Apple billing e-mail scam making the rounds

Last week we warned that people be aware of potential Christmas scams, especially those involving Apple’s products as the company has become exceptionally popular in the past few years.

Via MacFixIt – CNET Reviews.

Just a quick reminder here, ALWAYS question emails you receive which mention ANYTHING about billing status or other personal information, and NEVER, EVER, EVER click a link in one of those messages. If in doubt, as the article says, browse to the company website by typing the URL yourself and log into your account from there.

• MacFixIt ‘General Maintenance’ Recommendations
• Troubleshooting Mac OS X Startup Issues
• Easy Keyboard Access to the OS X User Library Folder

Mac OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?

Safe Boot is a special way to start when troubleshooting. Safe Mode is the state Mac OS X is in after a Safe Boot. To perform a Safe Boot, hold the Shift key immediately after your Mac starts up.

Safe Mode can be useful for troubleshooting. However, certain Mac OS X features do not work in Safe Mode.

Via Apple Support.

Continuing our theme of troubleshooting boot issues, this Apple support article explains exactly what “Safe Boot” is, how to do it, and what OS X features won’t work when you’ve started up using this method.

• Troubleshooting Mac OS X Startup Issues
• Intel Mac Start-up Sequence Reference
• Woes of MacBook Pro Unibody Owner

Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup

Instead of seeing the Finder or the login window after startup, your computer may stop responding and the display may only show a persistent gray screen (you may also see an Apple logo, spinning gear, spinning globe, prohibitory sign, or a folder with a flashing question mark on it).

Via Apple Support

As a follow-up to my Intel Mac Start-up Sequence Reference post last week, here’s a good Apple Support article for troubleshooting issues if your Mac seems like it’s stuck at some point on the gray startup screen.

If you’re still running Mac OS X 10.3.9 or earlier, then you’ll want to check out this article instead.

• Intel Mac Start-up Sequence Reference
• MacBook Pro Intermittent Black Screen or Loss of Video
• Playing It Safe When Booting Up Mac OS X

Get rid of .zip files once they’re expanded

Mac OS X makes opening .zip files simple: you double-click them, and the OS quickly unzips them. But one thing has always bugged me: After I unzip it, the original .zip file—for which I no longer have any use—is still there. I’d rather my Mac clean up the zipped versions of files automatically after I expand them, instead of leaving me with one more thing to get rid of.

(Via: Macworld)

I used to end up letting a bunch of zip archives pile up in my Downloads folder, sometimes taking up gigabytes of precious disk space. This handy trick helped me to clean up after myself once and for all.

• Yasu 2.6.8 b2 Available for Download
• Twitter: ‘We aren’t actively planning’ Tweetie 2 for Mac
• Clean Up Your WordPress Database Collations

Intel-based Mac: Startup sequence and error codes, symbols

The following is an overview of the startup sequence, error conditions, and behaviors for all Intel-based Macintosh systems. Note that some newer Macintosh models only use tones to indicate error conditions. See this article for more information.

Via Apple – Support – Most Recent.

Have you ever wondered exactly what’s going on when you turn on your Mac? Why does the Apple logo show up, and then the spinning gear? This Apple support article answers those questions, and gives some clues about what might be wrong if your computer doesn’t want to boot correctly.

• Troubleshooting Mac OS X Startup Issues
• Playing It Safe When Booting Up Mac OS X
• MacBook Pro Intermittent Black Screen or Loss of Video

There are many different ways to make your User Library folder visible in OS X Lion, from Terminal.app to utilities that change the settings for you. If you’re looking for an easy way to make the folder visible when you need it, but keep it hidden when you don’t, and all without system hacks, here’s how I do it.

This method doesn’t require opening Terminal or using any special app. All you need is to add a quick setting to your Keyboard System Preferences.

Normally in the Finder, if you click the “Go” menu, you won’t see your User Library folder. While it’s a bit of a pain for power users, I can understand why Apple chose to go this route. Many inexperienced users have gotten themselves in big trouble poking around in here.

However, when you hold down the Option key and select the “Go” menu, that’s when you’ll see your User Library folder — but you’ll notice it’s the only folder that doesn’t have a keystroke attached to it. This is kind of a pain if you like to navigate by keyboard like I do.

Here’s how we can easily solve that problem.

Open up System Preferences and select the Keyboard preference. Click the “Keyboard Shortcuts” tab, then click “Application Shortcuts” in the left pane. Then click the “plus” icon just below the right pane…

In the sheet that drops down, select “Finder” as the application (that’s pretty important), type “Library” in the Menu Title field (that’s important too), then assign a Keyboard Shortcut of “Option + Shift + Command + L” and finally click the “Add” button…

Now you’ve got a keystroke assigned to the Library menu option in the Finder “Go” menu. It’s okay to quit System Preferences now.

Back in the Finder, if you hold down the “Option + Shift” keys (our new keyboard shortcut slightly changed the behavior of the menu), and click on the “Go” menu, you see the Library folder has your shortcut assigned to it.

Now, when you’re in the Finder and need quick access to your Library folder, just type “Option + Shift + Command + L” and the folder automatically opens for you. No more having to hold the Option key to select the menu item.

• Keyboard Scrolling in Lion Application Windows
• SecondBar Puts a Menu Bar on All Your Macs Monitors
• FastScripts 2.6 Update Available from Red Sweater Software

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010): Intermittent black screen or loss of video

Apple has determined that a small number of MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010) computers may intermittently stop displaying video on the built-in display or on an external display connected to the MacBook Pro. In this situation, you may also see a restart warning message before the video is lost or the display turns black or gray. Affected computers were manufactured between April 2010 and February 2011.

Via Apple Support

Update: This issue has been addressed with the release of MacBook Pro Video Update 1.0 — but it’s only good if you’re running Lion (10.7.2+). If you choose to remain on Snow Leopard, you should make a Genius Bar appointment at your favorite Apple store to have the problem addressed. Chances are you’ll get a new motherboard out of it. See the support article for more information.

It seems the MacBook Pro/Lion Black Screen of Death™ has not been solved yet has been addressed. The good thing is Apple acknowledges it really is a problem.

I updated my Lion partition to 10.7.2 yesterday, and it seemed more stable than it was before – though I didn’t get much of a chance to really push the system. I was planning to update my production system this evening, but I think I might hold off a little longer until there’s more info from Apple in the article.

Has this bug caused you grief? How have you dealt with it?

• MacBook Pro NVIDIA Recall Extended
• Troubleshooting Mac OS X Startup Issues
• Yasu and Lion: Compatibility

Since the question has come up a few times now, I thought I’d throw up a quick note about Yasu compatibility with Apple’s new system, OS X 10.7 (Lion)…

As in the past, with major Mac OS releases like this one, I can’t say for sure Yasu will work with Lion until I’ve been able to install the system on a test machine and fully qualify it. So… Until I’m able to, I can’t guarantee 100% compatibility, and would recommend holding off using it until I can sound the all clear.

Know that as soon as Lion is available and I’ve got it in my grubby mitts, this will be my number one priority to focus on.

Update: I’ve been able to fix some small issues in the Yasu/Lion compatibility area, but I continue to be vexed by the new “feature” Apple added called Application Restore.

Basically, after running Yasu and it rebooting your Mac, Lion will relaunch Yasu once you log back in. I believe it’s due to the system thinking it was halted (rebooted/shut down) improperly – though I am using Apple’s own shutdown methods.

I’ve yet to find a solution to this problem. Since it’s counter to what users would be expecting, I cannot in good conscience release an update and expect them to “deal with it.” I’m continuing to attempt a fix.

More info as I have it.

• Yasu Updated for Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion”
• MacBook Pro Intermittent Black Screen or Loss of Video
• Woes of MacBook Pro Unibody Owner

With the Verizon iPhone announcement coming on Tuesday, analysts are trying to figure out how many iPhones the company will sell. One analyst pegs that number at 9 million. In a research note to clients on Monday, Piper Jaffray Senior Research Analyst Gene Munster said he expects Apple to sell 20 million iPhones in 2011.

Via The Loop.

Dear industry analysts, I’ll make your job just a little bit easier here. Yes, I plan to buy an iPhone once launched on the Verizon network. Now you only have 8.99 million more to account for…

No need to thank me.

• Report: Verizon iPhone finally coming; will you switch?
• Individuals involved in sale of Apple’s 4G iPhone prototype revealed
• Some Mac App Store apps already hit by easy piracy trick

Indeed, it is a pretty straightforward—if not evil—hack. However, as noted by Daring Fireball, the trick doesn’t work for all paid apps from the store. Developers who followed Apple’s instructions for validating App Store receipts should be unaffected; it’s only those who don’t check at all, or don’t do the right kind of check, that are finding themselves being taken advantage of.

Via Infinite Loop.

My question here is, if there’s an Apple recommended method for validating App Store receipts, why wouldn’t this be qualified during the App Store approval process, with paid apps that aren’t up to the standard being rejected? It seems obvious to me that Apple would be concerned with this since they’re losing out on their cut of the profits.

For the record, I have no plans to put anything I develop on the App Store — period. If the day ever comes where that’s the only option I have for distributing my software, then my days of Mac hobby development are likely over.

• The Mac App Store Isn’t for Today’s Mac Developers
• iOS Multitasking Myths Debunked
• Troubleshooting Mac OS X Startup Issues

Apple’s recently announced App Store for the Mac is a Really Big Deal™, for reasons I’ll get to in a moment. But a lot of existing Mac developers have pointed out major issues or unknowns that need to be addressed…

Via marco.org

This pretty much nails my concerns about the whole App Store concept. It’s worked great for the iPhone and iPad, but I just don’t see it doing that much for the desktop.

I could be wrong though.

• Some Mac App Store apps already hit by easy piracy trick
• Apple may offer MobileMe for free to fight Google
• MacBook Pro Intermittent Black Screen or Loss of Video

MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues

In July 2008, NVIDIA publicly acknowledged a higher than normal failure rate for some of their graphics processors due to a packaging defect. At that same time, NVIDIA assured Apple that Mac computers with these graphics processors were not affected. However, after an Apple-led investigation, Apple has determined that some MacBook Pro computers with the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor may be affected.

If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within four years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty.

Via Apple Support

Since I have been affected by this issue, I thought I’d throw up a quick post for anyone else who may get bit by it. Apple has extended the NVIDIA 8600M GT graphics processor recall on MacBook Pros manufactured around 2007/2008 to four years from date of purchase.

Update: My son’s machine was in fact covered under the recall, and the local Apple Genius Bar was able to diagnose and replace the motherboard in the unit in a day, no questions asked. One thing to note, your video has to have failed before they will fix it though. If your MacBook Pro from that time period is still running okay, you’ll have to wait for it to fail before you’re covered.

• MacBook Pro Intermittent Black Screen or Loss of Video
• Woes of MacBook Pro Unibody Owner
• Secure Virtual Memory on OS X

A tentative new rumor asserts that Apple may turn MobileMe into a free service. The plan would drop the $99 annual fee and let anyone with an iPad, iPod, iPhone or Mac get the online sync service for free. The MDN contact wouldn’t give a launch window but hinted at it coming “sooner than later” with the launch depending on “certain facilities” going live on time.

(Via MacNN.)

I don’t know. Would I give up Google Apps in favor of MobileMe? The service would have to be pretty darned good — and free — if I did.

• A Stylish Treat for Mailplane Users
• Report: Verizon iPhone finally coming; will you switch?
• Woes of MacBook Pro Unibody Owner

Symptoms: While playing a song, iPod unexpectedly skips to the next song. Find out what you can do if your iPod unexpectedly skips while playing a song.

More often than not, my skips are due to damaged song files that were ripped eons ago, which I don’t have the original discs for anymore thanks to the neighbor’s kid who broke into my car…

Anyway, this article does give some good pointers to deal with that unexpected skip.

• Apple may offer MobileMe for free to fight Google
• Automatically Get Rid of Those Used .zip Archives
• Troubleshooting Mac OS X Startup Issues

A little more on my MacBook Pro woes…

Since I’ve had this machine, a MBP Unibody 2.6 Ghz / 4 GB RAM purchased in September of 2009, I’ve had to back it up, completely wipe the internal HD, and restore 5 times. Two of those times, I’ve completely zeroed the drive for extra measure. I even tried starting entirely from scratch once hoping that would finally fix my issues to no avail. In that time I’ve ended up with a “keys out of order” error more times than I can remember. Running a single user “fsck” at boot usually cannot fix the problem. I had to lay out $100 for DiskWarrior to finally resolve that. Still, through all of that, I seem to keep coming up with issues on this unit. I’ve never had this much trouble with any Mac I’ve owned–ever.

Here are the symptoms that eventually lead up to the disk to going bad: When putting the machine to sleep for more than an hour by closing the clamshell, upon waking by re-opening it, the MBP will spontaneously log itself out, sometimes only once, other times it will happen multiple times in a row (I think I counted 5 logouts once). Usually, after all that excitement, any app that I try to launch will immediately crash. I do not keep any apps running when putting the unit to sleep anymore. I’ve lost too much work because of it. Twice I’ve gotten kernel panics instead of spontaneous log outs. It is far more likely that this machine will wake with an issue than not.

Logs allude to crashed threads in windowserver, CoreGraphics, as well as a video driver (not sure which right now). I’ve tried removing every single system add-on that I’ve ever installed, but still have problems. I’ve also cleared every single cache I can get my hands on and then some, but still have problems.

Right now, I’m testing the memory using Memtest. When I left for work this morning, it had not found any problems yet. If it were as simple as a bad memory module I’d be thrilled — but to be honest, I’m thinking the problem lies in the 7200 RPM drive I had installed as a BTO option when I ordered it from Apple. It’s always seemed to be a little finicky.

Because of this lemon fresh Mac, I’ve lost countless hours, and have fallen way behind schedule on a project that I promised would be delivered a month ago. I’m finally giving up and visiting the Genius Bar at my local Apple store tomorrow. So far, I’ve had pretty good luck with them helping me solve issues with other machines. Hopefully they can with this one too. I just hope I don’t have to send it back to China to get fixed. That would put me another month (or more) behind schedule.

More to follow, I’m sure…

• Secure Virtual Memory on OS X
• Yasu and Lion: Compatibility
• MacBook Pro NVIDIA Recall Extended