Easy Mac OS X Lion - Kate Binder [20]
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Tip: Clip Me, Baby
In addition to bookmarks, you can save video clips so that you can play just the highlights from any DVD. While the video is playing, choose Window, Video Clips. Click the Add Video Clip button and use the controls in the New Video Clip window to set the start and end points of your clip.
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Using the Apple Remote
Naturally, you can use your Apple Remote to control DVDs as you play them. But you can do much more with the Apple Remote. It comes with iPods, Apple TV, iMacs, the Mac Mini, and MacBooks, so if you’ve bought any of those items since October 2005, you should be good to go.
Press the up and down arrows to control your Mac’s volume.
Press the Play button and hold it down until you see Zs on your screen to put your Mac to sleep.
Press any button on the remote to wake up your Mac when it’s sleeping.
In iPhoto, press Play to begin a slide show of the images in the currently selected album.
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Tip: When a Pair Beats Three of a Kind
If you have more than one device that responds to an Apple Remote, or more than one remote, you can pair a particular remote with a particular device. Point the remote at your Mac or other device; then hold down both the Menu and Next buttons for five seconds. If you’re working with a Mac, you’ll see a screen showing a remote and linked chain, indicating that the remote is now linked only to this Mac. The same technique works with Apple’s Universal Dock for iPods and with the iPod Hi-Fi.
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In iTunes, press Play to begin playing the currently selected song or video.
In iTunes, press the Next and Previous buttons to move among songs or videos.
In Keynote, press the Next and Previous buttons to move among slides in a presentation.
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Note: So Remote It Be
Naturally, you can also use your Apple Remote to control your iPod, but you’ll need either a Universal Dock (not the dock that came with your iPod) or an iPod Hi-Fi—Apple’s combination of a Universal Dock and powered speakers.
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Tip: For the Older Crowd
If you want to use an Apple remote with older Macs that don’t have built-in infrared receivers, you can buy a third-party IR receiver such as the Manta TR1 USB Infrared Transceiver (www.twistedmelon.com).
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Switching Programs with the Dock
The Dock acts as central storage for running programs and frequently used programs, but it has other functions, too. One of those is as an application switcher—a method of bringing different programs to the foreground so you can use them in turn. The Dock’s location at the bottom or side of the screen makes it the most convenient way to switch applications.
Move your cursor to the bottom of the screen and click a program icon on the Dock.
To hide windows belonging to the current program when you switch to the new program, press Option as you click.
To quit a program you’re not using, click and hold its Dock icon (or Control-click) and choose Quit from the contextual menu.
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Tip: Don’t Touch That Mouse!
If you prefer to use the keyboard to switch programs, press to see a list of the currently running programs in the center of the screen. Press as many times as needed to cycle through the list to the program you want.
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Hiding Programs
Mac OS X enables you to run many programs at the same time because it hands over memory to each program as it’s needed. But if you do like to run multiple programs, your screen can get pretty cluttered. Hiding program windows and palettes is a lifesaver for people who never quit programs until they shut down their Macs.
In the Application menu, choose Hide (or press ) to hide the program you’re currently using.
In the Application menu, choose Hide Others (or press ) to hide all other programs that are currently running.
To get one window out of the way instead of hiding the program, click the Minimize button to send it to the Dock.
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Tip: Another Way to Hide
Another way to hide programs is to Option-click the desktop or