Posted on July 19, 2010

Progress Report

Just thought I’d make a quick post to update everyone on the progress of the new site.  I’ve purchased the new domain and hosting, and have begun some of the design work already.  The layout of the new site is going to be a little bit different:

Apps will be reviewed based on two main aspects: user interface/experience and functionality.  In addition to reviews, we’ll be conducting interviews with designers and developers, and keeping a running collection of screenshots and icons of well-designed apps on the side.

As it stands right now, the blog will be still be running WordPress. The running image collection may run on Tumblr (since it’s more lightweight), but will either be linked or reposted on the main WordPress blog at regular intervals.

Right now we’re working with different themes to ensure that the site is readable on any screen, and are looking for a robust skeleton that can be scaled into the kind of site we want.  We’ll likely have a theme switcher that can “turn off” all the bells and whistles, and make it much easier to read the site’s actual content.

I’ll be checking in from time to time to post more updates. Stay tuned!

Posted on June 15, 2010

Status Update

Edit 6/16/10:
The site just went down for about 12 hours or so while I resolved some hosting issues I’ve been having (a problem on my part, not Site5′s). In any case, all is well now. Additionally, I’ll be on vacation from the 19th to the 27th, so I’ll be unable to make much progress until I get back. After that though, I’ll begin making some major changes.

The State of FreeMacAppaDay

Today was my last day of school for the year, and I plan to begin updating this site again this summer. However, I think I’ll be making some major changes first. The fact that I haven‘t posted an update in 85 days is testament to the fact that I simply don’t have time to review a free Mac app every day. Here’s what you can expect to see over the next few months:

New domain
While I love FreeMacAppaDay.com dearly, the name is extremely restrictive—it implies that I will post a new review every day. While this used to be no problem, life has gotten in the way and I simply can’t keep up with such a rapid pace. I’ll be accepting suggestions for a new domain, and will likely keep FreeMacAppaDay.com for a few more months to redirect the users who miss the announcement when it first happens.

New host
Site5 has been an absolutely fantastic web host—so fantastic that I’m fairly certain I don’t need many of their incredible services. FreeMacAppaDay’s hosting package is around $200/year, and leaves me with loads of bandwidth and disk space that I simply don’t need. I’m considering switching to a host like NearlyFreeSpeech.net, which charges based on your use of their services. I calculated the amount I’d be spending annually on the new version of this site with NearlyFreeSpeech’s hosting, and it came out to around $30-40/year. This will likely be the first change I make.

New design
As much as I like the current WordPress theme I’m using (called “leopress”), I feel that it’s time for a makeover. I’ve sketched out several designs for the updated site, and think they’re significantly better than the current one. With a bit of time (and the help of some friends), you may see a brand new site in the near future. While this isn’t one of the most pressing issues at hand, it’s a change I’d like to make for personal reasons, as well as to streamline the site’s overall user experience.

New writers
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last year, it’s that I can’t handle this task alone. I’ll be looking to recruit some new writers once the domain and hosting changes are worked out. This will take a lot of stress off me, and provide for a steadier stream of content for you.

New deals
If the updated site really takes off, I’ll begin working with some shareware developers to get promotions on high-quality apps, and hopefully some software license giveaways.

New platforms
Apple’s iOS line of devices is absolutely packed with awesome apps. I’m considering writing reviews for iPhone and iPad apps in the near future, which would create a much wider variety of content on the site. Of course, this change would have to be made in tandem with the domain change. In any case, I feel it’s an interesting idea worth considering.

None of these changes are certain, and all of them are subject to change. If you have any suggestions or would like to contact me regarding writing or helping with the creation of a new site theme, don’t hesitate to send me an email! I’d love to hear some feedback (if only to let me know that there are still users around to appreciate the work that will go into these changes!). You can contact me using the form on the left sidebar, or by sending an email to gbendinelli@gmail.com. Thanks, and you’ll be hearing from me soon!

-Gus Bendinelli

Posted on March 22, 2010

Droplr

Droplr is a great file-sharing tool that allows you to easily upload any files, images, or notes. It can auto-upload screenshots and give you a short link, or you can highlight any file and press a key-command (defined by the user) to have the file automatically uploaded and the short link copied to your clipboard. File size is limited to a very reasonable 5 megabytes per upload, and a free Droplr account gives you 1GB of storage. Unfortunately, the short links it gives you have an advertisement in the top-right corner, but the ads are very well-designed and unobtrusive. Uploads can be tracked through Droplr’s gorgeous online file browser, which lets you organize your uploads and view them easily. Overall, Droplr is a fantastic file sharing service that I find myself using just about every day.

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Posted on October 5, 2009

Magnifique

Magnifique is a is a nifty app that allows you to theme your Mac with a completely revamped interface. Many themes (which you download and apply with Magnifique) are available for free, and are for the most part very well-designed. It’s intuitive and effective, and an excellent app to have if you’re getting bored with the Mac OS X UI (or just want to get rid of those nasty Aqua elements!). My current favorite theme is “Disinmaso”, which is a mashup of two themes by interface designer Susumu Yoshida called “Disingenuous” and “Umaso”.

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Posted on October 4, 2009

Poladroid

Poladroid is a fun little app that converts your images into Polaroid-style photos, complete with post-processing. It adds a great (and editable) vignette, and changes the colors of your photos. My favorite part is that you actually have to wait for the images to develop, and you can watch them slowly appear over time. The interface is simple–just drag and drop a photo, then wait. It’s not exactly the most useful application out there, but it’s a lot of fun to mess around with.

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Posted on October 3, 2009

Colors

Colors is an extremely simple app that can get the exact RGB value of any color on your screen, and copy it to your clipboard in several different formats. It’s great for web and/or graphic designers who find the “perfect color”, and need to use it in their work. The UI is a minimal HUD window with a small magnifying glass that you can click. This then zooms in onto a small portion of the screen, allowing you to select the exact pixel you want.

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