508-909-5961 [email protected]

Improve your new MacBook’s functionality with these tipsMacBooks are among the most in-demand devices for both work and personal use, primarily because of their user-friendly interface and robust security. They also have their sleek, minimalist design going for them. So if you’ve finally given in and bought yourself a MacBook, you’ll want to make the most of your new toy — and […]

The post Improve your new MacBook’s functionality with these tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

29 Jan, 2021 / by Complete Technology Resources / in 2021january29apple_b, apple, ios, iPad, iPhone, m1 chip, mac mini, macbook, macbook air, macbook pro, macos, settings, setup, siri, system preferences category
Improve your new MacBook’s functionality with these tips

MacBooks are among the most in-demand devices for both work and personal use, primarily because of their user-friendly interface and robust security. They also have their sleek, minimalist design going for them. So if you’ve finally given in and bought yourself a MacBook, you’ll want to make the most of your new toy — and here’s how you can do that.

Go through the basics

When you first turn on your MacBook, a setup assistant will walk you through the process of configuring your computer. The assistant will prompt you to select your country and language, as well as create a user account and Apple ID, if you don’t already have one.

You’ll also be asked if you want to enable the following services:

  • FileVault – encrypts your hard drive
  • iCloud Keychain – manages passwords and Wi-Fi credentials on Apple devices
  • Find My Mac – helps track down lost Apple devices together with the Find My app
  • Touch ID – MacBook’s built-in fingerprint reader, which can be used for signing in to the device and apps, switch users, and approve Apple Pay purchases

Check for updates

Apple releases regular updates to macOS. If a new one has been released since your MacBook was built, there’s a way to make sure you don’t miss out on the latest features and patches. Simply click the Apple icon on the upper-left corner of your screen and select System Preferences. If any updates are available, install them by clicking on Update Now or More Info to see the details about the updates.

Choose a default browser

Safari is the default browser on Apple devices, and many users prefer it over other browsers for several reasons. But if you don’t like Safari, you can easily change your default browser to Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox. Simply go to System Preferences > General and select the browser of your choice.

Configure the Dock

The Dock is used to launch and switch between applications on macOS devices. By default, it’s located at the bottom of the screen, but you can move it to the left or right by going to System Preferences > Dock. Under “Position on screen,” choose Left or Right.

You can also make room on the Dock for the apps that you frequently use. To add an app to the Dock, open it and right-click on its icon in the Dock. From the menu that appears, go to Option > Keep in Dock. To remove apps that you don’t need from the Dock, click on its icon and drag it to the desktop until “Remove” appears above the icon.

Set up Siri

Apple’s virtual assistant is enabled by default on your MacBook, but if you prefer not to use it, go to System Preferences > Siri and uncheck the box for "Enable Ask Siri." You could also switch Voice Feedback to Off if you want to mute Siri and get responses to your queries as text displayed on your screen.

If you do decide to keep Siri around, you can choose a language and voice for your assistant as well as the apps Siri can learn from and make suggestions. You can also customize a keyboard shortcut to activate Siri.

Flip the scrolling direction

By default, moving two fingers down a MacBook’s trackpad makes the view scroll down an open document or website on your screen. You can change your trackpad’s scrolling direction so that the same gesture makes the view scroll up. Go to System Preferences > Trackpad, and under the Scroll & Zoom tab, uncheck "Scroll direction: Natural."

Set your screen to lock automatically

Keep unauthorized users out of your MacBook by setting the screen to lock automatically after the system has been idle for a while. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General. Under the “Require password...after sleep or screen saver begins” option, select “immediately” from the drop-down menu.

Download and install iOS apps

The latest crop of MacBooks run on Apple’s M1 chip — this means that MacBooks and iOS devices now share the same processor architecture. This allows you to install and use compatible iOS apps on your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or Mac Mini.

To download iPhone and iPad apps onto your MacBook, go to the Mac App Store. Note that not all apps in the store are macOS-compatible, but developers are working on optimizing their apps for MacBooks, which means it may only be a matter of time before your favorite iOS apps become available for your new computer.

Got questions about your MacBook or other Apple devices? Get the answers you need and more from our experts. Give us a call today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Improve your new MacBook’s functionality with these tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More

Boost your Mac’s speed with these 5 tipsEven Macs are not immune to slowing down, but this problem is usually something you can resolve with a tweak or two. In this post, we prepared five tips to keep your Mac as speedy and efficient as you need it to be. Clean up your Login Items The Login Items list (also known as […]

The post Boost your Mac’s speed with these 5 tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

09 Nov, 2020 / by Complete Technology Resources / in 2020november9apple_b, apple, apple computers, hdd, mac, macos, operating system, ssd category
Boost your Mac’s speed with these 5 tips

Even Macs are not immune to slowing down, but this problem is usually something you can resolve with a tweak or two. In this post, we prepared five tips to keep your Mac as speedy and efficient as you need it to be.

Clean up your Login Items

The Login Items list (also known as the Startup List) contains all the apps and programs that automatically start when you log in. Having too many Login Items forces your computer to work harder at startup, slowing it down.

You can remedy this by going to System Preferences and selecting Users & Groups. Click on Login Items to see the list of the apps that open on startup. Highlight the apps you want to prevent from launching automatically and click the minus button underneath the list.

Start up in Safe Mode

Your Mac’s Safe Mode can be used to troubleshoot system-wide issues, including problems with particular apps. Booting up in Safe Mode also deletes system caches.

Cache files are temporary data stored on a hard drive to speed up various processes, such as loading websites or certain apps. Unfortunately, some of these files can become corrupted, which results in your computer slowing down. To bring back your Mac’s speed, you will need to clear the cache and delete temporary files.

Starting up in Safe Mode is easy. Just press the Power button and immediately after the computer starts, press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard. Release the key once you see the gray Apple logo and the progress indicator.

If you want to leave Safe Mode, just restart your computer. Make sure not to press any key once the machine starts up.

Upgrade to solid state drive (SSD) storage

An SSD is a disk storage system that uses interconnected flash-memory chips to store your data. It’s faster and more reliable than a hard disk drive (HDD), which stores data in a spinning magnetic disk. HDD has been around for years, but many new computers continue to use it. If your Mac uses HDD storage, upgrading to SSD will amplify its processing speed.

But before you proceed, know that SSD storage costs more than HDD. If you want the same storage capacity offered by your machine’s HDD on your SSD, be prepared to shell out some extra money. Alternatively, you can settle for a much smaller memory capacity and just upgrade to a bigger one once your budget allows it.

Free up storage space

Having too many files can reduce your Mac’s speed. To free up space, just click on the Apple logo located on the top left corner of the screen. Select About This Mac and go to the <Storage tab. Here, you will see how much free space your computer has.

If your Mac’s storage is nearing full capacity, clicking the Manage button will give you four options:

  • Store in iCloud – This offloads various content, including your files and text messages, to the cloud.
  • Optimize Storage – This optimizes the TV app storage by deleting videos you’ve already watched.
  • Empty Trash Automatically – With this option, all items that have been in Trash for 30 days will be automatically removed.
  • Reduce Clutter – This lets you see the large files stored in your computer, and allows you to delete them manually to save space.

Update to the latest macOS version

macOS updates benefit your computer’s speed in several ways. First, they contain performance enhancements that help your computer run as smoothly as possible. Second, they augment your Mac’s protection against cyberthreats, which can slow down your machine. Updates are free, so you should install them once they become available.

You can also configure your computer to install updates automatically. In System Preferences, select Software Update. Go to Automatically keep my Mac up to date and check the box.

If you’ve tried one or several of these tips and are still experiencing sluggishness, it may be time to consider other options, such as trading in your old Mac for a new one. But before you do that, let us help you explore other ways to improve the performance of your trusty machine. Get in touch with us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Boost your Mac’s speed with these 5 tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More

Myth busted: Macs are NOT immune to virusesIt is common knowledge that Windows computers tend to deal with an assortment of viruses and malware, but many people fail to realize that even Macs face similar threats. As virus creators have become more adept at finding back doors and other vulnerabilities, more and more Macs have also fallen prey to malware. Here are […]

The post Myth busted: Macs are NOT immune to viruses appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

15 Jul, 2020 / by Complete Technology Resources / in 2020july15apple_b, adware, apple, apple computers, cybercrime, imac, mac, macbook, macos, malware, ransomware, viruses category
Myth busted: Macs are NOT immune to viruses

It is common knowledge that Windows computers tend to deal with an assortment of viruses and malware, but many people fail to realize that even Macs face similar threats. As virus creators have become more adept at finding back doors and other vulnerabilities, more and more Macs have also fallen prey to malware. Here are some threats to your Mac that you should be aware of.

What are the threats that can affect your Mac?

There are several general virus types that hit Apple products, and their effects can range from merely annoying to downright destructive.

  1. Adware – Adware are unwanted programs that bombard users with pop-up advertisements. Some malicious adware piggyback spyware onto their deployment protocols, which can record your typing habits with keyloggers and keyboard sniffers, as well as monitor your browsing behavior.

  2. Sniffers – Sniffers are usually designed to detect certain words on a webpage and in a person’s typing pattern in order to trigger the keylogger. For instance, when you type your password, sniffers can activate the keylogger to copy the information you type and steal your login details.

  3. Trojan horses – Trojan horses can infect both Macs and PCs, and they are often deployed through fake software installers or unsecured updates. They parade as legitimate software that actually contains a nasty surprise once installed. A notorious Trojan horse for Macs is the MacDownloader, which attempts to steal personal data stored in Apple Keychain.

  4. Macro viruses – Macro viruses attack computers by running an executory code that could take screenshots, format hard drives, corrupt files, deliver more malware, and access webcams and mics. They are triggered when a user opens an infected macros-enabled file, hence the name.

  5. Ransomware – Macs held off ransomware for a while, but nowadays, even they can be vulnerable to it. KeRanger was one of the first big ransomware outbreaks for Macs. After remotely encrypting the computer and hibernating for three days, KeRanger would issue a .txt file containing instructions for decryption in return for one bitcoin.

    Does your Mac have a virus?

    Now that you know what kinds of viruses and malware your macOS could be affected with, here are some ways to tell if your Mac is infected with one:

  6. Pop-up ads – If you're seeing more pop-ups on your computer than usual, your computer probably infected. An unusual amount of banner ads and pop-ups may mean that your computer is due for an update and/or a virus scan.

  7. Slowness – Mac users fear one thing above all: the spinning wheel of death. This little rainbow-colored spinning cursor wheel indicates that the computer is having trouble processing at usual speeds. This slowness can often be caused by overwhelming requests from simultaneous processes — likely of dubious origin — running in the background.

  8. Browser issues – Viruses sometimes do weird things to Safari or Firefox such as change its homepage or redirect a preset landing page to a site you’ve never seen before. If your browser starts behaving oddly, crashes regularly, or is often unresponsive, your Mac might have a virus.

Computer security is a matter of importance no matter what operating system you use. Reach out to our experts for an assessment of your network today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Myth busted: Macs are NOT immune to viruses appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More