Jun 24
MoggyMac, Software, iPhone/iPod touch
The iBooks app is something I feel the iPhone has needed for a long time, and in this how-to post, I’ll be showing you how to make your own PDF iBook’s for the iPhone.
Ok, the first thing you’ll want to do is create your TEXT (.txt) file. For the purposes of this tutorial, I’m going to start off by using a pre-made eBook (To Kill A Mockingbird) that can be downloaded from this website.
Open the file in Pages.
Once the document has opened, the first thing you want to do is open the Inspector panel. If you don’t have it open, use shortcut: Option + Command + I
We need to change a few things here. Observe the BEFORE and AFTER stages here:
The highlighted areas are those that need changing. Firstly, press the Page Setup button. This will bring up the dialog box below:
Select the Paper Size drop-down, and choose 3 1/2 x 5 (it’s near the top of the long list)
Hit OK and that’s that.
Going back to the Inspector window, change all the values of 2.54cm in the four margins boxes, to 0.5cm.
Lastly, uncheck the two tick-boxes next to Headers and Footers.
Now that is done, go to the main document and use these two shortcuts: Command + A, which will select all the text in the document, and then Command + T to bring up the Font dialog box.
The default font for .txt files is Helvetica, which is okay, but I prefer changing it to something more readable, something like Georgia. Also note that I have bumped down the font size to 10:
That’s the formatting done!
Your document should look something like this…
All that remains now is to export it, and sync it to your iPod touch / iPhone. To export, go to the File menu, and select Export…. This will bring up this dialog box. Select PDF, best image quality, and Next…
Save it to somewhere (it doesn’t matter where!) on your Mac, and then go ahead and drag the PDF file into iTunes. If you have the iBook’s app, next time you plug in your iOS device, the PDF will automatically sync. Done!
This is what it the book will look like on your iPhone:
May 13
MoggyApple, Mac, Website
The other day I purchased a GelaSkin cover for my MacBook Pro – it was about £20 – and unlike most retailers, is actually designed for my non-unibody old MacBook! Woop! I decided to get this Union Jack cover – I’m so patriotic!
For those that don’t understand – GelaSkins, according to their website are “removable covers for protecting and customizing your portable devices. They feature stunning, photo-quality graphics ranging from fine art prints to contemporary urban images designed by our growing family of artists from around the globe. Stand out in the crowd with personalized protection from GelaSkins.”
I got mine today – and it looks great! The application was no problem at all, the design is brilliant (matching much of my other Union Jack memorabilia), and the skin comes off just as easy as it goes on.
Plus, I am happy to see so many more designs for every other person out there – trust me, there is something for everyone. You can browse the GelaSkins website, Amazon, or the site I got mine from – UrbanRetro. Prices vary a bit, but I spose it’s up to you!
Anyway, I’m out. Can’t be arsed with a full review, but a star rating? Dunno… maybe 5 out of 5?
Jan 26
MoggyApple, Mac, Web Design, Website
Apple, the company of absolute perfection and absolutely no room for error, has buggered up… and I know it’s industrially sad of me to point this out… but I just find it weird.
You’ll notice there is a difference between the horizontal viewing scroll bars on the USA and UK versions of Apple’s Mac website. It appears that Safari only exists in the States, despite the Safari website on the UK section exists, completely normally. Bizzare right? Check it out (click for larger previews):
So there you go. Do I deserve a reward? Or is there some anal reason why this is meant to be?
Jan 24
MoggyApple, Keynote Event, Mac, Rumor, iPhone/iPod touch
On Wednesday, Apple will be holding a media event in San Francisco to release a “new creation”. It’s very exciting news in the world of Mac-fans and alike, they all have one thing in mind… a shiny new touchscreen device from Apple… somewhere between the iPhone and a Mac.
It sounds pretty cool… but I’m not so convinced.
First of all… every single tablet that has ever been released has been, to say the least, shit. Low battery life, big bulky things, little point or use, etc. Then there is the eBook, such as the Amazon Kindle… and every single one of those has been… er… shit, and lacking the functionality a standard computer would have.
Next, what will the point of this device actually be? There is nothing I can’t do with the aid of my MacBook Pro and my iPod touch. Both have internet. Both have email. Both have Mac applications and App Store apps, respectively. The thing that differs, really, is the hardware. My MBP is 15″ in size, well beyond 4 times the size of the 3.5″ we seen in the iPhone. I also have a physical keyboard, mouse, trackpad, webcam, etc. It just makes more practical sense, so long as you don’t mind the size, to have a laptop… and if size is the problem, a netbook. The success of the iPhone and the iPod touch is because of the ecosystem and environment of apps, touchscreen, 3G networking and elegant looking iPod, all in a pocket.
My worry is that because of the “ecosystems”, as I have labelled it, around the Mac and the portable iPhone/iPod… is there really room for another ecosystem like that in the middle? This brings me on to what sort of operating system this device will run. So far, people have said either iPhone OS or Mac OS X. Of those two, I would much, much prefer OS X, but it seems I am not fitting the majority of opinion. Though I think we will see a clever integration of both. It makes me wonder if there will be an almost “dumbed down” version of OS X for this device – but still with support for Mac applications, or even iPhone apps. I wouldn’t like to see the latter, personally, as screen resolutions, mixed up features, etc. will all go horribly wrong along the line somewhere.
Oh god, then don’t get me started on the name. iSlate? iPad? I’d rather not… I’d much prefer the “Apple Slate” or “Apple Pad”… since the “i” has been so overused… and the Apple TV device doesn’t have an obligatory “i”.
So what actually are we going to see? Well, who knows. I guess we’ll find out in under 96 hours time. Will I be watching? Probably. Will I be amazed? Possibly…
And here is one of my past tweets to sum up what I expect…
Update: Ok, it seems like I won’t be getting my full OS X, judging by what everyone is saying… bugger. Therefore I will bet any money that it will run a more advanced iPhone OS with a compatible version of iWork and iLife on the device. It’s either that… or the tablet will be a flop.
Dec 01
MoggyApple, Computer, Mac, Random, Windows
Something I have noticed over the past few days is how people respond to a “Mac or PC” conversation. Has anyone else noticed this:
A Mac user will always comment on a PC by saying “Mac’s are so much simpler to use and do things on” AND THEN comment of specific details – not bashing on PC’s at all.
A PC user will always comment on a Mac by saying one of two things – firstly “Mac’s suck” or secondly, for horribly technical people, a ramble on about how a PC is cheaper, might work better and all that stuff – bashing Mac’s at any possible opportunity.
So, why is it that Mac users are just so much more accepting of their computer and nicer in conversations like the above?
Sep 17
MoggyApple, Mac, Software, Update
If you have a mid-2008 or earlier MacBook Pro (this one, the previous gen, non-unibody), and you have upgraded to Snow Leopard – you may have discovered this fantastic new feature that wasn’t previously available for our model.
Snow Leopard adds the four-finger trackpad gestures, when Leopard could only previously handle three-finger gestures on this generation MacBook Pro. Yes, the unibody MacBook Pro’s could do the four-finger gestures in Leopard, but Snow Leopard extends the compatibility to all previous MacBook Pro’s (though someone may need to confirm this for me.)
More
Aug 29
MoggyApple, Mac, Software, Update
Personally, I think I will be spending out the little £25 it takes to upgrade to Apple’s new OS, Snow Leopard. After all, I am a semi professional Mac user and I use an awful lot of processor intensive applications – so the snappier speeds Apple is promising will save me some time in the future, which is nice. I am also curious just about any new Apple software anyway, and I do like keeping up to date. Hence, why, I have ordered my copy from Amazon, and it’s on its way.
Having said all that… is Snow Leopard worth it… for the average user… I mean, really!? I have two personal friends with Mac computers – but I wouldn’t say SL is a must for either of them. Both own relatively new MacBook’s, but use them for general work and activities (like iPhoto and Pages). Wow, these are highly processor intensive, aren’t they. To be honest, I don’t think either of them would really care, and while £25 is cheap for an OS, it’s still a fair bit of money – that’s a good 30 or so iTunes songs… and about what I spend on my lunches for about two week period!
But hey ho, that’s my opinion and I thought I’d voice it out.
Oct 20
MoggyApple, Keynote Event, Mac, YouTube
Ok, so today has been the first day where I have come back from holiday in Malta, and I decided to have a proper look at what Apple has released at the October 14th event…. I saw updates at Gizomodo but I haven’t seen the prices, specs, etc… but, a few things that made me go ‘what?’:
NO FIREWIRE on the new MacBook’s….?!?! Steve’s reply, according to MacRumors, is that “Actually, all of the new HD camcorders of the past few years use USB 2.” – SO, WHAT ABOUT all the other camcorder users who have a firewire port…. or external harddrive users who need one…. do we suddenly not exist!? Ok, sure, it’s not something to really care to much about, but OMG WHY!?
MACBOOK’S GO UP in price in the UK!?!?!? WHAT THE HELL. The US get a $100 discount down to $999, but instead the white MacBook goes UP from what it was at £699 to £719… Can’t we go down the equivalent to £649? Ok – it’s only £20 – but thats the point – IT’S ONLY £20!! Why can’t they just stay the same, and having the six in the 3 figure number as the first figure sounds a whole load cheaper.
But that leads on to why they actually kept the OLD WHITE MacBook?? Why couldn’t they just make a basic version of the NEW one?? If Apple wants to do all this ‘made from one piece body’ stuff then stop selling the old one and replace it with something new!!
MacBook PRO NOW UP £100 – WHAT THE %&*@ – Again, just like the MacBook, it had a price DROP in the US of $200, but in the UK it went UP £100. We may be in a financial crisis but come on, SO IS THE US.
LED Display. OMG. WHY?? Can’t they just refresh the Cinema Display lineup? Nooooo… they had to make a new LED display, that works just for the new MacBook’s – that is of course if you have enough money to spend after you buy your MORE EXPENSIVE MacBook.
No Blu-ray? It’s about time for that… surely…
My current MacBook Pro excels the new MacBook in every way because it has a MATTE screen, not everybody wants glossy… it’s too shiny when outside.
—–
Anyway, besides all the complaints, the new notebooks are nice, despite the few niggles mentioned above. For a review of the new MacBook from a consumer, check out YouTuber
jon4lakers, who got one and has made
this review.
While on the flight to Malta I also made this new MacBook ad, due to Apple’s lack of making one, this may (or may not) interest you.
Oct 11
MoggyApple, Computer, Keynote Event, Life, Mac, Me
With 3 days to go until Apple’s Notebook Media event on Tuesday in San Francisco – we are all so hyped up about getting these new laptops, but has nobody thought about their current MacBook’s?
By Wednesday, everybody who asks “Where can I get your laptop from”, you have to reply, “At an Apple Store, friend, though bear in mind that there is a NEW version out, mine is old.”
What a horrible thing to say. Especially when I’ve only had my MacBook Pro since July.
RIP. My MacBook Pro. Loved while you where around.
Oct 05
MoggyApple, Computer, Keynote Event, Mac, Poll, Technology
I hope so…. Take part in the poll below to see what you think:
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