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Mac OS X Tips & Tricks That You Might Not Know About

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OS X has some really great features that Windows’ users might envy; There are the well documented and much talked about features like Mission Control, Desktop Spaces, and the Launchpad, but OS X is also stocked full of several smaller and less hyped about features and tricks that even some veteran Mac users are unaware of. Regardless of how long you've been using the platform, it's always nice to learn a new trick or two that your Mac can do, and we've complied whole list of them to help you use your Mac more efficiently. Read More

Screenbird Is A Java-Based Screen Recorder With On-The-Fly ‘Do Over’ & Online Sharing

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One good web app can often end the whole ‘which platform has better apps’ debate, and Screenbird is arguably one of those apps. It's a screencasting tool that runs entirely in your browser and allows you to record anything and everything on your screen. Unlike most browser-based screen recording tools, Screenbird is not restricted to recording inside the browser window. The recorded videos can be saved locally and uploaded for sharing as well. The service’s free version allows you to upload up to 150 minutes of videos to the cloud. That isn't Screenbird's best feature though; it has a 'do over' feature whereby you can select any point in a recording and re-record from that point onward. The portion of the video before that point remains intact, while the rest is overwritten. Read More

HyperSwitch Is A Windows-Like Preview-Focused App Switcher For Mac

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App & window switching in OS X is separated into two different shortcuts. For users who have migrated from a Windows PC, this is often hard to get used to. Mac users are less likely to have any problems with it but that’s not to say the feature can’t be improved. HyperSwitch is a free Mac app currently in beta that lets you get more out of app switching. At the core, it works like Mac’s default app and window switcher; both functions are still separated by keyboard shortcuts but unlike the default feature, it allows you to preview app windows as you move through them. Additionally, HyperSwitch lets you continue to use the default app switcher, and adds options for accessing functions like launching a new window or tab, and control iTunes. Read More

How To Easily Disable The Startup Sound In OS X

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OS X users can name a hundred features off the bat that they love about the operating system, but the startup chime isn't likely to be on that list. It’s hard to say just how many versions of OS X have gone by with consistent hate for its startup sound, but it remains a problem that many users try to solve. This isn't to say that the startup sound in Windows is very pleasant to hear but it can at least be quieted by muting your speakers or just plugging in a pair of head phones. OS X on the other hand is determined to audibly announce its successful startup, and methods for disabling it often fail or stop working when the OS receives an update. StartupSound.prefPane is a preference pane for Mac that silences your startup chime, and its two noteworthy features are that it gets the job done, and is absolutely free. Read More

Pling Is A Decent Push-To-Talk Based Voice Mail & Messaging App For Mac

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iMessages for Mac and iOS has no parallel when it comes to messaging over an internet connection and keeping messages on your phone synced with those on your desktop. Pling is a free app available in the Mac App Store that does what few messenger apps do; it allows you to send audio messages to your contacts in Pling, and receive those sent by others. The messages can be left any time, and listened to at your convenience. Pling isn't your regular messenger app; it's more like an answering machine that rests in your Menu Bar. Read More

Copy Offers File Sharing, Cloud Storage & Sync With 12GB+ Free Space

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File sharing has become immensely easy over the past few years, thanks to the fast internet availability in many parts of the world, and services like Jumpshare and Dropbox. The aforementioned file sharing solutions help users share files with much more ease than they could just a few years ago. In addition, such services also provides them with virtual cloud storage to back up their content as well as access it remotely over the internet. Copy is a great new file sharing and cloud storage service that I recently discovered and took for a spin. Available for desktop, mobile and web, the service makes file sharing as well as collaboration simple and intuitive. Read More

How To Hide App Icons From OS X Launchpad With A Script

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The Launchpad in OS X is great not just for launching apps, but also for keeping them organized. The folders you create in Launchpad aren't real folders created in the Application folder, and that allows you to keep apps you frequently use grouped differently from the list of installed apps. The only problem with app icons in Launchpad is that you can only move them to a folder, and not hide them completely. This is pretty much like sweeping dirt under the rug; the app icons are still there, though hidden in a folder and just out of sight. The good thing is that you can remove app icons from Launchpad with a simple little script, and not worry about the app being deleted from your system. Read More

Get A Faster, Less Intrusive App Switcher In OS X With Vecte

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App and window switching in OS X is - like everything else - different from the conventional method most people are used to (or how it’s done in Windows). Even if you've always used a Mac, it is entirely possible that you might not like the way it switches between apps. We’re not criticizing the shortcuts used to switch apps; Command+` and Command+Tab work just fine, but perhaps the execution isn't to your liking. Vecte is a free Mac app that lets you keep the default shortcuts you’re used to in OS X, but changes the behavior slightly. When switching between apps, the list of running apps appears below the Apple menu instead of taking up the center of your screen. The app also takes over switching between windows, quitting apps, and zooming in and out. Vecte does this pretty much the same way as OS X does natively, but it’s faster and more responsive. Read More

Bubble Browser Is A Visually Appealing Three-Pane Viewer For Evernote

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Evernote’s Mac app was recently revamped; the extensive interface overhaul gave us something much more beautiful to look at and use. This update was followed shortly by Evernote’s Menu Bar popup being redesigned. The app has come a long way interface wise but if you still don’t like it much and are looking for something different, Bubble Browser might be a worth trying out. Bubble Browser is a free app available in the Mac App Store that lets you visually browse your Evernote notes in an immersive, colorful interface. It’s not a full Evernote client, which means adding or deleting notes is not on the features list but as far as browsing notes goes, Bubble Browser has quite a unique approach. Read More

Get An Overview Of Mac Folder Sizes & Drive Space Usage With DiskSpace

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DiskSpace is a free app available in the Mac App Store that gives you a quick overview of spaced usage in the drives mounted in your Mac and the folders in the user's Home folder. Unlike DaisyDisk and DiskScanner - both of which give you details on space usage down to the last folder - DiskSpace gives you an overview of how space is consumed in your Home folder. DiskSpace is tied down to whichever user account you’re signed in to; even if you have Administrator privileges, it will not let you add the Home folder of any other user. Read More

Select Colors Within Mac Apps By Entering HEX, RGB Or HSB Codes

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Apps that allow you to customize their appearance, whether that of their interface, or of the content they deal with, use Mac’s default color chooser whenever they give the option to change colors. Mac’s color chooser is nothing like the ones you’re used to seeing on the web. The default color chooser has quite a few options for picking colors; a color disc, color sliders, palettes, a full color spectrum, and of course, the crayons. Though it is feature rich and supports RGB and CMYK color models, the color chooser won't just let you enter HEX codes to choose colors. You can try the web color palette, but if you’d like something a little more familiar, then you need Antetype Color Picker. It’s a color picker that lets you choose colors by entering an HSB, RGB, or HEX code. Read More

Capture Periodic Screenshots Of Multiple Displays On Mac With Click

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Like every modern OS, OS X has a built-in feature for taking screenshots, making it easy for anyone to capture them. Even if you aren't happy with the default screenshot feature, you have a large number of apps (both free and paid) to choose from for the purpose as well. Click is a free app for Mac that is essentially a screenshot tool but it does what ordinary screenshot tools don't - it takes periodic screenshots of your Mac in the background, and supports multiple displays. Each display is captured separately, and you can customize how often the screenshots are taken. If you've ever needed to take periodic screenshots while watching a video or playing a video game, Click is the tool to help you do just that. Read More

Best Free Google Reader Alternatives For Web, Windows & Mac

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Google Reader will be gone soon and the faster you start looking for ways to move on, the better. It isn't going to be easy though; scores of developers have created apps or services that integrate and sync with Google Reader. The feature itself was not merely important, but rather considered by many to be an integral part of any worthwhile RSS reader. Times have changed though and with Reader soon to be no longer available, it’s time to consider alternatives. Understandably, Google Reader users might be looking for either a web service or a desktop app to fill the void, and we've compiled a list of free options for each platform: web, Windows, and Mac. Our Emphasis was on two key features - the app or service must be free, and it should be able to import from XML files since that is what you get when you backup your Google Reader subscriptions. With only two exceptions in our list that only partially meet these requirements, we’re hopeful you will find something that’s just right for you. Read More

Get Email Alerts & Mac Menu Bar Shortcuts For Multiple Gmail Accounts

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Mac users who aren’t happy using the default Mail app have the choice to use other desktop email clients like Thunderbird or Sparrow. Many are satisfied with just using their email service’s web interface. If you’re a Gmail user and like to stick to its web interface but at the same time receive notifications for all your emails, Mail Ping is an app worth $1.99 in the Mac App Store that might interest you. The app works with Notification Center in Mountain Lion to give you alerts every time you receive a new email. The app supports multiple accounts, just like Gmail’s web interface, and allows you to open your inbox or the compose message page for any of the configured accounts from the Menu Bar. Read More

Cryptocat Brings Its Private, Encrypted Group Chat To Mac

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Two of the most important things the internet gave us are anonymity and cat pictures. While you do have the choice and many methods to remain anonymous on the internet, being so doesn't necessarily mean you’re entirely untraceable. Cryptocat is a web service that works via its browser extensions to provide you with a way to have truly secure and private conversations, and the service has just released its first desktop app for the Mac platform. Cryptocat is a free app available on the Mac App Store that lets you initiate a secure private conversation, join one initiated by someone else, or chat with many people in a public lobby. Read More

ClawMenu Is A Combined Mac Finder & Launchpad Alternative

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Developers and designers often create variations of how or what the next version of iOS could/should look like, but you don’t see as many conceptualizations and renderings for OS X. ClawMenu is a Mac app that dares to re-imagine how Finder and Launchpad could work together, providing you with a single place to browse files in Finder and launch apps. It’s worth $7.99 in the Mac App Store and has a demo version that you can use for seven days, no strings attached. It allows you to add folder locations, preview and open files, launch apps, and add folder shortcuts. The app can be brought to front by moving your mouse cursor to a screen edge of your choice. Read More

Glui For Mac Is A Simple Alternative To Skitch With Dropbox Support

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If you’re looking for a Mac app that takes screenshots, lets you annotate them, uploads them to the cloud directly, and does it all for free, Skitch is probably the first app that'll come to your mind, and what most people would recommend. Skitch has more than just the few features listed above; in fact, as far as screenshot apps for Mac go, it is possibly the most feature-rich free app of its category that we've come across. Though you might really like it for all its features that could save you a lot of time, or you might really hate it for all the features you'll probably never use and the controls that aren't very easy to figure out. For a simpler solution albeit one with a price tag of $2.99, Glui is a great alternative. It’s an app available in the Mac App Store that lets you take screenshots (of a particular area, the whole screen, or just one window), annotate them, draw on them with a pen tool, add some basic arrows or rectangular shapes to them, and upload them to your Dropbox account, without having to use separate apps for the purpose, or use a heavyweight app like Skitch that offers many features you don't require. Read More

Take Periodic, Automated Backups Of Multiple USB Drives On Mac

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Flash Drive Backup is a $4.99 Mac app that lets you automatically backup a USB drive’s content to a folder on your Mac. Think of it as Time Machine on Mac except the backup path is reversed. You save documents to a USB flash drive, and they documents are constantly updated on your Mac. In the event that you forget to save a backup of those files on your Mac and your USB drive gets lost, stolen, corrupted or infected with a virus, you'll have a recent backup of the files and won't lose any data. The app makes sure your Mac isn't cluttered with backups; it regularly monitors the flash drive and backs up the data every 10 minutes, but will delete any backups in excess of three, once they get seven days old. Read More

How To Record Audio From Skype Calls In High Quality On Mac

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If you’ve ever held interviews, conference calls or just any important calls over Skype that you later needed the transcript for, you might have wished there was a way to record a Skype call. Windows’ users have it easy when it comes to recording Skype calls, but there aren't many free solutions if you’re using a Mac. This little guide details all the information you'll need to record a Skype call on your Mac. You will be working with free apps entirely, and there will be no Terminal commands to complicate things. The overall process to set everything up shouldn't take more than 15 minutes. Read More