ram

Upgrading RAM? Save your old RAM and your packaging

Besides installing an SSD to replace a mechanical hard drive, RAM upgrades are one of the more significant and beneficial upgrades you can do for a PC system. When it comes to Apple's systems, however, RAM upgrades from Apple itself have been insanely expensive, so my recommendation has always been, unless the RAM is soldered to the motherboard (as it is with the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro), to purchase only the base amount of RAM and then upgrade it yourself later on.

Such was the case with my most recent Mac, a 17-inch 2011 MacBook Pro that … Read more

Suspected security hole found in many Samsung devices

A suspected security hole affecting a handful of Samsung smartphones could give apps access to user data and leave the handset vulnerable to malicious apps and bricking, according to a developer.

The vulnerability, which was discovered and detailed by an XDA member with the handle "alephzain," lies in Exynos 4, the ARM-based system-on-chip typically found in Samsung smartphones and tablets. Alephzain developed an exploit he said bypasses the system permissions, allowing any app to extract data from the device's RAM or inject malicious code into the kernel.

Alephzain said that he stumbled upon the vulnerability while trying … Read more

Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

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

This week, readers wrote in with questions about RAM upgrade options for new MacBook systems, using a Mac laptop as a desktop workstation, song progress options for the iTunes 11 mini player window, and updating external secondary recovery partitions. I welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: RAM upgrade options for new MacBooks MacFixIt reader David asks:

Can you upgrade the current 15-inch MacBook Pro sold by Apple? … Read more

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 the cabling requirements for using Target Display mode in new iMac systems, maintaining Snow Leopard after having upgraded to newer versions of OS X, RAM purchasing recommendations for Mac systems, and having a used Mac checked out by Apple or other technicians before purchasing. I welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Using Target Display mode in new iMac systems MacFixIt … Read more

Maximize your old Mac's performance

While slowdowns in a Mac system are likely caused by errors, be it corruption in the file system or a similar problem that ought to be addressed, over time as program and OS developments demand more out of a system, you may find an older system simply does not seem to keep up. While the system may not severely bog down, you might find many tasks begin to take a little longer. While purchasing a new system is one solution to this problem, it often is not a feasible or even necessary option.

In many cases, older systems do have … Read more

Digital storage basics, Part 1: Internal storage vs. memory

Editors' note: This post is part 2 of an ongoing series that aims to explain digital storage in layman's terms, based on questions and inquires from readers. See part 2 and part 3.

It's not the locker room type of storage we're talking about here. Instead it's something much more important and often underrated: the place where information is stored.

When it comes to computer storage, judging from many questions friends and readers send me, there's quite a bit of confusion among general users as to what it actually is. And it's not your … Read more

Windows 8 touch-screen Acer laptop, desktop up for sale

An Acer touch-screen Windows 8 laptop has popped up on the Home Shopping Network, along with other systems.

Brace yourself: touch-screen laptops will not be cheap.

Most of the specs are pretty underwhelming: a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U "Ivy Bridge" processor, 750GB hard disk drive, DVD drive, a thickness of over an inch (that's considered plump in the age of the ultrabook), and a weight of 5.4 pounds.

But one hardware feature sets it apart from the Windows 7 rabble: a 15.6-inch touch screen to go with Windows 8's touch-centric interface.

And that … Read more

'Purge' command not working in OS X 10.8.1

Memory management in OS X is done primarily by the operating system's virtual memory system; however, there are a few approaches you can take to force the system to clear some aspects of its memory structure and free it up either for troubleshooting purposes or to perhaps help performance.

Part of the memory system in OS X is a cache, where recently used program information is stored so the system can more swiftly launch the program if needed. If you open the Activity Monitor utility in OS X and view the System Memory section, you will see this cache … Read more

Get ready to download apps to your Chrysler Ram or Viper

Two of Chrysler's cars are morphing into smartphones, sort of -- right down to the ability to access their own "app store."

The 2013 models of the Ram 1500 pickup and the SRT Viper sports car, expected to hit the market later this year, will come with a few features born from Chrysler's partnership with Sprint Nextel, announced in March. Among them: the vehicles can act as mobile WiFi hotspot, send text messages via voice command, and offer emergency and location services using the Sprint 3G network.

Automobiles represent a new frontier for the wireless carriers, … Read more