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User Name james_sorenson
Member Since 2003-09-27
Total number of Feedback Posts: 13
Total number of comments: 1
Last 10 Feedback Posts by james_sorenson [ Search for All ]
iSync plugins 7.1.2 (Mac OS X)
Not sure why the comment section here is so bare. Bottom line up front, I like it! But, the reason I like it requires explanation. Many people don't buy these plugins for the following reasons:
1. OS X Developer tools now come with an iSync Plugin builder. Very nice...if you have the time to build it and test it out.
2. Many newer phones are derivatives of currently existing phones. With some google-searching and some work with the plist editor, you can modify a plugin to support your phone. Doesn't always work, and...it takes time to build and test it out.
3. Many other companies sell a single iSync plugin for $3 or $4. But...no updates, and no ability to transfer the license to another computer. You might have your phone for 2 years...but what about your computer? This company allows you to move your license.
Now, these guys allow me to move my license from each computer, and they actually provide free updates to the plugin. More importantly, these guys are FAST with updates. At the time of writing this, Nova Media is the ONLY company providing a working plugin for the Nokia 6650. I tried to modify one from the N78, but the contacts database didn't work. Also, they actually respond to emails.
It's a good product. Granted, I wish iSync would just WORK with SyncML so that we didn't have to search or wait for a phone plugin whenever we get a new model, but at least Nova Media makes it quick and painless for a decent price.
- Jim [alert admin]
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Saturday, November 15 2008 @ 05:24 PM PST
ChronoSync 3.3.6 (Mac OS X)
Not the simplest, but certainly the most full-featured. 
I'm going to have to defend this title after drtimhill's double-post. I've been using Chronosync for nearly two years now. I'll admit that the interface is a bit daunting, but that's to be expected in a SYNC app. Backups are a simple operation. Syncing is never simple because there are so many ways to go about it depending on what you want to accomplish. The good news is that Chronosync can be configured in almost every fashion.
Want to backup your Home folder except for the Sites folder? No problem. Go to "Rules," select Advanced, and "Exclude" the "File or Folder's path" containing "/Users/YourUserName/Sites." Not the simplest method, but it's broken down this way to allow you to customize each bit.
The claim of no more than 100Kb/sec is a serious exaggeration. Seriously, just what are your settings? Are you backing up to a USB thumb-drive? For me, it runs at about 80% the speed of Finder's Copy over firewire (I confess it is not nearly as fast as using "cp" in the shell, but good enough).
Oh, and there's an OPTION to skip errors and just save them to a log. Some want immediate notification, others do not. Chronosync gives you both. I don't want a sync to be interrupted, so I set it to skip and then check the log afterwards.
However, I DID get hit with that odd bug where it did not recognize the network-mounted drive. I had to re-drag the volume to the "source" window. It was fine after that, so I'm unable to repeat the issue.
One of my favorite features is to have it sync when it detects a mounted drive. A great feature for syncing your portable device with your desktop before leaving.
Bottom line is that this app will do everything, but you have to read the instructions and get a feel for it. If your needs are much simpler, than get the simple app. I, however, wanted to handle all of my backup and sync tasks with one piece of software, so I got Chronosync.
- Jim [alert admin]
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Tuesday, January 22 2008 @ 12:00 AM PST
1Passwd 2.3.11 (Mac OS X)
(sigh)
scotNKC: "No, you can do everything this app does with your regular keychain."
Ummmmm....NO. Jeez, just reading the Readme is proof enough. First of all, the built-in web-browser auto-fills are NOT encrypted, so you can't keep use any money/private info. Second, Firefox and other browsers do NOT support keychain (yet). Third, 1Passwd allows you to use multiple identities (home, work, internet alias, etc) for your auto-fills. Finally, the 1Passwd interface is much more complete and easy to use than keychain.
This app is a truly golden utility for those that spend a bit of time on the web and is vital for Firefox users. Oh...and did I mention the "EXPORT to PALM" feature? Genius! Pure genius!
- Jim
[alert admin]
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Friday, April 20 2007 @ 09:56 AM PDT
DragThing 5.7.2 (Mac OS X)
I love how I can reconfigure this thing to fit my mood. Any color, style, position, mode, method, etc!
However, the REAL gem is the global hotkey and applescript support! Create a hidden dock full of your favorite apps and scripts and then assign them global hot-keys for starting, switching, and even opening finder items with specific apps.
CTRL-CMD-T: Open/Switch to Text Wrangler.
CTRL-OPT-CMD-T: Open finder item in Text Wrangler.
CTRL-CMD-S: (Applescript) Make stickie from copied item without leaving app.
etc...
Seriously, this application will truly improve your speed on the desktop. If you own an iBook/Macbook, then you NEED this app. Take some time, set it up right, put in some choice hot-keys, and then discover what it's like to have all your applications within instant access without mushing all day with the track-pad! Easily one of the best shareware apps out there.
- Jim
[alert admin]
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Friday, April 20 2007 @ 09:40 AM PDT
iSquint 1.3 (Mac OS X)
I've already reviewed this, so this is just an update. iSquint had some tough growing pains in the last couple versions. When Apple introduced the "no sound" bug in firmware 1.1 for 60GB iPods, the iSquint developer had to choose either a method that avoided the firmware bug, or a method that was more robust with lip-sync. For awhile, he chose the former.
However, he's figured out a way to get to have your cake and eat it too. This version ends the lip-sync issues, yet it still produces video that is not affected by the "no sound" bug on my 60GB iPod! And it IS fast.
Oh...and it's still FREE! [alert admin]
Monday, March 20 2006 @ 11:41 AM PST
iSquint 0.9j (Mac OS X)
Biggest bang for the buck (obviously)
Okay, I'm actually impressed enough to write a review. This application isn't -perfect-, but it is probably one of the best pieces of freeware I have seen in awhile.
PROS:
1. Nice drag-n-drop interface with simple options for the beginner user.
2. Good conversion speed.
3. Uses MPEG4 instead of h.264 (Personal preference. MPEG4 is much more compatible with other players and is far faster to convert while only using a little more space.)
4. Very extensive list of supported formats to convert from.
5. Queue to convert all those lovely files you have archived.
6. Nice "Advance Mode" for those of us who are picky about the results.
7. Supports Cropping! You are TOO GOOD to me!
CONS (hey, nothing is perfect):
1. Really wish it had a 640x preset instead of the 720x preset. 640x is perfect for both TV viewing and scaling 50% for the iPod screen. Ah well, I can manually calculate the resolution with the Advance sidebar.
2. Wish I could adjust the bitrate for the sound.
3. Needs a 10-second test-convert feature so I can sample the output before letting it crank away for the next hour.
SUMMARY:
Seriously, this gives you almost all the power you need to convert any video to the iPod for both beginners and advanced users without the need to purchase Quicktime Pro. As a registered user of Quicktime Pro, I actually find this to be BETTER since it is easier, faster, and allows cropping. With iQuint and HandBrake (for DVDs), you are pretty much set to dump everything to your iPod.
REQUESTS:
1. First off, see the CONS section. ;-)
2. Option to enable "Dual-Pass Encoding" for better quality.
3. Ability to show some info about the original movie (resolution, type, bit-rate, etc) I can use Quicktime Pro to give me that info in the meantime.
Anyhow, it looks like it can handle VOBs as well (it's going to be awhile before I can test the resulting file), so this may handle DVDs if you use Mac the Ripper. Impressive!
-macr0t0r [alert admin]
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Wednesday, November 30 2005 @ 10:59 AM PST
ABCLaunch 0.6.1 (Mac OS X)
Lightweight and works like a charm. You have to manually rehash the list if you add programs or documents, but that's an easy click to do. I do wish the hotkey was a little more flexible (I'd rather do CMD-OPT-F1 for single-hand operation...CMD-F1 is already used by another app). My only other request is to be able to assign separate hotkeys: one for apps and one for documents. Bottom line is that it works, it's smooth, and it's FREE! [alert admin]
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Saturday, April 02 2005 @ 09:34 PM PST
browserTunes 0.2.2b (Mac OS X)
Here's the scenario: you have your trusty desktop pumping music out through the house speakers (airport express, long cables, or whatever). You are in another room with either a laptop (Mac or PC) or WiFi-enabled Palm such as the Tungsten C. If you want to be able to search your music library, change volume, skip songs, or switch playlists through a lightweight browser, this app is PERFECT! Seriously, it deserves a higher score. Start iTunes, start BrowserTunes, set a couple preferences and you are in business.
As a bonus, you can use this to control iTunes from work if you have a shoutcast server running.
The download link is broken. I already informed the author. In the meantime, a quick Google search will find you a copy somewhere on the internet. The only glitch I've found is that it can occasionally hang if you switch to the "Library" playlist if you have a huge collection. The Search feature works very well and is certainly my favorite feature.
Hey, you can't beat the price, either! [alert admin]
Thursday, March 31 2005 @ 04:26 PM PST
Psi 0.9.3 (Mac OS X)
It's come a LONG way. Give it another try.
After wasting countless hours messing with a ton of Jabber clients, I have settled down with Psi 0.9.3. I had used it in the past, but it was too buggy and there were some interface elements that did not make sense. They've come a long way, now. So far, this is the only Jabber client that is intuitive enough for me to easily manage multiple accounts with multiple transports. It is also MUCH more stable than most of the other apps. I wouldn't exactly call it a "Mac" interface, but it makes sense if you are the type who want to get the most out of your Jabber accounts. - Jim [alert admin]
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Tuesday, January 18 2005 @ 11:10 AM PST
Fire 0.32.i (Mac OS X)
It works with all the services. It's very customizable. It has many features. It gets updated on a regular basis. It's stable. And it's...FREE? Wow! I am impressed! It deserves the rarely-given 5-star seal of approval. There are few applications that I use this much and yet have this few problems with. Good work! [alert admin]
Thursday, February 26 2004 @ 04:03 PM PST
Last 10 Comments by james_sorenson [ Search for All ]
Doh! He posted an update today! It allows fully-customizable hotkey assignment. Nice work! Now, just allow me to separate apps from docs. Once again, Thanks!
Original feedback item : Read More
Saturday, April 02 2005 @ 09:44 PM PST
