Roxio Toast titanium is what DVD burning is all about

Roxio Toast of Mac is like the Nero of Windows. This application comes with it and allows you to edit, copy, burn and share your videos, movies, photos, music and data files on CD, DVD or Blu-ray Disc at the click of a button. This nifty program gives you the flexibility to work with a variety of media formats that other programs just want do and does it with lightning fast pace.

Features of Roxio Toast include:

Convert your video

Convert your EyeTV recordings, DVD-Video, and many other formats for viewing on your iPod, Apple TV™, or other mobile device.

NEW! Expand your music library

Automatically capture streaming music, add title, artist and album info, then send as MP3 tracks to your iTunes® library.

Digitize LPs and tapes

Easily digitize and restore your LPs and tapes without the pops, clicks and hisses. Then, burn to CD or automatically send to iTunes as MP3, AAC or Apple® Lossless tracks.

Your video, anywhere

Watch shows and movies captured on your EyeTV tuner or other sources streamed to your iPhone or iPod Touch. Toast will even notify you by email when new shows are ready for streaming.

HD video on standard DVDs

Easily import video from your AVCHD camcorder or other HD sources and create high-def DVD discs** for playback on Blu-ray Disc players, including the PlayStation® 3 with the optional High-Def/Blu-ray Disc Plug-In

NEW! Audiobook CDs on your iPod

Easily convert audiobook CDs complete with individual chapters for easy playback on iPod, iPhone and other portable players.


There is also a pro version which has been released added a various array of features taking Roxio toast to the next level of media management 

This application should be a high priority when purchasing your mac and is defiantly recommended to any one that feels the need to backup and experience the amazing capabilities that Roxio Toast 10 has to offer

Parallels 5 makes Windows OS intergration with Mac a Piece of Cake

Parallels 5 is one of if not the leading application that allows you to run a windows operating system(OS) such as windows 7 or XP on your mac with seamless integration. This is an application that not only lets Mac users to try out some of the features that come with Microsoft software, but also allow for windows users migrating to a Mac to continue using the Windows OS.


Features include:

• Run Windows 7 with Aero
• Enjoy Snow Leopard
• Use 1000s of Windows applications
• easily transfer Windows or Linux files to Mac

• Share files between Mac and Windows
• Use Windows apps like Mac apps
• Connect your favorite USB devices
• Parallels supports apple multi-touch gestures

• DirectX 9.0c/9Ex with Shader Model 3
• All the security you need for Windows
• No compromise on performance or speed
• the ability to play Windows base games straight on a Mac running Parallels

 These are some of the amazing features present in this application and there are many more that allow for a simplicity of Windows and Mac OS systems.

Any one who uses bootcamp on there mac i would truly reconsider as Parallels takes just seconds to access Windows software and files making it both efficient and an effective way of enjoying the many wonders that Microsoft has to offer.

So take it from some one who has experienced this application first hand and purchase or try out Parallels 5 for yourself you will not be dissappointed with the results that it provides to you So spread the word to any new Mac users that find it abit hard at getting used of a Mac as Windows can provide a strong mix of creativity with fun.

MacSpeech dictate makes everything easy

Those of you that haven't heard of Macspeech Dictate will certainly what to know of the amazing capabilities of this very easy to use voice recognition system powered by dragon dictate. It is as simple as speaking into a headset which picks up your voice then transmits it to you Mac computer and with no real training needed prioor to purchasing it and you can start as soon as you open the box and install. You will be guided through phase training which allows your Mac to pick up your voice so when ever you say a command your Macspeech Will recognize that word or phrase easier .

Some of these Features include:

• No need for a keyboard or a mouse navigate through you Mac with speech

• It is compatiable with other applications such as Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, QuarkXPress, and more.
• Macspeech is also capatiable Apple’s applications as well, including iChat, Mail, iPhoto, and Keynote, among others.
• you can enter a spelling mode which allows you to easily spell words, names, and acronyms with either natural language or the International Radio Alphabet. 

Macspeech currently comes in four versions all possessing there own unique features such as medical, legal, international and standard editions.

Certain Features found on certain software packages include:


MacSpeech Dictate

provides a whole new way to interact with your Mac. Instead of typing, use your voice to input text; rather than clicking your mouse, just speak commands. With MacSpeech Dictate, it's easy.

MacSpeech Dictate International

provides a whole new way to interact with your Mac. Instead of typing, use your voice to input text; rather than clicking your mouse, just speak commands. With MacSpeech Dictate International, it’s easy. Plus, MacSpeech Dictate International supports and fully understands four different languages: English, French, German, and Italian.

MacSpeech Dictate Medical

provides a whole new way to interact with your Mac. Instead of typing, use your voice to input text. With MacSpeech Dictate Medical, it’s easy. Plus, MacSpeech Dictate Medical supports and fully understands more than 54 medical and dental disciplines and specialties and includes MacSpeech Scribe Medical for transcribing recorded dictation.

Macspeech Dictate Legal

MacSpeech Dictate Legal provides a whole new way to interact with your Mac. Instead of typing, use your voice to input text. With MacSpeech Dictate Legal, it’s easy. Plus, MacSpeech Dictate Legal supports and fully understands an extensive vocabulary of legal words and terms and includes MacSpeech Scribe Legal for transcribing recorded dictation.

Any MultiMedia,Any Time with VLC Media Player

VLC media player is an open source application that has everything you need to play any form of codec that is on offer.

This media player fills all your needs. It can handle DVDs, (S)VCDs, Audio CDs, web streams, TV cards and much more.

You don't need to keep track of a dozen codec packs you need to have installed. VLC has all codecs built-in. It comes with support for nearly all codec there is.

And what is more it can even play back the file or media if it is damaged! Missing or broken pieces are no stop to VLC, it plays all the video and audio information that's still intact.

The features that I find are particularly interesting include:

• You can change certain preferences which enhance you viewing experience
• The ability to change the skin to suite to your computer theme
• I have not found a movie codec yet that hasn't been abe to play on VLC media player.

I find it a much better application the Mac QuickTime player which needs to have various plug ins added. For example windows media player files need to have a plug in installed called flip for Mac. This application does it all and is a  must for all Mac users.
To find out more the Link to the Website is http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Want to See how your Mac is performing, iStat Menus is the answer

iStat Menus made by Bjango is one very amazing app that is bursting with features allowing you to extensively monitor your Macintosh computer. Placing tabs on menu bar gives you the control you have always been looking for, For example giving you the ability to see how much network connection you are getting or the amount of charge, cycles and capacity(mAh) that is on your Mac.

The features of iStat menus include:

CPU

Realtime CPU graphs and a list of the top 5 CPU resource hogs. CPU usage can be tracked by individual cores or with all cores combined, to save menubar space.

Network

A realtime graph to keep on top of what’s being sent and received for all network connections.

Date & Time

A highly configurable date, time and calendar for your menubar, including fuzzy clock and moon phase. A world clock with sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset times for over 20,000 cities. It’s one of the most powerful replacements for Apple’s date and time menu available.

Disk Usage

See used or free space for multiple disks in your menubar. More detail for all your disks is only a click away.

Disk Activity

Detailed disk I/O in your menubar, displayed as a graph, a variety of different read and write indicators, or both.

Sensors

Realtime listings of the sensors in your Mac, including temperatures, hard drive temperatures (where supported), fans, voltages, current and power. Fan speeds can be controlled, with different rules when on battery power, if you’d like.

Battery

Detailed info on your battery’s current state and a highly configurable menu item that can change if you’re draining, charging, or completely charged.

Memory

Memory stats for your menubar, shown as a pie chart, graph, percentage, bar or any combination of those things. The memory dropdown menu shows a list of the top 5 memory hogs, as well as other useful info.

Complete control

Each menu extra comes with many different display modes, customizable colours, font sizes and widths.

I find that iStat Menus really does help me get easier access to computer performance and with the spectacularly detailed content and cheap price of $16 why wouldn't you try it out. I definatly recommend this to any Mac user who wants to see there computer running at it optimal capabilities.
Available on Iphone, Ipad and Mac

Think Finder is lacking on a few features get PathFinder 5

PathFinder 5 is by far one of the best applications invented for the Macintosh. It broadens the features that Finder has on offer with productivity of it's file browsing and management of applications that truly sets it apart from it predecessor(Finder).

The features that this app has distinguishing it from the finder include:

Dual Pane File Browser

View the contents of two folders or volumes side-by-side in one window.

Drop Stack

Freeze drag & drop operations by placing files into a temporary stack.

Tabs & Bookmarks

Use the best features of a web browser in your file browser.

File List Sorting & Filtering

Sort by folders first, or limit a list of files by name or extension

Command Line tools

Path Finder puts a terminal right in your file browser, and provides a graphical interface to some popular UNIX utilities.

Above features taken from website.

Also Pathfinder has some more minor features that I personally find excellent which include:

• Copy/Move to folder which means no need to click and drag navigating though Finder which takes time as now you can send a file or folder straight in your desired destination.
• A larger variety of toolbar customizations allowing things like secure delete, a print tab and the ability to duplicate files.
• The ability to become less reliant on Finder by changing certain settings helping you to almost completely forget that it was ever their.

If you don't understand anything in this post leave a question or one better go to the cocoatech website and try it before you buy you will not be let down trust me.

Clean your Mac the right way

Clean My Mac designed by the Mac-paw team are well know for two apps Mac hider and the more popular app CleanMyMac which has proven it self as a utility to be reckon with.

CleanMyMac 2 is the future of cleaning utility's and although I don't now the exact feature set that is going to be placed into the app, I can however tell you that it has been redesigned with the latest technology. One feature that will be available as stated on their website is the ability to allow users to use third party plug-ins and open architecture allows developers to write customer plug ins.

In CleanMyMac 1 the following features that could be revamped in 2 could be:

• clean caches
• clean Logs
• clean universal binaries
• clean Language files
• clean system Junk
• clean Trashes and leftovers
• uninstall applications
•  quick erase of files
• manage extenstions

Once the software has been released I will update this post and inform everyone who reads this blog and add changes aswell as what I Recommend the software on usability

Bring on Microsoft office 2011

The Microsoft office of 2008 is soon to be replaced with an updated version being Microsoft office 2011. This exciting new software comes jam packed with a whole range of features expanding the ability to create lavish documents, captivating power-point presentations, send enhanced email and make elaborate spreadsheets.

 The features for each of the applications are:

Word

The main features that have been added to the 2011 edition of word include:

• Access your files anywhere
• work in full screen
• collaborate in real time
• visual styles guides
• create beautiful publications
• manage layers easily 

The feature that I personally believe is most important is the ribbon that was added to office 2007 for PC. This allows easy navigation and control the creation of documents presenting smaller features like clear formatting, better layout of panels and the overall customization of the toolbar to suite to your personal needs.

PowerPoint

 The main features that have been added to the 2011 edition of PowerPoint include:

• Access your files anywhere
• co-authoring
• retouch your photos
• perfect your presentation
• broadcast your slides
• manage layers easily

The large amount of improvements has given PowerPoint a face lift never to be forgotten also including the ribbon like in the other office apps it allows improved productivity and there is opportunity to dazzle any one with the presentation created from this software.

Excel 

 The main features that have been added to the 2011 edition of excel include:

• Access your files anywhere
• Display data visually with conditionsl formatting
• manage your data
• summarize your data
• Spot trends with sparklines
• automate with visual basic

The simplicity that is provided while using excel is incredible and precise data entry and creation of spreadsheets. There is a vast amount of templates which can be used to manage business finances, personal finances and a vast range of templates available online.

Outlook

 The main features that have been added to the 2011 edition of outlook include:

•  use one inbox for multiple accounts
• import outlook.pst files when you set up with your new mac
• seamless mac intergration
• manage your schedule
• view calendar in e-mail
• condense long e-mail threads under a single subject

Outlook has replaced entourage which was in office 2008, this powerful email creation app can add a fantastic user experience allowing for the scheduling of your day,week or even month with simplicity. You can quickly organise your emails into certain categories and under smart folders which abide by the criteria of the folder settings.


The beta version has been leaked out onto torrent websites and has shown a spectacular amount of promise. I highly recommend any mac user using office 2008 to upgrade and enjoy the new features built in.

As for the final release date sometime towards the end of 2010 but I can't give an exact date.

The time for Rhino OSX is upon us

Currently the design software know as rhinoceros which has been available for Windows users. How ever, now there has been new development on a mac version know as Rhino OSX which will be released some time after the new rhinoceros(and also in development) software for Windows OS. Their is a free lite version out so far, which requires your email address with which you can test out.


For the people that don't really know what rhinoceros is, it is application which is used to design in-depth and accurate products/ anything. This software provides the tools to accurately model and document your designs ready for rendering, animation, drafting, engineering, analysis, and manufacturing or construction.

This software is also accompanied by some rather nifty plug-ins allowing for additional rendering and can provide an enhanced final product.The software it self is packed full of features and comes at a very reasonable price.

 I defiantly recommend it to anyone who likes to design for any purposes, but particularly for any one in the metal or construction business, which can provide an easier bases for product creation.

 Much of the interface is set to be revamped to allow a seamless integration with the theme of the Mac OS X. things such as the mouse and keyboard are all designed to suite the basic functions of the Mac. The ability to customize the tool bar and a floating toolbar palettes for easy access to important buttons.

Once this application is released as beta testing I will provide feedback of how it performs in a second post, but for now keep your eyes out for this one as it sure to take the designing industry by storm.