Doug McLean
Doug McLean holds the position of Staff Writer at TidBITS, before which he did testing for the New York Times Web site and oversaw Mac support at the Montserrat College of Art. Doug has an art degree from Cornell University and remains a working artist.
Notable software releases so far this week include BBEdit 9.1, SOHO Labels 4.0, DiscLabel 5.4.1, Sandvox 1.5.3, Keyboard Maestro 3.5, and PowerMail 6.0.
Frequent App Store visitors will notice that Apple has recently reorganized things a bit. The main change is the addition of Top Free App and Top Paid App lists for every available category in the store.
Looking for an easy way to manage your to-do list? Google has recently released Tasks, a simplified task list manager that works with Gmail.
Microsoft has released yet another set of updates to Office 2008 and 2004, this time fixing two important security issues, improving general Office stability, and addressing a number of bugs.
Are you a fan of Google Earth but bemoan its sluggish launch speed? Mac users can now access Google Earth directly from their Web browser with the Google Earth Browser Plugin.
User discussion forums have been abuzz about grey lines that muddy the crispness of the displays of the recently updated MacBook Air. Here's a quick look at the issue, and what Apple appears to be doing about it.
Yet another reason Firefox 2.0 users should update to version 3.0: At Google's request, Mozilla will remove anti-phishing protection from the forthcoming Firefox 2.0.0.19, the final update to that version, due later this month.
Ever find yourself distracted by your own Mac, with windows from your Web browser or sounds generated by incoming mail preventing you from getting down to your real work? Doug McLean set out to find some programs that can help you focus on what's important.
Notable software releases this week include BusySync 2.1.9, Bento 2.0v3, and QuickTime 7.5.7.
Google has officially announced support for the CalDAV protocol, which enables users to sync events from Apple's iCal with Google Calendar. Google also rolled out Calaboration, a setup program for iCal.
Important breaking news: The Simpsons get an Apple Store.
Read on for a handy list of Macintosh-related sales for the Black Friday/Cyber Monday shop-a-thon.
Notable software releases since our last issue of TidBITS include HandBrake 0.9.3, MacSpeech Dictate 1.2.1, Freeway 5.3, Default Folder X 4.1, Adobe Camera Raw 5.2, Safari 3.2.1, DiscLabel 5.4, iTunes 8.0.2, Apple's Pro Apps Updates 2008-004, PopChar X 4.1.1, KeyCue 4.3, OmniFocus 1.5, The Missing Sync for Windows Mobile 4.0.4, Daylite 3.8, AccountEdge 2009, Yum 3.0, Apple's Compatibility Update for QuickTime 7.5.5, and Apple's MacBook/MacBook Pro Trackpad Firmware Update 1.0.
Google has announced it will distribute their newest product, SearchWiki, to a select group of users. While SearchWiki provides several ways to customize your search results, its benefits are unclear.
Notable software releases so far this week include Firefox 3.0.4, Coda 1.6, PDFpen 4.0.2, iLife Support 8.3.1, and NeoOffice 2.2.5 Patch 3.