Mac Apps

Pixelmator 3.3: Repair Tool extension, Handoff and iCloud Drive support, revamped UI and more

Pixelmator, the popular Photoshop alternative for the Mac and iPad, on Thursday refreshed its desktop application with several improvements and enhancements.

Now available in the Mac App Store as a free update to existing users, the new Pixelmator 3.3 'Limestone' offers a redesigned user interface and a new Repair Tool extension allowing you to quickly fix images in other Mac apps like Mail or TextEdit, without even having to open Pixelmator.

You can now store and access  your images on all devices via iCloud Drive and pick up in Pixelmator for iPad right where you left on the Mac with Handoff. The app also features a redesigned user interface, full OS X Yosemite and Pixelmator for iPad support and more.

Pixelmator for OS X is $29.99 in the Mac App Store.

Microsoft revamps Outlook for OS X ahead of new Office for Mac version in H2 2015

Microsoft in a post Friday over at the official Office blog announced immediate availability of a redesigned version of Outlook for Mac while confirming that a new version of Office for Mac will be ready in the first half of 2015 as a public beta, and in the second half of 2015 for public consumption.

Office 365 subscribers will get the next version of Office (which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote) at no additional cost, the Windows giant said and added that it will release a perpetual license of Office for Mac in the same timeframe.

Apps like Pocket is why Handoff is my top new feature in iOS 8 and Yosemite

Pocket, a read-later service, with a recent Mac app update has completed its support for Apple's refreshed mobile and desktop operating systems.

According to developers last week, Pocket for Mac now includes Handoff and can send stuff to other apps that use the Mac's new multi-purpose Share menu. It's Pocket's largest Mac update in over a year.

The iOS edition of Pocket has had Handoff support in place for weeks. And with Handoff now live in the Mac edition of Pocket, I'm not sure how I've managed to do without such a useful feature. I'm a huge, huge Pocket fan and use it every day to bookmark and save dozens of articles that I find during the day for later reading.

With Handoff implemented in both Pocket editions, I now am able to seamlessly continue reading an article right where I left off on any of my Apple devices (Bluetooth must be enabled).

It's awesome and I couldn't imagine my daily computing without Handoff. It's the one feature I use the most, all the time. As I constantly move between my mobile and desktop devices, Handoff removes the friction completely without the mental burden of having to remember where I left off.

Handoff is tremendously convenient. It's fun, easy to use, a time-saver and bridges the gap between desktop and mobile like no other technology before it. And it's only getting started.

Pocket for Mac is available free of charge in the Mac App Store.

OneNote gains Touch ID, iOS 8 Storage extension and more

Microsoft on Tuesday updated OneNote for iOS and OS X with useful new features, including fingerprint based Touch ID authentication to unlock password protected sections of your notebooks.

There's also a new Storage Provider extension in iOS 8 which let you easily add files to your notebooks from your favorite cloud storage service like, say, Dropbox.

On the iPhone, OneNote finally allows you to move and rearrange your notes anywhere you like. Moreover, the note-taking app has now gained ability to open notebooks stored on SharePoint Servers.

OneNote for the iPhone, iPad and Mac apps are free downloads.

Wunderlist for iOS gets 1Password integration, Mac app gains Handoff, Today widget and more

Wunderlist, an increasingly popular cross-platform to-do and task manager by German developer 6Wunderkinder, got updated both for iOS and OS X with cool new features.

The iOS edition now includes support for 1Password signing and the ability to see your to-dos in iCal while fixing UI issues on iPad and more.

The Mac edition has received a substantial Yosemite-ready refresh adding a more productive Today widget in the Notification Center, interactive push alerts, a more powerful “Add to Wunderlist” feature along with the complete Handoff experience for seamless moving between devices and more.

1Password for Mac is 30% off for a limited time

In conjunction with today's release of OS X Yosemite, AgileBits is running a 30% 0ff sale on the Mac version of its popular password manager, 1Password. The company also recently reduced its iOS app to free with in-app purchases alongside the release of iOS 8.

Although we've seen this deal on previous occasions, now is still an excellent opportunity to download 1Password, as it features a lot more than simple password saving. Not only does it store everything from passports to software licenses, but it securely syncs this information among all the devices on which you have 1Password installed.

Good deal: 96% off Mac app bundle featuring Ember, Fantastical and more

Heads up Mac users, StackSocial has just launched an awesome bundle promotion for software that includes 8 premium Mac applications and an OS X/Web developer course that teaches you how to make apps in HTML, CSS and Xcode for 96% off their normal retail prices.

The bundle features high profile titles like Fantastical, the popular calendar app by Flexibits, and Ember, Realmac Software's highly regarded image manager. There's also AfterShot Pro 2, Disk Drill Pro 2.3, Capo 3, and more. Keep reading for a full breakdown of the promo.

Experience Instagram in a whole new way with Grids for Mac

There's no shortage of unofficial Instagram clients for the Mac, even if the vast majority of them offer limited functionality and clunky user interfaces. Enter Grids by ThinkTime Creations, a beautiful new way to experience Instagram on your Mac with its adaptive grid-based interface, deep interactions and a number of other compelling features.

The $1.99 app, which launched earlier today, offers full Retina display support, native full-screen mode, notifications for new feeds, the ability to interact with your followers, their Instagram snaps and videos and much more.

Borderlands: The Pre Sequel launches on Mac alongside console and PC release

Aspyr Media, the games publisher specializing in porting top AAA games to the Mac, on Tuesday announced immediate release of Borderlands: The Pre Sequel, the latest installment in the popular Borderlands franchise by 2K and Gearbox Software.

Combining aspects of shooters and role-playing games, the game has you floating through the air while taking enemies down from above using new ice and laser weapons, exploring the lunar landscape with new vehicles allowing for more levels of destructive mayhem while gradually unfolding the story behind Borderlands 2 villain, Handsome Jack and his rise to power.

Skype for Mac 7.0 now available with revamped chat experience

Microsoft on Thursday issued a major new update to Skype for Mac alongside a new preview for Windows desktop. Available as a free download, Skype for Mac 7.0 brings out mobile-inspired look with a revamped chat experience, ahead of OS X Yosemite release later this month.

The richer chat experience allows you to chat and call simultaneously with one click and keep the conversation going across devices.

You'll also appreciate improvements to the free group video calling feature and the fact that the overall appearance of the app fits right in with OS X Yosemite.

Twitter for Mac gains photos in DMs, picks up supports for multiple images per tweet

After refreshing its iPhone and iPad app with support for Interactive Notifications on iOS 8 and revamped profile pages, the micro-blogging platform Twitter on Thursday issued an update to its Mac client implementing a pair of new photo features.

The first allows you to add an image to your direct messages and the other introduces support for attaching up to four images to a single tweet.

Twitter for Mac 3.1 is available free in the Mac App Store.

Sword-slashing Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance hits Mac App Store

TransGaming, which specializes in video game portability technology, on Thursday released Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance in the Mac App Store.

Originally developed by Kojima Productions and Platinum Games, Revengeance is technically still part of the Metal Gear universe, with one notable change: instead of the hide-and-seek approach that the original Metal Gear Solid popularized more than a decade ago, Revengeance files as a hack'n'slash game that puts you in the shoes of a cyborg ninja named Raiden.

Equipped with a fancy high-frequency katana blade, you'll be slicing your way through the enemies amid a terrible conflict brewing between private military corporations (PMCs). The game is available in the Mac App Store for a promotional price of $24.99.