One helpful reader sent in a batch of Terminal tricks for renaming files and hiding them. Read on to learn more!

First, using the mv command, you can rename files in Terminal. For instance, if you wanted to rename filename.png to file_1.png, I would type the following command into Terminal:

mv filename.png file_1.png

You can also hide files and folders using the chflags hidden command, like this:

chflags hidden file.png

If you wanted to open that hidden file, then you can use the open command, like this:

open file.png

Or, you could open all files with the same file type in that folder by issuing this command with an asterisk (also called a wildcard):

open *.png

Easily open your hidden files through Terminal with the open command.

 Remember that if you want to make a hidden file or folder visible, you can issue the following command:

chflags nohidden file_1.png

Article source: http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_hide_and_rename_files_terminal

Another weekend is here, and it’s sure starting to feel like summer. After delaying a new iPhone until October of last year, Apple is surprising us again by shifting its annual iTunes Festival music event in the U.K. from July to September, but don’t worry: There should be plenty of summer fun coming from Cupertino, most likely in the form of OS X Mountain Lion and new Macs. In the meantime, keep up with all of the day’s highlights for this Friday, May 18, 2012.

Report: Nokia Burning Through Cash at “Unsustainable Rate”

Reuters is reporting that Finnish cell phone giant Nokia could burn through its existing stockpile of cash in two years at the rate it’s currently spending, assuming its recent gamble with Windows Phone doesn’t pay off. “Over the past five quarters, the onetime darling of mobile telecoms has eroded its cash pile by 2.1 billion euros ($2.7 billion),” the report reveals — and with only 4.9 billion euros in reserve, the clock appears to be ticking for Nokia. Analysts now expect the company to burn through an additional two billion euros in the next three quarters, while the most pessimistic analysts believe it could happen as early as next year. Back in 2007, Nokia had more than 10 billion euros on hand — ironically, the same year that Apple unleashed its game-changing iPhone, which has disrupted the business models of old-school companies like Nokia and Research in Motion. While Nokia’s new Lumia handsets have garnered praise from customers and critics alike, analysts consider them “too little, too late” to stop the bleeding — and many believe Microsoft could be the company’s “white knight,” should the worst come to pass.

T-Mobile: Just Say No to Family Data Sharing Plans

Family data plans may be forthcoming from ATT and Verizon Wireless this summer, but T-Mobile seems to have a completely different attitude about them. The T-Mobile Issues Insights Blog today announced that the fourth-place U.S. carrier has no plans to offer shared data plans for families, questioning the overall value of such a move. “But would this approach actually deliver a better value to consumers?” the company asks. “Do families really want to keep track of each others’ data consumption? We don’t think so. Just imagine mom’s email is suddenly unavailable because her teenage son watched an HD movie on his phone, consuming the family’s data allotment.” Not a bad point, and T-Mo goes on to point out that their data plans are more “flexible and affordable” than the competition, while unlimited data plans take the surprise out of consumers’ bills. It will be interesting to see if the Magenta Network has a change of heart, depending on how these plans pan out for the big boys first.

iTunes Festival Kicks Off 30 Nights of Free Music September 1

Apple has announced its iTunes Festival plans for 2012, and while the month-long free concert event remains in the United Kingdom, the calendar has shifted from July to September. This year’s event will be held at The Roundhouse in London, with five acts confirmed thus far, including Usher (who kicks things off on September 1), Jack White (Sept. and Norah Jones (Sept. 10). While the tickets are free, they’re dispersed through a lottery system and only available to residents of the U.K., Ireland, France, Germany and the Netherlands. However, video of the performances will be streamed live to iTunes on the desktop or though a free iTunes Festival app — which is currently U.K. only, but other streaming options are promised for August.

Samsung Racks Up 9 Million Galaxy S III Preorders, But Not from Users

Reuters filed an interesting report this morning which claimed that Samsung had racked up “some nine million preorders for its third-generation Galaxy S smartphone from more than 100 global carriers.” Did you catch that last part? As noted by The Loop, that impressive figure is not units actually sold to consumers, but rather devices being shipped to carriers, many of which could wind up sitting in a warehouse somewhere while they wait to find a home. Now before you accuse us of Android bashing here, we’re sure plenty of those Galaxy S III handsets will find loving homes eventually, but it’s kind of a cheat for Samsung to tout such huge numbers this early in the game, don’t you think?

PDF Expert 3 for iPhone Adds Audio Notes, Embedded Video

Readdle announced the availability of PDF Expert 3.0 for iPhone this week, a significant update to the handheld version of the $9.99 professional PDF document reader. The latest version for iPhone and iPod touch adds the ability to sign documents, create audio notes and attach them to documents, play embedded video from inside a PDF, revise and stamp documents using stamps and seals, preview files using a “shelf view” mode and even organize or find documents instantly with the new sorting panel. If all of that isn’t enough, Microsoft SkyDrive users can access their files right from the app as well. PDF Expert for iPhone 3.0 is available now and as always, a free update for existing owners.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

Article source: http://www.maclife.com/article/news/friday_recap_nokia_cash_burn_tmobile_data_sharing_itunes_festival_2012

Mirabile dictu! There’s quite a bit of la francaise in this week’s price drops, so if you’re planning a trip to the Left Bank be sure to load these apps. And for the rest of you, let’s just have a look at what we’ve got cooking in this week’s Price Drop.

Paris Multimedia Travel Guide in English

Enchante! Over 700 points of interest and 60 videos of places to visit, this currently free app will take you places in Paris you want to go and places off the beaten path you might never have seen.

Paris: Travel Guide

The price is right to get both these Francophile tour guides. Don’t miss a thing and do it for free with twice the app power. 

Louvre The Messenger HD

Sure, it’s a long flight to Paris, so what can you do on the flight except play fun games and sip champagne? Grab this limited time sale app for just $0.99 and learn something while you’re at it.

Versailles 2

You are Charles Louis de Faverolles, a dreamy, starry-eyed young man and you’re going to need your wits about you to navigate the treacheries in the court of the Sun King. Part 1 has sat at $0.99 for a while, while Part 2 and Part 3 are both rocking it out for free. 

Audubon Reptiles and Amphibians

Audubon has certainly been rocking the price cut world lately with their bird and butterfly app making the list last week and now their more scaly creatures getting their time in the sun at a mere $0.99.

miCal HD

Sometimes the default Apple product that comes in iOS doesn’t quite cut the mustard. The third party developer of miCal HD certainly seems to feel that way. Give it a whirl and save $2 as this baby’s down to $0.99.

Order Chaos© Online

Limited time only so don’t delay and don’t complain to us if you miss it! Customize your player and travel through a true real-time, full-3D MMORPG in this universal app going for one buck. Again, hurry!

Blast Ball

Get retro styled graphic action with this intense arcade style where you’ll be screaming GOOOOOAAAALLLL every time you lay one in. Save a buck and get it for free while you still can.

Paladog!

In a future where the human race has died out, only pure animals remain, and you are Paladog! Battle forces of darkness that seek to undermine you and do it bravely for a treat called one bone.

Snark Busters – All Revved Up HD 

As Jack Blair, a world famous race car driver, you’ll puts your career on hold to catch the Snark. You’ll be led on quite the merry chase as you work your way through this fun and colorful world. Save $3 and pick this up for just $1.99.

Textastic Code Editor

With support for over 80 programming and markup languages, Textastic is your code and markdown miracle. And it’s half off down to $4.99 from $9.99. 

ContactsXL 5 + Facebook Sync

If you’re a major Facebook user, ContactsXL gives you easy access to contact data and profile info and it’s free for a limited time, so get your social life into your phone and do it on the cheap. 

PaperDesk

Gizmodo liked this notebook for the iPad whose goal is to best emulate a real paper notebook, which seems a reasonable goal. $3 off the price gives it to you for a buck.

Article source: http://www.maclife.com/article/news/price_drop_weekends_best_ios_app_deals_en_francais

8 iOS Games for Word Nerds
Word games are some of the biggest non-shooter hits in the App Store and being writers, we’re a bit fond of them. Here’s 8 that knocked us for a loop that we think you’ll enjoy, adore, appreciate, be fond of, cotton to, dig, eat up, fancy, etc.

Article source: http://www.maclife.com/article/gallery/weeks_10_hottest_apple_news_stories_may_18th

It’s becoming increasingly tough to squeeze into the tightly-packed puzzle genre in the App Store. With tons of tile-matching, piece-sliding, and color-swapping titles available in abundance — albeit with challenge and mental stimulation often lacking — sometimes the only puzzling thing is what is qualified as a puzzle. Enter Cubis Creatures, a game developed by the aptly named FreshGames, which has come to push staleness out of the genre and replace it with smart and satisfying gameplay.

Cubis Creatures tasks players with correcting the mistake of a wizard’s poorly-performed magic trick, which has sent all of his friends into a deep slumber. To wake them from this state, players must match blocks in each creature’s mouth — which is still nicer than how most college kids are awoken by their friends after a night of partying. You’ll be given four creatures to raise from slumber — done over the course of 20 stages — but additional ones can be added on. Add in daily tournaments and there’s never a shortage of challenges.

The puzzles that keep these critters asleep take place on a checkered board, which is populated by colored blocks. To eliminate these blocks, you’ll launch others into the playing field from the front or right side. Solids stop them, other blocks will slide one square, and contact with two or more that share its color will clear all touching matching pieces. Throw in things like lasers that can eliminate any piece, bombs that shake up the board, and two-toned blocks will require matching both colors before they’ll be cleared, and you’ve got a puzzle game that requires real strategy. Because the board doesn’t rotate, there are occasions where blocks aren’t visible; but it’s luckily never debilitating.

The bottom line. Cubis Creatures takes on the difficult puzzle genre and comes up with highly stellar results. With stunningly vibrant visuals, a quirky story, and lively tunes, the entire experience is just plain fun. There’s nothing puzzling about why Cubis Creatures is a blast.

Cubis Creatures 1.0.4

http://www.freshgames.com

iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4.0 or later

Tons of content packed into an inexpensive package. Puzzles are quite the brain teasers. Entire vibe of the game is wacky, but amusing.

Sometimes difficult to see the entire field of play.

Article source: http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/cubis_creatures_review