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2012 Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Your Tech Buff Sweetheart

macfunia — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:30:04 +0000

Every year Valentine’s Day rolls around and with it the ultimate question is begged “What on Earth should I get my significant other?” Well if your wife, girlfriend, mother, or “main gal” just so happens to be a tech buff, following are several useful Valentine’s Day ideas that are sure to be smash hit for the year 2012. This Valentine’s Day shower your tech savvy sweetheart with the most amazing and ideal gizmos and gadget!

Apple iPad

One of the greatest tech inventions of this century would be the Apple iPad . Armed with an iPad, your loved one can stay connected while on the road. From surfing the Web, checking e-mail, watching videos, and listening to music, the iPad does it all. Extremely with the free engraving greetings, the iPad fits easily into a backpack or tote. Apple iPad prices starts at $499.

Camcorder

If your Tech loving valentine already has a ‘digi cam’ then you can always go for a camcorder. Let this Valentine’s Day and all the coming Valentine’s Day be frozen so you and your tech loving honey can re-watch it together again and again! One of the best available camcorder in the market is the Canon VIXIA HF M30 Full HD Camcorder W/8GB Flash ($599).

Kinect

Gaming technology took a very awesome turn in 2010 when Microsoft announced the Xbox Kinect for the Xbox 360 console – the first fully interactive controller-less gaming device. The Xbox Kinect uses your body as a controller and is the perfect gaming gift for casual gamers and those looking for the latest and greatest tech gadgets.

iPod

You can never go wrong by gifting your tech savvy valentine with an iPod nano (8GB $149/ 16GB$179) in their favorite color. Now they can listen to endless tunes and enjoy every little feature of the iPod nano thanks to you! Another great device to listen to music is the Sony Walkman NWZ-B153 ($47.68). Show your tech loving valentine how much you care about him or her by adding their all-time favorite romantic numbers.

DVD to iPad Ripping software

For movie fans with big DVD libraries, these programs can help them convert DVDs into iPad-compatible video files. There are many programs such as Handbrake and iFunia DVD to iPad converter that do this, ranging from free to those that cost $20-$40. They vary in output quality, so try a free download or read reviews before buying.

GPS Navigation system

This will be the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day and any other occasion! If directions are not a strong key point while your partner is driving, you can come to their rescue and give the Garmin GPS 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator(priced at $535.99) as a Valentine’s Day gift. The Garmin nüvi 275/275T 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic (costs $139.99) is also highly recommended and is very helpful.

Hope these Tech Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas will be helpful while you look for gifts this Valentine’s Day. Any gift presented with plenty of love will be received with plenty of gratitude. So go ahead and make your tech loving Valentine’s Day!

3 Tips and Tricks for Using AirDrop on Mac OS X Lion

macfunia — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 10:49:58 +0000

AirDrop is one of the most helpful features in the new Mac OS X Lion. AirDrop allows you to wirelessly and simply transfer files between nearby Macs, running Lion, and actually does not require users to be on the same WiFi network. Want to get the most out of this new feature-packed utility on your Mac OS X Lion read our tips below.

1. No Network Required

Since AirDrop generates a wireless ad-hoc network to connect to WiFi is not required – just run the Finder and your Mac will begin searching for devices that are compatible with AirDrop. This is not supported in all Mac models though.

2. Send Multiple Files

By selecting and dragging multiple files to a single user icon in AirDrop, you will be able to send multiple files without the need to compress them into a single file.

3. Queue Up Transfers

AirDrop allows you to adjust the order of sending, just drag the icons of files on the image of the user to whom you want to pass in the first place, and then do the same with the other recipients in the correct sequence. AirDrop will send the things in the given order.

How to Encode Media Files In Mac OS X Lion?

macfunia — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:26:21 +0000

One of the many understated features in Mac OS X Lion is the ability to natively encode video files directly in OS X Lion’s Finder – without any additional downloads or add-ons. The Encode Media action makes the encoding of video content an easy process, all you need to do is simply encode the file in question to a series five different options and settings which include 480p, 720p, 1080p, Audio Only and Apple Pro Res. Read the full article.

Most Frequently Asked Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion” Q&As

macfunia — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 09:31:04 +0000

At long last, Lion is available, and just like the previous versions of the Mac OS, big changes produce big questions: Is it worth it? What are the best reasons to upgrade? How can you get it? We’ve spent some time going over what Apple has disclosed about the Mac OS X update, and we’re ready to answer those questions—along with any others you might have about Lion.

Q: Why should I upgrade to OS X Lion?
A: The decision to upgrade depends upon your needs and the current software packages you are running. Lion adds several new features and provides increased security and stability. In the process several legacy software items, including anything that requires Rosetta to operate, will no longer be supported. Before deciding to upgrade be sure to check any essential software you may have for compatibility with Lion.

Q: How to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion
A: Go to Mac App Store and click on Upgrade Now, buy it in $29.99. Then, Download the Mac OS X Lion, follow few on-screen instructions …and You are Done! Really? yes..it is so easy! Have Fun!

Q: I bought a Mac recently. Do I get a discount to buy Lion?
A. Yes. The Mac OS X Lion Up-To-Date upgrade is available at no additional charge via the Mac App Store to customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorised Reseller:

between 6th June 2011 and 20th July 2011. Such buyers must request their Up-To-Date upgrade by the 19th August 2011.
on or after the 21st July 2011. Such buyers must request their Up-To-Date upgrade by the 19th August 2011.

Q. How many computers can I install Lion on?
A. Consumers – you can purchase once and install Lion on as many supported Macs as you own that are authorised with your Mac App Store ID.
A. Businesses, commercial, education and/or site licence users – You can install Lion on as many computers as you have licensed the software for installation on but business/commercial users must purchase a minimum of 20 licenses and for Education users there is a minimum purchase of 25 licenses.

Q. In our family/household the different Macs have different iTunes / App Store accounts on them. Do I have to buy Lion multiple times?
A. No. You can have more than one iTunes / App Store authorisation on a single machine. Use one of the iTunes / App Store accounts to authorise each computer in the family/household in turn to download and install Lion (in the App Store application click on the “Purchases” tab). However, please note that you will need to download Lion on each computer (at 3.7GB in size each time) to install or you will need to obtain the Mac OS X Lion Disc Image.
NOTE: App Store authorisations (for consumers) are different to iTunes authorisations. App Store authorisations are unlimited whereas the iTunes authorisation limit is 5 (soon to be 10 once iCloud launches).

Q. Which Macs are compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion”? Which Macs are not compatible? Can incompatible Macs be “hacked” or upgraded to run Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion”?
A. Lion requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and a minimum of 2GB of RAM. You can check whether you have a compatible Mac by going to Apple menu > About This Mac and checking the information listed for “Processor”, “Memory” and Mac OS X “Version”. You can also see the Mac OS X Lion minimum system requirements here.

Q. My Mac has the correct type of processor but I don’t have enough RAM. What can I do?
A. All the supported Macs can run at least 2GB of RAM so all you need to do is upgrade your RAM to at least 2GB. Most Macs usually only have two memory slots so it is best to upgrade to as much RAM as you can afford the first time. If your Mac supports 4GB or 8GB then upgrade to the maximum.

Mac OS X Lion Minimum System Requirements

macfunia — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:14:37 +0000

Apple‘s latest version of the Mac OS X operating system is 10.7, known as Lion. This post explores the minimum hardware and software requirements for the latest version of Mac OS X Lion. Does your existing Mac have what it takes to run Mac OS X Lion? Well here are the system requirements according to the Apple press release.

Mac OS X Lion General System Requirements
Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon processor

2GB of memory

OS X v10.6.6 or later (v10.6.8 recommended)

7GB of available space

Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.

Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply.

Compare that to Snow Leopard requirements:

•Mac computer with an Intel processor

•1GB of memory

•5GB of available disk space

That’s it. The hardware requirements are surprisingly basic, but that’s good news, The biggest difference is the 2GB in RAM. So if you’ve bought a Mac computer within the last 2-3 years then Lion should be an easy upgrade. Of course, if it’s getting that old there’s no shame in jumping up to the Thunderbolt equipped MacBook Pro or iMac.

How to Play AVI or WMV on Mac OS X Lion

macfunia — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:13:08 +0000

Last week, Apple released its new version of Mac OS X “Lion”, and as per usual, many Mac users, who upgraded their Mac to OS X Lion 10.7, have figured out that QuickTime cannot recognize their AVI or WMV videos which used to be played smoothly in QuickTime. If you want to play WMV or AVI videos on Mac OS X Lion you can convert the WMV or AVI videos to QuickTime MOV on Mac OS X Lion with iFunia Video Converter for Mac. Which can help you convert your WMV or AVI files to QuickTime format or any other popular file formats like MP4, WMV, MOV, FLV etc. Read the full tutorials here

Burn The Mac App Store Version of OS X Lion to a DVD

macfunia — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:20:53 +0000

We’re liking the looks of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, but it’s a little annoying that you can only get it through the Mac App Store and it is too large to download, so how to crate Mac OS X Lion Bootable DVD? In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to burn an image of OS X Lion on a DVD and install it seamlessly just like Snow Leopard on all of your Macs.

Here’s what you will need:

Access to the Mac App Store with a working Apple ID to buy OS X Lion.
A Mac with a DVD burner.
An empty writeable DVD disc.
Once you have all the things listed above, you’re all set to begin!

Step 1: Purchase and download a legit copy of OS X Lion from the Mac App Store.

Step 2: Once you are done with downloading OS X Lion, hunt down the Lion installer, right-click on it and then click on “Show Package Contents”.

Step 3: Now head over to the “Contents” folder, navigate inside “Shared Support”, and over there you’re going to find a dmg file labeled “InstallESD.dmg”.

Step 4: Copy the “InstallESD.dmg” file to your desktop for your convenience.

Step 5: At this point you’re all set to burn Lion on an empty DVD. Fire up “Disk Utility” and click on the “Burn” option, it should be in the top menu, in case you’re unable to find it.

Step 6: “Disk Utility” will now ask you what you want to burn, simply direct it to the “InstallESD.dmg” file which you placed on your desktop in step 4.

Step 7: Toss in a blank writeable DVD inside your Mac’s DVD burner and let it burn.

Step 8: That’s it, you’re all set now with your very own OS X Lion disk which is ready to be installed on all of your authorized Macs in your crib.

How to Rip DVD on Mac OS X Lion?

macfunia — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 09:01:25 +0000

Apple’s newest iteration of their desktop operating system is coming in July, but we’ve been playing around with the developer preview to see some of the new features coming to Mac OS X. It turns out, however, that there’s a pretty easy way to Rip DVD to all sorts of video and audio formats on Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. This process requires a couple of things: first, that you’ve got a copy of OS X Lion, and second, you need to Download and Launch iFunia DVD Ripper for Mac . If you are, this should be pretty easy. Just follow the steps below.

Should I buy an unlocked iPhone or remain indentured?

macfunia — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:06:32 +0000

Apple has finally started selling unlocked iPhone 4s in its US stores, which means that the popular smartphone meaning can now be used on any GSM network in the world. And is free to be used on any carrier on the same wireless frequency, all you need to do is swap out the SIM card. You could use an unlocked iPhone on AT&T or T-Mobile in the US, and on a variety of carriers should you be traveling elsewhere in the world.

The question is: should you buy an unlocked iPhone? Is it worth it? Here we have put together a quick FAQ with everything you need to know about the unlocked iPhone. Should you buy it? Which carriers does it work on? How does it work?

What does “unlocked” mean?
An unlocked iPhone is a GSM-compatible iPhone that is not contractually tied to any specific wireless carrier and can be used on any compatible GSM network.GSM is the standard used in most countries, and includes AT&T and T-Mobile here in the United States.

What is the difference between factory unlocked, software unlocked and jailbroken iphone?
Factory unlocked means the phone was never locked and left the factory (Apple) unlocked. It is an OFFICIALLY unlocked apple product, and is usually sold by official resellers/telcom companies. And the warranty and “stuff” is 100% enforceable and honored. Since its officially unlocked it can be updated whenever you need.

A jailbroken one is an iPhone that was locked, and the store or supplier OPENED the box, took it out, and “Hacked” it to be unlocked. It is not sold by any official channels, and has NO warranty. You also cant update it (If you do it will be come locked again)

A software unlocked phone can be used by any cell provider, but doesnt add the modification functionality of jailbreaking.

What carriers can you use with the unlocked iPhone?
For right now, AT&T is a given for full iPhone compatibility. You can sign up for an AT&T plan with no term commitment with an unlocked unit, meaning that frequent travelers now have at least one officially-sanctioned option for temporary service; simply cancel your plan at the end of the month, and re-up on your next trip. AT&T spokesman Seth Bloom ecplains as below:

You can, of course, buy an unlocked iPhone from Apple and use it on the AT&T network. If you do, there’s no term commitment – and customers may choose any current voice and data plan. AT&T offers data plans starting as low as $15 per month for 250 MB of data. (You do still need to have both a voice and data plan.)

Can I unlock my AT&T iPhone 4 when I am out of contract?
AT&T’s website says: “iPhone cannot be unlocked, even if you are out of contract.” We have contacted AT&T for more details in case this information has changed.

How much is the unlocked iPhone
The 16 GB unlocked iPhone costs $649. The 32 GB unlocked iPhone costs $749. Both are available in black or white.

Why is the unlocked iPhone 4 so much more expensive?
Wireless carriers like Verizon and AT&T subsidize the cost of these devices. The monthly service fees more than make up for the carriers’extra cost.

What can I do with the unlocked iPhone that I can’t do with a Verizon or AT&T iPhone 4?
Because the unlocked iPhone 4 is not subsidized by any carrier and not bound by a contract, you can cancel your wireless plan at any time without a fee. This is ideal for the frequent traveler who needs the flexibility to change wireless plans.

So is it worth it to buy an unlocked iPhone 4?
That really depends on how you’ll use it.
It’s great that Apple’s offering an unlocked option for those who need it, but for most of us we can just stick with the usual. If you’re a frequent international traveler or split your time between the United States and a residence in another country and would like to use a local service plan there, then the unlocked iPhone 4 could be right for you. But if you don’t leave the country much, it probably doesn’t make financial sense.

Price Drop Apps: Happy Father’s Day!

macfunia — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 08:58:57 +0000

Happy Father’s Day to everyone out there. We know, we know, you were spending so much time looking for that perfect gift for dad (i.e., tie), If you’re getting Dear Dad an iPhone or iPad — or if he already has one — treat him to one of these discounted apps. We realize that every Dad is unique, but certain things tend to unite them all on a basic level. You know: golf, grilling, gadgets, beer, etc. If Dad has, or is getting, an iOS device any of the following apps will make a great Father’s Day surprise! We promise we won’t tell that you saved a few bucks. With all the crazy sales going on, you can get him two or three.

Top 1: Camera +

If Dad’s a budding photog, hook him up with the definitive iOS camera app this weekend. Boasting a slick interface and a seemingly limitless level of customization and control options, the app maintains a DSLR like air while offering non-intimidating, novice friendly controls. While the app offers several exclusive features, independent exposure and focus controls and flashlight on iPhone 4 especially stand out. Additionally Camera+ offers an onboard image stabilizer, viewfinder grid, and a high quality 6x zoom. In addition to features for capturing the perfect image, Camera+ offers more post production options than some exclusively editing based apps.

Purchase Camera $0.99

Top 2: Netflix

Another perfect Father’s Day gift for those who’ve waited until the last minute is a Netflix subscription. With a wide range of offerings available, there’s a plan to fit every budget. Among the most economical—and high-tech—is the streaming only option. Allowing Dad to stream from Netflix’s giant library of ‘Watch Instantly’ titles on a variety of devices, the service pairs especially well with the official Netflix app for iOS.

Download Netflix – FREE

Top 3: iPad Video Converter

For a video-lover dad with big DVD libraries and video collections, if the video are compatible with iPad, dad can easily sync the video to iPad for on-the-go video entermainment. Since not all video formats work with the iPad, he need to convert video so it works. DVD to iPad Converter and iPad Video Converter software can help him convert DVDs and any video into iPad compatible video files. They solves the fundamental problem faced by amateur videographers everywhere – how to quickly and easily transfer video footage to iPad device. These products dramatically simplifies conversion between most widespread video formats and comes with ready-made presets for iPad.

Download DVD to iPad Converter and iPad Video Converter