Sparrow

An avid computer user may use Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, or another service for you email. Personally, I promote Gmail, because it's generally much snappier to shift through emails.

With one of these email services, a variety of clients are available to actually browse through your email. You can pick their online client by just going to their websites, or pick an alternative like Outlook, Thunderbird ("what's that" you say?), or Apple's Mail.

Sparrow is a simple mac email client.

Today let me present Sparrow, a straightforward and simple to use mac email client. What's unique about this application is the ease of use it brings with it. The interface is clutter-free, lacks annoyances, and lets you get through your email quickly.

Pull down the inbox to refresh your messages, check the dock icon or the menubar icon for new message counters, and manage multiple email accounts at the same time. If you have a multitouch trackpad on your computer, you can also use gestures to manage your messages.

A key feature that I enjoy is how Sparrow compiles all of your email accounts into a single "Unified Inbox". I have two personal emails and a school one, so this makes going through email smart and swift.

There's a free version with an ad at the top and a paid version without it. Try Sparrow out!

Quick List of Apps

From an old white one to a brand-spanking new MacBook Pro, there isn't much that I don't understand how to do on this computer. And now, four years later, I've got a hefty collection of applications that conveniently help me get through the day. Here's a quick list of a few free ones that you might find useful.

F.lux

F.lux uses your timezone to control the tint of your screen.

If you stare at your screen all day for work or for play, you'll notice a blue tint that emanates from your bright display. This is meant to replicate the sun, which of course, you don't want to stare at at nighttime. The purpose of f.lux is to change this glow during nighttime to a softer orange in order to ease the strain on your eyes. While the tint at first may be noticeable, you'll become accustomed to it within a couple of days and you'll wonder how you lived without it.

Now, I can disable it for a moment when it's active and a terrifying blue glow shoots directly into my eyes! Augh, nobody wants that.

Day-O

Add a calendar to your Mac's time menu bar item

If you're on a Mac, then go ahead an click on your time icon in your menu bar (at the top left, near the spotlight icon). And poof! Well that's a bit disappointing. Wouldn't you rather see a calendar in place of that boring menu? Day-O does just that. Now, you get a small calendar icon next to the current time and day, along with an actual calendar that pops open whenever you click on the menu bar item. It's a quick and easy way for me to plan out future dates, and actually see what day an event is. Easy, simple, and quick.

Caffeine

Third icon from the right is Caffeine.

Caffeine is another very simple menu bar application that has one simple function: stop your screen from locking or going into your screen saver. Now when would this be useful? Surprisingly, the option to have rapid access to the auto-lock on your computer is very useful. Pop it on and your computer's screen just stays on until you close it or turn it off. Flip it off again and then your computer locks up normally in order to keep everything safe.

Here's a simple way I use it. During a lecture in class, I'm looking up at a screen or a teacher, and then back down to take notes. And at times, I'm just looking up without paying attention to my computer. But this leads me to the situation in which my computer automatically locks up and I have to wait for the screen to turn on again and everything to slowly load back. This is where Caffeine can help!


All three of these apps are little tools that keep out of the way and perform their functions phenomenally. Try one out, or all of them if you've found them useful. All are free, so don't worry about paying a cent.

This is Why I Love "Remember the Milk"

"Don't forget the milk! Pardon? Oh no!"

I was on the phone with my Mother and I had obviously missed the deadline. She was out of checkout and on her dandy way home. And so, regrettably I didn't have a delectable bowl of cereal the next morning.

For my school life, along with most of my personal reminders, I use Remember the Milk. It's another task manager (which there are a sea of these days) that I've come to love. Because first, I can view all the tasks I have left on my phone. And this is awesomely useful whenever I don't want to open up my computer. And second, because it's also on the web, rather than just an App on my Mac. Again, useful for finding out what I need to do wherever I can get a web connection.