While there are quite a few people out there who detest the MacHeist event, I for one, love it. If you started from the beginning at The Giving Tree and subsequently participated in all the heists and mini-heists – and purchased the bundle – a total of 50 apps (at my count here) were available, for $32 (with the heist discounts). That is a ridiculous number of apps for a ridiculous price. $0.64 per app is perhaps too ridiculous… is that guilt I feel?
As exciting as it is to get that many apps at that low of a price, I wondered how much I used each, and how much each meant to me. So I thought I’d take a look at each one of the apps and write a short bit on the following criteria:
- Short description – or what I think the app does
- Do I use it or not
- How I use it (if I do) or why I don’t
I’ll go through alphabetically, and if I miss an app, feel free to let me know and I’ll add it.
1Password
- Desc
- Password manager
- Use
- Use daily
- Usage
- 1Password was in last year’s bundle (or did it come in a heist??) and was one of the gem’s of the bunch. I use it for everything from managing web passwords to storing software licenses to keeping track of project data (ftp, database, website admin, etc.). It was great to see it in the loot again this year as I think its the best way to browse the web safely.
3D Hearts Deluxe
- Desc
- Card game
- Use
- Played once
- Usage
- I’m a huge Euchre fan, so Hearts should come naturally for me, but it doesn’t. If you know how to play however, this is one of those games that can be a quick diversion when you need a few minutes away.
Acorn
- Desc
- Image editor
- Use
- Never opened
- Usage
- At first, I placed this application in the “I don’t have the time or the need to learn an app I perceive as a Photoshop replacement” category. Then while putting this very article together, I found the need to open .icns files that the almighty Photoshop couldn’t open. Acorn was quick and intuitive, although all I did was resize and save as.
AgentCraig
- Desc
- Craigslist & eBay desktop search
- Use
- Tried it twice
- Usage
- I tried a couple of searches, and when both turned up wonky results, I wrote it off. I don’t purchase much on Craigslist or eBay anyway.
AllSecure
- Desc
- Stuff encryptor
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- Every now and again I think I should be encrypting things, but I’ve never found an application that does it well. Or maybe I’ve never really looked hard enough. I’m not too worried about someone breaking in, so it still isn’t really on my mind.
AppShelf
- Desc
- Serial number manager
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I use 1Password (MacHeist 08) and love it. No need for a replacement.
BabelBloX
- Desc
- Block based game
- Use
- Used once
- Usage
- Played it once, didn’t really get into it. In general, I don’t have enough time for games. In particular, I don’t have any time for dull games.
Big Bang Board Games
- Desc
- Collection of 7 classic games
- Use
- Played a few times
- Usage
- I come to find I never learned how to play Mancala, Reversi or Backgammon. Connect-4 and tic-tac-toe aren’t too bad. The AI is goood (against me anyway) in chess and checkers.
Blitz
- Desc
- Application focusing
- Use
- Opened once
- Usage
- Opening this app for the first time was a mistake. It promptly shut me out of all applications including the Finder. Had to perform a hard restart. Will not be opening this app again.
BoinxTV
- Desc
- Video creation
- Use
- Never opened
- Usage
- I don’t do much with video. Actually, I don’t do anything with video except watch it.
Colloquy
- Desc
- IRC chat client
- Use
- Used a handful of times
- Usage
- I don’t chat on IRC channels much, but this came in handy to keep up on Macheist things until they put out their own chat app.
Cro Mag Rally
- Desc
- Racing Game
- Use
- Used a handful of times
- Usage
- Fun little race game set in prehistoric times. I played for a couple of days, got stuck at a certain level, and gave up. Still wondering why my player is the only one who’s required to collect the arrowheads.
Delicious Library 2
- Desc
- Media cataloger
- Use
- Used once
- Usage
- I spent ten minutes cataloging a few items I have like my copy of Medal of Honor. Then I realized that it would take me no small amount of time to try and catalog everything. Then I began to wonder why I’d want this stuff cataloged anyway. Finally I came to the conclusion that I don’t have the time, need or interest.
DEVONthink
- Desc
- Free form database
- Use
- Used once
- Usage
- Tried it for 10 minutes, didn’t ‘get it’ and left. I’d categorize this app as spending an hour to save 5 minutes. I’m hooked on The Hit List instead.
Enigomo 2
- Desc
- Drippy puzzle game
- Use
- Used a couple of times
- Usage
- Fun for a short while, until it got too hard. I only seem to have time for quick and easy games these days.
EventBox
- Desc
- Social media black hole tool
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- There’s a run on these all in one apps these days, and I just haven’t really bothered. I don’t need to be checking in on Facebook every 5 minutes. Twitter, on the other hand…
Espresso
- Desc
- Web development app
- Use
- Used a handful of times
- Usage
- This was the app I was most looking forward to out of the bundle. I use Coda, a similar app, nearly everyday. So I was excited to see what a competing application (that’s received a lot of buzz in the community) could do. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like I think it should. I haven’t figured out how to use it to edit an existing site. I can start a project locally, and then upload it… but… I should write more about this elsewhere… A real bummer overall, really.
Fresh
- Desc
- Finder replacement, file storage, something or other. Maybe.
- Use
- Tried once or twice
- Usage
- I honestly don’t know what this app is supposed to do. There’s two green bars across my screen, and I’m supposed to put stuff in them, or take them out maybe? No real clue here.
Headline
- Desc
- News Reader
- Use
- Opened once
- Usage
- Another news/rss reader. No time to learn a new system, or import my feeds.
Hyperspaces
- Desc
- OS X Spaces enhancer
- Use
- Opened once or twice
- Usage
- If this app does something more than put the name of the ‘space’ I’m using in the lower left corner, I missed it.
iConquer
- Desc
- RISK style world domination game
- Use
- Play periodically
- Usage
- This is a great example of a game I enjoy playing. It’s quick, it’s easy, I can beat the AI once in a while. It also helps that I happen to love RISK.
iSale
- Desc
- eBay desktop app
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I haven’t bought or sold anything on eBay for so long, I forgot they were still around.
iStock
- Desc
- Stock tracker
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- If I had stocks, perhaps this app would come in handy. Actually I take that back. If I had stocks I’d probably have shot myself by now.
KavaTunes
- Desc
- Website building tool for iTunes like websites
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I really have no idea why I would want a iTunes like website.
Kinemac
- Desc
- 3D animation app
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I’m sure this would be awesome if I were a 3D guy who didn’t have Maya or 3D Studio Max.
Little Snapper
- Desc
- Screen capture app
- Use
- Used once
- Usage
- Once in a while I’ll do a scree grab for something, but not often. When the day comes that I step up my screen capture skillz, I’m sure this app will be my go to.
Lugaru
- Desc
- Rabbit Ninja game
- Use
- Played a couple of times
- Usage
- This little Rabbit Ninja game put the old Rabbit Ninja game out of business. Fun to play, after a bit of a UI learning curve. Would be more fun if I didn’t have a 2 year old to chase around the house.
MacDust
- Desc
- Mac Cleaner of some sort
- Use
- Used once, lost some data
- Usage
- End user types like myself ought to know better than to open an app like this and let it go to town. I lost enough non-critical data to convince me not to open it up again.
MiniOne Racing
- Desc
- Racer game
- Use
- Played a handful of times
- Usage
- Fun and quick to play. Kind of buggy with a crash or two here and there. My two year old likes to watch the cars race around, so maybe I’ll install it on his future machine, which is now my wife’s iMac that is in desperate need of replacement. How about that for some useless information.
Multiwinia
- Desc
- RTS game
- Use
- Played a couple of times
- Usage
- With time and patience this game could be fun. Get past the UI learning curve and you’re halfway there. Got my ass kicked by the computer and gave up. I used to really love games like this, that were engaging and challenging. Now I have a 2 year old who fills that role.
Overflow
- Desc
- Application launcher
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- Back in my day, if something ain’t broke, why try and fix it? Butler for the mac worked for me last year, no reason it wont work again this year. Now get off my lawn.
Pandora’ Pests
- Desc
- Swy Flotter game
- Use
- Played once
- Usage
- About as an annoying and un-fun game as there could be. If this game is being ironic, the irony must be lost on me.
Phone View
- Desc
- iPhone utility thingie
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I long ago forgot about using my iPhone as an external disk. I think I have 8gb and it’s about half full. Perhaps I’m not using the full potential of the iPhone… might be interesting if I opened it up.
Picturesque
- Desc
- Pretty picture maker
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- This app will add things like a reflection or perspective you your pictures, and then let you save them as a .png file. Let’s hope for this apps sake the reflection look stays in style a little longer.
PocketMac Ringtone Studio
- Desc
- iPhone ringtone maker
- Use
- Used once
- Usage
- I’ve chosen the most basic, old skool ringtone that came with the phone. And since a ringtone is often a direct reflection of your personality, I’ve never thought I could describe myself fully with one single song.
Pop pop
- Desc
- Breakout style game
- Use
- Used once
- Usage
- I’ve never been a huge fan of breakout style games. Just never have. I suspect I may never.
Process
- Desc
- GTD style outlining app
- Use
- Used once
- Usage
- I’ve tried many GTD and outliner applications, and most disappoint. I can’t say I gave this one a chance, but when an app like this makes me do things their way, I usually lose interest pretty quickly. If only I were a true follower of the GTD mantra.
Santa Snaps
- Desc
- Christmas themed, PhotoBooth clone
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I don’t have a web cam on my machine, and if I did I’m sure I wouldn’t use PhotoBooth, let alone a Christmas themed PhotoBooth.
Scribbles
- Desc
- Vector based drawing app
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I’ve heard good things about this app, but it’s hard to imagine taking the time to learn this app when I know Illustrator so well.
Shovebox
- Desc
- Information organizer
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- All these little organizer apps are probably good, if you have the time to learn to use them, or can fit into their scheme. I don’t and I can’t.
SousChef
- Desc
- Cooking/recipe app
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- Since my wife is the resident foodie, I rarely bother with what’s for dinner. I get the sense though, that she’d like me to step it up a bit. Since I can look in the fridge and be clueless on what I can make, this app might be very useful with it’s “what’s in your fridge” feature.
StickyNotes
- Desc
- Like Stickies, but better?
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I hate post-it notes in real life, and even more so all over my desktop.
Synergy
- Desc
- Menu bar iTunes controler
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- Pretty happy just using iTunes to control iTunes. Also my menu bar feels too full already.
Times
- Desc
- Newspaper style news reader
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I should take a closer look at this app, but I’ve been using NewNewsWire for a while now and have been happy enough with it.
The Hit List
- Desc
- Kick Ass To-Do List (GTD)
- Use
- Use all day, every day
- Usage
- Each year there is at least one application that really stands out and makes the bundle a no-brainer. The Hit List is that app this year. I’ve finally found a to do list that works for me, and keeps me on track. I can’t say enough good things about it.
Timepost
- Desc
- Time tracker
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I use a web based app called Harvest. They do time tracking better than anyone, and no desktop based app will convince me otherwise.
Typinator
- Desc
- System wide spell check, correction and shortcut tool
- Use
- Use daily
- Usage
- This is a great little app that will correct spelling as you type as well as allowing you to create keyboard shortcuts for often typed items. I use the letters bhe to automatically enter my email, for example. It even has a cool little clickety sound when it makes a correction.
Webbla
- Desc
- Bookmark manager
- Use
- Never used
- Usage
- I like keeping things simple, and adding another application to keep my bookmarks in order seems like piling on. I keep a lot of bookmarks, and they are already well organized within my browser. Both my browsers, actually. Might be nice for people with less bookmarks.
WireTap Studio
- Desc
- Audio recording and editing
- Use
- Use periodically
- Usage
- Last year’s loot included a license for WireTap Pro, and my guess is WireTap Studio is just the upgrade. It seems pretty much the same, although now all my recordings are saved in a library within the application. I can then easily send the recordings to various places like iTunes, and in various formats like .mp3. I’ve been recording the noises my kids make and posting them on their site.
World of Goo
- Desc
- Globular Game
- Use
- Used a couple of times
- Usage
- Very fun game where you move goo around to make other goo do things and build structure.
Overall the bundle was absolutely fantastic this year, with The Hit List coming out as the biggest gem IMO. I also really like Typinator and am hoping I figure out how use Espresso. Which were your favorites?