UB Replacements for Non-Intel Mac Apps

In this post about Roxio Toast, TUAW asked which applications you were still waiting for to be ported to universal binary. I thought I'd compile a list of universal binary applications that can fill the roles of those that people are still waiting for:

For Screen Capture
Display Eater is still a work-in-progress and offers a much less refined user interface than Snapz Pro, but it's UB and it works. I've used it several times to capture my screen into a video file.

For Office Suites
Again, the user interface isn't as refined as the mainstay, but you can't beat the price of NeoOffice. The NeoOffice Alpha 2 for Intel Macs is available right now by paying for an "Early Access" program. Or you can wait a few days, as an Intel beta of NeoOffice should be released very soon (next week, if I'm hearing correctly).

For Video Conversion
I use ffmpegX for a lot of video conversion and the Intel version just screams on my Intel iMac. I haven't matched it up against the new Toast's DivX conversion yet, but I bet it's faster. The learning curve is a bit higher with ffmpegX, but it supports way more video formats.

And a few notes. Stuffit Expander is a universal binary beta. Filemaker is likely getting close to a release of version 8.5 which will be run natively on Intel Macs.

I'm also still waiting for Extensis to update Suitcase so it's UB. As much as I'd love to dump it for a different product, I don't know of any professional font managers that are updated for Intel. Both FontAgent Pro and MasterJuggler are still wallowing in PPC-land. Linotype FontExplorer X was just updated to UB, but I have zero experience with it, and Apple's own FontBook has on too many occasions eaten my font collections (always have backups!).

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TUAW Tips Universal Binary

In this post about Roxio Toast, TUAW asked which applications you were still waiting for to be ported to universal binary. I thought I'd...

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TjL

iShowU is the ultimate screaming crap program.

I uninstalled it in about 5 minutes and sent another email *begging* for an Intel version of Snapz Pro.

July 12 2006 at 5:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

deutschzilla

They're not video capture aps, but two great screen capture aps for the MBP are (1) flysketch at: http://flyingmeat.com/ and freesnap at: http://www.efritz.net/software.html

July 03 2006 at 9:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Johnny

Am I the only one who can't download ffmpegX? It gets 99.9% downloaded, and then craps out with a POSIX error, whatever that is. I've been trying for 2 days! Any suggestions?

July 02 2006 at 1:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

taupecat

Yeah, QuickSilver has saved my sanity. But maybe I'll email Proteron so I can get my hands on those betas. I like to keep my options open, and my mouse *away* from the frelling dock. Thanks guys.

July 01 2006 at 9:05 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Samual Icky

You do realize that you can get NeoOffice for OS X... yes Intel based Macs with the new beta... okay sure to be fair they released it today but hey...

http://www.planamesa.com/neojava/en/download.php

July 01 2006 at 4:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Photo Tim

Not having QuickImage Viewer CM is killing me.

And for those of you wanting to do screen caps of movies, pay for your pr0n like everybody else.

July 01 2006 at 1:35 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Pirate Bill

Taupecat, I would suggest emailing the folks at Proteron about LiteSwitch. They were kind enough to send me Universal betas of LS and MM. I don't use MaxMenus, but LiteSwitch works beautifully.

July 01 2006 at 12:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

C. Buckland

Dock? After Quicksilver, I thought that no one would ever use the dock or menus again!

July 01 2006 at 11:38 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

taupecat

I can deal with Stuffit Expander and such in Rosetta. These are programs I use intermitently and I don't really suffer any pain in life by not having a Universal Binary.

What really bugs me is not having Proteron's Max Menus or LiteSwitch X in universal binary or Intel-native versions. Because they're preference panes, I can't adjust them because clicking on them in the System Preferences causes a spectacular crash on my MBP.

As a result, I've sadly had to turn off MaxMenus altogether, forcing me to use the Dock (which I hate). LiteSwitch X still *works*, and I use it, but I would love to have a UB so that I can adjust the preferences for the apps I use.

July 01 2006 at 6:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

henrrrik

The screenshot utility SnapNDrag is free and a universal binary. http://www.yellowmug.com/snapndrag/ (the Pro version that allows scaling of screenshots will set you back USD 5).

July 01 2006 at 4:56 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply