Mac Clarity - Master Your Mac

This level is going to introduce a lot of shortcuts
Your computer can be played like a musical instrument
Viewing it as a musical instrument can help to create works of art and be mindful with your computer
Give yourself time to learn the shortcuts - It will make a huge difference

Lessons

1. How to find anything on your Mac super fast (and preview it before opening)
2. Got private stuff? Stop spotlight searching parts of your computer

Stuff To Remember

• Spotlight is a super powerful search tool to find pretty much anything on your computer
• change the Privacy settings to stop spotlight searching somewhere

Lessons

1. Can’t remember the name of the file your looking for? Here's a few cool and easy ways to find it.
2. The fastest way to open an app… ever (speed trialists apply here!)
3. Using the built in dictionary and calculator

Stuff To Remember

• SHORTCUT – Spotlight – Cmd Spacebar
• Use list view to search through masses of files
• Working with Databases is fun
• Open Apps from Spotlight

Lessons

1. Two lightning fast ways to see how many apps you have open

Stuff To Remember

• Lights under apps in Dock show which are open
• SHORTCUT – Scroll Applications: Cmd Tab

Lessons

1. Quit apps or close the window, what is the difference?

Stuff To Remember

• SHORTCUT – Quit Applciation: Cmd Q
• SHORTCUT – Scroll through apps: Cmd Tab
• Quit apps superfast by combining these shortcuts for scrolling and quitting:
  • KEY – Hold down CMD the the whole time

Lessons

1. Minimising and maximising windows – so what?
2. Focus right in with the full screen feature

Stuff To Remember

• Buttons in the top left of a finder window:
  • Yellow to minimise
  • Green to maximise
  • Red to close the window (remember that this doesn’t quit the application!)
• Click and drag on the bottom right corner to resize a window
• Use Full Screen to focus in

Lessons

1. Set up a row of world clocks for quick reference
2. Convert almost any measurement to any other

Stuff To Remember

• SHORTCUT – Get to Dashboard:
  • Three fingers swipe side to side on trackpad
  • OR Ctrl left/right arrow

Lessons

1. Thesaurus – find alternative words quickly when offline
2. Remove widgets or get more from the internet
3. Translate from many languages

Stuff To Remember

• Download more widgets from the apple website here

Lessons

1. Find the window you want without having to move everything out the way all the time!

Stuff To Remember

• Access Mission Control SHORTCUTs:
  • 1 – Three Fingers Up on a trackpad
  • 2 – F3 on your keyboard
  • 3 – Ctrl Up and Ctrl Down
• Choose the one that feels best for you and stick with itDock preferences: Apple icon > Dock > Dock preferences

Lessons

1. Open multiple desktops to make your work easier and faster
2. Group stuff from one desktop to another

Stuff To Remember

• Multiple Desktops sit side by side
• SHORTCUT – Move Between Desktops: Three Finger Side Swipe on trackspad or Ctrl and left or right
• Group apps together on different desktops to help you focus

Lessons

1. Get to your desktop really fast (plus how to use hotcorners)

Stuff To Remember

• Access the Desktop:
  • 1 – SHORTCUT: Shift Cmd D
  • 2 – Set up a hot corner in system preferences

Lessons

1. Recognising the icons from USB pen drive, CD/DVD & hard drive
2. How to eject a USB pen drive
3. What is a DMG? (and how do I use it correctly)

Stuff To Remember

• In the Macintosh HD only touch the Applications folder and the Users folder
• Always eject a Usb Pen Drive before removing it
• .dmg = Disk image – You must:
  • 1 – Copy out the contents (don’t open from here)
  • 2 – These need to be ejected like a USB Pen Drive

Lessons

1. What is the suffix and how to find out what it does
2. Understanding what to do with specific filetypes (and finding out which app your Mac wants to open it in)
3. How to open compressed files

Stuff To Remember

• Common Filetypes that are worth learning
  • .zip = Compressed File -this is usually folder containing lots of files compressed into one
  • .jpg = image
  • .pdf = electronic document
  • .mp3 .m4a .wav = Audio Files
  • .mp4 .avi = movies
• Preview a file – click on it and press spacebar
• An alias is used as a doorway to a folder (it doesn’t duplicate the folder, it mirrors it)
• Create an alias and zip file by Ctrl clicking on a file to bring up the sub menu

By changing persepctive your computer can, once again, become an incredible window into possiblity.

This interactive worksheet demonstrates a method to approach shortcuts and helps you come up with your own way of working.

Fill in your answers on the PDF or print it off and use pen and paper.

• How do you feel about your computer?
• Do you spend more time with it than the people you are clostest too?
  
• Getting distracted is quite common
  
• Be gentle with yourself with your habits, you can change them if you choose to
  
• Putting boundaries with yourself can be powerful INSTEAD of forceful
  
• What could your healthy boundaries with technology look like?

Organising Data is loads of fun! Let's discuss this Section. This is for those of you that are very unorganised with data, but even if you are organised you will hopefully learn some really cool tips and tricks in here.

Lessons

1. Help me find my files fast – Setting up my finder windows in cool ways
2. How do I fine tune the feel of windows and apps

Notes To Remember

• SHORTCUT – New Finder Window: Cmd N
• Make sure you can see:
  • The Side Bar
  • The Tool Bar
  • The Path Bar
  • The Status Bar
• Get the Side bar to a size that works for you

Lessons

1. Setting the finder sidebar up
2. Add my most used folders to the finder sidebar for super fast access
3. Ordering the sidebar to make sense

Notes To Remember

• SHORTCUT – Preferences: Cmd Comma
• Change what is on your sidebar to suit your working style
• Add project folders remove folders from the side bar by Ctrl Clicking on it

Lessons

1. How do I change what is on the toolbar? (the bit at the top of the finder window)
2. What are the different ways I can view my files in finder?
3. Which kind of view is better?

Notes To Remember

• Customise the toolbar to work faster
  • Change to icon and text view for toolbar icons
• Icon view – Best for Images
• List view – Best for sorting through a folder
  • Add more columns - Ctrl click on the top of a coloumn
• Coloumn view – most helpful for navigating through your hardrive
  • Use the path bar for quick navigation
• Coverflow – Best for flowing through images
• Be dynamic! Use the different views for different activities

Lessons

1. Cool things about column view

Notes To Remember

• Use shortcuts with one hand where you can to play your computer better
• Column view helps us see the data about a file
• Resize the columns to be able to see everything
• Hold alt whilst resizing the columns to change all at once
• Use the path bar to navigate to folders above the present one

Lessons

1. Set up the dock to access your files super fast

Notes To Remember

• Put folders on the right side of the dock by dragging a folder into a space
• Change the view to list view to access your files really fast

Lessons

1. I don’t know where I am saving my files, how do I find out?

Notes To Remember

• SHORTCUT – Save: Cmd S
• Know where you are saving your work! (a few seconds to consider it now saves a LOT of time later on)
• Create new folders as you go to build a good file structure

Lessons

1. Three ways to selecting specific files in a list

Notes To Remember

• SHORTCUT: To select files in a list:
  • 1 – Click on a file
  • 2 – Hold shift
  • 3 – Click on last in list
• SHORTCUT: To select AND deselect specific files:
  • Hold Cmd and click

Lessons

1. I’m a visual person – I want to colour my files
2. Putting loads of files in a folder really fast

Notes To Remember

• Colour Code documents to visually group them
• Put selected files into a folder by Ctrl Clicking and choosing ‘new folder with selection’

Lessons

1. How do I sort my stuff? There is so much of it all over the place!
2. How do I select specific files in a list for moving?
3. How do I shove a load of files into a follder really quickly?
4. How do I resize and move 2 finder windows in preparation of file moving?

Notes To Remember

If you haven’t been through the other lessons in this level please go do it first so this will make more sense

• Moving Stuff Fast:
  • Layout 2 finder windows – one above the other
  • Top window is list view
  • Bottom window Column view
  • Move from the top window to the bottom window
• Don’t be nostalgic – looking at stuff beyond a quick glance is for later
• Include an archive folder to put in stuff you don’t want to delete yet
• Create a folder called Unknown for sorting later
• Put numbers before a file or folder to force its order in a list

This can big a really big thing, moving all the data. This worksheet gives hints and tips to make the process methodical and fun. It also addresses some of the core emotional processing that can go on around doing The Big Data move to support youe very step of the way.

It is really helpful to acknowledge your feelings about moving data. These feelings are usually what create the stories about why you cannot do it.

• Knowing how to do this stuff is half of it. Getting start is the other half
• To know how to use time Mchine please see the next section
• It is helpful to connect with the feeling you want once the data is sorted before you start
• This is a one time fix usually - then it is just maintenance

• We can create an environment with our Mac that inspires us into the Flow
  
• Why do you use your computer?
  
• Set an intention about why your coming to the computer...
  
• Close apps that you don't need...
  
• You will get to take more responsibility!

Lessons

1. Three ways to access system preferences

Notes To Remember

• 1 – Apple in corner > System Preferences
• 2 – On the dock
• 3 – Use spotlight (Cmd Spacebar) to open the fastest

Lessons

1. What kind of external hard drive do I need for time Machine?

Notes To Remember

• Get to know the size of your HD
  • 1024KB = 1MB > Average song is 3MB
  • 1024MB = 1GB > Average movie = 1GB
  • 1024GB = 1TB
  • The order is KB > MB > GB > TB (Kangeroos Mostly Grow Tails)
• 1 – Check the size of your hardrive (HD) and write it down
• 2 – Buy an external drive that is larger than your Mac HD – Here is a good 1TB on on amazon and a 2TB on Amazon
  
• 3 – Plug it in and we are ready for the next video

Lessons

1. How do I get my external hard drive ready for Time Machine (aka formatting)

Notes To Remember

• It is best to do this with a new HD before using Time Machine on it and for Time Machine we format to: Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
• SHORTCUT -Applications folder: Shift Cmd A
• Use Disk Utility to wipe HD’s or Pen Drives
  • MS-DOS (FAT) is for Mac/PC Compatability – You can only transfer 4GB of data at a time with this
  • Mac OS Extended (Journaled) for Mac only

Lessons

1. What is Time Machine?
2. How do I set up Time Machine?
3. How Do I bring back old stuff from time machine?

Notes To Remember

• Time Machine Backs up your computer
  • Each subsequent back up will only back up your changes since the last back up
• Make sure you select the right disk

Lessons

1. Protect your computer with a password, and use it in smart ways
2. I can’t open apps that are downloaded from the internet, why not?
3. What is filevault? Do I need this?

Notes To Remember

• Put a password on your Mac, even if basic
• It’s good to set it to need a password at 1minute after sleep or screen saver begins
• Allow applications downloaded from ‘Anywhere‘ (you’ll need to click on the lock)
• Filevault will slow down yor machine a LOT

Lessons

1. What apps know where I am?
2. What apps have access to my contacts?

Notes To Remember

• Remember to click on the lock to make changes here
• Enabling Location services gives information out about where I am to apps I choose
• Location Services is used for ‘Find My Mac‘ incase you Mac get’s lost or stolen
• Allowing access to contacts is a matter of convenience – I recommend allowing Skype if you call friends, it makes it a lot easier

Lessons

1. How do I change my master password? (the one for my log in and installing stuff)
2. Change your picture on the computer
3. Stop an app from automatically loading when you start your mac
4. Reclaim Space on your screen – Get your name off of the menu bar on the top right

Notes To Remember

• Your Computer Password is different to your Apple ID
• Disable any log in items that are bothering you
• Set Automatic Log In with your name to avoid having to key in your password eveytime you load up (this is less secure but more convenient)
• Remove fast user switching if you are the only one using the Mac

Lessons

1. STOP SHOUTING AT ME!!! Make your Mac quieter (and get far more focus!)
2. Get rid of those alert boxes that keep poping up!

Notes To Remember

• I recommend taking off ALL alerts and only use banners on apps you really need to
• Also consider removing all badge app icons and sounds
• Ask Yourself:
  • 1 – Do I need a banner at all for any apps?
  • 2 – Do I want a badge app icon?
  • 3 – Do I want to hear a sound?

Lessons

1. Check out all your notifications in one place

Notes To Remember

• Choose wisely which notifications you want to see in the top left so you are not bombarded with information

Lessons

1. Stop alerts with one click, then start them again with another!

Notes To Remember

• Switching off notifications with this will stop all notifications for 24 hours (giving you a chance to focus in)
  • Press Alt (or Option) to switch notifications on and off
  • Press at the very top of notification center

Lessons

1. How to change your screen saver
2. Check out probably the best sceen saver of all time and download it for free

Notes To Remember

• Ctrl Click on Desktop > ‘Change Desktop background’
• Use a solid colour for minimal distractions
• Download Electric Sheep here (It’s free, it’s amazing)

Lessons

1. Setting up and removing ‘hot corners’ to get to stuff quicker

Notes To Remember

• Hot corners are in system preferences > Screensaver > Hot corners
• It is a good idea to have desktop in the top left to give you quick access

Lessons

1. Automatically send your computer or display to sleep (this is really good for your computer)
2. Automatically start your computer so it is ready for you when you are

Notes To Remember

• Access this through System preferences > Energy Saver
• Set it up to suit your way of working and so it doesn’t make the screen go dark really fast!

In this noisy technology world there are ways to quieten down the din. This worksheet will help you explore some of the more detailed tech and the emotional baggage that can go with it.

What difference does it make to have a password for you?
What do you use to focus?

A brief Introduction to the level

Sorry I made a mistake in the vid! Time Machine was in Level 4!

Lessons

1. Get your keyboard behaving properly so it keeps up with you

Notes To Remember

Key Repeat does not apply to normal letters – mainly it applies to backspace

Lessons

1. Get your mouse running around at just the right speed
2. Single, double and treble clicking

Notes To Remember

• Practice with the mouse tracking speed – this can make a BIG difference!
• Practice with the natural scrolling direction switched on and off – see what works for you
  • Single click to select a place in a documents
  • Double click to select a word
  • Treble Click to select a sentence

Lessons

1. Two lightning fast ways to see how many apps you have open

Notes To Remember

• Practice with tap to click – it will make for a more graceful experience – give some time to get used to it.
• Switch on two finger tap to use instead of Ctrl Click
• Right click = Ctrl Click = Two Finger Tap

Lessons

1. Quit apps or close the window, what is the difference?

Notes To Remember

• Resolution numbers:
  • 640 x 480 =640px wide x 480px high
  • Px = a pixel = a little square of light
  • So this means that a screen is 640 little square wide by 480 little squares high
• Leave this on the best resolution (usually at the top of the list) unless you need to make the screen bigger
• It’s good to know where to come if you want to make everything bigger – the other way in in the very next lesson

Lessons

1. Make the mouse pointer bigger
2. Zoom in on the screen to make things bigger
3. Get the computer to tell you what it’s doing (for sight impaired)
4. Flash the screen for an alert (for hearing impaired)

Notes To Remember

• When active we can Zoom with:
• Zoom in – Alt Cmd =
• Zoom out – Alt Cmd -

Lessons

1. Get audio, video and pictures opening in the right application when you inset a drive

Notes To Remember

• Choose what application will automatically open your files – this is a massive time saver

Lessons

1. Choose a different app to open a file
2. Make any media file open in the right app EVERYTIME

Notes To Remember

• 1 – Drag a file to an application on the dock
• 2 -Two finger tap or ctrl click on the file
  • Go to ‘open with’ to choose another application
• 3 – Change the ‘default’ that a file opens in
  • Go To ‘get info’
  • Press ‘change all’ to make every file with the same suffix open in this chosen application

Lessons

1. Find the window you want without having to move everything out the way all the time!

Notes To Remember

• 1 – Global Volume affects all sound from the computer
• 2 – Application specific volume does not affect other applications
• SHORTCUT: Access sound preferences fast: Hold Alt when clicking on the volume in the menu bar
• SHORTCUT – Change volume without the Dot: Hold shift whilst changing the volume

Lessons

1. How to connect to wifi and how to turn it off
2. My wifi isn’t working correctly, how to self-diagnose problems

Notes To Remember

• A network is usually when we have a router connected to a phone line that gives us wifi
  • Top two lights = about the wifi card in your computer
  • Middle two lights = about the router and if it is working
  • Bottom two lights = Tells you if there is a problem with you internet service provider
• The computer will connect to the order of wifi hotspots from the top to the bottom – move them to put your favourites at the top

If you followed all of the lessons then you should be very empowered by this point to command your computer

There is not a search box on here as I had hoped! Appologies. Instead go back to the course desciption with the button in the top left. Once there use the shortcut Cmd F to bring up a search box to find a key word on the page.

Using Digital calander can be a reallly good way to stay organised. If you use a paper one already consdier making the shift if it feels good after these lessons

Lessons

1. What is iCloud and how do I set it up?
2. What does iCloud backup and what doesn’t it backup?

Stuff To Remember

• iCloud synchronises specific data between all of your Apple devices
• You need an Apple ID to log in – this is different from your computer password
• You can only Sync Contacts over one service – iCloud, Gmail, hotmail etc – so you must choose which is right for you
• Mail backs up only @me.com or @iCloud.com – not your other mail accounts
• Safari backs up only Safari and not the other browsers
• Photo stream backs up 1000 images from your camera roll – then starts again by deleting the first ones
• Documents and data does not back up all your documents and data – only stuff we choose for it too
• Find my Mac is a way to find your computer if it gets Stolen or lost

Lessons

1. What should I use iCloud for and what should I be careful of?
2. How can I upgrade my iCloud account and should I do it?
3. How do I change my credit card details or billing address in iCloud?

Stuff To Remember

• Backing up your iPhone into iCloud will fill up your iCloud super fast
• Backing up your iPhone to your computer (via iTunes – We’ll look at this in level 8) means you’ll probably never run out of space in iCloud and not need to upgrade the account

A brief overview of what iCloud is and what it is capable of.

Lessons

1. Setting up GMail, Yahoo and Hotmail on the Mac (and why you can’t sync iCloud AND gMail for calendars or reminders)
2. Easily connecting with Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo and Flikr for sharing

Stuff To Remember

• This is used for connecting your email address to the computer and also various other services
• This is a REALLY important point: Setting up your accounts to synchronise here means that if you are without internet you can still access your data
• If you have Hotmail or Yahoo – give it a go to sync it – you won’t damage anything.
  • If it doesn’t work properly and you don’t know how to fix it then it’s worth getting someone more technical in
• We can also connect to Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo and Flickr

Lessons

1. Setting up the environment

Stuff To Remember

• SHORTCUT- Access calendar preferences: Cmd Comma
• Spending a little time to set this up means that you’ll find putting in events later really simple

Lessons

1. Creating an event,
2. Changing the event details
3. Repeating a regular event
4. Setting a reminder for an event
5. Inviting others to an event
6. Deleting an event

Stuff To Remember

• Play with this for a little while adding and deleting events – Playing is the way to get faster and more comfortable
• This is very intuitive – drag and drop
• Adding notes to an event:
  • 1 – Find some events details online
  • 2 – Highlight the text online
  • 3 – Copy the text (SHORTCUT Cmd C)
  • 4 – Come to the notes section and paste (SHORTCUT Cmd V)
• SHORTCUT – Delete an event: Click on the event and press Backspace (or delete)

Lessons

1. Creating different calendars
2. Choosing where to store the calendars and why
3. Giving calendars colour

Stuff To Remember

• Creating different calendars is about categorising events. We can then see them easily through colour coding
• Consider what calendars would work for you. Choose colours that mean something to you (I like green for paid work)
• Consider what categories would suit your life.
• For example:
  • Children’s Calendar
  • Family Events Calendar
  • University Term Calendar

Lessons

1. Should I sync from iCloud or another email account?
2. Adding calendars to gMail and syncing to Apple mail

Stuff To Remember

• This lesson is ONLY relevant to you if you want to use your Google account to synchronise Calendars
• Also you must first have added Google to your Mail, Contacts and Calendars – (see earlier in this level for how to do this)
• To Synchronise Apple Calendar with your Google Calendars:
  • 1 – Go to Apple Calendar Preferences
  • 2 – Go to Account tab
  • 3 – Select GMail
  • 4 – Select Account information
  • 5 – Click on ‘refresh calendars’ Menu
• Only set up the colours for your Apple Calendar as the Google Calendar colours won’t affect the Apple ones
• For older Mac’s you need to add Google Calendars in the preferences > Gmail > Delegation > tick all of the boxes for the calendars you want to see

Lessons

1. Searching calendars
2. Navigating around – different views & today

Stuff To Remember

• TRACKPAD SHORTCUT: Scroll between weeks: Two finger swipe to the side on Calendar

Lessons

1. Setting up the environment
2. Adding, removing and completing a ‘to-do’
3. Creating a new list for specific projects and moving between them
4. Make a to-do for a specific date and location
5. Finding reminders in spotlight

Stuff To Remember

• If you use to-do lists these are really helpful – especially if you have other apple devices

• Having structure can be flexible and can mean that flow is far more free within that
  
• You can have more time to play - consider using that play time away from the computer.

Lessons

1. Setting up the environment in contacts
2. Syncing with your contacts from your email address (and why this is an amazing thing to do!)

Stuff To Remember

• SHORTCUT: Preferences: Cmd Comma
• Sync your contacts with either iCloud, Google, hotmail or Yahoo – This means that they will all be backed up
• Remember that you can only sync with iCloud OR another service, not both
• If you want to configure this on your iPhone – Go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Add New
• The reason to sync these is so that you will never lose your contacts

Lessons

1. How do I create New Contact?
2. How do I edit a contact?
3. Setting the template for a new contact
4. How to add a new field when entering a new contact

Stuff To Remember

• SHORTCUT- New Card: Cmd N
• Add a birthday to have it show up in your calendar (if selected from in the claendar preferences)
• Set up the template to suit you
• it may take a little bit of time to build up but it will be so worth it – if you have a paper version why not type up all the addresses here?

Lessons

1. Setting up the environment to work for you
2. Updating the toolbar to show only what you need
3. Setting the general preferences
4. Change how you view the inbox

Stuff To Remember

• Mail is great so you can read mails when offline, you can also write emails for when you go back online
• Make sure you can see the sidebar
• Set up your toolbar to suit what you need
  • Select icon and Text in the toolbar to see everything

Lessons

1. Creating a new email
2. Replying to an email
3. How to format your email

Stuff To Remember

• SHORTCUT – New Message: Cmd N
• Get to know what kind of formatting you can do on an email

Lessons

1. Changing the colour, font and size of your emails
2. How to add a signature (this puts your details at the bottom of every email automatically)
3. Adding images or other data to an email

Stuff To Remember

• Go to preferences > Fonts & Colors to chance how the message looks automatically
• You have to create a signature in preferences and then drag it over the account that you want it in
  • SHORTCUT – Spell Check: Ctrl Click on a word with red underline for spelling options
  • Save the signature by copying the preferences
• Generally keep email attachments below 10Mb (because not all email companies allow more than this)
• If you attach an image – choose the size in the email document
  • Sizes: 1000Kb (Kilobytes) = 1Mb (Megabyte)
  • 10Mb – max size of email
  • 3Mb – average song

Lessons

1. Send via CC and BCC
2. Groups
3. Where to find the addresses that keep automatically showing up
4. Choosing which email address to send from by default

Stuff To Remember

• Add members from a group in contacts by tying in the name of a group
• Find autofilled recipients in previous recipients (and you can stop them automatically showing up)

Lessons

1. Creating a folder to file emails (and ideas on where and why to do this)
2. Creating ‘smart mailboxes’ to filter specific emails into one place

Stuff To Remember

• Mailbox is a folder in your email account
• When you add your email account it will bring in all you folders from that account
• It can take a few minutes for the folder to show up as it needs to update on Google’s (or hotmail/Yahoo’s) servers
• Create mailboxes (folders) inside other mailboxes to get really organised
• IMPORTANT – If you delete the mailbox you delete the messages, so check through first

Loads of ideas on how to get those emails under your belt.

Learn how to use rules to filter your emails

Lessons

1. Setting up Gmail to receive multiple email addresses to make it simpler in Mac Mail

Stuff To Remember

• Go to the cog in the top right > settings > Accounts > add another email address
• To add the other accounts into Apple Mail like this:
• arron@artikai.com, arron@technologyshaman.com, hello@technologyshaman.com
• Its the comma and space between the address that is important
• These emails must match exactly the ones you added in your Google account
• So here is the process
  • 1 – Add the Accounts in GMail
  • 2 – Add emails to Apple Mail Preferences > Accounts
  • 3 – Separate emails by a comma and space
  • 4 – Choose which email address you want to send from

Introduction to what's involved in this level

Lessons

1. Setting up the environment
2. Getting to know the environment and what is here

Stuff To Remember

• Put iTunes on your dock – it is so amazing!
• Set up the environment:
  • View > Show Sidebar
  • Show Status Bar
• Have a play with the different viewing styles to see which works for you
• Genre is the style of music

Lessons

1. Setting it so your music imports just right
2. Pimping up your music’s sound
3. Understanding iTunes volume control

Stuff To Remember

• Set up iTunes to import via MP3 instead of AAC – this will give you a lot more freedom later on (as you won’t be tied up with Apple devices)
• The status bar shows how many songs I have
• The volume in the menu bar is Global Volume and this affects all applications, the volume in iTunes is application specific volume and so only affects iTunes
• When we listen to music our experience is changed by:
  • 1 – The equipment we use (speakers/headphones, amplifiers, laptops etc)
  • 2 - The place we listen in (acoustics and background noise)
  • So any enhancements we make should be considered for these things.
• An interesting psycho-acoustic effect is that we often assume that louder sounds better. Enhancing will make it a little louder, but it will do other stuff too. So don’t be fooled by it sounding louder – can you hear what else it is doing?

Lessons

1. Add music to iTunes
2. Delete music
3. Where does iTunes store the music?

Stuff To Remember

• Add a track by dragging and dropping it over the main window in iTunes
• With the sub menu (ctrl click):
  • Delete a song
  • Select ‘show in finder’ to see where the song is on the HD

Lessons

1. How to start and stop music
2. Put music on shuffle or loop
3. What’s going to play next?

Stuff To Remember

• Keys on keyboard for media (including movies)
  • f8 – Play/Pause
  • f9 Skip Forward
  • F7 Skip Backward
  • F10 Mute
  • F11 – Volume up
  • F12 – Volume Down
• Get to know where the loop button and the shuffle button is

Lessons

1. Sort your music by group
2. Order your music by category
3. Changing the column sizes
4. Searching for music (and getting it to search better)

Stuff To Remember

• Click at the top of a column to put the list in alphabetical order for that column
• Add some other columns to find your music better
• Consider giving it ratings for smart list playing later on

Lessons

1. How to use the mini player
2. Make the mini player be visible all the time

Stuff To Remember

• Play with the mini player to learn its functionality, when you’re working later with music you’ll be able to sort music super fast and not get too distracted
• Consider if you want the mini player on top of all other windows all the time

Lessons

1. How do I create a playlist
2. How do I add music to my playlist
3. Creating a playlist folder
4. Creating a Smart Playlist

Stuff To Remember

• Playlists used to be called mix tapes but of course they are a little more sophisticated now
• All playlists can be transferred to your iPad/iPhone/iPod touch
• Create a play list and drag and drop music into it from the main library
• When songs are in the playlists they are mirror of the ones in the library, so I can delete to playlist and it won’t remove the song from the library
• Create playlist folders to put multiple playlists into it
• Use a smart playlist to create automatic playlists
  • Be careful about the rules in a smart playlist but it can save a lot of time to create some cool playlists!

Lessons

1. Setting up Genius
2. Start Genius vs create genius playlist
3. Refreshing a Genius Playlist
4. Play next in Genius
5. Making the Genius playlist Longer

Stuff To Remember

• Genius is a virtual DJ and it’s pretty smart
• You have to sign up first and it can take a while for iTunes to get Genius started
• Make sure you can see Genius from the preferences
• Create Genius Playlists by Ctrl Clicking on the track > create genius playlist

Lessons

1. Getting into the iTunes Store
2. How to purchase media (and why you might want to purchase it elsewhere)
3. Find loads of free stuff in the iTunes Store

Stuff To Remember

• iTunes store is huge and it has lots of free and cheap stuff. You can find
  • Music
  • Films
  • Tv Shows
  • App store
  • Books
• Rememebr though that if you purchase media from the iTunes store that you can only view it on your devices that are signed in with your apple ID. This is for copyright purposes but is perhas a little limiting.

Lessons

1. What are podcasts and how do I use them?
2. How to find loads of podcasts in the iTunes store (they are FREE too)

Stuff To Remember

• Podcasts are free audio and video we can download and listen or watch later
• When we subscribe it will just download the podcast in the background
• These will take up HD space so if you have a small

Lessons

1. What is iTunes U and how do I get to it?
2. Get access to thousands of FREE online courses for pretty much any subject

Stuff To Remember

• Give yourself some time to look through everything, there are hundreds if not thousands of courses. It’s incredible and totally free
• These subscribe and download for you to watch and learn at any time (even without internet)
• If you don’t want the whole course but just individual lessons then click on the ‘Free’ button next to that lesson and it will only download that lesson

Lessons

1. Setting up parental controls to restrict content

Stuff To Remember

• Parental Restrictions are in iTunes Preferences
• Change the ratings to your country
• Click the lock in the bottom left when done

Lessons

1. How to transfer media onto your phone
2. Backing up the contents of your phone – should you use iCloud or your computer?
3. Restoring your Phone to it’s factory defaults – Why and When to do this

Stuff To Remember

• Manually sync or automatic, the pro’s and cons
• How to turn any song into a ring tone for your phone
• Ejecting your Phone

Lessons

1. Manually sync or automatic, the pro’s and cons
2. How to turn any song into a ring tone for your phone
3. Ejecting your Phone

Stuff To Remember

• Manual Syncing means you can copy music and movies from more than one computer
• Auto syncing is faster if you only use one computer but is restricted to only connect with that one computer
• If your phone has been syncing up to now, choosing manual will wipe the contents of the phone and you need to start transferring again.
• Remember that we can only have manual OR syncing.
• Restoring the iPhone/iPad/iPod touch wipes it to start again – this is good for anew one or if it goes seriously wrong
• I recommend backing up to the computer rather than iCloud

Introduction to the level.

Lessons

1. VLC goes louder than quicktime
2. VLC can move the audio track back in time with shortcuts F & G

Stuff To Remember

• VLC Plays pretty much anything
• Change which application movies files automatically open in by ctrl clicking and going to ‘get info’
• SHORTCUT – Move audio track back in alignment
  • To go back 50ms – F
  • To go forward 50ms – G
• Download VLC here

Lessons

1. Using VLC to watch movies on your iPhone, iPad etc WITHOUT converting anything
2. Plus its free

Stuff To Remember

• Download VLC for iOS (via your device app store) to be able to put movies on your iPad,iPhone or iPod touch without having to convert them
• Go to the bottom of the app tab in iTunes when your device is plugged in
• Put the movies on from the computer and delete from the phone

Lessons

1. Dropbox – What is it?
2. Dropbox – How to organise the folders
3. Dropbox – Sharing a file or a folder

Stuff To Remember

• So dropbox is for storage. Here is how it works:
  • You are allocated a certain amount of storage space.
  • It shows up as a folder in your Home Folder called ‘Dropbox’
  • Anything you put into that folder is backed up to the Dropbox storage on the internet
  • You can access these files anywhere via the dropbox website
  • If you change the files on the website it changes them on your computer - so they mirror each other
• ‘Share Dropbox Link’ copies the link to the clipboard. We can then paste it into an email – SHORTCUT – Paste: Cmd V
• ‘Sharing the Link’ allows someone to download the content
• ‘Sharing the Folder’ gives someone access to change the contents of the folder
• Go to dropbox here

Learn how to use dropbox effectively

Lessons

1. How do I create a bookmark?
2. How do I create a bookmark folder?
3. How do I get back to my book marks super quick?

Stuff To Remember

• SHORTCUT – Add a bookmark: Cmd D
  Put bookmark folders on your toolbar in the browser, it will help you navigate to sites really fast

A short data sheet on how to use bookmarks in a really powerful way to speed up your projects and help keep you in the flow.

Lessons

1. How Can I enhance my browser?
2. What kind of extensions can I get?

Stuff To Remember

• Extensions are essentially the same in safari, firefox and chrome
• These are plugins that make browsers better
• Have a play and find ones that work for you

Lessons

1. How can I keep track of the time I’m spending on my computer?

Stuff To Remember

• You’ll need to sign up to the rescue time site here
• They do get to watch what apps you’re in so consider your preferences about privacy before you do this – they have a pretty good privacy policy though so its worth reading

Lessons

1. How do I clip from web pages?
2. How do I view web pages in a more de-cluttered view?

Stuff To Remember

• Download Evernote here
• Extensions to download in your browser
  • ‘Clearly Extension’ – De-Clutters the screen
  • ‘Evernote Web clipper’ – for taking parts or all of a web page

Lessons

1. 1Password – an incredibly secure and super fast way of browsing the web

Stuff To Remember

• Download 1 Password here
• They have a 30 day free trial
• REMEMBER – If you forget your 1 Password you have to buy it again and recover all your passwords from every site. BUT you do only have to remember just one password
• It does take a little time to set up, but I guarantee that if you use it as intended it will save you so much time in the long run

Lessons

1. How do I get images ready for the internet?
2. What are pixels and why does it matter?
3. How big should I make my images?

Stuff To Remember

• Export from iPhoto SHORTCUT: Shift Cmd E
• Average website size
  • 800-1200px wide
• Facebook sizes:
  • Banner: 851pixels X 315pixels
  • Corner pic: 150px X 150 px
• Email Content Picture:
  • Average email is around 600px wide so scale accordingly

Lessons

1. How do I convert music and movies ready for the web?
2. How can I add watermarks to my movies?

Stuff To Remember

• Download Aimersoft Total Media Convertor here

Loads of ideas and facts around converting images, pictures and movies for the internet. This one is really handy!