How to Use Split View of Mac OSX El Capitan

One of the most appealing features in the new OS X El Capitan is allowing users to put two apps into one screen together, splitting side-by-side. So that you don't need to switch from one application to another via Mission Control.

(However, please note that not all application in Mac OSX El Capitan support the split screen.)

Follow the steps for splitting the screen:

(1) Go to “System Preferences” -> "Mission Control" -> check the box “Displays have separate Spaces”.

(2) Maximize the screen of an application (in this example, Safari) by clicking the green button at the upper-left-hand corner of the window. The application which support split screen should have 2 arrows in opposite directions within the green button, instead of a "+" sign.

(3) Repeat the procedure of (1) for maximizing another window (e.g. TextEdit) which you want to split the screen.

(4) Now you have 2 applications running full-screen mode. Then launch "Mission Control" and you will see 3 thumbnails at the top of the screen, namely, "Desktop", “Safari" and “TextEdit”.

(5) Drag the thumbnail of "TextEdit" into that of “Safari”, or vice versa, then the windows will be merged into one.

(6) To resize the windows, click and drag the black margin between the 2 screen leftwards or rightwards.

Drag the Black Margins Between 2 Applications to Resize.

Erik Siivel (@siivel.com)

Modder | Producer | Blogger | Youtuber

Email: siiveldotcom@gmail.com

How to Pin Tab in Safari?

Pinned Tab is a new feature of Safari for Mac OSX El Capitan. For those sites which support Pinned Tab, after one pins the site, a small icon will be shown up at Pinned Tab, otherwise, the first letter will be chosen in lieu of an icon.

Adding a site to Pinned Tab is simple:

(1) Open the site you want to add into the Pin Tab, in my example, Apple.com.



(2) Place the pointer on the site tab and right-click (Control+Click), a box "Pin Tab" will appear.

(3) Choose "Pin Tab" and the Site's pin icon will be added into the Pinned Tab.

Isn't that easy?

Erik Siivel (@siivel.com)

Modder | Producer | Blogger | Youtuber

Email: siiveldotcom@gmail.com

"Brightness Slider" for Mac OSX Review

Yesterday I come across an app at Mac App Store which is used to manupulate the screen brightness. It is called "Brightness Slider".

Brightness Slider in Mac App Store

Go to Mac App Store -> Download Brightness Slider -> Double-clicked It -> Install

The Adjustment Bar is Located in the Menu Bar.

After the installation, there will be a "Sun-shaped" icon on the menu bar. Click it and you can adjust the brightness by either slide with your mouse or the press up/down buttons.

Brightness in Maximum Level.

Reduce the Brightness. The screen will become completely dark if one slides the bar to the other extreme.

This application is a powerful. With this app, you can control the brightness in the "software level" and the level of darkness could adjust to completely black screen. It frees up 2 function keys of my iBook i5 for other uses.

This app is free at Mac App Store. Worth downloading before it was charged:)

Erik Siivel (@siivel.com)

Modder | Producer | Blogger | Youtuber

Email: siiveldotcom@gmail.com

How to Add a Safari Pinned Tab Icon for Your Site?




Pinned Tab for Safari

Pinned Tab is a new feature of Safari for Mac OSX El Capitan. For those sites which support Pinned Tab, after one pins the site, a small icon will be shown up at Pinned Tab, otherwise, the first letter will be chosen in lieu of an icon. Therefore, making a Pinned Tab icon outstands your site from others.





siivel.com is Now Pin Tab Supported

We have update our site by adding a Safari Pinned Tab Icon. It is easy.

(1) Made a monochromatic .gif file. For my site's icon, I merely use a black 100x100 pixel gif icon.

(2) Change the .gif icon into .svg file and save it. I do the conversion here:
http://image.online-convert.com/convert-to-svg

And then I save it as img.svg in my web-site server.

(3) Add the following link into the "header" of the site:

<header><link rel=”mask-icon” href=”img.svg” color=”Black”></header>


Remarks: (1) "img.svg" is the file name of my image. You might change the link's .svg name in line with your own image; (2) In my case, the colour of the icon is default as "Black", you might however decide your icon's colour yourself.


(4) Restart Safari and finished.

Written by: Erik Siivel (@siivel.com)

Modder | Producer | Blogger | Youtuber 

Email: siiveldotcom@gmail.com

Updating iStat Menus, Pages, Numbers and Keynote

Today, I install some applications for my iBook i5. They are, namely, iStat Menus, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.

Installing iStat Menus, Pages, Keynote and Numbers in McDonald's.

The iStat Menus is the tool monitoring the hardware of the Mac, including the CPU and RAM usage, network speed, battery life, fan speed and temperature. 

One could even use the iStat Menus to manupulate the fan speed.

I bought previous version of iStat Menus months ago to monitor my iBook i5. After upgrading to OSX El Capitan from Yosemite, I noted that there is an upgrade for free so I install it accordingly.

As to Pages, Numbers and Keynote, I used to compose documents with Open Office. Now as those apps become free; declared to be compatible with Microsoft Office; and most importantly, now it appears that they become indispensable components of Mac OS and iCloud; I think they are worth trying and thus install accordingly.

Written by: Erik Siivel (@siivel.com)

Modder | Producer | Blogger | Youtuber 

Email: siiveldotcom@gmail.com

iBook i5 with Mac OSX El Capitan Upgraded

Here's my last article in this blog about upgrading the OS of the iMac G3 i7 to OSX El Capitan:

http://siiveldotcom.blogspot.com/2015/11/installing-mac-osx-el-capitan-on-imac.html

After that upgrade, everything were running smoothly.

Now it is the turn for my iBook i5. iBook i5 is not my primary system, hence the upgrade was relatively easier. The procedure was the same with that of iMac G3 i7:

Go to Mac App Store -> Download OSX El Capitan -> Launch it -> Wait

One needs to plug the adapter or the Mac won't allow the installation to begin.

The iBook i5 is installing the OSX El Capitan

The installation took about 60-70 minutes.

Installation Finished!

Now the iBook i5 Comes with a New Operating System.

I haven't made an upgrade video for my iMac G3 i7, but have for this iBook, that is a short video and the URL is:

http://youtu.be/9gd1W8Kkm_4

See you soon!

Written by: Erik Siivel (@siivel.com)

Modder | Producer | Blogger | Youtuber 

Email: siiveldotcom@gmail.com

(Got It!) The Stand for 17" Apple Studio (CRT) Display

This May, I bought a vintage Apple Studio  (CRT) display with a damaged stand.

http://siiveldotcom.blogspot.com/2015/03/wanted-stand-for-17-apple-studio-crt.html

This Apple Studio (CRT) Display is a classical fantastic collector item. It is difficult to imagine that one will smash it and give me the stand. Nevertheless, I keep searching at ebay and some auction sites.

The Ad of the Apple Studio Display

Eventually I come across one with a junk one. It has cracks at the front panel. Moreover, there were scratches over the screen. The seller asked for about US$12 for this junk monitor. 

The Screen is Full of Scratches.

Cracks Around the Apple Logo.

The Pic is Blurred, I am Not Sure if there were a Crack at its Back.

This monitor is heavy. After considering the possible huge shipping cost, I asked the seller if he could send the stand to me. He agreed and the deal was reached. Shipping cost for this is about US$25.

After some days, the stand arrived in a strong box.

The Stand of Apple Display was being Packed in a Strong Box.

There is only Few Scratches on the Stand.

It is in good condition. I am glad that now I have a complete Studio Display in my collection.

Written by: Erik Siivel (@siivel.com)

Modder | Producer | Blogger | Youtuber 

Email: siiveldotcom@gmail.com