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I enjoy using Pixelmator for its beautiful icons and simplicity. A already good photo can be readily enhanced via adjusting the brightness, contrast, highlight/shadows. More in-depth editing can be done in a jiffy with dodge, burn, lasso, healing tool. This can be helpful when processing the images for use in web pages. For the uninitiated, the makers are thoughtful enough to provide a large collection of video tutorials to get you started.
One can give the fully functional Pixelmator free try for 30 days, to see if you like it. Many, including myself, don't see the reason why we won't be falling in love with it for a reasonable price of $29.95. Now we can save the rest of our money for vacations, and to bring back photos for edit, of course.
What software stands out as complimentary to MacOS Lion's built in search engine? Undoubtedly it has to be Alfred. Alfred is created by Running with Crayons (what a cool name!) as a small, indispensable utility for your Mac. Once installed, it can be enabled to start up automatically at login and it sits unobtrusively at the menu bar. Whenever a search is needed, just toggle Alfred and it's most happy to run the errand for you.
Alfred instantaneously lists all available items on your Mac that begins with the letter at the moment you enter into it, depending on what you wish to include in your search and where to search. The fuzzy search function can also be enabled which means by entering 'gc', and it will point you to the direction of Google Chrome. Best of it all, Alfred is also a handy calculator and dictionary. Standard calculations such as 30/2 or 3*5 gave instant solutions, while feeding it with 'define (word)' evokes the built-in dictionary app for your answers. Of course there are other extended functionalities, but they are only available separately in a 'powerpack' at £15.
Nevertheless, Alfred is my faithful butler to get the job done, and he doesn't complain :)
