Shareware: A Few Cool Applications You May Like

It has been years since I last wrote about Shareware here at MyMac.com. That is unfortunate, because one of the main reasons I started MyMac almost a decade ago was to inform people about Shareware programs worth downloading. Of course, things change, and I don’t download very much Shareware (or Freeware, the more cost effective cousin to Shareware) any longer, but there are a few programs out there I have downloaded and paid for which I think you may enjoy.

First up, iTunesCool. This is an AppleScript for (duh!) iTunes. What does it do? It will retrieve cover art (artwork) of your iTunes music for you from the internet. It will also export said artwork, delete artwork, and export your iTunes library to HTML. It works well, costs a whopping $6.00 (Which you can pay via PayPal, which I love to use for this type of purpose) and is updated often enough to quash the occasional bug. You can download and try it by visiting iTunesCool creator Sandme Studio at http://www.sandme.info

The next Shareware program has been around forever, but I still find users who have a need to open graphics but do not know about this program. Hard to believe, yes, but there are always new Mac users, and others who simply overlooked this gem.

The program is Graphic Converter by Lemke Software GMBH. How long have I been using this software? Well, I was writing about it as far back as 1996, using it before then, and the program has followed me to each and every computer I have used thereafter.

Graphic Converter will allow you to open and convert about 175 graphic formats. Folks, Adobe Photoshop cannot do that! It does slideshows, batch conversions, has a built-in file browser, image manipulation, import and export, and so much more I could spend the next ten pages writing about it.

This program almost does it all. Moreover, it is updated almost as quickly as the season’s change, so you can bet it is stable and robust. And best of all, it is only $30.00! Check out http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/ for more information and to download and try it out.

Lastly, I have found a handy utility that allows me to record video from my iSight and use the resulting video (with audio!) in iMovie. The (FREE!) utility program is called GCam, from MacMice.com. It is a very simple to use program. You can start, pause, and stop recording video from your iSight or other Firewire enabled digital camcorder. I found this a neat (FREE!) utility that I have used on a number of occasions. If you have the need, take a look at GCam at http://www.macmice.com/gcam.html! Did I mention that it is free?

If you have any Shareware (or Freeware) programs you think I should take a look at, please email me or leave some comments below. Hopefully, I can keep up writing a Shareware feature as time goes on. If enough people contribute, I will include your emails and suggestions in future articles.

 

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