My list of OS X tools and utilities I couldn't live without

Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 @ 12:25 CET

It seems like everyone around me is switching to Macs (5 friends in the past two weeks) and the questions naturally arise about what apps one needs, and what is the OS X replacement for insert-Windows-app-here. Here's my list of third-party apps and utilities I couldn't live without:

• Transmit - hands-down the best FTP app out there
• Quicksilver - app launcher and sooo much more (if you spend 5 mins and read the docs)
• SMCFan - control default fan speeds (for older models, if you want to disable egg-frying mode)
• Xtorrent - its like iTunes for torrents (legal ones of course)
• Adium - IM client that supports all networks (MSN, GTalk, AIM, Yahoo! etc)
• Textmate - hands-down the best text editor out there
• NeoOffice - OpenOffice built for Mac
• Camino - FireFox clone for Mac (without all the crashes, but sadly also the extensions :)
• UnrarX - RAR utility
• Fugu - SSH/SCP client
• SCPlugin - SubVersion client that integrates with the Finder (configuration help here)
• Connect 360 - Xbox360 media center
• MediaLink - PS3 media center
• VLC - universal media player. Plays nearly anything you throw at it
• Perian - codecs for divx/xvid, ac3, flv, etc
• Flip4Mac - lets you play back Windows Media files
• MenuCalendarClock - clock replacement with calendar + week numbers
• AppZapper - application uninstaller
• MousePosé - presentation helper
• ScreenFlow - hands-down the best screen capturing app
• OmniOutliner - fantastic outliner
• OmniFocus - fantastic task manager
• Skype - um, its Skype (integrates with the Address Book too)
• Deeper - configuration utility
• FBCal - FaceBook birthdays + events calendar for iCal
• FlickrExport - Flickr Exporter for iPhoto
• Twitterriffic - Twitter client

There's probably one or two that I missed but I think that covers most bases.

Now here's a few gems that ship with OS X:

• Dictionary - dictionary, thesaurus and wikipedia in a single app. Hover over a word anywhere and hit Control+Command+D to look it up
• Preview - preview any file (nearly) instantly. Finally open up those PDFs without waiting an hour :) In Leopard, hit Space to preview it using QuickLook
• FontBook - a font manager that works (unlike its Windows'control panel counterpart)
• DigitalColor Meter - utility to get the colour of any pixel on the screen (Shift+Command+H to hold a colour)
• Keychain Access - global password manager for all apps (that bother to integrate with it. Looking at you FireFox)

When (not if) apps freeze, you need to force quit them. To do the Ctrl+Alt+Delete tango you can either:

• right-click on the app's icon in the dock and hold down the Option (Alt) key, then select Force Quit, or
• press Command+Option+Esc and selec the app from the list

Keyboard combos for taking screenshots (they appear as PNGs on the destkop):

• Whole Screen - Command+Shift+3
• Certain Area - Command+Shift+4 (drag a box)
• Specific window - Command+Shift+4, then hit Space and pick your window

Perhaps not as intuitive as the "Print Screen" key, but far more better. And finally a comprehensive list for all keyboard fanatics.

- paulo

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