Work with Files Across the Internet

Why waste the time to set this up? Why not just work with your files via FTP? Trust me, if you are a Mac user and do any work on fileservers / web hosts across the internet [such as accessing your University of Michigan IFS space] this tip can save you lots of time. And its free.

If you do any web design / development you are likely very familiar with juggling files via FTP and your editor of choice. Some editors have very nice integration with some form of file handling. I will commend Dreamweaver and Coda for this. My choice however is TextMate. TextMate has no integrated file handling. What is a guy to do.

After some digging I came across MacFUSE and Macfusion.

Macfusion is an open source Mac application that allows you to work with files on servers across the internet, as if they were sitting on your computer. – Macfusion’s web site

This means that it is now possible to mount your web hosted drive as a local disk.

Editing with MPEG Streamclip

We’ve recently had an increase of faculty members who would like to do basic video editing on their computers.  Typically, they’ve already ripped the DVD and used MPEG Streamclip to convert it to a standard video file.  You can use the same software to trim and combine video clips into one file.  Take a look at the following video for instructions:

Mac Skype Connection Issue

This past week, I encountered Skype connection issues on two different Apple computers.  The first was on a university owned MacBook and the second was on my new personal iMac.  When I tried logging in, Skype would sit at the “Signing in…” screen for 3-5 minutes before rejecting my login, saying something about a connection error.  After doing some research online, I found that others are having the same problem.

Luckily, we found a solution.

The problem seems to affect new installations of Skype.  In other words, if your Mac does not currently have Skype and you install the latest version, this issue may affect you.  The following steps should correct the bug:

1. Completely uninstall Skype by removing the following files/folders:
   1. /Applications/Skype.app
   2. ~/Library/Application Support/Skype
   3. ~/Library/Preferences/com.skype.skype.plist
2. Install Skype version 2.7.0.330
3. Open Skype and log in
4. After a successful connection, update Skype to the latest version:
   1. Click “Skype” on the menu bar at the top of your screen
   2. Select “Check for update”
   3. Run the update and relaunch Skype
5. You should now have a working, up-to-date version of Skype

Skype has address the issue on their blog (located here) and says that it has been fixed.  That is not the case in some instances, as the problem affected me after the “fix” was released.

Google Goggles

When Google introduced a downloadable image recognition application for search based on pictures taken by handheld devices, anticipations to identify virtually anything pullulated significantly. After releasing this app for Android-powered phones, the company recently announced that Goggles is now a feature of Google Mobile app for the iPhone.

The exciting app already lets users speak their queries, and can use their phone’s location to give them more relevant search results. In this newly unleashed version of Google Goggles, users can now just tap on the camera button in order to search. This way, Goggles will analyze the image and highlight the objects it recognizes, reveals the official Google Mobile blog.

Photoshop CS5 Preview: Content-Aware Fill

From the official Adobe Photoshop YouTube Channel:

One of the biggest requests we get of Photoshop is to make adding, removing, moving or repairing items faster and more seamless. From retouching to completely reimagining an image, heres an early glimpse of what could happen in the future when you press the delete key. How might you use this new capability in your workflow?

Useful PowerPoint Add-ins

While PowerPoint is a relatively powerful piece of presentation software, it has it’s limits.  Many times, presenters want to visit a web site in the middle of their presentation.  In order to do so, they must exit presentation mode and open up a web browser.  The same thing must be done to play YouTube videos (unless the user downloads them using 3rd party websites/software).  I recently came across two free PowerPoint Add-ins (PC only) that will allow the presenter to do both of these things from within their presentation.

The first one is called LiveWeb.  Upon installation, it allows the user to add live web pages to their slides.  Simply go to the “LiveWeb” tool, click “Web Page”, and a wizard guides them through the process.  Once the page has been added, it can be resized and moved to fit within the slide.

Ripping DVD to edit in Final Cut Pro for Mac

(Editor’s note: Of course, we support DRM and Intellectual Property Rights, so we only encourage you to rip DVDs to which you own the rights or have permission to rip and edit.)

This is a very misunderstood process and most people find it annoyingly cumbersome. Here is what I have found out to be the easiest solution to ripping media from a DVD and putting it into editable content for Final Cut Pro or any other Mac editing program.

1. Download Mac the Ripper (mirror) and OPEN app

Review: Timeline 3D

Timeline 3D, by beedocs is a Mac-based software that makes it easy for users to create and present timelines.  Users can create multiple rows in the same timeline, add images, links and notes, and customize the theme, colors, fonts and date format of the timelines.  It also offers multiple   After registering your version of Timeline 3D, you can also export your timeline to a text file, email, to Keynote, to a portable device and also to a Quicktime movie file.  You can also launch a “3D” presentation of your timeline within Timeline 3D itself, such as in the video below:

Attention Qwizdom Users

Current and Future Qwizdom Users:

We would like to share some information about using Qwizdom for Fall of 2009 as well as some wrap-up information if you do not plan to use Qwizdom in the near future.

1)  Qwizdom Reservations
As in the past, we ask that you complete a Qwizdom Reservation form for each course and term in which you plan to use Qwizdom. This form should take about 5 minutes to complete. Since you may not yet have all the information required to complete the form, include as much information as you know.  The critical information is marked with an asterisk. The information we collect via this form enables us to work with the Showcase to ensure adequate supplies of student units and to plan for training and support needs. All forms for Fall 2009 Qwizdom use must be complete by August 2nd. We will understand that you do not plan to use Qwizdom in future terms if you do not complete the form! Follow this link to complete your reservation: https://sitemaker.umich.edu/iss_instruction/qwizdom_instructor_use_form. If you have any questions about completing the form, contact ISS Instruction (iss-instruction@umich.edu) for assistance.

2)  Instructor Units
If you are not planning to use Qwizdom in the near future (Fall of 2009) your instructor unit can be returned to LSA Instructional Support Services. These units can be dropped off at the LSA ISS Loan Office, 340 Mason Hall, or we can arrange for someone to pick up your unit.

It has been our pleasure working with you this semester and we hope to continue to that work in the future!  As always, we encourage you to contact us if you have any concerns or questions about Qwizdom  or other instructional technology needs.

Review: Evernote

I am an Evernote devotee.

In fact, I am going to go all out and declare that I consider it one of the most useful computer applications.  Ever.  And I try out a lot of applications.