MacUpdate Spring Bundle

The latest MacUpdate software bundle has launched today, offering 11 apps, plus 2 more for the first 15,000 buyers. There’s some high quality software included, and since I was looking at buying upgrades for Parallels 4 and Techtool Pro 5 this is a bargain. Here’s the full list:

• TechTool Pro 5 ($98): Check the health of your RAM and hard drives, repair problems, optimize performance. Boot and fix all but the newest March 2009 Macs
• Parallels 4 ($79.99): Run Windows, Linux, and more alongside your Mac.
• Circus Ponies Notebook 3 ($49.95): Organize your tasks, and collate you ideas, clippings, photos, and more.
• Intego NetBarrier X5 ($49.95): Robust firewall and intrusion detection.D
• DVDRemaster Pro 5 ($44.99): Backup your DVDs and put them on other Apple devices.
• Multiplex ($35): Browse and watch your entire DVD collection from your Mac with a gorgeous interface.
• RipIt ($18.99): Copy DVDs to your hard drive with one-click and create region-free, encryption-free backups.
• MoneyWell ($49.99): Manage your personal finances.
• Paperless ($44.95): Digital document manager.
• Posterino ($24.95): Create attractive posters, stylish postcards, photo frames, greeting cards and more.
• BetterZip ($24.95): Take Mac OS X’s built-in .zip compression tool to the next level. Extract only the files you want, create and encrypt archives, split large files, and more!

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The Macintosh Virus issue

Or should I say, the lack of Macintosh Virus issue. There’s still no serious threat in the wild, and anti-virus software vendors still warn we should be running anti-virus software on our Mac’s just incase there is a threat in the future. Macworld published an article this week looking at the recurring question, and concluded you don’t need anti-virus software on a Mac if you follow good practices.

I must confess that I am currently using VirusBarrier X5, as it was part of the current MacUpdate bundle. There was nothing wrong with Clamxav, but since I had the software I thought I might as well give it a try, if only to scan downloads destined for a Windows virtual machine. It works well, doesn’t appear to slow the computer down and has some neat features to speed up scanning. Would I pay for another years updates after this subscription expires? Probably not with the current lack of threats, but that may change as Mac’s continue to become more popular.

MacUpdate Holiday Bundle released

Software bundle’s have become something of a tradition for Mac users, and the latest from MacUpdate offers some useful and varied apps. The package is priced at the usual price of $49.99, offering a saving of over $470 on the individual price of the software. I’ve already bought it, as it offered some apps I wanted at a big saving even though I already owned three of them. Here’s the full list:

• Drive Genius 2.1 – Diagnose, repair, and optimize your Mac.
• RapidWeaver 4.2.1 – Web site design and construction made easy.
• Default Folder X 4.1 – Enhances Open and Save dialog boxes.
• VirusBarrier X5 10.5.5 – Anti-virus software for Mac.
• MacGourmet Deluxe 1.0.5 – Create, build, and share your recipes.
• Little Snitch 2.0.4 – Alerts you to outgoing network connections.
• iVolume 3.1.4 – Improves iTunes’ Sound Check feature.
• KeyCue 4.3 – Displays all menu commands.
• MacPilot 3.2.1 – Enables over 700 hidden features in Mac OS X.
• WhatSize 4.4.1 – Measure file and folder sizes easily.
• iDive 1.8.8 – the first 5,000 buyers get iDive, the ‘Digital video shoebox’.

The inclusion of VirusBarrier X5 is ironic with the amount of fuss about Apple’s take on Mac anti-virus products.

Huge software savings with Koingo and MacUpdate

Here’s a bargain for anyone who has bought, or is considering buying, the current MacUpdate bunde. Koingo software, makers of the included Alarm Clock Pro software, are offering their entire collection of apps (the utility package) for $19.99 instead of the usual $79.99. You need to have bought the MacUpdate bundle to qualify, but this is a huge saving over the usual price and a massive saving on the individual cost. Here’s the breakdown.

MacUpdate Bundle

• HookUp $20.00
• Alarm Clock Pro $19.95
• Periscope $39.95
• DEVONagent $9.95
• Mellel $49.00
• Norrkross Movie $59.00
• Bookends $99.00
• MacJournal $34.95
• Contactizer Pro $119.90

Total $491.70, you pay $49.99. Lightzone will be added if sales reach 7,000 bundles, making a total of $621.65 for $49.99.

Koingo Utility Package

• AirRadar free
• Alarm Clock Pro included in MacUpdate bundle
• Data Guardian $19.95
• E-Mail Commander $29.95
• File Sheriff $9.95
• Font Pilot $15.95
• Gallery Designer $19.95
• Librarian Pro $29.95
• MacCleanse $19.95
• MacPilot $19.95
• Slideshow Magic $19.95
• Swift Share $19.95

That adds up to an additional $205.50 of software for $19.95, bringing the total to $827.15 of software for $69.94, a saving of over 90%. The Koingo offer ends 30th September, and can be bought here.

UPDATE Lightzone has now been unlocked, so the MacUpdate bundle is now for the full $621.65 value of software. I haven’t received a Lightzone serial number yet so it’s a good job the Lightzone trial lasts for 30 days.

UPDATE The Lightzone serial arrived a day later, so I now have all the bundle apps.

New MacUpdate promo bundle

The latest bundle deal from MacUpdate has just gone live (111 sales as I type) offering the usual deal of 10 apps for $49.99 with three locked until sales targets are reached. The first target is 1,000 sales so it shouldn’t be too hard to see all the apps being made available. I’ve bought the last two of these deals and everything was unlocked so I expect the same will happen this time. The apps on offer are:

• HookUp An iTunes and iPhoto companion which allows you to access, stream and download media from shared libraries in a remote network
• Alarm Clock Pro manages alarms and a variety of notification methods
• Periscope is a webcam recording app
• DEVONagent powerful internet search app
• Mellel word processor with several advanced features
• Norrkross Movie video editor offering features beyone iMovie
• Bookends bibliography/reference and information management system
• MacJournal personal journaling software (locked until 1,000 sales)
• Contactizer Pro manage, share, organise personal and business information (locked)
• LightZone powerful desktop photo-editing (locked)

I’m guessing this bundle is aimed at students off to college or university, with the exception of the last app LightZone. This sells as either a basic version for £75 or a full version for £115. The MacUpdate bundle doesn’t say it’s the basic version included, so it looks like a £115 app plus nine other apps for under £30. Now that’s a bargain, especially since I have been looking at buying LightZone for a while.

UPDATE Lightzone has now changed to Lightzone Basic on the description page. Looks like that was just too good a deal to be true.

MacUpdate Update (MacUpdate² ????)

I fired an email of to the guys at MacUpdate yesterday after receiving a somewhat misleading email about their current software bundle. This was the reply.

‘Don’t worry about it. Come back closer to the end of the promotion if you want (like Thursday or Friday even). The bundle will be where you want it to be. :)’

The reply missed the original point, since I was asking about advertising a bundle as available today when three apps were not yet ‘unlocked’. Looks like the guys at MacUpdate are pretty confident all ten apps will be included, so I expect I will be buying the bundle before the end of the week.

MacUpdate Bundle: Get it all Today?

This morning I received an email from MacUpdate about the currently running software promotion. Nothing unusual there, I bought the last bundle. The thing that got my attention is the email making no mention of the last three applications being locked until sales targets are reached. With lines like ‘Total Value: $474.76 (get it at MacUpdate for $64.99 today)’ it actually reads like all ten apps are available now. I checked the web site and the locks are still there, so why does the email not mention this? Here’s the email I received, make your own minds up.

MacUpdate has just launched our biggest time limited Mac software bundle ever. It includes Parallels and 9+ other top Mac apps. Get them for $64.99 (retail: $474.76) and save 86% on this milestone bundle.

Buy the MacUpdate bundle at: http://www.mupromo.com

In 2007, we sold over 27,000 bundles. We expect this event to be one of the biggest Mac software event offerings ever seen.

Parallels ($79.99)
BannerZest (49.00)
Sound Studio (79.99)
DVDRemaster Pro (49.99)
Typinator (29.99)
StoryMill (44.95)
Leap (59.00)
MenuCalendarClock (19.95)
Art Text (39.95)
Hazel (21.95)
———————————————-
Total Value: $474.76 (get it at MacUpdate for $64.99 today)

Macupdate Promo

Following hot on the heels of the Macheist Retail bundle comes the latest Macupdate deal. As before, there’s seven software packages on offer for the slightly higher than previous $64.99, with three more to be unlocked after sales hit certain numbers. Hazel, Art Text, MenuCalendarClock, Leap, StoryMill, Typinator and DVDRemaster Pro are the apps you get to start, with Sound Studio, BannerZest and Parallels Desktop as sales targets. There’s some very interesting software in this bundle so it’s one to watch to see if the final three apps are added.

Switching to Free sofware

One of the ideas I have been toying with for a while now has been switching to free sofware, or reasonably priced software. The second MacUpdate promo bundle finished recently, and I got some great software for £25. Most of it I wanted, some was usually priced out of my reach so you can’t complain about £25 for twelve bits of quality software. There’s a similar bundle on sale soon at MacHeist, and for now you can solve the challenges they are posting to win free software and money off the bundle when it goes on sale. Good fun and some nice software given away so far.
But what of the free software? There’s some excellent stuff out there, so I’ve added a new section to the site to document my switch to free and cheap software. Microsoft office may be the industry leader, but how much power do you need to write a letter?

My first recommendation is Frostwire, a free open source Limewire replacement.