It ’s just about time to exit the books on 2011 and move on to the promise of a brand novel yr . But we want to take a few final glances back at the year that was , begin with a round - up of our top history of 2011 , base on page views .
It was a busy year on the mathematical product front , and our 20 most read stories reflect that , with many of the entry here representing our crusade to serve you make good sense of the late Macs , iPhones , and other products uncover by Apple . And this leaning does n’t even admit our blow - by - blow coverage of Apple intersection announcements , which we chase after using a different system of measurement . serve it to say , our referee need to read everything they can about the belated product out of Cupertino .
One other note about this list : It contain a few stories that came out in 2010 ( and in some instances , even earlier . ) But their position in our Top 20 is whole settle by how much traffic they got in 2011 .
Macworld.com readers wanted the scoop on Apple’s Web-based iCloud offering.
allow ’s take a closer look at what you were reading in 2011 :
1.iCloud : What You necessitate to Know
You had dubiousness about Apple ’s replacement for MobileMe , and we provided the answer . First posted in June when Apple preview its cloud - found services , the article was updated throughout the year , as more info became available following iCloud ’s October launch .
AT&T Navigator was the top-rated app in our look at iPhone GPS offerings.
Macworld.com readers wanted the scoop on Apple ’s Web - base iCloud offer .
2 . Review : The iPad 2
Apple ’s follow - up to its original iPad was faster , smaller , and lighter than its forerunner . AndMacworldreaders wanted to jazz just how well the iPad 2 performed .
The Verizon iPhone arrived in February, ending AT&T’s hold on the iPhone in the U.S.
3 . Lab report : 2011 MacBook Pro benchmark event
You could contend that this was n’t the most significant update to Apple ’s portable lineup in 2011 — that’d probably be the Eddy Award - deliver the goods MacBook Air . Still , this was the model that introduce the Thunderbolt connection technology to Apple ’s laptop computer , and the great unwashed were interested to see how that addition along with processor improvements boosted performance .
4 . How to make a bootable Lion install disc or drive
Senior editor in chief Dan Frakes compose a massive guide oninstalling Mac OS X Lion , and this section on creating a bootable Lion installer show most popular — not surprising , given that OS X 10.7 was the first version of Mac OS X that did n’t ship as a bootable disk .
5 . pass on the iPad : 12 touchscreen stylus reviewed
If ever you involve yourself “ Which stylus should I use when I want to adumbrate or draw in with my iPad ? ” we trust that this in - depth guide to a dozen such accoutrement provided some insight .
6 . Quickly lock your covert
Step back in fourth dimension to 2006 , a simpler earned run average when Mac users just wanted to blank out access to their neglected computer . And five year later , they ’re still concerned in this comprehensive guide from Rob Griffiths on the many method acting for locking down your Mac .
7 . Move an iTunes depository library from a Windows personal computer to a Mac
Another golden oldie but a goodie : In 2010 , Kirk McElhearn walk everyone through the finer points of getting their euphony on to a Mac from a PC . Maybe this story ’s ongoing popularity is a sign that Windows users continue to make the jump to the Mac political program .
8 . Show all filing cabinet in the Finder
It ’s another sojourn from the Ghost of Mac OS X Hints Past , as this 2006 clause explicate how to make Unix files and folders show up in Finder .
9.AT&T and Verizon iPhone plans compare
Back in the present day , would - be iPhone owners began considering their carrier options , as AT&T ’s undivided cargo area on the iPhone came to an final stage in February . And that was before the iPhone 4S derive along to the fall and tot Sprint to the postman admixture , require us toupdate our smell at iPhone service plans .
10.Get your Mac ready for Lion
Lion was the first major overhaul to Mac OS X since 2009 ’s Snow Leopard — and really , one of the most significant Mac OS 10 updates in years . It stands to reason , then , that Mac users would be especially concerned in scram their machines ready before take the plunge .
11.The Week in iPad face : The iPad 2 has landed
When a young adaptation of Apple ’s lozenge comes out , abruptly our weekly look at third - political party cases seems especially timely .
12.AT&T , Verizon iPad 2 information plans compared
As with the iPhone 4 , the iPad 2 gave exploiter a choice among wireless carriers for anyone who opted for the 3G - capable variant of Apple ’s tablet . AndMacworldreaders were eager to see how the iPad plans from AT&T and Verizon measure up to one another .
AT&T Navigator was the top - rate app in our look at iPhone GPS offerings .
13 . Apps with map : 11 iPhone GPS apps compare
A lot of iOS apps offer bit - by - turn directions and GPS - ground navigation . Senior contributor Glenn Fleishman localise out to find which one does the best job , in an update to a beat - up we first conduct the prior class .
14.iOS 5 Review : challenging update rings in the change
A major update to Apple ’s mobile operating scheme deserves a thoroughgoing reexamination , and that ’s precious what senior associate editor program Dan Moren dedicate us in his feature - by - lineament spirit at iOS 5 . Start reading the review now , as a matter of fact , and you might be cease by the time we ’re ringing in 2013 .
15.iOS 5 : What you require to know
Before we can retrospect an iOS update , though , we have to wait for Apple to publish it . And that ’s what we did with iOS 5 — though we did field your questions on the new version based on Apple ’s June preview , updating the clause after iOS 5 ’s early October liberation .
The Verizon iPhone arrived in February , ending AT&T ’s grasp on the iPhone in the U.S.
16 . limited review : The Verizon iPhone 4
It may have been most superposable to its AT&T vis-a-vis , save for its compatibility with Verizon ’s CDMA - based web , but people for certain wanted to get the scoop on this new iPhone when it arrived in February .
17.Mac atomic number 76 X Lion : What you need to know
This year ’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote really was action - bundle : Not only did it admit previews for iOS 5 and iCloud as we ’ve already refer , it open Apple another chance to show off Mac OS X Lion , before the update operating system arrived in July .
18.Using the Personal Hotspot on your AT&T iPhone
iOS 4.3 enter a Personal Hotspot feature that appropriate the iPhone 4 to share its net connection with other devices . The feature actually debuted on the Verizon iPhone 4 first — this clause was a follow - up to ourlook at Personal Hotspot on the Verizon iPhone 4 .
19 . How to install Lion over Leopard
When Lion is only available through the Mac App Store , and the Mac App Store only runs on Mac OS X 10.6 , exploiter still running Leopard had a bit of a challenge if they want to raise to 10.7 . Fortunately , Dan Frakes was on the caseful as part of his upgrade pathfinder .
20.How to upgrade your iOS equipment to Io 5
We shut down out our top 20 list with yet another upgrade guide — this one for getting iOS 5 on your iPhone , iPod touch , or iPad .
