Tags: App Store, Apple, Applications, Computing, Mac, Personal Computing, Setup, Software
Now that I’ve completely switched to the Mac platform and my windows’ boxes sit only for video capture and editing, I’ve decided to get the AIR. (I still can’t get used to Final Cut. Sony Vegas rocks.) I made the mistake of not making a list of apps and configurations I went through the last time and am now struggling a bit. I did try using the Mac migration tool, but that didn’t go too well. So here it is:
Step 1:
- The very first thing you do is to set up a Time Machine. If you don’t have external storage in 2011, I suggest you get one right away. Find something that is Time Machine compatible (e.g. Drobo). Activate Time Machine and let it take a first backup.
- Before you install anything at all, go to the software update (under the apple icon on top left of the screen ), and run all necessary updates.
- Launch Garage Band. Go to Loop Browser. Click on a loop which is not installed and it will ask to install it. Give it a yes. The loops will be queued in the software update downloader. These loops are about 1.2 GB.
- Update to the latest version of Adobe Flash Player. You’ll need it. Download
Caution: If you’re on an inconsistent internet connection you may want to run the updates in batches.
Step 2:
Launch the System Preferences. Go through each and every setting area and tweak things to your comfort. I personally need to tweak the following:
- Desktop & Screen Saver – I like the Arabesque screen saver
- Expose & Spaces – Expose is nothing great but Spaces are. Read up on them and enjoy the magic. For my friend Faisal Khan, this was probably the one feature that convinced him to make a switch.
- Security – I’m a privacy freak. I make sure the system locks itself, asks for passwords, etc. It’s also good to set up a “Master Password” under the FileVault setting.
- Displays – I use my portables for presentations. This is where some of the settings for that can be found.
- Energy Saver - Sleep settings, etc.
- Keyboard – The default key repeat rate is all wrong.
- Mouse – I use an external magic mouse at times. The tracking speed is very slow.
- Trackpad – I’ve come from using Windows for about 24 years. I need the right click.
- MobileMe – I use more than one Mac box. This gets all the machines in sync; settings, passwords, etc. included.
- Network – I use various internet connections at more than one location. Here you can pre-configure settings which can be switched quite quickly.
- Bluetooth – I have to pair my external keyboard and mouse.
- Sharing – I don’t share folders on my network, but if you do then it’s useful.
- Date & Time -I like to activate on the hour voice prompts, set auto time zone detection, etc.
Apps that are not yet on the app store and need to be downloaded directly.
- Google Chrome - The quintessential browser even for the mac. Safari just doesn’t cut it. Download
- Tweetdeck – De facto twitter desktop client. Nothing else comes close to it. Download
- Dropbox – I’ve tired all kinds of cloud storage solutions. This is the only one that works. Download
- Firefox – Yep. There are things this baby can do that others just can’t. Most importantly, the toolbars it is compatible with. My main reason is the seamless integration with LastPass. Download
- NameChanger - We all need to bulk rename files every now and then. Particularly images. This takes care of it. Download
- Komodo – If you do any kind of geek typing you need this. Download
- MAMP – Apple does not package a web server, MySQL, and PHP environment. I hear the next version of Mac OS will merge with the Mac OS server. In the meantime let MAMP do it for you. Download
- MobileMe Backup – Backup your MobileMe Data – Download
- BetterTouchTools – If you use the Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, or the latest MacBooks, you SHOULD want this. Download
- coconutBattery – MacBooks have great battery life. This helps you keep yours in great health. Download
- CronniX – If you don’t know what cron is, either google it or skip this one. I’d suggest the former. Download
- GeekTool – This lets you put your MacOS Desktop to better use. Download
- VLC Media Player – Trust me! Mac doesn’t understand the word “VIDEO”. You need this. Download
- HandBrake – The ultimate tool for optimizing videos for iPhone/iPad/Apple TV, etc. Download
Apps to get from the App Store:
- CopyPaster - Extends the clipboard to 100 last clips. It’s free and very handy. Download
- Calendar – Like most Apple apps, calendar leaves quite a few things to be desired. This free app kinda fills the space. Download
- FaceTime – Not many people use it yet. Actually no one I know does. But still good to have, just in case.
- NewsRack – I’ve tried all kinds of RSS readers, but this is the only one that works. Yes, it works with Google Reader. Download
- ResizeIt – Bulk resize images. Must have. Download
- Trillian – Yep. Of all the chat apps out there this is the one that works. iChat comes close, but the lack of “auto reconnect” broke the deal for me. Download
- Evernote – If I need to tell you why you need Evernote… Well, I’m not telling you. Figure it out! Download
- Numbers – Microsoft has had Excel since the beginning of time, but Numbers is where the numbers are
. Download - Keynote – I know, I know. PowerPoint is to presentation what Xerox is to photocopying. But have you ever seen Canon’s copiers? Try Keynote. Download
- Pages – Word Processor. Just the perfect solution. Download
- Speak it! – If you want speech synthesis, this is the way to go. Though it is not powerful enough for creating conversations. Just basic text to speech. Download
- Guidance – Prayer times. The perfect solution. Simple and effective. Download
- VirusBarrier Express - Anti virus. Download
- Sparrow – Like other apps, Mac’s Mail is not the best. Gmail is best used in the browser, but at times when you want a thick client-Sparrow it is. It actually lets you use Gmail’s shortcuts. That’s what made it a winner for me. Download
- iVI - Mac’s Achille’s heal is it’s video handling capability. iVI makes it slightly easy to import videos into iTunes. If it wasn’t for this, my Apple TV would have continued to be a paper weight – Download
Apps on my wish/consider list:
- Bento – The personal database. Download
Tags: App Store, Apple, Applications, Computing, Mac, Personal Computing, Setup, Software
COMMENTS
4 Responses to “Essential apps for a new Mac”
SIR I HAVE ALREADY SAID 2 U BEFORE PLZ REMOVE THIS PIC FROM HERE IS IT NORMAL FOR U 2 PASTE A VULGAR PIC OR LET ME THINK THAT APNI AURAT SONA (GOLD)DOOSRI KHILONA (TOY)DONT U THINK THAT PORNOGRAPHY IS A ROOT CAUSE OF INCREASING RAPE INCIDENTS IN OUR COUNTRY I HOPE U WILL CONSIDER
Hi,
nice tips. btw, have u switched to osx Lion or still using snow leopard?
Lion
I am a devout muslim and therfore SO perfect.
I don’t see the point in Sister Farah’s comments, what has pornography got to do with internet?? is there porn on the internet?????
Most of the pornagraphic incidents I grew up listening to in my Mohalla used to involve the rendezvous between Moulvi Sahib and some Muzhabi teenagers, in the Ramdhan, in the mosque, in the hujra during the aitikaaf……!!!!!!!!