mac

When you connect your Mac to a network, if you receive a proper configuration such as an IP address and DNS servers from your router then you should be able to use Mail, Safari, and other networking client programs to access various services either on the local network or through the Internet. However, sometimes it can happen that despite a seemingly healthy connection you aren't able to access Web pages and e-mail.

Recently MacFixIt reader Tom ran into such a situation with a university network:

In the past, classic search routines in the Mac OS scoured the directory tree of the file system to locate files, but with ever-increasing numbers of files on computers, these searches became slower and slower. To tackle this in OS X, Apple introduced an indexing solution called Spotlight as a replacement for the classic search, which actively indexes files as they are created or edited. When you perform a search, the system accesses this index to almost instantaneously bring up search results not only for file names, but also for relevancy since the indexing includes the content of the files … Read more

It's exciting when your favorite musicians release new material. In the past, you may have found out about new releases on the radio or from an ad in a magazine or Web site. With iTunes (Mac and Windows), however, keeping up with the latest releases by your favorite artists is as easy as check marking two boxes. Here's how:

Step 1: In iTunes, go to the Store Menu, then select View My Apple ID.

Step 2: After you log in to your iTunes account, scroll to the Settings section at the bottom of the page.

Step 3: Under … Read more

The 27-inch iMac now has a vague ship date of January, not exactly an improvement over the previous estimate.

Unveiled in October, the 27-inch iMac popped up for preorder on Apple's online retail site on November 30. The initial ship time was pegged at two to three weeks, but that shot up to three to four weeks after just a few hours.

Three to four weeks after November 30 takes us to December 21 to December 28. That estimate already meant the 27-inch iMac wouldn't make it on the shopping lists of holidays buyers. And now a fuzzy … Read more

When you're carrying around a laptop looking for a network connection, most of the networks you encounter are basically plug-and-play: they use DHCP to issue an IP address and dynamically manage what clients are on the network, and when a connection is established, OS X will automatically configure it.

This works well in most settings, but sometimes a network will have specific configuration requirements such as manual IP address assignment, multicasting setups that isolate logical networks over the same hardware, or authentication schemes that have special hardware requirements.

In these instances, while you can continually access your network settings … Read more

Key chips for the iPhone and iPad are being made in the U.S. -- future U.S.-made Macs, as disclosed today, notwithstanding.

This year, CEO Tim Cook has been talking about U.S. manufacturing more than usual. Partly to counter Apple's largely make-it-in-China strategy but also because of U.S. manufacturing strengths.

The same essential points he made in a Bloomberg interview today he made back in May.

To wit: "It's not known well that the engine for the iPhone and iPad is made in the U.S., and many of these are also exported.... … Read more

Apple CEO Tim Cook has confirmed what rumors have been suggesting in recent days: Apple is moving some Mac production to the U.S.

Speaking to Bloomberg in an interview published today, Cook said that factories in the U.S. will handle "some" of the Mac production currently being handled internationally. The production will ramp up in 2013.

"We've been working on this for a long time, and we were getting closer to it," Cook said of the production. "It will happen in 2013. We're really proud of it. We could have quickly … Read more

Evidence suggests that Apple could be assembling some of the new iMacs in Fremont, Calif.

Two U.S. models that 9to5Mac traced originated in the San Jose area.

"One tipster's origination pickup point was briefly visible as Fremont CA so it would appear that iMac assembly is happening in that general vicinity," the Mac enthusiast site said.

Another possible location for an assembly operation would be Elk Grove, Calif., where Apple still has operations. But, so far, there's no hard evidence that units are being assembled there.

This follows images posted last week by iFixit showing &… Read more