Top 100 Mac Apps

USB turntable

Ion Audio - iTTUSB Turntable
I've found this neat little gadget. It's a standard turntable that plays vinyl records, but it connects to your computer by usb. You can use the spin records live, digitize your vinyl, put some effects on your records and get new sounds for your recording project. The iTTUSB Turntable works with Mac and Windows computers, and includes basic Audacity software to digitally record your audio and clean it up.

I've even heard it suggested that new kinds of turntables are leading to an increase in sales of vinyl records. Increasing music sales, eh? Now there's something you don't hear everyday.

Has anyone used the iTTUSB Turntable? I haven't seen any real reviews, so if you have any opinions, please write something in the comments.

List of 103 Free Security Programs for Windows, Mac and Linux

103 Free Security Apps for Mac, Windows and Linux

Wow!
I'm probably a little naive about computer security since I use a Mac, and they've been resistant to viruses and malware so far.
No matter what your platform, today's link offers links to give you protection from Spyware, Viruses, Rootkits, intruders and web surveillance. There are also ways to increase your security for email, networks, virtual private networks, and wireless networking, and there is firewall software and encryption software.
All of these are available at my favourite price, free.

Free TV for the Internet Age

Joost

Skype totally disrupted the long-distance calling industry with free phone calls over the internet. Now the founders of Skype have started a new enterprise, Joost. Joost aims to do for TV over the internet, what Skype did for long distance calls.

Imagine Youtube with real "tv shows" from real television, combined with internet user content. It's full-screen on your computer, and on-demand, so you can watch it anytime you want. It's for Mac and Windows. And it's free, like television should be. Joost currently has channels from Canada's Much Music, poker tournaments, Ministry of Sound , Vancouver's Nettwerk record label, World's Strongest Man, Fight Network, documentaries, videos and more. Maybe it's not "essential" TV yet, but I'm sure more content will be added all the time.

They started under the code name "The Venice Project". At the moment they are in beta-mode, so you have to sign-up and wait for them to offer you the software to download. I got accepted yesterday, downloaded the software and I'm pretty impressed. The software works really well and the video quality looks really good. This is going to be huge!

33 Amazing surreal videos

Zugakousaku

Japanese artist Zugakousaku has some beautifully designed Quartz Composer projects posted online. They're gorgeous and surreal, and unlike anything I've seen before.

You can even use them as screensavers on your Mac.
Download a file. Un-stuffit. Place it in screensaver folder. Copy them to your Mac in either /Library/Screen Savers or ~home/Library/Screen Savers.

Put on some Orb or Pink Floyd, and chill!

Top ___ Mac programs!!

Cool Mac Apps

It used to be easy to find all the Mac shareware in one place, but the old places aren't reliable any more. People reading and writing blogs love to create their own Top 10 lists, especially for Mac software. Instead of listing only 10 or 25 shareware titles, Cool Mac Apps they seem to be trying to go all the way out the long tail.

Let me know if you know of any comprehensive, searchable sources for Mac freeware/shareware, and not necessarily run by Apple.

Five Things To Do With A Computer When You Have No Internet

Five Things To Do With A PC When You Have No Internet Connection

No Internet connection? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Okay, screaming and kicking might be my number one answer to this problem. But maybe I'm a little more paranoid than most about being without a connection. Then again, I have a Fido Hiptop 2 (aka Sidekick II), which gives mobile phone with email and real web browsing. Mmmm, yummy unlimited internet on my phone for $20 a month. Sorry, I got distracted by my phone again.

Speaking Freely has produced a list of SIX really good activities to do with your computer when the unimaginable (that is, no internet) strikes. In short, they are:

1. Clean out and categorize your bookmarks.
2. Delete programs you don’t use.
3. Unplug your computer, take the cover off and clean out the dust.
4. Write your next blog post.
5. Run any maintenance programs you don’t have auto-scheduled.
6. Write down your logins and passwords.

Not bad, eh?

Of course if your internet connection was down, you wouldn't be able to read this blog. Ahh, the sweet irony.