TMO Quick Tip - Enhancing Growl

by , 7:30 AM EDT, June 4th, 2007

Growl is an amazingly cool add-on for Mac OS X that can help keep you appraised of far more than your Mac's built-in alerts. For applications you use aren't Growl aware, there are some add-ons that can bring notifications to life where there otherwise wouldn't be any.

Growl

Here are a few of my favorites:

• HardwareGrowler Mac OS X lets you know when you have ejected a removable storage device, but it doesn't tell you about other devices that have been plugged in or removed. HardwareGrowler is an application that handles this task by using Growl to let you know when any devices have been added or removed from Bluetooth, FireWire, or USB. It is free and included in the Growl installer Extras folder.

HardwareGrowler

• GrowlMail Before I started relying on SpamSieve's Growl support, I used the GrowlMail plug-in to let me know when Apple's Mail application received real messages, not spam. Like HardwareGrowler, it is free and included with the Growl installer.
• OmniGrowl iCal does a fine job of reminding me about upcoming appointments when I use its built-in alarms, but it doesn't offer a discreet way of reminding me of other appointments - but OmniGrowl does. It can also remind you of upcoming birthdays in iCal and Address Book, hard drive S.M.A.R.T. check status, Software Update status, and more. It is donation-ware and can be downloaded at the Wooden Brain Web site.

OmniGrowl

• Unplugged It doesn't seem like a big deal until it happens to you: The power cord from your Mac laptop gets accidentally disconnected, and your battery runs out of juice at the worst possible time. Unplugged lets you know when your charger cord gets plugged in or disconnected. You can download this free application at the briksoftware Web site.

Unplugged

There are plenty of other add-ons and Growl-specific applications out there that you can use to enhance your Mac's notifications. If you have a favorite, feel free to share.

Jeff Gamet is TMO's Morning Editor and Reviews Editor. He lectures, teaches and speaks on Mac OS X and design-related topics, and is the author of The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X from Peachpit Press.

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