a typical login contains a set of credentials used to sign in to a Web site. Find out how to create logins, sort them, search them, tag them, delete them, and more. You'll especially find help with editing logins. For example, if you change a password from dragon7 to eatsevendragonsforlunchatyahoo, you'll want to incorporate that into its login. Or, use 1Password's password generator to come up with complex passwords, like dGx7Crve3WucELF#s.Understand password security: Get guidance on what makes for a good password, and read Joe's important Password Dos and Don'ts. An advanced topic later in the ebook covers how to perform a security audit in order to improve poor passwords quickly. (For Joe's full advice on passwords, read Take Control of Your Passwords.)Go beyond Web logins: For a lot of people, a primary point of 1Password is to speed the process of signing in to Web sites. But 1Password can do much more. Learn about storing and autofilling contact information (for more than one identity, even), and your credit card number and security code. You'll also find advice on storing passwords for password-protected files and encrypted disk images, plus ideas for keeping track of confidential files, private diary entries, scans of important cards or documents, and more.You'll also discover the answers to key questions, including: What are the main changes between 1Password 3 and 1Password 4?In addition to 1Password, should I use my Web browser's password, contact, or credit card autofill feature? What about Apple's iCloud Keychain?What is the fastest way to get 1Password to sign me in to a Web site?My login item used to sign me in, but it stopped working. What should I do?I made a long, random password for my bank account, but it wasn't saved in the login item! Where can I find it?How can I use one username and password with multiple Web sites, like one Apple ID for both iCloud and the online Apple Store?What if I need to access my 1Password data from another person's computer?How can I speed up Web logins and filling in shopping cart info with 1Password in iOS or Android?Is it true that I can initiate 1Password login items from keyboard launcher utilities like LaunchBar, Alfred, and Quicksilver? (Hint: the answer is yes!)
Take Control of Your Paperless Office
by Joe KissellIn addition to all of the above, Joe clues you in to these paper-reducing tasks and skills: How to scan or photograph documents you find while out and about--business cards, receipts, menus, flyers, and labels--so that you keep only digitized versions. Joe discusses a variety of mobile scanner options, with particular emphasis on using a camera-equipped iOS device, and lists similar options for employing Android and BlackBerry smartphones. How to create a digitized image of your signature so that you can create, sign, and share documents digitally, rather than printing them for the sole purpose of signing them with a pen. How to set up your computer to send and receive faxes so that you can avoid using a physical fax machine with paper input and output. Joe describes both using a fax modem and taking advantage of various online fax services. How to use common techniques for reducing paper--paperless billing, online bank statements, and more--and less common practices, such as using paperless postal mail services and check depositing services. Joe also gives effective tips for reducing the amount of catalogs, junk mail, and paper that you receive. Questions answered in the ebook include: What is a "searchable PDF" and why is it key to a paperless office? How should I back up my important digital documents? What differentiates "document scanners" from other types of scanners? What's available in the way of mobile document scanners? What, if anything, does TWAIN stand for, and should my scanner support it? What will OCR software do for me, and what special features should I look for? What scanners and OCR products does Joe recommend? How can I use AppleScript to automate my workflow for scanning documents? What paper documents should I keep in physical form? How can I use PDFpen or Acrobat Pro to add a signature to a PDF? What naming and categorization schemes should I use for my documents? Where should I store my digital documents? What should I keep in mind if I want to share my documents with others? How can I access my digital documents remotely? How can an iPad, iPhone, or other device help me reduce the use of paper? Is it better to use a fax modem or a fax-to-email gateway?
Take Control of LaunchBar
by Kirk McelhearnLet LaunchBar's superpowers save you from a lifetime of Mac drudgery! Join Mac expert Kirk McElhearn, and learn how to use LaunchBar, from Objective Development, to carry out nearly any Mac task more efficiently. To help you develop a mental map of all that LaunchBar can do, Kirk explains LaunchBar in the context of its five superpowers -- key LaunchBar techniques that no Mac user should be without!Abbreviation search. The primary way you select things in LaunchBar is by typing a few letters associated with the item you want to find. LaunchBar is smart (so the abbreviation doesn't have to be obvious) and learns from what you type (in case it guessed wrong the first time).Browsing. Sometimes you don't know what you want until you see it. Abbreviation search won't help there, but you can browse folders, recent documents for an app, clipboard history, snippets, and more.Sub-search. Too many results in a list to browse? Try a sub-search, which is an abbreviation search limited to a list of search results.Send To. Want to open a PDF in PDFpen rather than Preview? Or attach a document to a new email message? You can send anything on LaunchBar's bar to another application, folder, action, or service.Instant Send. For those who want to save the most time, Instant Send is the fastest way to put a selected file or bit of text on the bar, ready to open in another app, move to a folder, send to a Google search, look up in Dictionary, and more.Don't worry about remembering all this -- a one-page cheat sheet in the book will jog your memory until LaunchBar has worked its way into your fingertips.Consider two examples:Example 1: The most beloved LaunchBar function is to access apps quickly -- especially apps that you don't keep in the Dock. Just invoke LaunchBar (with a keyboard shortcut of your choosing), type a quick abbreviation -- whatever seems natural to you -- and press Return. (Or, take the express route with LaunchBar's handy Instant Open.) LaunchBar doesn't require predefined abbreviations; instead, it adapts to you! This method of accessing an app uses the Abbreviation Search, superpower #1.Example 2: Once you've become accustomed to the ease of accessing any app, you can start applying abbreviation search to other tasks and begin to unleash LaunchBar's other four superpowers. One example is to employ superpower #5, Instant Send, to file photos: select a photo's file icon in the Finder, hold down the key you use to invoke LaunchBar for an extra second to put the file on the bar, select the Add to iPhoto action, and press Return to send the photo to iPhoto. We could go on forever with our favorite examples: pasting the third item back from the clipboard history, moving a file into a deeply nested folder, creating calendar events, skipping to the next track in iTunes, running Terminal commands, looking up terms in Wikipedia, counting the characters in selected text, tweeting a quote from an article, finding your uncle's phone number, and so on. To learn how do all this, and more, read the ebook!
Take Control of Backing Up Your Mac
by Joe KissellSet up a rock-solid backup strategy so that you can restore quickly and completely, no matter what catastrophe arises.Read along as backup guru Joe Kissell helps you understand the three components of a solid backup strategy, implement that strategy in a way that meets your specific needs, and understand the hows and whys of what you are doing, taking you far beyond the limited security of turning on Time Machine or copying a few files to a flash drive or cloud service. You'll also find details on how to test your backup system, and on how to restore from backup. Whether you're running Mac OS X 10.7 Lion or 10.8 Mountain Lion, you'll soon have a reliable, up-to-date backup system.Although the 201-page ebook is organized so you can start backing up without reading every page, the full ebook will teach you to:Design a reliable backup system. If you're developing a new backup system, you'll learn how to make it not only thorough, ensuring that all your data is safe, but also easy to manage and appropriate for your situation. If you're assessing an existing backup system, Joe discusses how to evaluate it and offers guidance for improving and modernizing it.Talk like an expert. You'll learn the meaning of terms like "versioned backups," "delta encoding," "push" and "pull" backups, "duplicates," "server," "client," "incremental," "hard link," "mirroring," and "snapshot."Choose backup software. Consider the pros and cons of Apple's free Time Machine and determine whether it's a good match for you--or if you should consider a different program with better features for your needs. You'll learn about 14 key features to look for in backup apps and find overviews and tips for 8 noteworthy products (an online appendix covers nearly 100 options), plus several suggestions for online backups. You'll also get Joe's recommendations to help you sort through the possibilities.Shop for hardware. You'll discover the pros and cons of backup media options such as hard drives (with USB, FireWire, eSATA, or Thunderbolt interfaces--and with or without full-disk encryption), flash drives, optical media, tape drives, RAIDs, Drobo storage devices, Time Capsules, and NAS and SAN devices.Operate Time Machine. Find out what goes on beneath Time Machine's simple surface, and how best to make use of Apple's built-in backup system, including how local snapshots work when your Time Machine volume isn't available, and how to encrypt a Time Machine backup.Make backups. No matter what backup software you decide to use, Joe provides a conceptual walk-through of the entire process, offering basic information for people who've never made a backup before and savvy, real-world suggestions for making the backup process as easy as possible.Deal with special backup needs. You'll learn what to do about certain kinds of data that may require special backup strategies, such as large media archives, frequently changing files that need special versioned backup treatment, and Windows files and volumes hosted on your Mac.Manage your media. Diamonds may be forever, but backup devices are not. Disks fill up. They also wear out. Find advice for handling those realities.Recover lost data. Use your backup to recover lost data successfully in the event of a hard disk crash or other calamity. After all, restoration is what's really important.Bonus! The ebook includes money-saving coupons on ChronoSync, CrashPlan, Data Backup 3, DollyDrive, QRecall, and Retrospect Desktop.Teach This Book: Once your backups are humming along reliably, can we encourage you to help your friends, family, and colleagues improve their backups before they lose data? This ebook links to a downloadable one-page PDF handout and PDF-based slides that you can present on any computer or mobile device screen.
Take Control of PDFpen 6
by Michael E CohenLearn to create, edit, and manipulate PDFs with Smile's PDFpen 6!Have you ever needed to give feedback on a PDF, but stumbled around trying to insert comments and proofreading marks? Or spent way too long trying to refresh the date on a PDF-based flyer? Maybe you wanted to fill out and sign a PDF-based form without printing it and faxing it back? What about making your own PDF-based form with fill-in fields that could be submitted over the Internet? Or have you wished you could OCR scanned text so you could revise it right in the PDF? All these tasks--and much more--can be done with PDFpen from Smile.Even better, there's an in-depth guide for all these tasks. Written by Michael E. Cohen with clarity and humor, Take Control of PDFpen 6 turns you into a PDF productivity powerhouse while you work at your desktop or laptop Mac with PDFpen or PDFpenPro, or on the go with your iPad or iPhone.Michael begins with a rundown of your purchasing options: PDFpen versus PDFpenPro, from Smile versus the Mac App Store, and the advantages of an iPhone or iPad version. Next, you'll meet PDFpen, starting with a general overview of the PDF format, followed by a tour of PDFpen's user interface--including the new Editing bar. Then Michael jumps into the many ways you can modify a PDF:Add and remove pages, and combine pages from multiple files into one PDF.Directly edit the text, plus add comments and professional editing marks.Redact confidential text. Add clickable page and URL links, add page numbers, and add images.Make a clickable table of contents (PDFpenPro only).Change the look with a Quartz filter (for example, make it black-and-white).Reduce the file size with a Quartz filter.Password-protect it.Turn it into a formatted Microsoft Word document.Prevent other users taking certain actions, such as printing or editing (PDFpenPro only).You'll learn how PDFpen is your friend when it comes to forms:Fill out forms with ease.Add a handwritten signature--in the iOS versions, you can write with a stylus!Print just form entries on a pre-printed form!Create an interactive PDF form for both Mac and Windows (PDFpenPro only). You can even make your interactive PDF form collect data and send it to you via email or the Web.And, that's not all! You'll also learn how to:Move PDFs in and out of PDFpen in iOS, so that you can fluidly share them between your Apple devices--Michael describes several approaches, including iCloud, iTunes, Dropbox, and Open In.Get the most out of Apple's AutoSave and Versions features--or turn them off for PDFpen if you find them troublesome.Scan a document to PDF, and make the text editable with OCR.Print a PDF with its annotations appearing at the end.Store frequently used items (like a logo or signature) in the PDFpen Library.Turn a Web site into a multi-page PDF (PDFpenPro only).An appendix describes the many useful AppleScripts that ship with PDFpen.This ebook was created in collaboration with Smile, with PDFpen's developers tech editing the manuscript.
Take Control of Your iPad
by Tonya EngstTonya walks you through the entire iPad experience: Handle the hardware: Learn about the hardware components in your iPad model that make it unique, and get ideas for which accessories you should considering purchasing. Also, see where all the ports and buttons are on your iPad, plus find out how to turn it on and off, and how to reset and restore in case of a problem. For iPad 2 and third-generation iPad users, the ebook also describes how to use the camera for photos and videos, or to place a FaceTime video call. Get started: Learn how to answer the questions asked by the iPad's Setup Assistant, and get help with important configuration options that the Setup Assistant doesn't cover, including security, Bluetooth, tethering, Picture Frame slideshows, and notifications. You'll also find detailed directions for managing a Wi-Fi or USB-based iTunes sync. Sync data wirelessly: Find advice for integrating your iPad with iCloud, Google Contacts and Calendars, and Microsoft Exchange. (The ebook has solid iCloud coverage, but for all the details, read Take Control of iCloud.) Get around: Learn the most important gestures, and find out how to type on the iPad's virtual keyboard, with advice on typing faster, as well as how to copy and paste. For third-generation iPad users, the ebook describes the new Voice Dictation feature. Make the Home screen feel like home: Find friendly guidance on customizing the Home screen and Dock, making folders, and managing the multitasking bar. Get organized: Learn how to send email and exchange text messages; run the Calendar and Contacts apps; and use Maps, Find My Friends, and Find My iPad. Enjoy media: Discover how to find and read ebooks and magazines, enjoy music and movies, listen to podcasts and audiobooks, browse the Web, use iTunes U, and generally become an iPad media maven. Add apps: Read real-world advice on locating, purchasing, downloading, configuring, organizing, and sharing third-party apps.
Take Control of Your Passwords
by Joe KissellPasswords are an irritating fact of modern life. It’s tricky to create and remember good ones, but dangerous to use simple ones (or reuse a password in multiple places). This book helps you overcome these problems with a sensible, stress-free strategy for password security.
Take Control of iTunes 11: The FAQ
by Kirk McelhearnTake your iTunes know-how to 11!Updated May 17, 2014Let iTunes expert Kirk McElhearn help you become an iTunes power user and get the most out of iTunes 11 whether you want to enjoy your own media or try cloud-based options like podcasts and iTunes Radio. With a question-and-answer approach, Kirk shares his love of music and helps you understand the process of bringing media into iTunes, tagging it, adding album artwork, and organizing it into playlists. You'll also learn the best ways to transfer media to an iPad, iPhone, or iPod.Find answers to questions about how to:Play: This chapter covers how to play audio and video, and how to make quick playlists with Genius and Up Next. It also describes how to bring back the left-hand sidebar. Or, you can learn to love the new Source pop-up menu. Rip: Add content to iTunes with detailed steps for "ripping" music CDs and audiobooks. (If you want to rip--or tag--audiobooks so they play nicely from iTunes, don't miss this chapter!) Also, find general advice for ripping video DVDs and learn which file formats work in iTunes. Buy: Become expert at managing and sharing iTunes Store media (including free podcasts and iTunes U courses), and understand what the iTunes Store does well--and not so well. Plus, discover other online music vendors, whether you want to download or stream content. Tag: Kirk describes himself as "tag obsessed." If that description fits you, or if you just want to take control of your tags, this chapter is for you. Tags are descriptive bits of information--known to geeks as "metadata"-- that describe your media. You can sort and filter based on tags, giving you myriad ways to manipulate your iTunes library. Learn which tags to bother changing, how to tag a file to put it in a particular library, how to add lyrics and album art, and more.View: iTunes has more views than flavors of ice cream at the corner grocery. Get the scoop on how to switch between views, where your album art is (or is not), and so forth. This chapter also discusses plain-as-vanilla contextual menus and Apple's new menu flavor -- the popover.Organize: Make a simple playlist of romantic songs, workout songs, or whatever theme you like. Also, create smart playlists that, for example, comprise only your 5-star faves or tunes you haven't heard recently. You'll also find answers to questions about operational issues like dealing with a huge library, multiple libraries, and where iTunes puts your media files... including ebooks in 10.9 Mavericks.Search: Find media in iTunes, plus learn tricks such as searching based on star rating or locating duplicates.Sync: You've put all your media in iTunes... now, how do you transfer it to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch? This chapter answers questions about manually managing the transfer and has help for people who have too much music. It also notes options for playing media through a second- or third-generation Apple TV.Cloud: Access content you bought from Apple even if you never actively downloaded it, from your computer or an iOS device. Plus, try iTunes Match, a subscription service that uploads your music to the cloud even if you didn't buy it from Apple. Share: Find answers to questions about sharing iTunes library media with others, primarily through Home Sharing on a local network.Burn and Print: Learn how to copy music from iTunes to a CD. Also, get directions for printing a song list, for example, to include in the jewel case of said CD.Back Up: This short chapter has tips and inspiration for backing up your (potentially irreplaceable) iTunes media.Extend with AppleScript: Mac users can make iTunes do more with AppleScript. Learn about key AppleScripts that you can download to make iTunes jump through even more hoops.
Take Control of Messages in Mountain Lion (1.0)
by Glenn FleishmanWith this ebook in hand, you'll discover: * What is difference between SMS, instant messaging, and iMessage - plus why you'd care. * How to convert your iChat experience to the brave new world of Messages. * Why it is that Messages lets you communicate via accounts at five different services (plus Bonjour), and how to figure out which you should use. * In an iMessage account, how to configure which email address(es) and iPhone phone number(s) should receive messages on your Mac. * How to use Google Talk with Google two-factor authentication. * How to send messages - and set your online status - with an eye to etiquette and conventions. * What an instant-message buddy is, why it's awkward that iMessage doesn't have buddies, and how to add buddies, organize buddies, and even delete or block a buddy. * How to exchange photos, videos, business documents, and other files via Messages. * The best way to add a spoken conversation or video to a chat, whether through an iMessage/FaceTime chat or an instant-messaging service. * How to view and control the Mac screen of the person you're chatting with (or vice-versa). * And much more...