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Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which I answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week readers wrote in with questions about how to roll back to a previous version of Safari after experiencing compatibility issues with a newer version, how Time Machine manages full backups in multidisk setups, and concerns about both Mail syncing errors and security with e-mail account names being shown. I welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Rolling back to a previous version of Safari MacFixIt reader Clark … Read more

The 404 1,143: Where Justin spent way too much on dinner (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Fat fingers to blame for upping mobile ad clicks.

- Andreessen Horowitz invests $15 million in Web site Rap Genius.

- San Francisco's Weiner tries to ban exposed genitals.

- How New Yorkers can beat Time Warner's bullish modem rental fee.

Look who showed up at the Justin Bieber concert! (courtesy of The 404 SubReddit)… Read more

Lost Steve Jobs time capsule still missing, 29 years later

Somewhere under Aspen, Colo., a time capsule containing Steve Jobs' mouse has been sitting and waiting to be unearthed. Since 1983. And no one knows where it is.

That's what blogger Marcel Brown wrote this morning, explaining that the time capsule, known as the Aspen Time Tube and buried in conjunction with the 1983 International Design Conference there, is lost and those looking for it are facing considerable odds against success.

According to a 2010 article in the Glenwood Springs (Colo.) Post Independent, the Aspen Time Tube was buried in June, 1983, and contained a number of items, ranging … Read more

Time Machine running slow after OS X 10.7.5 update

After installing the latest OS X 10.7.5 update for Lion, a number of users are finding their Time Machine backups are taking forever to complete. In some cases the backups only run at a few kilobytes per hour, with text claiming that the backups will take between days to weeks to complete. People report this issue occurring with a variety of Mac models and backup setups, including backing up to local drives and to Apple's Time Capsule devices.

In addition to Time Machine running slowly, those experiencing this problem have noticed Spotlight also takes forever to update … Read more

New York Times unveils Web app for iPad

The New York Times is testing the mobile waters with a new Web site optimized for the iPad.

Created using HTML5 and formatted for the iPad, the new mobile Web app is designed to supplement the paper's print edition and Web site. The app is available to subscribers of the Web site and to home delivery customers who link their accounts with one of the digital access options.

Unlike the Times Web site, which delivers stories in a traditional format, the app presents the news in a variety of different views.

The Trending section displays the top 25 trending … Read more

Use your Apple TV to view movie showtimes in nearby theaters

Being able to watch a movie trailer while deciding which movie to go watch the same night, or in anticipation of a new release isn't a new feature on Apple TV. You open the Trailers app, select the trailer you want to watch, and it's streaming in just a few minutes on your HDTV. Up until now, though, you couldn't view local showtimes if you found a movie you wanted to go watch. Thankfully, showtimes have been added to the Apple TV with software update 5.1; and it's very easy to access.

As you can … Read more

FCC to look at AT&T's FaceTime limits, says report

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission made remarks today that indicate the agency may review complaints filed about AT&T's decision to limit the use of FaceTime video chat over its cell network, The Verge reported.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said he couldn't comment on AT&T specifically, but if efforts to resolve any disputes aren't resolved and a complaint is filed, "we will exercise our responsibilities and we will act."

An FCC representative confirmed to CNET that Genachowski made the comment during a question and answer session after a speech at … Read more

NYT story on data center waste scares some, frustrates others

The New York Times today kicked of an investigative series on how the cloud's physical structures are affecting the environment with a first installment that offers some scary stats about energy waste. But some say the story unfairly depicts an Internet industry that has been making major strides in this area.

Taking into account a year's worth of reporting and research, the Times' James Glanz concludes that most data centers are wasting huge amounts of energy, which, puts the information industry "at odds with its image of sleek efficiency and environmental friendliness."

"Online companies typically … Read more

Q&A MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week readers wrote in with questions about whether or not the Maps app from iOS 5 could be installed and used on iOS 6, how best to use an Apple ID for business purchases, if you can back up multiple internal hard drives to Time Machine, and how to tackle PDF files appearing black in Web browsers. We welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Using Maps from … Read more

How to enable FaceTime over 3G with iOS 6

iOS 6 is here and with it is the capability to make FaceTime calls over a 3G (or 4G) connection. Finally! Up until now, iOS users were limited to using FaceTime over a Wi-Fi connection. No more.

FaceTime over 3G does have a couple of limitations. First, you'll need to be running iOS 6 on an iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, or the new iPad (third generation). Second, your carrier has to allow for FaceTime to be used over its network. So far, only AT&T has announced any type of restriction or requirement for FaceTime to work using … Read more