Sep 05, 2018 Install Windows apps directly with CrossOver and use a Windows app like any other native Mac App; There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but that last one – installing Windows apps directly under CrossOver – is a bit different, and it offers some distinct advantages if.
How does one synchronise content between a Windows Phone and a Windows PC or Mac? Microsoft is continuously developing two separate clients, one for each platform, enabling consumers to charge, synchronise, update and backup their Windows Phone. While both clients are not identical in features and functionality, basic tasks can still be completed.
Moving content between smartphones and computers on competing mobile platforms is pretty much identical to Windows Phone. Apple makes use of iTunes for its management of the iPhone (as well as media players and other devices), while Android opts for a more integrated experience through the use of a file manager.
So how does one get started with available clients?
There are two apps available for Windows, one which is available on the Windows Store, while another is developed for the desktop (only available for Windows 7 & 8). The latter is the full synchronisation client for Windows Phone and the former is a mere client to manage content. Should you not be requiring the number of features present in the full desktop version, the client available on the store is a lightweight solution.
As well as the latest version of Windows, the desktop version is also available for Windows 7 but the client is currently in beta and users may encounter some issues. It's good to note that Microsoft doesn't restrict support for the more recent editions of its desktop platform.
When Microsoft launched Windows 8 earlier this year the company also released a synchronisation client shortly afterwards for its new Windows Phone 8 platform. Much like the functionality that was present in the Zune media player, the Windows Phone clients open up a number of doors for consumers who are using Windows 8.
The following features are present in the Windows Store app:
The desktop version of the Windows client sports the following:
Synchronising content using the desktop app enables consumers to select and choose desired playlists, genres, artists for music, as well as photos, videos, podcasts and ringtones. It's still a stripped down successor when compared to the Zune media player, but it's a step up from the Windows Store app if you're running Windows 8. Be sure to unlock your Windows Phone (lockscreen PIN) when connecting it to a PC if one is configured.
As well as managing what's synchronised from the PC to the Windows Phone, owners are able to manage directly what is stored on the handset using Windows Explorer. When plugging in a Windows Phone it will appear as removable storage in the Desktop app, and is then ready for browsing. Documents, music, photos, ringtones and videos can all be managed through a familiar interface.
When launching the Windows Phone client for Windows 8 (or the desktop app) with a Windows Phone plugged in, one will be able to view all current options and features in a familiar view. Content is brought up when the app is loading the Windows Phone and the storage report is viewed by hitting the arrow that's situated next to the total capacity readout.
There's not a lot more to the app, apart from what's listed in the features list. There's no option to check for updates since there's now the functionality to do so on a Windows Phone and updates are to be delivered OTA, but it gets the job done when moving content across from a Windows 8 machine to the smartphone.
You can download the Windows Phone for Windows client from the Windows Store.
Windows Phone on OS X (previously branded as Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac) is the only officially supported channel for Windows Phone owners to move content to and from a device on a Mac. It's a rich client with a number of features, ensuring that those who reside in an Apple dominated ecosystem don't miss out on anything should they enjoy the Windows Phone experience.
The app has been ahead of solutions developed for Windows during the transition from Zune to standalone clients in Windows RT and 8.
We've been using the Windows Phone client since it was released on the App Store and have praised Microsoft for doing a superb job in creating a synchronising app that's actually fairly functional (when it works). What ever you may think of Apple products, as a small mobile platform we require every consumer Microsoft can attract.
The client itself contains a number of features, including the following:
One of the most intuitive features of the app is Apple software integration. Should you be an avid iTunes user with a large music collection, the Windows Phone app will pull down all stored songs, movies / TV shows and podcasts from the iTunes library. This includes playlists, genres and individual artists / songs. The same goes for iPhoto with photos and videos.
As with the Windows clients, we'll not go into too much detail as the interface is incredibly straight forward. When plugging in a Windows Phone to a Mac with the app already open should automatically kick off the connection - if your Windows Phone is PIN locked, you'll need to unlock the device and remain on the start screen for the app to access the device.
Once the device is connected, the above screen will be displayed. Storage report is visible at the bottom with the 'Sync' option. Options in the left sidebar are for media management on the device. Owners can configure which playlists, filters, or individual files are synchronised to the Windows Phone from the Mac, while the 'Browse Device' area enables one to pull content from the smartphone.
Do note that some (including ourselves on rare occasions) are still experiencing an issue with device connectivity / detection. Best instagram app for mac 2019 free. Should the app detect a Windows Phone plugged into one of the ports, it may not be able to access the device and throw the following error:
It's a known bug and the easiest way to solve it temporarily is to disconnect and reconnect the device after shutting the app down. If this does not work when re-opening the Windows Phone client, attempt to reboot the machine. Thankfully it's nowhere near as common since subsequent updates.
You can download the Windows Phone for Mac client from the App Store.
Backing up is achieved automatically using Microsoft's cloud services. Such functionality can be configured on the Windows Phone without the requirement of a PC or Mac. We have published a detailed overview on backing up in Windows Phone, which is well worth checking out.
So there you have it, folks. Be sure to check out our other tutorials and return at a later date for more useful articles.
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Every now and then, a Mac user is going to say, 'Man I wish there was a version of (insert program here) for Mac. I'd buy that in a heartbeat.' It's happened to me more times that I really wish to count. Thankfully, most of the apps I want to run on my Mac exist as native apps.
However, there are a couple that slip through my fingers, like Microsoft's Visio Professional. It doesn't exist on the Mac side and I really need it for my day job as a software quality vice president.
WinRARs main features are very strong general and multimedia compression, solid compression, archive protection from damage, processing of ZIP and other non-RAR archives, scanning archives for viruses, programmable self-extracting archives(SFX), NTFS and Unicode support, strong AES encryption, support of multivolume archives, command line and graphical interface, drag-and-drop facility, wizard interface, theme support, folder tree panel, password manager and multithread support.Since version 3.90 is also a WinRAR version for Windows x64 is available. If you use Windows x64, it is strongly recommended to install 64 bit WinRAR version. It provides a higher performance and better shell integration than 32 bit version.Designed to work on XP/2003/Vista/2008/Windows 7/Windows 8, WinRAR provides complete support for RAR and ZIP archives and is able to unpack and convert CAB, ARJ, LZH, TAR, GZ, ACE, UUE, BZ2, JAR, ISO, XZ, Z, 7-Zip archives.WinRAR is available in over 40 languages.
Thankfully, there's more than one way to run Windows apps on your Mac.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but that last one – installing Windows apps directly under CrossOver – is a bit different, and it offers some distinct advantages if you know how to get things going.
With CrossOver, you don't install Windows and then the app. It's all about the app, and only the app. Thankfully, while CrossOver is different, it's not difficult to use. However, there are a few things you need to know. For example, CrossOver doesn't run ALL Windows apps. Some run better than others, and some won't run at all.
When trying to determine the best way to install a Windows app, consider the advantages and disadvantages of the three different ways to run Windows on a Mac — natively, via VM or via CrossOver:
Feature | Dual Booting | Virtual Machine | CrossOver |
---|---|---|---|
Run without Rebooting | No | Yes | Yes |
Run without Windows OS License | No | No | Yes |
Runs ALL Windows Apps | Yes | No. Not all graphic-intensive features are supported | No. Some run. Some run OK. Some won't run at all |
Runs Apps at Native Speed | Yes | No | Yes |
Needed to Run an App | Windows License, App License | VM License, Windows License, App License | CrossOver License, App License |
Approximate Costs (App not included) | $120 - $200 for Windows 10 | $80 for Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion, $120 - $200 for Windows 10 | $40 - $60 for CrossOver |
If you want to install Windows apps on your Mac without all the overhead associated with Windows, follow these steps.
Go to your Downloads folder and locate the Zip file you downloaded. Double Click it to open it. Archive Utility will Open it up and decompress the contents of the archive.
Double click the CrossOver.app in your Downloads folder. It will offer to move itself to your Applications folder.
CrossOver will start for the first time. When it does, it's going to ask you how you want it to run. By default, it runs in trial mode. However, you also enter in your registration information or buy a license right from this page.
From the screen that appears, click the Install a Windows Application button.
Type the name of the application you want to run. CrossOver will search its database and display appropriate matches.
Click the Continue button.
Click the Continue button. Remember: CrossOver will not find and download the software you want to run for you. You actually have to have the installation file for the software you want to run.
CrossOver is powered by the Wine Project. As such, all Windows apps are installed in 'containers' called bottles (get it?). When you install an application for the first time, CrossOver will create a bottle and automatically place your application in it. When you install new applications, CrossOver will also give you hints about which apps can work and play well in the same bottle. If your apps can be installed in the same bottle, putting them together will save some space. If they can't, CrossOver will tell you and suggest creating a new bottle. It will also suggest a name for it. Keep the suggestion or give the bottle a name of your own choice.
Click the Continue button.
Click the Install button.
The software will install. CrossOver displays a progress screen where it will run through not only the creation of the bottle, but it will download any needed support software, and then run the installer you chose. Once the installation process completes, you should be ready to run your software.
Find the bottle you just created and run your software.
Running Windows and Windows apps on a Mac can be challenging. Finding the right method for you and your needs can be equally as challenging; however, if you think about it, there are a number of ways to run Windows on a Mac.
Some are expensive. Some aren't.
Some take time and are complicated. Others aren't.
CrossOver isn't just easy to use, it's affordable. For less than 1/4 the price of Windows plus the price of the application you need to run, you can run it on your Mac. For the odd app out, this is a total no-brainer; and it's fairly easy to do. If you want to make sure your app works with CrossOver before you give it a shot, you can always search for it on their website.
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