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Why create a new interface when you can borrow heavily from Apple, a company that has become known the world over for its commitment to exceptional interface design? That's the logic behind SVG Notes and it works surprisingly well, organizing notes in an iBooks-style layout that makes finding your recent notes easy, and using the app, pleasant.

This is a note-taking app, but it goes deeper than that by integrating a number of other features. To start, you'll be greeted with a bookshelf interface that looks a lot like iBooks. Tap the Library button and you can view … Read more

While not easily completed with native programs, users may still want the ability to create a bootable USB of their Mac OS. Lion DiskMaker for Mac lacks any other features, but completes this function well.

The free program downloaded and installed easily. Minimal instructions were included beyond a frequently asked questions section and it was not clear if technical support was available. At startup, Lion DiskMaker for Mac immediately asks which operating system the user would like to use, whether OS X 10.7 or 10.8. The menu is small, but uncomplicated and walks the user through the process. … Read more

InstaEffect FX Free is the lite, trial version of InstaEffect FX HD--an app designed so you can quickly and easily add special effects to the foreground and background of your images. The app is simple, straightforward, and in the trial version, relatively limited, but in many ways exceeds expectations, making it a good option for light image effect editing.

When you first open InstaEffect FX Free you'll notice that it's very similar to other free image editing apps. Load an image from your library or take a new one with your camera and you can start editing it … Read more

Whether it was an amusement park or a stand on the boardwalk, you probably remember those cardboard cutouts that you could put your face into to take on the body of someone else. They are often funny or ridiculous and they work well in any setting. So why not create an app that does the same thing with the photos on your phone or iPad? That's the thinking behind Face in Hole HD, and while it works as advertised there are some limitations.

The idea of Face in Hole HD is elementary, and creating the subsequent photos is as … Read more

Pinterest exploded onto the scene a couple years ago as the biggest, hottest new social network on the Web, and for good reason. The clever integration of Facebook and Twitter functionality with an image-focused social network in which users could pin, comment on, and share just about anything cool they find was perfect. One of the driving factors in the success of Pinterest, however, is the exceptional mobile apps developed by the company. Today's iOS app continues to be one of the best social experiences on Apple's devices, and for good reason.

To start, Pinterest is designed for … Read more

Having a really cool screensaver can be fun, but if you can't make up your mind, or just want a total change, you can try a screen with absolutely nothing on it. Blank Screen Saver for Mac comes with no surprises. It is a basic, easy-to- install screensaver intended to increase the life of your computer screen.

At only around 42KB, Blank Screen Saver for Mac downloads in the blink of an eye and is just as easy to install. It is basically just a bare bones screensaver that displays a black screen. All the user has to do … Read more

Musicians who create their own songs may need an application to track their collaborations. TuneSmith for Mac allows these users to monitor copyright, deadlines, and submissions of their original songs, but it lacks additional capabilities that would be welcome with this type of application.

Installation of this freeware program was complicated because the downloaded folder had several files that could be installed, although it eventually loaded quickly once the proper one was selected. A formal tutorial would have been a good addition, since TuneSmith for Mac's menus were difficult to interpret. The three main menus divide the program according … Read more

Sudoku on its own is a very complex game. All but the most mathematically inclined put extensive mental energy forward to complete even moderate Sudoku puzzles. So the very concept of changing the game to use something other than numbers is enough to cross the eyes. But Deca Color Sudoku manages to do it right, presenting an engaging, mind-bending variation on the classic puzzler that works well.

The idea is very simple. Instead of nine numbers, Deca Color Sudoku uses nine colors. The same rules as traditional number-based Sudoku apply: match up the colors across all 18 rows and columns … Read more

Whether you want to use an interesting video as your screensaver, or would like to use your screensaver to display marketing and promotional material, this app provides an interesting solution. SaveHollywood for Mac enables you to use your own videos, including flash, QuickTime and other formats, as a screensaver. It can also be used as a solution to watch QuickTime videos in fullscreen. This non-intrusive app works great and offers some customization options.

The installation process for SaveHollywood for Mac literally takes seconds. Once it's installed, you can access the app via your Desktop and Screensavers in the Mac … Read more