Which is better… Free or Almost Free?

December 3, 2009

Research conducted by Dan Ariely (a Duke behavioral economist, previously at MIT) shows us that “free” is far more effective than “almost free.” Indeed, a preference for “free” seems to be another feature hardwired into our brains. The first experiment offered subjects a (Lindt chocolate) truffle for 15 cents (about half its actual cost) or [...]

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Should you Defrag your Mac OS X Hard Drive?

December 2, 2009

As a consultant specializing in Mac OS X, clients sometimes ask me if they should “defrag” their hard drive. I always tell them the same thing: NO.
First, a little background. When a personal computer saves a document, it doesn’t always create a single entity on the hard drive. Instead, it divides the file into a [...]

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Postbox is better than Apple’s Mail

November 26, 2009

I’ve been quite satisfied with Apple Mail for years. It does a good job. It’s free with every Mac. But like all of the applications that I use every day, I’m always wondering if there’s something better out there. I’ve tried many other email clients: Microsoft Entourage, Mozilla Thunderbird, Eudora, Mailsmith and Powermail. Not to [...]

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Magic Mouse Experience – Take 2

November 19, 2009

Over the last 20 years, I’ve used over twenty different computer mice (most of them purchased) in hopes of finding the perfect combination of comfort and functionality. Working all day in front of a computer can put repetitive stresses on your hands, arms, shoulders and neck. A small amount of discomfort is magnified over the course [...]

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Revolutionary cordless phone… from 1976

November 16, 2009

It’s instructive to see what used to be considered revolutionary technology.
In 1976, this cordless portaphone claimed to be the “World’s First Cordless Extension Telephone.” Note some of its most interesting features:

You can take it anywhere, even in your bathtub (weren’t there liability laws in 1976?)
Receives calls or dials out (wow!)
100% Solid-State Reliability. No moving parts to [...]

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Tracking the International Space Station with an iPhone

November 14, 2009

The International Space Station (ISS) is so large — about the size of a football field — that that you can see it from Earth with an unaided eye if you have a clear sky and you know where and when to look.
Unlike an airplane, the ISS has no lighting of its own. Just like planets [...]

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Replacing my Mac’s startup hard drive

November 12, 2009

Was my Mac Pro really slowing down, or did it just feel that way?
Why did it sometimes take such a long to open an application — or even just a folder? Why did the hard drive sound like it was thrashing around, taking so long to do simple things?  It couldn’t for be lack of [...]

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Magic Mouse Not Magical at First

November 2, 2009

I bought my Magic Mouse yesterday at the local Apple Store.  I did everything according to the instructions:

Download and install the WirelessMouseSoftware update for Snow Leopard. Check.
Pair the Bluetooth mouse with my Mac Pro. Check.
Go to the Mouse System Preference to see the new options. Check… wait a minute…

What?! No gesture options showed up!
After some [...]

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Super Simple 2-Hole Punch Filing System

October 24, 2009

Over the years, I’ve often met with friends or clients who have decided to strike out on their own in business. We meet for coffee and I proceed to tell them about all the mistakes I’ve made over the last twenty years in the consulting business and how they can avoid them!
After discussing technology, marketing, [...]

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