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Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which I answer Mac-related questions sent in by our readers.

This week, readers asked questions about how the OS X quarantine system works for managing malware, why items disappear from the screen when the mouse is moved to the corner, and what to do about iWork creating file locks on external disks.

I welcome contributions from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: How OS X detects and quarantines malicious files MacFixIt reader Dhiraj asks:

I am working on a Mac … Read more

Taiwan: Come for the tourism, stay for the free Wi-Fi

Taiwan is making it easy for foreign tourists to stay connected.

The government recently announced that international travelers to the country will be able to access free Wi-Fi at 4,400 hot spots at indoor public spaces throughout the country. By showing a passport, tourists can open an account on the 1Mbps iTaiwan Wi-Fi network that's found at major tourist spots, transportation hubs, cultural establishments, and government offices, covering much of the island nation.

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Yota Ruby: An LTE hot spot with cool design details (hands-on)

LAS VEGAS -- When the guys behind the dual-screen Android and e-ink YotaPhone say they're working on a hot spot, you know that the Yota Ruby isn't your average portable Wi-Fi router.

Just consider the hot spot's design. Unlike a lot of hot-spot bricks we see, this white device has smooth, rounded edges and a flat top and bottom (it'll come in black, too.) Different-colored LED lights behind the playful Yota insignia shine out to indicate if you're on 4G, 3G, or 2G, so you can tell at a glance.

Like other hot spots, Yota'… Read more

Quickly add items to the OS X Finder sidebar and Dock

The OS X Finder sidebar and Dock are convenient locations for favorite folders, documents, applications, and locations, and in addition the Dock offers a convenient place for minimized windows, as well as the Trash. For new user accounts Apple puts a default set of items in the Dock and Finder sidebar, but these can be customized.

The standard and perhaps intuitive method of adding items to these locations is to drag them there; however, it's not foolproof. If you inadvertently release your mouse before the cursor has reached the Dock or sidebar, then you chance copying or moving the … Read more

Quicksilver for Mac 1.0.0 Review

Launching applications via keyboard shortcuts can increase your productivity. Quicksilver for Mac studies your habits and helps you achieve better control over your Mac. It functions very similarly to the Mac address/search bar, but with extra functions and even quicker launch options.

Quicksilver for Mac comes packed with its own installer, which makes the installation quick and easy. Once the free app has been installed, you can access it by pressing the Quicksilver hot key. To extend the functions of this app you can download some additional plug-ins available from the developer's Web site. There are default preset … Read more

Use OS X Finder shortcuts in Open and Save dialog boxes

The OS X Finder has a number of shortcuts and features for previewing items, navigating through folders, and selecting items to open. These can be quite convenient when browsing through your documents. If that's the case, you might be interested in knowing several of these are available when browsing through documents in the system's Open and Save dialog boxes as well.

Even though you may be in a program like Pages, TextEdit, or Microsoft Word, the Open and Save dialog boxes in these programs essentially open up a window to the OS X Finder so you can browse … Read more

Tips for managing windows in OS X

Having multiple windows cluttering your screen can be inconvenient. While the Mission Control feature in OS X can be used to preview windows and switch between them, and isolate windows to specific desktops, even with this you may find your work space a bit cluttered with browser windows, Word and Pages documents, various utilities, and Finder windows.

Unfortunately, switching between multiple windows by clicking with the mouse can result in them overlapping in ways that are frustrating to deal with. While keeping things simple by continually closing windows is one approach, you can also use some OS X features to … Read more

Play ball! Pretzel dog maker opens baseball season at home

Baseball season is here and it's Opening Day. That means baseball fans across the country will flock to the ballpark in order to root, root, root for the home team. Except that's not entirely true. Just like there was the "The Base Ball Polka" before there was "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," the order of events sometimes gets mixed up. The real reason millions of fans will go see a game this summer is because that is where the hot dogs and giant soft pretzels are; a baseball game just happens to … Read more

Hottest tech products (winter 2013)

I don't know why I make this job harder than it needs to be. Every week I wrack my brain trying to think of a topic that will tap into the collective CNET zeitgeist. Sometimes I hit it just right, and sometimes I get nothing. But I could save myself a lot of trouble.

Without fail, the most popular Top 5 videos we produce here are the "Hottest Product" roundups. I think you guys get a voyeuristic kick out of knowing what everyone else is looking at.

Well, who am I to deprive you? This time around … Read more

Track your calendar the easy way with Hot Plan for Mac

Those trying to track home and work schedules on their computers have a number of options. Hot Plan for Mac fully functions as a calendar and to-do list program, but its price may make it undesirable in light of free options available.

Hot Plan for Mac can be used for free for 21 days, and the full version can be unlocked for $12.99. The program downloaded and installed quickly. The native installer performed well and prompted us for actions at the appropriate times. The initial setup required clicking through pop-ups regarding registration and the full version payment, but this … Read more