Do you want more from Mac OS X Finder? Try Moom
Multitasking makes it easier and faster than ever to get things done, but if you have a large number of programs running or have a number of Finder windows that you need to work with, it can be a chore to navigate between them. Mac OS X includes various options that help to make it easier to switch between programs and windows, but they are not perfect -- and the situation is made worse if you have more than one monitor and therefore more desktop space to work with. Window management tool Moom can help, providing a quick and neatly integrated way to move and resize windows as and when required.
The app integrates into OS X, such that the maximize button appearing at the top of any program or window can be used to shift the current item to one of a number of predefined positions. By default there are a number of standard sizes and positions to choose from, such as a half-size window to the left or right of the screen, or switching to full screen mode.
JumpPad brings Mac OS X Lion's Launchpad to Windows
It seems as though the attention of the tech world has been focused solely on the activities of Apple this what -- what with Monday's Worldwide Developer Conference keynote, which feature iCloud, iOS 5 and Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. The Launchpad feature of OS X Lion is something that Mac users have been looking forward to and Windows users have eyed somewhat jealously. Now, using JumpPad 2, you can enjoy the same ease of program launching in Windows.
The program is particularly useful if you have a large number of programs installed, as it avoids the need to work your way through an unwieldy Start Menu or struggle to locate the icon you are looking for on an overcrowded desktop. A customizable list of program shortcuts can be accessed by moving the mouse to one of the corners of the screen. You can choose any of the four corners, so JumpPad can be used in conjunction with other apps that are hotspot activated.
Tweet, Tweet: Twitter Address Bar Search for Firefox
The growth of Twitter has far exceeded the expectations of many people, both in terms of scale and speed. The sheer number of users logging into the service, be it via the website or using one of the many Twitter clients that are available, is staggering. For some people this represents an unprecedented level of connectedness, but for everyone involved it means that there is a huge volume of information to work with.
There is no denying that the Twitter website makes it fairly easy to perform search. Whether you are looking for a particular person, or you want to find out more about something that other users are talking about, conducting searches for Twitter users and their tweets is far from taxing. If you are using a Twitter client, things are likely to be even easier, and the option of creating saved searches can be a real time saver.
Pinta: Paint.NET clone for Linux and Mac OS X
For fans of digital photography, there is certainly no shortage of image editing tools to choose from, but the problem is that many of them are expensive. Free editing tools do exist, but it can be hard to track down one that is not too basic. For Windows users, Paint.NET has offered a neat balance between power and ease of use, and now this option has been brought to Mac and Linux users thanks to the cross-platform Paint.NET clone Pinta.
Just like Paint.NET, Pinta is light on system resources and has been designed so it performs well even on older hardware. Unlimited leveld of undo and support for an unlimited number of layers in projects means that there is plenty of scope to get creative. As the application is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, anyone who works with different systems can continue to use the same tool no matter which computer they are using.
Thunderbird Conversations: Alpha build brings threaded views
Thunderbird is a pleasingly powerful, but often overlooked email client that comes from the same stable as Firefox. Mozilla's email client features a similar add-on system to Firefox and this means that the program can be endlessly extended and customized to suit the needs of individual users. Thunderbird Conversations is an add-on that many Gmail users will appreciate, as it brings the threaded conversation view that many people have become so used to in Thunderbird.
Working with conversation view means that it is much easier to follow the flow of an email exchange without the need to jump back and forth between individual emails or to perform unnecessary searches. This new viewing mode is compatible with any type of email account that can be access through Thunderbird -- it is not limited to Gmail accounts.
Do you like CCleaner for Windows? Get the Mac beta
Piriform Ltd has released a Mac version of its popular CCleaner system cleanup software. Previously only available for Windows, CCleaner for Mac is currently in beta, and therefore far from complete, but at this early stage it is already starting to show signs of promise; if the Windows version of the application is anything to go by, there should be a good deal to look forward to in the future.
The beta version of the app can clean up after OS X itself as well as a couple of popular web browsers. On the operating system front, you can free up disk space and maintain your privacy by emptying out the trash as well as clearing out the temporary folder and logs such as recent documents, applications and servers.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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