How to install Mac memory

Unless you put the maximum RAM in your Mac when you bought it, chances are you can add more, which is what we're going to help you do.

Remember, new memory is an affordable way to get your Mac running faster. Depending on what Mac you've got, you may need to take out the existing RAM to put more in, so bear this in mind when you're buying. If your MacBook Pro already has two 1GB chips (one in each slot) and you want to upgrade to 4GB, you can't simply buy an additional 2GB. Check System Profiler for what you've got now.

The best place to get memory from is Crucial, which has a simple guide to ensure you buy the right RAM for your Mac.

To prevent static charge damaging your equipment, ground yourself before you begin by touching something metal. Unplug all power sources before you open things up. Get an anti-static wristband from an electronics shop for peace of mind.

When handling RAM, hold it by the edges and don't touch the gold connectors. And remember that components may be hot if the Mac's been running recently!

How to upgrade the RAM in your MacBook (late 2009 model and later) 

1. Open up your MacBook

Undo the eight screws on the underside of your MacBook and lift off the back case – gently pull free the clips at either end. Two RAM chips are in the middle on the right-hand side one above the other; remove one or both.

2. Take the chips out

Find the clips at either end of the existing RAM stick and press these outwards with your thumbs. The chip will pop up so that you can grip it at either end. Gently slide the chip away in the direction it's pointing.

3. Pop in the new memory

Line up the connectors of the new RAM with the RAM slot – it'll only fit one way round. Gently push it in at the angle you removed the old one. Press the upper end down to clip it into place. Then put the case back on and reboot!

How to put more RAM in a MacBook Pro (2009 model and later)

1. Open your MacBook Pro

With the screwdriver, take out the screws from the back plate – they're not all the same length, so note where each came from. The two RAM slots are located fairly centrally, one above the other.

2. Out with the old…

At either end of the existing RAM, press the clips outwards with your thumbs. It should pop up at a slight angle. Grip it at either end and slide it out in the direction it's pointing. If it doesn't come away, check the clips are undone.

3. …In with the new

Get your new RAM and line the gold connectors up with the slot. Press it in at the same angle the old sticks came out at, then push the upper edge down to clip it in place. When you're done, screw the case back on.

How to max out a Mac mini (Mid 2010 model and later) 

1. Open up your Mac mini

Lay your Mac mini upside down and twist the circular black disc anti-clockwise a short distance. When the white dot on the disc aligns with the outlined circle on the casing, lift the disc off and lay it somewhere to the side.

2. Remove what's there

At either end of the existing RAM, you'll see little clips. Use your thumbs to press these outwards and gently pull the stick out. Align your new memory's gold connectors and notch with the slot – it'll only fit in one way round.

3. Clip in your new memory

Slide it into the slot at the same angle you removed the old chips, and when it's seated, you'll be able to press the top edge downwards to clip it in. Repeat for the second slot if necessary. Pop the black disc back on.

How to add memory to your iMac (any aluminium model)

1. Operate on your iMac

Lay a towel on your table, then lay the machine on its front with the bottom facing towards you. Lift up the stand to get at the panel on the bottom that covers the RAM slots. Undo the screw and take the panel off.

2. Pull out the RAM

On the chips you're going to replace, untuck the tongue and pull it towards you, being careful not to slide your Mac off the table. Take the old RAM and lay it to one side, then unwrap your new memory, ready to put in.

3. Insert the new chips

RAM will only go in one way round – the gold connectors go in first, with the notch closer to the right-hand end of the chip. Press the memory into the slots and tuck the tongues back in. Then screw back the cover plate. Done!

How to boost your Mac Pro (Early 2009 model and later)

1. Get inside your Mac Pro

Hold the side of the Mac Pro case and lift the latch on the back. The side will flip down; then lift it away. Now find the two latches on the horizontal bar towards the bottom. Push the outer ends slightly.

2. Remove processor tray

With the latches' inner ends loosened, pull them out to release the tray carrying the memory. Slide it out and lay it on a towel on a desk. There may be four or eight slots. Check the manual for the order in which to fill them.

3. Pop in the RAM

Press apart the clips at either end of the empty slots. Align the RAM with an empty slot, with the notch at the correct end. Press it down so the clips snap into place. Then slide the tray back, push the latches in and replace the panel.

Nokia 801T

 - 360 x 640 pixels, 4.0 inches

- 384 MB RAM
- Bluetooth, wi-fi connectivity
- 8 MP camera
- Up to 400 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G) stand-by time

Status: Available

Windows 8, IE 10, Office 2013

Windows 8, IE 10, Office 2013: make or break for Microsoft

Microsoft finally plays its hand... and hopes for ace

The launches of Windows 8, Office 2013 and Internet Explorer 10 represent a watershed moment for Microsoft. And it's a moment that will either make or break the software giant.

Windows 8 is the cornerstone of a bold but neccessary revamp from Microsoft.

With the announcement of Office 2013 and the upgraded Office 365, Microsoft has finally shown its complete hand. Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, IE 10, Xbox with Kinect, and Office 2013 is the family of products Microsoft wants you to use throughout your computing life. The Windows Store is where it wants you to spend your money.

Roll back just a few years and Microsoft was in the creative doldrums. Windows Vista, Office 2007, IE 6, Windows Mobile... The world's largest software company had a pile of cash with which to play and, in most cases, a huge chunk of market share, but not even the most poker-faced MS staffer could honestly claim that Microsoft had the best products in a world in which Apple and Google were constantly innovating. In fact, with the exception of Xbox its portfolio was tired, and its products barely fit for purpose. Microsoft was attempting to bluff.

Kudos to Microsoft for recognising and acting on this. We know that it did because those self-same Microsoft employees will now candidly admit it (in private, at least). More importantly, look at the products it is announcing and launching: radically new to an extent that we are witnessing the equivalent of Apple upgrading from OS 9 to OS X, and Google launching Android. At the same time. Microsoft believes that it is holding aces.

It takes serious strategic thinking, creativity, and forceful management to draw such a line in the sand, keep your products ticking over, and aim for a date in the future at which all major product lines will be radically overhauled. It takes a bit of bottle, too, to stay in the game and wait until you have the right cards to play. The creative turnaround attempted by Microsoft flies in the face of its popular image as a character free, faceless conglomorate living off past glories.

Windows 8: a new start?

How well it can deliver on this promise remains to be seen. And there are, of course, victims. Recent purchasers of Windows Phone 7 devices such as the Nokia Lumia 900 can be forgiven for feeling underwhelmed by Windows Phone 8, as they simply won't get it.

People intent on purchasing one laptops and PCs right now should be aware that although the upgrade from Windows 7 to 8 will be inexpensive, the new OS won't feel like an upgrade. For traditional PCs and laptops, Windows 8 offers only a new way of interacting with the Start menu (now known as 'Charms'), the Metro interface, and access to the Windows Store. If you have existing software you want to use, you'll find that you spend little time in Metro, and touch controls have few uses on devices that don't have touch interfaces.

Nonetheless, Microsoft is playing a bold and neccessary game, and at least Windows 8 is perfectly usable on any Windows 7 system. I sense a confidence and coherence in Microsoft that hasn't been there since Vista launched.

With Xbox, Windows Phone 8 and the x86 and Arm flavours of Windows 8, plus the Surface, Bing, IE and Office, Microsoft has a coherent lineup of exciting products that - crucially - all play together nicely.

Given that around a billion people use a Windows device, if Microsoft can deliver on this promise the Windows Store becomes an unprecedented commercial opportunity. This in turn opens up the possibility of Windows becoming the platform of choice in literally billions of households and businesses.  

Windows 8 is cheap for the same reason the Google Nexus 7 is cheap (and presumably the Surface will be). It's why phone handsets are subsidised. The aim of the game is to get people using the platform and, ultimately, buying their apps and media through the Windows Store. And then buying further Windows 8 devices on which to use the same apps.

With the portfolio of Windows products Microsoft has taken the time to create and launch, it has a chance of staying relevant for another generation of PC users. It's played its cards now, and its going to be fun seeing whether it holds aces or jokers.