It’s tax time in the USA, which means everyone is either going to be happy with a refund or sad when they owe. If you want to file your taxes online and you use Google Chrome, be sure to skip TurboTax though, which does not support the browser.

Adding insult to injury is the supported browser list: TurboTax supports IE6, but doesn’t support Chrome? WTF? Google Chrome is my favorite web browser by far, so I was pretty annoyed to find this out. I imagine this is just a simple user agent detection, since other WebKit browsers are supported (Safari), but what a boneheaded maneuver by TurboTax.

FYI: this effects all OS’s using the Chrome browser, and has been tested to not work in Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. Grr.

You can easily compare two versions of a Word document using Microsoft Word in Mac OS X.

* Launch the two documents you want to compare within Microsoft Word
* Go to the Tools Menu
* Select Track Changes
* Select Compare Documents
* Select the two documents you want to compare

You’ll be shown a side by side comparison of the files and the changes will be highlighted and easy to spot. If you’re a writer, researcher, or editor, you’ll find this feature very useful! As far as I know this comparison tool is not included within Apple’s Pages application (at least not in version 3.0 that I have), hopefully in a newer version it will be a feature, it is too helpful to not be!

If you’re looking for a more developer orientated version of file comparison, check out FileMerge.

When shopping around for an external monitor, I was asked “What’s the maximum resolution I can get out of my MacBook with an external LCD display?” by a friend of mine. Well the answer depends on which MacBook you have, what video card it has, and what type of video interface you’re going to use (DVI, VGA, DVI-I, etc) to power the external display.

MacBook’s with shared GMA video cards can drive an external display with a resolution of up to 1920×1200 via DVI , or 1600×1200 via VGA

Newer MacBook’s (unibody included) with independent graphics cards can drive external displays with resolutions up to 2560×1600 via dual-link DVI

Both newer and older MacBook’s will support extended desktop as well as mirroring, but note the older MacBook’s with shared GMA video will have a slight performance hit when driving an external display, this is mostly noticeable when doing graphics intensive processing but rarely a significant issue. Either way be sure to get the proper mini-DVI to DVI adapter for your MacBook and external monitor.

[ picture via RegEx.info ]

One Mac Pro powering six monitors for a total of 9220×1600 pixels. Wow. Oh, and the Mac Pro has 8 cores, 12gb of ram, 8tb of disk space, and 3 video cards. Excessive? Maybe, but what a cool workstation. This guy is very serious about his working setup and has a ton of information about it on his website, it’s fun geek reading.

[ via Biscade ]

If you want to beef up the security on your Mac, you can try enabling the built-in firewall.

Enabling the Firewall in Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard

* Open “System Preferences” from the Apple menu
* Click on the ‘Security’ icon
* Click on the ‘Firewall’ tab
* In the corner of this window, you’ll see a lock icon, click on that and enter the administrator password
* Now click on the ‘Start’ button to activate the firewall

Yes, it’s that simple.

If you want to allow certain ports, applications, or network connections, you can enter the ‘Advanced’ tab and adjust the settings as necessary. The Mac OS X firewall is quite secure by default and will block nearly all incoming connections (again, unless specified otherwise). It’s my opinion that if you’re behind a router with it’s own firewall, and on a trusted network, you probably don’t need to use the Mac firewall at all. For small home and school networks you should be fine, but for larger, untrusted, or exposed networks, using the firewall may be a prudent idea, even if the likelihood of an attack on your Mac is extremely low in comparison to a Windows machine.

It’s worth mentioning that since Mac OS X 10.6, the Firewall service has been placed under the “Security” systems preference as opposed to ‘Sharing’ as it was in prior versions of Mac OS X.

Google Books is a pretty amazing virtual library filled with who knows how many books, magazines, periodicals, and whatever else you might expect to find in a brick and mortar library. Some of the books can be downloaded and saved as a PDF with just a click, others are restricted, but thats where Google Book Downloader comes in. Simply give the program a Google Book URL or Book ID, and Google Book Downloader will generate a PDF of that book (or at least the portion that is accessible via the web). This is so useful for anyone who wants a virtual copy of a book stored locally on their Mac (or iPod Touch, or iPhone, or even the iPad!). This is about as easy as it gets.

So you want to save a Google Book for later? First, find a book on Google Books

Now just paste the URL or book ID into the application and it will start the download:

Your Google Book is now saved as a PDF and it can be read or viewed from anywhere, independent of the web and an internet connection. Awesome! Google Book Downloader is free and open source, so if you feel like poking around the code it’s freely available on the developers site.

HacThePlanet: Google Book Downloader
Download Google Book Downloader now

If you ask me, the iPhone’s default audio settings are a little flat for music, but they’re easy to adjust thanks to the iPhone’s built in equalizer. It’s not an equalizer in the sense of manual sliders, but there are tons of preset options and you’ll certainly find one for your audio needs, whether you’re listening to ebooks, rock, or classical, or anything in between.

Accessing the iPhone Equalizer:

* Tap the ‘Settings’ icon (usually located on your Home screen, unless you moved it)
* Scroll down to and tap on ‘iPod’
* Now tap on ‘EQ’
* Scroll through the list to find the settings right for you
* Select the preset equalizer settings you want to use by tapping on them
* Exit the EQ settings by clicking the home button or by manually navigating out of the Settings

Note: I highly recommend having a song playing while you are trying out different EQ settings, the changes are different and you will immediately hear how each sounds.

You may want to change your iPhone’s equalizer settings to fit different audio output, for instance I use ‘Small Speakers’ when I’m using Apple’s earbuds, but I’ll use a more specific genre theme with higher quality headphones or my iPhone/iPod dock. It makes a surprisingly big difference, so play around and find one that works for you.

This same protocol works for adjusting the equalizer on every other Apple portable product, from the iPhone, 3GS, to the iPods.

I love tabbed windows and I use them everywhere I can, whether instant messaging in iChat to hoarding sites in Safari. Now you can get tabbed windows in Mac OS X’s Finder! TotalFinder is a really cool app that brings full tab functionality to the Mac desktop, allowing you to not only create tabs of Finder windows, but also the ability to drag and drop files into the tabs (and thus, the folder), and you can create a new tab by just dragging a directory to the tab bar!

This is one of the best desktop hacks I’ve ever seen on a Mac, and based on the improved usability I wouldn’t be surprised if we see tabbed Finder windows in later versions of Mac OS X.

TotalFinder is actually a SIMBL plugin, and is still under development. Technically in alpha mode, it worked well enough to be completely usable and it didn’t crash on me during testing. I’ve seen a few user reported bugs when using the split window tab mode, but I’m sure they’ll be ironed out quickly by the developer.

If you’re a fan of tabbed windows, don’t miss this.

TotalFinder Developer home
Download now

[ BinaryAge via GraphicMac ]

Do you have a large directory of movies? Not sure what each video is? If you’re in thumbnail view at a large enough resolution (looks like 68×68 is the threshold for me) or in Cover Flow view, you can play movie files directly within the Finder by hovering over their icon to display a play button. Simply click play and the video complete with sound will play seamlessly within the Mac OS X Finder window, hover while it’s playing and there’s a pause button too.

The built in Mac speakers aren’t really adequate for playing rich loud music or media, so you’ll want to get a better set. What kind of speakers to will want depend on your needs, but I’d recommend getting a quality set for your home workstation and then if you’re a road warrior get a separate set of portable speakers. I’ll go over a few options that I have direct experience with here.

The best speakers for your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or iMac

Audioengine A5 Powered Multimedia Speaker System – $325 – The sound quality on the AudioEngine A5′s is nothing short of absolutely amazing, with some great features to boot. The speakers include easy line-in to hookup your iPod/iPhone, a USB port to charge your iPod, a power outlet for hooking up an Airport Express, a built-in amplifier, and did I mention seriously amazing sound? I heard these at a friends house and knew I had to get a set myself. If you’re a music lover, audiophile, or a musician and you want truly amazing sound on a budget, just stop reading and get these speakers, your ears will thank you. No more 128kbps audio files with these, you’ll want to play 256kbps or better. My only complaint is that they don’t include a remote control. The AudioEngine A5′s come in black, white, and a snazzy bamboo.

I have to rave about the AudioEngine’s because they are without a doubt the best speakers I’ve heard at anything even close to the price range. For a Mac (or iPod or any PC really) they produce the highest quality sound possible without spending a ton of money.

Ok now I realize not everyone wants to spend $325 for near studio quality sound on their Mac, or they just want something smaller, so here’s some decent options that are significantly cheaper:

Cheap but good speakers for your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or iMac

Altec Lansing BXR1220 2.0 Speakers – $15 – these are small speakers with surprisingly decent sound for their size. Don’t expect deep rich bass or anything though, it’s just not really possible with something this compact and without a subwoofer.

Logitech S220 2.1 Speakers with Subwoofer – $24 – Now if you’re less concerned about space and portability, for about $25 these speakers produce some great bass thanks to the included subwoofer. A friend of mine has these hooked up his MacBook and plays them quite loud at BBQ’s and I’m always impressed that for the sound quality they’re so cheap.

Altec Lansing VS4121 Audio System – $60 – I had a pair of Altec Lansings just like these on my Mac before I got some AudioEngine A5′s, and I was always happy with their sound quality. The subwoofer helps produce rich bass and the speakers provide loud and quality sound for music, movies, and gaming.

Ultra portable speakers for your MacBook and MacBook Pro

Altec Lansing iML237USB Ultra Portable Speakers – $49 – This thing is small and ultra portable, the main downside is that it draws from USB to take power so you’ll be losing a USB port. If you’re a serious roadwarrior though and you’re more concerned with bag space than overall sound richness and just need something loud for teleconferencing, entertainment, or presentations, this is a good choice. I first saw one of these when a someone brought it out of his bag during a presentation, it looked like a chubby YoYo.

B-Flex 2 Stereo USB Speaker – $39 – These are a fascinating speaker, it plugs into your USB port and then has a flexible arm to aim in any which direction. I admit I haven’t heard these myself but they were recommended by a friend for their portability and sound quality, and I trust his opinion so Ill include them. For maximum portability and cord-free speakers these look like a great bet.

What about speakers for the Mac Pro and Mac Mini?

My suggestions for the Mac Mini would be the same as the other Mac’s, but since the Mini is so tiny and stylish I figure Mini owners will be more particular about the appearance of their speakers. In regards to the Mac Pro, since it’s more of a professionals machine I would imagine a Mac Pro user would want professional grade speakers, while the AudioEngine A5′s certainly meet that requirement on a budget, there are other options geared specifically towards audio professionals, but I have no personal experience with that kind of high-end sound equipment.

Obviously there are many other options out there for Mac speakers, but these are just the ones I have come across relatively recently. Feel free to share your own speaker suggestions or experiences in the comments.