> Quicksilver

Quicksilver provides one-click access to a variety of Mac functions, including opening applications, manipulating files and data, and sending email. It takes a little learning; but, fully utilized, it can dramatically boost your productivity.

http://quicksilver.blacktree.com/

> Netnewswire

This news-reading program manages your subscriptions to RSS newsfeeds, enabling you to sift through vast amounts of regularly updated information quickly and easily.

www.newsgator.com/INDIVIDUALS/NETNEWSWIRE/

> Mactrak

There’s no doubt about it, Apple makes sexy hardware. Unfortunately, people like to steal it. This program automatically logs into a network every time your Mac laptop is turned on, and reports its location to a central server, while also taking pictures of the thief and posting them to an account on the Flickr photo blogging service.

www.gadgettrak.com/products/mac/

> Growl

Growl is a program that provides onscreen notifications of a variety of events, including incoming email, songs currently playing in iTunes, and Skype calls. Growl centralizes all of your notifications into one consistent interface.

http://growl.info/

> Bento

Designed specifically for the latest graphical features in OS X, Bento is a database with an attractive, easy-to-use graphical user interface.

www.filemaker.com/products/bento/overview.html

> Process

This innovative software tool functions as an outliner that enables you to organize tasks, ideas and files. It doubles as both a project manager and an information-organization tool.

www.jumsoft.com/process/

> Parallels

Parallels is a virtualization program that creates a software version of a standard PC and allows the user to run any PC-compatible operating system on top of it. This enables you to install Windows, Linux or any other operating system that you could run on a PC. Parallels allows you to float individual PC programs on your Mac desktop, making it seem almost as though you are able to run PC software from directly within the Mac. And you can also share resources, such as networked drives, and the clipboard, which allows you to cut and paste information between Windows and the Mac.

www.parallels.com

> Yojimbo

Yojimbo is a storage closet for your brain. You can store practically anything you like in this program, including web pages, Word files and typed notes. You can use tags to describe and retrieve your information, and build collections based on those tags for easy categorization.

www.barebones.com/products/yojimbo/

> Mailtemplate

For busy financial advisors who have to send similar email messages to many clients, MailTemplate could take hours out of your workweek. This software allows you to automatically insert predefined boilerplate text into new emails, or replies to existing messages. MailTemplate then automatically populates the message with the recipient’s first name, all with a couple of mouse clicks.

http://mailtemplate.mactank.com

> It’s About Time

PC people can find it hard to become Mac people. The two systems work in slightly different ways. It’s About Time helps you to understand the Mac by providing a simulated learning environment in which you can click on any feature on the Mac desktop and be walked through it.

www.itsabouttimeprod-ucts.com

— DANNY BRADBURY