TextExpander is an application that’s based on a very basic idea, but one that’s become so invaluable that I find myself missing it when I’m using a computer that doesn’t have TextExpander on it.
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Tags: Mac, preferences, review, snippets, Software, text editing, TextExpander, utility

I picked up Little Snitch along with the latest MacHeist/MacUpdate bundle, and thought I’d give it a try. I know that there are a number of Mac users that find it essential, but I didn’t, and found myself turning it off pretty quickly.

The general idea behind Little Snitch is that many applications have an internet “call home” feature–cases where they will connect to the internet through a network connection when you may not know. One classic example of a “call home” function would be a Software Update feature, which many applications come with these days. What Little Snitch does is that any time an application attempts to make a network connection, it will bring up a window notifying you what the application is doing. You can choose to deny an application from making its connection, or you can allow it. There are a number of options for allowing it: you can restrict the application to the same server, the same port, both, or allowing the app to make any kind of network connections. In addition, you can authorize either that particular connection, similar connections until the app quits, or those kind of connections forever.

There are some conscious people who would want to know about all of these connections and control which can be established and which can’t, but I’m just not one of these people. After a little bit, the notices seemed to get a bit annoying (reminding me of the infamous Windows Vista Cancel/Allow windows), and I was just allowing all connections that it presented me with. So I turned it off. But although I personally find it kind of a niche product, for the people who would actually care about these connections, Little Snitch is a good (if not a bit pricey) choice.

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Tags: Mac, network, preferences, review, security, Software, utility