1.4.2

Ocarina for iPhone 1.4.2 Review

Ocarina by Smule was first introduced very early to the App Store. It was a shining example of what apps could do and why the App Store, itself, was so exciting. Fast forward nearly five years and it is still one of the more innovative apps available and a heck of a lot of fun to play with, whether you're 8-years-old or 80.

The basic concept of Ocarina is very simple. Onscreen there are four glowing purple dots. Place your fingers over these dots and you simulate the holes on an Ocarina. Blow into the microphone at the bottom … Read more

Monitor your system using Magician for Mac

Tracking the various aspects of a system, including memory, hard drive, and CPU usage, from one place can be difficult. Magician for Mac provides a well-designed solution to monitor almost every computer process.

Available as freeware with an option for donations, Magician for Mac does not require any payment for full functioning. Since the program was rather small and had a native installer, download and setup was easy and completed quickly. After starting the program for the first time, the user is prompted to set up an online account, although this is not necessary for full functioning. The program has … Read more

Convert audio to multiple formats with iSonics for Mac

A number of programs exist to allow users to convert files between the different audio formats available. For those users who want the capability to change files between most audio formats, iSonics for Mac is a good option that performs well.

This program comes as a trial version. While there are no listed restrictions, the developer indicates a payment of $8 is needed for the full version. iSonics for Mac does have technical support and it installs quickly and easily. The interface is thoughtfully designed and should not be difficult to interpret for average users of audio files. Conversion options … Read more

Fight for the future of the human race in Final Fury

As a game that is a cross between overhead hack-and-slash games like Diablo and infinite-wave games like Geometry Wars, Final Fury Pro is a fantastic marriage of old-school layouts, modern graphics and reward mechanics, and a slick game engine. The gameplay carries the game, offering a number of upgrade options, weapons and wave after wave of enemies to take down as you rack up massive combo scores.

The game is simple in execution but offers a number of challenging rewards as you progress. When you start, the idea is simple. Move your character around the screen and fire on alien … Read more

Annotate PDF files with Skim For Mac

Finding a low-cost program that can edit or add notes to a PDF file can be hard. Finding one that can collate all of the changes as well seems almost impossible. However, Skim For Mac might be able to solve your dilemma, as it allows users to place marks and notes into PDF files and save all of those adjustments separately as well.

Skim For Mac allows for a variety of marking and annotations to be inserted into PDF files. This free program includes movable text boxes for notes as well as highlighting, underscoring and strike-through functions. You can even … Read more

Create layouts with Scribus

A graphic designer's work becomes much harder if they don't have a canvas. Most top-of-the-line design programs have a large barrier to entry, though. If you want to work your way up to those, Scribus is an awesome place to start. It can run stride for stride with higher-end graphic design programs like Adobe InDesign -- and it's free.

It takes a while to actually get started with Scribus. Not only is it a relatively large file to download and install, but the program takes some exploring to figure out. Most of that can be forgiven for … Read more

Transfer files from computer to mobile iDevice with iFile

iFile is an app designed to allow you to move files from computers (even between different operating systems) and your iPhone or iPad. The iFile app is available from iTunes for $1.99.

To use iFile you need to connect your iPhone or iPad to a Wi-Fi network, then open the iFile app and record the IP address it is using. Then, on your Mac, Windows, or Linux computer, open a browser window and enter the IP address as the URL. If the two can connect cleanly, an upload window is displayed. From there, select the file you want to … Read more

AutoCAD for the Mac, but in a stripped-down edition

Autodesk AutoCAD is one of the standard applications on Windows for those who need an app for designs. With AutoCAD WS, the application moves to the Mac with support for Mac OS X 10.6 or later. For those who are not familiar with AutoCAD, it is a tool for laying out designs from simple to hideously complex, with the ability to mark up and comment on designs for collaborative use. With AutoCAD WS, those designs can now be portable, allowing you to move them around on mobile devices as native AutoCAD files or PDFs.

AutoCAD WS installs easily and … Read more

Tidy up your registry with Abyssal Registry Cleaner

Abyssal Registry Cleaner is a freeware registry cleaner that offers several advantages, chief among them safety and simplicity. Like other registry cleaners, it scans your system's Windows registry for broken, invalid, and corrupt entries and deletes all or some of them, as you choose. And, like other free registry cleaners we've tried, it tends to emphasize speed and safety over deep cleaning. It automatically backs up your registry before it deletes any files, making it possible to restore the previous version if you need to.

Abyssal Registry Cleaner's user interface resembles many similar tools, with large, colorful … Read more

Media manager

Librarian Pro provides users with a tool for cataloging their movies, books, music, and more. While this system is a great addition to people who are overwhelmed with organizing their collection, its features take some getting used to.

Users will find this program's layout fairly inviting upon first glance. Your library and lenders are divided into user-friendly areas and entering new information feels fairly simple. The only time a newcomer may need to utilize the online Help file is using Amazon's product descriptions to populate your library. Fortunately, with a little reading and experimenting, this becomes second nature. … Read more