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Videos by Andy Slye

Category: Mac (Page 2 of 10)

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which-macbook-to-buy-2019

Which MacBook to Buy in 2019? Apple Laptop Guide!

January 9, 2019 / / 0 Comments

So you’re interested in buying an Apple laptop. Congratulations, a laptop is a big purchase so it’s very important to choose the right one. In this video I’ll explain which MacBook model is best for you in 2018.

Currently there are 3 MacBook models: MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro
(All MacBook models come standard with an SSD and at least 8GB RAM)

MacBook

  • Apple’s 12″ screen laptop; Base model starts at $1299
  • Only MacBook available in 4 different colors: rose gold, space gray, gold, and silver
  • Base model has 7th-Gen 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 mobile processor; configurable to dual-core i5 or i7
  • 8GB RAM (up to 16GB) and 256GB SSD (up to 512GB)

Get 12″ Retina MacBook if you

  • Want something ultra portable & mobile; Apple’s thinnest & lightest laptop (2 lbs) & also has smallest screen of any current Apple laptop at 12″
  • Only run basic applications, nothing too CPU dependent (base model has mobile processor)
  • Are mostly “wireless” and don’t need a lot of ports (only 1 USB-C port for charging/input/output)
  • Don’t plan to use the webcam for recording videos (only 480p)

MacBook Air

  • Comes in 3 configurations starting at $999, $1199 & $1399. Comes in same colors as MacBook: Gold, Space Gray, and Silver
  • 8GB RAM (up to 16GB); 128GB SSD (up to 256GB, 512GB, or 1.5TB)
  • With the Air you have 2 main versions: the older standard display non-Retina version and the latest Retina display version with Touch ID, the latest-generation keyboard, and a Force Touch trackpad.

Get 13″ NON-Retina MacBook Air if you

  • Have the lowest budget (Apple’s most affordable laptop since it doesn’t have a Retina display or latest hardware)
  • Want the widest variety of legacy ports (still has USB-A ports, SD card slot and MagSafe port)

Get 13″ Retina MacBook Air if you

  • Care about battery life more than anything (up to 13 hours of use which is the longest battery life of any current Apple laptop)
  • Want the small thin lightweight design similar to the 12” MacBook for travel & on-the-go work but you need the better performance & features like the louder speakers and better webcam (720p HD)
  • Want the best display without spending more to get a Pro model (Retina Air has over 4 million pixels w/ higher pixel density than 12” Retina MacBook)
  • Want the newest MacBook model with the latest 8th Gen Intel processor (released Late 2018 which is the most recent release out of all the current Apple laptops)
  • Fine with having only two USB-C ports total for the entire laptop
  • Want the most environmental friendly Mac (made from 100% recycled aluminum)

MacBook Pro

  • Comes in silver or space gray (no gold) and 2 screen sizes: 13″ starting at $1299 (non-TouchBar) & $1799 w/ TouchBar. 15” w/ Touchbar starts at $2399
  • All MacBook Pro models (13” and 15”) have the following in common:
  • They all have IPS Retina displays (13″ has 227ppi; 15″ has 220ppi)
  • They all get up to 10 hours battery life
  • Have all new 8th-Gen Intel processors up to quad-core on 13” model and up to 6-cores on 15” model

Get a MacBook Pro if you

  • Value productivity and performance over everything. The Pro lineup has the best performance and fastest speeds of all the Apple laptops (for professional work) 15″ has the best specs out of all Apple laptops; 13” TouchBar is the best blend of high performance and fairly compact size out of all the Apple laptops
  • Need the most internal storage: 13″ starts at 128GB SSD (configurable up to 2TB); 15″ starts at 256GB SSD (configurable to 4TB)
  • Want the best/brightest display & best speakers out of all Apple laptops (All MBPs have 25% more colors than standard RGB along with 500 nits of brightness; The Touch Bar models have True Tone technology where the white balance automatically adjusts to match the color temperature of the light around you and besides the display it also has high fidelity audio
  • Often multi-task with multiple programs open since you can get up to 32GB of RAM
  • Run CPU-intensive or graphics-intensive applications like photography, coding, HD & 4K video editing, 3D graphics, and certain gaming (For best graphics performance get 15″ which has dedicated Radeon Pro GPU with up to 4GB memory)
  • Don’t mind having a slightly bigger laptop compared to the other MacBook models (having said that, I own a 13” MacBook Pro with TouchBar and it’s still very mobile and portable)
  • Have a large budget (expensive; most expensive config is over $7,000)
12-MacOS-Hidden-Features

12 Mac Hidden Features You NEED to Be Using

February 5, 2018 / / 0 Comments

Quick Look

One of the simplest tricks on Mac is press Spacebar to preview files. It works on a surprisingly large variety of file formats: office docs, PDFs, audio files, video files, fonts, etc. Saves a lot of time.

Spotlight

Cmd + Spacebar is the shortcut to Spotlight search which you can use to quickly open apps or files. This is a very simple and well-known feature and one of my most used keyboard shortcuts on the Mac. Spotlight can also perform calculations and look up other useful info like current conversion rates for currencies, the weather and flight statuses.

Digitally Sign PDFs with Preview

Preview app can automatically create a digital signature to allow you to digitally sign PDFs. Go to Preview, Tools, Annotate, Signature, Manage Signatures. Then hold up a signed piece of paper to the webcam and it will automatically create and save that digital signature for you so you can use anytime you need to digitally sign a PDF in the future.

Emoji Keyboard

To bring up the emoji keyboard in Mac OS simply press ctrl+Cmd+space

Quickly hide or close apps

Hold Cmd while pressing tab to scroll through your open apps. When you reach the app you want to close or hide, press either Q to quit or H to hide the app.

Dictation

MacOS has a built-in speech to text feature called Dictation. Instead of typing, just press the fn key twice and a microphone icon will pop up and then you can start speaking into your microphone and it will type out what you’re talking and when you’re done you just click Done.

Screenshots

Cmd + shift + 4 = Capture dragged area & save to desktop
Cmd + shift + 3 = Capture entire screen & save to desktop
Cmd + ctrl + shift + 3 = Capture entire screen & copy to clipboard
Cmd + ctrl + shift + 4 = Capture dragged area & copy to clipboard
Cmd + shift + 4 + Space = Capture a window & save to desktop
Cmd + ctrl + shift + 4 + Space = Capture a window & copy to clipboard

Quickly create file from selected text

Select text then drag and drop to desktop or folder and it will automatically create a file with the selected text in it

Precise Volume/Brightness Control

Hold Shift + Option and change your brightness or volume to adjust in smaller increments for more precise control.

Summarize Text

Mac OS allows you to quickly summarize long pieces of text in just a few seconds. To summarize a text first select it, right click on the selection and click on “Summarize”. To enable the summary feature, click on the app name in the status bar, click Services, Services Preferences, scroll down and check “Summarize”.

More Space

If you own a Mac with a Retina display you can scale the screen to create more screen space. This feature also works if you have a second monitor connected to your main Retina device. Go to System preferences, Display, Click Scale, and choose More Space.

Quick Dictionary

If you have a Trackpad you can select a word and do a 3-finger tap to quickly bring up the definition of the selected word.

2018 MacBook Buyers Guide

Which MacBook to Buy in 2018? Apple Laptop Guide!

December 22, 2017 / / 0 Comments

Which MacBook to Buy in 2018? Apple Laptop Guide!

So you’re interested in buying an Apple laptop. Congratulations, a laptop is a big purchase so it’s very important to choose the right one. In this video I’ll explain which MacBook model is best for you in 2018.

Currently there are 3 MacBook models: MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro
(All MacBook models come standard with an SSD and at least 8GB RAM)

MacBook

  • Apple’s 12″ screen laptop; Base model starts at $1299
  • Only MacBook available in 4 different colors: rose gold, space gray, gold, and silver
  • Base model has 7th-Gen 1.2GHz Intel Core m3 mobile processor; configurable to dual-core i5 or i7
  • 8GB RAM (up to 16GB) and 256GB SSD (up to 512GB)

Get MacBook if you

  • Care about looks more than performance (sexy; IPS Retina display with 226 ppi; colors)
  • Want something ultra portable and mobile; Apple’s thinnest lightest laptop (2 lbs and up to 10 hours battery life)
  • Want the smallest screen of any Apple laptop (12″ diagonal)
  • Mainly run basic applications, nothing too CPU dependent (base model has mobile processor)
  • Don’t need a lot of ports (only 1 USB-C port for charging/input/output)
  • Don’t mind having a crappy webcam (only 480p)

MacBook Air

  • Base model starts at $999
  • 13.3″ screen; 8GB RAM; 128GB SSD (configurable to 256GB or 512GB)
  • 5th-Gen Intel dual-core i5 processor (can be upgraded to 2.2GHz Core i7)

Get MacBook Air if you

  • Have the lowest budget (Apple’s most affordable laptop)
  • Care about battery life more than anything (up to 12 hours; longest battery life of any Apple laptop)
  • Want a small lightweight laptop like the MacBook but with more ports (great for students and travelers)
  • Don’t mind having a mediocre display (it’s not an IPS Retina display; 1440×900 not even Full HD)
  • Don’t mind having silver bezels (has fairly large bezels relative to its size)
  • Run the same basic applications that the MacBook is good for and if you know you don’t need more than 8GB RAM (this is Apple’s only laptop that is limited to 8GB)
  • Need an HD webcam (720p)
  • Don’t need a lot of storage space on the laptop and you utilize Cloud storage or external drives (base model only has 128GB storage)

MacBook Pro

  • Comes in silver or space gray and 2 screen sizes: 13.3″ starting at $1299 (non-TouchBar) & $1799 w/ TouchBar. 15.4″ starts at $1999 (2015 non-TouchBar model) & $2399 w/ TouchBar
  • All MacBook Pro models have IPS Retina displays (13″ has 227ppi; 15″ has 220ppi) and all MBP models can expect 9-10 hours battery life
  • 13″ comes with 8GB RAM (configurable to 16GB); 15″ comes with 16GB RAM
  • 13″ starts at 128GB SSD (configurable up to 1TB); 15″ starts at 256GB SSD (configurable to 2TB)
  • 13″ starts with Intel 7th-Gen Kaby Lake dual-core i5 (configurable to dual-core i7)
  • 15″ 2015 non-TouchBar comes with 4th-gen quad-core; 15″ TouchBar comes with 7th-Gen Kaby Lake quad-core i7

Get 2015 15″ MacBook Pro if you

  • Want an awesome laptop for under $2,000 (some say it’s the best laptop ever made)
  • Want Mag-Safe
  • Want all the other ports besides USB-C (HDMI, SD slot, USB-A, Thunderbolt 2)
  • Don’t mind having an older processor (4th-gen)
  • Want 15″ size but no Touch Bar

Get newest MacBook Pro if you

  • Want the best performance and fastest speed of all the Apple laptops (for professional work; 15″ Touch Bar has the best specs out of all MBPs)
  • Need the most internal storage (only Apple laptop to be configured for 1-2TB of storage)
  • Want the best/brightest display out of all Apple laptops (The newest 13″ and 15″ MBPs have 25% more colors than sRGB and 500 nits of brightness; 2015 MBP has sRGB and 300 nits; 13″ has the most ppi)
  • Run CPU-intensive or graphics-intensive applications like gaming, HD video editing, 3D modeling, CAD, virtual machines, hardcore Photoshop (For best graphics performance get 15″ which has dedicated Radeon Pro GPU with up to 4GB memory)
  • Don’t mind having a slightly bigger laptop compared to the other MacBook models (having said that, the 13″ is a very compact and portable laptop)
  • Absolutely want TouchBar/TouchID (even though 13″ MBP doesn’t have it)
  • Are okay with having USB-C ports (USB-C to USB-A adapters are a must-have)
  • Have a large budget (expensive; can go over $4,000 for certain configurations)

 

upgrade-imac-ram

How to Upgrade iMac RAM for Cheap

June 21, 2017 / / 0 Comments

How to easily upgrade your iMac RAM for way less money than what Apple charges.

Buy iMac RAM at MacSales

Apple Support: “Installing iMac Memory”

I love Apple products, but it’s no surprise that they overcharge for certain things. So when I was ordering the new 2017 iMac, instead of paying $200 for 16GB of RAM, I chose the 8GB option and saved a lot of money by ordering RAM separately and installing it myself. In this video I’ll show you exactly how to do that for your iMac.

Step 1: Check Compatibility

On your iMac click on the Apple icon in the top left corner and click About This Mac. If your iMac RAM is user upgradeable you should see a Memory tab. Click the Memory tab to see how many RAM slots you’re currently using. Most likely you’ll have 2 slots available. Next, go back to the Overview tab and click System Report to find out your iMac Model Identifier. This info is needed for the next step. You can see mine is 18,3.

Step 2: Order Your RAM

One of the best ways to get RAM for your iMac is through MacSales. Here’s the link to their iMac Memory page. MacSales is great because they tell you exactly what kind of RAM you need for your particular iMac model and they also offer trade-in rebates if you’re not keeping the original RAM that came in your Mac.

Once you’ve visited MacSales click on the iMac that corresponds to your Model ID from your Mac system report in Step one. Mine is 18,3 and it’s the iMac 27” 2017 with Retina 5K display. Now you’ll choose which RAM kit you want for your iMac. Since I have 2 memory slots available I could get the 8GB kit and end up with 16GB of total RAM which ends up being $120 less than what Apple was charging. I’m actually going to get the 16GB kit so I can have a total of 24GB for my iMac.

Step 3: Install Your RAM

After you have your new RAM, turn off your iMac and disconnect the power plug from the back. Find something with a small tip like the end of a headphone cable and push in the small button to eject the RAM cover. On the inside of the RAM cover you’ll see a basic diagram of how to install the RAM. Locate the two levers on the right and left sides of the memory cage and push the two levers outward to release the memory cage. Insert the new RAM sticks into the available slots and make sure they are in the correct orientation. If it doesn’t go in smoothly, flip the RAM stick around and try again. It should just go straight in and align with the other RAM sticks. When you’re finished, push the two levers back into the housing until they click and stay in place, then replace the RAM cover and plug in the power cable.

Step 4: Verify Your RAM

Turn on your iMac and go back into the Apple icon and click About This Mac. Where it says Memory it should now show the new RAM amount and you can also go into the Memory tab to see it too.

So that’s it. It’s very easy to do and it saves you a lot of money as long as the RAM in your iMac is user removable and upgradeable. Thanks for watching. My name is Andy and I’ll talk to you guys in the next video.

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