MacBreak 38: Path Finder

As promised, here's the latest video podcast episode of MacBreak, in which Leo and I have a look at Path Finder, an application by Cocoatech that (in my opinion) handsomely compensates for many of the deficits in the current OS X Finder. It also has a ton of cool features, preferences, and geegaws that most any Mac nerd will love.

New to me in this episode: according to Leo, Woz (cough) likes Path Finder, too. Cool!

Finally, here's some earlier coverage of Path Finder on 43f.

Direct downloads of Episode 38:

• Standard video (450p)
• HD version (1080p)

Subscribe to MacBreak for free

• iPod version (Subscribe in iTunes)
• 1080p (HD) version

The Omni Mouth » OmniFocus get-together during Macworld week

Upcoming.org: OmniFocus Meetup at Apple Store (Monday, January 8, 2007)

As most Kinkless nerds already know, OmniGroup is developing a full-on Cocoa implementation of Ethan's script that they've dubbed OmniFocus. Since the OmniGroup folks will be in town for MacWorld, they've kindly offered to host a meetup at the Apple Store on Monday afternoon. For better or worse, your Author will be the emcee.

If all the stars line up (and my lack of proper press credentials doesn't get me thrown out on my ear), next Tuesday, a tenacious Pixelcorps camera person and I will be out covering MacWorld's Expo floor on behalf of the mighty TWiT Network's MacBreak video podcast.

I'll be focusing on OS X productivity applications -- with, I suspect, side visits to some companies I adore -- but I'm interested in hearing about anything you think MacBreak shouldn't miss.

Got a 43 Folders-esque product that you'll be showing off at MacWorld? Are you fun to talk to and comfortable appearing onscreen with America's dorkiest Mac productivity guy? Then you may already be a winner! Tell me who you are, what you got, and why the kids should be flocking to your amazingly costly booth. (Extra credit if you're in one of those teeny kiosks that get stuck back in the corner.) If you're bashful, you can also just email me

Macworld is in full swing this week here in SF, and Merlin will be there, covering the expo floor for MacBreak, participating in a live taping of MacBreak Weekly, and much more. Details inside »

All subject to change, cancellation, force majeure, or ejection by security guard:

Monday

• 4:30-5:30pm - OmniFocus Meetup @ The Apple Store (Merlin will emcee the proceedings)

Tuesday

• Afternoon - On the Expo floor, shooting for MacBreak
  • Want us to stop by your booth?
• 6pm - MacBreak Weekly Podcast Live @ 21st Amendment (UPDATE: moved from the Apple Store)
• 8pm - MacBreak Weekly after-party @ 21st Amendment

Wednesday

• 9pm - DailyTechTalk's open Macworld Party at Swig

Thursday

• 6pm - Mac Podcaster Meetup Live @ The Apple Store
• 8pm - MacMingle @ Jillian's

Am I missing anything? Invite me via Upcoming.org.

Funkware - Task List

Task List is a promising looking new app for students who want to track the tasks associated with homework and other assignments.

As a former dysfunctional student, I like the way you can filter work by class, gauge progress on assigments, set priorities, and then track the results, such as the grade you received, etc. It also has support for "Classcasts," syncs with .Mac, and seems to work nicely with iCal.

As with many tricked-out task apps, there's plenty of room for bogging down in the sort of fiddly meta-work that's more fun than, say, actually reading Bleak House, but this app is far from the worst attractive nuisance I've seen in that regard. Based on my 20 minutes of running through it yesterday, it looks like a useful application for managing the rat's nest of tasks standing between you and your sheepskin.

Task List is the simple way to manage your homework. After all, it's bad enough that you have to do homework in the first place - why should keeping track of it be difficult too? Task List 5 builds on the many features of Task List 4, and offers you even more ways to keep track of what you need to do. Even better, it makes it easy to actually do something about your homework, with features such as multiple file attachments for each task, a built-in tabbed notes editor, and convenient reference information and links, just like your composition notebook. Best of all, Task List 5's new interface makes it easy to view your information in as simple or complex a manner as you wish.

What are you organized Mac students out there using to keep it all together?

Getting Things Done With Your iPod

My head swims with the number of Mac GTD apps that have sprung up over the last year or so, one of which is the Quicksilver-friendly Actiontastic. Although I haven't spent more than a few minutes playing with Actiontastic, as described by Podophile it appears to merit a look for Hipster PDA-centric iPod fans:

Syncing to my iPod is obviously another big feature for me. At the click of a button, all of your Projects and Context Lists are sent to your Notes folder, making it easy to review them anywhere you happen to be. Obviously, you can’t add or edit items directly with your iPod, but that’s why I always carry my Hipster POD with me. It’s easy enough to input any new items when I get back to my computer.

Cocoatech: Path Finder 4.6.1

Given the comments and emails I receive whenever I use Path Finder in a demo, it's clear to me that people are hungry for ways to improve and customize their stock Finder. PF's appearance in my latest MacBreak has been no exception.

So, for folks that haven't heard my pimping before or who haven't been following the recent additions to the inarguably crufty uber-app, here's a tricked-out Path Finder window, showing the new tab functionality, plus all the optional drawers, tchotchkes, and finials that can be displayed.

(Larger version on Flickr...)

For more on why I dig Path Finder, read 7 things I like about Path Finder for OS X. And be sure to check back soon on MacBreak (HD 1080 Podcast feed); Leo and I have a segment on Path Finder that should be airing soon.

Addition 2006-12-28 10:31:43 Neil makes a great point in comments. I have this terrible habit of only ever showing Path Finder with all of its features on, and all its optional frippery enabled. In fact, PF needn't look like a functional salad bar at all, and the enclosed is closer to how I configure it for my own everyday usage.

Thanks, Neil.

MacBreak 33: The Distracted Mac (Direct MOV Download)

Although it covers a lot of the same ground as a previous MacBreak we did on the subject, I think Leo and my segment on un-distract-ifying your Mac turned out pretty good (my atrocious hairstyle at shoot time notwithstanding). Download 10:28 MOV file now...

Here's the apps and tricks that we covered, with links:

• Hide Others - In the front app, select "[Application name menu] > Hide Others"
• Turn [Dock] Hiding On - In the Dock, CTRL-Click the Dock's vertical separator bar, and select "Turn Hiding On"
• Backdrop - Create a black background that still lets you easily interact with Desktop contents
• MenuShade - Alter the brightness of your Menu -- or totally black it out, like I do
• Spirited Away -- Hides non-active applications after the interval of your choice (thanks for the legacy download link, Don)
• Path Finder - Totally tricked out Finder on steroids that I love love love; where I made the Desktop black and hid all mounted drives, folders, etc. (doable in the regular Finder, too)
• Hazel - Automagically clean up the contents of folders and the Desktop (e.g., "move old MP3s here" or "archive files older than a week" etc.)
• Textmate - My favorite text editor. Which I apparently love to plug for no particular reason.

Edit 2006-12-21 16:51:22: Check after the cut for reader suggestions from comments for this post...

If you're not already a big Quicksilver fan, this probably won't mint you as a new one, but if you're a text-y geek who's more comfortable with fast typing than changing modes, this is quite a gem.