Synopses & Reviews
Remember when they said your Mac was just a toy? It's payback time
Your PC pals who made fun of your Mac back in the old days will sing a different tune when they see what you’re playing with now. Create a Harry Potter style picture frame that puts on a continuous slide show; teach your house to turn on the lights, adjust the thermostat, and water the lawn by itself; edit and record live TV while you watch; and more. Or invite those who derided your choice of computers to blast some bad guys on your classic video game Mac–if they’re big enough to play with your toys.
The Toys
Each project includes detailed, illustrated instructions
- Light and appliance control
- Internet radio station
- Mac TV–watch, edit, record
- The beefed-up iPodTM
- Digital picture frame
- Wireless Mac networking
- The music-making Mac
- Classic video game machine
- CDs from LPs
- DVDs from video and film
- Video-making with "wow"
- Mac, the wireless jukebox
Synopsis
Macintosh users have always been a group that likes to “ Think Different” , in the words of Apple’s famous advertising slogan. They believe in the Mac’s reputation for innovation and making tasks easy, and those who use Macs today have proven fiercely loyal through Apple’s ups and downs.
Mac owners love to find ways to use their computers for non-standard, highly customized projects far removed from the typical realms of web browsing, word processing, and pixel futzing. Users create these custom projects for a variety of reasons: as practical solutions to tricky problems, to provide a chance to put old computers to use, or just because it’s cool.
Synopsis
Guides readers through the building of a dozen ultra-cool projects that use standard Macs plus a variety of hardware and software additions, some off the shelf and some custom-built. Some projects are practical, like using a Mac to control household appliances and lights or creating a digital video recorder; others, like turning an old Mac into a fish aquarium, are off the wall, but all are inventive and presented in an entertaining style. Appeals to millions of Mac loyalists who like to tinker with or program their machines and who find creating such projects both entertaining and rewarding.
Synopsis
How many cool things can you do with your Mac? Well, add 12 more to that list.
If you're one of the millions of Mac owners who like to tinker with their machines and do what their PC brethren can only dream about, this is the book for you.
Mac gurus John Rizzo and Scott Knaster will open your eyes to a dozen cool new tricks you can do with your Mac. Create a Harry Potter style picture frame that puts on a continuous slide show; teach your house to turn on the lights, adjust the thermostat, and water the lawn by itself; edit and record live TV while you watch; and more.
With a dozen new things to do with your Mac, your PC pals are going to envy you more than ever.
About the Author
John Rizzo began his love affair with the Mac in 1984. A former staff editor for MacUser magazine, John now covers the Mac front for CNET.com. His Web site, MacWindows.com, is devoted to helping Mac users survive in a Windows world.
Scott Knaster is the author of How to Write Macintosh Software and Macintosh Programming Secrets, long required reading for Mac programmers. Scott owns every issue of Mad Magazine, which offers some insight into his personal philosophy.
Table of Contents
Foreword.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
Chapter 1: Control Your Lights and Appliances.
Chapter 2: Broadcast Your Own Radio Show.
Chapter 3: Watch, Record, and Edit TV on Your Mac.
Chapter 4: Enhance Your iPod.
Chapter 5: Make a Digital Picture Frame.
Chapter 6:Wireless Networking: Around the Room, Around Your House.
Chapter 7: Make and Mix Your Own Music: Synthesizers, MIDI, and Mix Software.
Chapter 8: Turn Your Mac into a Classic Video Game Machine.
Chapter 9: Convert Your Old Vinyl LPs to CDs.
Chapter 10: Convert Your Home Video and Film to DVDs.
Chapter 11: Make a Killer Video.
Chapter 12: Use Your Mac as a Wireless Jukebox.
Index.