Sunday, 15 December 2013

Fine tips to illuminate user-experience on Mavericks



Play with AppStore - When it comes to fine tune Mac OS X then there is strict ‘NO’ compromise. In Mavericks, the App store can be set to look for automated check for updates in the background. It takes cares of the OS X and residing apps on the OS. Also, you can check the box to find & install important data files and security updates for OS X Mavericks.



Path - Click Apple Logo< System Preferences < Update settings of App Store.

Update an App Now or Later - Moving further with App store, it now gives user muscles to update an app at time he/she wishes to.  Suppose I am not in a mood to install the updates at a time where I am working on other application. The unique set of options in App store allows me to install the update in an Hour, Tonight or simply tomorrow. This will not only allow my work to get free from any disturbance but also let me install the much needy update at my convenient time.



iBooks - Is there any doubt that iBooks brings whole lot of delight to a Mac user? We have witnessed how popular is this app on iOS devices like iPads & iPhones. And now on, users on Mavericks especially Authors & Readers are going to spend plenty of time reading their favorite books digitally. Oh one more thing to mention, don’t forget to create an Apple ID before you start reading books on Mac. Synchronization is ‘ON’ on your iOS and OS X devices, so make full use of it. Browse from free to paid books available on iBook application.



Maps are handy - Forget the entire negative buzz that was created around Apple Maps. Maps are now improved and set to run on your favorite desktop computer. You launch Maps from the Dock like any other application and plan out your hangout. You search new places, destinations, hotels, restaurants, schools, ATMs, hospitals etc. just by sitting in front of your Mac OS X. And yes, you need to find the shortest road path between two places and driving time, and then Apple Maps are here to serve you accurately.

See my below example image - I check for the term ‘’Theatre’’& in returned got flooded with tons of results. I also get the user reviews of the place, which I click to view personally. 



On Maps, you get to view your destination in Standard, Hybrid and Satellite View. It’s unto you how you going to make use of it.

Getting Driving Directions - Insert ‘Start’ & ‘End’ destination to view the driving directions.



Add your result to bookmark - The bookmark won’t let you forget your favorite search. Here is how you cab bookmark the place you love to visit most.



Click on the place from right sidebar and on the map again click the pin to bring forth this small window. Now, click ‘Add to bookmark’ button and to check click the open book button situated to the left of search bar.

If you visit & love the place then come back, start your Mac and write the review on your experience. This will surely help some other user that might be looking to have some information on the said place.



Show/Hide Traffic on Maps - If you are using Maps and loving it then the 'View' option has something more to offer. Just click and drop down the View option and click 'Show Traffic' to view traffic congestion or any construction that might cause pain to your travel. If you can priory locate any misshaping like road accident, closed roads or heavy traffic then you will surely thank the 'Apple Maps'.




Another high-end benefit of this feature is that you can send the alert to someone who might be using the direction where some obstruction is present. This again can be done by sharing the Map from Mac to iOS 7 devices. You can send the maps in variety of options like - Facebook, Twitter, Messages, Email and AirDrop.



Sure you will not criticize Safari this time - I agree users have some grudges against Safari browser when compared to Google’s Chrome. Well, Apple’s continuous effort to improve browsing has yielded into many exciting features coming in OS X Mavericks.



Firstly, when you launch Safari from Mavericks Dock, you find all top sites displayed in tab like structures. You click on one to bring-forth the entire site on Safari. Well, this may not be as impressive as it looks but rearranging site tabs, dragging them here & there is no doubt lot of fun. And believe me, all these activities are pretty quick. The user end up loving the rearrangements of lists f top sites, just like me.  

Safari Reading List - The (+) button on the left to address bar adds up a site to Reading List. The Reading List is situated on the sidebar of the safari. It also shares your saved bookmarks.



Shared Links - This feature is to cherish. All you have to do is Go to System Preferences<Internet Account<Select Social profile (Twitter, Facebook) and insert your credentials. Now Click ‘Update Contacts’ to import all contacts to Safari. This enables a third option called ’Shared Links’ along with Bookmarks & Reading Lists. You can click and navigate through your followers’ tweets and read all the entrusting stuffs.  



 Authenticating Twitter Account in OS 10.9



Importing all Contacts from Twitter profile



Once you read and praise the story, you can immediately retweet to set of your followers with above present toolbar facility.



Coming to the Tags - Labels in Mac OS X (until 10.8) are now more elaborated on OS X Mavericks 10.9. The Tags are beautifully organized in RED, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple and Gray. Check colored tags below –




What are Tags for? Same as Labels, tags in 10.9 organize your files and folders in a way that is convenient to remember and organize. To assign a tag to folder, simply right-click the folder and click on the tab color you wish to assign.




Navigate the tag from the Finder and find your tagged folders well placed in-there.



Great enough, further you can rename these colored tags to your most suited terminology. E/g: I choose to rename the RED tag as ‘Important Work’.




Red being a fierce sign will always remind me of something important to be done in that section. You can also delete a tag from the Finder and later restore it with Finder<Preferences<Tags.

Also, now save your document with the desired tag by pressing CMD+S to a new document. While you save, there exist an option to choose a tag color. Once done, click ‘Save’ and the document is saved in desired tag.

Wait for some more time to check rest of the features of OS X Mavericks. Do leave your comments below. Thanks