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DESCRIPTION
Blitz (formerly known as Bokeh) is for people who have software with big needs. When your Mac is clogged with lots of extra processes, the amount of power it can give to any one program is lessened. Running an intensive process like Photoshop filter or a 3D render can be sped up with Blitz.

Blitz freezes applications, leaving them taking absolutely no CPU, and leaving more processing power for your other applications. Blitz also implements a "Focus Freeze", letting you focus all CPU power on a single application.

WHAT'S NEW
Version 1.1.1:
  • Allow for thawing single apps from within a focus freeze.
  • Fixed license recognition system.
  • Fixed UI bugs.
Version 1.1:
  • Added keyboard shortcut preference for global keyboard focus activation.
  • Localized in French.
  • Renamed to Blitz.

  • Version 1.0.1:
    • Added blur effect support for multiple displays.
    • Localized in Italian
REQUIREMENTS
Mac OS X 10.5 or later.

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Developer:Cocoatype, LLC
Downloads:3,965
  - Version d/l:489
Utilities:Optimizers
License:Shareware
Date:27 Jan 2010
Platform:PPC/Intel
Price:$17.00

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Blitz User Reviews (12 posts)Write A Review
sort: smiles | time
Oct 1 2009
*****

JAYCE  I asked the developer whether Blitz worked on Snow Leopard; he said it does, and he was right. Now I can listen to an iTunes playlist while working on photos in Lightroom, and still not have to restart the computer every 45 minutes or so. And I can leave Lightroom open in the background if I need to deal with incoming mail. I think this application is worth buying.  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
+1
[ Reply ]
Jun 11 2009
*****

LEMERLOT  Really helpful to block temporarily not needed apps from stealing CPU.  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
+2
[ Reply ]
Feb 25 2009

DVMAN  Got this via MacHeist for free. That was much too expensive. Locked up every app, took a looooong time to get it to quit. I deleted it with extreme prejudice and hope I never see it again.  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
+1
[ Reply ]
Feb 19 2009

PANDAMONIA  I understand how to "freeze applications" but WTF does the "focus" thing do?  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
0
[ 1 Reply - Reply ]
Replies:
Feb 20 2009

HARRISTYPE  It quite simply "freezes" all other apps except the one you're focusing on. You can then "defocus" to unfreeze the other apps. Much quick than selecting each one individually to freeze and unfreeze them.  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
+1

Dec 12 2008

ELEGRAPHY  I love Cunning Fox too, that was one of very useful renice utility ever made for OS X with none-intrusive UI design.

And just how many times do we have to learn another dopey name for this plain app? I thought at least "Freeze Frame" (and its camera icon paired with the shutter sound) was meaningful and way more creative to explain the idea of "freeze apps". I dislike the new flower icon, it made no connection to the name Bokeh or Blitz or the process of renice whatsoever, and it looks like the Fire Flower from the Super Mario Bros, too.  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
+3
[ 2 Replies - Reply ]
Replies:
Jan 6 2009

ARCLITE  Hi Elegraphy,

Sorry about the many name changes. This most recent one was due to the purchase of the name by Alien Skin Software, for their Photoshop plugin. I agree that the flower makes absolutely no sense in the "Blitz" context, but it was a very slight joke in the same vein as "Bokeh". You see, the flower icon is used on many cameras to represent the macro mode, which is a mode that is used to produce bokeh on very up-close photos. While it was admittedly a joke not many people would get, we couldn't think of anything better at the time.

Bokeh *is* still in development, but it's up in the air with several other applications. We hope to have another release coming soon.

Thanks for your comments,

Geoff Pado

Bokeh Developer  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
+2
Jan 22 2010

GRYPHONENT  Another release coming soon?? One year on there's still no update!!!  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
+1

Dec 3 2008
*....

OILCONSUMER  One thing... This Lags!

and ditto to both comments below!  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
+2
[ Reply ]
Nov 2 2008

GRYPHONENT  I feel ripped off too. Registered from FreezeFrame and was told there would be more development happening now. And nothing since the initial release, which was pretty much the feature set of FreezeFrame. I won't support this developer again. Bokeh still hangs a lot, doesn't switch between applications fast in focus mode, and there's still no easy way to get out of freeze mode like it used to be in Cunning Fox where you can simply activate a freezed application. Bokeh only allows for ONE application to be enhanced.  
(Version 1.0.1)

praisebury
+4
[ Reply ]
Jul 11 2008
*....

MACNOOK  Bokeh was offered for one day at a pretty good deal-- at least it seemed that way at the time. WIthout proper time to evaluate it, I purchased it anyway. In retrospect, I feel ripped off.

Support is nonexistent to paying customers. If you want any support, don't expect to get it from Elgebar Studios. I wrote them a detailed explanation about a problem that makes the software almost useless to me and no amount of troubleshooting or obvious solutions made a bit of difference on my end.

I sent a screen shot, the email explanation, and request for support on June 6th. I forwarded the same email and screen shot on June 13th. Today it's July 11th and I haven't gotten any response from them. None, zip, zero. I'm 100% certain that the email hasn't been caught in spam filters. They just have not responded-- at all (not even an auto response). I believe 5 weeks should be adequate time to respond.

The problem is this: If I launch Bokeh, I stop being able to see or switch between open applications via the dock or Command-Tab application switching. New application launches (ie, opened after Bokeh's been opened) don't show at all in the dock or App Switcher, but they *are* open. I have to "relaunch" them to get back to my work in that application... or if an open window is open, I can click on it to return to the application. Quitting Bokeh doesn't help. Quitting Bokeh and the Finder doesn't help. Quitting Bokeh, the Finder, and relaunching the Dock doesn't help either. The only thing that helps is restarting my system.

I'm certain it's Bokeh. The moment it's launched this behavior begins. I don't have any problems with my system until Bokeh is launched.

This bug puts a serious crimp in my workflow... and I expect that it would cause pause for lots of other people as well. As a result, it hasn't been launched recently-- I shouldn't have to restart to get my work done.

No response from Elgebar means I'll be deleting the app completely and it would take a true miracle for me to ever send another penny to Elgebar Studios. I'm just thankful I didn't pay full price.

I do wish you could rate products 0 stars.

Use renice via the terminal. It's free and won't cause any problems with your system.  
(Version 1.0.1)

praisebury
+3
[ 1 Reply - Reply ]
Replies:
Jul 12 2008

ARCLITE  Hi MacNook,

I'm extremely sorry that you feel ripped off. I've gone back and checked, and I can't find any of your e-mails. Not in my inbox, not in my spam filter, nowhere. Which e-mail address did you send these messages to?

I thank you for your attempt at providing a detailed explanation of your bug. If I had received it, it would have helped greatly in tracking down the issue. The explanation you give here sounds grim -- quite a bit is failing. I'd love to get some more information if we can figure out a medium of communication that works.

Once again, I'm sorry that you had such a terrible experience with Bokeh and trying to contact me for support. I honestly have no traces of any e-mails, even caught in spam filters. If you'd like, you can contact me with your registration code either directly by e-mail at pado@elgebar.com, or (in case you don't trust e-mailing me) on iChat with the screenname padohka. I'll give you a full refund, and work with you to fix this bug, if you'd like.

If there's anything else I can do to help you, or to help right this wrong, please notify me in this thread, or through the above means of communication.

Greatest apologies,

Geoff Pado

Elgebar Studios  
(Version 1.0.1)

praisebury
+4

May 22 2008

MACNOOK  I haven't put this through the paces yet, so I can't do a full review, so this is just a feature request/suggestion--

Could you please add an option to turn off the blur effect?  
(Version 1.0.1)

praisebury
+1
[ Reply ]
May 12 2008
*****

FARIBORZ  I recently learnt about Bokeh. As I had already used its venerable predecessor "Freeze Frame" and had found it an invaluable tool to increase my productivity I decided to give the new program a try. Well, I admit that it's exceptionally more intuitive and the new FOCUS function that instantly freezes other programs processing consumption to increase the foreground application resources is really a manna from heaven! This function also blurs other background windows to allow you more concentration on the document you are working on. I also found the developer very friendly and responsive and would like to thank him heartily for his priceless assistance. Fariborz AMIRSHAHI - Verona (Italy)  
(Version 1.0.1)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
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