KungPowThinking

I’ve decided to write a quick post with a list of the tools I like to use when working on a typical project. Should be a quick post, and hopefully it’ll be helpful. Though after making my lists, I admit that that there’s probably not much here that’ll standout to many Mac users.

Hardware

• 15.4″ MacBook Pro with 250Gb Hard drive
• External 20inch LCD Monitor
• External Backup drive 250Gb
• iPhone 3G
• Sketchbook, notepads, and pens
• Assorted whiteboards and dry erase markers strategically placed throughout the office

Software Daily Usage

• OmniGraffle Pro (http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/OmniGraffle/) Used for wireframes, user flow diagrams, and higher fidelity sketching. I use the Wireframes Shapes Angles, Yahoo Design, Ultimate iPhone, and a few other stencils regularly. I think they’re probably all available at Graffletopia (http://graffletopia.com/).
• Adium (http://www.adiumx.com/) used for instant messaging on AIM, GTalk, Yahoo, MSN, and Facebook with Twitter integration coming soon.
• Pyro (http://www.karppinen.fi/pyro/) used as a software alternative for Campfire in a browser.
• TextMate (http://macromates.com/) best text editor I’ve ever used.
• Jing (http://www.jingproject.com/) used for screen captures and quick videos, has  upload feature and URL shortening. It’s awesome for reporting bugs.
• Firefox with Firebug, Web Developer, and View Dependencies Add-ons (http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/) Firebug and Web Developer Add-ons are must haves.
• MS Office Word and Excel
• TweetDeck (http://www.tweetdeck.com/beta/) Twitter is a work resource. I swear.

Software Occassional Usage

• xScope (http://iconfactory.com/software/xscope) Check it out. It’s invaluable.
• Silverback (http://silverbackapp.com/) For quick and dirty usability tests. Simplest and best app out there.
• iPhoney  (http://marketcircle.com/iphoney/) Simulate the iPhone Safari Browser w/out the SDK. It’s not perfect but it works good enough.
• Parallels with Windows XP, IE 6, IE 7, and Safari (http://www.parallels.com/) I hate IE 6 so much it’s ridiculous, but sometimes you just can’t avoid it.
• Transmit (http://www.panic.com/transmit/) Easy to use FTP.
• Adobe Photoshop
• iPhone SDK

Web-based Applications

• Gmail (http://gmail.com)
• Basecamp (http://basecamphq.com) Project communication suite. Writeboards, messages and files are priceless.
• Lighthouse (http://lighthouseapp.com) Because bug reporting/tracking needs to be separate from feature discussions. Lighthouse is so easy even a client can use it. Especially effective when used with Jing and automated commit messages.
• GitHub (http://github.com) Source management with some fantastic community tools.
• Campfire (http://www.campfirenow.com/) Web-based group IM w/ archives, file upload and hooks for deployment and commit messages.
• Google Calendar (http://google.com/calendar) I hate to admit it, but I still think Outlook is the best calendar app, but Google’s Calendar is a close second.
• Google Analytics (http://google.com/analytics) Powerful free web analytics? Nuff said.
• TinyURL or Bit.ly (http://tinyurl.com or http://bit.ly) Very useful when trying to tweet long URL’s to collegues, though it’s a bit of a mystery why most content sites just do their own URL shortening. It’s not too difficult.

iPhone Apps

• Tweetie (http://www.atebits.com/software/tweetie/) Most fully featured iPhone Twitter application I could find, and it’s cheap.
• Projects (http://appremix.com/projects/) Not cheap, but it’s a damn good Basecamp application for your iPhone.

That’s pretty much it. If you’ve got your own apps you use or alternatives to the ones I listed above please comment. I’m always looking for new stuff to help me do my job better.