64 or 32 - Does it make a difference?

Snow Leopard - Mac OS X - 64 or 32 bit

• Are you running your Mac in 64-bit Kernel mode?
• Are you utilizing all of your RAM?
• Can your Mac actually run FASTER than it currently is now?
• Is your current hardware & software capable of running in 64-bit mode?

The answers may surprise you.

Most users of Snow Leopard, with exception of Macbook Pro 2011 and the latest-gen Mac Pros users, are actually running in 32-bit Kernel Mode. The fastest way to tell if you are running in 64-bit Kernel Mode or not is to click on the Apple Menu, then choose About This Mac, then click More Info. Then on the left-hand side, scroll down to and click on Software. Finally, on the right, look for 64-bit Kernel and Extensions: Yes or No. If yes, then you are running in 64-bit Kernel Mode.

So, why does it matter? I don't know about you, but one of the new features of Snow Leopard, when it was about to be released, that I was really excited about was the fact that it was a 64-bit OS. Remember the promise of 64-bit processing and access to RAM above 4Gb? I don't have definitive proof yet, and the Apple Care (Senior Support Advisor) representative didn't have concrete documentation to confirm or deny, although he did agree with my theory, I suspect that my Macbook Pro (2010 model) was not using all of my 8Gb of RAM while running in 32-bit Kernel mode.

Everything, now that I'm running in 64-bit mode, seems to run much faster. And I have more free memory available after opening my usual (daily) applications, which includes a Win7 virtual machine running in Oracle / Sun Virtual Box with 1Gb of RAM. And opening and closing apps has become much faster as well. For example, when resuming the aforementioned Win7 virtual machine under 32-bit mode, it would take 1 1/2 minutes to resume OR suspend. Now, under 64-bit mode, it takes 8 - 10 SECONDS! Even boot-up / login time has decreased significantly. Makes me say, "Where has this information been? Why didn't I know about this a year ago?"

The question of compatibility always comes up when the discussion of 64-bit OS's come to the table. I'm not sure its even possible in Windows Vista or Win7, but in Snow Leopard you can make the switch to 64-bit, try out all of your hardware and software to determine compatibility, then if need-be, make the switch back to 32-bit without any major hassle. It's literally a 1 line command in the terminal window and a reboot to make the switch to or from 64-bit Kernel mode.

I had one piece of hardware, that has given me issues in the past anyway, that does not have 64-bit drivers and will no longer work. All of my software, so far, is working fine; even IF its only a 32-bit app.

Open the Activity Monitor application and sort by Kind. There you will be able to determine what apps and / or processes are 64-bit. More and more applications are being re-written to take advantage of the new 64-bit architecture in Snow Leopard. Well over 1/2 of all processes running on my Macbook Pro are 64-bit. 

So what are you waiting for? Give it a try and post your results here.

Just use the link below to the Apple.com support article for information regarding making the switch (doesn't have to be permanent) to 64-bit architecture.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3770

iPad2 - Bye Bye Home Button?

iPad 2 - Bye Bye Home Button?

Can you really use your iPad2 (and original iPad for that matter) without the Home button? Yep. It's true. You can. With a 4+Gb download @ $5 from the Mac App store and few clicks, you can enable great multi-touch gestures on the iPad 1 & 2.

1. Register your Apple ID as a developer. You can do this on Apple’s developer site, and this membership is free. This will give you access to the tools you need to put your iPad in development mode.
2. Download and install XCode 3 or 4 and the iOS SDK. You can download XCode 3 from Apple’s site or download XCode 4 from the Mac App Store for $5. The iOS SDK comes with both of these releases.
3. Plug in your iPad to your mac with USB, and Lauch the XCode app, which should be in the “/Developer/Applications” folder on the root of your Mac OS X install volume.
4. In the “Organizer” window of XCode, you should see your iPad in the list of devices. Click on your iPad, and then click the “Use for Development” button on the “Summary” tab of the device pane.
5. A popup will appear asking you to login as a developer. Simply hit “Cancel,” and your iPad will still be put into developer mode.

Then under General in the iPad settings, turn Multitasking Gestures to ON.

Then ENJOY!

iPad 2 - It's finally here!

Probably the biggest news of the event... Steve Jobs is at the event. Lots of applause.

Today's big announcement - iPad 2

• Front and Rear facing camera
• 33 % thinner (thinner than the iPhone4)
• A5 (faster - dual core) processor
• Available in black and white
• Available in 3G for ATT / Verizon
• 10 hour battery life
• Starting @ $499
• 1.3 lbs (lighter than iPad 1 @ 1.4 lbs)
• 16 / 32/ 64 Gb models available
• Available March 11
• 5 of the 6 models are under competitors $799 price point
• Dock connector HDMI mirrored video output
• 1080p output of what is on the screen - works with all apps (THIS IS HUGE - Kevin's comment)
• iOS 4.3
• Improved Safari performance
• JavaScript 2x as fast
• Stream music from iTunes on PC / Mac to iPad
• Better integration with AppleTV (streaming video from apps / Safari)
• Switch on side - mute or rotation lock
• Photo Booth on iPad 2
• FaceTime (between 2 iPads / iPhone/iPod touch / Mac
• iMovie for iPad available
• Precision editor
• Multi-track editor
• $5
• Garage Band for iPad
• Touch instruments. Plug in guitar and play real instruments if you want. Guitar amps and effects, 8 track recording and mixing, 250+ loops to add, and you can e-mail AAC file of your song, and it's compatible with the Mac version.
• Sampler built-in