Sipping Designs

Mac Software Bundles

From time to time some organizations offer inexpensive Mac OS X software bundles. Usually (but not alwasy) a portion of the sales are given to charity. Sometimes also depending on the number of bundles sold, more software are included in the packages. The bundles always include several applications (or games), but when a bundles are looked  more closely, there are one or two appealing applications and the rest are fillers.

At the moment, there are two Mac software bundles available. The first one is by TheMacSale. They offer “10 amazing Mac apps at an unbelievable price”, for $49.99 (36.65€). The TheMacSale bundle includes the following Mac OS X applications: PathFinder, Shovebox, Supercard, StoryMill, MiniOne Racing, Inkbook, VideoConverter Pro, Slideshow, MacGourmet Deluxe and Finance 6. Each application is introduced on TheMacSale site. For me the only appealing apps are Shovebox (which would be complete with iPhone app ($3.99)) and PathFinder. Maybe also VideoConverter Pro for converting videos into iPhone/iPod format. For me this is not a bundle worth of $49.99. But for someone else it may be a gem.

The second bundle is MacHeist nanoBundle 2. They are offering “7 top Mac apps” for $19.95 (14.60€). Five of the seven apps are available right away but if they manage to sell enough bundles, two other apps are unlocked as well. If I remember correctly, last time nanoBundle wasn’t successful enough to get the most appealing app unlocked. MacHeist nanoBundle is worth $260 and it includes MacJournal, RipIt, Clips, CoverScout, Flow, Tales of Monkey Island and RapidWeaver. Each application/game is introduced on MacHeist website. For me, Flow (a file transfer application), Clips (“reinvented copy & paste”) and still locked RapidWeaver (web site creation software) are something I could need. So also this app bundle is mostly full of unnecessary apps.

I’ve been struggling with freeware FTP applications. I’m using FTP/file transfer apps daily so Flow could become handy. Cyberduck is extremely slow and FileZilla is acting weird (and it’s too Windows-like). Transmit would be perfect but it costs a bit more ($29.95) than this nanoBundle. I think I’ll check out Flow more closely and then decide whether or not I purchase the bundle.