New Technology Reviews!.: notifications

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<img alt="Tutorial: How to get more done with your Mac" class="aligncenter" height="212" mce_src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.macbook1-470-75.jpg" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.macbook1-470-75.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="282" /></div>
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Get more productive with these Mac apps</h3>
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Procrastination is far more varied than it used to be. If you were a writer before the 90s, for example, chances are you hammered away at a typewriter or simple word processor all day, and when you were at your desk you were working.</div>
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That's not the case today: assuming you've got an internet connection, your Mac can access limitless distractions.</div>
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And even if you don't have a web connection, there are many apps and games vying for attention, trying to tempt you away from work.</div>
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Taking the odd break is beneficial (although a break away from your Mac is better than one where you remain in front of the screen). But these days it's too easy to take regular breaks, checking the latest email or instant message, new tweets, or some other alert.</div>
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Research has found it takes a long time for many people to settle back into focused work, and this means if you're always interrupted, you're never focused and being productive.</div>
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Two things can assist you in being more productive on your Mac: changing your habits and using software that forces you to focus on a task.</div>
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In terms of habits, stop checking email so often. If you use Mail, set Check for new messages (in the General preferences) to Every hour or a lower frequency, and turn off Growl support for any apps where your knowing about updates isn't critical. In some cases, you may be able to fine-tune these updates, such as in Twitter, where you can use the Notifications preferences to disable those for general tweets but leave them on for direct messages.</div>
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We cover some software, showing how three useful apps from the Mac App Store can help productivity. They are Quiet (£2.49), BetterSnapTool (£1.49) and Time Sink (£2.99).</div>
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How to use apps to be more productive</h4>
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1. Set up Quiet</h4>
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<img alt="step 1" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt001-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt001-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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Launch Quiet: it will appear in the menu bar. Select Preferences and choose General. Check Hide Dock so the Dock hides during isolation. (Also, learn Command+Option+D for getting rid of the Dock at other times.) Select an option from Background, to define it when in isolation.</div>
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2. Define a shortcut</h4>
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<img alt="step 2" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt002-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt002-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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Click the field next to Focus On Application. Define a keyboard shortcut to trigger isolation mode, such as Shift+Option+F. Switch to any open app and use the shortcut. You should find all other windows, the menu bar and the Dock are now hidden from view.</div>
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3. View a second app</h4>
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<img alt="step 3" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt003-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt003-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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Use Command+Tab to bring up the app-switcher. Select an app and it will also be brought into isolation mode. Use your shortcut to disable and re-enable isolation mode at will. If you enjoy using Quiet, check Launch at Login in its General preferences.</div>
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4. Use BetterSnapTool</h4>
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<img alt="step 4" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt004-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt004-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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Launch BetterSnapTool and select Preferences from its menu-bar extra's menu. Select Keyboard Shortcuts. Click next to maximise and press Command+Option+Ctrl+Up Arrow.</div>
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Pressing this combination will now zoom an application's window to full-screen, helping you focus.</div>
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5. Combine with Quiet</h4>
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<img alt="step 5" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt005-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt005-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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If you launch Quiet and also use BetterSnapTool, you can, with a couple of shortcuts, not only make your active window full-screen but also hide the Dock, menu bar and apps. If you use a mouse, use equivalent options from the menu-bar extra menus.</div>
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6. Go split-screen</h4>
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<img alt="step 6" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt006-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt006-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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BetterSnapTool enables you to use menus or shortcuts to split the screen into halves, quarters and thirds. Assign shortcuts to these options and move into isolation mode; bring two or three apps forward and assign their window to a section of the screen.</div>
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7. Set up</h4>
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<img alt="step 7" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt007-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt007-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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Time Sink Launch Time Sink and open the General section of its preferences. Set the Suspend… option to a suitable duration that denotes inactivity for your work. This will automatically pause the Time Sink timer should your Mac be left alone for that duration.</div>
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8. View Time Sink</h4>
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<img alt="step 8" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt008-420-90.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/MacFormat/MAC%20239/MAC239.tut_prod.wt008-420-90.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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While it's running, Time Sink will tot up how long each app's been open and how long it's been in the foreground, highlighting when you're working or wasting time. Using the Export preferences, you can export a daily report if you want to keep track of habits.</div>
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Tutorial: How to get more done with your Mac

Get more productive with these Mac apps Procrastination is far more varied than it used to be. If you were a writer before the 90s, ...

<P><img alt="Twitter for iPhone gets Push Notifications" border="0" height="150" src="http://technologyforum.x10.mx/image//113481matter.jpg" width="200"></P><br /><P>Micro-blogging style social network Twitter has updated its official App for iOS platform and added push notifications for the @mentions as well as direct messages. A bunch of other fixes like better display of shortened URLs, geo-tagging, retina graphics, and more have been added. The Twitter app 3.2.1 has been updated for all iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices. <BR><BR>Twitter for iPhone and iPad will now give you push notifications for every @mention and Direct Message received at your Twitter account. If you own an iPhone 4, then the Twitter for iPhone app will offer you better graphics to suit the Retina Display. Following is the list of improvements in the Twitter App.<BR><BR><STRONG>iPhone: </STRONG><BR>- Push notifications for @mentions and messages <BR>- Improved display of shortened URLs <BR>- Correctly load reserved Twitter.com paths, such as http://twitter.com/newtwitter <BR>- Fix connection error caused by a device clock being set incorrectly <BR>- Additional retina graphics <BR>- Enable geotagging in your account with one tap <BR>- Fix for itunes links<BR><BR><STRONG>iPad: </STRONG><BR>- Inline media <BR>- Manage saved searches <BR>- UI improvements<BR><BR>The Push Notification alert settings can be found by tapping on the three dots "<STRONG>...</STRONG>" option next to Search in the Twitter App. After that, tap on Account & Settings options at the end of the page and then Tap on the "Settings" button on the bottom left corner. That will open up your Profile Settings page where you'll see the new Notifications option right below your profile name. Then tap on the Notifications option to make the necessary changes. <BR><BR>Download the new Twitter App for iPhone, iPod touch or iPad from here or head to the App Store on your device and update the Twitter App.</P>

Twitter for iPhone gets Push Notifications

Micro-blogging style social network Twitter has updated its official App for iOS platform and added push notifications for the @mentions as ...

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Tutorial: How to get more done with your Mac

Twitter for iPhone gets Push Notifications

Twitter launches push notifications for @mentions

Twitter launches push notifications for @mentions