Other Mac Resources
Room Reviews
Top Links
Other Mac Resources
Link: http://www.macrumors.com
Useful For: Mac News, Software Reviews, Purchases
Mac news, deals, and forums right at your fingertips. MacRumors.com is a gigantic Mac resource that’s a must visit for every Mac enthusiast out there. Major news on Mac is given on the front page of the site along with rebates and special promotions if you’re in the market for a new Mac. There are even rumors, product reviews and updates, as well as a section entirely devoted to Apple’s other major products like the iPhone and iPod. I used the Buyer’s Guide to research my iPod Classic purchase and it’s especially helpful for looking at past releases and product recommendations. Check it out at http://www.macrumors.com/.
Link: http://www.macbytes.com
Useful For: Mac News
All the Mac news you can handle aggregated on one easy to navigate site. MacBytes.com has a sleek-looking news feed that runs down the middle of the site with stories from major Apple and Mac news sites. You can browse various opinion pieces, read Mac software and hardware reviews, and check out helpful tips to improve your Mac experience. You can also submit a news link of your own and grow the site. MacBytes.com has an array of discussion forums you can post in and start gabbing about all things Mac with your fellow Mac junkies. Get all your news in an easy to read center console at http://www.macbytes.com/.
Link: http://www.macworld.com
Useful For: Mac Product Reviews, Articles
You could literally spend days reading everything that’s available on MacWorld.com. It’s a world of information on Macs, iPods, iPhones, operating systems, software, and hardware. Each article on MacWorld.com is extremely in-depth. There’s one that covers the differences between every major web browser I can name, for example, and even a full tool called Macbuy to help you search for the latest and greatest products for your computer. Other topics include integration with televisions, photo software, and ways to back up your information. You can read game reviews and catch yourself up to speed on iPhones and iPods. It’s a one stop shop that deserves the title of Mac World. Be sure to check out http://www.macworld.com/.
Link: http://www.apple.com
Useful for: Technical Support, Product Research
Ground zero for Mac users should be Apple.com. After all, where else can you get updates on the latest software from the Motherland along with upcoming rollouts? You can search the most accurate product information, check out all of Apple’s non-Mac products, and find an Apple store in your backyard. One of the most useful things on Apple.com is it’s full-fledged Support link located at the top of the site. Any question you have on how to operate your Mac should be answered here. There are critical downloads available as well to help you. It’s all easy on http://www.apple.com/.
Link: http://www.macpolls.com
Useful for: Researching Trends
Interested in what Mac users’ opinions are? Check out MacPolls.com. Every day, a new poll is featured and you can vote. It’s that simple of a concept for a website. It’s painfully obvious to see what’s buzzing in the Mac world. Past questions have included “If you were to buy an iPhone today, which model would you get?” and “iPhone Owners: Happy with your iPhone?” I find it useful because I can make sure I’m in the loop on what’s hot in the world of Mac products, software, and developments. Thousands of Mac lovers answer these polls every single day. 10 people voted on today’s question in the two minutes it took me to write this paragraph. Voice your choice at http://www.macpolls.com/.
Link: http://www.maclife.com
Useful For: Mac Reviews, Mac News
You can find the Mac Life magazine at your local news stand every month. Welcome to the magazine’s home on the Net, MacLife.com. The site features some of the most in-depth reviews I’ve found anywhere, complete with daily updated news stories to keep you in the know about all things Mac. The site can help you find a great deal on the MacBook Air, keep you up to date on the latest add-ons for your iPhone, and teach you where to find the best free mp3’s for your iPod. There are forums to chat with your fellow Mac-lovers and a series of podcasts for you to listen. You can even preview the latest magazine edition before you head out to Borders to buy it. Check it out at www.maclife.com.
Link: http://www.applematters.com
Useful For: Critiques, Product Developments
The site name itself is a play on words, as AppleMatters.com markets itself as “A serious yet irreverent look at all things Apple.” You’ll see a ton of reviews, critiques, and forum discussion on the site, with a slight tilt towards providing a more opinionated view of Apple’s products, developments, and strategy. I really like the side console called “This Day in Apple History,” which is interesting to look back on to see how Apple’s rise to a major player in the computing market has occurred. It’s all available at AppleMatters.com.
Link: http://www.macdailynews.com
Useful For: Mac News, Researching Trends
You can spend several hours browsing the sheer volume of Mac news amalgamated on MacDailyNews.com. There are around 15 new articles for you to read every single day from a variety of sources, meaning your visit to MacDailyNews.com will catch you up what’s going on in the world of Macs. I also like the “Most Commented” articles of the day, a look at the top five topics that are buzzing. It’s an easy way to tell what’s hot related to Macs and what the latest trends are. Make sure to head on over to MacDailyNews.com.
Link: http://www.ilounge.com
Useful For: iPod Reviews, Accessories, and News
This is a flashy site packed to the brim with information and news about iPods. If I didn’t already own a new one, I’d be on my way right now to Best Buy to grab an iPod after checking out this site. You’ll find a few news stories every single day published along with reviews about any accessory associated with an iPod I can think of – cables, dcks, transmitters, headphones, remote controls, and speakers. There are links to Mac Dashboard Widgets, Mac Yahoo Widgets, and a bevy of add-ons to improve your iPod experience. Discussion forums cover problems and solutions, hacks and mods, accessories, and iTunes, so you’re sure to find something worth chatting about. There are also reviews of free music sites, free concert sites, and other places you’ll want to visit before forking out a dollar per song on iTunes. It’s all at http://www.ilounge.com.
Podcast.net
Link: http://www.podcast.net
Useful For: Searching for Podcasts, Listening to Podcasts
What do you do when you’re playing poker? Watch The Price is Right? Drink? I’ve got another diversion for you: Podcast.net. It’s your resource for podcasts across the net, all aggregated into one place and playable right from the site. At the time of writing, there were nearly 10,000 “Entertainment” podcasts available, 1,400 “Politics and Government” shows, and 1,194 “Sports” segments for you to listen to. If you’d rather listen to a podcast about poker while playing poker, there were 40 poker and 51 gambling podcasts available. You could spent weeks catching up on 400+ episodes of “The Circuit” Poker Radio on Podcast.net and relive 67 episodes of Phil Gordon calling the 2005 World Series of Poker. Next time your 10-tabling, visit Podcast.net at http://www.podcast.net.
Download.com
Link: http://www.download.com
Useful For: Download Mac Programs
If you’re looking for the newest Mac software, check out Download.com. If you click on “Downloads” and then “Mac Software,” you’ll find more Mac programs than you can possibly imagine, all ready to be downloaded and installed on your computer. I especially like the “Most Popular Mac Titles” display, which shows you what others are downloading onto their Macs. Entries include easy access to MSN Messenger, iTunes, Firefox, LimeWire, and Photoshop. Each title has ratings from editors and users, system requirements, and a full review. Be forewarned that not all of the products offered on Download.com are free, so check what’s listed next to “License” at the top of each download page. Files you download are free of viruses and spyware, so rest assured you’re not corrupting your Mac. I really like the standardization of each download page on the site; it makes it very easy to compare products. Visit http://www.download.com.
Link: http://www.macreview.com
Useful For: Mac Software Reviews
The name of the site explains it all. MacReview.com is the home of a couple hundred reviews of software for your Mac. My favorite feature is its simplicity. There’s no flashy news on the front page or anything to distract you from researching the bevy of reviews offered. The only options on the site’s home page are to sort by product category and product name in alphabetical order. There’s a simple search feature added in as well. Some of the software review categories offered are “Graphics,” “Music,” “Video,” “Educational,” and “Entertaining.” I enjoyed browsing the reviews of Madden NFL and RollerCoaster Tycoon (both are excellent programs if you’ve never played). The review for each amalgamates reviews from other sites as well as provides a link to purchase. You can also visit the publisher of each piece of software to learn more about their other offerings in case you fall in love with one or more of their products. Check it out at http://www.macreview.com.
Link: http://www.softwarearchives.com
Useful For: Mac Software Reviews
SoftwareArchives.com isn’t just a Mac resource site. Windows and Linux users can find a multitude of reviews as well on their respective systems. If you click on “Macintosh,” you’ll see reviews broken out by category, including “Business,” “Games,” “Security and Privacy,” Web Development,” and “Graphic Design.” For each review, SoftwareArchives.com gives you a description, acceptable operating systems, links to the company website and support e-mail (the latter is extremely helpful if you have questions on a program), and a download now option. For you programming junkies out there, SoftwareArchives.com has an entire section devoted to the latest in development and programming and links to download the latest tools for php, Java, Active X, and more. It’s all at http://www.softwarearchives.com.
Link: http://www.macnn.com
Useful For: Mac News, Rumors, and Forums
I can best describe MacNN.com by saying it’s the encyclopedia of Mac sites. Everything you’d ever want to know about Mac news, rumors, reviews, and products is right at your fingertips at MacNN.com. Just on the front page of the site, you’ll find the latest daily headlines, breaking news, product reviews, blog posts, forum topics, and a variety of articles to ensure you’re up to date on all things Mac. You can listen to the site’s own Podcasts about the Mac, complete with informed guests discussing industry trends. There are over 200,000 posts in the Mac Notebooks forum and, at the time of writing, 80,000 registered members. Needless to say, the volume of content on MacNN.com makes it a “must bookmark” for Mac lovers everywhere. Come join the cast of thousands at http://www.macnn.com.
Link: http://www.softpedia.com
Useful For: Mac Software Reviews
You’ve heard of Wikipedia, right? Welcome to Softpedia, your source for a vast amount of software reviews, updated constantly. Each reviewed product has the total number of downloads so far, the developer, license information and pricing, file size, required operating system, approximate download time based on connection speed, and a full description. I especially like the “Key Features” for each piece of software, which allows me to understand why I should (or should not) be downloading it. Each download is checked for virus, adware, and spyware, meaning your Mac will be as squeaky clean as when you started. There were 10 “Business” software pieces uploaded today alone to give you an idea of the amount of new products reviewed daily. Catch yourself up on the latest releases at http://www.softpedia.com.
Link: http://www.mozilla.org
Useful For: Firefox Add-ons, Mozilla Software
When many people think of Mozilla, the first thing that pops into their heads is “Firefox.” However, Mozilla.com is the home of Camino, SeaMonkey, Sunbird, Lightning, and Thunderbird. Applications you’ll find more information about include TomTom, Bugzilla, and Bonsai. Firefox isn’t ignored on Mozilla.com. In fact, there is a full Add-ons page to change the language, themes, bookmarks, tabs, and toolbars associated with the company’s popular web browser software. You can check out the “special editions” of Mozilla (which currently consist of an eBay and Campus browser) and download the latest security updates. If you’re a real Mozilla junkie, visit the Mozilla store, featuring t-shirts, bags, and posters of your favorite web browser. Download Firefox, Camino, and some of the best Mac software at http://www.mozilla.org.