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Category: Problem Solving

Adam Engst 6 comments

iOS Calendar Misses Grandparents’ Birthdays

"Sorry for forgetting your birthday, Grandma!" It turns out that the iOS calendar won't display birthdays of people whose first birthday was more than 77 years ago. This is true only of birthdays in the special Birthdays calendar that's generated automatically from birthday information in Address Book. The only workaround for the moment is to create birthday events in a different calendar, though it's probably not worth much effort, since Apple will undoubtedly fix the bug in the next iOS revision by searching for "77" in the code and replacing it with a larger number. Thanks to reader Carl Pohle for alerting us to this one!

Adam Engst 16 comments

Find Files More Easily in Mac OS X

A few simple settings in the Mac OS X Finder can make it find files by default more the way many of us want - by file name and within a given folder.

Adam Engst 8 comments

Solve Gmail’s Disappearing Cursor in Safari and Mailplane

After upgrading to Safari 5.0.1, you may notice the text insertion point in Gmail's message creation windows disappearing if you're using either Safari or Mailplane. Read on for solutions.

Matt Neuburg 28 comments

Freeware Coolness Crushes iCal Shortcoming

How Matt Neuburg's reluctance to switch to iCal was overcome with the help of some really cool free software.

Chris Pepper 9 comments

Beware Bluetooth Keyboards with iOS Devices

Apple's welcome support for Bluetooth keyboards with the iPad and, in iOS 4, for recent models of the iPhone and iPod touch brings with it an unfortunate risk: if you regularly travel with a paired Bluetooth keyboard, be careful that it doesn't drain your device's battery, lock you out, or erase your data.

Adam Engst 5 comments

iBooks 1.1.2 Adds Image Zooming, Fixes PDF Link Bug

iBooks 1.1.1 fixes one glaring error and adds a few minor features, but still lags behind GoodReader in basic PDF functionality. iBooks 1.1.2, released shortly afterwards, fixes a problem with updating iBooks.

Rich Mogull 28 comments

Why Using an iPhone 4 Case May Improve Signal Strength

Although Apple is now giving out iPhone 4 cases to help resolve the antenna issues, few sources explain how a simple piece of tape or a case can make a difference. Rich Mogull digs into his radio geek past for an explanation.

Doug McLean No comments

Apple Replacing Defective Time Capsules

Apple has announced that it is now replacing or repairing, free of charge, Time Capsules purchased roughly between February 2008 and June 2008 that exhibit certain power failures. These failures include not powering on, or shutting down unexpectedly after startup. A recent Knowledge Base article has more information on how to identify whether your Time Capsule has a qualifying serial number, how to arrange for Apple to retrieve data from your device, and how to receive a refund for a previously paid repair or replacement.

Doug McLean No comments

Apple Releases iOS 4 Sync Workaround

If you recently updated to iOS 4 you may find you're having trouble completing syncs with Exchange ActiveSync Mail, Contacts, or Calendars. Similarly, Exchange server administrators may see their servers running more slowly than usual. To address these issues Apple has posted a Knowledge Base article on its Web site, detailing instructions for the download and installation of a configuration file that will extend the amount of time iOS 4 devices will wait for a sync to complete. Hopefully Apple will incorporate this fix in its next iOS update, but for those having trouble in the meantime it is nice to see a solution immediately available.

Adam Engst 19 comments

Mac OS X 10.6.4 Fixes Highly Specific Bugs

Apple has released Mac OS X 10.6.4 to address a wide variety of highly specific bugs and security vulnerabilities. It's undoubtedly worth upgrading to, but perhaps after early adopters have had a chance to determine if it introduces any new problems.

Adam Engst 10 comments

Two Ways to Delete Lots of iPhone Photos

If you're faced with tapping hundreds of times to delete lots of photos from your iPhone's Camera Roll album after importing them, try these two tips, one of which halves the number of taps, while the other turns the process into just a couple of clicks on the Mac.

Adam Engst No comments

New Take Control Ebook Explains Permissions in Snow Leopard

Little is more perplexing than permissions problems, especially for those of us who didn't come to Mac OS X from the Unix world. If you're having trouble with permissions, or would just like to understand how they work, you can now turn to Brian Tanaka's "Take Control of Permissions in Snow Leopard" to learn how to use permissions to keep files private, work with files on servers and external hard disks, solve screwy problems, and delete files that just won't die.

Glenn Fleishman 15 comments

The iPad’s Polarizing Effect

The iPad has a polarizing effect - but not in separating those who love it from those who don't. Rather, the effect renders the screen totally black when viewed in portrait mode through sunglasses.

Adam Engst 21 comments

Princeton University Identifies iPad DHCP Flaw

Princeton University has identified a flaw in the iPad's DHCP client software that could cause problems in large enterprise networks.

Doug McLean 23 comments

Time Capsule Failures: When They Happen and What to Do

Are you an owner of a Time Capsule that's kaput? You're certainly not alone - nor up a creek. Apple is replacing some faulty units. We look at the backstory to these replacements, and how you can keep your Time Capsule working properly