Apple’s Siri assistant in iOS is a neat addition to the iPhone and iPad, where you can use voice commands to manage content, look things up, and configure your system. In many cases, you might have Siri enabled but simply not use it regularly, and only have it on in the background to get to when you remember; however, after upgrading your iPhone, adjusting a few settings, and then moving on with your life, you might find Siri starting to announce things unexpectedly and without solicitation. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: December 2014
Radical fix: Drill holes in your Mac to make it run cooler
MacBook systems have a notorious reputation for running hot when put under heavy load, which can make them uncomfortable to handle. This is especially true with older MacBook Pro systems from 2009-2011, where in comparison to the latest models that have vents along the side, the lack of vents causes them to run hotter and have internal fans work harder to pump air over the system’s heat-sinks. If you are sick of your Mac getting too hot, then one effective approach you can take is to open it up an drill yourself some new vent holes. Continue reading
Fix buzzy or faint microphone recordings on your Mac
With the progression of audio options like iMessage audio messages and taking phone calls from iOS 8 in OS X, you might find yourself using your Mac’s microphone far more than in the past. However, there may be times when in attempting to chat with people or record audio messages, you find your recordings are either too faint and require the recipient to crank up his or her volume, or are saturated where words you say are overcome by a loud and buzzy sound. Continue reading
How to manually patch NTP for OS X 10.6 and 10.7
The recent NTP (network time protocol) security update from Apple was the first that Apple silently pushed to users, updating their systems without first notifying them of an available update and then requiring users specifically go to the App Store to install it; however, while intended for swiftly updating supported versions of OS X, this does not patch versions of OS X that are no longer supported by Apple. Continue reading
Reset LaunchPad to fix persistent empty folder bug
If you install many programs on your Mac, then in a similar way to managing Apps in iOS devices, you can click and drag the various icons in LaunchPad on top of each other to create folders containing them. With such folders created, you ought to be able to undo them by simply removing items from them and when the second to last item is removed, the folder should disappear; however, a bug exists in OS X where this may not happen, leaving you with a number of empty folders that will not disappear from your system, and may progressively clutter LaunchPad. Continue reading
Flaw in Thunderbolt ROM may allow overtaking of a Mac’s hardware
A long-standing but recently revealed security hole in the EFI boot ROM in OS X system may allow attackers to take over Apple hardware that shipped with a Thunderbolt port.
In the upcoming Chaos Communications Congress in Germany, the attack, which was found by researcher Trammell Hudson, will allow a compromised Thunderbolt device to modify the ROM of a vulnerable Mac, which then could compromise the ROM Continue reading
How to make calls in OS X Yosemite using your iPhone
One of the newer features in OS X Yosemite is the ability to make and take phone calls from your iPhone, which can come in handy if you are working at your Mac and cannot fish through your pockets or bag for your phone. This is especially useful if you use Apple’s earbuds with your Mac, where its volume and mute controls can be used with your Mac, just as they can with iOS devices. Continue reading
Prevent OS X requesting permission to delete files on external drives
If you have an external drive that you use with your Mac, and provided it is in a format that your Mac can read, then you by default should be able to access all of the files on it. However, there may be times when you are either barred from opening or accessing files or folders, or performing actions like deleting files may result in errors.
These error can include simple confirmation requests such as “Are you sure you want to delete the item“, or be full Continue reading
A fix for OS X hanging at startup, even in Safe Mode
When you start up your Mac, OS X will display a progress indicator on a background with an Apple symbol, right before loading the OS X interface. In versions of OS X prior to Yosemite this was a spinning wheel, and in Yosemite it is an iOS-like progress bar. This indicator should only display for a few moments before you see your login screen; however, if something goes wrong during startup then you might see your Mac pause either for a long time or indefinitely at this loading point. Continue reading
Fix your Mac stuck on encrypting with FileVault
Apple’s FileVault disk encryption option in OS X is a security feature that is highly recommended, especially for portable systems that can be easily stolen. The feature is easy to set up in the Security system preferences, after which the system should take up to a few hours to encrypt the drive, depending on the size and type of drive being used. This should be relatively straightforward; however, in some cases the encryption may get stuck and show a progress bar that will not advance, even after days of waiting. Continue reading