MacUpdate Winter Bundle: 10 Apps for $39.99, Including 6-Month BackBlaze and Anonymizer Subscriptions

[autrefois]

I don't understand all the hating on bundles. One of my most-used apps, Default Folder, I probably would have never discovered if it wasn't for a bundle.

If I had unlimited resources, I'd buy more bundles because there's usually at least one or two apps that interest me. It's a good way to discover a large number of apps for a fraction of the regular price. So even if you end up using one or two of them, it can be worth it. I used to use Forklift when I was moving a lot of files because it had tabbed file windows long before Apple got around to it. It wasn't something I used every day, but it did come in handy on a number of occasions. In some cases I've ended up buying the next version of the app when it comes out, which again I wouldn't have done if I hadn't been able to try it out for cheap first.

Given the marketshare that Macs have versus Windows PCs, I think it's good to support the folks who design the software that go into these bundles, who are usually smaller developers. I'm sure most people aren't going to get rich selling Mac applications.

Plus, it's the one time when people who moan and groan that MacRumors must be paid to post product reviews and announcements are actually right that MacRumors stands to benefit from a story.

 

[And]

Seems a really dull deal to me.

 

[RightMACatU]

This looks like a wonderful idea little Jimmy! Unfortunately I am going to have to pass on this joyful bundle. But good luck. /sarcasm

 

[Mike MA]

Finally; first comment For above; not a bad deal but not must have software.

So you were under time pressure writing this, right?

 

[mockbrown]

If you buy the bundle, look out for incorrect charges from MacUpdate on your credit card in the future. I bought a bundle a couple of years ago, and was then incorrectly billed ($20) for their annual membership a year later, something I never signed up for

I have reported this to them, but still waiting for a reply...

 

[neuropsychguy]

iStopMotion 3 alone could make this worth it if you want/need that sort of thing.

/Don't own the app and have never used it but it generally has good reviews (when it starts…).

 

[noiseordinance]

The only thing useless is Paragon because nobody wants NTFS anymore. Windows is dead to the world basically.

I'm sorry, what planet do you live on again? As an aside, I'm spoiled by humble bundle. Name your own price with proceeds to charity? Heck, I'll buy humble bundles even if I don't plan on playing the games simply because in the very least it's supporting a good cause. Makes these bundles look like total trash. No thanks.

 

[ricosuave]

ExpanDrive

I've been searching for a good app for ftp access to the common services like dropbox, google drive, etc.

Anybody have recommendations?

 

[D.T.]

I also wonder if Apple will ever make a good 2D art app...

Pixelmator is pretty darn good, especially for $15 - Apple should buy the developer, toss a few more resources at it, rename it to iPixel (iPaint?) and make it free (bundle it as part of iMovie/iPhoto)

this bundle has junk only.

Depends on your needs: Backblaze and Paragon and well worth the price and are definitely _not_ junk (assuming you don’t already have an offsite backup solution and/or need the occasional R/W access to an HTFS drive). Expand Drive also sounds pretty decent (see below). Plus, the StopMotion app look super fun (we’ve been doing movies using just the iPad w/ iMotion, but it looks to have better tools and support using iOS devices as “remote cameras”

I've been searching for a good app for ftp access to the common services like dropbox, google drive, etc.

Anybody have recommendations?

Cyberduck is free and very good, however, it no longer supports DropBox. SFTP, S3, WebDav, Google Drive and a few others.

http://cyberduck.io

And of course, the bundle (re: this thread) has a solution too:

https://www.expandrive.com/expandrive

That looks to handle DropBox as well, and apparently mounts all the services as drives so they’re easily accessed. Though DB and GD both mount like a folder in Finder already via the native app available for both (vs. using the web UI).

 

[ricosuave]

Cyberduck is free and very good, however, it no longer supports DropBox. SFTP, S3, WebDav, Google Drive and a few others.

http://cyberduck.io

And of course, the bundle (re: this thread) has a solution too:

https://www.expandrive.com/expandrive

That looks to handle DropBox as well, and apparently mounts all the services as drives so they’re easily accessed. Though DB and GD both mount like a folder in Finder already via the native app available for both (vs. using the web UI).

Thanks, I've never heard of expandrive, that's why I asked. I dislike the current all or nothing syncing services of cloud apps. I would like to have a choice, either sync folders or ftp. I know you can select sertain folders to sync. I guess if they behaved like the iOS counterparts, that would be ideal: see all folders and sync or push the "star" on files or folders for local access.

 

[cheesyappleuser]

Actually, the Paragon 2-in-1 is normally $39.95, but it's temporarily discounted--or at least that's the impression I get from visiting their store directly. Thus, the price would be about the same in the end once that goes back to normal.

But I agree that at first glance, that appears to be the only piece of software here I could actually see myself using. I'll look for reviews of it later, but does anybody have any comments about the stability, reliability, etc. of the Mac NTFS or Windows HFS+ drivers?

I don't think that really is a promotion; it looks like a "forever promotion" they use to lure customers.
As far as I know (although I never used it) I read this is the best driver for NTFS available on the Mac.

 

[stevers]

The last bundle was sour too. Got to see that one promoted for days until someone finally decided to step on the poor thing and out it out of it's misery.

Want more buyers? Add Parallels back in.

 

[D.T.]

Thanks, I've never heard of expandrive, that's why I asked. I dislike the current all or nothing syncing services of cloud apps. I would like to have a choice, either sync folders or ftp. I know you can select sertain folders to sync. I guess if they behaved like the iOS counterparts, that would be ideal: see all folders and sync or push the "star" on files or folders for local access.

That’s a good point about everything being sync’ed (DB is even worse since shared folders get sync’ed and count towards your storage, then of course, sync’ed downstream to your machine). Yeah, I can see just mounting a DB drive and managing it manually.

 

[dysamoria]

Oh look... More subscription stuff that I'm not going to subscribe to...

 

[MartinAppleGuy]

So you were under time pressure writing this, right?

Yip! I was spamming my keyboard trying to think what to right

 

[tdiaz]

Really? They'd get all unwound over a three buck app?

I thought that was the whole purpose of the forums, to discuss things related to the platform.. one of them being application software.

Whatever.

As for the bundle, I was going to get ExpanDrive anyway. Since the whole bundle is the same price, I get "free" stuff too. .. and the subscription stuff? Bit rot in hell. I've got no interest.

 

[50548]

Probably the worst bundle ever, particularly considering that the two "flagships" are subscription-based...

 

[yadmonkey]

mail hub is worth it alone , its a great app.

Great it may be, but it would be daft to buy a $40 bundle to get a $19 app.

 

[Parasprite]

Wow we are all dying to hear more about your stupid battery monitor app since you only post 5 or 10 times a day sounding mad that MR isn't bowing down to you and gushing over it

I had a feeling I knew who everyone was talking about, which is pretty sad.

 

[jtara]

Man, I was all over Backblaze when I saw that it was just $5 a month for unlimited data/bandwidth but then I noticed that it's JUST a backup solution and not an offsite cloud. I seriously need to store about 100 to 200Gig (in the next year or so) of data and $5 was the sweet impulse buy price but sadly this isn't the solution for me...

The free version of Crashplan will do this at no cost.

(I have their cloud backup subscription. I backup both to their cloud and my own Linux server.)

I used to be a big fan of Paragon, but that was years ago. Don't use any of their products any more. I don't like the way they create multiple overlapping applications, and make it seem they are all useful in some way... I just use a small open source Linux distribution I can boot from a CD for any of the kind of maintenance stuff I used to do with Paragon products. (e.g. backup disks, etc.)

Isn't there a good free NTFS solution nowadays?

 

[acarney]

The free version of Crashplan will do this at no cost.

(I have their cloud backup subscription. I backup both to their cloud and my own Linux server.)

I used to be a big fan of Paragon, but that was years ago. Don't use any of their products any more. I don't like the way they create multiple overlapping applications, and make it seem they are all useful in some way... I just use a small open source Linux distribution I can boot from a CD for any of the kind of maintenance stuff I used to do with Paragon products. (e.g. backup disks, etc.)

Isn't there a good free NTFS solution nowadays?

Can I use it as a cloud storage though? I would sign up in a second for the paid service if I could set it to backup a folder of mp3s and be able to access those from time to time from my iOS device. The problem is, these files number about 75gig right now and will be 100-200gig by the end of next year. However, I'm very limited on hard drive space and can only keep about 20gig locally at any one time. Can I download say 100 mp3 files, have them backed up to CrashPlan and then delete them and download new files to that folder and have those backed up too? Will both sets of files stay in CrashPlan or will CrashPlan delete the first set of files after some grace period or something?

 

[tdiaz]

Typically, these backup services keep you from doing that by requiring that the files mirror local storage. If it's not present locally.. *poof*

Thought many of them only require that to be the case once in a 30 day period.

With the "free" plan, they don't allow revisions of files either.

 

[acarney]

Typically, these backup services keep you from doing that by requiring that the files mirror local storage. If it's not present locally.. *poof*

Thought many of them only require that to be the case once in a 30 day period.

With the "free" plan, they don't allow revisions of files either.

Figured it would be something like that. Any recommendations on anything that's $3-$5 a month for more then 100gigs? I can't believe the backup sites are so cheap, I would figure their bandwidth and storage utilization would be near the same or more then a remote cloud. (Wouldn't you pick the automated cloud backup if you were going to backup a whole collection of music or HD videos compared to just sharing a handful of too big to email files or using it for pictures from your cellphone? Though maybe I answered my own question on why you can't find large data quotas)

 

[Mareklug]

You'd think they would at least throw in the Ext drivers…

…but nooooooooooo. That would be the one useful thing in this useless pile for all of us who mess with linux alongside the mac, or virtually or whatever…

 

[7709876]

Commenting on this 'cause I doubt anyone else will...

It's simply amazing how they can bundle so many pointless apps together. My hat is off to them.

Agreed.

One of the things that still surprises me in the OSX software market is how much basic apps cost.

$49.99 for an app to print labels - really? For years I have seen similar apps sold at retail for Windows in "3 for £10 offers" here in the UK.

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I'm sorry, what planet do you live on again? As an aside, I'm spoiled by humble bundle. Name your own price with proceeds to charity? Heck, I'll buy humble bundles even if I don't plan on playing the games simply because in the very least it's supporting a good cause. Makes these bundles look like total trash. No thanks.

A Humble Bundle type deal for Mac Apps would work so well.