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Handbrake lite, which is a better/more fool proof version of Handbrake, is one of my favourite ways of ripping DVD's. It is simple, has a great interface to it, and really is fool proof. The conversion times are not as long as Handbrake's but there are a few downsides to lite. One is that you dont really get to control the quality of your rip (normally, it is just set on standard!) This app is a good app, dont get me wrong, but if you are looking to have more control over your DVD Rip, then Handbrake would be better than Lite. I personally use each Lite and Handbrake about the same amount, there are some videos that i will try and want to change, and then there are others that i really just dont care as long as the quality is decent, and has good sound! Overall, this app is good, and worth getting, the only other really bad downside is that this app is not being updated anymore :( So, this version (1.1) is this highest it will go for right now!

To Read More On Updates And News, Visit Their Homepage: http://www.isquint.org/handbrakelite/

 



iSquint is another great converting tool that i use very often. Instead of ripping and converting, this app converts video files right off your computer. Now, this does take awhile to accomplish, but iSquint does a really great job at making a file small, and making it into a .mp4 that has great quality. Take my scrubs episode, i put it through isquint at about 175 mb, i leave it on standard video quality, and standard sound quality, and i end up with a .mp4 version of my scrubs episode, 64 mb big! That is one hell of a converter right there. iSquint still does not support ever single sort of media file out there. If you want an app that does support pretty much every video file, you can buy Visual Hub, which can be found on the iSquint homepage!

To Get More Updates & News, Visit Their Homepage: http://www.isquint.org/

 



Handbrake is a simple way to make video converting for the iPod Video easy! This app is used in a very simple manner! You need to just have a DVD inside you computer, and the program really just does the rest for you. You can adjust the quality of the video, the sound source, and view pictures that the program itself produces off the DVD. Handbrake earlier this year had a brake off, where people working on this app decided the process for updating handbrake was moving way to slow. They produced a different application called "MediaFork". I downloaded mediafork, and let me tell you, it took the app 2 and 1/2 days to just rip the Departed off the DVDm and after it got to 100%, the program froze up and quit. I put the video through handbrake and it worked just fine! I am glad that the two sides have come to an agreement, and are now working together once again! Handbrake has come out of it's so called "slow production" and is probably going to speed things up a bit! Out of all the DVD Rippers out there for the macintosh, i have truly fallen in love with this app!

To Get Updates & To Read More On Handbrake, Visit Their Homepage: http://handbrake.m0k.org/

 

[Software] ShapeShifter

Posted In: , . By John D.



ShapeShifter is a very unique program, that helps keep your mac fresh and full of spunk. Do you ever get bored of having the same template for your macintosh? Do you ever wish you could change that white tool bar at the top of your screen to lets say black, or orange? Well, Shapeshifter is just the thing for you. This is a splendid app, in-which you can change the template of your mac! The application itself works in a very swell manner! All you have to do is purchase it, and then, the rest will be taken care of. You open up the program, (which will open up in your System Prefs), from there, the rest is pretty much explanitory! You can choose from layouts that are already given to you, or you can go on the web, and download new themes and icons!

I used this app for some time, but eventually, i switched back! Every now and then though, i seem to use it just to spice things up a bit! if you are looking to get some change with how your computer looks, then this is the software for you!

To Read More About ShapeShifter, Go To Their Homepage: http://unsanity.com/haxies/shapeshifter

Price: $20.00

 

[Shareware] Disco

Posted In: , . By John D.



I have recently purchased a burning application called Disco. Let me tell you that this programs has made burning discs way better. Much better than Jam and Toast, Disco allows you to get what you want done. I had Jam and Toast before i bought Disco, and was really unhappy. I was unhappy with the programs, i was unhappy with the quality of burning that Jam and Toast gave me. So i went on a little search :P, and i came across Disco!

This programs has some neat stuff on it! When i wanted to burn my Bob Dylan, 3 Album Set for a road trip i was going on, i dragged all the files in there, and then i pressed burn! i wanted to put them all on as few discs as i could. Disco, gave me that option! When i pressed burn, Disco saw that there were to many files that were too big to fit on one single disc, so instead, it offered to make two discs (on a 3 dis set :D). It helped me minimize the amount of CD's i was going to take on my road trip!

Disco also keeps a history of everything you burn. Lets say i burned a family album, but forgot to label the album, i can go back in the historym and find out that the album was actually from 3/31/07, and was also burned on 3/31/07. This feature really helps in the long run, and is a feature most burning apps do not have.

The final great part about this app is that it simply does a great job burning. It does not scratch up your CD, it works with you in a way that it doesnt tell you how to make your disc, but gives you some guidlines/suggestions. This app outbeats Toast and Jam any day!

To Read More About Burn, Visit Their Homepage: http://discoapp.com/

Prices:
Disco Single User - $29.95
Disco Family Pack (3) - $59.90
Disco Ten Pack - $179.90

 

[Freeware] Quinn

Posted In: , . By John D.

Quinn is a tetris game for the mac! I have been addicted to this game for months now, and i can tell you one thing, i still can't get enough of it! Simon Haertel has done a fantastic job creating this amazing freeware game!

Some awesome features to this game include:
-Change the background of your game with any picture you like! or, if you dont have any pictures, you can download some of the pictures/peices other people have made!!! http://www.simonhaertel.de/quinn/pbg

-Play against others online! this game allows you to create a server on the site, so if you want to play your friend in Canada (even though their main specialty is in Hockey and Maple Syrup) you can! you can also play against other people who you do not know, by just joining one of the servers other people have up there. If you want you server to be exclusive, you can have a password on it, and only give the password to people who you want playing the game. Also, you can set up a server bet. your network or through bonjour. Due to the ability for online gameplay, this game is really high on my freeware game list!
http://www.simonhaertel.de/quinn/servers

-Another thing you can do is send your highscore from your single player game, to the internet, (my highest score is 42,677), this is fun and addicting, and i highly suggest people who may not love to play games download it and try it out!

To Read More About Quinn, Visit Their Homepage: http://www.simonhaertel.de/
To Download Straight From Here, Click On This Link: http://www.simonhaertel.de/download/quinn-current

 

[Freeware] NicePlayer

Posted In: , , . By John D.

NicePlayer is a very good app! it works with quicktime and allows you to use codecs to play videos that may or may not work on your normal player. There is not much to say about this app though, it works very well, has a pretty good interface, and is helpful when certain videos just wont play due to me not having the right codec for my player. If you are someone who loves to watch videos all the time, i would think that this app would help you!

To Read More About Ta-Da List, Visit Their Homepage: http://niceplayer.sourceforge.net/
To Download Straight From Here, Click On This Link: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=170266&package_id=194259

 

[Widget] Ta-Da Lists

Posted In: , , . By John D.

This is a great freeware widget that is an alternative to the ever so popular Do It app. This widget allows you to have a place on your dashboard to list all the things in life you need/want to get accomplished . This app is a fun way of making sure you get What you want done!

For those of you who love your dashboard, this would make a great widget for you. The alternative, for those who do not like the widget can use the program i posted on this blog already, called, "Do It".

To Read Mor About Ta-Da List, Visit Their Homepage: http://www.keeganjones.com/widgets/tada/
To Download Straight From Here, Click On This Link: http://www.keeganjones.com/widgets/tada/download/

 

[Freeware] Do It

Posted In: , . By John D.

Once known as ToDo, now known as Do It...this app can help anyone. Someone who needs a structured way of looking at what he needs to get done in a certain time, to someone who knows his schedual, but likes the reminder! This app is very useful, no matter who you are. It has a nice interface, and a great look to it. I have had no problems with this freeware app, it does exactly what its title says! So, let me put it in the words of a great sportsware company..."JUST DO IT" -Nike

If you are one of those people who like to stay organized, and have tons of stuff going on in your life, and you just want that extra reminder, then this app will work perfectly! If you are one of those people that dont like iCal because it just doesnt work for you, then Do It would be in my opinion, the next best thing!

To Read More About Do It, Visit Their Homepage: http://www.jimmcgowan.net/Site/DoIt.html
To Download Straight From Here, Click On This Link: http://www.jimmcgowan.net/diskimages/DoIt2.3.dmg

 

[Freeware] Tryst

Posted In: , , . By John D.

This app allows you to share files through your networks. Whether you want to share your new movie project with the family, or feel like asking a friend on your network to see your huge project on the civil war that is due the next day, this app will help you get it done! i have used this app many times, have fallen in love with it, and it probably one of the most used apps that i have on my computer at this moment!

It has a nice interface, a great look to it, and is a great way to share media files with people on your network. This app is also a great way to keep your shared media organized! I dont know how many people out there really do appreciate an app that allows you to share media via a network, but for those who do, this is the app for you!

To Read More About Tryst, Visit Their Homepage: http://www.trystx.com/
To Download Straight From Here, Click On This Link: http://www.trystx.com/download/Tryst.dmg

 

hello to everyone!
this is a new blog i have started to promote every sort of macware you can think of!
That means: Freeware, Software, Widgets, Plug-Ins, and more!
i will update the blog with new stuff each and ever week!

i hope you guys enjoy what could be a long-term macware review blog!