tweaks

iOS 6 became available for download today, and if you want to get up to speed on what exactly is included with the update, check out my review here. Some of the major highlights are the completely redesigned Maps app, upgrades to Siri, and several other new features. But with iOS 6 there are more than 200 new features, and clearly I couldn't cover them all in my review.

Part of what makes this update a must-have for Apple's mobile devices are the numerous smaller tweaks that make using your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch easier. I'm … Read more

If you're not already a pro at using the command line, OnyX is a solid choice for conducting routine maintenance and tweaking the interface on your Mac. This free utility shares much of the functionality of applications like Cocktail (which its help files suspiciously resemble), and it can help you with everything from checking SMART status on your disks to configuring the Dock, Finder, and Dashboard and Expose to your liking.

OnyX can even help you run Unix utilities, change your desktop to an animated background, and unlock hidden functions in apps like Safari and iTunes. As with all … Read more

If you happen to be a Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 user, you can implement tweaks to system areas and applications such as Windows, Internet Explorer, and Windows Media Player by using a single tool. Tweak Me from Wecode is a very easy-to-use, free tool that provides options for tweaking these areas and improving your computer's overall performance.

Tweak Me requires no installation, but it does require Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 or higher. You simply run the program, choose your preferred language, go over the list of tweaks, and tick those that you want to apply. … Read more

Apple has publicly released two updates today, one a tweaked version of iOS 5.0.1 for iPhone 4S users and the other an update to Apple TV, now version 4.4.4.

The version of iOS 5.0.1 for iPhone 4S users is build 9A406 and does not have any listed changes from the version of iOS 5.0.1, which was released last month in an attempt to solve battery life issues many people had been complaining about.

According to iDownloadBlog.com, this new update now includes decrypted RAM disks, which essentially means that users can write … Read more

TweakNow's WinSecret bundles a lot of system tweaks and tools into one easy-to-use interface. It helps people who don't feel comfortable editing the registry take advantage of some of the great performance and stability tweaks inside Windows without having to use RegEdit or system consoles. It also includes system cleaners, a startup manager, and an uninstaller.

WinSecret's tabbed interface is attractive, yet it avoids the overdesigned look of many similar tools. It opened on the Quick Optimizer tab, which listed a variety of quick tweaks like cleaning temporary files and compacting browser database files. We simply had … Read more

I wasn't expecting much from the Hifiman Express HM-101; it's just a $39 outboard USB digital-to-analog converter and headphone amplifier. Well, this tiny USB-powered (it doesn't need batteries or an AC power supply) device definitely pumped up the sound of my Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones! They sounded significantly better with the Express than they did plugged directly into my Mac Mini's headphone jack. Sure, the Mac's sound is perfectly acceptable--until you compare it to something better.

The Express is a lot better.

Before we go any further, the Express isn't just for headphones, it also has a line-out 3.5mm jack you can run to a set of desktop-powered speakers, like myAudioengine 2s. DAC resolution isn't specified, but it's probably 16-bit/48-kHz.

Switching over from the computer's headphone jack to the Express, the first thing I noticed was that the Express could play a lot louder. That's great, but when playing drummer Ginger Baker's "Going Back Home" CD at equal volume levels from the computer and the Express, the Express unleashed more of the drummer's hard-hitting dynamics. The computer squashed his sound, especially Baker's mighty bass drum. Wow, the little thing delivers. If anything, the Express errs on the side of too much bass fullness, which isn't such a bad thing.… Read more

Cocktail is both useful and fun for inveterate Mac tinkerers and would-be power users (that is, power users who aren't hard-core enough to use the command line).

This multipurpose utility can help you keep your computer happy and healthy, giving you access to scores of tweaks and optimizations pulled together from various utilities, preferences, third-party hacks, and command-line tools. Cocktail can help you with routine maintenance and customization across your disks, system, files, network, and interface. Cocktail is organized around these five areas, with highly customizable options for everything from clearing caches and repairing permissions to changing the appearance … Read more

The rap on AOL used to be that it was "the Internet on training wheels," yet many solid Netizens cut their i-teeth on its superfriendly apps. AOL Computer Checkup Lite continues AOL's tradition of making things as easy as possible for inexperienced users, with an ultrasimple interface asking simple questions about your PC experience. Not to worry; it doesn't actually do anything but make recommendations about your system's health. That's when you should start to worry.

AOL's interface consists of four check boxes and a Scan button. The boxes are associated with questions, … Read more

We know, there are some things about OS X Lion you just hate. We feel the same way. Major changes in the tech we use daily are not always welcomed, and the transition hardly ever goes smooth or in a timely manner.

Thankfully, 9to5Mac has pointed out that some creative developers have put together a one-click solution for those who aren't comfortable cracking open Terminal and changing system level settings, the app is called Lion Tweaks. 

… Read more