One of the most popular articles of the blog is surely this list of 10 free apps for Mac users.
Some of the Mac apps included in that list are still relevant and kicking butt nowadays. However a few readers have insistently asked to share more apps.
One thing I like to avoid with these lists is to give you general software that everybody knows and millions use.
I am on the hunt of the hidden gem. A tool off the beaten track that can actually add value rather than waste your time.
Software? Who Needs Software?
Things have changed quite dramatically since the last roundup. Software is becoming a vintage definition. Most services now run online and do not require any software to run.
Nonetheless, Apple has managed to keep software relevant by means of Apps. The App store on your Mac is a great source of agile software that can help getting things done.
For this list I’ve included also paid applications. Free is great but paid is awesome. I think we have to get over the fact that spending $15 for our business is a big deal if we are serious about our profession. Specially when a Big Mac costs US$4.50 on average.
I also preferred 100% Mac apps although there are a couple of cross platform instances. I believe that apps specifically designed for OSX are usually a breed of their own.
Let me share my findings…
Mac Apps for Events
Slides & Polls | $9.99
This is a hell of an App that does what popular polling apps such as Sendsteps or PollEverywhere do. The presenter imports the Keynote and Powerpoint into their service and a whole new set of interactive features becomes available.
Audience can vote via smartphone or laptop.
Guest List Planner | $14.99
Managing guests is a hot new topic for event tech providers. Guest List Planner allows you to import contacts and arrange them in categories. This makes it a great piece of software to manage weddings, birthdays and parties.
You can split audience according to age which makes it a cool tool to get details right.
Event Assistant | $6.99
Did you know there was a budgeting tool specifically designed for events running on Macs? I didn’t. Now we both know.
Event assistant is designed for workshops, seminars and small to medium sized events. Among the other features it collects a neat attendee database and allows to budget for speaker fees.
Things | $49.99
We are venturing on the more expensive side with Things. However we are discussing the single most popular productivity software for Mac ever created.
Things is a philosophy more than a project management tool. It helps to get things done and team workflow.
Easy Books | Free
If you run a small event planning agency or freelance then Easy Books is surely for you. It helps with the accounting needs every small business has.
It also feature an iPhone app to look at data on the go. All of the above free!
Wedding Planner | $1.99
Wedding Planner is a proper wedding planning app that will help with project management and budget.
Its preset categories for Catering, Flowers, Theme, etc make it a great starting point to identify all the steps needed to run a perfect wedding.
The Social Address Book | $4.99
Love this little tool. You can import all the social handles of your contacts from Facebook, Twitter, App.net, LinkedIn, Xing, Google Contacts, Instagram, Flickr, Soundcloud, Foursquare, Github and your OS X address book.
Having everything in one place will help for guest listing and marketing purposes.
Share Bucket | Free
When it gets to tech, I am more old school that you’d imagine. I love my old screenshots. They communicate a comment better than 1000 words.
Share bucket is a great utility to take screenshots, edit and share them with the world. So you can communicate with the rest of your team what you mean with clear visual means.
Pin Pro for Pinterest | $1.99
Not sure if you got the message but we love Pinterest around here. Pin Pro is definitely the tool you want to have to pin inspiration and ideas while surfing.
It also has a free version but you would agree $1.99 is worth to get rid of ads, upload pictures from your Mac and touch gesture support.
iDisplay | Free
iDisplay makes an iPad a second screen to place next to your Mac. They highlight how a study by the University of Utah has found that people who use two monitors are as much as 44% more productive than those who are using a single monitor.
If you are an event professional and you don’t multitask, that is definitely a first. The average event prof can surely juggle two screens at a time.
In Conclusion
The Mac apps presented in this article will help you being more organised, productive, financially sound and effective.
If you love your Mac, you want to give them a go. Some paid apps have a trial version so give it a whirl before buying.
Let me know if you have more.
Photo by Sigalakos
