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Weekly Utilities Update: Rember, SwitchResX, iStat Menus, more...

Our Weekly Utilities Update report is a list of all the updates for many Mac utilities that have been released in the past week. Though utilities can be any tool that helps you perform a routine task (including image manipulation and synchronization), our focus in this column is to bring you those tools that help in troubleshooting Mac hardware and software problems. There are relatively few utility updates this week; however, the few that are out do cover a range of troubleshooting areas.

Topher Kessler MacFixIt Editor
Topher, an avid Mac user for the past 15 years, has been a contributing author to MacFixIt since the spring of 2008. One of his passions is troubleshooting Mac problems and making the best use of Macs and Apple hardware at home and in the workplace.
Topher Kessler
2 min read

Our Weekly Utilities Update report is a list of all the updates for many Mac utilities that have been released in the past week. Though utilities can be any tool that helps you perform a routine task (including image manipulation and synchronization), our focus in this column is to bring you those tools that help in troubleshooting Mac hardware and software problems. There are relatively few utility updates this week; however, the few that are out do cover a range of troubleshooting areas.

File and Data recovery

The data recovery company Stellar Phoenix has a small update to their "Mac Data Recovery" suite this week, which is a utility that recovers files from corrupted volumes. It also has volume rebuilding routines for rescuing lost partitions. The update adds FAT fiesystem support, as well as support for bootable DVDs, which increases the versatility of the program for Mac users.

System Monitoring

The small iStat Menus is a program that will monitor memory usage, fan speed, and bluetooth and WiFi status among other system features. The program has been updated to fix fan speed bugs, a few interface elements, and a potential crash when running memory monitoring.

Hardware Management

In hardware managing utilities, the popular SwitchResX is a utility that will give you custom tuning of your monitor output. This can help you recover lost resolution settings but also allow you to run custom bit depths and other settings for unique applications. The 4.1.3 update addresses problems with settings for custom resolutions and display sets being reapplied automatically when the program starts up.

The memory tester application Rember has also been updated. It is a GUI front-end for the open source "memtest" program, which can be used to test for faulty RAM chips by looping through different patterned memory reading and writing routines. Corrupt memory can go unnoticed for a long time, and can lead to crashes and system hangs.

  1. Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery 4.0.1.0 - ($99.00) Recover lost volumes, data, pictures, music, videos.
  2. iStat Menus 3.01 - ($10.00) Monitor your entire system, from memory usage to Bluetooth status.
  3. SwitchResX 4.1.3 - ($14.00) Custom resolutions, desktop icon position saving & more.
  4. MacKeeper 0.9.1 - ($39.95) Set of clean-up utilities, standalone tools, online services.
  5. Rember 0.3.7b - (Free!) GUI wrapper for the Memtest CLI memory/RAM tester.


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