In order to streamline its operating system and reduce licensing costs, Microsoft decided to omit native DVD video playback support from Windows 8. With fewer and fewer computers and devices shipping with built-in optical drives, the company assumed that users who really wanted to play DVDs in Windows 8 could do so via an add-on or third party software. Here’s how to prove Microsoft right and start playing your favorite movies on Redmond’s latest OS. There are several options to…
How to Disable User Account Control in Windows 8
User Account Control (UAC) is a security feature introduced by Microsoft in Windows Vista and streamlined in Windows 7 and 8. It prevents the installation of certain applications and changes to system-wide settings unless authorized by a user with administrative privileges. Although not nearly as intrusive as it was in Vista, UAC can still be an annoyance to some users who need to frequently install software or modify system settings. If you’re willing to accept the risks, you can disable…
How to Turn Off & Manage Mac OS X’s Gatekeeper
In response to growing malware and virus concerns in Mac OS X, Apple introduced Gatekeeper, a new security feature, as part of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (and later ported it to OS X 10.7 Lion as of version 10.7.5). Gatekeeper prevents a user from launching applications that are not from the Mac App Store or registered developers. Depending on how you use your Mac and what apps you use, Gatekeeper can be both useful and annoying. Here’s how to…
How to Completely Disable Notification Center in Mac OS X
We’ve covered some Notification Center tips at TekRevue, but what if you just don’t want Apple’s notification platform at all? Here’s how to indefinitely banish it from your Mac: First, launch the Terminal app from /Applications/Utilities, enter the following command, and press Return: launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.notificationcenterui.plist You’ll see the Notification Center icon disappear from your Mac’s menu bar. You may notice that there’s now a blank space between your rightmost menu bar icon and the edge of your screen.…
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How to Add iTunes Track Information to OS X Notification Center
Notification Center is a handy iOS tool brought to the desktop with OS X Mountain Lion that alerts users to various events on their Mac. Apple included built-in Notification Center support for many apps, such as Mail and FaceTime, but oddly neglected iTunes. Thankfully, third party apps can also tie into Notification Center and solve this oversight on Apple’s part. iTunification is a free app that adds iTunes notifications to Notification Center. When properly configured, users will receive a Notification…
How to Show Hidden Files on Mac OS X
Like nearly every operating system, Mac OS X hides certain files and folders from the user by default. These files, which often contain system configuration information, are invisible to the user but can be revealed with a Terminal command. The command to show hidden files on Mac OS X is: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE; killall Finder While this works really well, unless you plan to frequently access hidden files, showing them will merely clutter up your desktop and folders. If…
Quickly Navigate a Website Hierarchy With Safari’s Title Bar
The majority of those browsing the Web navigate websites using their browser’s forward and back buttons. Click a link > read the page > click back to return to the site’s homepage. Easy, right? While this works great for simple websites, or for occasions when a user only navigates one or two pages deep, it can become a confusing and time consuming process while browsing deep into complex websites. For these situations, Apple provides an alternative way to navigate a…
How to Disable Taskbar Transparency In Windows 8
Microsoft notably left Aero Glass, the company’s transparent design featured prominently in Windows Vista and 7, out of the new Windows 8. Application windows in Microsoft’s latest operating system now take on a flatter opaque look. While many like the new look, Microsoft oddly included a transparency effect in the desktop Taskbar. The result is a clash of designs that can be quite distracting with certain wallpapers. To remedy this, a small software company called WinAero has stepped in with…
Comparing Sleep, Hibernation, and Hybrid Sleep on Windows
Putting a computer into a low power mode while not in use can save energy, reduce noise (if you have a particularly loud device), and help increase the longevity of components. There are several different ways that a computer can enter a low power state, and while Macs automatically manage power options by default, Windows gives users control over which method to use. Here’s a look at each power saving option. Sleep Sleep turns off most computer components except for…
Access & Download iCloud Data From Any Web Browser
iCloud, introduced in October 2011, is Apple’s attempt to offer a seamless service for syncing data between computers and mobile devices. Among other features, iCloud automatically syncs documents and application data without the need for an end-user file system. While many prefer this seemingly simpler approach, some users want to keep tabs on their files or want to be able to access them in order to create a manual backup. Users with a Mac can find their iCloud documents by…