Jan 18, 2011
Posted by angie in Mac App Reviews, Mac App Store | 1 comment
Green pigs, always laughing at me. Always taunting me. They hide in their crudely-fashioned yet surprisingly sturdy structures thinking they have outsmarted me. Laughing.
But, with a variety of fowl weaponry at my disposal, I will eradicate these evil pigs and defend the bird’s nests.
I know this isn’t new, but I think the first step is admitting I have a problem. Hi, I’m Angie. I can’t stop playing Angry Birds. Two apps on my phone and one on my computer – it’s a real problem. But do I want help?
Only from the occasional walk through video when I’m hopelessly stuck.
This is just a quick note to say, if you like the iphone app, it’s definitely worth checking out the desktop version for Mac. It’s especially fun on my big external monitor. Giant birds, giant pigs. Giant fun! I think the desktop app has the same levels as the phone version, but I really don’t care. I just like eliminating pigs.
There were some issues with older non-Intel Macs and the desktop apps, but I saw an update come through that said it fixed that. So get your Angry Birds on and watch your productivity hit an all-time low!
Jan 13, 2011
Posted by angie in Free Mac App, Mac App Reviews | 0 comments
My iPhone is a lot of things – I probably use the phone app less than any the others, but now it’s also a mouse? Yes but I’m already greedy…
I just installed my first app from the new Mac App Store (get it if you haven’t yet – software updates). It’s called Remote Mouse and it basically turns your phone into a wireless mouse. This is already great for a few things but I’m also already wishing for more features.
The app performs the basic functions of a mouse…left click, right click, scroll. But I find myself trying to use it like my Magic Mouse, which died an unfortunate early death and I miss it. The face of the phone makes it feel like it should work like my Magic Trackpad. I feel like it should be able to do all the gestures I can do on the trackpad, but it doesn’t. So I end up going back to my laptop trackpad.
The free version is limited to half the screen and you don’t get full keyboard, but I don’t see keyboarding much with it anyway – we all know how much fun it is to try to text from the tiny iPhone pad. So I don’t think I need to get the full version anytime soon. I was sort of hoping it would be enough of a mouse replacement that I could skip bringing mine back and forth to work, but until it does gestures that won’t work for me.
They say it’s meant for doing presentations etc., and I guess I could see that. It has a teeny tiny keyboard as well – I can’t see using that unless I have to.
I don’t know if it works on the iPad, but if it does it’d be a great app to use with a computer that’s hooked into a tv, and it would be nice as a companion to my Mac, if I had an iPad. I have my Mac Mini attached to the big screen and I control it from my laptop, but I can see how using it with the phone or iPad would be a much easier and cooler experience.
So overall I give it a thumbs up – it’s worth the price (free 
) but if I were to get the paid version I would want the gestures.
To get RemoteMouse free (obviously not an affiliate link) just click here.
Jan 11, 2011
Posted by angie in Mac OS X Applications | 0 comments
Strange days – I finally got the app store update…no idea why I didn’t install it the second I knew about it as normal but I have been sick. It’s genius. I’m now really looking forward to Lion.
They’ve essentially made installing even easier, and made it so simple for me to waste hours upon hours and dollars upon dollars installing fun new apps on my Mac. I think the App store for Macs potentially does a few great things:
- They get even more control over the Mac experience – Theoretically making everything an app puts it through another level of quality control. This market demands a certain level of UI and functionality so I don’t know if it’s necessary but it’s nice.
- It makes it much easier for new apps to make it to market. Setting aside the extra level of approval before it hits the market, it should be much easier to get the word out about new Mac apps by getting them into the store than by traditional online marketing methods. That means stronger market and better products; win!
- It makes it much easier for me to part with my dollars. Ok this is probably a downside, but if I can find apps that make my life easier, I’m all for it.
- More free software – a blessing and a curse. I know I’m going to have to watch myself installing a zillion freebies, but it’s great to have the choices.
- The last plus is obviously for Apple – they get their fingers into the sales for the apps. I don’t mind this at all though. For all the benefits developers get I think it’s worth it.
So, I look forward to being able to one-click install all my applications in the future. I wasn’t that excited about Lion because I don’t have an iPad, but now I think bring it on! Look forward to a flock of reviews as I start getting freebie apps by the dozen now I’m sure
If you haven’t updated to get the App Store, know that it will take a few minutes to complete (I actually thought my computer was stuck a few times so be patient), but just go to Software Update and your update should appear just as magically as do all things Mac.
Jan 8, 2011
Posted by angie in Just Stuff I Find Funny | 0 comments
Looks like denim but feels like PJs! Ok I know this has nothing to do with Macs or photos or anything but I had to take a moment for the wonder that is Pajama Jeans.
I have suddenly been bombarded by commercials and comments about these pj pants turned jeans – they feel like they may be the new Snuggie. That thing that everyone makes fun of but secretly wants to try out because it sounds comfortable.
I’m not sure what this says about us as a culture – aren’t jeans comfortable enough? I mean I wear jeans every day, so I’m not someone who’s sitting here in a suit looking down my nose at comfort clothes. But they’re essentially tight pajama pants right?
If you’re going to run around on pajama pants, I say own it. Wear bright red yoga pants with puppies and dog bones all over them. Wear pink flannel bottoms crawling with bunnies. Don’t be ashamed of running around in your pajamas if you’re going to wear them.
Though I personally wouldn’t walk out the door in my plaid pink yoga bottoms, I also wouldn’t be caught out and about in these tightly-fitting, booty hugging denim pajamas. And I don’t buy that they’re flattering for every figure – I’m pretty positive no one would like to see my butt in these babies.
I don’t think you’ll be fooling anyone if you do decide to peel these spandex pjs on, so I say save yourself the $40 and get a truly comfortable pair of pjs to hit the town in instead.
Jan 6, 2011
Posted by angie in Mac OS X Applications, Mac Tricks & How To's, Uncategorized | 0 comments
Ok I know that some of you Windows to Mac converts remember Snag It – it’s an easy, easy, easy way to do screen capture and light image editing.
I know guys, command-option-3 and 4…yes, they totally work and yes I still use them sometimes. And yes I know they’re free and Snag it is not. But here’s why it’s worth it for me…
Scrolling window capture. Oh yes, that’s what I said. Now, I really, really wish this worked in browsers other than Firefox (please please makers of Snag It – I use Chrome!) but you can capture an entire browser page in Firefox in an image by just clicking the arrow at the bottom of the browser window.
Why is this useful? Well for me, it’s a really easy way to note corrections to site content, design changes on web pages, and show bugs that may be browser or OS specific that our tech guys can’t see.
Snag It is also a really quick and easy way to get images ready for documents, whether I captured them with it or not. You can open images and quickly add effects, resize, and add text to them. I know Photoshop/Illustrator snobs, you can do that with Adobe. But I promise you can’t do the easy things nearly as quickly.
So long story short, Snag It saves me tons of time and effort – give it a shot. There’s a free trial and it’s only $50. If it saves you an hour you’ve paid for it right?
