SMARTReporter Review

SMARTReporter is one of those programs on my Macbook that I don’t even remember I’m running unless I open the Activity Monitor. I think this is the way it is with most people who use it. You see, SMARTReporter is a program that you don’t realise is as important as it is until you need it. But what does it do that makes it so important?

SMARTReporter is a program that runs in the background of you computer and constantly checks your HD to make sure everything is going well, and if it’s not, you have time to either back everything up before a crash or find a way to fix the problem. When SMARTReporter detects that something is wrong, it will alert you with the problem so that you won’t be working away with a damaged HD in your computer. You can also choose to display a status of your HD in your Menu Bar, but I don’t think that’s necessary unless you know something may be wrong with your HD and want to check on the status all the time.

I recommend that everyone get this program, as you’ll be grateful you did if anything does go wrong with your system. Better safe than sorry.

Macbook, Netgear and the WEP Key

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There has been a very common issue with new Macbook users and wireless internet. If the user has a Netgear router (in my case a DG834G wireless router) and uses a WEP key, when setting up a new connection they simply cannot connect to the internet as their WEP key isn’t accepted, no matter how many unsuccessful tries.

What’s amazing is that the “fix” is actually quite simple, but something almost no-one could figure out on their own. All the user needs to do, is just put a $ in front of the WEP key when they type it. No hacks, no drivers, just a simple $.

iClip 4

If you constantly copy and paste files, you’ll find it annoying when you constantly need to refer to certain file, website or text and think that it’s annoying going back and forth copying every single thing you need. Enter iClip. iClip is a fantastic little program that allows you to store things that you copied into the program for further reference without having to go back and find the source.

For example, you’re searching for a present and find a lot of little websites that you want to save for future reference. Just copy each url and input it into iClip. Easy as pie. Then when you want the url again, either copy it back from iClip or double click on where it’s stored and it will automatically open up in your browser.

For those of you who don’t like having a program sitting on your desktop, there’s iClip Lite which is a dashboard version of iCip. This works pretty much in the same way, except it hides neatly on your dashboard, ready to be called up when needed.

Both iClip and iClip Lite are available for download and purchase (iClip Lite is free) from http://inventive.us/

Yojimbo and Journler

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I mainly use two apps to organise my personal and school life. These are Yojimbo from BareBones software and Journler. They are both programs which store information and are often compared against each other about which program to use. Yojimbo is around $53 AUD and Journler is donationware.

But which to use over the other? I tried for a while to figure out which is better to use for school and to organise my life. Journler is probably the better one if you could only use one, but if you can, I say get both. I use Yojimbo to organise my personal information, and Journler for school work. (Taking notes, writing essays) Journler is so good that it’s even replaced Microsoft Word and Pages! Yojimbo has the nice F8 feature and docktab which are both quick ways of inputing data into Yojimbo without having to directly open up the Yojimbo interface, which is very minimalistic and simple. Fits in great with the Mac GUI. Yojimbo also has the option of storing Serials, Bookmarks and Websites very simply which makes it great for organising any little snippets that you may want to refer to later on.

Journler is currently in BETA 2.5 but the developers reccomend that you download the BETA since it’s basically a finished product (there has been 2 updates in a few days) and with the final 2.5 due around mid-March, so not too far around the corner. Get it here.

Yojimbo just released version 1.4.2 which had a very minor update, but it’s the latest release none the less. You can check it our and grab a 30 day trial from the website here.

My Mighty Mouse is back!

After sending my Mighty Mouse off to MYER a few weeks ago, it’s finally back. Everything seems to be in order, but I must say, if you’re ever going to exchange something on warranty, then bring it straight to the source, not to a third party dealer. MYER ended up sending the mouse to an Apple Store anyway AND it took two weeks to get it there and back. But I’m just happy to have my mouse back and will report back if there’s any trouble. (None so far)

Also, I’ve decided that I’m going to update this blog on a regular weekly basis (every Sunday) unless I’m super busy, or there’s some breaking news (Like this).

Fixing my Macbook Touchpad

Recently, my Macbook’s touchpad button has become a little unresponsive and not as strong as it used to be. This bugged me a lot and I thought I had some dirt underneath that was hindering it’s movement. That is until I found this link.

Turns out I’m not the only one having the problem and I don’t think it’s dirt at all. The best part is, there is a very easy fix. Just place some origami in the bottom of your Macbook and you’re all set to go. This is one of the most creative thing and useful things I have found.

Mac Software

If you just bought a Mac or you’re wondering what’s some good software that you can use on your existing Mac, then I suggest this site – http://osx.iusethis.com/

Basically it’s a site that stores the info of any program people publish on the site and then other people who use the program can click the “I Use This” button. It’s a great way to find great new software, see how many other people use the software that you use and maybe even find a better alternative.

Review – STM Glove

The STM Glove by Matthew Lew

The STM Glove is a real treat. It allows me to protect my Macbook but still maintains around the same width as the laptop without the case. It fits extremely well, just like a “glove”. STM is correct in saying “Think of it as a wetsuit for your laptop“

My STM Glove

My main attraction to the case/sleeve is the size. As I stated, even with the case on, my Macbook is pretty much the same size. This helps a lot when I have a lot of books to carry between classes or when my bag is too jam packed. The glove offers protection from bumps, dust and scratches, but offers little protection for serious damage (e.g. If you drop it), although the material feels like it could still absorb a small amount of shock. One feature of the STM Glove that people seem to rave about is that fact that the laptop doesn’t actually touch the zip, as it is protected by an extra flap. This was a good idea, as it helps protect from accidental scratches since the glove is such a tight fit.

The Extra Flap

The negatives of the STM Glove are few but there are some. One is that when you first buy the glove, it may require some stretching to fit your laptop inside. This is because it’s designed to be the tightest fit possible. For most people, when using a product they bought for the first time, they don’t want to be pulling at it like it’s going to tear it apart. Another problem is that when you go to zip up the bag, the flap sometimes gets in the way. This is annoying when you are in a rush, as you need to stop and tuck in the flap as you close the zip. Once again, only a minor problem, but still one none the less.

Something that confuses me though, is what this extra corner handle is really for. (See pic) The STM Glove is meant primarily for people who already have a bag to put their Macbook in, but want some extra protection while it’s in there. The inclusions of this barely movable handle in the back top right corner puzzles me, as it seems to be almost completely useless. It’s so small and tight that you can’t even carry the case by it. I’m not saying it gets in the way, it’s just that if STM are going to put a handle on the glove, they should make it a LITTLE more useful.

What’s the point of this?

I compared my STM Glove to my Crumpler School Hymn in size and protection. The School Hymn, in my opinion, would be classified as a hard case, as it has an outer shell that is quite hard and seems to be resistant to heavy damage. But being a hard material, the School Hymn takes up around a cm more space when the laptop is inside. It is also more bulky to carry, and would be more uncomfortable than the STM Glove to carry around with a lot of things. But if you have just the laptop to carry and have space to fill, the Crumpler School Hymn may be the better option.

The Crumpler School Hymn and STM Glove

Compared in thickness

In conclusion, the STM Glove is the perfect case/sleeve for anyone who already has a bag to carry their laptop in but want a protective and very portable case for the occasion that they do have to remove their laptop from within the bag and carry it by itself. If you don’t need to protect your laptop from anything extremely hazardous, like a truck, then the protection that the STM Case offers is more than enough.

Pro’s – Very Portable, Offers good protection from scratches, dust and bumps

Con’s – Doesn’t offer major protection

Apple’s Wireless Mighty Mouse is…

Apple’s Wireless Mighty Mouse

Not as mighty as it may seem. It started off like a dream. Worked perfectly. Left click here, right click there. Scrolling up/down/left/right with the 360 degree scroll ball. Moving with lighting-fast precisions thanks to the laser tracking. But alas, that was 5 months ago and now, all is not well.

The laser tracking complete with on/off switch

The right click only works half the time unless switched on and off. The scroll ball has gotten stuck and now only scrolls down if pressed hard enough. Plus to top it all off, the bottom of the mouse is coming undone. All these problems seem to be hindering what used to be the perfect mouse.

The bottom of the mouse, which is meant to be flat.

But there is hope. According to Wikipedia (Not the best source, but a source none the less), Apple has “silently” fixed these problems. “Users report, that the Mighty Mouse (as of February 2006) runs much more smoothly and the scroll ball stays cleaner than the prior builds, and that the durability has gone up as well.”

So thanks to Apple’s One Year Warranty, I am going to go and try to replace my mouse this weekend, and just maybe, everything will be back to the way it was.

For the sake of blogging

For now, this is the blog that shall remain here until I start exploring the world of blogger. I already have a myspace and xanga which are:

myspace.com/Matt_Lew

and

xanga.com/Matt_Lew

and they seem to be doing alright at the moment. =] Well for those of you who actually read this before I update next, welcome to Matt’s Place. Kick your feet up and enjoy your stay in my wonderful blog of nothingness. =P