THIRSTYROBOT  Having used DropBox for well over a month, I now can't imagine doing without it!

The key thing I like about it is that it stays out of my way and requires little or no effort to sync and manage files. Development and support are both stellar and there's clearly a dedication here to constantly improve and refine the product.

I really think these guys have a bright future ahead. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do about their pricing structure so that there are a few more options to choose from.

A well-earned five star rating.  
(Version 0.6.507)

THIRSTYROBOT  Great little app that is really showing signs of maturity in its last few releases. Oh and unlike Acquisition, it doesn't screw you over with unmet promises from the developer.   
(Version 0.3.5)

THIRSTYROBOT  Expecting existing licensees to pay full price for a 2.0 product that was only launched as 1.0 less than 18 months ago is ridiculous.

No one likes to be fleeced...and that's exactly what this feels like.  
(Version 2.0v2)

THIRSTYROBOT  I was once an enthusiastic supporter of this app...and heck even its developer. But I can no longer endorse either on account of that guy's unethical behaviour. For those who paid the license on version 1.0 of this app--including many who paid for free upgrades for life--they're now stuck with something that connects, at best, infrequently. The developer's solution? 'Buy a new license, give me more money.'

Granted, we're talking here about getting shafted by a product that helps folks rip off record companies--and maybe there's some karma in that--but insofar as we're talking about reputation on the street, this guy's on the blacklist of many, many people for a reason.

Avoid Acquisition and never, ever give this guy a dime.  
(Version 2.0v209)

THIRSTYROBOT  Excellent value and well worth supporting with donations.   
(Version 1.0.6)

THIRSTYROBOT  I'm surprised and a little disappointed that the developer still hasn't released a new version that natively supports CS3. I mean come on! Even pokey Adobe managed to eek out a UB-compliant application...so what's the hold up?

That said, if you really depend on this handy tool (and there are a lot of us out there who do), you still can use it in a somewhat crippled manner. Add it to your CS3 folder and run Photoshop in Rosetta. Of course by doing so, you completely negate the performance benefits of CS3...  
(Version 2.1)

THIRSTYROBOT  Maybe I missed something or didn't install it right, but I found this app to be a major nuisance. After persevering for two weeks, I finally had enough. I felt that it was anything but seamless and required too much baby-sitting to be truly useful to me.  
(Version 2.5.6)

THIRSTYROBOT  Ummm...cheaper programs? What's cheaper than free?  
(Version 3.3.2)

THIRSTYROBOT  I've defended this developer in the past, but wow...I gotta admit that his recent moves on this app have been pretty galling. First, I take issue with the sneaky way that licensed users of version 132.7 are told to upgrade. It's only after you have done so and have replaced your old licensed version with the new one that you discover you're now expected to shell out more money for what amounts to the same application you have before, except for a few little enhancements.

Second, even if you opt out of upgrading, you're bothered continually by a nag screen telling you that you really *must* upgrade. At best, this is disingenuous. And the impression it leaves is that the developer takes his licensed user base for granted.

Unless the developer does something to correct this, I can no longer endorse nor will I use this application. And judging from the comments I'm reading, I'm in the majority opinion.   
(Version 2.0v205)

THIRSTYROBOT  While not as refined as the other two apps that comprise the iWork suite, Numbers is adequate for basic spreadsheet needs. Given its performance problems when crunching large spreadsheets, I have my doubts about whether I can dump Excel quite yet. I would not have bought this app on its own, so I consider this one a freebie add-on to the very reasonably priced iWork suite.

I'm hoping that the new version brings the same kind of performance refinements that we've seen with Pages and Keynote to date.

I'd also like to see a better selection of expense-related templates. Can anyone recommend a good one that's currently out there?   
(Version 1.0.1)

THIRSTYROBOT  In addition to being miles ahead of Powerpoint in terms of ease of use, Keynote has what I consider to be an absolutely killer feature: exporting presentations to Quicktime H.264 files. What used to be a major headache for me is now solved with a click. That alone sold me on this app.   
(Version 4.0.1)

THIRSTYROBOT  I'm quite happy with Pages. Its Pages-to-Word converter works relatively well, but I have encountered a couple of occasions where someone running Word has had formatting problems with a document I had previously saved in Pages. Nothing major, but it suggests to me that we're not quite there yet as far as Pages being a seamless substitute.

I still prefer the way that Word handles spell checking, but apart from that, Pages is a much easier app to operate...and it runs faster since it doesn't have to run on Rosetta like its Microsoft counterpart.

Well worth the reasonable price.   
(Version 3.0.1)

THIRSTYROBOT  P.S. I'm happy to report that Billings continues to run fine with Leopard.  
(Version 2.5.2)

THIRSTYROBOT  I can no longer recommend this application until the developer updates his prices. Here is a cc on the email I sent:

I considered buying a licence for your application, MenuCalendarClock, but I was really surprised to find that your price when quoted in Canadian dollars is *higher* than the US dollar price. This is seriously out of date as the Canadian dollar is now close to 10% above parity with the US buck. According to today's rates, the Canadian price ought to be $18.47CDN, not $22.20CDN as quoted on your site.

I'll reconsider that licence once your prices reflect fair market value.   
(Version 3.0.2)

THIRSTYROBOT  I'm confused. How is this application any different from iRatchet? It even refers to that app by name in some of the preferences.   
(Version 1.0)

THIRSTYROBOT  Invoicing is a pain and the last thing I want is an invoicing app that's a chore to maintain. So after a long, long search for just the right application to suit my needs, I chose Billings.

Here are the things Billings does that matter to me:

1) it's highly customizable templates for quotes and invoices;

2) I can generate reports on all kinds of activities that matter to me, including overdue invoices and taxes paid to date;

3) support from the developer (their well-maintained forum is a superb resource);

4) sorting and managing my projects so I can keep track of many things at once;

5) stability (I had previously been burned badly by reliability issues in iBiz).

This app doesn't pretend to be the swiss army knife solution for everyone. No, it doesn't support multiusers. And it doesn't replace Quicken. Instead, it focuses on a very specific set of functions--time tracking, invoicing and quotes for small business owners--and it delivers magnificently.   
(Version 2.0.5)

THIRSTYROBOT  Where do I start in pointing out the flaws with this sorry looking app...

- how it demands you cough up an email address before allowing you the privilege of downloading the demo app...

- an GUI interface with a look and feel that harkens back to the days of Windows 3.1...

- the mealy-mouthed way it goes about trying to get you set up.

This developer can't be serious...cannot be serious...in launching an app like this in this state and expecting Mac users to buy a licence.   
(Version 1.8)

THIRSTYROBOT  Add me the list of the disappointed. I tried to like this application. Given the price tag, I expected a much higher level of refinement and reliability than what it offered. It comes down to finding the right balance of price and features. For me, Billings can't be beat because it concentrates on mastering a shorter list of features for a fraction of the price. The deal-breaker for me is having complete flexibility to design my invoice template to my liking. And while the report editor in Billings has a learning curve to it, it's the one that delivers.   
(Version 4.1.2)

THIRSTYROBOT  Rating this on price alone is fair game. Given what's been said here and elsewhere, a lot of users--people who used to use this service--feel that the price of this service is ridiculously out-of-whack.

No one likes to feel like they're being fleeced.   
(Version 1.0.1)

THIRSTYROBOT  This add-on is no longer supported by Camino 1.1  
(Version 0.86)

THIRSTYROBOT  I took some time evaluating iRatchet and Billings and found them to be close on almost every measure that mattered to me (reporting ability, invoice customization, simplicity, and database reliability). In my case, Billings edged out a win--mainly on account of the pared-down simplicity of the app. Still, I have no doubt that there's a market for iRatchet's more detailed approach to quoting and invoicing. It's just not the right fit for my particular business.   
(Version 1.65b4)

THIRSTYROBOT  I ditched iBiz and its performance/reliability issues long ago. For my needs, Billings is the better bet...with iRatchet placing a close second.  
(Version 3.1)

THIRSTYROBOT  If you don't want the nags, then buy a license. It's that simple. Expecting developers to work for free on supporting an app like this is just absurd.   
(Version 132.5)

THIRSTYROBOT  I don't mind paying for it because the developer puts a lot of time into this app and updates it regularly. As long as that remains a fact, then I will continue to praise Acquisition, including its price tag.

  
(Version 132.5)

THIRSTYROBOT  Reasonably stable, noticeably zipper thanks to (finally) being a Universal Binary app. Those are the pros. Now for the cons. Messenger is staggering in its continued lack of features (no video, no audio, no compatibility with other platforms, and no user-adjustable themes). Oh and that brushed metal look? That's so...2003.

Those Mac users who need an alternative to iChat have every reason to stick with Adium or Fire.

This dog just doesn't hunt, my friends.   
(Version 6.0)

THIRSTYROBOT  Recognizing that this is a 1.0 release, there's still plenty of room for improvement. I do like the simplified, no-fuss style. However, when I attempted to import my clients from Address Book into the app, this is what I got:

"This version of Billable uses a new database format. Migration to this new format is only supported in 1.0b6 and greater. Please quit Billable, erase your existing user files as discusses on the wiki and relaunch. Sorry about the inconvenience."  
(Version 1.0)

THIRSTYROBOT  This tool is a must-have for iPhoto. It simplifies what is otherwise a near-impossible keyword tagging system. Thanks for the new Intel-compatible version, Ken!   
(Version 1.9.2)

THIRSTYROBOT  A small-business owner's best friend. I keep finding new ways to use this amazing app. Create mind maps with none of the hassle I find with Novamind. Build mastheads and buttons for your website -- right down to the rounded edges and shadow backdrop -- in mere seconds. Build a quick sketch of what you'd like a website to look like. All without ever having to go through the hassle of using Adobe bloatware.

The only strike against this product is that it's really quite pricey. Plenty of us plunk down our money for it as is, yes, but I'd be willing to wager that the developers could triple their sales, just by nudging the price point down to $99.   
(Version 4.1.2)

THIRSTYROBOT  Great little app with an odd-sounding name. Like other reviewers, I was kinda disappointed to see the application's icon get changed from that yummy raspberry to this dull-looking strawberry. I wasn't going to mention it at all (since it's really such a trivial thing). But since others are mentioning it -- and this is a Mac community -- this might be an issue for the developer to consider when working on the next release.   
(Version 2.1.2)

THIRSTYROBOT  The app runs fine, but is still rather slow to load. Wish they would release a universal binary version soon.  
(Version 2.4.2)

THIRSTYROBOT  On my first attempt to select a bunch of tracks for album art, the app crashed. Tried again and this time it refused to find artwork even for artists/titles where all the data was clearly provided.

Tried clicking and holding on the "Get Artwork" button to activate the drop-down (which is harder get to work than it should be...perhaps the click field should be wider). By re-selecting "by Artists & Album" I was able to get the application working.

My guess is that the app's default setting needs to be assigned when it's launched for the first time. Then again, I'm not a developer (as this note will attest).

Having said all of this...Corripio is a fantastic little tool and the update is substantially faster (I'm running this on an Intel iMac).   
(Version 0.3)

THIRSTYROBOT  I bought a licence for this app long ago and never once regretted it. Nisus is not Word, no. But then that's the point. If you don't need the bloat of that application and would instead work on a wordprocessor that gives you just the features you need, runs and loads faster, and saves in multiple formats (including Word), then Nisus is for you.

Intel core duo users take note: Nisus is now compiled in universal binary. And the performance difference is quite noticeable.   
(Version 2.7b4)

THIRSTYROBOT  I paid for my license over a year ago without the least bit of hesitation. This app just keeps getting better and better.  
(Version 128.3)