EyeTV, the paperless office, and more

June 29 2008

In which I pass one some additional tips about past subjects, point out some interesting links, and say farewell for time being. read more

High-end Mac-based Home Automation

June 17 2008

If a Mac-based home automation system is on your wish list, but you don't want to hassle with your own configuration and installation, Savant has an impressive system just for you. read more

Make your Screen Saver Informative

June 07 2008

The new Status Screen Saver, thanks to some very clever programming, lets you add personalized status information atop your favorite screen saver. Just the thing for keeping an eye on your Mac, your home, or nearly anything else. read more

One week with Periscope

June 07 2008

If you want to use your iSight-equipped Mac to keep an eye on your home, Periscope provides a solution. Learn about how it worked for me during a recent vacation. read more

Reach out with ASProxy

May 30 2008

Integrating your Mac with the real world requires a way to get signals from sensors. The ASProxy utility provides an easy method for triggering AppleScript programs using serially-connected devices. read more

Indigo 3 Simplifies Home Automation

May 11 2008

The new version of Indigo, a Mac home automation program, offers many new features and improvements. But don't overlook some of the more obscure gems, such as the three that I find most interesting. read more

Thinking Home is Back

May 11 2008

Thinking Home, an award-winning home automation application from the Mac's past, returns with an all-new version. Its tradition of easy and friendly setup continues, and it has new tricks, too. read more

Upgrade Your Brain

May 11 2008

Can your Mac make your smarter? I put three different "Flash Card" programs to the test and tell you what I found. Luckily, there are good ones to choose from. read more

Home Office Envy

April 29 2008

If you've got a problem to solve, nothing beats seeing how others have tackled it for themselves. My question is how do I best configure a home office to accommodate multiple, large displays? The answer, it turns out, is found by peeking into the private workspaces of others. read more

Timely Travel Info in Your Pocket

April 28 2008

Summer travel beckons, and here's how to make sure your trips to the airport are correctly timed. read more

Cidney - Distributed Caller ID for Macintosh

April 15 2008

A new application for capturing Caller ID information from you phone line offer some very interesting advanced features. read more

A peek inside an automated home

April 10 2008

Curious about how advanced hobbyist-level home automation is accomplished? Two brief and well-written articles give you a peek into the types of things you can accomplish by combining logic and Macintosh know-how. read more

Relief for Mac-based Ceiva Customers

April 04 2008

The Ceiva digital photo frame is old school, but a simple way to distribute photographs to far-flung relatives. After a long period of neglect, Ceiva has recently released an iPhoto plug-in. read more

Meet Hazel

March 31 2008

Overwhelmed with URLs that friends, family, and co-workers had sent me to, I was shocked to find that my "to be visited" folder had over 150 items, some nearly two years old. So, I called Hazel. read more

Proxify your home

March 23 2008

Square one for automating tasks is to get acquainted with a powerful and flexible scheduling program. There are several to choose from, but a good place to start is Proxi, it's proven quite handy in my home and office. read more