Mac Games and More The Blog

Gamers who love hidden objects games (seek and find games) will love The Scruffs for Mac. It’s an extremely well done game with beautiful graphics but it’s also injected with fun, witty banter that will make you laugh. Interspersed between your object finding missions, you’ll find fun mini-games.

Here’s the story: The Scruffs are depending on you to save their family home from being sold. Grandpa Scruff has a solution: a scavenger hunt to recover his valuable artifacts. But in a surprising twist, Grandpa Scruff reveals that he’s been hiding something else - a shocking family secret. Help the Scruffs uncover the secret that will change their lives forever by finding lost items and putting together the clues they need. Buy it now or click below to download it.

Download it now

From mactipsandtricks:

“1) Only use the battery as needed. For example the less you use the battery the long it will last. Instead of using the battery only a little and then recharging keep it plugged in.

2) Drain the battery down. Although it is not as need as much, it has shown (on my battery) that by draining the battery down and then doing a recharge it seems to make the battery last as long as possible.

3) Keep your battery cool. Batteries are designed to run at around 15 degrees Celsius. So if you keep your battery really hot, for example using it outside all day, or two cold (inside a fridge). By keeping your battery at a good temperature you may keep the charge longer and more healthy.

4) Calibrate your battery. It keeps it up to date with the maximum and minimum battery capacity and helps you computer work out how to use its charge more effectively.

5) Keep firmware the latest. Download the latest firmwares and it will help. Although you may not see an immediate difference. It will help you keep it in tip top shape.

Finally buy a new battery. If you battery has really died, and has become a lump of metal it might be time to buy a new battery. Until we develop a battery that always keeps its charge you may have to keep replacing them every 18months.”

Read about it at Macworld here.

Read more about it here.

[via]

The picks are up right now and all are games except for one book recommendation. Check it out here: mac games

There were lots of new releases, so here are some that didn’t fit in the week’s picks:

Fossi 1.0 - Send your documents straight from your print dialog.

MovingPhotos 1.0 - A screen saver that sends your photos flying around the screen.

Coccinella 0.96.8 - A freeware chat client with a built-in whiteboard for improved collaboration with other people.

Cents 1.0 - A menubar app that will help you keep track of your little spendings and show you how much you’ve spent.

CreatureCutes Icons 1.0 - 12 freeware icons of funny creatures.

Mysteryville 1.0 - Solve a town’s mystery.

Syncman 1.0 - Synchronizes your Mac’s built-in Address Book with your Gmail contacts.

How to Touch Up Your Pics - Tips to get you to tweak your pics so they look great.

Very cute purse, isn’t it? Well. It only holds ONE apple. So, it’s not really a purse but an apple case with a knife. I like the design but it’s too small! Could Apple make a case as cute as Hermès’ apple purse?

Geeksugar was right about new iMacs. Get one! (Oh, and while you’re at it, can you please get me one, too? Thanks.)

Wonder what the Mac versus PC ads were like across the giant pond? (If you ARE across the pond, that is.) Well, wonder no more.

Watch the ads from the UK

Quick heads up that this week’s picks are up now here: mac games. Hope you enjoy them.

I forgot to add one more thing. It’s a new free online game called BLockoban, which is a twist on the game of Sokoban.

Check it out here

Yes, yes. I know I’ve written about Warblade already, but it got updated and is soooo soooo soooo fun. Did I mention it’s really fun? You can now save where you left off.

Download it now

More about Warblade

Geeksugar’s tipster has revealed that new (faster and pimped) iMacs are coming. Hope so. I really want one.

What more to say? Check it out at Computer Choppers.

[via]

Check them out here: mac games

Hope you like ‘em.

From consumerist:

“A tech support supervisor, from what we figure to be Apple, has stepped forward to break down some behind-the-scenes workings with his underlings who sometimes make both his and consumer’s lives difficult. For instance, one of the reasons you might be on hold so long is agents using fake work codes to avoid taking calls. Also, we know that metrics rule the call centers, but, in one of the confessions, he talks about how not only is it important to not go over your average handle time, you also can’t go too far under. Just strive to be perfectly average, and you’ll go far…

“I am a tech support supervisor for a very well known computer company. (If you must know, this company is notoriously secretive. I think that’s a big enough clue.) I felt the need to respond to the “7 Confessions Of A Verizon DSL Tech Support Rep” article you ran with some insights of my own.

I also started near the beginning of a new call center that was supporting three different product lines for said computer company. Customer service was stressed over and over and over again. I’ve been with the call center for about 5 months, but I’ve worked in other non-call center positions with the company since 2002. I thought someone needed to shed light on the fact that the seven confessions are not the exception to the rule — they ARE the rule in most cases when it comes to tech support call centers.

This particular call center is all “Tier” (or Level) one support. Within this center, we have Quality Assurance to monitor the agent calls in-house. If necessary, these Tier 1 agents escalate difficult calls to Tier 2 — which can be anywhere in the world. It will almost never be the same person twice.

You’re not going to speak to someone’s actual supervisor
There is a specific, direct queue line to “Supervisor Requests” for our agents. I don’t know why most people think they will actually speak to the support agent’s actual supervisor. We’re too…”

Full article

From arstechnica:

“Apple’s approach to security can be a little bewildering at times. It’s a well-trumpeted aspect of the OS, marketed in detail on the website. Mac OS X has integrated smartcard support and Apple has certified the OS under the Common Criteria guidelines; a section of Apple’s developer site is devoted to the subject of security.

The phrase “security through obscurity” gets…”

Read full article

OMG You need one of these:

Watch the video

Picks are up here: mac games

Something I missed that’s new is:

Tradewinds Legends is a strategy game where you must build a flotilla of ships armed with weaponry, both man-made and magic. Sail into the sky to discover new ports and engage in aerial combat with other magical sky ships. Check it out.

Download it now

iLEVL attaches magically to your iMac’s built-in magnet to be used as a holder to put paper to the side of your screen to easily access text copy. Simple and indispensable. An iLEVL to be used with Macbook and Apple’s cinema displays is envisioned for the near future. See how it works in the video on the site.

Get one here

Mac games and picks are up. Check ‘em out.

From the developer who brought you the excellent game, Kudos (download), comes another one to get your friends to wonder where the heck you are. (Why? Because you’re busy playing Kudos Rock Legend!)

With KRL you are a struggling rock singer who puts together their own band, and tries to achieve fame and fortune, from humble beginnings as a starving garage-band. Pick your band-members, choose the band name, write the songs, play the gigs, etc.

Rock Legend is a turn-based game. Each turn of the game represents a single day, and it’s up to you to decide how the band spends their time. Some of the activities you will need to spend time on include songwriting, rehearsals, auditions, publicity events, practicing individual instruments, and of course, recording your latest album.

If you work the band too hard, arrange poorly-attended gigs, and don’t provide your band with the lifestyle they expect, you will have resignations on your hands. Running a successful band is part financial management, part people-management, and part creative struggle.

Will you survive?

Download Kudos Rock Legend