If you’ve ever needed to transfer email from a Windows PC to a Mac, you know how intensive the process is. It can take hours, and there has never been a clearly documented way to cleanly convert the email and mailbox files from Outlook Express’ format to Apple Mail’s. Dbxconv is a great and simple […]
Steve Jobs has said for some time that Apple will not support Blu-Ray, calling the licensing “a bag of hurt.” Despite how popular Blu-Ray has become since it trounced HD-DVD in the battle of the standards, Jobs claims that downloadable Internet content will eventually win out over physical media. Each format has its pros and […]
The brand new Mac App Store is a great way to discover and install fresh applications for your Mac. Though millions of MAS apps have already found their way into the docks, stacks, and folders of many OS X users, not all apps are winners. If you download a clunker, and decide that it’s not […]
Pretty much everyone has downloaded media from the iTunes store, but not too many of us know just how iTunes keeps track of computer authorization. Every device on the internet has at least two unique identifiers: a MAC address and an IP address.
MAC is an acronym for Media Access Control. Many believe that Mac, the abbreviation for Macintosh, should be written with capital letters – this is incorrect. Likewise, iPod – not iPOD or IPOD; iMac – not iMAC or IMAC; etc. Network interfaces have MAC addresses; Macintoshes can be called Macs.
Since your MAC address is completely unique, it’s the ideal way for iTunes to know that you’re authorized to play purchased content on any given machines. Trouble is, your ethernet port is part of the main logic board, which requires replacement in some repairs. With a new main logic board comes a new MAC address, which confuses iTunes and some other, generally high-end, software.
You’re allowed to authorize up to five computers at any one time to play your purchased content, but replacing your logic board changes the MAC address. If you didn’t de-authorize before repair, you’ve lost 20% of your available authorizations. I made this mistake a few years ago when I had to replace the logic board in a Mac Mini hooked up to my television, and when I sold my iBook. I also lost an authorization when my two-week-old PowerBook G4 flew off the roof of my car at highway speed. Thankfully, iTunes allows you to de-authorize all computers on your account once annually.
I only have one Machine these days, a 17-inch MacBook Pro, so this hasn’t been a problem of late for me. It’s a common question asked our technical support team, and a good fix to file in your troubleshooting arsenal.
The full details from Apple can be found here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1420
Today I’m working at the Sports and Fitness Expo for the KeyBank Vermont City Marathon and Relay. A runner inquired if it was possible to pair individual iPod nanos with individual Nike+ sensors, so that their signals wouldn’t conflict with other runners using the Nike+ system. Apple has actually posted a couple of articles about […]
If you haven’t assumed it already, I’m a bit of a nutcase when it comes to searching for stuff on my Mac. I use Spotlight every few minutes, Google like a pro, and also have little patience for locating relevant sections of websites I visit while doing research. Some websites are designed in a way […]
A few Small Dog employees use the Magic Eraser to clean the base of their personal MacBooks. It works well, and it’s faster than any other solution we’ve tried. We don’t use it on customer machines as it is slightly abrasive. We generally use Simple Green diluted in water with a barely damp cloth on […]
It’s pretty safe to say that almost all Mac users use iTunes if they have a music collection of any size. Of course, if you have an iPod or iPhone, then you must use iTunes to synchronize it. Many design paradigms stem from iTunes, including the current Finder and iPhoto. I have a gripe, though. […]
Many of our clients with large houses or outbuildings want to get maximum wireless coverage without running or burying ethernet. Apple’s AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express and Time Capsule devices make excellent wireless signal repeaters to cover large distances. If you have an existing AirPort device, you can add another to extend your network. First, run […]
One of my favorite features in Mac OS X is that certain icons themselves are a “preview” of the file’s contents. A photo’s icon is a tiny version of the photo itself, making browsing through a packed-full folder in the Finder less of a chore than it might be otherwise. A customer came in yesterday […]
