Brief Summary
This video covers 20 essential Mac apps that the host cannot live without. The apps cover a wide range of functionalities, including system customization, window management, productivity, media playback, note-taking, and more. The host provides detailed explanations and demonstrations of each app, highlighting their key features and use cases. The video aims to introduce viewers to a collection of powerful and versatile Mac apps that can significantly enhance their computing experience.
- Covers 20 essential Mac apps for customization, productivity, and more
- Provides in-depth explanations and demonstrations of each app's features
- Aims to introduce viewers to a collection of powerful and versatile Mac apps
TinkerTool
TinkerTool is a free app that allows users to access and toggle a wide range of hidden settings in macOS without the need for command-line instructions. The host demonstrates how TinkerTool can be used to customize the behavior of the Dock, such as making it instantly appear and disappear, and making hidden apps translucent in the Dock. The host also highlights other useful features, such as disabling the Time Machine backup notification and customizing the appearance settings.
CheatSheet
CheatSheet is a simple but powerful app that displays a list of keyboard shortcuts for the currently active application. The host explains that this feature is particularly useful on the Mac, where many applications have a wide range of keyboard shortcuts that are not easily discoverable.
ImgOptim
ImgOptim is a free app that can significantly reduce the file size of image files without compromising their quality. The host demonstrates how the app can strip out unnecessary data, such as comments, thumbnails, and EXIF data, resulting in substantial file size reductions, especially for PNG files.
Dropzone
Dropzone is an app that provides a designated "drop zone" where users can temporarily store files, links, or documents before taking action on them. The host showcases how Dropzone can be used to quickly move files to a specific location, open them in an app, or perform other actions, such as uploading to Imgur or downloading a YouTube video.
IINA
IINA is a media player that the host uses as a replacement for QuickTime and other third-party media players. The host highlights IINA's ability to handle a wide range of file types, its clean and intuitive interface, and its advanced features, such as native picture-in-picture and online subtitle support.
Overcast
Overcast is a podcast client that the host uses on his M1 Mac. The host praises Overcast's features, such as its "smart speed" and "voice boost" capabilities, which make it a more functional and feature-rich podcast player compared to the stock macOS app.
Alfred
Alfred is a powerful app launcher and productivity tool that the host considers the best Mac app ever made. The host demonstrates Alfred's ability to quickly perform a wide range of tasks, such as launching apps, searching the web, performing calculations, and even managing calendar events, all without leaving the current application.
Mathpix Snip
Mathpix Snip is an app that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to extract text and mathematical equations from images. The host highlights Mathpix Snip's ability to copy the extracted text and equations, as well as its integration with web search and equation solving capabilities.
Mockuuups Studio
Mockuuups Studio is an app that allows users to create mockups of their websites or products by visualizing them on various device templates. The host acknowledges that the app may be more useful for web developers and designers, but also mentions its potential for creating thumbnails for YouTube videos.
Front and Center
Front and Center is an app that allows users to customize the behavior of window management in macOS. The host explains that the app provides an alternative to the default window behavior, where all windows belonging to an application are revealed when that application is clicked.
TextSniper
TextSniper is an app that uses optical character recognition (OCR) to extract text from images, similar to the Live Text feature in macOS Monterey. The host highlights TextSniper's ability to copy the extracted text directly to the clipboard, as well as its support for various formatting options.
Magnet
Magnet is a paid app that provides Windows-style window management on the Mac, allowing users to easily resize and position windows by dragging them to the edges of the screen. The host prefers Magnet over other free alternatives due to its simplicity and the fact that it has worked reliably for him over the years.
PDF Squeezer
PDF Squeezer is an app that can significantly reduce the file size of PDF documents without compromising their quality. The host demonstrates how the app can optimize a 122MB textbook PDF, reducing its size to just 21.4MB.
HomeControl
HomeControl is an app that provides a more user-friendly interface for controlling HomeKit-enabled smart home devices, compared to the built-in Home app on macOS.
Reeder
Reeder is an RSS reader that the host uses to consume news and content from various websites without the distractions of ads and other web page elements. The host explains how RSS readers can provide a more streamlined and focused reading experience.
Bartender
Bartender is an app that allows users to customize and organize the macOS menu bar, hiding or rearranging the various icons and widgets that can clutter the top of the screen.
1Password
1Password is a password manager that the host uses to securely store and manage his login credentials, as well as other sensitive information. The host highlights 1Password's features, such as its integration with Alfred, its family sharing capabilities, and its privacy.com integration for generating disposable credit card numbers.
Fantastical
Fantastical is a calendar app that the host uses to manage his schedule and daily tasks. The host praises Fantastical's natural language processing, its ticker view for quick access to upcoming events, and its overall functionality, despite acknowledging that he doesn't fully utilize all of the app's capabilities.
Craft
Craft is a note-taking and organization app that the host uses for research, writing, and general note-taking. The host highlights Craft's powerful features, such as its searchable database, its ability to link related notes, and its support for daily notes and mind mapping.
