Best Tiny Mac Apps, and LiteSwitch X

A bunch of people on Twitter compiled this fairly good list of “must-have” tiny Mac apps:

1Password - Password keeper, generator and form filler. USD$29.95

Adium - IM client for AIM, MSN, Jabber, Yahoo, and more. Freeware.

AppZapper - The uninstaller Apple forgot. USD$12.95

Butler - “The Original Many-Tricks Pony.” Donationware.

Camino - Alternative web browser. Freeware.

Coda - Web development app. USD$69

Colloquy - IRC, SILC & ICB client. USD$15 Donationware.

Default Folder X - Open and Save dialog enhancer. USD$34.95

EagleFiler - Archive and search mail, Web pages, PDFs, chats, and more. USD$40

ecto - Blogging client. USD$17.95

Firefox - Alternative web browser. Freeware.

FruitMenu - Apple menu and contextual menu customizer. USD$10

Handbrake - DVD to MPEG-4 converter. Freeware.

Hazel - Housekeeper for the Finder. USD$21.95

iPulse - All encompassing system gauge in a single “window.” USD$12.95

Journler - Idea keeper and organizer with iLife integration and blogging support. USD$10 Donationware.

Linkinus - IRC client. USD$20

LiteSwitch X - Keyboard application launcher. USD$14.95

MailPlane - GMail desktop client. USD$24.95 (USD$19.95 until Dec. 31, 2007)

MarsEdit - Blog publishing desktop client. USD$29.95

MenuMeters - CPU, memory, disk, and network monitoring tools in your Menu bar. Donationware.

Money - Personal accounting app. USD$39

NetNewsWire - RSS reader and browser. USD$29.95

Paparazzi! - Web page screenshot utility. Donationware.

Quicksilver - A unified, extensible interface for working with applications, contacts, music, and other data. Freeware.

Skitch - Screen shooting, annotation and sharing app. Currently in an invitation-only private beta.

Snapz Pro X - Full motion screen capture application. USD$29 for image capture only. USD$69 for video screen capture.

SOHO Notes - Digital note-taking application (successor to StickyBrain). USD$39.99

Soulver - Notepad for the mathematically inclined. USD$17.95

SpamSieve - Bayesian spam filtering add-on for almost every Mac email client there is. USD$30.

SuperDuper! - Bootable backup and recovery utility. USD$27.95 (Free with fewer features)

svnX - GUI for most features of the Subversion client binary. Freeware.

Synergy - Menu bar controls for iTunes. See site for licensing costs.

TaskPaper - To-do list app. USD$18.95

TextExpander - Keystroke automator. USD$29.95

Transmit - FTP client. USD$29.95

TypeIt4Me - Keystroke automator. USD$27

Vienna - RSS reader. Freeware.

Vim - GUI editor. Freeware.

VisualHub - Video conversion tool for apple tv, iPhone, DVD, iPod, PSP, Tivo, AVI, WMV, FLV, etc. USD$23.32

VoodooPad - Wiki-based note pad. USD$29.95 (Lite and Pro versions also available)

WebnoteHappy - Bookmark manager with note taking and del.icio.us support. USD$29.95 (Freeware version also available)

Xee - Image viewer. Freeware.

xScope - On-screen tools for graphic designers. USD$14.95

Yojimbo - Information organizer. USD$39

All these are great and many I use but one especially is an unsung hero for me. That being LiteSwitch X. LiteSwitch X takes over the Command-Tab function and adds a lot more than what is built-in by default. It’s features include; drag and drop functionality, Get Info, Show in Finder, Hide/Show, Switch & Hide Others, Relaunch, Quit, Force Quit and more. You can get it here for $14.95.

There is another alternative that I am aware of: Witch. Witch is free and probably has more features however because Leopard can’t use PullTab (a hack that allowed Witch to take over Command-Tab) Witch can not take over Command-Tab and has to be something else (such as Option-Tab).

[Via: MacMerc]