RCDefault by RubiCode

RCDefault by Rubicode is a System Preference Pane that allows you to alter the default applications and determine which applications you would like to handle different extensions. For example, I wanted all .rtf files to open in Bean. I just open RCDefault and chose Bean under the extensions tab where .rtf is located. When RCDefault opens it shows you the first thing you need to set up on your computer if you are a user of any other Mail or Browser applications. Here you can chose your default browser, mail application, RSS reader and more.

Download RCDefault and customize the function of your all your applications!!

Long Backup Times with 2.0 Firmware

Open up the Terminal and type:

defaults write com.apple.itunes DeviceBackupsDisabled -bool YES

Your iPhone will no longer do a Backup when connected. To allow backups again type:

defaults write com.apple.itunes DeviceBackupsDisabled -bool NO

Creating a wireless network for iPhone connection…

…without a Router.

Some iPhone 2.0 applications require your iPhone to be connected to the same wireless router as your Mac to sync data (1Password, Remote, File Magnet). The following link is to the MacOSXHints site to an artilcle describing how to setup you Mac as a wireless router for your iPhone to connect to. You can’t use this to connect via WiFi and use the internet, and the WiFi symbol will not appear at the top of your iPhone. It will however connect and allow wireless syncing for Applications that need it. Very Cool

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20080725011849280

iPhone 2.0 Firmware taking forever to Backup

“Backing up your iPhone”

Do you get that message every time you sync your iPhone? Well there is a reason. I found this on one of the Apple discussion boards and I’d thought I’d post it here as it seems to answer the question quite nicely.

“Before it just had to sync content and back up a few settings. But now it wants to back up all your apps that you installed and with each app, they all have their own settings or databases. So the more apps you put on, the longer it is going to take. Also note, it will only backup if you accessed an app. So lets say you sync. Then never touch any of your apps and sync again. It won’t back them up. But if you open lets say Shazam, it will then have to back it up and all it’s data (which can include ablumb art, photos you added to that app, etc).”

Quick Fix for iPhone Cookie issue

For anyone having trouble staying logged on to sites (like Facebook or Google) since upgrading to 1.1.4. The fix is very simple for Jailbroken phones. Open Installer.app and look for “iRemember” install it, it does it’s terminal fix, then you can uninstall it. Voila! your Safari browser now ‘remembers’ that you you’ve been logged in. There is also now a “1.1.4 Cookie Fix” for installer app that fixes this same issue.

I can’t believe I put up with this as long as I have before figuring out how simple the solution was. For anyone using a locked iPhone…you’ll have to do a restore and see if it solves the problem. Sorry.

How to email the file you are currently working on – Screencast

It’s been a long time since I’ve done a screen cast, this one is very short and sweet. When Windows when you are working on a file you can usually use the File menu to “send file” as an email attachment. Well there is a very simple way of doing this on the Mac, and it’s using drag and drop. You simply click the icon in the title menu and drag it to your mail app. Watch the short screencast by following the link on my screencasts page.

Copying your Time Machine Backup

In case you ever feel the need to get a larger hardrive, or simply create another Time Machine backup for safe keeping, you may find that simply copying the files to the new drive doesn’t work. That is unless you do it this way.

Step 1.  Connect both hardrives to your computer.

Step 2.  Open up Disk Utility located in Finder/Application/Utilities

Step 3.  You should format your new drive.  Double…no Triple check that you are not about to format your Time Machine backup.  To do this select the drive you want to become your Time Machine drive from the left side panel.

Step 4.  Select Erase from the main window and choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled)  When that is finished continue to Step 5.

Step 5.  Select the Source drive you want to copy from the side panel. (the one with your Time Machine backup on it)

Step 6.  Click on Restore in the main window.

Step 7.  Click and drag the Source drive (again, the drive that has the Time Machine backup files on it) to the “Source” text field in the main window

Step 8.  Click and drag the “Destination” drive (where you would like to copy your Time Machine back up to) to the “Destination” text field.

Step 9.  Check the “Erase Desitnation” option.

Step 10.  Click “Restore”

In the image below my Time Machine (Source) drive was named “Backup” and the destination drive I wanted to copy it to was named “Time Machine”

iChat problem with built-in iSight

“This computer does not support video conferencing”

I recently had this issue with my iChat, it was driving me kind of crazy. After a few hours of looking around the internet I finally found the answer. First off I tried a suggestion to reset my SMC, this did not work. What DID work was opening my Finder going to username(your username)/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iChat.plst, and hitting DELETE. I then restarted iChat and was able to initiate video conferencing.

My first step in preparing for MobileMe

As a current .Mac subscriber I’m VERY excited about MobileMe, not so much the name, but the functionality. Finally .Mac will truly be worth the money. I currently use gmail for my main email, and I am very happy with it’s functionality. Having push email however is something that looks very appealing being a current owner of the iPhone. I’ll never have to check my email to know I have a message, that is of course if my me.com email is my main one.

So lets get back to Gmail. What I love about it is the Archive functionality, and never having to really delete a message. I started out my internet days with hotmail, then briefly with yahoo, used a ISP based email, and finally gmail. The problem I found with an ISP is that well, I moved, and got a different ISP. I always kept my hotmail account because many friends and family used MSN to keep in touch. Then MSN allowed the use of a gmail account name, so I had no use for the hotmail account. I then had all of my hotmail emails forwarded to Gmail.

I bought a .Mac account specifically for web space, and backing up important data. I didn’t have a desire to change over all of my email to that account. However, with the announcement of MobileMe, I thought, how can I use this, without the trouble of alerting everyone of a new email address (again!!). Well in Gmail’s preferences you have to option to Forward all incoming mail, and to Archive it after doing so. It works beautifully, and instantly. So now if someone sends a message to an old hotmail account, it gets forwarded to Gmail, then to .Mac (MobileMe). Of course anyone emailing my gmail account will also get forwarded directly to MobileMe. As confusing as all this forwarding sounds, it’s very simple, and makes things oh so simple.

iPod Touch Jailbreak with Apple Applications!! (mail, google maps, stocks, weather)

This post is over due. Step by step iPod Touch Jailbreak instructions with links.

Download the needed files

Download the 1.1.1 Restore file from Apple. The downloaded file has the extension “.zip”, please remove it and modify it to end up with a filename ending in _Restore.ipsw

Download the 1.1.2 Restore file from Apple. The downloaded file has the extension “.zip”, please remove it and modify it to end up with a filename ending in _Restore.ipsw

Download the 1.1.3 Restore file from Apple. The downloaded file has the extension “.zip”, please remove it and modify it to end up with a filename ending in _Restore.ipsw

Download 1.1.2 Jailbreak unzip this folder.

Downgrade to 1.1.1

Reboot your iPod holding the top (sleep) and home buttons BUT release the top button 10 seconds into it (right after the screen goes dark) and continue to hold the home button until iTunes detects the phone in recovery mode. The iPod screen will appear to be off, but start iTunes if not started yet .

Restore your iPod by pressing and holding the ‘option’ key, then click ‘restore’ to select the 1.1.1 firmware file you downloaded earlier.

Jailbreak 1.1.1

Now visit jailbreakme.com in Safari and install Installer.app (Appsnapp)

You may need to do a soft reset of your ipod touch after this (press and hold the sleep and home button till the screen turns black, but then release BOTH buttons. Turn your iPod on by pressing the sleep button and wait for it to start up. You should now have installer on the screen.

Now apparently Oktoprep comes pre-installed with the new Installer.app but I had troubles with my iPod and had to actually install it. However it doesn’t show up on the screen anymore. You need to install Community Sources (you can find it in Install > All Packages > Community Sources). Now go to Sources at the bottom right side of installer, then at the top right select Edit, then at the top left select Add. Type this in the pop up http://hackthatphone.com/1.xml (I’ll warn you when you type xml, the keyboards predictive text will capitalize it…make sure you click the x beside the suggested spelling so that it does not capitalize it).

Your sources should refresh, and Oktoprep should be there now under tweaks 1.1.1 Install it.

Upgrade to 1.1.2

Now connect your iPod to iTunes again and while pressing and holding the ‘option’ key, click ‘Update’ then select the 1.1.2 firmware file you downloaded earlier.

Once your phone has finished updating you need to quit iTunes, open up Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor, and in the menu select ‘window’ > ‘activity monitor’) Look for iTunes helper, select it and quit the process (big red button that says quit at the top).

Jailbreak 1.1.2

Open the folder “1.1.2 Jailbreak that you downloaded and double click the file named Jailbreak.jar

This will open up a Java file where you can click on a button that says Jailbreak! (you do not need to install SSH)

When this done you should have Installer back on your home screen. Open installer and make sure it is up-to-date. You will need to be connected to WiFi for this of course. You’ll notice an indicator of some sort beside the ‘update’ button at the bottom of the installer window. At this point you do not need iTunes anymore, but you will need to have your iPod connected to power as this next part is the longest and it can take up to an hour and a half.

Before you continue, go to Setting > General > Autolock > and select NEVER

Upgrade to 1.1.3 with Apps (if you already paid for the Apple applications (Mail, Google maps etc.) or if you already had them on out of the box, skip to the next Upgrade method)

Now go to Install > All Packages, scroll down and install “BSD Sub System” Then go to Sources at the bottom right side of installer, then at the top right select Edit, then at the top left select Add. Type this in the pop up http://ipodtouchmaster.com/files/repo.xml (don’t forget when you type xml, the keyboards predictive text will capitalize it…make sure you click the x beside the suggested spelling so that it does not capitalize it).

After adding this resource, it should refresh, then when you go back to the Install section, and go to the category 1.1.3 Jailbreak + iPhone Apps, select that category, then select 1.1.3 Jailbreak +iPhone Apps. Select Install, click OK to all the messages. Once it begins the install it will lock up just over half way, THIS IS NORMAL, AND IT WILL LOCK UP FOR ABOUT AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF. After 1.5 hours it should be safe (if it’s still locked up….mine did when I had it) to force it to do a soft reset…..(press and hold the sleep and home button till the screen turns black, but then release BOTH buttons. Turn your iPod on by pressing the sleep button and wait for it to start up).

You now will have a 1.1.3 Jailbroken iPod Touch with all the Apple applications for your enjoyment.

Upgrade to 1.1.3 without Apple apps (do this if you have them paid for already).

With your Jailbroken 1.1.2 iPod Touch open Installer.app go to Install > scroll down to the category “System” then install the “Official 1.1.3 Upgrader” this will not take as long as the other option, but is only rewarding if you have the APPLE applications already. Enjoy!!!

Credit to all the developers, hackers, and the ipodtouchmaster for his videos.