How to

iOS devices: MobileMe sync issues after logging out and back in

After logging out of your MobileMe account, you may find that your iOS device no longer automatically syncs with your Mac, even after you log back in to MobileMe. This very thing happened to me this weekend after I logged out of my MobileMe account to troubleshoot an issue with iWeb.

What happens? When you sign out of your MobileMe account on your Mac (System Preferences > MobileMe > Account) your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch will no longer be syncing automatically. For example, adding an iCal event on your iPhone will not add it to your Mac, even after … Read more

Get healthy in 2011: Jasmine's Tech Dos & Don'ts

According to a survey of users on goal-setting Web site 43 Things, the most popular New Year's resolution for 2011 is to lose weight. (This is Jasmine's utter lack of surprise.) Indeed, many of the top resolutions year after year are health-related. Drink less, get fit, quit smoking, manage stress, be happy, and run a marathon all continually rank high on the list.

Luckily, there is plenty of technology available to help you reach any of those goals. Of course, it would be irresponsible of me to attempt to cover it all in one article; after all, carpal … Read more

iTunes tip: Organize your music for better Cover Flow

iTunes is a database application that stores, sorts, and plays media, and like any database, the more organized it is, the more powerful it can be. Find out how to get your songs organized for more efficient playback in iTunes and on your iOS devices.

I'm sure we've all been there. We're rifling through our iTunes Library in Cover Flow view looking for the perfect album to jam out to while finally doing the dishes when we see the same album art show up for the same artist as if it's two different records. In other … Read more

Travel with video--Jasmine's Tech Dos & Don'ts

Now that the holiday season has us in its clutches is well under way, it's the perfect time to bring my well-rested Dos & Don'ts column out of hibernation. And while I count myself among the lucky few who don't have to do much traveling to visit family, I know many of you have some lengthy treks ahead of you.

Whether the mode of transport is plane, train, or automobile, one of the best ways to counter the tedium and annoyances of travel is with some video entertainment. What follows are some tips on the best ways … Read more

Untethered iOS 4.2.1 jailbreaking workaround

Though this isn't the official untethered jailbreaking solution for iOS 4.2.1, the iPhone Dev Team has produced a short demo video showing off a workaround method for getting it done now.

Hack-master comex is still working on the permanent untethered jailbreak, but if you've been following the jailbreaking community and happen to have saved SHSH blobs from your iOS device, your device could be jailbroken today.

A more efficient iOS 4.2.1 jailbreak should be just around the corner, so stay tuned. For more information about jailbreaking your iOS device, follow the iPhone Dev Team Blog. … Read more

How to solve iPhone volume problems by cleaning your headphone jack

One frustration many iPhone (or any Apple device with headphones) owners will undoubtedly experience is a situation where their handset remains in headphones mode, despite no headphones being plugged in.

The solution to this problem can be quite easy, though a steady hand is recommended.

Symptoms If this situation occurs, you'll most likely figure it out pretty quickly:

You slide to unlock your iPhone and the "click" sound is not heard. You press the volume buttons to increase or decrease the ringer and the headphones volume setting appears instead. You launch applications, games, or videos that normally … Read more

Snow Leopard: iTunes not recognizing iOS device after Mac restart

In some situations you may find that iTunes no longer recognizes your iOS device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch) after you restart your Mac running Mac OS X 10.6.4 Snow Leopard. The solution, though, may be more complex than just reinstalling iTunes.

We have reported at length on how to completely reinstall iTunes, but that process may not be enough to solve this issue. Though your device may be recognized after the reinstall, upon the next restart it will most likely be lost again. An Apple knowledge base article describes the solution, which involves finding and deleting several files.… Read more

Speed up your BlackBerry

If you've noticed that your BlackBerry takes a long time to do simple tasks like sending a text message or opening a Web page, have no fear: there are some things you can do to speed things up.

Since BlackBerrys have little memory to run apps, you'll need to make sure you optimize what's available.

Use the following settings to free up some memory. These new settings will make your general interface, Web browsing, and text messaging much faster.

Clear your event log: Press Alt-LGLG. Open the menu and select Clear Log.

Exit open applications: Press Alt-Escape. … Read more

Add a sexy HTML signature to iPhone e-mails

If you've ever messed around with the e-mail signature settings on your iPhone, iPod, or iPad, you know that the best you can hope for is to replace the stock "sent from my iPhone" message with another boring block of text.

Welcome to "Extreme Makeover: iPhone Signature Edition." With the free iPhone Signature Creator, you can whip up a sexy, HTML-based sig complete with colored text, a company logo, your Facebook and Twitter info, and more.

To get started, just fill out Signature Creator's Web-based form with as much information as you want to … Read more