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How to Create a Bootable OSX Lion Install Disk

npetrik — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:15:19 +0000

OSX Lion is the first operating system to be offered as a full digital download. Initially Apple stated that the only way to get Lion was to download it from the Mac App store, but later decided to offer it on a bootable USB stick that you could purchase.

Although the digital download is a major step forward on how we will be getting our OSs in the future, most people (including myself) wanted an actual physical copy. Lion does create a bootable repair partition in case you need to do a re-install, but this does not solve the problem of a complete hard drive failure. Creating a bootable OSX Lion install disk also will allow you to perform a clean install in case you just want to clean out the cobwebs that may be lurking in the far reaches of your Mac. Just an important reminder that the Lion installer is tied to your Apple ID so you may want to think twice if you plan on sharing your disk with others via torrents, file sharing services, or simply friends.

Re-Downloading OSX Lion

If your like me you couldn't wait to instal Lion. After the download was complete most of us quickly clicked on the app to perform the install. Unfortunately after the OS is upgraded Lion deletes the original install app. Now when you try to re-download it from the Mac App store it is greyed out and it would seem you are not allowed to have access to it again. Fear not, because there is a way. Simply open the Mac App store, and while holding down the "option" key on your keyboard click on the purchases tab on the upper part of the screen. Now when you click on the OSX Lion app you will be able to re-download it with no problems (Don't worry you will not be charged for it again.)

Create the Bootable OSX Lion Disk

I have included some easy to follow instructions with pictures for creating your bootable Lion installer disk:

1. The first thing that you want to do is to copy the "Install Mac OSX Lion" app from your application folder to your desktop.

2. Next you want to command click or right click the "Install Mac OSX Lion" app and choose "show Contents".

3. Inside this package you want to locate the "Shared Support" folder.

4. Copy the “InstallESD.dmg” file to your Desktop.

5. Next open Disk Utility.

6. Click on the Burn Tap in the upper part of Disk Utility and select the “InstallESD.dmg” file that you previously copied to your desktop.

7. Insert a blank DVD and Disk Utility will burn Lion to a bootable DVD.

8. When Disk Utility is done you should have a bootable OSX Lion DVD ready to go. This is what the contents of your DVD should look like.

So there is! See, there is not much to it when it comes to creating a bootable OSX Lion disk. Hopefully these easy to follow steps will help you save a few dollars.

Cleaning your MacBook

npetrik — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:41:49 +0000

You have finally decided to get that shiny new Mac. Everything is so pristine, polished, and shiny. At first you are ever so gentle with your new mac relationship. As time goes by though that extra attention you gave starts to dwindle. No longer do you wipe every little smudge that appears on the screen the instant it appears. Before you know it your MacBook (that hopefully you where able to save some money on) starts to look a little dingy.

Thankfully we here at MacBookWatch can offer up some simple to follow ways to keep that MacBook looking fantastic.

When cleaning the outside of your Macbook, be sure to power off the computer, and unplug the mag-safe power adapter. If you own a MacBook or MacBook Pro with removable battery then be sure to remove the battery. You should use a soft, lint-free cloth that is slightly dampened to polish the outside of your MacBook, making sure to be careful that no moisture gets into any of the openings. Never use any type of aerosol or spray type of cleaner. This same technique can also be used to clean the Macbook display.

Below are some cheap cleaning supplies to keep that MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air looking as great as the day you first met.

Laptop LCD Monitor Plasma Screen Cleaning Kit Cleaner
US $.99

MINI USB VACUUM KEYBOARD CLEANER for PC LAPTOP 9797
US $1.98

MINI USB Vacuum Keyboard Cleaner for PC Laptop Computer
US $.99

Blue Camera Laptop Watch Dust Blower Cleaner Air Pump
US $.02

New MINI USB VACUUM KEYBOARD CLEANER PC LAPTOP COMPUTER
US $.01

iPad Unboxing

npetrik — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 02:30:03 +0000

CNET's Natali Del Conti gives an unboxing of the just released Apple iPad. For those of you who aren't familiar with an Apple unboxing video, it is something that Apple fans do when a new product is released. If you are an Apple fan then tell us why unboxing videos are so popular in the comment section below.

Online Mac Games

npetrik — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:02:23 +0000

Click image for more details

GameHouse has just extended their free trial from 7 days to an unbelievable 30 day pass!

Benefits of GameHouse:

Get a FREE game with FunTicket free trial!
Get a FREE game each month with your FunTicket Membership
Unlimited game play of over 900 games with FunPass subscription

You can Choose a FREE game from 900+ titles with FunTicket! and the games are your even if you decide to cancel!

If your looking for online Mac games then be sure to check out this amazing offer.

First iPad CommercialA

npetrik — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:21:51 +0000

Apple released their first iPad commercial during the first break of the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. The commercial showed a person going through the different features that will be available on April 3rd. Each application went by in the blink of an eye but from what we were able to see it looks amazing.

You can view the original ad at Apple.com

Apple has finally come through with a cheap alternative to the popular Macbook with a price point starting at $499. You can be sure that when Apple releases the 2nd gen model that we will be listing cheap iPads in the near future.

What about the Fujitsu iPad?

npetrik — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 06:49:07 +0000

On December 15, 2003 Staples signed a wireless deal with Fujitsu Transactions Solutions Inc to supply their 1491 Staples retail stores with the Fujitsu iPAD. The iPAD includes some of the latest technology to bring the cash register to associates on the sales floor. Staples analyzed the bottlenecks that could occur at the checkout lines and instead of following the lead of other retail chains who implemented self service check out, Staples decided to utilize associates on the sales floor who could assist customer from anywhere in the store. To accomplish this task Staples would need to provide a solution that was portable, wireless and easy to use.

Whose going to win the rights to the iPad name?

The Fujitsu iPAD solved these obstacles by including built in 802.11 B/G wireless with speeds up to 54 Mpbs that allows associates access to inventory, corporate data as well as access to the Staples.com website. The wireless capabilities also help with customer service by providing associates with tip on how to answer typical questions or problems that may occur on the sales floor. Bluetooth v1.2 is also built into the iPAD to communicate with other Bluetooth enables devices such as printers. This allows associates to print out documents or receipts to the customer without having to enter it into a computer station.

The iPad can also be used as a barcode scanner to input the purchase price and complete the transaction or just provide customers with the current price or sale price if it is not clearly marked. It also had a credit card reader built into the top that can be used to swipe a credit card and perform an on the spot check out.

Voice Over Internet Protocol or VOIP is built into the iPAD to allow associates to make low cost phone calls or page other associates or managers within the store. VOIP is a technology that allows voice communications over the internet and typically is less expensive than traditional land lines or cellular plans.

Other technologies that have become popular in the past few years in personal devices such as the iPhone is touch screen. Although the iPAD does have a physical keyboard like a cell phone would have it also has a touch screen interface that an associate can use to interact with menus with the touch of a finger

The last thing to mention needs to be that because the iPAD is a portable device it needs to have long lasting battery life. The iPAD comes with an 1800mAh Lithium-ion battery. Lithium- ion batteries unlike older battery types can be charged at anytime without being affected by memory. They are also popular for low loss of charge when not in use.

Apple reveals it’s Newest Creation-The iPad

npetrik — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:10:50 +0000

Apple's Newest Creation-The iPad

On January 27th Steve Jobs took the stage to unveil Apple's newest creation, the iPad. Weighing in at a mere 1.5 pounds it is lighter than any netbook on the market today. The iPad has a 9.7 inch display and sports a 1 GHz Apple built ARM A4 processor.

When showing the iPad to the crowd Jobs was quoted as saying "It looks like our leak!". The iPad can run all iPhone applications in full screen with a tap of the finger. Movies will be a dream to watch on it as the battery has a 10 hour battery life for watching video and an amazing one month standby time. The iPad's internal storage will come with a 16GB or 64GB flash storage.

Here are the full specifications:

9.7 inch IPS display
0.5 inches thin
1.5 pounds
Full capacitive multi-touch interface
16-64GB of Flash memory storage
1 GHz Apple-branded A4 chip (developed in-house)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
802.11n WiFi
Built-in Speaker
Built-in Microphone
Accelerometer & Compass
30-pin Dock connector (same as iPod and iPhone)
10-hours of battery life (Over one month standby time)
Runs all iPhone apps
App Store application included

iSlate January 27, 2010

npetrik — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 05:05:28 +0000

the rumored "iSlate"

On a report from Reuters there are rumors that Apple's highly anticipated tablet computer is already in the manufacturing stage and the production of the touchscreen device's casing will be in aluminum.

With the upcoming Apple event scheduled for January 27, 2010 the Apple Tablet rumor mill is in high gear. Many think the device will be named the "iSlate" but with the announcement of the hp Slate recently it is hard to tell if Apple would still use any name that involved "slate" in the title. Other rumored names are the iTablet, iPad, and macbook touch.

Used Macbooks for Christmas

npetrik — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:11:13 +0000

The Christmas season is upon us! Perhaps you or a loved one has had their eye on a Macbook this Holiday but don't want to spend full retail on a new one.

Buying a used Macbook may just be the solution you are looking for. You can find some great deals year round and especially around the Holidays as people buy new Macbooks and are wanting to sell their Macbook for cheap.

One of the best places to pick up a used Macbook is on eBay. You can find cheap Macbooks on sale all the time and purchase with confidence.

Looking for a cheap Aluminum 13" Macbook pro? How about a cheap Macbook Pro? Perhaps you want the portability of a Macbook Air or go all out and get a cheap 17" Macbook? Below are just a sample of the great deals you can find on eBay for cheap used Macbooks this Holiday season.

Apple MacBook 133 Black Laptop
US $400.00

Macbook 13 unibody 2GHz 4GB 400GB Snow Leopard Adobe CS 5 Office
US $899.00

Apple MacBook 133 Laptop Customized
US $285.00

Apple MacBook 133 Core 2 Duo 213Ghz 2GB mem 160GB hd DVD\RW
US $350.00

24 Ghz Core 2 Duo Apple MacBook 133 Mac Laptop Notebook Computer WiFi DVDRW
US $519.95

Apple MacBook 133 Laptop MC240LL A May 2009
US $325.20

Apple MacBook 133 Laptop MB467LL A October 2008
US $200.99

Apple MacBook 133 Laptop May 2006 Customized
US $280.00

Apple MacBook 133 Laptop MB4100C1B00 2008
US $442.50

The Cheap Macbook gets an update

npetrik — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:09:40 +0000

Last Fall Apple released the Aluminum Unibody Macbook and left the low end white cheap Macbook wanting. This year Apple decided to revamp the entry level laptop by redesigning the shell using the same technology that made the Aluminum Unibody Macbooks a success.

Included with the new unibody construction is the following:

the thinner, lighter, more rigid construction
a new built-in battery that lasts much longer
the removal of all flaps and levers and covers (it now takes a screwdriver to open the back panel)
a new multitouch glass trackpad
new Mini DisplayPort video output (rather than mini-DVI)
combined audio input and output ports (rather than separate audio in and out jacks)

Although we had hoped for a lower price point it seems Apple is content with the $999 price-tag.

Macmall has a lower starting price and sometimes includes a MacMall Preferred Account: No Payments for 6 Months on purchases over $500. BillMeLater: No Payments for 90 Days on purchases
of $250.