Usually, I try to keep things platform independent (even though Macs are obviously superior in every way,) and if I mention software, I attempt to keep it neutral.

But – I’ve found an app that is so handy and simple and FREE, I just had to share.

I’ve always been one of those guys that just sort of ballparks time when billing or quoting, and old habits die hard. But, after my 4-hour-a-day epiphany, I decided I’d go for a few weeks and really track the amount of time I spend on projects. Do logos REALLY take me 8 hours? Does a Wordpress website take 5? I had guesstimates, but that’s not going to cut it when you try to track every minute of the day.

Enter iClockr from Kedisoft. (and no, I’m not getting any kickbacks!)

It’s a free piece of software, and it’s quickly become indispensable to me.

Using iClockr is über-simple. You set up categories of work (design, communications, blogging, wasting time, etc) and then go in and add individual jobs or clients under those categories. Once that’s done, you’re ready to really start tracking your time. When you start working on a …

While I do have a Windows machine (ugh,) I prefer to do all my work on my Mac. Call me a purist – it’s really more about being a little lazy. So, when I’m in the middle of a fast-and-furious web development session, I don’t want to have to get up and look at another machine.

The answer? NetRender…

What does it do? It shows you a screen grab of what your site looks like from different browsers (Windoze, only – thank you.) It’s pretty slick, and it’s totally free. It’s an actual screen grab from an actual machine – not emulated.

Check it out. Might save a minute or two on your next project. Plus, it can keep you from having to switch machines from one beautiful piece of super-sexy design machinery to a bland, drab horrible box of wires.

See – it’s a good thing! Check it out here…

Yeah – I’m a little late to the party. But – that’s not really news. I’m always a little stubborn and reluctant to change. But a well-placed cup of apple juice forced my hand this time.

My son (5) spilled a cup of apple juice into the keyboard of the Mac Mini that we use for home schooling and fun for the kids. Keyboards don’t like that, oddly enough.

It fried, and I decided that I’d give my trusty white Mac Pro Keyboard to them and buy myself a new keyboard. I’m just generous like that. Besides, the eject button was shot and the command key was getting a little wonky from years of abuse from my left thumb.

Went online and found that the local BestBuy had the new Apple Aluminum Keyboard in stock, and I thought that $49 was a pretty good deal. I’ve read good reviews, and I could just go grab it. So – 15 minutes later and I had the pickup confirmation. Online ordering and in-store pickup is grand!

I got it home, unpacked it and started in on …

Oh, man. Apple just made my heart skip a couple of beats.

I gotta have the new MacBook Air.

How much can I get for a kidney? Does Apple take children in lieu of payment?

The only thing that would make it better would be a built-in back scratcher and espresso machine.

Must. Have. One. Now.

Check it out here!

I’ve not been too prodigious on the blogging front recently, and I ask your forgiveness.

Thanks. That means a lot. You’re a saint.

I’ve had a busy few weeks for such a lazy person. I’ve made the switch to Mac OSX 10.5 – and I must say I’m a little impressed and a little underwhelmed.

For the most part, it was a very smooth transition and I’ve found that all the software I use is compatible – to an extent. InDesign had a little hiccup to start with, but it went away after a restart and permissions repair.

The system is pretty and some of the little changes are quite nice. Spaces is groovy, and makes it easy to bunch applications into groups – communications, design, web publishing, etc. Pretty sweet.

Time Machine is a great idea, but it’s a bit of a resource hog, so I’ve turned that one off until they have a more robust scheduling option.

Safari 3.0 and the new Mail is very nice, and all the applications talk to each other a little better than before.

Most importantly, the system seems a little snappier, speed-wise. Not a huge jump, but a little extra zip.

So, while some …

Mac OSX Leopard is coming…

Huzzah and huzzah!

I must admit to being excited – but also somewhat guarded. I’m always a little hesitant to be the first one on the block to upgrade to the “latest and greatest,” and I’m still looking to err on the side of caution on this one.

From a business standpoint, I’ve gotta guard my assets and hedge my bets when it comes to upgrading ANYTHING. I must make sure it works, and that it works right from the moment I install it. I can’t afford a few hours of being dead in the water, let alone a few days. I want to make sure that the upgrade will play well with all my stuff – printer, external drives, software, routers, etc.

I resisted OSX for almost 2 years after it came out, because of non-native programs and what-not – but this one might be a little harder to resist. It’s sexy, there’s a lot of core updates, and it’s very interconnected, which is nice.

Mail got a big overhaul with some nifty project-management features.

For me, one of the biggest new features is the Time Machine thing. Using an external hard drive, your Mac keeps a …

I love to loathe Microsoft, so any way that I can stick it to ‘em, I take…

But, at the same time, you’ve got to admit that they make rather ubiquitous software, and as a freelance designer, I have to keep copies of everything that clients and potential clients might use. Don’t ask me about Publisher – I won’t answer.

Microsoft Office is NOT free – quite far from it – but there are a couple of really nice, really slick and totally compatible office suites out there.

First up is a Mac-only product – NeoOffice. It’s got pretty much anything you could possibly be looking for with the actual Office suite – word processor, spreadsheets, database and presentation software, plus it’s totally compatible with all of Microsoft’s products. You can open and save directly to Word files, PowerPoint files, Excel, etc. It doesn’t contain an email client, but there’s a million of those out there that are better than Entourage. Best of all, it’s free – and it keeps my beautiful brushed aluminum machine free of the scourge of Microsoft.

Secondly is a great free product – an open-source project called OpenOffice. It’s got versions …

Software is expensive, and as a freelance graphic designer, the latest version of the big name software might be a little out of reach at times. So, I present you with a real – and FREE – alternative to some of the really expensive stuff.

ArtRage 2.5 is a really cool program. Very natural, nice tools, pressure sensitive if you have a tablet, and it works on all platforms. And it runs smoothly without a ton of ram or the latest processor. Works on laptops and little machines. Sweet! Free!

Well – the started edition is free. The full version is $25. But the starter edition is really pretty stinking cool. It’s not Photoshop – but then again, what is? It’s got lots of tools and feels pretty natural. If you’re into painting and illustration (like I am) you’ll appreciate the ability to be fluid. I think I’m going to pony up and get the full version – just to have a little bit of fun. It’s cheaper than canvas.

Here’s a screen grab of a self-portrait in progress – click for full resolution:

And here’s a little detail. There’s almost as many brush strokes as wrinkles:
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