Killer Apps for Mac - Ogg Drop

Most of us don’t care very much one way or the other which audio format we use. The two most common forms— mp3 and AAC both proprietary codecs which means that any application that wants to use them have to pay the owners of the license. Ogg Vorbis is a non-proprietary, open source codec developed by the Xiph.org foundation. There are a number of advantages to the .ogg format, most notably a variable bit rate which means that you can fit more complexity into the same size file.

It used to be that iTunes users couldn’t play .ogg vorbis files, but that’s no longer true. There’s a Quicktime plugin to allow for playback and Ogg Drop for encoding audio CDs. Unlike most encoders, Ogg Drop also accesses CDDB so song data is automatically retrieved from the internet, saving you the pain in the ass of typing it all in yourself.

Previously featured Killer Apps for Mac.

posted by Alex Herder on 18 December 2007
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Pimp your G-Box

Ivan from creative bits has just educated me on Google’s new option to buy more space for your Google Mailbox. I’ve never needed that much space for my e-mail because no one really writes to me, but I could see this being really helpful for people out there who would use it. In fact, you could always pair a mailbox upgrade with Gspace and use your account as an off-site server. Just think, you could never lose a porn file again…

posted by Alex Herder on 17 August 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - iStumbler

For much more information about wireless, bluetooth, or Bonjour services on your network, this tool is essential. Running in the background, iStumbler shows all available networks, true signal strength, and MAC addresses for all networked devices.

Learn more and download iStumbler here.

Previously featured Killer Apps for Mac.

posted by Alex Herder on 15 August 2007
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StarCraft 2 in the works

Blizzard Entertainment the authors of the WarCraft, StarCraft and Diablo series announced yesterday that they were working on a sequel to the wildly popular StarCraft computer game, released in 1998. Just reading a little about the professional StarCraft leagues will show you how special the first in the series was with thousands of devotees following and attending StarLeague competitions. It’s international popularity ranks StarCraft as the most popular real-time strategy game in history and while there’s not much information available yet about its sequel, what can be found is on the official site.

posted by Alex Herder on 20 May 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - img2icns

This is more of a specialty program than ones we’ve profiled in the past, but it has been a great help to me lately so I thought it worth sharing. Nerd declaration: I am a personalization fiend. Everything I can change or modify on my Mac, I do. The first line of customization on the Apple is of course the dock icons, which can sometimes prove frustrating. That’s where img2icns comes in.

Img2icns was made by Shiny Frog, an Italian software design firm. The official English site for the app is here. Normally with most icons, you can just copy and paste previously made icons (instructions and examples here), but sometimes I’ve wanted to make my own using photoshop or fireworks. Img2icns is a very simple application that converts any kind of picture file to Apple’s proprietary .icns file type, and therefore make that image able to be used as a dock icon.

Previously featured Killer Apps for Mac.

posted by Alex Herder on 19 May 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - UnRarX

This application has pretty much one purpose as far as I can tell, it decompresses .rar files REALLY WELL. Most people may not find they have much trouble with decompression but I’ve found that UnRarX works much better than the leading utility, StuffIt. Just like most of the Killer Apps for Mac, this is free so there’s no harm in heading over to the UnRarX website, downloading it and trying it. It’s helped me out of quite a few jams.

Previously featured on Killer Apps for Mac: Adium, Sidenote, Darwiin Remote, Mac Pilot, Disk Inventory X, Tangerine, SizzlingKeys, Vienna Reader, VLC Player, App Zapper, and TV Shows.

posted by Alex Herder on 8 May 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - TV Shows

A TV pirate’s life can be tough. Waiting for shows to get ripped, scrubbed and posted, bad torrent files and constantly coming sites like Pirate Bay and isoHunt. Well, all those worries are a thing of the past, and you have TV Shows to thank for it. Not that I’m condoning illegal downloading, but if you were so inclined this is how it works. This wonderful application runs in the background, constantly checking for the latest and greatest torrent files of your favorite TV shows that you can then open with your torrent client. Seriously, “click on subscribe, they do the rest,” it’s amazing. Visit the TV Shows homepage on sourceforge for news, reviews, and downloads.

Previously featured Killer Apps for Mac include: Adium, Sidenote, Darwiin Remote, Mac Pilot, Disk Inventory X, Tangerine, SizzlingKeys, Vienna Reader, VLC Player, and App Zapper.

posted by Alex Herder on 6 May 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - App Zapper

Some of the beautiful simplicity behind the mac can be a little frustrating, especially when uninstalling applications. System files and folders are often squirreled away in hard to find libraries, taking up precious disk space long after the application in question was deleted. Enter App Zapper. This handy application seeks out all the support files, preferences, and caches of applications as you delete them. Think of it like John Kruger from Eraser, only for mac os x applications.

Previous Killer Apps for Mac include: Adium, Sidenote, Darwiin Remote, Mac Pilot, Disk Inventory X, Tangerine, SizzlingKeys, Vienna Reader, and VLC Player.

posted by Alex Herder on 4 May 2007
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Have a pixel problem?

LCD panel displays are great, they’re cheap, efficient and bright. The only problem, they’re made up of tons of little pixels that sometimes get stuck or die. I’ve had a few monitors go bad over the years and never knew there was anything you could do about it until now.

For dead (black) pixels: These pixels aren’t getting signals from your computer any more. This isn’t as guaranteed to work as the solution for stuck pixels below, but try the steps recommended on this page and tell me how it goes.

For stuck (colored) pixels: These pixels aren’t dead, they’re just confused. Try downloading JScreenFix and running it. The developers even claim that it can cure plasma screen burn-in.

posted by Alex Herder on 4 May 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - VLC

Macs are great at doing what they’re supposed to do straight out of the box, but they can get a lot better with a little effort. VLC, the media player from VideoLAN.org is one of those programs that makes everything better. Give it any kind of file at all—avi, mp4, ogg, mp3, mov, literally anything at all—and VLC will play the hell out of it. Also the latest release of the mac version integrates beautifully with the OS, making it far sexier than the bundled Quicktime or any other option. If you watch any video at all on your mac, you need to get VLC. Download it here.

Previous Killer Apps for Mac: Adium, Sidenote, Darwiin Remote, Mac Pilot, Disk Inventory X, Tangerine, SizzlingKeys, and Vienna Reader.

posted by Alex Herder on 2 May 2007
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Finding the Linux equivalent

Are you a recovering Windows user? Need to find just the right replacement for Dreamweaver or Photoshop? Well look no further than the Linux Equivalent page, an easy cross-referenced site that lists, well, the Linux equivalent to major Windows programs. The coolest thing? They’re all FREE!!

posted by Alex Herder on 2 May 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - Vienna Reader

The problem with all the different software out there is that you can never get exactly what you want. For example, it took me a lot longer than it should have to switch from Safari to Firefox because I read a lot of news-feeds on a daily basis, and Safari’s integrated reader kicks butt. Packed full of features, Vienna Reader is a freeware feed reader that replaces and multiplies the functionality of any other RSS program, including Safari. It has a great Mail-like interface that is intuitive and just simple enough to use without being ungainly. It’s also very customizable, although I ended up going back to the default settings a few days into using the program, and the built-in browser is nice for when you don’t really want to open up Firefox to look at a link. If you get any of your news from RSS or ATOM feeds, you need to try Vienna Reader. If you don’t, you should start by downloading Vienna and subscribing to Duenos.net.

Previous Killer Apps for Mac: Adium, Sidenote, Darwiin Remote, Mac Pilot, Disk Inventory X, Tangerine, and SizzlingKeys.

posted by Alex Herder on 28 April 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - Darwiin Remote

Gamers rejoice! If you are one of the lucky bunch who snagged a Nintendo Wii in recent months, Darwiin Remote is a neat, helpful program that utilizes your Mac’s Bluetooth technology to read the Wiimote’s signals and utilize them for good and awesome. For example, Darwiin Remote can map the Wiimote’s buttons to your keyboard, making it easy to use the Wiimote as a wireless controller for emulating video games, a method for navigating a slideshow while standing at a podium, or a control for iTunes when sitting on the couch studying.

It is even possible to control your mouse pointer via Wiimote and the use of infrared sensors, force feedback, or motion sensors. Darwiin Remote can also utilize the Nunchuk and Classic Controller accessories, but support for these is shoddy at best. Download Darwiin Remote for free at SourceForge.

posted by Mike Pellegrino on 24 April 2007
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More Microsoft news - color barcodes

Microsoft has recently announced the development of a system to encode more information onto their DVD discs and games by using a system of colored, triangular barcodes. These are not meant to replace the black and white, linear barcodes that everyone knows and loves. Instead, disc owners can use a camera phone to read the data stored in the code and access online materials, extra downloads, or other game-related features.

posted by Mike Pellegrino on 20 April 2007
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Microsoft to offer Windows cheaply to developing nations

Despite Microsoft’s criticisms of the 100 dollar PC that was being developed for denizens of developing nations, the megacorporation will begin to produce a special version of Windows to be sold for as low as three dollars.

This version, known as the Student Innovation Suite, contains the bare bones features of Windows XP, Microsoft Office, math tools, and other basics. This version will be targeted towards middle and low income families as determined by the World Bank by 2008. Read more about it here.

posted by Mike Pellegrino on 19 April 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - Mac Pilot

Mac Pilot gives you amazing control of your Mac—literally hundreds of unadvertised options (many of which require deeper knowledge of Unix and the Terminal) become readily available to you.

Feel compelled to disable icons on the desktop? Want greater control over the placement and style of your Dock? Need greater control over who can access your computer with file sharing, what they can access, or how long they can be connected? This is just a sampling of the myriad freedoms that Mac Pilot grants you to customize your Mac. The interface is simple, and there are no complicated Unix commands to memorize.

I like having powerful, simple control over my Mac, and Mac Pilot certainly delivers. Learn more about it here.

posted by Mike Pellegrino on 17 April 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - Disk Inventory X

If you ever wonder what your hard drive looks like, this is your chance to find out. Disk Inventory X analyzes your hard drive and creates an interactive graphical representation of all the information stored on it. I’ve used this program for a long time to figure out how to create more space on my iBook’s 80 gb hard drive, pictured below. It’s fun to see how your computer works, and with the great price (free) there’s no excuse to not try it out.

Not a Mac user? There are also free equivalents of this program for Windows and Linux.

posted by Alex Herder on 14 April 2007
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Killer Apps for Mac - Tangerine!

Do you like to work out but don’t have the time to generate a new “Exercise Mix” every time you go? Let Tangerine do it for you!

Tangerine analyzes each of the songs in your iTunes library and generates the Beats-Per-Minute (BPM) and Beat Intensity of each song. It then allows you to set a range for both BPM and intensity, and Tangerine will select a specified number of songs that match those criteria. Want a body-jolting mix? Set the BPM high and the intensity extremely high. Want a playlist you can sleep to? Make the BPM range span the lower end of the spectrum.

The interface is easy to use and mimics iTunes in its elegance. Visit Tangerine’s official site here for more info.

posted by Mike Pellegrino on 13 April 2007
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YouTube speed painter

Artistic talents are something I’ve always envied, and this guy is no exception to that. His name is Nico Di Mattia from Cordoba, Argentina and his channel, NEXX, is the 78th most subscribed-to channel on YouTube. I can see why. The videos produced by this Argentinian are gorgeous, sped-up renditions of his own art being created with Photoshop. It really is cool to see every stage of the work, from experimenting with textures to simply re-drawing individual lines. Check out this video of his portrait of Scarlet Johannson being drawn:

posted by Alex Herder on 12 April 2007
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Songbird, a hatchling open-source iTunes killer

Brought to you by the Pioneers of the Inevitable, the brain trust behind Winamp and the Yahoo! music engine, Songbird is a new open-source ‘web player’ capable of iTunes-like music and video support AND firefox-like web-browsing. Why put the two together? I’m not exactly sure, but even though it’s still in its infancy, Songbird can already do some things better than iTunes. For starters, Songbird can support extensions that, among other things, fully integrate posting to Last.fm or shopping at any number of online music stores. It also natively supports global hotkeys adding the functionality of SizzlingKeys for iTunes without installing another program. What’s more is that like iTunes and Firefox, Songbird is cross-platform compatible and free. Download the beta at Songbirdnest and explore the extensions being made for it at Windjay.

Previously on Duenos: Last.fm and SizzlingKeys.

posted by Alex Herder on 10 April 2007
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