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Mac Freeware
By Tim Verpoorten - January 2007
Hello again folks. Last month we looked at the top freeware applications of 2006. This month we're back to our normal conversations about the new and updated freeware I looked at in the last few podcasts. Let's take a look at my favorites.
SlideSaverMaker |
A slidesaver is like a screensaver that uses your pictures. Creating slideSavers has never been easier. In just two simple steps you can have a custom slideSaver installed and ready to use. Drag and drop your pictures from iPhoto, or a folder of pictures from anywhere on your computer directly into SlideSaverMaker. You now have a personal slidesaver.
iRemindU |
iRemindU is designed to be the perfect little reminder application. Fill in the information and when it needs to alert you, iRemindU will jump to the top and make sure you get the message. With a sleek new interface and more visible alerts, you can depend on iRemindU to make sure you get the message! Place iRemindU in the login items and you'll never forget that important note. It works by a timer which is handy when you need a reminder in 15 or 20 minutes rather then at a specific time.
Inquisitor 3 |
Here’s an app that a good friend, Paul Figgiani, told me about. Paul loves Newsfire, the shareware RSS reader. Well here's a freeware app from the same author called Inquisitor 3. It works in Safari, and it's like Spotlight for the web. Start typing and websites pop up immediately, along with ideas to refine your search. It'll auto-complete your words and you can add more search engines to Safari with customized keyboard shortcuts. So if you've ever been to that website where you just can't remember the name, but you know part of it or what it contains, start typing in Inquisitor and let it do the work for you.
AP Grapher |
AP Grapher is a freeware program for Mac OS X which searches for nearby wireless (i.e., Wi-Fi, Airport) access points and graphs the signal strength as a function of time for the base station to which you are currently connected. Although the program has a "stumbler" like mode, it's not a true a stumbler in the classic sense since it only finds visible networks. AP Grapher is intended to help you find the best access point to connect to and optimally position your base station and or computer to achieve the best possible signal strength. So if you're having trouble with a wireless connection, try AP Grapher, it will optimize the positioning of your wireless.
Urly |
Urly does one thing only but one thing well. It manages all those URL links you have saved open in your dock and rather then just seeing a whole line of URL icons in your dock, Urly puts them all in a list so when you click on the icon for Urly you see the exact URLs listed in a popup and they can be easily clicked on and visited rather then keeping them all in your dock. It's probably easier to see then to explain, so head over to the website and see for yourself. It's a great idea.
dead.licious |
dead.licious is a tool for verifying that all of your bookmarks in your del.icio.us accounts are still valid and gives you the option of removing those dead links. Right now, the feature set is not as complete as the developer would like but he wanted to get this version out to gauge interest in this kind of tool. So take a look for yourself, if you're using DeLico.us for bookmarking, this tool is a great asset. Try it and let the developer know what you'd like to see added.
Imagewell |
We've talked about this one before, but it's so good that it's hard not to mention again. ImageWell is a small, but powerful, image editing application that lets you quickly resize, crop, watermark, edit your images and then upload them to the web, save to your computer or email them to a friend. ImageWell also lets you annotate your images with text, shapes, arrows and lines, quickly and easily, And it doesn't stop there - add a drop shadow, a shaped border, flip or rotate your image, take screen grabs, plus so much more. Version 3 brings many new enhancements and an even more streamlined user interface. Some of the new features include layering and transparency controls for images and draw objects, SFTP support, flip image feature, graphical watermarks, and so much more. V3 is also available in 12 different language localizations. Overall you get a ton of editing, importing and exporting features. If you don't need an expensive, over bearing image editing app, then Imagewell freeware is just what the Doctor ordered.
OnyX |
This is another of those freeware apps we talked about before, but it does such a good job, I wanted to mention it again. OnyX is a multifunction utility (maintenance, optimization, and personalization). It allows you to run misc tasks of system maintenance, to configure certain hidden parameters of the Finder, Dock, Safari, Dashboard, Exposé, Disk Utility, to delete cache, to remove a certain number of files and folders that may become cumbersome, to see the detailed info of your configuration, to preview the different logs and CrashReporter reports, to check the Preferences files and more. OnyX is an Universal Binary application and works with all Macintosh PowerPC and Intel computers running Mac OS X version 10.4.x (Tiger). To run correctly, OnyX must be run from an admin account. If you find that using a maintenance utility such as Applejack is a little too involved for your skills, then OnyX is the perfect answer.
BackityMac |
Here's yet another freeware app that we talked about before, but it's updated and it's better then ever.
Have you ever wanted an easy way to backup all the important files in your home folder? Are you tired of sifting through the Library directory to find the folders you need to backup? Let's say you just want to backup your Apple Mail database file, not all you have to do is click the "Apple Mail" checkbox and click "Backup". Supported important files include:
- Apple Mail Files
- MS Entourage Files
- iCal Calendars
- Address Book database
- Safari, Firefox, Camino bookmarks
- iPhoto and iTunes Libraries
- iWeb website files
- Home Documents folder
- Full home folder backup.
This is not some proprietary system. All backups are placed in a read-only disk image which ensures you can access it on any Mac. But what is backup without restore? Choose an image created by this program, and the backed up contents will automatically be detected for you, then decide what you want to restore, and click "Restore". The contents will be placed back into their original directory automatically replacing its contents. This is the perfect solution for those who want to be able to clone their home directory and replace it on another Mac untouched. CD or DVD burning is now supported with a registration fee of $10.00. Take a look at this app if you only want to back up the important files and folders fast and easily.
That's it for this month, we'll see you again in the next issue of the macCompanion, but while you wait, check out the MacReviewCast podcast each week at http://www.macreviewcast.com.
