2010 was a bighearted yr for the Mac . The starting time of the year was all about the iPad — follow by the iPhone . But the bombilation and success of those two products dribble down to the Mac . Later in the twelvemonth , we saw upgrades to the Mac lineup , as well as solid augury from Apple that the Mac has n’t been forgotten . With record sales of Macs place by Apple , it ’s a very effective time to make products for the Mac .
With hundreds and C of products that are free every year , we look for the ones that truly tolerate out , the product that extend the best quality , innovation , and value . After a year ( we curtail ourselves to mathematical product released between November 1 , 2009 and November 1 , 2010 ) , we put together a list of the top products , and we pass several week talk about the merits of each and every ware .
1Password 3
I recently heard someone say , “ There are two kinds of Mac user : those who wo n’t use a Mac without 1Password , and those who ’ve never tried 1Password . ” 1Password 3 ( ) byAgile Web Solutionsis a systemwide password coach that lets you save to its encrypt database login data for any vane site ( even those that endeavor to forestall it ) and call back that selective information at any time , even from within adifferentbrowser . To make your login word more secure , 1Password admit a powerful password generator .
But 1Password also saves secure notes , software licenses and registrations , personal identities ( addresses , sound numbers , and the comparable ) , and credit - card information . It can even paste the data from any identicalness or recognition card , spend a penny it wanton to complete Web forms or to shop at on-line memory . Doing so is also safer , because you wo n’t be tempted to let those stores preserve your personal info for the saki of convenience .
Perhaps right of all , 1Password can sync its secure database using Dropbox , make your info approachable from within any web internet browser , on any reckoner ( Mac or Windows ) , and , thanks to fantabulous iOS apps , on your iPhone and iPad . For a long clip , I baulk using 1Password , despite many recommendations from fellow . Since I finally open in , count me in the chemical group that wo n’t apply a Mac without it . ( $ 40 ; five - user permit , $ 70)—DAN FRAKES
Alpha NEX-5
This small , fun , and powerful tv camera fromSonyis a standout in a burgeoning class of interchangeable - lens cameras . straddle the argument between a point - and - shoot a DSLR , the Alpha NEX-5 ( ) has done an impressive business of pack advanced features into a slim and light body . It has a 14.2 - megapixel CMOS detector , HD video recording , a 25 - point auto focusing arrangement , and a great 7 fps salvo mood . Even though the body of the camera is modest , it has a solid grip and an adjustable 3 - inch LCD sieve .
Beyond being sinewy , petite , and smartly designed , what really pee the NEX-5 so telling is its fantabulous image quality . It enamour sharp , coloured , well - endanger effigy and perform well even in low light . There are other great features , include the Sweep Panorama mode , which instantly hoard multiple images into a full diorama in - tv camera . The NEX-5 is an telling step forward for compact photographic camera with interchangeable lenses and DSLR - sizing sensors . ( $ 700)—HEATHER KELLY
Amazon Kindle (Third Generation)
Although many of us apply our iPads to read Koran and magazines , if you ’re looking for a sodding tocopherol - reader , it ’s laborious to bewilder the third generationAmazon Kindle ( ) .
The Kindle now has a 6 - column inch E - Ink Pearl display , one of whose welfare is 50 percent better contrast . Plus you’re able to read it clearly even in undimmed lighting , something the iPad ca n’t do ( and it ’s about one - third the exercising weight of the iPad to boot ) . It has almost double the battery life-time of the old generation of Kindle , is quick when turn varlet than before , and its redesign case , buttons , and keys make it even more enjoyable to use than in the past times .
Amazon has also increased your options when buying the Kindle . In addition to a new black lead color that get together the received albumen , you may now choose between a Wi - Fi/3 G version and a Wi - Fi - only version that bestow the cost of entering down even further . Plus , Kindle apps for the Mac , iPhone , iPod touch , and iPad mean that you’re able to take your Kindle material ( even picking up where you left off ) on a number of different equipment . ( Wi - Fi only , $ 139 ; Wi - Fi and 3 G , $ 189)—JONATHAN SEFF
Aperture 3.1
Apple added a smattering of great feature to Aperture 3 ( ) that made it an likable pick for photographers who had outgrow iPhoto as a pic managing director . Though typically draw a bead on at more professional shooters , Aperture 3 added consumer - level features such as Bible design , Faces , and property . These feature , combined with the curriculum ’s nonrational layout and easygoing to understand tools , make it a great crossover software for all levels of photographer .
Serious users got great additions in the new rendering as well , include young quick coppice and curves alteration tools . iPhoto is great for beginner photographers , and Adobe ’s Lightroom is a brawny management tool for professional lensman . Aperture 3 is a beautiful diligence that appeals to both radical , and it understand that father want to play around with nerveless retouching tool too , and sometimes even a pro wants to make a print Holy Writ or take care at a map of their travel . ( $ 199)—HEATHER Emmett Kelly
Dodocase
Despite the great deal of case that appear in the wake of the iPad ’s spillage back in April , the handmade Dodocase ( ) has managed to climb down on our leaning of adept product for the year . Quite a effort for a flightless chick .
Most could assume ( and perhaps truly so ) that Dodocase ’s tagline , “ Protects from Extinction ” is a nod to the bird from which the party takes its name . And yet , it also yell to perch the jeopardize craft by which these cases are made . create and construct by a squad of bookbinder in San Francisco , the Dodocase combines old - world charm and mod technology without ever feel gimmicky or bum .
The case , which mimics the outer appearance of a hardback moleskine notebook computer , holds the iPad in position with a bare bamboo skeletal frame and a band of low froth cushion , adding a bare 8 ounces to the entire weight . But do n’t misidentify the relative simpleness of the case ’s construction for fragility : while we would n’t suggest let it wing off a roof at 70 miles per hour , the fact remains that the Dodocase is like an expert crafted .
Will the Dodocase be perfect for every iPad proprietor ? No . But of the many , many , manycases we ’ve seen this twelvemonth , it remain firm out far and away as our favorite . ( $ 60)—SERENITY CALDWELL
Evernote 1.11
In the last couplet of years , Evernotehas gone from a coolheaded , swarm - based note accept usefulness to a must - have productivity ball of fire . Whether at your Mac or Windows computer , on your iPhone or Android gimmick , or on your iPad or other tablet , you may save a Webpage , audio clip , text , and more to Evernote and it ’s useable everywhere that you are . you may apply image scanner from Canon , Doxie , and Fujitsu to scan items directly to Evernote . you could take pictures with your iSight camera from within the Evernote program ( and you could do the same with the Evernote iPhone app ) , save audio notation , and becharm your entire desktop screen ( or portion thereof ) into a sortable , searchable entry in Evernote . Oh , and did I cite that its free ! There is a devote , exchange premium ad - free report usable for $ 5 a calendar month or $ 45 a yr with larger file cabinet size and but the free version will suffice for most .
And with this year ’s institution of Evernote ’s proboscis ( the caller ’s catalogue of third - party apps and extensions ) you could feel dozens and dozen of thingummy that can heighten the software ’s Mobile River and desktop art . At Trunk ’s launch in July , the companionship claim over 2000 developers were create hardware and computer software that ferment with the Evernote Memory Platform . With that sort of momentum and sweep platform and multiple machine compatibility , we ca n’t hold back to see what Evernote comes up with next.—JAMES GALBRAITH
Excel for Mac 2011
WhenMicrosoftreleased Excel 2008 , it was a whole step back in the evolution of the popular spreadsheet syllabus — it did n’t have new must - have features , and it was missing support for macros . Fortunately , Excel for Mac 2011 ( ) has hundreds of improvements and new features , making it a must - have upgrade for Excel user .
With the newfangled version of Excel , the user interface was completely redesign to promote efficiency , and the Modern Ribbon is the primal interface faculty that displays easy access to frequently used functions . Spreadsheet user will love feature like sparklines , which displays charts within a single cell , and the newfangled PivotTable Builder that eases construction and modification of pivot tables . Excel ’s sharing and protection feature film were enhance to include the ability to protect a cell ’s contents while allowing change to formatting , and full information rightfield direction that allow substance abuser to specify users and group of users with rights to a workbook . Macros also made a exulting rejoinder in Excel 2011 .
Excel 2011 has some operation issues related to scrolling — it ’s actually slower than previous version . But more importantly , the Modern Excel is loyal than ever at act crunching .
If you ’re still using Excel 2004 ( or you actually were daring enough to advance to Excel 2008 ) , it ’s time to step up to Excel 2011 . The new features strengthen Excel ’s position as the best spreadsheet computer program for the Mac . ( $ 119)—ROMAN Ignatius of Loyola
iMovie ’11
Apple ’s iMovie has always made it easy to make simple edits to your videos . With iMovie ’ 11 ( ) , Apple included putz that let you make more - complicated edits , but in that easy , accessible way of life that iMovie is know for . A major new feature article is the Single - Row View that changes the way video cartridge holder are displayed ; instead of run clipping over multiple row , Single wrangle View looks more like the traditional timeline position that professional television editors and iMovie HD users are familiar with . With the Modern One - Step Effects feature , adding an effect like fading a clip to black and lily-white can be done in a few second . The new Rolling Shutter fixing option can correct the “ jelly ” effect of moving objects immortalise using CMOS - based camcorders . And Apple ’s fun new Movie Trailers feature facilitate you create quick picture in the mode of the movie previews you see at the theater .
Most significantly , Apple improved the sound redaction feature article in iMovie ‘ 11 . you may have audio waveforms appear underneath your clips , a much - necessitate assistance when editing . set audio horizontal surface is childlike : take a range of sound recording , and then drag the loudness bar up or down to change the horizontal surface . Apple also let in a new set of audio effects .
iMovie is n’t perfect . It still does n’t edit AVCHD video recording natively , and interlaced video is displayed with artifact . But the unexampled feature and melioration are much welcome , and make iMovie ‘ 11 a very compelling video recording editor.(Part of iLife ’ 11 , $ 49)—ROMAN LOYOLA
Instapaper
Imagine if , when arrive across an interesting — or too - long - to - scan - now — Web article , you could just sink in a clit to save that article to a personal repository of Stuff To Read . And ideate if , when you sit down down to read your archive of clause , each is automatically reformatted for wanton reading . And would n’t it bereallygreat if you could read those article on any computer , iPhone , or iPad in an port design specifically for that finical twist ?
As it turns out , the Instapaper Web service ( ) byMarco Armentdoes all that and more . Just come home a bookmarklet in your internet browser and the current WWW clause is file away to your Instapaper story . you’re able to read a twist - optimize copy of any archived article , stripped of ads and other distractions , using any Web web browser or the outstanding Instapaper iPhone and iPad apps .
Other standout feature film include customizable data formatting ; a help for reformatting vane pages and sites on the fly ; a armed service for direct reformatted article to your Kindle ; and a feature for sharing favored articles with other Instapaper exploiter . It ’s a testament to Instapaper ’s popularity that you ’ll find oneself a Send To Instapaper feature in many of your favored Mac and iOS Twitter clients and RSS readers . It ’s become essential to many aMacworldeditor . ( Free ; iOS lector apps , free or $ 5)—DAN FRAKES
iPad
If you ’re conversant with other iOS gadget , using an iPad ( ) feel good at home . That ’s by design , and also why citizenry were more than willing to plunk down their credit cards to order an iPad without ever having touched one . But anyone who call off the iPad “ a heavy iPod touch ” is lose the point . Because of its size and the fact that it ’s ground on an OS designed solely for touchscreen devices , the iPad could be call the first sincerely usable tablet twist .
It ’s a great fashion to learn books , magazines , comic script , and RSS feeds ; solve crossword puzzles ; watch TV shows and pic from the iTunes Store or using a variety of other apps ; surf the Web with a full web browser app ( sans Flash , yes ) ; take notes and even compose longer - form detail ( with or without an add - on keyboard ) ; and a hundred other affair . Businesses are using them to exhibit wine lists , show off sketches to client , and present balance sheets to display panel member .
With every unexampled tab expel ( or even those announced and still untouched ) initiate proclaim an “ iPad Killer ” is now in out thick . As with so many false predictions regarding the portion of the iPhone equate to its competitors , the fact is that the iPad has a big nous outset , and Apple and the immense community of developer will keep to make it good and able to do thing we have n’t even think of yet . There ’s no such matter as an iPad cause of death — get used to it . ( Wi - Fi – only : 16 GB , $ 499 ; 32 GB , $ 599 ; 64 GB , $ 699 . Wi - Fi and 3 M : 16 GB , $ 629 ; 32 GB , $ 729 ; 64 GB , $ 829)—JONATHAN SEFF
iPod touch (Fourth Generation, Late 2010)
If you judge an iPod touching by how close its characteristic - set comes to that of the latest iPhone , thefourth - coevals ( 4 G ) iPod tactual sensation ( ) has to meet with your approval . Like the iPhone 4 , the 4 universal gravitational constant iPod touch includes an A4 mainframe , front- and arse - facing camera , retina presentation , built - in microphone , FaceTime video - calling support , and iMovie for iPhone compatibility . And , of course , there are its existing features that resonate with those who ca n’t have or do n’t need an iPhone — the App Store , iTunes Store , iBookstore , and the many helpful apps bunch with the equipment .
Though the 4 gravitational constant iPod touch ’s fanny - facing camera is of far lower solving than the camera found on the iPhone 4 and its retina display not as crisp when viewed off - angle , we confer this award not for the fine inside information but rather the “ Big Picture . ” And that Big Picture is that the 4 G iPod touch , as a dry pint - sized media player / gambling gimmick / Internet communicator / pocket - electronic computer , has no peer except among those machine that ask a two - yr AT&T contract bridge or , in the case of the iPad , the form of jumbo air pocket found only on safari couture . ( 8 GB , $ 229 ; 32 gigabit , $ 299 ; 64 GB , $ 399)—CHRISTOPHER BREEN
iScrapbook 3
The purpose of scrapbooking is to take a basic exposure or group of picture and transmute them into a full - fledged , highly nuanced , contextual narrative . One scrapbook figure package that stick out out in the small crowd of dedicated Mac apps for its quality , originality , and shear abundance of pattern good is Chronos ’s iScrapbook 3 ( ) .
This release offers its esthetic , conceptual audience profundity and variety from the free smart templates and searchable iScrapKits that pull a book ’s look together to the new font preview feature that lets you see how your text , headline , and caption will count in different font , fashion , and size . These component are visually stunning , professionally designed , and implemented to retain together a presentation , whether it be a family album or a business proposal . heighten even simple scrapbools with smart shapes , special personal effects , and complete integrating with iPhoto . Whether you ’re just getting started in the scrapbook kingdom , or you are an old paw in the musical style , the smart , sophisticated iScrapbook 3 lets you infuse any memory with the emotion you palpate . ( $ 50 ; $ 90 family pack)—JACKIE DOVE
MacBook Air, 11-inch
Ever since the discontinuation of the 12 - in PowerBook years ago , Mac users have been ache for an ultraportable laptop . The 13 - inch MacBook Air , released in 2008 , was scant enough , but it was still too big . But with the new11 - column inch MacBook Air ( ) the prayers of those tired of tug around a received - sized laptop computer were answered .
The 11 - column inch Air is only 11.8 inches wide , 7.56 in deep , and a mere 2.3 pound sterling . Yet , this laptop computer makes very few compromise . It has a full sized keyboard , not a cramped modified keyboard your uncovering on personal computer netbooks . The high - resolution ( 1366 by 768 pixels ) showing really compact more pixels into its 11.6 - column inch slanted blind than the screen of the13 - inch lily-white MacBook ( 1280 by 800 ) . And in Macworld Lab ’s battery exam ( which postulate video playback ) , the 11 - in Air lasted 3 hours and 40 minutes — you’ll get much long results if all you ’re doing is work in productivity programs or get to the Internet .
The one major via media is with processing power . The 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor in the 11 - inch zephyr is n’t the latest and greatest Intel has to offer ( nor is the 1.6GHz built - to - fiat option ) , but it ’s herculean enough for oecumenical - purpose tasks . And the fresh Air handgrip heat much well than premature generations — which , along with the flash storage , contributes to the new Airs ability to execute much better than its predecessors .
In a year where the iPad got all the aid ( and rightfully so ) , the 11 - column inch MacBook Air proved that , without a doubtfulness , Apple is still dedicated to the Mac . ( $ 999 and $ 1199)—ROMAN Saint Ignatius of Loyola
MultiSync PA271W
WhileNEC’slatest professional display , the MultiSync PA271W ( ) , might share the same resolution and diagonal screen size as Apple ’s 27 - inch LED Cinema Display , the two monitors are entirely different beasts . One is perfect companion to Apple ’s consumer Macs and one is a serious tool for colouring pros that demand ranking performance and require granular readjustment potentiality . Do n’t consider us ? Read on .
Whereas Apple ’s video display is calendered , the PA271W feature a matte sieve . Where Apple ’s varan offers little in terms of ergonomic modification , the PA271W volunteer height adjustment , argument , rotation and even pivots into portrayal orientation . Where Apple offers a individual Mini DisplayPort connector ( which may not be proprietary , but Apple is the only troupe using it ) the PA271W has two DVI - D connecter as well as a standard DisplayPort connexion . The Apple showing can show up to jillion of colours , the PA271W can display up to billions . And where Apple ’s display has a one - year warrantee , NEC offer four years .
In addition , the PA217W proffer Picture - in - Picture and Picture - by - Picture modes , as well as support for virtual profiles . NEC includes some nifty unexampled technologies to that help its CCFL backlighting get up to a stable operating state in seconds rather than bit and to maintain consistent backlight performance over time .
For those who depend on precise colour , the MultiSync PA271W is a professional - grade display with the tools necessary to make your imagination a reality . ( $ 1399)—JAMES GALBRAITH
P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphones
An Eddy to a set of earphone ? If you ’re talking aboutBowers & Wilkins’sP5 ( ) , yes indeed . The P5 redefined portable earpiece by propose full - sizing - headphone phone quality and solace ( the latter thanks a headband and earpads cover with supple leather ) in a software system that easy fits in your pocketbook , throwing in outstanding passive noise isolation and beautiful design for kick .
But you are n’t just paying for shiny metal surfaces . The P5 ’s construction is superb , and canny feature such as swappable , no melody cables and magnetically attached , replaceable earpads add farsighted - term value . tippytoe the Eddy musical scale is the Apple - style , three - button inline remote / microphone module that operate with iPhones , the iPad , and late iPods , iMacs , and MacBooks to get you shoot the breeze and control media playback . When it come up to outside - your - ear - epithelial duct headphones , the P5 is as well - rounded a portable audio product as we ’ve see , and it ’s a symbol of the popularity of Apple ’s ware among fans of high - end audio frequency . ( $ 300)—DAN FRAKES
Photoshop CS5
There are so many improvements in Adobe Photoshop CS5 ( ) that it ’s hard to pinpoint where to set about . From its new 64 - bit capableness on the Mac to details like retarding force - and - pearl file integration , the CS5 upgrade is the most significant and impressive since the Creative Suite start shipping in 2003 .
This version of Photoshop concentrate a cooperative effort on boosting technical advancement , usability , and performance . Despite the myriad improvements made to selection tools over the age , take challenging objects like pilus is still enough to turn pilus hoary . Photoshop CS5 ’s Smart Radius engineering heighten an already capable Refine Edge feature , making excerption even less of a painfulness . There is something charming about the power of the Content Aware Fill feature , which let you easy polish off undesirable parts of an look-alike and replace it with whatever would have been there if the object or person or other eyesore were not . It does n’t always work perfectly , but it works amazingly well amazingly often , and the mind that a software program can “ see ” underneath an aim is remarkable .
While Photoshop is not a painting program , the CS5 version does have many new painterly features , including a completely rebuilt brushing engine that lets you conflate and blend in colors on the screen in much the same style you ’d do it on a catamount ’s palette . The Bristle Tips feature article lets you define clash properties to delimitate exactly the brush you need . The easy to expend Puppet Warp feature let you move objective , include human and fauna limb , in a natural way . Last but not least , HDR ( High Dynamic Range ) and Lens Correction features provide a host of professional puppet to raise photo exposure , focus , and particular effect . ( $ 699)—JACKIE squab
Pogoplug Pro
more and more , people want to share the clobber on their reckoner with others across the orb . you could reach this with Mac OS X ’s sharing inspection and repair or via online store and sharing help such as MobileMe ’s iDisk , Dropbox ( an Eddy winner last year ) , or SugarSync . But setting up a communion server is beyond the ken of many Mac users . And convenient though online sharing religious service are , you have to devote a premium for significant amounts of storage outer space .
ThePogoplug ProfromCloud Enginesis an choice that let you easy share the contents of attached USB store gimmick ( operose drives and USB cardinal drives ) over the Internet . This mean that the amount of depot you may share is limited only by the size of the drives attached to the Pogoplug . partake the contents of those drive is as well-off as create an chronicle on pogoplug.com , choose folder to share , and send invitations to those who you ’d wish to share those folder with . If you have a lot to contribution , Pogoplug is a simple and affordable elbow room to do it . ( $ 99)—CHRISTOPHER BREEN
PowerShot S95
A deceptively simple look tv camera , thePowerShot S95from Canon is a caliber point - and - scud with full advanced controls . The S95 is a slightly kick upstairs version of Canon ’s pop S90 camera . The S95 keeps all the good parts of the S90 , include impressive image quality and full manual setting . What it add up are few cardinal features that were missing from the original : 728p HD TV capabilities , better image stabilization , and an HDR mode . Even without these improvements , the S90 was the best advanced peak - and - shoot in its form . The S95 is all that and a little more . This is the tv camera that pro photographers will have on - hand as an alternative to their big DSLR rigs . ( $ 400)—HEATHER KELLY
Scrivener 2.0
At its most basic , writing is about lay down one Good Book after another . Scrivener 2.0fromLiterature & Lattecertainly lets you do that ( and stick out of your direction while you ’re at it ) but additionally , it need care of all the other concerns present when constructing a foresighted project : organization ; where to keep information about game , characters , and setting ; and the final exportation . As a author , Scrivener is my weapon of alternative because it handles all the business of writing from inquiry to bring about your ruined ms .
Scrivener accept home an Eddy award back in 2007 , but its developers have scarce been rest on their bay wreath . The major 2.0 update brings not only a smattering of new features ( such as the power to export project as both iBooks - compatible ePub files and Kindle - compatible .MOBI files ) but interface enhancement such as a freeform corkboard and the power to create ad hoc collections of labor ingredient . And best of all , writers who want to take their project on the go can take advantage of the Modern financial backing for sync with DropBox or connection military service Simplenote , because you never know when the creative spark might fall . ( $ 45)—DAN MOREN
Sparkle
It used to be that keep your Mac software up to date meant periodically ( and manually ) checking the vane for a new version , download it , depart the current version , and then installing the update . And you had to do this foreachprogram . Then Andy Matuschak introduceSparkle , a minute of software system - update code that developers can easily tote up to their own practical app to get a make - in update - checking and -installing feature . And he cater that code to developer for free .
If you ’ve used third - political party Mac software over the past few years , chances are you ’ve benefitted from Sparkle without even knowing it . It ’s Sparkle that ’s responsible for the window in your favorite programme telling you , “ A new rendering ofapplicationnameis uncommitted , ” displaying detailed release notes about the young version , and providing you with a convenient Install Update button that makes the software as if by magic current .
Although Sparkle has been around for a few years , the past year has seen it go from a convenient feature present in a few of my pet programs to being so pervasive that I ’m disappointed when a programdoesn’tuse Sparkle . It ’s now a part of hundreds of Mac programs , with more and more desegregate it every week . The Mac App Store may work easy app updating , but Sparkle has streamlined updates for millions of Mac exploiter , and will continue to do so . Thanks , Andy . ( Free)—DAN FRAKES
Spector Pro Mac 2010
It ’s a little creepy : Spector Pro Mac 2010 ( ) fromSpectorSoftis a programme made to monitor and record all of the bodily process you execute on a Mac . But it ’s necessary for many common people , and it ’s full - boast and well designed . Spector Pro can take painting of your calculator screen at regular interval , provide transcripts of iChat and other IM computer programme , detail sent and received e - mails , list visited Web website ( even with Safari ’s individual browsing turned on ) , and a lot more . And it can do all of this without the exploiter even knowing that the activeness is being recorded — a little creepy , sure . But if you own a business and suspect improper use of your computers , Spector Pro can aid track down the malefactor . ( $ 100)—ROMAN Saint Ignatius of Loyola
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
StarCraft II : Wings of Liberty ( ) is an opus of violence , fire , and flawed world . After years of evolution , Blizzardhas delivered one of the best material time scheme games of all time and one of the most powerful single player hunting expedition in late memory — a chronicle with surprising narrative weight and varied , compelling gameplay . Thanks to an equally strong multiplayer , StarCraft II has once again kindle the bar for all others to meet . And this is only chapter one of the trilogy .
StarCraft II picks up four geezerhood after the event of Brood War , the expansion to 1998 ’s StarCraft . Jim Raynor , the acerbate Terran hero from the first game , has now been boil down to mercenary work for a company seeking mysterious alien artifacts . The biz ’s chronicle follows the exploits of the cowboy - like Raynor ’s Raiders as they attempt to find oneself their berth in a galaxy buck aside by Zerg intrusion , cruel Saturnia pavonia , and fragile alliances .
After playing ten years of games attempt to be StarCraft , it ’s nice for Blizzard to do back with StarCraft II : Wings of Liberty and once again arouse the cake on sci - fi material - time strategy . The multiplayer is similar enough to the master copy to keep the puritans felicitous , while the single musician cause is a beautiful , complex , replayable , and epical journey into a world that get more interesting every fourth dimension I recruit it . Oh yeah , it was worth the waiting . ( $ 60)—CHRIS HOLT
Steam
TheSteam online gaming serviceis more than just an iTunes Store – like berth for games ; the detached service from Valve offers warning social functions and demos of many of the games . Steam has become the go - to blank space for gamers to snitch for and taste out everything from blockbuster releases to indie collision , find new friends to frag with , and stay up to date with the latest plot . A Steam buddy leaning lets you see which of your Friend are online , what games they ’re play , as well as ask for friends into your game or quickly connect them on a campaign already in procession — all with a click or two .
fortuitously , Valve spared no expense in bringing Steam to the Mac . This is n’t some epithelial duct - taped Java port that limps along with a fraction of its Windows twin ’s features . Valve used native Cocoa tools , even going so far as to re - engineer the Steam client and store on Windows to use Apple ’s WebKit rendering engine .
We were tempted to award Eddy to all five of Valve ’s pavilion franchise ( Portal , Half - lifespan 2 , Left4Dead 2 , Team Fortress 2 , Counterstrike : beginning ) as they only arrived on the Mac this year , but felt more well-heeled give the nod to the armed service that brought them all here to the Mac program . It ’s an exciting clip to be a Mac gamer thanks to not only Steam ’s impressive list of games now available on the platform , but also because the promise of succeeding rubric making their way to a MacBook , iMac , or Mac Pro near you . ( Free)—CHRIS HOLT
TextExpander 3
In 2010 , a great app — Smile ’s TextExpander — just kept commence good . Of course , the text - expansion utility ( which inserts saved “ snipping ” of text edition wherever you want with a quick key stroke ) has been around forever . But in March 2010,Smile(formerly known as Smile on My Mac ) released TextExpander 3.0 ( ) . That rev up add a clump of nice Modern feature , including keyboard shortcuts for creating snip ; “ fill - in ” snip , which could contain user input ; and the ability to synchronize snippet between Macs via Dropbox or MobileMe .
But Smile did n’t stop there . In June 2010 , it released 3.1 , which brought more hotkeys , search improvements , and interface pinch ; that same calendar month , the company also released an iPad version of TextExpander touch , the Mac service program ’s iOS companion . In October 2010 , version 3.2 added improved computer backup and touch on mapping and yet more keyboard shortcut . By the time you read this , I ’d bet Smile will have relinquish another version or two .
What makes TextExpander a bully app is n’t just that it ’s so handy and so capable , but also the fact that it ’s constantly evolving — fine-tune its core tools , adding new one , and adapting to an ever - changing technology landscape . That ’s how a venerable utility like TextExpander rest fresh and full of life , and why it ’s one of our favorite apps of the class . ( $ 35)—DAN MILLER
iLife ’11
11.6-inch MacBook Air/1.4GHz (128 GB)
11.6-inch MacBook Air/1.4GHz (64 GB)
32GB iPod touch (fourth generation, late 2010)
64GB iPod Touch (fourth generation, late 2010)
8GB iPod touch (fourth generation, late 2010)
Sony alpha NEX-5N
Dodocase (for original iPad)
Evernote 1.4.7
Instapaper (Web service)
Kindle (Wi-Fi, 3rd Generation)
Kindle Keyboard (Wi-Fi/3G, 3rd Generation)
Pogoplug Plus
Canon PowerShot S95 Compact Camera
iPad (1st generation) Family
