If you’re on the hunt for some killer iOS and Mac apps that will make you more productive, grab your wallet. A group of leading independent iOS and Mac developers have teamed up under the umbrella of App Santa to offer steep discounts on some amazing apps for Apple devices. The promotion runs from today through Dec. 26.
In all, there are 30 apps participating, offering up to 60 percent off their usual price, and the whole list is worth a look. Here are a few of my favorites:
Clear ($2.99, iPhone, iPad; $5.99 Mac): This simple but elegant to-do list manager was my app of choice for managing assignments and other to-dos back in college. I’ve since transitioned to the more complex and robust OmniFocus, but Clear is the perfect app for people who want an easy way to just manage lists of to-do items.
Tweetbot 3 ($2.99, iPhone): For me, Tweetbot is Twitter. This iPhone app is my favorite way to interact with the social network on my iPhone, and is well worth the price if you’re looking for a premium experience.
Calendars 5 ($2.99, iPhone, iPad): There are a bunch of really great calendar apps on iOS, but Calendars 5 has always stood out because of its beautiful display of appointments in a variety of formats. If you’re the sort of person who lives and dies by their schedule, it’s definitely worth a look.
Day One ($0.99, iPhone, iPad; $7.99 Mac): Sometimes, you just need to take down some personal thoughts. Day One is the perfect app for that. It’s where I keep my journal for things that I don’t share on the internet. (If you’re technically inclined, check out Slogger, a way of integrating data from other web services into Day One’s database by programmer extraordinaire Brett Terpstra.)
Launch Center Pro ($0.99, iPhone, iPad): Speaking of being technically inclined, Launch Center Pro is one of the key utilities for iOS power users. It lets people launch apps and run complicated scripts that can jump iPhones and iPads alike through some truly astonishing hoops. People who aren’t interested in fiddling with the app for hours on end will probably find it boring and confusing.
Still, if you’re the sort of person who likes to tinker, it’s a buck. Give it a shot, and check out Macstories’ guide to getting the most out of it. You’ll thank me later.
TextExpander Touch ($2.99, iPhone, iPad): If you’re the sort of person who finds yourself typing something over and over and over again, TextExpander will be a lifesaver. The app allows people to build snippets of commonly used text, and then insert them into a text field with a short string of characters. For more about how that happens, check out GeekWire’s discussion of iOS keyboards here.
