So if you have been reading this site recently you will have noticed that I am on a “Mac is great” kick. I am becoming one of those people. Yup. There is a reason though. Some of this software that integrates on the Mac is fantastic. either there is nothing like it on the PC, or it is just easier (allot easier). For example I found a Bluetooth product called BluePhoneElite. It takes your bluetooth phone and uses your mac to do some crazy stuff. It flashes caller id on the mac screen when the phone rings, then when you answer it the software pauses any dvd’s or itunes you may have playing. Once you are done with your call it turns everything back on. How cool (and actually useful) is that? You can also dial numbers and send SMS mail from the program, see signal and battery strength, and more. It even changes your iChat status to away when you walk out of range with the phone and changes it back when you return. Why can’t I fund useful software like that for the PC that actually works? Another reason why I use my powerbook more and more each day.
I also just got Merlin. It is a MS Project like program for the Mac. It is half the price, and writes to Project files or Project XML files. I did a test and it imported and exported a 200 line project file I did in no time. The integration into the mac iCal and Address book was also very useful. I use project on my PC, but this just seemed to work better. Maybe I am just caught up in the whole coolness factor, but I felt this product was just simpler and more powerful to use than MS Project. Another program that I don’t need windows for!
Jayson and I are spending more of our spare time recently finding replacements to our old standard Windows programs. He is happy working on his thinkpad with a dual boot of Suse 9.3 and Windows XP. He almost never uses XP anymore. He is using more open source software than I. He has to since he is using Suse, and I am on my Mac. I am going to dual boot my thinkpad when I get back from my trip.