‘Must Have’ Mac Software
If you own a mac, the below software can be extremely useful.
1) smcFanControl (Free)
- This freeware allows you to increase the internal fan speeds on your mac. Increasing your fan speed from the standard 2,000rpm to 3,500rpm can decrease your computer’s internal temperature by over 30 degrees Celsius. I’ve used this software on all three of my previous Macbook/Macbook Pro’s and recommend it to everyone I know.
2) Dropbox (Free | $10/month | $20/month)
- Say goodbye to carrying flash drives and/or having to VPN into your work computer to access important files remotely. Dropbox is an excellent web based hosting service that allows you to store your files online so you can view, download, and upload them from any Windows, OSX or Linux based computer. There are apps available for the iPhone and Android phones that allow you to use this service on your phone as well. You can utilize Dropbox to store up to 2GB of your files for free. You also have the option of purchasing 50GB of storage for $10/month or 100GB for $20/month.
3) Little Snitch ($29)
- Network monitoring software that runs in the background and allows you to monitor, track, screen, and block unwanted information from getting in and out of your computer. This can be useful if you dislike websites or software trying to collect your information and sending out behind your back. After you start running Little Snitch you’ll be amazed at how many hidden connections are made without you knowing. It’s especially useful for those who may not necessarily pay for all of their software, if you catch my drift.
4) Phone Disk (Free until Sep. 1st 2010)
- This software is pretty simple, yet much needed. The downside to having an iPod or iPhone is the inability to plug it into your computer and explore it’s contents like an external drive. Phone Disk allows you to plug any iPhone/iPod into your mac and drag pictures, movies, and music from it and drop them directly to your computer’s harddrive without the use of iTunes. Thanks to Phone Disk, It’s now possible to copy all your friends’ music from their iPhone/iPod just by plugging it into your mac.