I’m a big fan of keyboard shortcuts and firmly believe that everyone’s computing experience can be greatly enhanced by memorizing, at least, several substantive keyboard shortcuts. Fortunately, Apple has compiled a comprehensive list of commands on their official website.

I’m not recommending you attempt to memorize this capacious list, but, at the very least, I’d suggest either bookmarking this page, or printing out the list for close keeping by your Mac. A brief primer is given on the different modifier keys that OS X keyboard shortcuts utilize, and commands are grouped into tables that share some common purpose/function, e.g., Startup keyboard shortcuts.

Checkout the list, today, and start memorizing what you believe are the most useful commands.

Source Mac OS X Hints

Image via DeclanTM

Are you always tardy? Conversely, do you have a tendency to get to appointments too early? There has got to be a way to leverage your tech to ameliorate this problem.

Let’s discuss Bounce for Android (iPhone version coming soon).

Bounce is an Android app that uses your device’s hardware/software (e.g., GPS, calendar appointments, traffic data from Bing) to ensure that you leave for your appointments at the appropriate time.

Compatible with Google Calendar and Microsoft Exchange, the app can remind you up to one hour before you need to leave for an important event. In addition, the app lets you add some padding to your travel time to accommodate mundane tasks, such as finding a parking spot.

Currently in beta, Bounce may have some bugs, so I can’t recommend it (yet) for mission critical schedules, but it is a very promising app that warrants consideration and should be monitored for further developments.

Via Lifehacker

Source Red Ferret

Many of us hope that we will never be in a situation that requires the services of a lawyer, but, no matter how hard we try, life has a way of getting complicated when we least expect it. Often, before becoming entrapped in the legal system, we have relevant questions whose answers may help us prepare for what’s ahead.

Today’s post may introduce you to a resource that can help you navigate this formidable system.

LegalAdvice.com is a free, online resource that can provide you with answers to your pressing legal questions. To get started, just post an inquiry to the site using their online form, and one of LegalAdvice.com’s registered lawyers will post a relevant response.

For example, you could post:

I have a copyright for my website and have found that an LLC used my information directly from my website and posted it as their own. They even copied my name in one place where it should have been edited as their own name. Can I sue them for infringement?

The response from the site could look something like this:

Certain materials are copyrightable while other materials are not. An idea is not copyrightable but the expression of an idea is. In order to answer your question one would need more specifics as to the nature of the infringement. The fact that they apparently have incorporated your name into the work product is definitely good evidence that you have a claim. I would advise either more facts here or that you obtain an attorney.

Questions are open-ended and can vary on topics from DWIs and theft, to child support. In addition, you can search previous questions and answers and, if need be, locate a lawyer to provide you with more assistance.

LegalAdvice.com differentiates itself from competitors by offering more transparent profiles for the lawyers answering your questions, and when it comes to obtaining advice over areas of import, greater transparency can only work in your favor.

Via Lifehacker

Source Red Ferret

4G LTE offers incredible speeds for the next generation of mobile devices, but it is not without its drawbacks, particularly when it comes to power consumption. Luckily, disabling and re-enabling this hardware feature is a simple process on Apple’s new iPad.

To turn off 4G LTE on your new iPad, head over to Settings -> Cellular Data and switch the Enable LTE entry from On to Off. Immediately afterwards, you will see the LTE in the upper bar change to 3G.

If you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, you can disable 3G, as well, by switching Cellular Data from On to Off.

Source How-To Geek

There have been many posts exploring the ins and outs of one of the world’s favorite web browsers, but there are still a few tips and tricks left that you may be unaware of. If you are a fan of Firefox’s Awesome Bar, today’s post may put a big smile on your face.

As many Firefox users know, the Awesome Bar can be used to search for a variety of information regarding your custom browser installation and how you’ve used it (e.g., your history, bookmarks, tags, etc.). With a few keyboard shortcuts, you can actually filter these results in more specific, useful ways.

Bookmarks Only

If you’d only like the Awesome Bar to display results from your bookmarks, type * followed by a space, and then your search terms. If you enter only a *, a list of the most frequently used bookmarks will be shown.

History Only

To filter your search results by your browsing history, type ^, followed by a space, and then your search terms. Typing just a ^ will simply display your history.

Tags Only

If you’d only like to see items that you have tagged, type in +, followed by a space, and a search term or just a + to display your tagged items.

Simple, maybe. Useful, most definitely.

Source gizmo’s freeware

There are many ways to transfer files between your computers and mobile devices, but not all of them are free and ensure secure transactions. If you are the proud owner of a Mac and iOS device, you might want to give Deliver a try.

Deliver is a set of free apps for both Mac and iOS that enables you to transfer files and text over a Wi-Fi connection. In addition, transfers can be password protected and you can ensure that only authorized iOS devices can send you transfers.

To get started, both versions of the app must be running on your Mac and iOS device, and both devices should be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. To transfer a file from your Mac, click either Command+O or select the Pen/Notepad button on the application’s toolbar, and click the Plus Sign that appears. By default, this button enables you to paste text that you’d like transferred between devices. To transfer files, you’ll need to select the Plus button, and then drag and drop the file onto the application’s interface. To view file transfer progress, click the History button denoted by the Clock icon.

Once your iOS device receives the transfer request, you will get an audio alert and the transfer will begin. To start a file transfer from an iOS device, select the Plus Sign in the app’s interface. To transfer text, select the Text icon. To setup secure transfers, click the Padlock button and enter a password (the procedure is the same when initiating secure transfers from your Mac).

Source addictivetips

Android: Although our mobile devices are powerful computers, we often find that we need them for very simple, mundane tasks. Calculating a tip, looking up the definition of a word, or converting kilometers to miles are all examples of useful actions that do not really require dedicated apps to complete.

If you’d like to simplify your Android device, give AppGarden a go.

AppGarden is a “super-app” that contains several mini-apps that perform a variety of functions, e.g., bandwidth monitoring, unit conversion, and stock quotes within a single, unified app experience.

Since it performs manifold options, AppGarden requires numerous permissions, but once you realize the utility of having so many helpful functions at your fingertips, you may forgive the aggrandized capitulations.

AppGarden includes, but is not limited to:

• Three Source Dictionary
• Thesaurus
• Urban Dictionary Lookup (one of my favs!!!)
• Local Weather
• Wikipedia Lookup
• Random Number and Password Generators
• Stopwatch

Developed by XDA-Developer’s forum member plbelanger, AppGarden has both a free (ad-supported) and paid ($1.99, ad-free) version.

Via Lifehacker

Source XDA-Developers

System Preferences is an excellent one stop shop for customizing many of the critical settings of the OS X operating system. However, as time goes on and your installation gets filled up with all those crazy apps you install, it may become cumbersome to find the entry you’re looking for.

Lifehacker reader Rosemary Jayne has a useful shortcut for easily finding the Preference Pane entry you are looking for.

Simply open up System Preferences and select and hold down the Show All button. A neat little drop down menu will appear below the button. Then, you can move the cursor to the desired selection and let go to choose an entry.

At first glance, this might seem simplistic, but I can honestly state that, at times, I’ve probably spent a few seconds too long gazing at System Preference windows trying to find what I was looking for. Having a drop down menu with the entries organized in alphabetical order really does help.

A small, but useful, tip. Keep in mind that this only works in OS X Lion.

Source Lifehacker

Built-in spell checking for many applications is a great feature of OS X, yet, having to use your mouse to continually right-click the word in question and select the appropriate replacement can become tiresome.

This is a common workflow that is ripe for improvement with a killer keyboard shortcut, and OS X is more than happy to oblige.

This shortcut will work with any application that utilizes Apple’s built-in spell check system (e.g., TextEdit, Mail), but, it must first be enabled. In any of the compatible programs, go to Edit | Spelling and Grammar and ensure that Check Spelling While Typing and Correct Spelling Automatically are checked off.

Now, when you misspell a word, hit the space bar, followed by the left arrow. A menu will drop down with spelling alternatives that can be navigated to with your keyboard’s arrow keys. This workflow is fast, easy, and efficient.

Want one more tip? If you’re typing a word you are not completely sure how to spell, press the Escape key to get a list of suggestions. Once again, use the arrow keys to move through the list to your desired selection and press Enter to select it.

Via Lifehacker

Source Macworld

As you get older, you may find that you are presented with a variety of situations that you might not be prepared for.  Often, these events will involve an assortment of legal documentation that you are unfamiliar with.

As long as the context is not excessively complicated, you may be better off obtaining such forms yourself, instead of turning to a (most likely) expensive professional to moderate your transaction. Docracy is one such place you can turn to.

Docracy is a free web resource where you can obtain myriad legal forms, ranging from non-disclosure agreements to apartment leases, as well as sign such documentation. If you’re strapped for cash or have nominal concerns, Docracy can be just what you need.

The service includes lease agreements, incorporation documents for startups, living will forms and many more. Even if you don’t need such forms, at present, it may be wise to bookmark this site for future reference.

Via Lifehacker

Source Swissmiss