10
HR
West
®
R
ecently, I had to move to a new Mac.
My old one was near end-of-life. It
was over 5 years old. That’s pretty old
in computer years.
Here are the 19 apps I installed to get my new
Mac ready to get work done. Please note:
while I use a Mac-centric setup, many of my
recommendations also work or are available on
other platforms.
PRODUCTIVITY APPS:
•
Things –
Things by Cultured Code is my
Todo App of choice. Seconds after installing,
all my todos flowed in from the cloud sync.
•
Cobook –
Cobook is a free app that takes
your address book to the next level. It
pulls information from your contacts’ social
networks such as avatars, websites, etc. It
is not a standalone app, but rather uses the
Mac contacts database, so all my contacts
stay in sync across all my devices via iCloud.
•
Fantastical –
Fantastical is my calendar
app of choice. It makes adding things to
your calendar effortless. You can type in
conversational phrases and it will translate.
For example, “Doctor’s appointment on
October 6 at 3PM at Primary Medical.”
•
Alfred –
Alfred is my launcher app. With a
quick keystroke or two, I can launch any app
on my Mac. I never use the app tray or go
clicking for an app.
•
Sparrow –
Sparrow is still my mail app of
choice on the Mac. Some are concerned
about future support because Google
acquired Sparrow last year. However, until
something better arrives, Sparrow is still the
best minimalist mail App.
•
Evernote –
Evernote is the one-stop place
to store your clippings and notes. A basic
account is free, and you can upgrade to
premium for more features. Check out
Evernote via their website,
.
WORKING APPS:
•
iA Writer –
iA Writer is my text document
editor of choice. I use it for simple writing and
document creation. It is a minimalist app that
lets you concentrate on your writing instead
of bloated features. iA writer supports
markdown text, and as well, syncs via iCloud
to my iPhone/iPad.
•
Scrivener –
Scrivener is where I write my
books. It it is a full featured writing app
that can take your book from concept to
complete exported ebook files. I barely
scratch the surface of its power. However,
Productivity Apps
T O I N S TA L L F O R M A X I M U M P R O D U C T I V I T Y
19 APPS
By Craig Jarrow
