In the most recent issue of the DocumentSnap newsletter, I briefly mentioned the newest version of the Productive Macs bundle.
It was very popular with DocumentSnap readers last year (and I bought it too), so I highlighted a few apps that are included this year.
I received an email from awesome DocumentSnap reader (and recent Mac switcher) Jim asking more about the bundle, and whether I am buying it this year.
First, The Bundle
If you are a new Mac user, you may not be familiar with the concept of bundles. They are essentially a bunch of different applications sold together at a heavily reduced price.
Usually there are a few well-known applications, some “meh” ones, and some that no one has ever heard of.
The Productive Macs bundle is (surprise, surprise) focused on productivity applications. I am not going to list or go through them all, you can see the list on their site.
In the newsletter, like last year, I pointed out a few applications that I thought might apply to a paperless workflow. As Jim pointed out, I didn’t do a very good job of describing why they might help, so I will attempt to do so here:
- LaunchBar: This is the biggie. Nearly every well-known Mac-nerd blogger uses and loves LaunchBar. David Sparks and Katie Floyd from Mac Power Users talk about it all the time (and did even before they were a sponsor), and you will find that many, many power-users use it. In a paperless workflow, you can do a ton of stuff with it but moving & naming files, launching applications, opening files with other applications, and generally tying together everything on your Mac is what LaunchBar does.
- Default Folder X: When you are saving your files, this replaces the normal Save dialog box, and makes it much faster to save to favorite folders. It also lets you apply OpenMeta tags for you taggers out there.
- Tags: Tags by CaseApps is more or less the premiere application for working with, applying, and searching on OpenMeta tags. A good one for, again, you taggers out there.
There are other applications that don’t have anything to do with paperless workflows like the much-loved Fantastical and BusyCal that make this bundle a pretty good one. Many people feel, and I agree, that LaunchBar and Fantastical together make this one a no-brainer.
So, Am I Buying It?
The second half of Jim’s question was whether or not I am buying it. To be honest, I am not sure yet. Taking everything I just wrote into account, there are a few factors:
- While LaunchBar is (rightfully) much-loved, I have already started using Alfred, and like it a lot. Since I have already paid for and started unlocking the power of another launcher, I am not sure I have the time or energy to switch.
- For my calendaring, I personally use Google Calendar in the browser and am reasonably happy with it. I don’t currently use iCal, which means that Fantastical and BusyCal don’t do much for me right now, as great as they are.
- I do use OpenMeta tagging, so Default Folder X and Tags are tempting, but I currently use Yep for that.
With all that in mind, I haven’t decided whether I want to drop the $40 for this bundle for me personally. If I do, it would probably be future-proofing myself for a possible LaunchBar switch, for when I do start using iCal, or want to start using OpenMeta tags more effectively.
Do I Recommend You Buy It?
You need to evaluate your own uses, but if you aren’t already wedded to another application launcher and use iCal, I would say yes. As I said before, LaunchBar and Fantastical alone make this bundle worth it.
If you buy it using this link, you’ll be buying me a coffee so thank you for that.
If you use any of the applications in this bundle, I’d love to hear your thoughts about them in the comments.
