The end of another week at the office is in sight!
We got some really nice picks to make your weekend feel closer. Here we’ll talk about the new Dropbox menubar functionality, a sneak peak of upcoming version of Pixelmator and, best of all, the long waited release of Alfred v2!
News from the World of Apps
Alfred v2 is Here!
After months of waiting, the latest version of Alfred — our favorite app launcher and all-around productivity tool — has finally been released today! Alfred 2 brings all-new Workflows that can let you do more than ever with Alfred, along with redesigned settings and appearance tools. The whole app has actually been rewritten in this upgrade, making it faster than ever. If you bought a Mega Supporter powerpack upgrade to try out the betas, you should have already received the new key in your email. Otherwise, check their site for more upgrade info, and check back here in a bit for our full review of the upgrade.
Alfred 2′s Workflows
New version of MoneyWiz is out with more than 50 new features
You may not have a lot of money, but everybody has some (at least I hope so). And no matter how much you have, financial management may improve drastically the way to check your finances and control your spendings sprees. MoneyWiz decided to go one step forward and its new version brings more than 50 new features. It’s so much that you better check our review on MoneyWiz.
GRID for Mac gained a release date: March 28th
Mark your calendar: March 28 is the day you won’t get any work done. The BAFTA award-winning racing game GRID strikes the Mac. The game supports LAN and online multiplayer modes and comes with 2 additional packs to offer more options of cars, events and tracks. It describes itself as “the sweet spot between sim realism and full-on arcade racing”.
Discover the new Dropbox menu on your computer
Now you finally have a reason to unhide the Dropbox menubar icon from Bartender. The update improves the functionality of the menubar icon, allowing you to follow files shared to you, modified and recently changed items. Sharing has been made much easier. It’s a pleasant update, tailored specially for people who use Dropbox as an essential work tool.
Dropbox brings a whole new functionality to its Mac app.
Native Instruments announces Komplete 9 Ultimate.
This application may not ring any bell unless you work with sound, however, to anyone willing to take a shot at the music industry or as a sound designer, this is worth taking a look. The regular version contains 33 products and over 120gb of sound, while the Ultimate version packs 65 products and 370gb of sound. A great tool for anyone who works with production, sound design or live performance.
Propellerhead releases Reason 7
It seems to be a prolific week for the sound specialists. Reason 7 comes with several new features to make music production easier. It has focused on improvements for the mixer, the rack and the sequencer. It comes with better instruments’ integration, a spectrum analyzer with visual EQ controls, a sound back with plenty of loops and drum kits and furthermore.
Sneak Peak at Pixelmator 2.2 Blueberry
Ok, we’re done talking about sound, so let’s chat about design. The well known Pixelmator released a preview of a new upcoming feature in its 2.2 Blueberry version. In a video, it shows how the Convert Text to Shape option will work, allowing you to do some fancy stuff with your writings. But the best news is that the update will be a free update via the Mac App Store, so if you already own the application, there’s nothing to worry about.
The upcoming version of Pixelmator is already making us salivate.
MacBook Pro Retina has the best battery when compared with the competition
In a search for the best Windows 8 laptop, considering battery life, the Apple product has beaten them all when it comes to browsing the web or watching videos stored in your hard drive. Still, keep in mind that if we relate price with battery life, some Windows 8 and Chrome OS options stand a chance.
Retina MacBook Pro succumbs to fan speed issue
But still, it’s not all sunny at Apple land. Owners of the early 2013 Retina MacBook Pro have reported an issue with the laptop’s fan speed. According to first reports, the fan will ramp up its speed to detrimental levels, as you can hear in this video. They also suggest that the issue is caused by the change of SSD from a Samsung to a Sandisk, causing an incompability. If you’re having this problem, check the official thread of take your MacBook to an Apple Store.
The Best App Deals for Your Mac
Radium 3 $19.99 -> $6.99
Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition $19.99 (NEW)
Kickoff – Chat and Tasks for Teams $27.99 (NEW – see our review of the beta)
Kickoff is a new application to make it easier to work within teams.
The Cave $14.99 -> $6.99
Rochard $9.99 -> $2.99
TuneSpan $14.99 -> $3.99
The PickABundle Bundle – $49 (check our review for this offer.)
Pick only the apps you want and save a lot of money in great apps.
Bundleecious Bundle (5 apps plus 3 months of Backblaze online backup) – $9.99
The Humble Bundle with Android 5 (6 cross-platform games) – Pay what you want
Pick 5 Classic Games from GOG. Save 80% – $10 to $14 (considering only the games available for Mac)
MacUpdate March 2013 Bundle (10 apps, including Parallels Desktop, DevonThink Pro, Prizmo, Motion Composer, and more) – $49.99
MacLegion Spring Bundle 2013 (10 apps – including Roxio Toast and LaunchBar – plus Trickster for the first 5000 purchases) – $49.99
Interesting Links
MacDock: The Minimal Dock for MacBook Pro Retina
The History of the Brushed Metal
A Beginner Guide to the Ports on your Mac
Steve Jobs to be manga hero in official Japaese comic series
Only 16% users will try a buggy app more than twice.
Did We Miss Anything?
That’s all of the news, deals, and interesting links for this week, but if there’s anything you think we missed, be sure to let us know in the comments below. Otherwise, check back next Thursday for more Mac news, deals, and more!