Have you ever logged into your Mac and wished you could have your shared folders or mapped drives immediately accessible without having to click Go, Connect to Server and they mapping the path? Well, there's a great solution via Automator in Mac OS X. Follow my screen shots in this post to set it up. Here's the steps:

1. Open Automator and create a new workflow.

2. Search for the word "Server" and then add in Get Specified Servers and Connect to Servers to the pane on the right side.

3. In Get Specified Servers, click Add and then add the path of shared directory or directories you want to connect to.

4. Save the workflow you have created but save it as an application. For this demo, I have named it MapDrives.

5. To make the application run automatically each time you log in, go to System Preferences, Accounts then click on your account. Click Login Items and then add in your new application. Uncheck the box to hide the app at login.

6. To make the drive connection show up on the desktop for easy accessibility, go to Finder Preferences and tick the box that displays Connected Servers on the desktop.

See the full gallery on Posterous

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Mac Mall has some great offerings on iPods and iPod accessories. Here's the link...

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Tips To Protect Your Data (Content courtesy of DriveSavers Data Recovery & Farcornertech)

1. Backup! Always keep a current copy of your data on another type of storage media. Test and verify your backups regularly. Keep at least one copy offsite and secured.

2. Invest in a backup strategy. Consult Farcornertech about the right backup solution for you.

3. Backup and verify your data before performing an operating system upgrade.

4. Purchase a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for all of your computer equipment to protect against power spikes, blackouts and other power issues. Ask Farcornertech for a quote today!

5. Purchase an anti-virus solution from Farcornertech. Make sure the definition files are up to date and perform regular scans of your entire computer.

6. Do not move an external drive while it is in operation. Physical damage can easily occur resulting in data loss.

7. Provide adequate space around your computer equipment to allow for circulation and cooling.

8. If your computer or external hard drive was previously in a very cold environment, allow it to warm up to room temperature before operating.

9. If you hear unusual noises from your hard drive, turn off the computer immediately and call Farcornertech at 970.488.9943. These sounds may indicate a mechanical problem that could quickly result in data loss.

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Happy Father's Day today. Why not get your own domain or a domain for your family website and email address? Go for it - it's easy! Click the banner below to get started and let us know if you need any additional help. FCT can setup your domain for you and get your email account up and running in minutes.

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Click the banner below to see the current MacMall specials. There are some great deals out there if you are looking for Apple products. Enjoy the World Cup - starts today! JPL

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Hope this link is helpful to those of you sporting a new iPad. Enjoy!

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Looking for that perfect gift for Mother's Day? These guys have some great deals going on right now. Enjoy!

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Click the image or link below to download a Windows 7 PDF guide to getting around the Windows 7 Desktop. There is also a great video as well. Basic tips and tricks to help you become more productive in Windows 7. Have fun! JPL

via windows.microsoft.com

 

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via labs.chitika.com

Link: http://labs.chitika.com/ipad/#

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FREE SHIPPING on all your computer and electronic equipment from Tiger Direct until the end of this month. I just purchased a network attached storage device for one of my clients and they saved $80 going through this vendor. Tiger Direct has some great deals right now so be sure to click the link below and take advantage of the savings. Enjoy!

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First of all, be aware that it is highly unlikely that Facebook would ever change your password for you. This function is initiated in your account properties, by you and only you, for security measures.

Be on the lookout for this Malware package that is in the wild now and being distributed via spam email. The majority of anti-virus programs will not block this infection. Do not open the attachment!

This is a BreodLab based Trojan downloader that is sent from a Facebook themed account. The subject of the message is titled “Facebook Password Reset Confirmation Customer Support” and you can see the message body in the above screen shot that instructs the user to open the attached document. Again, do not open the attachment.

If you find that you accidentally open this attachment or your computer has already been compromised with a form of Malware like this one, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will quickly correct this issue for you before cybercriminals can steal your personal information.

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So...I’ve been using a new iPhone 3Gs for a couple of weeks now and I am completely amazed by this device. It is the most elegant, sophisticated and intuitive phone OS available today. I was pretty impressed by the Palm Web OS but I have to say that although the iPhone cannot multi-task yet, it’s pretty awesome and blows away the competition (Sorry to my bro who works for Palm).

Anyway, I got around to enabling Chinese Simplified character input on my iPhone today and it is extremely cool (BTW – it is natively supported). I am posting directions here for you expats living overseas or for those of you studying Mandarin in your home country.

To Enable Chinese Simplified Character Input On iPhone

Navigate through the following screen items:

Settings > General > International >Keyboards >Chinese (Simplified), then turn on the Handwriting and Pinyin options.

When typing, you will now see on the bottom row of the keyboard a Globe button that you can press to toggle between input keyboards. As you can see in the image above, Japanese is selected. When Chinese Simplified is selected, characters will display on the space and enter buttons and you will then be able to type pinyin in any iPhone application. Character suggestions will popup as they would in OS X as you can see below.

Another killer feature is the character input. Tap the globe button again and draw any character with the correct stroke  order and character suggestions will pop up on the right hand side of the screen (see image below).

The iPhone is THE perfect device for studying Mandarin Chinese. Used in conjunction with great Mandarin learning apps like KTdict C-E, ChinesePod and Pleco you will increase your level of Mandarin fluency much more quickly.

I hope you enjoy your iPhone as much as I do. Feel free to shoot me an email if you need help with this or if you just want to rap about studying Mandarin.

 再见！

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Apple has released the latest update for Apple Bootcamp, compatable with Windows 7. Follow this link for download info on the right side of the Apple Bootcamp Support page. http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/

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I know this is very simple, but it is the simple things in life that can make us more productive. The Windows 7 Snap feature has got to be my favorite feature so far. Extremely useful! Link: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/features/snap.aspx

Enjoy!

JPL

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