Mac Power Users

Katie and David look at their menubars, docks, and dashboards.

David and Katie sit down with comedian, writer, actor and director David Wain. David is an avid Mac user and walks us through his workflow and how he implemented technology in the production of his upcoming feature film, Wanderlust. Written and directed by David, Wanderlust stars Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd will be released in the United States in October of 2011.

Katie and David dive deep on Mac maintenance issues, practices, and and tools.

GoodReader is the iOS App that adds a file management system, open virtually any type of file and read and annotate PDF documents. David and Katie share how they use this app in their workflows and how it adds functionality to iOS devices.

David and Katie are joined by Eddie Smith of Practically Efficient to discuss all that is awesome about Dropbox. The trio discuss how to use Dropbox to share files across multiple computers and iDevices as well as dive into geekier uses for the service.

David and Katie sit down again with Merlin Mann. Merlin updates us on his workflows and his latest projects.

Katie and David, joined by Mac mad scientist Brett Terpstra, cover the many ways to organize and find files on your Mac. This show includes tips on tagging, spotlight, naming conventions and more.

Katie and David tackle how to take notes in a variety of contexts using your Mac and iOS devices.

This episode was recorded live on the <a href="http://www.macworldexpo.com/">Macworld Expo</a> show floor. In it, David and Katie go back to backup and talk about their favorite strategies and tactics for backing up your Mac. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the live stream video so we don’t have the full session video but show friend, Steven Sheridan, did post some <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YujyKvb2Ks8">video here.</a>

In this episode, Katie and David tackle managing contacts and calendars on your Mac and iOS Devices.

In this episode David and Katie talk about David’s book, Mac at Work. David explains how he bumbled his way through the publishing process and the tools he used to write the book.

In this episode Katie and David discuss the differences among the Apple computers to help listeners choose the right Mac for themselves or when assisting others. We discuss buying a laptop vs desktop, power vs price and upgrade and expansion options.

In this episode, Katie and David interview IDG executive Paul Kent about how he uses Apple technology to organize and run the Macworld Conference and Expo. Paul also previews some of developments surrounding Macworld 2011.

In this episode, Katie and David dig deep on iTunes including Library management, playlists, sharing, and network attached storage.

Katie and David tackle the use of Markdown and MultiMarkdown to write for the Web and more. This episode also includes an interview with Fletcher Penney, author of MultiMarkdown.

In this episode Katie and David talk about their recent travels with the iPad and discuss when the iPad can serve as a notebook replacement and when it can't. We'll share some of our favorite apps for getting things done one the road and our workflows for staying productive and connected while on the go.

In this episode, Katie and David catch up with listener questions and cover a few common questions including money management and iPad task management. David also spills the beans on his new book.

In this episode, David and Katie talk about Keynote and share their presentation mojo.

This workflows episode is with technology writer and all around swell guy, Andy Ihnatko.

Just in time for summer vacation Katie and David talk about storing, organizing and managing photos on your Mac.

David and Katie talk about speech recognition software for the Mac, focusing on the powerful dictation applications MacSpeech Dictate and MacSpeech Scribe.

In this episode, Katie and David cover some of their favorite Mac related gadgets.

Continuing in our Workflows series, we chat with Macworld Editor Jason Snell. Jason shares how he uses his Mac to juggle his job and shares with us his favorite applications.

In this episode David and Katie discuss strategies and solutions for dealing with that *other* operating system.

After spending a few months with the iPad, Katie and David reflect on how they get work done on them.

This is our second show in the "Workflows" series. Our guest is programmer, writer, and podcaster Dan Benjamin.

In this episode, David and Katie talk about how to keep your Mac clean and organized using Noodlesoft's Hazel. Hazel watches folders and runs actions based on specific criteria to take action on the folder items. Hazel also keeps your Mac tidy by throwing away left-over bits of deleted programs and helping you to manage your trash.

Katie and David talk through home networking including wired and wireless solutions along with common pitfalls and speed bumps.

In our first "Workflows" episode we talk with Merlin Mann, or as David calls him, the "Hero of Nerds." Merlin discussed how he uses his Mac for his work and the applications he uses to be more productive. This extra long episode is packed with geeky goodness. This is a new type of episode for us so we appreciate your <a href="mailto:[email protected]">feedback</a>.

Fresh back from our trip to Macworld, Katie and David talk all about traveling with your Mac. The duo talk about bags, power, accessories, backing up while on the road, security and more. Katie and David talk about all the gadgets that are in their travel bag and how they get work done when away from their home or office.

This is the last of our Macworld 2010 special episodes. In this episode we speak with various vendors about what's new and what products we can look forward to in the coming year.

This is the last of our Macworld 2010 special episodes. In this episode we speak with various vendors about what's new and what products we can look forward to in the coming year.

In this episode Katie and David talk about one of their favorite programs, 1Password. This application does more than just auto-fill passwords. The hosts talk about all of the features of version 3 and how they use the application to stay safe and organized.

The daily barage of links, feeds, and e-mail sites can become overwhelming. In this episode, David and Katie talk about managing the the daily flood of data using RSS, Instapaper, and other solutions.

It's a jam packed show this week. We discuss alternative DNS services including OpenDNS and Google's DNS service with special guest George Starcher. We talk about the advantages and disadvantages of using an alternative DNS service and compare the new Google DNS service with OpenDNS. We also conduct a follow-up interview with Paul Kent of Macworld Expo and talk about the exciting new changes coming to Macworld

This has been one of our most requested episodes. We talk all about information managers. These are applications that handle all those random bits of information that don't seem to fit in any other type of organizational system. We'll give you a general overview of some of the options available on the Mac and Katie and David go more in depth on the systems we use.

We got a lot of feedback about episode 5 <a href="http://macpowerusers.com/2009/06/27/mpu-005-word-processing-and-writing/">Word Processing and Writing</a>, apparently people just keep looking for better word processors. So, we decided to do another show on a single application, Scrivener. Scrivener is a word processor and project management tool that allows you to research, organize, outline and create documents. The emphasis is not on fancy features or formatting, it's on writing and writing well. <em>Note: we apologize the audio quality for this show is not up to our regular standards. We had some difficulty with the Skype recording this time around. The show is still very listenable, and we hope you'll agree the content is worth a listen. Thanks.</em>

In this episode we talk about tips and tricks when buying and selling Macs. Whether you're a switcher buying your very first Mac, or a seasoned Mac user looking to sell an old machine, we've got your covered. We'll help you figure out what accessories you need to complete your new Mac purchase, and where to get the most bang for your buck. We also talk about the trials and tribulations of buying a used machine and how to get the best value without getting scammed. We also cover how to get top dollar when selling your old machine.

We've gotten a lot of requests for this episode, so here it is, our Task Management Smackdown. In one corner, David and The Omni Group's Omni Focus. In another, Katie and Cultured Code's Things. The duo discuss their system for managing tasks and how their preferred application helps to get things done. The verdict: the Mac has two excellent programs.

Macs are typically very reliable machines, but from time to time they can cause you trouble. In this episode, we discuss recommendations for identifying and fixing problems. We also discuss tips for keeping your Mac running smoothly and discuss more listener feedback on our security episode.

This episode provides an introduction to automation. Subjects include Applescript, Automator, and Snow Leopard Services. We also had Macworld Expo Director Paul Kent on to talk about Macworld Expo and Conference 2010.

This episode includes a survey of security issues for Mac owners. Subjects include virus and trojans, phishing and web security, and physical security and insurance.

We know, we were supposed to do a show about security this week. But with all the news coming out about Snow Leopard we just couldn't help ourselves. In this episode we talk about how to get your Mac ready for Snow Leopard and our tips for a smooth install process.

In this episode, David and Katie discuss backup tools, strategies and plans.

In this episode we cover popular application launcher, LaunchBar. This episode goes beyond the basics and includes are several power user tips. We recommend you listen to this one in front of a Mac equipped with LaunchBar. Enjoy.

In this episode we talk all about setting up a new Mac. Do you want to migrate your data or start from scratch? What are the options for getting your old data on your new Mac? Katie and David explore the options and share their tips and tricks.

Episode five takes on word processing and writing on your Mac. It is no longer all about Microsoft Word. Apple's own Pages is becoming a contender and there are several other tools that will help you write better.

In our fourth episode we talk about a subject that plagues many Mac users, keeping thing in sync. Whether you're trying to sync documents or data to another computer, a mobile device, or the cloud we talk about various products and services to allow you to always have your data available no matter where you are. We discuss various options including MobileMe and Dropbox for file syncing, as well as programs that keep just specific types of data, such as music or calendars in sync. Notes: 1) Please excuse the audio quality and some hard cuts in the editing. We had a horrible time with Skype dropping out while trying to record this show and had to put the show together from a series of recordings. 2) Our friend Don McAllister of <a href="http://www.screencastsonline.com">ScreenCastsOnline</a> recently addressed the problem of how to sync files using DropBox when the files have to be located in specific folders and can't be moved to the Dropbox folder. Unfortunately, his show was published after we already recorded ours. You can find information on creating links to files and folders for syncing in his <a class="blog-permalink" href="http://www.screencastsonline.com/index_files/SCO0202-macmontage08.php">Screencast 202- Mac Hints & Tips Montage - 08</a>

In this episode, we discuss all the steps necessary to take your piles of paper and get it into your Mac and organized.

In part 2 of our E-mail series we go in-depth on our various systems for managing email, the pros and cons of each system, developing a good email work flow, learning how avoid becoming a slave to your inbox, email etiquette and other useful tools. If you haven't had a chance to listen to Episode 1 yet, you'll probably want to listen to that for background before picking up Episode 2.