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Rdio takes many of the changes we've seen in music sharing over recent years and compiles them into a single, easy-to-use interface that offers a bit of everything for different types of music lovers.

Rdio's function is straightforward. Subscribe and gain instant access to 20 million songs. Create playlists, download other playlists, or search for bands or albums you want to listen to. Where it stands out is the deep social integration and the ability to create and download playlists to your device for offline listening--something other services like Pandora don't allow. The interface is very intuitive, … Read more

When working in a dark environment, some users may find their screen to be too bright even when the brightness is already on the lowest setting. With Screen Shades for Mac, users will now be able to fine-tune their Mac's brightness even more.

Screen Shades for Mac is very basic freeware. The app is small in size and the installation only took a few seconds to complete. Upon launching the app, a menu will pop up, allowing the user to turn on the effect, which will add a tint and darken the screen of their Mac. Right below the … Read more

There are a lot of alternatives on the App Store to the built-in note-taking tool provided by Apple on the iPhone. That doesn't necessarily mean those apps are good alternatives, and in the case of IDoNote2, it is unclear what advantages you are supposed to gain by using this app, instead of Apple's.

The idea behind IDoNote2 is elementary--take notes and view them in a clean white interface. Unfortunately, nearly every aspect of the app performs poorly. From the fuzzy, low-resolution interface to a cluttered and cramped input screen and an organizational system that lacks any sorting options--IDoNote2 … Read more

Voice Changer Plus is not necessarily unique, but its clever interface and integration of multiple free voices and sound effects for altering or even transforming a recording are not only well done, but also incredibly fun to use. This is a very feature-rich, free app that provides all of the core functions in the lite version, and that makes it easy to use without any unnecessary menus or barriers.

Open Voice Changer Plus and you are shown a single screen where all of the functions can be accessed. The first step is to record your voice as you say something. … Read more

Those who spend most of their time working from a computer may need an application to track their time. Time Clock for Mac is an easy-to-use application designed to do just this; but its operation is ultimately so clunky that it detracts from its usefulness.

Time Clock for Mac is available for free and has no restrictions. After downloading, the program installs easily without any interaction required by the user. At startup, there are no tutorials or user instructions available, which was a disappointment since the menu looks dated and the program's operation was not obvious. It was also … Read more

Those who want to use their laptop as a media server or to play continuous music may want to keep operating it while the lid is closed. InsomniaX for Mac is a simple application that performs this single purpose well.

InsomniaX for Mac downloads quickly and comes with no restrictions. The program installs without any problems, too, although the user must accept a licensing agreement to complete the process. The user agreement contains several warnings and disclaimers about the potential problems the program may cause to the computer, which is troublesome. There were no user instructions or technical support available, … Read more

Web site managers may want the ability to broadcast video directly to the Internet. EvoCam for Mac allows users to stream video or save it for later use, all in a well-designed interface that is easy to use.

EvoCam for Mac offers a free trial version with a 15-day usage limit. The full version costs $30 to unlock. The program downloaded quickly and came with a separate instruction file, which was relatively easy to follow. The program menu was clear and immediately brought up a screen for video capture. This had options for recording or streaming directly to a Web … Read more

Frequent iTunes users may want a way to better display cover art and track information. Cover Version for Mac attempts to add information beyond the default iTunes display, but does not provide a stable user experience and ultimately fails to deliver.

Cover Version for Mac offers a free plug-in for the iTunes software. After downloading, the user must click and drag the application into the plug-ins folder. Unfortunately, there is no installer to do this for the user. While the application preferences menu lists support for updates, there did not appear to be any additional user technical support available. Once … Read more

Drum Pad Free is one of those apps that gives you exactly what it promises without frills or gimmicks. No hidden menus. Just a simple drum pad app that works as advertised with no unwanted upgrade banners flashing across the screen. Of course because it is free and admittedly very limited in what it allows you to do, Drum Pad (Free) isn't right for everyone.

The app is very easy to use. Open it and you are presented with nine drum pads. Tap each of them to make a noise. They are each labeled with the associated sound they … Read more