Update on the Update! (4/4/09): MacHeist has just added for all customers another application to their bundle, Times. It is an unique RSS reader that organizes the feeds into a visual newspaper format. Normally, it sells for $30. I will give it a look; though it will be hard to get me to shift from NetNewsWire due to the iPhone client and synchronization with NewsGator.

You will need to hurry though. There is only three days left in the MacHeist 3 Bundle!


Just a quick update on the MacHeist 3 Bundle. They have added two additional applications to the bundle: Delicious Library 2 and Multiwinia. If you have purchased the bundle and tweet about it on Twitter, you receive the gifts. Don’t be surprised if you are hit with a bunch of tweets saying:

I bought the @MacHeist 3 Bundle. 12 Top Mac apps worth $900+ for just $39 AND I just got Delicious Library 2 FREE! http://mhtweet.com/g4Flrc

So what are these new applications?

Delicious Library 2 is a great way to catalogue all your media. It won tons of awards several years ago and can use the iSight as a bar code reader. My entire book library is organized using Delicious Library 2. I highly recommend it.

Multiwinia is a shooting war game where you command stick figures to fight your friends online. I haven’t tried it out yet, but it looks fun. Certainly, it will be an attraction to buyers who have complained that there isn’t enough fun applications in this year’s bundle.

Tags: MacHeist 3, Delicious Library, Multiwinia

I really like Picturesque which I recently picked up as part of the MacHeist Bundle. It isn’t a full-fledged photo editor, but allows for quick enhancement of a photograph. It does four things really easy and well: (1) creating cool 3D perspectives, (2) producing awesome reflections without any need for layers, (3) introducing some curves to the photo without using masks, and (4) adding shadows, glows and frames around your picture.

For a presentation that I was preparing, I needed an image to illustrate something happening every 12 seconds. I took out my Nikon D40 and took a picture of the stopwatch on my iPhone on a blank piece of paper using daylight from the window. With Picturesque, I added some of the enhancements I mentioned above and made an awesome image with significant impact. This tool won’t replace Photoshop, but it is great for blogging, newsletters, presentations, etc.

Tags: Picturesque

Update (3/31/09): MacHeist has juiced up their bundle by adding Cro-Mag Rally for all customers. While a little “retro” (i.e. dated), Cro-Mag Rally is made by Pangea and has seen a revival with its iPhone version. Another reason to purchase the bundle if you are into prehistoric rally games!


I recently purchased the MacHeist 3 Bundle that is currently for sale. There is an excellent mix of applications in the bundle and it is definitely worth a look. At only $39 it is practically a steal if one or two of the applications are of interest. Here are the applications in the bundle and my take on them:

iSale ($39.95)
iSale is a application for eBay that allows you to make a professional-looking auction. I am not much of an eBay person and have not testing the application.

Picturesque ($34.95)
Picturesque is a cool-little application that allows you to easily manipulate photographs by changing its perspective, adding a reflection, creating a frame, etc. It is not a full-fledged photo editor, but adds some neat tricks. I would not pay $34.95 for it, but, as a bonus application, it is a winner.

SousChef (30.00)
I haven’t loaded SousChef, because I am already deeply into MacGourmet Deluxe. I didn’t think that I would be into a recipe management software, but it has been a real benny in the kitchen.

World of Goo ($20.00)
World of Goo is cool. A must play. Enough said.

PhoneView ($19.95)
My iPhone has become my lifeblood. This application allows you to get at the data stored on it in an easy fashion. That is a winner in my book.

LittleSnapper ($39.00)
LittleSnapper lets you store and annotate screenshots or web page captures. Previously, I was using Skitch for this functionality, but no longer. LittleSnapper is much better and made by Realmac Software, the company that makes Rapidweaver - the software I use for this blog.

Acorn ($49.95)
Acorn is a simple-to-use photo editor. I haven’t tested it out, but I won’t be using it. Instead, I will stay with Pixelmator - the software I got from last year’s MacHeist bundle.

Kinemac ($299.00)
At $299, Kinemac was definitely included in order to bump up the value of the bundle. However, it looks like an easy 3D animation package. I will be using it to create animations for videocasting with BoinxTV and uStream TV.

WireTap Studio ($69.00)
If you want to record any audio which is being played by your Mac, then Wire Tap Studio is the software. I can see how it would be very useful for podcasts, capturing Skype conversations and for making custom ringtones. This app was unlocked when the charity contribution hit $100,000.

BoinxTV ($199.00)
I really want BoinxTV. It is a great software to create and edit videocasts in a live-to-disk or live-to-internet method. Right now, this application is not yet unlocked and requires $400,000 in charity sales. I am hoping that we reach this level before the sale ends.

The Hit List ($69.95)
The Hit List is a software package for to-do lists and “Getting Things Done.” I already use Omnifocus for this and won’t be changing, particularly since The Hit List doesn’t have a iPhone client. This application is also not yet unlocked and its unlock level has not been announced.

Espresso ($80.00)
Espresso looks like an excellent new web development tool that will compete with Coda. I am sure that this one will be a big draw for people if we get close to the unlock level. It will be unlocked at the same time as The Hit List.


I recommend this bundle. I think there is a lot of good applications in it at a very favorable price. Here is my referral link to the bundle. For full disclosure, if two people buy through my link, then I get two additional applications: Ambrosia’s Pop-up and Koingo Utility Package. By the way, any bundle customer who refers two additional purchasers can get this software as a bonus.

Tags: MacHeist 3, BoinxTV, WireTap Studio, Isale, Picturesque, Souschef, World of Goo, PhoneView, LittleSnapper, Acorn, Kinemac, The Hit List, Espresso