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I was working on my Mac recently when a co-worker came up and asked me a question regarding a feature I wrote a while back. I turned back to my Mac, hit a couple of hot keys, and quickly found the piece in question. My Windows-using co-worker immediately asked me what the little program was that I brought up with the hot keys, and after a couple of key strokes, I proudly brought it up again: Quicksilver.
Quicksilver is one of those programs that is so useful I never even think about it when I use it. To open files, bookmarks, your browser, or anything that's buried deep in your Mac's folders, simply bring up Quicksilver, type the first few letters, highlight the desired file using arrow keys, and hit return. Most of the time, what you're looking for comes up first anyway so all you have to do is hit return to launch it. It's truly a great addition to your Mac, particularly if you like quickly searching for things while keeping your hands on your keyboard.
Use the tab key to bring up a list of possible actions for your file
(Credit: CNET Networks)Beyond its convenient search and launching capabilities, Quicksilver offers a command mode for more complex tasks. When you're done searching for a file, simply hit the Tab key and use your arrow keys to do things like send the file in an e-mail, make an alias of the file, copy to clipboard, or any of a huge list of actions. What's more, you can add actions from a huge list of plug-in modules designed to interact with several other programs, so even uploading via FTP or adding pictures to Flickr is possible. All this, without your hands ever leaving the keyboard.
A lot of Mac users reading this are probably already faithful Quicksilver users. But if you haven't checked out this free jack-of-all-trades app, take it from me: This free app is definitely worthy of any Mac user.
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The Windows and Mac operating systems are both intended to be easy to navigate so you can get to your files quickly. Ideally, once our computers are fully booted up it should only take us a couple of steps before we can start working (or playing, as the case may be). While Windows Explorer and the Finder are adequate for navigating apps and files, it still takes a few unnecessary steps before you can get started.
While both operating systems offer a quicker option than digging through folders--Windows has the Quick launch bar and Mac offers the Dock--they tend to fill up pretty fast and before I know it, launching my favorite apps becomes a little less than quick. Fortunately, there's a whole category of third-party launchers designed to get you to your apps fast and offer varying options to increase productivity and improve workflow.
This week I've rounded up a pair of apps for each operating system to help you quickly launch your must-have software, Web sites, and files. Each has their own set of options that I like for different reasons, and the one that you choose should be the one that maximizes your productivity.
Customize Launchy's skin to your desktop so you can open apps in style.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Launchy for Windows is a popular free launcher in the office here at Download.com for quick access to apps and files. Simply hit a hot key to bring up the Launchy interface and type in a few letters to show results offering the best match. Not only can you launch your favorite apps and files, Launchy also searches your default browser's favorites file for matches to your most visited Web sites. To top it all off, the program is completely skinnable so you can customize it to fit the look of your desktop.
Separate your apps and files into groups with this app.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Fast Launcher lets you hit Control-Alt-X or double click a tray icon to bring up a nicely organized interface. This app takes a bit of setting up, but when you're done you can get to any app, file, or control panel in only a couple of clicks. Though you can't get to bookmarked Web pages like Launchy, Fast Launcher offers the option of creating groups so you can organize and launch multiple apps and files simultaneously. The drawback to this app is the lengthy setup that makes you drill down to find the apps you want to add to the interface. But when you're done, you'll like how quickly you can launch anything on your hard drive.
A sleek interface makes it easy to get to the files and apps you want.
(Credit: CNET Networks)QuickSilver for Mac has been a longtime favorite of mine (and many Mac users) for getting to apps and files quickly. Like Launchy for Windows, Mac users can type in a couple of keys to find just about anything and hit enter to launch. But what makes Quicksilver even better is the ability to perform specific actions with the files you find. Hitting the Tab key brings you to the action field where you can upload your updated page to your Web site via FTP, send a file in an e-mail, and queue up an album in iTunes, for example--all from within the interface. It also doesn't hurt that this free app is great to look at, fitting in perfectly with the smooth lines of OS X.
Organize your files into DragThing's tabbed interface for easy access
(Credit: CNET Networks)DragThing for Mac has been around since the Classic Mac OS as a way to add Dock-like launchers to your Mac desktop. Simply drag files, apps, and URLs to DragThing's dock to fill it up with your most-used stuff. What's great about this app is its flexibility. For example, you can choose to only launch specific DragThing docks alongside certain programs, filled with useful apps and files for that program. You can create as many as you want and it offers several customization options so you can create just the look you need for the job. When you want it out of the way, it minimizes like a drawer to the edge of your screen. If you're looking for ways to group programs and files together for easy access under specific workflow circumstances, DragThing is the launcher for you. You'll have to pay for all this flexibility though ($29).
If you use certain programs on a regular basis, it's much easier to use one of these programs to launch them quickly so you can start working right away. Also, whenever you need to get to a URL or open a specific project, these programs can you save you the hassle of searching through the Windows start menu or the Mac's Finder through countless folders. If you have a favorite launcher that's not listed here, please tell me about it in the comments!
So, you were one of the lucky people to receive a shiny new Mac for the holidays. We're all jealous! But if you're reading this, you've probably already spent some time getting set up and checking out all the cool features and programs that come with your Mac--and now you want more! Out of the box, your Mac is loaded with cool apps to get you started on stuff like uploading and organizing your digital images, creating a music library, making your own movies, and surfing the Web. (You're here, so it must have worked!)
While new Macs come with a ton of goodies already, there are a number of cool apps Mac users count on every day that aren't included in the initial setup. To get you started, we've rounded up 10 must-have downloads for your new Mac. From Web browsers and useful utilities to fun and games, these top Mac downloads are perfect for your new computer and a great way to start exploring the world of Mac software at CNET Download.com.
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Sure, Safari comes preloaded on your Mac and it's got a lot of great features, but it's not for everybody. The folks at Mozilla developed Camino from the ground up with the intention of creating a light and fast browser that plays nice with the elegance of Mac OS X. Though its not as feature-rich as its older cousin Firefox, users looking to keep it simple (with class) should try Camino.
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Do you like hot keys? If you're the type of person who likes to load Web sites, apps, and files quickly, check out this solid utility. Simply bring up the tiny Quicksilver interface to type a few letters of your chosen app, file, or Web site to get a list of possibilities--without your fingers ever leaving the keyboard. If you want a quick way to launch anything, this is the app for your Mac.
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A fully interactive globe on your desktop? What's not to like? Use Google Earth to point to a place on our planet and zoom in to see satellite imagery, detailed maps with street and location names, and much more. The recent addition of street level views adds to the fun with more and more major cities getting added all the time. Frankly, if you want a fun, interesting, and educational free program, Google Earth is a must-have download.
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QuickTime supports several file types on its own, but if you've ever spent time on the Internet you know QuickTime doesn't do it all. If you have a pesky video file type that won't open in QuickTime, VLC Media Player is the answer. Packed with features for playing DVDs and almost any video, this free app is more than worth the download time and you'll never have to worry about whether you can watch a particular video on your Mac again.
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Good image editors are hard to come by, and popular professional ones can cost in the hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. GraphicConverter X is a longtime Mac-user favorite, supporting the conversion of a huge number of file types with plenty of tools for just about any image-editing project. The shareware nag screen is sure to annoy you after a while, but you have to admit, $34.95 is nowhere near as painful as hundreds of dollars.
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Not everybody uses the same chat client so iChat probably won't work with all your contacts. Adium X is the popular Mac chat client that works with most of the popular services seamlessly. This means you can connect with and sign up for Yahoo!, MSN, ICQ, AIM, and many more all from within the same program. If that's not enough, maybe we should mention it is free.
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If you're a Web designer, pro blogger, or even just looking to start up your own site, Coda has the comprehensive toolset you need. Boasting one-window Web development, Coda offers an integrated file browser, fully-featured text editor, a CSS editor, preview functions, and a built-in terminal--all within the same interface. Big Web-design apps are too expensive for most users, but Coda is only $79.95 to register--and you get to put it through its paces before you buy.
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Free long distance? No problem with Skype. This Internet telephony app lets you freely contact anyone around the world as long as they also have the free Skype client. Simply get your long-lost cousin to download Skype and you're all set. Sign up for Skype paid services so you can call landlines. This app is a no-brainer for international callers who don't want to pay big long-distance bills.
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Get the news your way with one of the best RSS clients we've seen for Mac. NetNewsWire offers a slick 3-paned interface shows your favorite news outlets on the left, headlines on the right, and expanded stories on the bottom if you see something you like. Adding new feeds couldn't be easier and you can set how often NetNewsWire updates its feed list so you always have the latest updates. NetNewsWire is easily one of the best and most intuitive ways to get the latest news on your Mac.
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Most great first-person shooter games for Mac are the type you need to buy online or at your local video game shop. Nexuiz is the attempt of some generous developers to make a free, multiplatform, online deathmatch game for everybody. It still has a couple of problems and bugs to be fleshed out, but for sheer high-energy shoot-'em-up mayhem in a free game, you're going to have a hard time finding one as fun and challenging as Nexuiz.
Selecting your mobile device with MediaCell Video Converter optimizes your original video file for use on your cell phone, PDA, or PSP.
(Credit: CNET Networks)Sometimes less really is more, and software that does a single task well is better than a feature-rich app that bogs down performance, clogs system memory, or over-reaches its abilities. Here are seven programs that were built to do a specific job, and succeed. These downloads may not have all the fixin's, but they taste great all the same.
UPDATED: We asked for your favorite picks and you responded. Here are five fresh one-trick ponies of the software world that you just love to bits.
MediaCell Video Converter
This multiformat video converter makes the list thanks to a three-part, one-pane interface from which you browse for the video file, select the mobile device you'll be watching it on, and click the large, bubbly "convert" button. No need to concern yourself with file formats, bit rates, and sound quality. While users certainly can tweak the volume and settings themselves in the app's "output" section, MediaCell Video Converter's preset optimizations per device make it unnecessary for most. ... Read more
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