We first mentioned NetworkLocation back in November '06, and since then this automated location manager and setting switcher has been upgraded to v2.0 with some killer new features. In addition to automatically changing settings like system volume, opening a webpage, playing an iTunes playlist or switching Mail servers all based on the wired or wireless network you connect to, this new version adds a great new feature that users have been dying for: the ability to auto-detect which network you're connecting to and begin changing any settings you prefer with no effort on the user's part. Also on the new actions list are things like disabling bluetooth and locking the keychain, with another great enhancement making it easy to duplicate locations and stets of actions: the ability to drag and drop said actions between locations. NetworkLocation has also received plug-in support, with the first plug-in available for rooSwitch, another utility we love that allows you to switch between multiple profiles and sets of data for an application (i.e. - multiple Yojimbo libraries or different Firefox profiles with their own bookmarks and add-ons).

I have to say, after the development crew was kind enough to allow me to test the beta, NetworkLocation 2.0 has become one of my can't-live-without Mac OS X utilities. I move between home networks, multiple coffee shops, wireless on campus and friends' houses, and allowing NetworkLocation to adjust all my settings automatically in the background is easily worth the $25 price tag (though upgrade licenses are free for 1.x owners). Heck, I'd go so far as to say NetworkLocation should be the next Cover Flow, deserving to get bought by Apple as a feature Mac OS X should have had a long time ago.

We've previously mentioned locations managers like Location X ($20) and NetworkLocation ($15). These are tools that can change a variety of settings depending on your location (e.g. SMTP server, default printer, etc.). This is very convenient for mobile users moving between work and home, etc. MarcoPolo is a new entry in this category and adds a number of cool features that we haven't seen before, including "fuzzy logic" rules for setting the location based on matching a variety of different criteria (wifi network, IP address, etc.) and USB and Bluetooth support (as criteria). The USB detection is a great feature if, for instance, you have one model of mouse and/or keyboard at work, but use a different set a home.

Best of all, MarcoPolo, unlike most of the other utilities, is open source and a free download.

NetworkLocation is a handy utility that allows you to create templates of actions and settings based on (you guessed it) your network location. Like WiLMa and Location X before it, NetworkLocation can set up batches of settings to apply, apps to open and scripts to run, and keep them all accessible at the click of a mouse. It comes with preset actions, such as loading a specific iTunes playlist, setting system volume and connecting to a server, but it can also run AppleScripts, leaving the possibilities wide open. NetworkLocation does all this with a very slick and flashy UI; in fact, it might be too over-the-top for those who just want to get at the meat of automating their system. In fact, the UI is so glammed up that John Gruber had a hard time figuring out how to quit the app. Here's a tip if you're in the same boat, as there are two ways to do it: click on its menubar item, then click on the timer in the window that pops up, and then click the power button that slides out. You can also simply use cmd-q when that timer window comes in to focus. See what I mean about a funky UI?

Getting back to this concept of automating all forms of system settings - it's a great one, and I was first turned on to it by Location X (recently Universal-ized), which is still my favorite primarily because it handles all these tasks automatically in the background, based on which network(s) you connect to. There's no need to pop up a window and chose a location - you simply set up your batches of settings, and it gracefully performs your tasks automatically as you move between your home, work and favorite coffee shop's network.

But I digress (again) - this is a post about NetworkLocation, as it looks like a capable (though flashy) approach to network-based Mac automation. A demo is available, and a license costs $15.