Flash
Download
Free Omni
OmniDiskSweeper
OmniObjectMeter
OmniDazzle
OmniWeb.
I’ve used DiskSweeper before for rooting out why my hard disk had no space left.
Had OmniWeb been set free before Safari 4 launched I’m sure I would be using it now. It’s always seemed ahead of most browsers, but the price put me off when you could use Safari or Firefox for nada.
I’ll download it of course, but I’m not sure my head can cope with two new browsers in one day.
Safari 4
I’ve only had a quick play around but so far I like the tabs at the top giving a little more screen space and top sites, but it may take some getting used to. I think they need an easier way of adding sites to it unless I’m missing something?
I’m unsure how useful Cover Flow is going to be in Safari, but maybe it has finally found a use? I can’t say I use Cover Flow in anything else, it’s always been something you wow at then never use.
Windows users should be please that it’s now more a native app.
MacWorld US has a good review and Ars.
You can download Safari 4 here.
Mad Men
Function Flip
Function Flip is a Preference Pane
(i.e. it appears in System Preferences) which can
turn those special function keys back into normal F
keys one by one.
Long version:
When I first got my new MacBook, there were certain F
keys I had been using for other things; F8 for Spaces,
F5 for CoverSutra etc., which on the
MacBook keyboard now have special functions.
F1 = Lower Brightness
F2 = Increase Brightness
F3 = Exposé
...
F5 = Lower Keyboard backlight
F8 = Play/Pause
and so on...
These are their default functions. You can however flip
their functions the other way around by going to:
System Preferences>Keyboard & Mouse and ticking
the box “Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard
function keys”.
You then use the Special Function by holding down the
fn key.
So, for example, to turn the volume up you would hold
down fn then F12. Slightly inconvenient, but it still
allowed me to use my own F keys. I was used to Exposé
using F9, 10 and 11.
Function Flip solves this problem of having to decide
between one or the other, allowing you to flip
individual F keys.
So now I can use the brightness keys etc., as well as
assigning some of the Special F keys I don’t
really use to other functions. I rarely use the
Backlight keyboard Special function keys, so now use F5
for Spaces, and F6 for CoverSutra.
Also, although I had been using F9 & F11 for
Exposé, those functions can be done using the
Multitouch trackpad, allowing me to use the volume up
& down keys as intended. I did change the standard
Exposé key F3 to show Application Windows, instead of
all windows. Perfect.
Hopefully all that won’t have been too confusing,
it’s definitely worth installing and is probably
explained a lot better on the developers site.
Ah, there is one other thing: To make it work, you must
go to System Preferences>Universal access and tick,
“Enable access for assistive
devices”.
British Dictionary
I finally looked up how to stop it (without right-clicking on each word and having the Mac learn it).
If you’re British too and want to banish those red underlines. Here’s what to do:
Open System Preferences and select International.
Click on Edit List...
From the drop down window tick British English and
press OK. Make sure: Order for Sorted Lists, is set to
English.
Log out or restart and you’re done.
Update: A much quicker way comes from Christopher Phin
of MacFormat:
“...an easier way to
switch to British English is
to right-click on any word, choose Spelling and Grammar
> Show Spelling and Grammar and then switch from
'English' to 'British English'. Hardly obvious, but an
essential tweak for a new Mac!”
I
don’t think I’d’ve ever found that
one. Thanks to him.
Friendface
friendface from gleden on Vimeo.
If the video isn’t showing, you can see it here.
Where is he?
Daring Fireball
Infinite Loop
MacWorld UK
Cult of Mac
Between those you should be able to stay up-to-date.