Working Mac

Format Word tables to highlight your data

Kirk McElhearn — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:44:00 -0700

Take a tour of Microsoft Word's unsung table feature and learn how easy it is to make snazzy tables for your documents.

Trouble-free Mac tech support

Christopher Breen — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:31:00 -0700

It's gratifying to be the one friends, relatives, and coworkers turn to when they’re faced with Mac problems. But must they call you about every single little thing? Christopher Breen gives his three top tricks for providing tech support without going crazy.

Opinion: Acrobat.com app suite still undercooked

Michael Scalisi — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:10:00 -0700

Adobe's Acrobat.com suite of collaborative applications is out of beta. PC World's Michael Scalisi takes a look at the word processing, web conferencing, PDF creation, and file storage apps.

Switch network settings with ease

Glenn Fleishman — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:44:00 -0700

OS X's built-in Location feature lets you quickly change network settings based on where you are. Glenn Fleishman shows you how to get the most out of this feature, and how to tweak it with third-party tools.

Wolfram Alpha research secrets

Zack Stern — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:17:00 -0700

You have to think differently to begin tapping into the abilities of the Wolfram Alpha computational knowledge engine. PC World's Zack Stern offers some tips on how to get started with this new kind of comparison engine.

Exchange support coming with Snow Leopard

Robert Strohmeyer — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:11:00 -0700

In Snow Leopard, users will at last be able to use Microsoft Exchange without requiring the aid of outside software such as Entourage.

Troubleshoot your Internet connection

Glenn Fleishman — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Is your Net connection feeling poky? Are downloads taking forever? The problem could lie anywhere along the line from your Mac to your ISP. Glenn Fleishman explains how to get things back up to speed.

Gmail power tools

Gina Trapani — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:15:00 -0700

For power users, Gmail is the preferred alternative to Mail and other traditional e-mail tools. Gina Trapani praises her favorite Gmail features.

Beyond the Genius Bar

Ted Landau — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:45:00 -0700

Apple's Genius Bar is a great place to get free help when your Mac is on the blink. But what if you don't have an Apple Store in your town or you're just not ready to hop in the car? Ted Landau examines the many other options available to Mac users with computer problems.

Make the most of the Genius Bar

Ted Landau — Mon, 25 May 2009 07:12:00 -0700

Prepare in advance for a trip to Apple's Genius Bar and you’ll likely go home smiling -- with a Mac that’s working again.

When quick troubleshooting fixes fail

Ted Landau — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:29:00 -0700

When the quick fixes have bombed and the Web holds no answers, it's time to take your troubleshooting to the next level. Ted Landau shows you how to figure out where your Mac's problem lies and whether or not you have a good chance to resolve it.

Five helpful troubleshooting tools you already have

Ted Landau — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:08:00 -0700

When you need to dig deeper to find the source of a stubborn Mac problem, Apple's numerous troubleshooting utilities can help. Here are Ted Landau's favorites.

Use the Web to get help

Ted Landau — Mon, 11 May 2009 06:15:00 -0700

You've tried all the quick fixes with no luck. How can you sidestep the complicated parts of the troubleshooting process and zero in on an easy solution? Search the Web. Here's how to find the answers you seek.

In praise of Directory

John C. Welch — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:54:00 -0700

Directory is one of the hidden gems of Mac OS X Server, and if you're using Open Directory, it's a great way to facilitate better communication between employees. John Welch shows you what it can do.

Using Twitter for business information and advice

Michael Gowan — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:19:00 -0700

Twitter is handy for businesses looking to leverage social networking for promotion, but it's also a handy support tool for businesses that need help.

Nine Twitter tips for business

Jason Snell — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:44:00 -0700

Here's how to strike the right balance when using this popular service to promote your business. (Hint: don't use it to spam everyone you know.)

Six quick fixes you should never skip

Ted Landau — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Sometimes what looks like a complete computer meltdown actually has a simple solution. Here are a few tried-and-true remedies you shouldn’t forget in the rush to try more-complicated troubleshooting techniques.

Repair your startup drive

Ted Landau — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:30:00 -0700

When you try to use Apple's Disk Utility to repair your current startup drive, you'll find the First Aid feature's Repair Disk button dimmed. Here are several ways to get around the problem.

Stay oriented with the Finder's path and title bars

Kirk McElhearn — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:44:00 -0700

When you're digging through files and folders, it's easy to get confused about where you are. Two bars can help you figure out your place in the file hierarchy and offer some quick ways to move things around.

VMware Fusion bug breaches the guest-host OS wall

Rob Griffiths — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:06:00 -0700

A recently-discovered bug in VMware Fusion for the Mac would allow a guest operating system (such as Windows or Linux) to run code on OS X.

Get efficient with the Finder's sidebar

Kirk McElhearn — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:20:00 -0700

You use your Mac’s Finder windows constantly to browse your files, but have stopped to consider what the parts of these windows can do for you? Here's how to take advantage of the sidebar for launching programs and accessing files.

Quick shortcuts with the Finder's toolbar

Kirk McElhearn — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:43:00 -0700

You use your Mac's Finder windows constantly to browse your files, but have stopped to consider what the parts of these windows can do for you? Here's how to take advantage of the toolbar to trigger actions and access files and programs.

Nineteen ways to open a file

Kirk McElhearn — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 06:09:00 -0700

You may content yourself with double-clicking on files to open them, but depending on what you’re doing, there may be a quicker or more convenient option.