One of the things that confused me the most when I switched to the Mac platform was the fact that there's no built-in way to lock the computer manually with a hotkey when walking away from it. This is something that was drilled into me from working in an office full of pranksters where leaving your computer unlocked was virtually a guarantee that you would be hosting a party for all of your co-workers that coming weekend.

It turns out that this is an oversight in Mac OS X, and a 3rd party utility is required to be able to lock your computer with a hotkey. For a simple solution I would suggest installing a very basic preferences pane called LockTight.

LockTight does exactly what you're looking for: assign a specific hotkey that when pressed will lock your Mac, requiring a password to unlock it if you have it configured to require a password to wake from sleep or screen saver (which you should).

Update: Reader Chad reminds us that if you actually want your machine to go to sleep with a keystroke (as opposed to simply locking the screen) you can use the Option-Cmd-Eject key combo.

[via Lifehacker]

Are you worried that your iPhone or its data might get stolen? If you are, then this post is for you! Let's take a look at the iPhone's security options, starting in Settings > General > Passcode Lock.

If this is your first time visiting the Passcode Lock settings, then you will be prompted to create a 4-digit passcode -- this can be anything, just make it memorable. Once you've entered and confirmed your passcode, you will see a couple options. The first two buttons let you turn the passcode lock off, or change your passcode.

The next option, called "Require Passcode," allows you to set the interval between which your iPhone will require you to enter your passcode. For instance, if you set this interval for 5 minutes and you "sleep" your iPhone, you will be able to wake it and start using it again (without entering your passcode) for up-to five minutes after you put it to sleep. After the 5-minute time period has passed, your iPhone will require the passcode upon waking.

You also have the ability to turn SMS Preview on/off. By showing the SMS preview, the sender's name (or number) and a few lines of the message will be displayed. If you have this option turned off, you will only see the generic "1 New Text Message" on the wake screen.

For more protection, enable the "Erase Data" option. This erases all data from the device if someone tries to enter the wrong passcode more than 10 times.

With the passcode lock turned on, you have the peace of mind that comes with knowing your device, and data is safe. When you wake your iPhone by sliding a finger to unlock it, you will be presented with a number pad to enter your 4-digit code on. Upon successfully entering your code, the home screen will be displayed. Note that this works for the iPod touch as well.



Want more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's iPhone 101 section today!

The Keychain on your Mac is a little application buried in the Utilities folder in your Applications folder. I say buried because I think Keychain is sadly neglected by most users. Here are some things you can do with it:

• Save web page passwords
• Save login info (aside from websites, like your IM logins)
• Save protected notes (secret stuff)

This 101 will be a little longer than usual, so I can show you how to use Keychain to store passwords and other secret things. Later, in our Secure Your Mac series, we'll talk about making a good password so all these things stay private. Full details on how to easily use Keychain after the jump.