What Dead Wireless Keyboard Batteries Tell

Apple Wireless Keyboard

It has been more than 2 weeks but not 3 weeks since my new iMac Quad Core 2.8 GHz arrived. As I wrote a couple of times before, the Apple Wireless Keyboard (Aluminum Model) that comes with the latest lines of iMac models is a total, useless piece of junk. (See Screenshot 1.) It doesn’t have some keys like Delete (not backspace), Home, End, Pageup… The worst part is that it has no numeric keypad. And that is not it.

Logitech Wireless Mouse M505
Screenshot 1 – Source: MacHouse
  Logitech Wireless Mouse M505
Screenshot 2 – Source: MacHouse

A few days ago, I was going to use this new iMac though my main machine is still iMac Core 2 Duo 2.8 GHz. As soon as iMac Quad Core 2.8 GHz was up, I created a new folder. And I was going to rename it. But the keyboard was not responding. Opening Bluetooth Preference Pane, I discovered that Bluetooth did not recognize the keyboard. (See Screenshot 2.) And I said to myself, “Okay, so is the wireless keyboard already broken or what?” It was possible that the batteries in it were dead. In fact, if I put the batteries from Apple Wireless Mouse in, the keyboard got connected. So the batteries that were used with the keyboard for just 2 weeks are really dead? How? And I put a pair of rechargeable batteries in, and the keyboard worked. If I put the first pair in, the keyboard loses Bluetooth connection. This keyboard, which I call Apple Wireless Kidboard, really drives me crazy.   Continue reading →

Quick Overview Video: Discs2Go – Disc Mimic

Mac software Discs2Go






The following is a QuickTime-based quick overview video introducing Discs2Go, MacHouse‘s new software title. This QuickTime video shows how Discs2Go’s (Disc) Mimic works in copying the style of a source disc volume, simulating it on another.





  • Discs2Go version: 1.0.0
  • This video version: 1.0
  • Video length: 1 minutes 44 seconds
  • Video file size: 11.0 MB
  • Video format: QuickTime
  • Video compression: H.264
  • Video resolution: 900 x 675 pixels
  • Audio effects: Disabled
  • Audio commentary: Not available




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    Discs2Go is a product of MacHouse.

    What’s Coming Up Next? – MacHouse to Release Discs2Go

    Mac software Discs2Go

    TOKYO (MacHouse) – It’s been a while since we released the last Mac application called LittleCal Pro. What we are currently working on is called Discs2Go. In fact, it’s pretty much complete. And we are just writing a user’s guide for it.

    Mac software Discs2Go
    Screenshot 1 – Source: MacHouse

    Inspired by Little Disc Pro, one of our top-selling software titles, Discs2Go comes with a couple of features from it like allowing the user to convert folders into Read/Write disc images, one at a time. On the other hand, a feature that is totally unique with Discs2Go is called Disc Mimic. Let’s see what Discs2Go works quickly.   Continue reading →

    Why DOWNLOAD.COM And UPLOAD.COM Suck So Much

    download.com upload.com versiontracker

    For Mac users, VersionTracker and MacUpdate were two major websites where they could learn about software updates for Mac. CNET acquired VersionTracker a whole ago. And VersionTracker has now been fully incorporated into DOWNLOAD.COM as its Mac division.

    If you have ever made a software submission at VersionTracker during its transition period, you probably know that you had to do it through UPLOAD.COM. Since VersionTracker has transformed itself into the Mac division of DOWNLOAD.COM, you now have to submit updates through this upload website.

    We knew there were problems at UPLOAD.COM during the transition period. They still have the same set of problems. It’s actually worse. The biggest problems are

    1. While filling out a software submission form, you can be redirected to an address that doesn’t exist. In such event, whether you press the Go Back button on your web browser or not, you will be redirected to the first page. So you will be forced to start over the whole submission process.
    2. When you upload a software screenshot, UPLOAD.COM can actually assign somebody else’s screenshot to your submission. If you start over the whole process, they can end up assigning the same wrong screenshot to your submission.   Continue reading →

    マックで使える製品の紹介:サンワサプライ USBテンキー NT-M5UW

    サンワサプライ USBテンキー NT-M5UW
    Mac product review

    ここ10年、アップルのコンピュータに標準で付属されている周辺機器と言ったらゴミばかり。使って数日で壊れるマウスだとか、役に立たないので使わないまま机の引き出しの奥にしまったままのキーボードだとか。マックハウスでも使ったことがないアップル純正のマウスが2つあります。最近のアップルの標準付属キーボードはどうでしょうか?(写真1参照)アルミの本体とBlueToothの無線接続になったと聞くと、使いやすさが向上したようにも捉えられるかもしれません。ところが製品を目前にしてすぐに気づくのが、テンキーがなくなったことです。その他にもDELETE(BACKSPACEではない)、HOME、END、PAGE UP、PAGE DOWNなどのキーも消えてしまいました。それも知らずに新しいマックを買い、仕事をうまく進められず、結局以前のマックに付属の周辺機器を今でも使う人もきっと多いのではないでしょうか。

    サンワサプライ USBテンキー NT-M5UW
    写真1: 資料元 – マックハウス

    さて、このApple Wireless Keyboardを手にして困っている人の選択と言うと、

    1. 新しいキーボードを買う
    2. 古いキーボードを使う
    3. テンキーを使ってその場を凌ぐ

    などが挙げられます。そして3を選ぶ方に紹介するのが、サンワサプライ USBテンキー NT-M5UWです。(写真2・3参照)当サイトでもサンワサプライの製品を最近になって偶然に2点ほど立て続けに紹介していますが、小物のコンピュータ周辺機器に関してこの会社の名前はここ数十年でよく聞くますね。Mac OS X対応のキーボードとテンキーを見つけるのは容易ではないことを考えると、このようなMac OS専用の製品があるのは嬉しいことですね。また価格は意外に手頃で、2,000円以下で見つけることができました。ところで、この製品以外にサンワサプライではNT-M5UH2というマック対応製品も扱っていて、そちらの製品はUSBポートを2機搭載しているだけの違いのようです。  Continue reading →