I thought it was about time I post some applications that I have found really usefully but aren’t very well known. Have a read, add to them and let me know what you think in the forums.
1. Sofa Control
All Mac’s come with a standard Apple remote, however the Apple remote won’t always work with all your applications. I found Sofa Control solves that problem. It allows me to use my Apple remote with applications that aren’t usually supported, such as: VLC, Microsoft Powerpoint, Firefox, Google Earth & more than 40 others. Its a great little application that lets me take control of my Mac from a distance. Sofa Control uses a specialized Front Row inspired user interface that allows the user to switch between documents and applications with ease and simplicity. At $15 its a pretty sweet investment. Sofa Control Homepage
2. Caffeine 
Do you often find yourself in a situation where you need your Mac’s screen to stop dimming, but cant be bothered changing your default settings constantly. Caffeine is a program that wakes up your mac. Maybe your watching a Youtube video or spinning around the globe on Google Earth. If you not touching the keyboard your screen is most likely (especially if your using an unplugged macbook) going to dim. Click the little Caffeine icon at the top of your menu bar and hey presto, problem solved. Caffeine is a free app, one of those ones that really comes in handy when you least expect it. Download it here: Caffeine Homepage.
3. Perian 
Perian is less of an application and more of a plug-in. Once installed Perian allows you to pretty much watch all the unusual video codects in Quicktime. Everything from Avi, Xvid, Dvix, & FLV to MKV & H.264. Its for those Mac users who love to use official Apple applications and products wherever possible. However, if you like using VLC then you probably wont ever need this. Perian is also a free download and available at the Perian Homepage.
4. Zipeg 
If your downloading a lot of compressed files from all over the place Zipeg is probably your kind of application. Zipeg unlike Apples standard extracting application supports more than the usual amount of compressed file types. It will pretty much extract anything you throw at it. Its also a great compression tool if you’ve got something that you want to send. Its also looks great and is really easy to use! Download it free at the Zipeg homepage.
5. XNJB 
For those of us that don’t have or use iPods XNJB is really the only application that lets us connect our non-Apple mp3 devices to our Macs. Its mainly made for Creative mp3 players but I’m pretty sure it may work with other mp3 players as well. At the moment the program is pretty under-developed but there is really no other options. If you’ve found one let me know. Until then check it out at the XNJB homepage. Oh and its also free!
Well that’s it for now. Hopefully you’ve learnt something new today Mactropolis Citizens. I’ll be doing more of these posts soon, so keep your eyes pealed.
Partners in Grime // 30/06/2008 at 9:01 am
Nice list. Thanks for the heads-up on Caffeine. And that reminds me, I need a coffee.
Boots // 30/06/2008 at 9:24 am
Why are the app icons linked to the PNGs of themselves instead of to their respective developer pages?
BobMarley // 30/06/2008 at 9:58 am
all macs come with a standard remote? We bought a mbp, and it didn’t come with one. Did we just not get one, or what?
Mat Pancha // 30/06/2008 at 11:19 am
BobMarley >> if you have a MBP, you should have a remote. Do you have a black round IR by thr lid release button on your laptop? If you do, you should have a remote.
The link to Sofa Control doesn’t work, its trying to go to the path to your WP install and then the URL for the developer’s website.
N Fung // 30/06/2008 at 11:31 am
BobMarley: you’re not missing anything, if you have one of the newer MBP models. The remote is an additional upgrade, not standard in the box anymore.
BobMarley // 30/06/2008 at 11:53 am
Okay, yeah, about 1 1/2 months old. Thanks people!
Anonymous // 30/06/2008 at 4:18 pm
Logos are not links to app website.
App websites are at the bottom of each paragraph.
Here are the links again incase you missed them.
1.http://gravityapps.com/sofacontrol/overview/
2. http://lightheadsw.com/caffeine/
3. http://perian.org/#download
4. http://www.zipeg.com/zipeg.html
5. http://www.wentnet.com/projects/xnjb/
vanax // 30/06/2008 at 4:59 pm
Cool aps. Hey, how about a free or shareware ap. that can rotate AVI files that my Nikon Coolpix 7.1MP makes?
deol // 30/06/2008 at 6:22 pm
Caffeine was just what I was looking for! Thank you. Was driving me nuts to hit the mouse pad every few minutes when unplugged and reading.
Councillor Wes // 30/06/2008 at 8:26 pm
The links should work fine now, i had to do a bit of editing. And the pictures are loaded into the Mactropolis gallery so they link to their saved address.
Sofa Control is a great app!
Councillor Ben // 01/07/2008 at 12:14 am
glad you all enjoyed this post and found it useful.
thanks for fixing up the links wes. sorry all.
i’ll be doing more of these post in the future.
If there is any programs you need let me know and ill do my best hunt them down.