How to Fix Wallpaper on iOS 7

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wallaxIf you’ve ever tried to change your wallpaper in iOS 7, you know it can be extremely frustrating. Prior versions of iOS allowed users to pinch and zoom images as they wished, even if it resulted in lower image quality. However, iOS 7 only seems to want to position a background image one way, and no matter how hard you try, no matter how much you pinch or zoom, it just won’t cooperate.

I suspect that this has to do with iOS trying to find a happy medium between portrait mode and landscape mode, so it goes with what it thinks is the best compromise resolution-wise between portrait and landscape. Using the correct sized wallpaper should help minimize or alleviate the problem (which range from 2048 x 1536 to 960 x 640 depending on your iDevice) – but that’s awfully tedious. Thanks, but no thanks.

The Mac Lawyer iPad miniFortunately, there’s an App for that, as Wallax from OneSimpleApp ($0.99) resolves all of your wallpaper headaches. This app enables you to instantly crop and save images to the correct resolution, and it allows you to include effects like blur, focus, etc. if you desire. In just a few seconds, you can customize your a photo to create exactly what you want, export the image to your Camera Roll, and apply it as your perfect wallpaper.

I used it myself to create my Johnny Cash themed background (at right). If you ever want to fix wallpaper on iOS 7, Wallax works as advertised, and I highly recommend it.

Source: “Why Your Wallpapers Look Messed Up on iOS 7, and How to Fix Them!” by Allyson Kazmucha, published at iMore.

How to Clean Your (Disgusting) Cell Phones and Tablets

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cleaningWe have all come to rely on our various cell phones and tablets for everything from staying in touch with those we love to giving us directions and keeping track of our grocery lists, not to mention the occasional games we play. Therefore, it’s no wonder that recent studies have shown our devices are well… disgusting!

One study found that at least 23% of viruses are transferred between tablet devices and our hands while another found that one in six cell phones carried traces of – wait for it – fecal matter. Maybe ‘disgusting’ isn’t a strong enough word. So, for all of our fellow germophobes, here are some quick tips for cleaning all of your tablets and smartphones:

Tablets:

  • Do NOT use regular glass cleaner, as it will destroy the protective coating necessary to keep your tablet working properly.
  • Also (and equally important), regular glass cleaner does not disinfect the screen to get rid of the germs.
  • Instead, clean thoroughly on a weekly basis with a specialized screen cleaner, such as the new AM Mist or the Sanus Elements Screen Care Kit.

Cell Phones:

  • The first rule for keeping your cell phone free of germs is STOP using your phone in the bathroom. Studies have shown that every time a toilet is flushed, it sends thousands of polluted droplets into the air. If your phone is exposed during this process, guess where they land – yes, on your phone, which then goes right next to your face when you take that next call.
  • Second, due to the special coatings on the various smartphone screens, you need to be extra careful about using cleaning solutions which will damage the phone and its components. Most manufacturers, including Apple, recommend using a soft, slightly damp (with only water), lint-free cloth to wipe down the entire device.
  • For the true germophobe, you may consider using a UV sanitizer such as one made by VioLight. While a little pricier than cleaning wipes or sprays, it will eliminate the liquid element which is most likely to cause damage to your device. It can also be used on accessories like earbuds and fitness bracelets.
  • Clean your cell phone every 2 to 3 days for best results.

Does OS X + iOS = iAnywhere?

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iAnywhere? (photo credit: c|net)

Could Apple be working on an operating system to combine OS X and iOS? Mark Moskowitz, a market analyst at J.P. Morgan, predicts that it is and he’s dubbed it iAnywhere. He predicts that within the next 12 to 18 months, this system will allow an iOS device (like an iPhone or iPad) to be docked to a specially configured secondary display and run as a full-blown computer.

The upside for Apple, according to Moskowitz, is “this category would be a leapfrog event, potentially jumpstarting iPhone and iPad growth as well as peripherals and cloud-based software and services sales.” However, Apple executives Phil Schiller and Craig Federighi explicitly said that convergence between iOS and OS X was “absolutely a non-goal” for the company and that the two operating systems would remain distinctly “different in those things that are critical to their essence.”

Of course, other PC manufacturers have flirted with the dual operating system concept, but never with successful results. Whether iAnywhere becomes a reality will remain to be seen, but if the statements from Apple’s executives are to be believed, I wouldn’t bet on it happening any time soon (if at all).

Source: “Analyst Predicts ‘iAnywhere’ OS X and iOS Combo Platform Despite Apple’s Public Dismissal” by Juli Clover, published at MacRumors.

In Memoriam…

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finis priceIt has been two years since my buddy Finis Price passed away. Much has happened since then, and life goes on, but the void he left still remains.

Rarely a day goes by that I don’t think about my buddy, and today I think especially about his dad, his wife, his friends, and other loved ones who still grieve him.

If you never had the privilege of meeting Finis, you can learn a little about him in the post I wrote back then. You’re gone, but you’ll never be forgotten. Rest in peace, my friend.

How to Silently Change the Volume on Your Mac

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Silence Your MacI love my MacBook Air, but I hate the popping sound that it makes when changing the volume. Does this sound familiar? You’re in a meeting and it’s relatively quiet. Suddenly, you realize that you forgot to turn your volume down. You push F11 to lower it, but the pop pop popping sound lets everyone know what you’re doing. Not fun.

You can silently change the volume on your Mac, and the fix is super fast and super simple. Press Option + F11 to bring up the Sound System Preference pane. On the “Sound Effects” tab, uncheck the box beside “Play feedback when volume is changed.” The image below shows the now silent box. Now, you can raise and lower your volume “pop-free”.

Silence Your Mac

Dock Tips and Tricks for Your Mac

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dock

The Dock is a helpful feature of Mac OS X. It faithfully holds your programs at the ready for you to use. Did you know that there are several Dock tricks and tips that can make it even more useful?

Move to the Side

dock right

By default, the Dock is located at the bottom of the screen where it takes up quite a bit of real estate on your screen – especially if you’re using a laptop. You can reclaim some screen space by relocating the Dock to the left or right side of your screen. To do so, simply click the Apple menu > Dock > Position on Right (or Left). I find this particularly helpful on my 11″ MacBook Air, and my preference is to have it located on the right.

Hide the Dock

Too much of anything is bad for you. You can hide the Dock when it’s not in use to gain even more screen space. With this feature activated, the Dock will only appears when you move the arrow to its side of the screen. You can hide the Dock in either of the following ways: (1) Apple menu > Dock > Turn Hiding On, or (2) Go to System Preferences > Dock > Click the “Automatically hide and show the Dock” checkbox. I like this feature a lot, as it provides me with more working space.

dock magnification

Dock Magnification

Wouldn’t it be great to make the Dock as small as possible but still be able to see (and easily access) the programs parked on it? With the Magnification option, you can do just that, and you can control how big or small the magnification should grow to, and how big or small the Dock should appear in its normal state.

From the Apple menu, choose Dock, then Dock Preferences (or open System Preferences and click Dock) to open the preferences. Here, you can move the Magnification slider to control how big the icons will grow. You can also adjust the size of the Dock to make it larger or smaller. I keep my (hidden) Dock fairly large and keep the magnification maxed out.

Review of STM’s new Studio Case for iPad Mini

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Studio for iPad miniIf you’re looking for a slim yet super secure and protective design for your new tablet, STM’s Studio case for iPad Mini is definitely the case for you. It’s wrap-around design literally hugs your iPad and with the magnetic closure, you’ll never worry about it opening unexpectedly. It’s also very lightweight considering the all-around protection it offers, and the smooth, slim design makes it easy to slip in your briefcase, purse, or backpack.

All of the device ports, control buttons, and camera are easily accessed, and the magnetic cover folds back to lock into two modes for viewing and for typing. The only downside we could find over the last few weeks of testing this product was if you are a “heavy typer” and put too much pressure on the iPad screen when in the typing position, the magnet sometimes failed and caused the iPad to slide to flat. This movement caused no damage to the iPad or to the case, however.

Currently this sleek looking case only comes in purple and black (we tested the purple and loved the color) and costs $39.99. You can get more information about the Studio or purchase one here.

How to Quickly Determine County of Residence

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countiesDo you know where the Defendant resides? If you’re a litigation attorney, this is a very important piece of information, as cases must typically be filed in the County in which the Defendant resides. Sometimes, this is easier than others.

Fortunately, the United States Postal Service provides a free service that provides an answer when facing this problem. The USPS’s Zip Code Lookup feature enables you to quickly determine and verify the County in which any address is located.

To use the Lookup feature, simply insert the address, and then after the site displays the zip code, click on “Mailing Industry Information” to get other information, including the County in which the address is located. Hopefully, this will save you some time and effort the next time you need to determine someone’s County of residence.

Lock Screen Security Tips for Attorneys

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lock screen securityThere are some basic steps that every attorney should take to secure their Mac laptops. First and foremost, require that a login password be entered whenever your computer starts or wakes from sleep. If you fail to do so, your data will be accessible to anyone who happens upon your computer.

However, what if a Good Samaritan finds your lost computer, only to find that it is locked, leaving them unable to determine who it belongs to or how to contact that person. I recommend using the steps below to provide a way to reach you even when your screen is locked:

  1. Go to “System Preferences”
  2. Click on “Security & Privacy”
  3. Check “Show a message when the screen is locked”
  4. Click “Set Lock Message…” and enter your desired text

As you can see in the image at right (click on it to enlarge), the Lock Message on my MacBook Air says “If found, please return to Ben Stevens (864) XXX-XXXX (reward offered)”. I list my cell number in this message, as I always have my iPhone with me. Also, when people lose their computers, it’s most often while traveling, so a home or office number is less helpful.

By following these simple steps, your Mac laptop can protect your data while providing a way to contact you if it is ever lost. Obviously, I hope you never need to use these lock screen security tips, but if you do, I hope they will come in handy.

Force Quit Basics for Attorneys

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force quitSometimes applications misbehave, and this post will explain several Force Quit basics for attorneys to deal with them when this occurs. This feature is built into OS X, and there are several ways to access this option. In this post, I will discuss the most commonly used ones, which I hope you will find helpful.

The most common method is to select  > Force Quit…, which brings up a list of all applications that are currently running. You then click on the one you want to end, click Force Quit, and poof it’s gone. If you hold down the Shift key when clicking the  menu, the option changes to Force Quit [Current Application] and you can end it directly instead of having to navigate to it.

If you want to avoid having to navigate to the  menu, you can hit Command + Option + Escape to bring up the simple “Force Quit Applications” window, from which you can select the desired app and end it. However, my favorite way to Force Quit is to do so from the Dock, by using Option + Right Click (two finger tap on your trackpad) to bring up the “Force Quit” option.