Tips and Tricks

Tips: Open .docx files with Office 2004

If you haven’t yet upgraded to Microsoft Office 2008, you’re probably intimately familiar with the problem of receiving Office 2008 .docx (Word 2008) files; they’re not natively supported by Office 2004. If you have updated that older version of Office to 11.5.0 and installed the Open XML File Format Converter for Mac, you’ll be able to open .docx files in Word 2004.

Both the Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.5.0 Update Package and the Open XML File Format Converter for Mac are available for free. Another way that you can resolve the .docx dilemma is to use Zamzar’s online file converter (see screenshot below) to downgrade the .docx file to the .doc format. Choose the .docx file, select the file format (.doc) that you wish to convert the file to, enter your email address so that Zamzar can send the converted file to you, and then click the Convert button. You’ll receive the converted file shortly.

This tip comes to you via Jenny Kortina over at The Apple Blog. [Read]

Popularity: 2% [?]

Mac 101: Bluetooth basics

Leopard’s Bluetooth feature is one of those things that’s easy to forget about until you need it, then you’re glad you have it. Let’s take a look at some ways to get the most out of this under-utilized tool.

In order to use your Mac with another Bluetooth gadget like a mobile phone or headset, you’ll need to pair it with that specific device. Locate the Bluetooth settings under System Preferences and turn the Bluetooth power on. Then also check the box marked “Discoverable.” This will allow other devices in range to see your Mac.

Make sure the device you want to pair with the Mac is powered on and also discoverable (check the owner’s manual for specifics on how to manage the Bluetooth settings on your mobile phone or headset). Next, click the Bluetooth icon found near your clock on the toolbar at the top of your screen and select “Set Up Bluetooth Device.” Follow the Mac’s onscreen steps that explain how to add the eight-digit passcode that will allow your two devices to talk to each other.

Once you’ve established a connection between your Mac and another gadget, your computer stores the info until you delete it — there’s no need to add a new passcode each time. When you’re done using a Bluetooth device with your Mac, be sure to uncheck the “Discoverable” option to prevent anyone else from pairing a device with your computer. When you’re ready to re-pair a device, just click on the Bluetooth icon, and select the gadget from the dropdown list.

One last thing: If you’re not using Bluetooth on your laptop, make sure it’s turned off to preserve battery life.

Popularity: 4% [?]

3 great uses for your screen shot app

Whether you use Leopard’s native screen grab tool, or a specially designed app like Skitch, there’s more you can use it for than just snapping a shot of your desktop. Here are three of my favorites:

No more cut and paste - I often have to replicate several pages of a content management system (CMS) that require me to enter tags in a field one at a time. I used to enter them on the first page, then copy the text, open Text Edit or Stickies, paste the text, then move on to the next page and flip back and forth between screens while re-entering tags on each page. Now I just snap a screenshot of the tags I’ve entered and use it as a reference on the remaining CMS pages.

File those registration receipts - After I’ve bought an app, I snap a shot of the receipt screen and store it in Evernote. Of course I also keep the copy the vendor emails me, buts it’s nice having a backup in case my email client flakes out.

Make audio editing easier - While editing podcasts in Audacity, I often need to note the exact time of a clip. While it’s easy enough to make a note with pencil and paper (remember those?), a screen grab lets me see at a glance exactly what other settings I was using at the time.

What are some of your more unconventional uses for the screen grab tool?

Popularity: 4% [?]

Guy Kawasaki shares his secrets of long iPhone life

I’ll skip the obligatory mini-biography of Guy and cut to the chase: the dude gets a whopping 36 hours of standby time with his iPhone 3G. True, many other phones get better battery life and can go for days without a charge. But anyone banging their iPhone on the wall, wishing the darn thing didn’t suck down the juice like a preschooler in the Sahara will appreciate his detailed account of the settings used to eke out lengthy iPhone standby time. Oh, and those other phones? As Guy says, “…it’s better to have a cool phone that you have to charge everyday than a sucky phone that you can charge once a week.” How do you keep your iPhone alive? [guykawasaki]

Popularity: 3% [?]

Get a Mac, get a job

As the economy makes with the poop, we can all use a little bit of extra help finding work. Whether it’s side projects, or full-time employment, there are plenty of jobs available for system administrators, programmers, and creative people — all who use a Mac.

I’ve assembled a collection of sites and job boards that cater to those with a technical and creative skill set — people who probably use a Mac. This is by no means a complete list, but should help anyone starting to look for work.

Comments consisting of “how could you dare possibly omit [insert name of board here]” will be met with resigned sighs from me, but cheers from our readers. So feel free to point people in the direction of boards that you’ve used or trusted before in comments.

Follow me across the jump for the list. Read the rest of this entry

Popularity: 11% [?]