In a move that had been hoped for by Mac owners since the introduction of Apps on the iPhone and the launch of the iPad, Apple released their app store for the Mac in the first week of January 2011 in the UK. It is a launch that looked likely to radically reinvent the software market, unifying games, programmes and tools under the heading of apps and consolidating them in the app store.
Once you update your software and get the App store link on your Mac toolbar it doesn’t take long before you’ve downloaded your first few apps for free. Our first two have been Text Wrangler, a tool for HTML and other code editing, and Sketch Book Express, a sketching tool that allows you to draw graphics like the one I did above in about 15 mins, and immediately our Mac became even better than the dream-machine that it already was.
AdvertisementObviously, there are more than a few paid apps to choose from, but the store will inevitably help to make more and more software packages more affordable as it provides much easier access to competitor software and development. There are a huge numbers of apps to choose from ranging from creative design, photography and functional utilities, and like the iPhone and iPad app stores before it, there is plenty of scope for future development.
Excitingly, it transforms the Mac into the games console that we have long been hoping for and with the addition of a Mac controller, like the Thrustmaster Dual Analog 4 Mac controller, you’re on your way to hours of gaming action (check out the Jostick Mapper app if you’re struggling to get a game to work with your controller). If you have ever headed into a Apple shop to check out the games, pre-Mac app store launch, you’ll know that they were few and far between. The launch brings a new wealth of gaming to your computer, ranging from 69p mini games, right the way up to the sumptuously designed Call of Duty Modern Warfare at £30.
Over the years there have been a lot of app releases on the store and some of the real gems you might want to check out include Pixelmator graphics and design package as a credible and much cheaper alternative to Photoshop, CameraBag 2 for any photography gurus out there, Logic Pro X for fairly serious music production and Final Cut Pro for videographers.
AdvertisementThere have also been a lot of impressive games to try out too, and while Mac releases are still a way behind PC gaming and next gen console glory, there’s still a lot to play for. The Lego series of games is definitely a firm favourite and we’re expecting that to continue eventually with the latest new addition, Lego Jurassic World, but other big releases like Batman: Arkham City, Tomb Raider, F1 2013 and Rayman Origins have all made their way to the Mac app store.
