Chicken of the VNC

Open source; $0

Current Version: 2.0b4 (January 19, 2006)

Chicken of the VNC is a free, open source VNC client for Mac OS X. A VNC client allows one to display and interact with a remote computer screen. In other words, you can use Chicken of the VNC to interact with a remote computer as though it's right next to you. Version 2.0b4 addresses the following:

• Chicken of the VNC is now a universal binary.
• Resolved an issue that caused an "ZLibHex unknown subencoding" error when using ZRLE encoding to connect to an UltraVNC server.
• Resolved an issue that caused pasting text to work incorrectly if the text contained repeating characters.
• Bonjour server discovery now works properly when the server uses a non-standard port or display number.
• Clicking an inactive connection window no longer passes that click through to the server.

DropIT

Freeware

Current Version: 2.8 (October 9, 2002)

DropIT is a program that saves some of your system settings to a web server of your choice. It saves IP address, uptime and the time the file was uploaded. DropIT can be used in different ways:

• As a normal application with manual control on all functions
• As an extension: executing only once on startup (or after a specified delay) and quitting afterwards (freeing up the used memory); or executing once on startup (or after a delay) and keeping track of any IP address changes (and upload the new information in case of a change).

If you want to keep track on what's going on with your system or when it is turned on, you can use DropIT to spy. Or, you can use DropIT if you want to be able to connect to your system remotely (by keeping track of its dynamically-assigned IP address) from anywhere in the world.

Version 2.8 addresses the following:

• Fixed: sometimes an empty file was uploaded
• Fixed: sometimes the application reported a password error while the given password was correct
• Now you can make your own custom template
• Interface redesign

EarthBrowser

Shareware; $29.95

Current Version: 3.2.1 (July 24, 2009)

EarthBrowser (formerly Planet Earth) is a very cool program that displays a real-time picture of the earth that indicates cloud cover and day and night regions - as well as allowing you spin and zoom the globe in any which way you desire (you'll be sure to make your Geochron-owning friends mildly sick). In addition, it displays current weather conditions and 5-day forecasts for over 800 cities, making it a superb general-purpose weather program as well. It's Internet software merely because of how it gets its most valuable information (maps, current cloud cover, etc.) via the the Internet.

Version 3.2/3.2.1 adds/changes the following:

• Bug fix to save satellite visibility status and ordering (3.2.1)
• Major user interface improvements
• Over 10,000 orbiting satellites
• Small grid control panel
• Twice as fast as previous versions
• Instant launch
• Over 60,000 cities / add your own cities
• Street Map layer
• NASA OnEarth Near Real Time satellite overlay
• Add/Restore Favorite Views
• Popular Satellites dataset
• Ocean Buoys

Upgrades from version 2.0 are discounted.

Fixation

Freeware

Current Version: 2.1.1

Fixation is a freeware TCP client for the Internet Chess Club (ICC), Free Internet Chess Server (FICS), US Chess Live (USCL) and chess.net (limited support). Source code is available from the Fixation home page. Version 2.1.1 addresses the following:

• Fixed hang problem when starting a game on FICS using "pawns pawns-only". The problem did not happen in examine mode.
• The Seek Graph now has three selectable sizes: small, medium, large. The size can be selected in the preferences under "Seek Graph Options".
• Now detects login: loops and terminates the login attempt. This can happen when a server displays an error message not expected by Fixation.
• The minimum and maximum opponent ratings in the Seek Game dialog are now saved in the preferences if "Save Settings" is checked.
• Fixed problem where debug.log could not be opened in OS X. If the current application folder is not writeable, Fixation now tries the user's home directory and then /tmp.
• Fixed problem under OS X where Fixation could hang when a lot of server output was received at once (e.g. output from "llog").
• The new ICC 'webhelp' variable is now supported. Setting it to 1 now opens help in your default web browser if Internet Config is enabled.
• Aliasing the Game Logs folder to another folder no longer causes a directory not found error.
• The "noescape" variable in the preferences is now supported for FICS.
• Fixation no longer attempts to set the cshout variable on chess.net when logging on since this variable is not supported.
• Fixed problem under OS X where the divider lines in the Seek Graph would not be displayed.
• Kibitzes by accounts with two titles (e.g. C and TD) are now colored correctly.
• Fixed problem where Wild(20) games on the ICC would be reported as Blitz games.

Google Earth

Freeware (see text)

Current Version: 5.2.1.1329 (June 16, 2010)

Google Earth is a free program from Google that combines satellite imagery, maps and the Google search to a huge amount of geographic information at your fingertips. Features include:

• Fly from space to your neighborhood. Type in an address and zoom right in.
• Search for schools, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Get driving directions.
• Tilt and rotate the view to see 3D terrain and buildings.
• Save and share your searches and favorites. Even add your own annotations.

Version 5.2 was a major new release that added/changed the following:

• Improved embedded browser functionality: Better integration of embedded browser with Google Earth Application.
• Track and Multitrack in Google Earth: A track allows you to create one visible object in Google Earth (either a Point icon or a Model) that moves over time between multiple positions. Using the time slider, you can animate position and orientation of an object and show a line tracing the path. A multitrack is a collection of tracks. You can create Track and Multitrack by authoring KML documents or by importing your GPS data (from a number of GPS receivers or file formats such as GPX) into Google Earth.
• Elevation Profile in Google Earth: You can see elevation profile of a line-string or track in Google Earth. It plots the elevation profile, speed, and associated extended data (for example, heart rate) in a KML file.
• Added file import types: NMEA (.log and .nmea), Garmin GDB, Garmin Training Center, and Ozi Explorer files can now all be read. Garmin fitness extensions are now read from GPX. Extended data for Elevation Profile and Track is handled when available.

The recommended configuration for this release is as follows

• Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4.5
• CPU: G4 1.2Ghz
• System Memory (RAM): 512MB
• Hard Disk: 2GB free space
• Network Speed: 768 Kbits/sec
• Graphics Card: 3D-capable with 32MB of VRAM
• Screen: 1280x1024, "Millions of Colors"

The "Pro" version is available as a 7-day trial, and may be purchased online for $400 per year. It adds the following enhancements:

• Fastest performance - enhanced network access
• Improved printing and saving capabilities (2400 pixels)
• Additional annotation tools (draw polygons with height)
• Spreadsheet import - ingest up to 2,500 locations by address or lat/lon
• Additional measurement tools (square feet, miles, acreage, radius, etc.)
• Technical Support assistance (email and phone) during business hours (PST)
• Optional premium features including: Movie Maker, Premium Printing and GIS Data Importer

Google Earth is not a typical Mac OS X "Cocoa" or "Carbon" application, but rather it was written using the portable Qt/Mac framework. This means that the application is a little larger than you might expect, and it also helps explain why it uses rather old-fashioned looking tabs and controls. That said, it functions quite well, and it's worth a download.

iNet Stream Archiver

Shareware; $15

Current Version: 1.7.3 (October 10, 2008)

iNet Stream Archiver allows you to record Shoutcast and Icecast Internet radio streams using Mac OS X. While recording, it will check the track name being played and make a new mp3 file when a new song starts - each mp3 file will have the right song name. You can record multiple radio stations, depending on how much bandwith you have. You can also listen to recording stations from the same computer or multiple computers on your LAN. Unlicensed copies work for thirty minutes.

Version 1.7.3 adds/changes the following:

• Fixed the tuner.

InOut Tracker

Commercial; see text.

Current Version: 1.6 (June 20, 2001) / 1.6.6 (May 12, 2005)

Startly Technologies, LLC (formerly CE Software) produces InOut Tracker, a cross-platform, TCP/IP-based people tracking utility, based upon the QuickConference instant messaging system.

Servers are available for Windows and "Classic" Mac OS, and clients are available for Windows, "Classic" Mac OS, and Mac OS X. Pricing starts at $59.95 for a 5-user bundle. Downloads are in the form of 30-day demonstration versions.

Investor/RT

Commercial; See site.

Current Version: 8.1.4 (December 5, 2005) / 10.2.6 (July 12, 2010)

Linn Software produces the Investor/RT online stock trading / investment software. The client software is freely available that lets you peek at the package's capabilities prior to subscribing to a data service. Updaters are also available for registered users.

While no information is available regarding what's new in version 10.2.6 (the latest release for Mac OS X), version 10.2 made the following changes:

• Volume Breakdown and TPO Indicator Efficiency in RTL
• New Volume Price Statistics Results: Delta Above/Below Midpoint
• Profile Indicator: New Results: Buy and Sell Volume
• Profile Indicator: New Shading Results
• Profile Indicator: "Ignore First Session"
• New "Locked" Option for Reference Lines
• "Label Current Value" Honors Scale Font Size
• Automation of "Load Volume at Price"
• Database Compression and Smart Tick Compression
• RTL Improvement for PCHG() and CHG() Functions
• Mixing Market Data Feed and a Brokerage Feed
• Automatic Historical Data for New Symbols
• Custom Instrument Setup Improvements
• Date Format Preference
• Profile Indicator Enhancements
• Main Toolbar Customization
• Math Lines Indicator
• Improved Drawing of Time Bars
• Volume Breakdown Efficiency Improvements
• Market Profile Playback - Go To Today
• Volume Price Statistics - New Results
• Time and Sales - New Options
• Miscellaneous 10.2 Fixes and Improvements

MacDICT

Current Version: 2.9.2 (November 6, 2004)

Another fine piece of software from Navdeep Bains (the author of POPThing and ViaHTTP), MacDICT is a DICT client - one of only two I know of for the Macintosh. This extremely handy (and free) application searches (at current) 21 online databases for information relating to any word you provide it with: definitions, histories, you name it. It's like having a simple handy reference guide/encyclopedia for your desktop that doesn't hog nearly the resources that a Web browser does. Version 2.9.2 adds/changes the following:

• Bug fixes.

MacDICT 2.9.2 is still completely free, but the author wouldn't mind an optional (but well-deserved!) $10 payment, which can be easily made with the included "register" application. For more information on the DICT protocol itself, see the DICT.org home page.

Meteorologist

Open source; $0

Current Version: 1.5.1 (June 7, 2010)

One trend in weather-reporting applications for Mac OS X has been in the appearance of programs that display their information in the menubar or in the dock, rather than in dedicated windows. Meteorologist is one such application. Meteorologist is a simple, free interface to weather provided by weather.com, weatherunderground.com and the National Weather Service. The program provides the ability to show the weather in the main menu or the dock, each displaying more detail in a pop-up menu, whose contents are customizable from the preferences. You can also change several of the appearance settings for the dock, in addition to setting whether to display temperature data in Celsius or Fahrenheit.

Version 1.5.1 addresses the following:

• Fixed "Forecast Link".
• Radar Image is now a hyperlink.
• Fixed distance to allow global units.
• German localization updates
• Japanese localization updates
• Fixed memory leaks
• Fixed crash on 10.3 systems
• Restored 9 day forecasts

One key way in which Meteorologist beats many of its competitors is in the number of cities whose current conditions you can highlight in the main portion of the menu (for comparisons at-a-glance): Meteorologist has no limits. Meteorologist also has some remarkable features that make this program one of the most smartly thought-out weather apps for the Mac platform, not the least of which is automatic notification of both software updates and current weather server issues. Such issues with these servers - which are not under the software author's control - have a long history of making weather programs work only sporadically. Meteorologist is capable of letting you know when these issues arise.

P.O. Toolbox

Shareware; $89.95

Current Version: 2.0

From the authors of Package Tracker, above, P.O. Toolbox allows you to perform similar functions for Unites States Post Office transactions, but adds many features specific to the U.S.P.O as well, such as the calculation of domestic and international rates, the generation of Delivery Confirmation barcodes and preprinted addresses, and the determination of transit times, as well as many others. Version 2.0 adds/changes the following:

• Includes a built-in database system for maintaining shipping manifests, including storage capabilities for item name, tracking number, internal order identifier, and a 10 kilobyte notes field for custom information. Each list can store thousands of items, viewable at a glance and trackable in seconds.

PowerTicker

Shareware; $49.95

Current Version: 2.8.2 (March 23, 2010)

PowerTicker (formerly MacTicker, and also formerly commercial software from Galleon Software) is a simple Internet application that lets you view the free stock market information provided online by financial Web sites around the world. The downloads will act as 10-day demos for non-registered users, and registration costs $49.95. The sources page includes lots of up-to-date "source files" to allow PowerTicker customers to quickly add new sources and keep their copy of the software up-to-date.

While no information is available regarding what's new in version 2.8.2 (presumably, it's a bugfix release), version 2.8 added/changed the following:

• Universal build of PowerTicker (minimum system requirement of 10.4);
• Commas added to Portfolio total;
• Portfolio and Ledger windows have been re-done.

Remote Desktop Connection

Freeware

Current Version: 1.0.3 (October 12, 2004) / 2.0.1 (August 12, 2009)

Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) client enables you to connect from your Macintosh computer to a Windows-based computer and work with programs and files on that computer. Mac users who have access to a Windows-based computer on a network, can use Remote Desktop Connection as an alternative to Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac.

To connect to a Windows-based computer, you need network access and permission to connect to the computer. In addition, the Windows-based computer must be running Terminal Services or Remote Desktop Services. The following Windows products support Remote Desktop connections:

• Windows XP Professional
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows 2000 Server
• Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
• Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

Version 1.0.3 - the latest version for Mac OS X 10.2.8 and later - added/changed the following:

• Remote Desktop Connection Client 1.0.3 for Mac provides improved stability when you minimize the client window and when you copy and paste data from the client window to Macintosh applications.
• Stability is also improved for users of Mac OS X 10.3 and later, and when Remote Desktop Connection Client is used on Macintosh computers with PowerPC G5 processors.

Version 2.0 - for Mac OS X 10.4.9 and later - added/changed the following:

• Universal Binary - Runs natively on both Intel-based and PowerPC-based Macs.
• Remote Desktop Protocol 6.0 - Provides better compatibility with Windows Vista, improved security features, and many other improvements.
• Multiple Sessions - Lets you connect to multiple Windows-based computers at the same time.
• Improved User Experience - Provides a true Mac experience and improved usability.
• Improved Customization Options - Lets you change application preferences, including keyboard shortcuts, while you are running a session. Changes take effect the next time that you connect.
• Dynamic Screen Resizing - Lets you resize your session window or switch to full-screen mode during a session.
• Improved Printing Support - Supports all configured printers on your Mac. No longer limited to PostScript printers.
• Multiple Sessions - Improvements to File menu commands and connection files let you connect to multiple Windows-based computers at the same time.
• Network Level Authentication (NLA) Support - Helps provide greater security when connecting to computers running Windows Vista.
• Auto Reconnect - Supports automatic reconnection when a network connection to a remote session is lost.
• Wide Screen Support - Supports optimal resolution settings for wide screen displays.

Version 2.0.1 makes the following additional changes:

• This update improves security. It includes fixes for vulnerabilities that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer's memory with malicious code.

Remote Desktop Connection is truly a fantastic piece of free software for Mac users; there's nothing quite as nice as having access to a real PC from your Mac, bringing all the benefits of dedicated hardware and a truly separate environment that won't muck up your Mac with unnecessary files or other issues. If you have access to a machine with one of the Windows versions noted above, you owe it to yourself to give RDC a spin.

Sharity

Commercial; see text.

Current Version: 3.8 (June 15, 2010)

Objective Development Software produces Sharity, a client for the CIFS (Common Internet File System) protocol, formerly known as SMB (Server Message Block). This is the file-sharing protocol used by Windows NT, 95, 98, 2000, ME, Windows for Workgroups, OS/2, Samba and many others. Sharity mounts these servers in your file system. Mounting means that you can open files directly from the server with any application you like, as if they were on a local disk. Other clients (such as smbclient from the Samba suite) provide only an ftp-like interface where you can copy files to and from the share but cannot open them directly on the server.

Version 3.8 adds/changes the following:

• A problem with Kerberos authentication to Windows 2008 servers has been fixed.
• A bug which caused corrupted file attributes on Solaris 10 was fixed.

Single user pricing ranges from $29 (home use) to $199 (business use), with volume discounts available.

Please note that the GUI is not a native Cocoa or Carbon application; it uses the portable FLTK toolkit which does not give the Aqua look and feel and which may be a bit buggy in some places.

Solscape

Freeware

Current Version: 2.6 (October 31, 2008)

While there are many nice weather applications for the Macintosh, there aren't many applications that show realtime conditions on other planets and heavenly bodies, such as our very own sun. Solscape is a "solar data browser" application that grabs up-to-the minute images of the sun in multiple light wavelengths. Solscape also monitors current solar flare, geomagnetic, and Aurora activity, providing current Aurora Borealis information and warnings for your location, along with real time Aurora images when available. Solscape gets all of its information via the Internet and compiles it in a single, easy to use application. You can save and archive the data that Solscape collects for later use, and you can tell Solscape to automatically grab the data when you want. Solscape is freeware; you may use Solscape for free for as long as you wish without any restrictions.

Version 2.6 adds/changes the following:

• All SOHO images now update correctly (the image format changed from GIF to JPG).

Spector

Commercial; $99.95

Current Version: 2010 (December 22, 2009)

SpectorSoft produces Spector (formerly from Rampell Software) for Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. Spector is a screen recording application that might come in handy for parents who need to record what their children are doing on the Internet. Spector will record everything a person does on the Internet. It takes hundreds of screen snapshots every hour, very much like a surveillance camera. Spector enables you to see chat conversations, instant message exchanges, e-mails, web site visits, and more. Spector also records HotMail, Yahoo Mail, and other anonymous email accounts via snapshots. Watching the recorded activity with Spector is like playing back a tape using a VCR.

Spector Pro Mac 2010 goes beyond the original Spector for Mac by including many of the features of Spector Pro for Windows, including:

• Web Sites Visited - See full details of every web site visited, plus actual web site addresses.
• Chat and Instant Message Activity - Record and review conversations on all the major chat clients: iChat, AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and Adium.
• Email Activity - Get a copy of every email sent or received with common email programs like Apple Mail, Microsoft Entourage, Mozilla Thunderbird, and other POP/SMTP email clients.
• User Activity - See if and when they are actively using the computer with the User Activity chart.
• Remote Viewer - Review recordings from another computer, PC or Mac, in your home or office without having to return to the computer you are monitoring.

Vine Viewer

Commercial; $19.95

Current Version: 3.1 (October 14, 2009)

Vine Viewer is a feature-rich and well supported VNC viewer from Redstone Software, the folks who brought you Vine Server (aka osxVNC). Some feature highlights of Vine Viewer include:

• Remote screen capture
• QuickTime movie recording
• Secure connections through SSH
• Viewer window scaling
• Rich clipboard support, including copy and past file exchange (when used with Vine Server)

Vine 3.1 includes new versions of Vine Viewer and Vine Server with a host of new features and options.

Viewer:

• 10.6 Snow Leopard compatibility.
• Lots of small bugs fixes and other tweaks.
• A new version of Vine Server (v3.11) has also been included (see the Vine Server Release Notes for full details).
• Added specific workaround to detect UltraVNC-SC and bypass its protocol errors.
• NOTE: Movies recorded will not play on Snow Leopard (but will play on older Mac OS X systems).

Vine Server 3.11 includes the following enhancements:

• Fixed a number of international keyboards that had a small number of keys not mapped (like i and ; in French.)
• Fixed a compile level problem that caused a crash when using ZRLE encoding

VNC Enterprise Edition

Commercial; See text.

Current Version: 4.3.3 (November 30, 2007)

VNC Enterprise Edition is the "official" release of VNC for Mac OS X from the original inventors of VNC. Features include:

• 2048-bit RSA Server Authentication
• 128-bit AES Session Encryption & Tamper-Proofing
• One-Port HTTP & VNC
• Dedicated help and support channel
• File Transfers
• Desktop Scaling
• Direct platform native authentication

The software is available for both Intel and PowerPC-based Macs.

Pricing varies depending upon the number of licenses. See the licensing page for a quote.

Version 4.3.3 adds/changes the following:

• NEW: Added support for Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard).

WeatherMan

Shareware; $10

Current Version: 1.9.9 (February 1, 2010)

As Aladdin stopped all development on WeatherTracker and no true replacement seems to be in sight, the Mac community is left with a dearth of decent weather applications. Some of them (listed on this page) are good, but don't support weather forecasts, choosing instead to focus on current weather conditions. Others have, well, other limitations. WeatherMan is the first program to come along that really shows promise as a replacement for WeatherTracker; WeatherMan will show you current weather conditions as well as forecasts, and it will allow you to display information for multiple cities at once. WeatherMan also displays 2 day forecasts and 5-day extended forecasts, sever weather alerts and radar imagery.

Version 1.9.9 adds/changes the following:

• This release fixes some conditions and forecast issues with US cities. If you are having an issue with a US city please re-set up the city and see if it is fixed. If not please report your problem city on the support forum.
• Also fixed is forecasts for non-US cities. The forecasts should simply work again without the need to set them again. But, please report any ongoing issues to the support board.
• Finally the "X" was removed from the product name as it is no longer necessary to differentiate it from the Classic Mac OS version of the program, which is no longer available.

Registered copies of the application keep preference settings between application launches. I'd like to see the "main" window sizes reduced a bit more so that one can display more than 4 cities at a time on a 1024 x 768 display, but the author keeps making this software better and better between each release, so stay tuned for further improvements.

WeatherMenu

Freeware

Current Version: 3.7.5 (December 5, 2005)

WeatherMenu (formerly an "extra" in the WeatherMan product line, above), is a handy weather utility - similar to Meteorologist and Weather Pop - that puts current weather information for one or more cities in your OS X menu bar.

WeatherMenu is now freeware; it will be updated, but not officially supported.

WebPrint Plus

Shareware; see text

Current Version: 5.0c / 3.1 (March 30, 2004)

WebPrint Plus is very similar to Net-Print, above. It allows you to print out needed portions of Web pages - and other documents - rather than the entire document, saving paper and time. WebPrint Plus arguably has a more flexible interface and provides users with more options for saving, printing, and working with the information that they select. Version 5.0c - the latest version for "Classic" Mac OS - adds/changes the following:

• WebPrint Plus is now compatible with the OS X Classic environment.

Version 3.1 - the latest version for Mac OS X - adds/changes the following:

• A few users had reported that under Panther WebPrint Plus X sometimes would not recognize their selections on the first try in some Apple programs such as Safari. WebPrint Plus X 3.1 incorporates new code that eliminates this rare problem.
• WebPrint's contextual menu now also can be used to access WebPrint's preferences.
• WebPrint's dialog boxes have been updated and they now provide additional information on using WebPrint Plus.

WebPrint Plus is shareware ($34.95 for "Classic" Mac OS / $39.95 for Mac OS X), and the Classic version requires a Mac with System 7.5.3 or later (including Systems 8, 8.1, 8.5, 8.5.1, 8.6, and 9.x) and a 68020 or later processor.

Wx

Shareware; $16.95

Current Version: 5.36 (December 14, 2009)

Wx is a specialized Internet weather app for Mac OS X that downloads and processes weather information and forecasts for the United States. The software links to free XML data on the internet from the U.S. National Weather Service, and presents it in an attractive user-friendly interface.

Wx can be configured to track weather conditions, watches/warnings/advisories, live radar, and forecast information for up to 20 U.S. locations, and it can download up to 20 weather maps or images. Optional add-ons allow each user to customize Wx for their lifestyle, hobbies, and activities. Wx downloads data on-demand, and can be configured to download data automatically on a periodic basis. Current weather conditions are summarized in the app's dock icon and dock menu, a floating "MiniWx" panel, and a Quartz screensaver. Wx can also export settings to an iPhone or iPod Touch, allowing it to use the Wx web app.

Wx has some unique and special features that set it apart:

• Multiple Display Modes: With Wx, you can display weather in a large main window, a small "MiniWx" panel, the dock icon and dock menu, a Quartz screensaver, or any combination of these interfaces. Wx lets you tailor the interface to your needs and preferences.
• Multi-threaded Radar Console: If you want radar, you got it! Wx has a high performance radar display with multiple radar modes (from simple to advanced), seven types of radar, and national radar site maps and mosaics.
• Highly Accurate Point Forecast: In addition to a zone forecast, Wx has a graphical point forecast specified by latitude and longitude. Wx accesses the NWS National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD), a multi-dimensional database with 3 mile spatial resolution. With an accurate latitude and longitude, Wx can give you a custom forecast for your own neighborhood. In mountainous regions or near coastlines, this type of point forecast can be significantly more accurate than typical zone forecasts.
• Pro Forecast: Also based on latitude and longitude, the pro forecast graphs 11 parameters from the latest NDFD forecast model run, going out to 168 hours. Graphs include temperature, humidity, cloud cover, wind, and precipitation parameters. The pro forecast in Wx is one of the most detailed forecasts you can get.
• True Local Weather: Wx lets you choose to receive current weather data from over 1750 NWS observations sites in the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. islands and territories. This allows you to tune into a nearby NWS weather feed for relevant weather data.
• WxAlert: have Wx trigger an alarm, send e-mails, send SMS text messages to cell phones, or run an AppleScript when severe weather advisories are issued by the NWS for the locations that Wx tracks.
• Easy Setup: Wx allows you to setup locations by zip code, City/ST, latitude/longitude, or by entering a location/address into Google Maps. For each location, Wx recommends the five closest NWS observation sites, alert zones, and radar sites.
• Mobile Wx: Export your Wx settings to a special Safari bookmark, sync via iTunes, and access all your weather locations and maps (up to 20 each) on your iPhone or iPod Touch using the Wx web application. It's like having Wx with you on the go.
• WxCentral Browser: Load web pages, local files, or add-ons in this custom web browser built in to Wx. WxCentral allows you to bookmarks these data sources, and will update automatically whenever Wx reloads data.
• Use of Cutting Edge Mac OS X Technologies: Wx is a native Cocoa application and universal PowerPC/Intel compatible. The software leverages numerous features of Mac OS X and makes extensive use of its powerful UNIX core for enhanced performance, stability, and effiency. Compute- and network-intensive parts of Wx are multi-threaded for faster response and reduced processing time.
• Active and Responsive Pro Developer: Wx is developed by Dr. Craig Hunter, an engineer with over 16 years experience in software development and scientific computing. Craig received the NASA Software of the Year Award (2004) and Apple Design Award (2004) for his Mac OS X software development work on the TetrUSS computational fluid dynamics suite. In just 2.5 years, Wx has raced up to version 5 and has a large user base of serious and casual weather watchers. Many of the features in Wx were implemented because of user feedback and suggestions, and it continues to improve and adapt to ever-changing user needs.

Wx is shareware; you can download it, share it with friends, and evaluate it free for 30 days. The downloadable app is fully functional but does not store preferences or export settings for the mobile version of Wx. You may register the software for $16.95 to receive a key that will enable these features.

Version 5.36 adds/changes the following:

• Assorted minor bug fixes and usability tweaks