- Always On Scroll Bars in Lion, 'New' Mac Pro Same as the Old Mac Pro, and More, Mac News Review, 2012.06.29. Run Classic Mac software with SheepShaver, Kensington security products for iMacs, iAntivirus updated, and more.
- Broomstick is the easiest way to hide menubar icons that you don't like. While most apps that create a menubar icon allow you to hide it, some apps don't provide this option. Broomstick lets you take back control of your menubar, by letting you hide these offending icons!
- AccessMenuBarApps For Mac是一款macOS平台的让菜单栏图标更好安排更好用的软件，当我们在Mac上开发一些软件的时候，很多软件的功能菜单会占用菜单条左侧较大区域的软件，往往会将你菜单栏右侧的项目图标挡住，非常的不方便，这款工具的目的就是来解决这个问题.
Trusted Mac download AccessMenuBarApps 2.6.1. Virus-free and 100% clean download. Get AccessMenuBarApps alternative downloads. AccessMenuBarApps 2.4 2012-06-24 3.1 MB Freeware OS X 10.6 4645 4 Background app gives the user instant access to all menubar apps that reside in the right side of the mac menubar. Afloat 2.4 2011-07-29 873 KB Freeware OS X 10.6/10.7 61858 4.
Mac News Review
This Week's Apple and Desktop Mac News
Compiled by Charles Moore and edited by Dan Knight - 2012.06.29
Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review. iPad, iPod, iPhone, andApple TV news is covered in iOS NewsReview. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News & Opinion
Products & Services
Software
Desktop Mac Deals
News & Opinion
Make Scroll Bars Always Display in OS X Lion andMountain Lion
MacInstruct's Matthew Cone notes that until recently, you couldalways count on seeing scroll bars in windows, no matter what operatingsystem you used. But then multitouch gestures hit the scene, and whenOS X 10.7 Lion was released,the scroll bars were gone. Poof! Just like that.
Okay, not quite gone. By default, scroll bars in Lion andMountain Lion are designed to be displayed only when input from a mouseor trackpad is detected, behavior that some of us find annoying. Forexample, says Cone, if you need to get to a specific part of adocument, you'll have use a multitouch gesture to scroll first and thenclick on the scroll bar after it appears.
Cone has posted a helpful tutorial showing how to restore the scrollbars permanently.
Link: SetScroll Bars to Always Display on Your Mac
Run Classic Mac OS Programs with SheepShaver
Former Low End Mac contributor (and now the publisher of Senior Gardening)Steve Wood says that aftersomewhat reluctantly making the switch to a modern Mac, he was able toinstall the open source SheepShaver PowerPC Mac emulatortwice with no hassles.
Developers E-Maculation claim, 'With the old world ROM fileSheepShaver can run System 7.5.3 through Mac OS 9.0.4, with the newworld ROM file SheepShaver can run Mac OS 8.5 through 9.0.4. If youwant to install 8.6 through 9.0.4, best use the new world ROM.' Woodended up using both a new world ROM for a Mac OS Classic 9.0installation on his new 13' MacBook Pro and the old world ROM for theClassic 8.1 installation on his Mid 2010 Mac mini.
Another issue with installing Classic on SheepShaver is that oneneeds 'a general retail system install CD' of the operating system tobe installed or an equivalent disk image, and Wood notes thatsurprisingly, new installer disks for System 9.0.4 and System 8.1 arestill availableonline.
Classic with SheepShaver allows him to run Claris Home Page, accessstuff archived in Claris Emailer, and run AppleWorks 6 on the newMacBook Pro, which only has OS X 10.7 Lion installed, andClarisWorks/AppleWorks 5 on the Mac mini. He says he'd originallyplanned to reformat the MacBook Pro's drive and install OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard with itsRosetta emulator that would allow running PowerPC apps likeAppleWorks 6, but ended up learning to like Mac OS X 10.7Lion a little bit, and went with SheepShaver emulation instead.
SheepShaver has some known issues with 64-bit compatibility andfullscreen compatibility, but all in all Wood says that it's now aquite usable, free, open source application.
Further Reading on SheepShaver
- VNC, Basilisk II, and SheepShaver:3 Ways to Run Classic on an Intel Mac, Alan Zisman, 2006.02.20
- SheepShaverBrings Classic Mac OS to Intel Macs and Leopard, Alan Zisman,2008.05.20
Link: Working withSheepShaver
'New' Mac Pro Mostly the Same as the Old MacPro
'The new Mac Pros released at WWDC 2012 representa speed bump, plain and simple. The new Mac Pros use the same,highly-upgradable case design, the same graphics cards, and even thesame version of USB as the last iteration.'
Macworld's JamesGalbraith says if you've been looking for a silver lining in theovercast of Apple's underwhelming updates to its Mac Pro line of tower computers, astraw you can grasp at is that at least Apple hasn't forgotten that itmakes such a product. In an email response to a concerned Mac Pro user,Apple CEO Tim Cook has promised that the company is working onsomething really great for later next year, but for the time being themild Mac Pro's refresh released during WWDC 2012 week represent amodest speed bump, plain and simple. Apple's most expensive computer isstill bereft of Thunderbolt, USB 3, and current processortechnology.
Link: Meet the New MacPro, About the Same as the Old Mac Pro
Products & Services
Kensington Introduces New Security Products foriMacs
PR: Kensington Computer Products Group has created the anextensive selection of physical security solutions for Apple devices.With a range of solutions for the iPad, iMac, MacBook Air, and MacBookPro, Kensington has the security needs of Apple business and educationusers covered. Analysts predict that one-third of Apple iPads will beused by businesses by 2016. Security accessories designed by Kensingtonfor specific Apple computers, with specific uses in mind, provide animportant first line of defense against device theft and loss.
The average cost of device theft and liabilities associated with theresulting loss of important business data is estimated to be $49,000,according to research from the Ponemon Institute. Companies also riskreputation or regulatory consequences if sensitive customer data islost, particularly in healthcare and financial businesses. One of theeasiest and most cost-effective ways to guard against device and dataloss is to use physical security, such as laptop locks and securitycases.
Apple iPad adoption for business has seen phenomenal growth in thelast year. According to a recent survey, over 97 percent of enterprisetablet activations in Q1 2012 were for iPads. iPad adoption is mostcommon in the financial services sector followed by business andprofessional services companies and the life sciences sector. Aseparate study predicts that Apple tablet adoption will increasedramatically to 230 million tablets globally by 2016, and one-third ofthem will be purchased by businesses.
'As more companies adopt Apple computing products, its importantthey also adopt an essential first line of defense to protect both thedevices and the data they contain,' says George Foot, Kensington VicePresident of Global Marketing and Product Development. 'Kensington's30-year heritage in providing security products gives us a solidunderstanding of the need to carefully match the security accessory tothe use and the design of the device. Whether people are using theirApple computers to primarily view content, create content or to displayinformation, Kensington knows how to design physical security thatworks alongside them seamlessly.'
New Kensington Physical Security for Apple Devices
Kensington offers a full line of protection and productivityaccessories for the new iPad. The SecureBack family of cases preservesthe tablet's slim design. These cases feature a unique three-piecedesign with a patent- pending locking system that quickly and easilysecures the iPad to prevent theft. The case utilizes the best in classClickSafe locking system that enables iPad users to easily lock theirtablet in just one click.
Kensington SafeStand for iMac Keyed Locking Station (27iMac-K64961WW; 21 iMac-K64960WW; SRP $99.99):
The Kensington SafeStand Keyed Locking Station delivers withour ultimate iMac lock. Bolt the SafeStand directly to a desk or table,and then secure it to the iMac with the ingenuous Kensington SafeDome.SafeStand complements the iMacs aesthetics and preserves all screenadjustments and swivel functions.
- Highest level of physical security for iMac
- Nearly impenetrable ClickSafe lock head
- Bolts directly to desk or table for a permanent solution
- Easy to setup
- Manages cables while also securing a wired keyboard and mouse
- Won't interfere with screen adjustments or swivel
- Sleek design complements aesthetics of the iMac
Kensington SafeDome for iMac with Keyed Ultra Lock (K64962US; SRP$79.99):
The SafeDome Secure delivers with a secure and stylish lockthat compliments the iMacs aesthetics. It features the revolutionaryClickSafe lock that secures in just one click with our Ultra cable forthe highest level of security. And SafeDome manages your iMacaccessories securing your mouse, keyboard and other peripherals.
- Dome design complements iMac aesthetics
- ClickSafe lock secures with just one click - no keys and nofiddling
- Ultra cable provides the highest level of security
- Easy to position and assemble lock
- Sleek, modern dome design securely attaches to iMac stand
- Built-in cable management secures iMac accessories
- Won't interfere with iMac adjustability
These products are currently available for preorder at Kensington.com,Amazon.com, and major resellers.
Link: Kensington SafeDome for iMac with Keyed UltraLock, $79.99at Amazon.com
Link: Kensington SafeStand for iMac Keyed Locking Station for 21' iMac,$99.99at Amazon.com
Link: Kensington SafeStand for iMac Keyed Locking Station for 27' iMac,$99.99at Amazon.com
Software
Free AccessMenuBarApps Tames Menubar Chaos
PR: AccessMenuBarApps does what its name promises: it givesthe user instant access to all menubar apps that reside in the rightside of the Mac menubar.
The problem AccessMenuBarApps addresses is f course that most of usaccumulate a collection of more or less useful apps on the right sideof the OS X menubar, AKA menu extras. The menu extras lets you canreposition (by CMD+click), so that the most useful apps are visible allthe time, but 3rd party apps cant be repositioned. in that way, andtheir position on the menubar depends on launch order.
Depending on the size of your screen, the space between app menu andmenubar apps will either bed sufficient to see all menubar apps or itwon't. With the giant display of an 27 iMac or a large display of an 17MacBook Pro the menubar normally is no problem, because the screen isso large that there is always enough space between app menu and menubarapps. But if you have a 13 MacBook with a resolution of 1280x800, mostof the time some of your menubar apps will be hidden by the app menu,Murphy's Law dictating that if you want to use a menubar app, it'llprobably be the one hidden by the app menu.
If you want to avoid this annoyance, you ostensibly have twooptions: either to accept the inevitable or to apply Occam's razor andhave only some very useful and frequently used menubar apps loadedup.
AccessMenuBarApps tries to give you a third option.
The basic principle of AccessMenuBarApps is very simple: start anapplication that has a reduced app menu, so that there is a maximumspace between app menu and menu extras. And therefore all menubar appsare visible and accessible.
AccessMenuBarApps addresses how to activate/deactivate the reducedapp menu efficiently, and gives you the option to switch between fullapp menu of the currently running application and the reduced app menu(and vice versa) by keyboard shortcuts, mouse gestures or menubaricon.
AccessMenuBarApps is a background app that is always running in thebackground waiting for keyboard and mouse events. You don't have tostart and quit the app every time you need a reduced app menu. The appis started once and just waits to be activated or deactivated, soresponse time is very short.
By using a keyboard shortcut (by default Space) you can switchbetween full app menu of the currently running application and thereduced app menu. You can configure the keyboard shortcut in thepreferences window of AccessMenuBarApps, which is available via appmenu. If you don't specify a shortcut in the preferences window thedefault Space will be used.
By using a mouse gesture you can switch between the full app menu ofthe currently running application and the reduced app menu. thefollowing mouse gestures are supported:
- Knocking on the top border of the screen
- Knocking two times will exchange the app menus
- Pushing/Squeezing the top border of the screen
- Pushing/squeezing for a second (similar to Exposé's activecorner; but here is it an active border) will exchange the appmenus.
Mouse gestures will work when moving and/or dragging the mouse. So,if you have a menubar app, that is a target of drag and drop, but iscurrently not visible in the menubar, you can work like this: drag thefile, text, ... as usual, then move the dragged mouse to the top borderof the screen (push/squeeze or double knock); than the reduced menuwill appear and the formerly hidden menubar app is visible and you canuse it as the target of your drag and drop action.
Support of mouse gestures can be enabled/disabled and configured inthe preferences window, where can also specify that mouse gesturesshould only work for a subarea of the screen border to avoid conflictswith active corners of Exposé or conflicts with using the appmenu.
If the menubar icon of AccessMenuBarApps is visible and accessible(this is the originally problem :-), you can click on that icon toswitch between full app menu of the currently running application andthe reduced app menu.
You can click on the Dock icon to switch between full app menu ofthe currently running application and the reduced app menu.
Other Preferences
Sound effects
In the preference window you can specify whether each switching,knocking and pushing/squeezing should by accompanied by sound effects.If sound effects are on, the exchange of the app menus will last alittle bit longer, because the switching is synchronized with the soundeffects.
So, if you want to work efficiently you shouldn't use sound effects,although they are very nice in the beginning (but they are only agimmick).
Due to an unexpected delay Visual effects
Switching and mouse gestures (knocking and pushing/squeezing) can bevisualized on the screen. So you can see the sensitive area of the topborder of the screen. In the preferences window you can switch thevisual effects on or off.
Animated dock icon
Because AccessMenuBarApps isn't a pure background app (the reducedapp menu is at least necessary:-), the app is always shown in the dockas running application. Indeed this is a pure waste of space in thedock, because you don't need the dock to use AccessMenuBarApps. For anexpedient use of the dock space
AccessMenuBarApps gives you the option to change the dock icon to ananalog clock showing the current time or to some eyes tracking themouse cursor. You can set this option in the preferences window.
Launch at startup
If you activate the option launch at startup in the preferenceswindow, AccessMenuBarApps will be added to the front of the list ofLogin items, so that the AccessMenuBarApps icon should be the rightmost3rd party menubar app and therefore most time visible andaccessible.
AccessMenuBarApps in freeware.
Link: AccessMenuBarApps
Free iAntivirus Upgraded
PR: iAntivirus by Norton provides essential virus protectionbuilt exclusively for your Mac. This simple yet powerful on-demandmalware and virus scanner helps ensure you are protected from thelatest malware threats with one simple download. The free, all-newiAntivirus protects your iPhoto pictures, iTunes music and all of yourApple Stuff you cant live without. iAntivirus also scans your Facebookwall for malicious links to keep you protected from online fraud, likephishing.
Key features of iAntivirus:
- Award-winning technology blocks Internet security threats beforethey damage your Mac, iPhoto pictures, iTunes media and other importantStuff.
- Innovative carousel interfaces lets you use two fingers to swipebetween your home folder and full system and other scanningoptions.
- Lets you quickly and easily scan files by simply dragging anddropping them onto iAntivirus.
- Built for speed from the ground up, so it won' get in the way ofyour Mac experience.
- Works seamlessly against Windows threats too, to make sure thedocuments you share are safe for everyone.
- Updates available regularly online through the App Store to helpdetect the latest breaking security threats.
New in Version 1.0.1
- Updated Virus and Malware Definitions
- Smaller memory footprint
- Reduced size of application by 50%
- Usability Enhancements
System requirements:
Accessmenubarapps
- OS X 10.6 or later
- 64-bit processor
Free
Link: iAntivirus
Philips Speech Processing Announces Dictation andTranscription Software for Mac OS X
PR: Philips Speech Processing, a longtime specialist inprofessional dictation systems, has announced that SpeechExec, itsprofessional dictation and transcription solution, is now available andcompatible with Mac operating systems. The new software,SpeechExec4Mac, enables Digital Pocket Memo (DPM) users to communicatewith and incorporate dictation and transcription into any currentnetwork or workflow process.
SpeechExec4Mac seamlessly integrates into mixed environments andwith Windows-based SpeechExec applications. Its open software designallows users to select individual workflow settings, building auser-friendly work environment. The SpeechExec4Mac software alsofeatures automatic file locking and routing after transcription whichfurther ensures data security and minimizes duplication.
'As voice technology advances to become more prevalent in workenvironments and as many companies start to implement Bring Your OwnDevice policies, we realized the need to be able to integrate manytypes of hardware and software,' says Thomas Brauner, managing directorat Philips Speech Processing. 'Apple's Mac computers are a popularchoice for many professionals, and SpeechExec4Mac will enable theseusers to continue benefiting from the full potential of the workflowefficiencies associated with dictation and transcription without beinglimited to certain devices.'
The new software was developed to be used on the latest Macoperating software systems (Mac OS X 10.6, Mac OS X 10.7) and to fullyintegrate with other Philips products, such as hand and foot controls.SpeechExec4Mac is currently the only professional dictation softwarethat supports the DSS Pro file format from all International VoiceAssociation (IVA) vendors in a Mac environment.
SpeechExec4Mac is now available on all SpeechExec DVDs included withall products supporting the SpeechExec software suite, like the PhilipsDigital Pocket Memo, SpeechMike and Transcription Kits. Customers whoalready have a valid SpeechExec 7.1 or newer license key may downloadSpeechExec4Mac from the Philips Speech Processing website.
Link: SpeechExec4Mac
Desktop MacDeals
Low End Mac updates the following price trackers monthly:
For deals on current and discontinued 'Books, see our 13' MacBook and MacBook Pro,MacBook Air, 13' MacBook Pro, 15' MacBook Pro, 17' MacBook Pro, 12' PowerBook G4, 15' PowerBook G4, 17' PowerBook G4, titanium PowerBook G4,iBook G4, PowerBook G3, and iBook G3 deals.
We also track iPad,iPhone, iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle deals.
Join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Google+, or subscribe to our RSS news feed
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: Mirrored Drive Door Power Mac G4, introduced 2002.08.13. Dual CPUs from 867 MHz to 1.25 GHz on the most powerful Mac to boot OS 9.
Recent Content
- Go to our home page for a listing of recent content.
Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized,sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Opinions expressed arethose of their authors and may not reflect the opinion of CobwebPublishing. Advice is presented in good faith, but what works for onemay not work for all.
Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2016 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc. unless otherwise noted. Allrights reserved. Low End Mac, LowEndMac, and lowendmac.com aretrademarks of Cobweb Publishing Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh,iPad, iPhone, iMac, iPod, MacBook, Mac Pro, and AirPort are registered trademarks of AppleInc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks orregistered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.
Please report errors to .
LINKS: We allow and encourage links toany public page as long as the linked page does not appear within aframe that prevents bookmarking it.
Email may be published at our discretion unless marked 'not forpublication'; email addresses will not be published without permission,and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. Letters may beedited for length, context, and to match house style.
PRIVACY: We don't collect personalinformation unless you explicitly provide it, and we don't share theinformation we have with others. For more details, see our Terms of Use.
Follow Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac on Facebook
Favorite Sites
MacSurfer
Cult of Mac
Shrine of Apple
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
The Vintage Mac Museum
Deal Brothers
DealMac
Mac2Sell
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End Mac FAQ
Affiliates
Accessmenubarapps Macos
Amazon.com
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
Macgo Blu-ray Player
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay
Advertise
All of our advertising is handled by BackBeatMedia. For price quotes and advertising information,please contact at BackBeat Media(646-546-5194). This number is for advertising only.
If you’ve used OS X for any length of time, at some point you’ll probably find yourself in the situation where you can’t get to the icon for an app on the menu bar, particularly if you are using a machine with a small screen (MacBook Air or Pro 13) or you use a projector in a meeting. For me, the menu bar app that I need to get to in a meeting is Caffeine. One way to get around this is to switch to an app that has a smaller app menu, such as Finder. Sometimes even that isn’t enough, so there is another app call NoMenuBar that runs in the background that has no
There is another solution: AccessMenuBarApps.
AccessMenuBarApps is a menu bar app (ironically) that temporarily hides the app menu so that the maximum amount of space can be devoted to menu bar apps. The app provides the following ways to switch menu bar modes:
- Keyboard shortcut – The default keyboard shortcut is shift-space, but you can set this to anything you want. I found the default keyboard shortcut to be really annoying, as I find myself pressing shift and space at the same time a lot. I chose to disable this altogether.
- Mouse gesture – This is pretty cool. With these gestures, a transparent image will briefly cover the menu bar and then the menu bar will switch states. There are two gestures supported:
- Bump the mouse cursor against the top of the screen twice.
- Bump the mouse cursor against the top of the screen and then move it right or left.
- Menu bar icon – I guess in previous versions the menu bar icon used to be placed with the third-party menu bar apps. Now the menu bar icon is placed on the far right so that it is always visible. You can choose to hide the menu bar icon altogether if you want. Clicking this icon will switch the state of the menu bar.
- Dock icon – By default the app shows an icon on the dock. It allows you to change the icon into a clock or a pair of eyes that follow your cursor as well. I already have too many icons on my dock, so I chose to hide it.
What is your experience with this app? Are there other apps you have tried?