Master Your Mac

Switching from Windows to OS X has a pretty easy learning curve when picking up the basics. Most switchers seem to pick up those OS X  basics with ease, but there are SO many more advanced features that go untouched by the majority of users.

Master Your Mac bridges the gap nicely between the basics and the more advanced features of OS X. It’s certainly not an OS X manual/bible delivering details on every feature. Master Your Mac is more of a stepping stone to some features and applications a basic user is probably unaware of. Chapters include Automation, Security and Troubleshooting among others.

Many of the books tips require the download and often purchase of a third party application. This is my only real complaint, but I think thats more of my personal taste than anything. It certainly does a good job of highlighting third party tools that do a good job. I just prefer a more purist OS X experience.

Disclaimer: Promotional copy was furnished by the publisher.

 

Tamagotchi Resurrected

TamagotchiTamagotchi App

Bandai recently announced the launch of their “big in the 90′s” virtual pet known as Tamagotchi, as an Android and iOS app.

I  understand why the virtual pet devices were big in the late 90′s, but in the current day and age of mobile gaming, I just don’t think it’s a big deal. Maybe the retro vibe will keep the original owners happy, but I doubt a new crowd of youngsters will care.

When the app is available later this week, grab a copy and let us know what you think.

 

Hawken – BETA Key Giveaway

Anyone looking for some kick ass, giant mech on mech action? Hawken is described as an up-to-date mech battle arena style game with a gritty visual. The release scheduled for this coming December is set to be a free-to-play model, so keep your cash in your pocket!

Hawken Screen

 

In the meantime developer Adhesive Games are running an invite only BETA and we have an extra invite to give away.  To win just leave a comment below and I will choose a winner at random.

Check out the below video for a taste of the action!

PDF Editing for Beginners

Add images and text

Because a PDF is a finished and rendered file, it is possible to split into sections or add additional information or images on top of the existing content. This could be the best way to use a PDF if you have a simple report that you want to make notes on, for example.

Conversion tools

To edit the contents of a PDF you need to convert the file into another format, which will allow you to make changes to it. There are a range of conversion programs around, and prices start from about £60 for professionally approved software.

Advanced PDF editors

The kind of program that you need will depend on the type of editing you want to do; as you would expect, the more advanced programs are slightly more expensive. A professional piece of software will allow you to edit text, create or move images, and even translate PDFs into another language. This kind of program is probably more suitable for companies that receive PDFs on a regular basis, or create PDF documents such as weekly newsletters and reports.

Eliminate text flow issues

Even if you want to do simple text editing within a PDF, you will come across the problem of ‘text flow’. This is concerned with the arrangement of the text (i.e. in paragraphs and with line spacing). Copying and pasting text from a PDF into a Word document interferes with the text flow, and leaves you with a significant amount of work to do just to get the format correct again.

Using the right PDF editing tool is the simplest and quickest way to achieve the editing results that you’re after.

Top Ten Novelty Phones

The variety of phones today is staggering: iPhones, the Samsung Galaxy, red telephone boxes and cordless phones… But here are ten novelty phones that capture the imagination of users everywhere:

Elvis Phone

Though ‘The King’ might not be able to call you himself, you can rock while you call your friends with an Elvis inspired telephone.

Robot Telephone (Pictured)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexkerhead/3119156213/

They say that Star Wars fans will buy anything. They may be right. But try taking one look at this mini phone and tell me you don’t want one!R2-D2 Novelty Telephone

Burger Phone

Popularised by the hit movie Juno, the burger phone is a fat free way to order your takeaways.

Beer Bottle Telephone

It’s not advisable to make calls when you’re under the influence, nor is it advisable to try and drink a telephone. But if you can steer clear of those two mishaps, this could be the phone for you.

Lip Phone

Maybe it would make a little more sense if this phone were ear shaped, given that you are talking directly into it, but seeing as the voice from the other end will come out of it, there’s at least some sense in the lip phone.

Stiletto Telephone

Only glamour pusses need apply for this telephone. You would possibly expect to find these featured on The Only Way Is Essex but if you want to bring some razzle-dazzle into your front room, then grab this phone before it wanders off.

Garfield Home Phone

One for the lazy types amongst us (or maybe just those of us who like lasagne), the Garfield phone is good fun, if not overly practical.

Skull Shaped Telephone

With Halloween just a few weeks away, it might be time to get yourself a skull shaped telephone. Genuinely terrifying!

 

TARDIS Telephone (pictured)

We end our round up with the only phone that is actually phone inspired. Doctor Who famously travels through time and space using an old telephone box and now you can too. Well, not quite, but you can at least make calls from it, which is something the Doctor rarely does.