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One of the best parts of owning a Mac is the cool free apps that you get to download! Just like the iPhone, there’s an app for your every need, and they exceed expectations most of the time. I will go over free basic apps as well, for those with a new setup. A lot of the apps that will be showcased are open source, which basically means that you can view it’s source code and contribute to the project.
Skype lets you make voice calls, as well as video conferencing online to anyone else with this free app installed. You can also make conference calls effortlessly, as well as participate in text chats and file transfers. With Skype To Go, you can make calls from your mobile phone and from your computer, you can dial international landlines and to cell phones with prepaid minutes.
This great little app is a to-do list manager. It’s easy to use, out of the way, and can be integrated with iCal and Mail. Melting into your desktop – and out of your way, you can effortlessly add new tasks and task sheets, to keep areas of your life separate with multiple lists.
Cyberduck is a “FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, Cloud Files, Google Docs and Amazon S3″ browser for your mac. With an easy to use interface, super cool features and seamless integration with external text editors, this app is not one to miss!
GIMP is an image editor (raster), which quite possibly to many is a free alternative to Adobe Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro. It has tons of cool features, and is a great free alternative to other software.
Monolingual is a utility that removes unwanted languages from OS X, and in doing to can recover disk space you never knew you had. By removing those unwanted languages, you can seriously save sever hundred mbs of space.
Firefox is a leading open source web browser, with a tons of skins and expansions. This modern browser has features like Tabs, CSS3/HTML5 support, Private Browsing, an Awesome Bar, easy bookmarking and a built in Feed Reader.
TextWrangler is a powerful text editor that makes editing files a breeze with remote FTP support, Keychain support, syntax coloring, auto indenting, built-in text transformations and so much more.
VLC is an application that lets you view any type of video file without hassle. Features like handling subtitles, DVDs, CDs, web streams, VLC is a powerful media player. If you are a Mac Developer, the people behind VLC are looking for more developers for the Mac OS X port of VLC.
Growl is a notification system for Mac that lets supported applications send you notices in an unobtrusive way. With customizable skins, and add-ons for even more growl-goodness, you control all aspects of the notifications that get sent your way.
Transmission is an open source, non-commerical BitTorrent client that is easy to use and comes with tons of cool features, like; having a small footprint, seamless integration, uses Growl Notifications and is quite powerful.
Macs are not prone to getting infected with viruses, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t transmit them to a machine that can be. ClamXAV is a free virus scanner that checks for files that can infect other operating systems as well.
Google Notifier is an application that lets you check your email and calendar events without even visiting a browser. Much like Growl, but for Gmail and Google Calendar.
Adium is a small, yet powerful Instant Messaging client that lets you connect to multiple networks, such as AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk, ICQ, and Facebook Chat – just to name a few. It also has customizable ‘Xtras’, file transfers, and an events system.
Thunderbird is another one of Mozilla’s creations; a messaging application that enhances your email experience. Features tabs, search, archives and add-on support. Its open source and totally secure and not to mention, easy to use.
Google Chrome is a fully featured yet functional web browser. With themes and extensions, you can totally transform it to make it your own. Being amazingly fast, plus with a built in Google Search, Chrome is the way to go.
Quinn is a Tetris mock for Mac! Have fun playing this addicting game on your local network, or with the globe against the highscore database.
Inkscape is a free vector graphics editor, similar to Illustrator and Corel Draw that supports many advanced features. Not only is Inkscape open source, but there is a great community behind it that creates articles, tutorials and maintains a gallery for users.
AppCleaner makes it easier to uninstall unwanted apps by removing all small, yet unnecessary files that an application dumps on your system – once you decided it’s time to remove the app. And all it takes is moving the app’s icon to the trash!
Seashore is a small lightweight graphics editor for Mac OS X; it features gradients, anti-aliasing, textures, layers and alpha channel editing. Seashore is based off of GIMP, yet remains different in many ways.
Caffeine is a small, out of the way application that gives you the option of preventing your Mac from going to sleep. Residing in the menu bar – caffeine is always there when you need it.
Paparazzi is a small utility that allows you to generate full-page screenshots of a certain webpage. This app can prove to be very useful for web designers in need of large screenshots.
Burn offers amazingly simple yet powerful disk burning for your Mac. Features include automatic converting, interactive menu creation, custom icons and file permissions.
OpenOffice is a free productivity suite that gives you abilities like word processing, creating spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more!
Miro is an open-source, non profit video player that downloads torrents and podcasts, and plays videos. Designed with HD in mind, Miro is a better way to watch your videos.
Now that you’ve downloaded all of these cool apps, AppFresh helps you keep track of updates for all of your applications! osx.iusethis.com functionality as well.
Anything missed? Feel free to share via comments. Which one is your favorite free mac app?
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Nicole Dominguez is a self-taught teenage web designer, that founded SoDevious.Net, a resource for teenage bloggers and designers like herself. Check out her portfolio or follow her on Twitter, @sodevious.
Friday, January 27th, 2012 21:27
Some of my personal favs
Little Snitch (Firewall Monitor and interceptor)
Sophos (Anti-V)
TextWrangler
Carbon Copy (HD cloner)
HandBrake
DropBox
Skype
VLC
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 13:52
With havin so much written content do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright infringement? My blog has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either written myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my permission. Do you know any ways to help prevent content from being stolen? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 21:46
Good – I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs and related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, web site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task.
Friday, July 29th, 2011 17:02
Interesting website . Keep posting users
i think your blog will get more hits , ENJOY
Monday, January 24th, 2011 17:54
Thanks for the list!
I would also recommend Anxiety for remembering tasks…
Friday, October 1st, 2010 03:03
Nice list. Here are a couple more to add to the list:
- Kigo Video Converter (video converter)
- Mikogo (for setting up Webinars)
- PhoneGap (iPhone programming)
- Carbon Copy Cloner (backup)
- Mind Node (mind mapping, brainstorming)
- ISOlator (copy CD/DVD as an .iso)
- Fairmount (unencrypt DVD’s for easy drag and drop copy)
- Truecrypt (create hidden, encrypted volumes on your computer)
There are others, but these should be enough to add to the list above for those just looking for new cool apps for the Mac.
Steve
Friday, August 13th, 2010 16:46
I use ProteMac NetMine (firewall). It monitors and controls all the Internet and network activity of your computer.
http://www.protemac.com/netmine/
Monday, July 12th, 2010 12:11
mmm…thanks fo rinfo, as for me for network monitoring I like to use ProteMac NetMine (protemac.com)
Monday, July 5th, 2010 22:08
+1 for QuickSilver
Sunday, July 4th, 2010 17:55
One small application you missed is Flux! (http://www.stereopsis.com/flux/) A small program that dims the screen after the sun has gone down. No more getting blended by the screen when turning the computer on in the middle of the night.
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010 18:24
Hi, nice useful post!
Just thought i’d add one more item to your list of great mac apps.
Don’t forget to check out Agile Web Solutions “1Password”:
http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password
It’s a fantastic app that can generate strong, unique passwords for you, remember them all, and restore them – all directly in your web browser with the click of one button.
It’s saves me so much time and all i have to remember is one master password. It’s not free but so worth the money!!!
Friday, July 2nd, 2010 21:25
Great list!
You should mention Dropbox.
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 20:52
There are browser plugins for both Firefox and Chrome that will take full page screenshots (and other options) right from the browser. No need for a separate application that takes up more space and memory.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1146/
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 17:46
Quicksilver is a must. I can’t remember who said it, but “Every Mac is broken without Quicksilver.”
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 05:45
Sound like it is lots of thing to install once I got my Mac :lol: Miro is one great entertainment.
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 00:58
Thank you for the awesome list. I have learned about 2 new apps I have never heard of before!
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 00:18
Lovely list, thanks!
There are, of course, hundreds of other great apps for free, but here are a couple of my favourites that I couldn’t live without.
Tweetie (Twitter Client)
Notational Velocity (Note-taking App)
NetNewsWire (RSS Reader)
If you’re on the look out for new apps, Bodega is a free app which showcases lots of apps for you to browse and check out what you want. Definitely worth trying.
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Conor O'Driscoll
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 00:18
Lovely list, thanks!
There are, of course, hundreds of other great apps for free, but here are a couple of my favourites that I couldn’t live without.
Tweetie (Twitter Client)
Notational Velocity (Note-taking App)
NetNewsWire (RSS Reader)
If you’re on the look out for new apps, Bodega is a free app which showcases lots of apps for you to browse and check out what you want. Definitely worth trying.
Hanne
Sunday, July 4th, 2010 17:55
One small application you missed is Flux! (http://www.stereopsis.com/flux/) A small program that dims the screen after the sun has gone down. No more getting blended by the screen when turning the computer on in the middle of the night.
kaeinux
Monday, July 5th, 2010 02:46
thanks for the list, great help!!
H.
Friday, July 2nd, 2010 21:25
Great list!
You should mention Dropbox.
jay
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 20:52
There are browser plugins for both Firefox and Chrome that will take full page screenshots (and other options) right from the browser. No need for a separate application that takes up more space and memory.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1146/
David Parsons
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 00:58
Thank you for the awesome list. I have learned about 2 new apps I have never heard of before!
wong
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 05:45
Sound like it is lots of thing to install once I got my Mac :lol: Miro is one great entertainment.
Adam Bushman
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 17:46
Quicksilver is a must. I can’t remember who said it, but “Every Mac is broken without Quicksilver.”
Rénald Casagraude
Monday, July 5th, 2010 22:08
+1 for QuickSilver
dli
Monday, July 12th, 2010 12:11
mmm…thanks fo rinfo, as for me for network monitoring I like to use ProteMac NetMine (protemac.com)
Brendon
Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 21:46
Good – I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs and related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, web site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task.
Todd
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 13:52
With havin so much written content do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright infringement? My blog has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either written myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my permission. Do you know any ways to help prevent content from being stolen? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
korax
Friday, January 27th, 2012 21:27
Some of my personal favs
Little Snitch (Firewall Monitor and interceptor)
Sophos (Anti-V)
TextWrangler
Carbon Copy (HD cloner)
HandBrake
DropBox
Skype
VLC
Natasha Williston
Friday, July 29th, 2011 17:02
Interesting website . Keep posting users
i think your blog will get more hits , ENJOY
BiiPiiGii
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011 11:31
You’re Missing:
-HandBrake
-XLD
-MacTheRipper
Nina
Friday, August 13th, 2010 16:46
I use ProteMac NetMine (firewall). It monitors and controls all the Internet and network activity of your computer.
http://www.protemac.com/netmine/
Steve
Friday, October 1st, 2010 03:03
Nice list. Here are a couple more to add to the list:
- Kigo Video Converter (video converter)
- Mikogo (for setting up Webinars)
- PhoneGap (iPhone programming)
- Carbon Copy Cloner (backup)
- Mind Node (mind mapping, brainstorming)
- ISOlator (copy CD/DVD as an .iso)
- Fairmount (unencrypt DVD’s for easy drag and drop copy)
- Truecrypt (create hidden, encrypted volumes on your computer)
There are others, but these should be enough to add to the list above for those just looking for new cool apps for the Mac.
Steve
David
Monday, January 24th, 2011 17:54
Thanks for the list!
I would also recommend Anxiety for remembering tasks…
sheena
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010 18:24
Hi, nice useful post!
Just thought i’d add one more item to your list of great mac apps.
Don’t forget to check out Agile Web Solutions “1Password”:
http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password
It’s a fantastic app that can generate strong, unique passwords for you, remember them all, and restore them – all directly in your web browser with the click of one button.
It’s saves me so much time and all i have to remember is one master password. It’s not free but so worth the money!!!