Bring Back the Old Dictionary Behavior in Snow Leopard

In Snow Leopard, every time another app requests a definition from Dictionary, it opens in a new Dictionary window. Type "defaults write com.apple.Dictionary ProhibitNewWindowForRequest -boolean yes" without the quotation marks into Terminal to bring back the old behavior so that as you spotlight terms and hit "return", each one will open in the same window like the olden days.

X-Ray Your Folders w/ QuickLook in Snow Leopard

Type "defaults write com.apple.finder QLEnableXRayFolders -boolean yes" without the quotation marks into Terminal, then restart Finder (I like to use TinkerTool to add the "Quit" item to the Finder menu, so a simple "command-Q" will do the trick).

Now, when you QuickLook a folder, instead of a bland folder icon, you will see a motion-picture x-ray of its contents. It's more eye-candy than utility, but still. Macs are kind of both.

Paste Your Second-to-Last Clipboard Contents

...or the contents from 50 clipboards ago, with the elegant Jumpcut.

My only caution is that if you use it to copy and paste passwords, you should probably clear its contents at the end of your day.

Intelligently Renaming Tons of Files at Once

Name Mangler smoothly helps you rename whole batches of files with lots of neat options. Free to use, donations requested. In fact, everyone should donate to these folks so they'll release a 64-bit version. (It works fine as it is, though, to be honest.)

MacWorld Feb. 9-13 in San Francisco

I'm considering going (only $25 for the Expo only pass - why not take a little trip down to the bay area to see my aunt?). Details here. Do me a favor and use priority code LS16300.

Have your MacBook lock itself when you get up to order coffee.

I work out of coffee shops all the time. It would be nice if my MacBook would just know when I stand up to go to the bathroom or order coffee - I don't need people mousing over to my bank website or iChat window when I turn my back on my computer, ya know? But it's not just that; I would love it if the minute I sat down, my Mac would just know I'm back and unlock itself.

Done and done, with Airlock. You install a preference pane and in 5 seconds it pairs with your iPhone via Bluetooth. You walk away, your Mac locks. You walk back, it unlocks. Not bad for $7.77.

[UPDATE: $7.77 gets you one license, but it's good for up to THREE Macs!]

It lets you set the radius of the lock/unlock boundary, and it lets you set the duration of time between each scan it makes to determine the proximity of your phone, and it even lets you assign any number of other tasks to have occur when you leave or return to your Mac (you can have your Mac say "goodbye" when you leave and "welcome back" when you return, etc.).

In my tests I had to set the range really tight and the responsiveness all the way up for it to behave in a way that could be useful. I also anticipate that running Bluetooth all day could drain a person's battery pretty fast - on both the MacBook and the iPhone or iPod Touch. But hey, I mooch off the cafe's electricity, so who cares? When I need to run Bluetooth, I have access to an outlet. No problem for me.

There is room for improvement, however. I would love a menu item that would enable me to turn Airlock on and off. I would love the general stability and responsiveness to improve (maybe Bluetooth isn't the ideal protocol to use? Have you tried the infrared sensor?). With a little imagination, one can begin thinking of other features that would be useful (not to mention a little more support on the website - a knowledge base or forum or something). I also wonder if this same technology could somehow work on a Bluetooth-enabled USB drive or other device that could function as a proximity key to my Mac. I'm sure it's in the works.

Now all I need is to get Network Location to automatically turn Bluetooth and Airlock on when I go to a cafe and off when I leave. That will be one of my next indulgences.

OS X Hint: Using Apple's built-in but secret application options

Did you know that most of your Apple-made software applications come with built-in, advanced options? If you hold option and open iTunes, you get the choice to choose a new iTunes library or create a new one.

If you command-option-open iPhoto you get a whole list of options for optimizing your iPhoto library.

I try to option-open or command-option-open any given application every once in a while just to scope out what options it gives me.

Got AppleCare? Got Snow Leopard? Get the new TechTool Delux, son.

TechTool Delux is the version of TechTool that comes with AppleCare. It's not as cool as it sounds - it's more for diagnosis than anything else. Still, you paid for it, you might as well have the Snow Leopard-compatible version on hand, right?