MacLitigator » Uncategorized

How-To Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in OS X

pete — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:40:09 +0000

Quick tip on assigning keyboard shortcuts.

Mac OS 10.6 allows the user to define keyboard shortcuts for virtually any of the menu items contained within applications. A prime example of this is that with the built-in PDF viewer Preview, selecting text and then pressing the key combination control-command-h will result in highlighting of the selected text.

However, other applications such as DEVONthink and Circus Ponies Notebook use a different key combination to achieve the same result. Rather than memorize all the different keyboard shortcuts, set up your own keyboard shortcuts.

Open System Preferences, select Keyboard, select Keyboard Shortcuts, andselectApplication Shortcuts. Clicking the plus sign brings up a dialog whereby you can select the keyboard shortcut to work across the entire operating system, or be more specific to your particular application. Type the menu title in exactly as it appears within the application. Then, with the cursor in the keyboard shortcut box, press the keyboard combination you wish to use for that menu item.

Dragon Dictation for the iPhone

pete — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:39:08 +0000

“Finally, dictation software you might actually find useful. Nuance the makers of dragon dictation, released an iPhone application today. Unlike Mac speech,there’s no training required and the dictation software work works remarkably well. In fact, this entire blog entry was dictated using DragonDictate for the iPhone . Dragons the iPhone is free for the taking from the app store.”

The above was dictated using Dragon and is presented unaltered from the original. You’ll notice the error with the period at the second to last sentence and the last sentence itself should read “Dragon for the the iPhone is …”

The error from the period arises because the app can only handle a limited amount of dictation before it stops dictating, then you must start dictating again. Still, a pretty useful little app to have around. It lets you cut n past from app into SMS, email etc which can make it very handy for responding to emails and SMS without needing to type. For longer dictation projects, probably not all that useful.

Snow Leopard Compatibility Checker

pete — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:57:41 +0000

A downloadable and free piece of software will help you determine whether or not Snow Leopard cripples your favorite piece of software or, more accurately, whether the developer of your favorite piece of software totally ignored the inevitable and has left you high n’ dry… I’m looking at you Fujitsu Scansnap (limited functionality under Snow Leopard) and Vonage Companion (completely borked).

Snowchecker via Lifehacker.

Woah… Kindle on my iPhone

pete — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:19:13 +0000

Amazon just announced the Kindle for iPhone app. The app syncs Kindle books to your iPhone. And, really cool, it syncs to the last page you were reading on your Kindle and vice versa. It also syncs bookmarks. So, if you just happen to get bored waiting at the doctor’s office, you can pop open your book and, when you return to the full-fledged Kindle, it syncs to the point you left off on your iPhone. I know, I know, a completely unrealistic hypothetical since anyone going to the doctor’s office expects the wait and takes the Kindle along. Unfortunately, it does not appear to sync over texts/books etc. that you have uploaded to your Kindle account. This is a real bummer because the Kindle iPhone reader is beautiful and would work oh so well to read pleadings, depositions etc. etc. You can get the app here (opens iTunes).

Legal Recession Survey.

pete — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:00:23 +0000

The ABA Journal is surveying lawyers to find out if they feel the pinch of the recession (yes, I said the ‘R’ word and would have said it last January too). My thinking: If you’ve got the time to screw around with surveys, you’re probably feeling the pinch, so results are probably going to be skewed. On the other hand, you can justify your participation as a busy attorney in the name of providing a fair and balanced survey result. Hit the link to take the survey and I’ll be sure to post results once they come back.

“The ABA Journal is surveying lawyers about the job market and the current state of the economy.“

iPhone File Transfer and Viewing

pete — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:38:22 +0000

There are at least two programs out there handling that situation where you just gotta get and view files on your iPhone.

Briefcase (Lite = free & Pro = $4.99) promises to connect, download, view and upload files. Reviews on the AppStore are overwhelmingly positive with most users upgrading to the Pro version shortly after testing out Lite. Briefcase works without installing anything on the Mac side, but is only Mac/Linux compatible. And, it works very very well. Connecting to my MacBook Pro over the wireless took practically no effort (just be sure that you allow remote login SSH connections in System Preferences). Briefcase supports many file types, including iWork, MS Word, .MP3 and PDF. Testing reveals that loading PDF works extremely well and fast, with the iPhone allowing rotation of the screen for landscape viewing.

FileMagnet

Offers much of the same as Briefcase. No word from developer regarding .MP3 or video files. In order to transfer files, software must be installed on the host computer. But, on the other hand, FileMagnet offers Windows XP and Vista support. Further, FileMagnet incorporates an intriguing ’tilt to scroll’ documents by using the iPhone’s accelerometer. Because Briefcase fits the bill, and because FileMagnet requires installation of host software, I chose not to test out FileMagnet. FileMagnet has no ‘free’ version and runs a flat $4.99 in the AppStore.

One last note: Either FileMagnet or Briefcase completely eliminate the hack work-around for emailing PDF’s as tipped for loading Flashcards onto your iPhone in this post.

Dropbox Goes Live for All, Surge of Telecommuters Causes Drop in Gas Prices!

pete — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:45:14 +0000

Finally out of beta and into the world , Dropbox can now let us all get away from the flakey M$ Foldershare and the oh so slow Sugarsync. Pricing is pretty good and considering how much better the interface is with Dropbox over Sugarsync, and the ability to authorize/deauthorize access via the web – I’ll be completely switching over next week. $99/year for 50GB

Thanks to Daniel Nguyen for the heads up on this.

Better than a dream journal, simpler than a string on your finger.

pete — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:20:06 +0000

You just rolled into bed, you’re about to doze off, you remember you need to (insert: call client in morning; file answer to pleading; pick-up dry cleaning) and now you must either get out of bed and write a note or toss and turn while the carnival starts rolling (warning NSFW, turn the speakers down).

Note2Self (crappy Parker Lewis reference aside) is a very simple app that does one thing and does it well. You push the button, put the iPhone to your head, tell yourself whatever and drop the phone as you doze off into a peaceful rest. Note2Self emails you the voice memo (or emails your assistant or who ever you designate). Next morning, hey, checking email, oh yeah, I gotta go get me some frozen yogurt with gummy bears (crappy Parker Lewis reference).

There are a few other apps for the iPhone that do the same thing, but Note2Self won my heart with its cheap price, .99¢, and its ultra-simple approach.

Other similar apps include: EccoNote (free); EccoNote Pro (.99¢ does email notes, but requires more involvement); Audio Recorder ($2.99, can email AND can add more to a prior recording). Whatever one works for you, its still better than keeping a dream journal and simpler than tying a string around your finger.

Cut and Paste Coming to iPhone?

pete — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:34:55 +0000

Playing around with a 3G iPhone last night. While surfing through the Apple store refurb site, looking at Airport Express details, my left thumb placement made the screen darken. At first, I thought some part of my hand was covering up the ambient light sensor, used to make screen darker or lighter depending on conditions. However, while trying to move my hand around to make it stay dark, this little sweet nubpopped up… an “Action” item. Sort of like Command-Click or Right-Click on a regular Mac. I can only assume this is a future Command-Click interface that was somehow inadvertently triggered, or in non-lawyer speak, a bug. Unable to reproduce on a different web page (expedia.com), so don’t know quite what that means. But a Command-Click on the iPhone would be much welcomed for cut-n-paste and other applications!

On a sad note, this could not be duplicated on a 2G iPhone, so might be a limitation there. More photos below.

Gone Fishin’

pete — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:57:35 +0000

For the next 3 weeks, MacLitigator will be in the wild and completely unplugged. Not a vacation by any stretch, especially for a tech addict. The place holding MacLitigator hostage has 3 pay phones, one fax machine, no television (no real loss here), no internet and no cell phone service and a sign out front of the barn that reads “Welcome to Hell.” Be prepared for a host of tech survival tips upon my return, assuming I can get good enough GPS reception to find my way back.