OS X Mountain Lion Bible

Adding New Capabilities

Consider these utilities to add capabilities that most people should have but that Apple doesn't provide.

Application access

Although they could just as easily be considered applications instead of utilities, Parallels' Desktop ($80; www.parallels.com) or EMC VMware's Fusion ($80; www.vmware.com/products/fusion) is a must-have for anyone who deals with Windows so you can run Windows applications on your Mac. (Both of these are equally good; Chapter 35 covers using Windows on your Mac.)

I recommend you install Adobe AIR (free; www.adobe.com), which lets you run desktop widgets that get data from the Internet. AIR widgets run like regular applications, so you don't have to switch to the Dashboard as you do with Apple's built-in widgets (see Chapter 11). Plus, AIR widgets can run in Windows, Linux, and OS X, so they're great for companies, schools, clubs, and other groups whose people use different kinds of computers.

Communications

You can turn your Mac into a phone by using the Skype service and its Mac client (www.skype.com); pricing depends on where you are calling but is typically much cheaper than traditional phone services (there is a $10 minimum initial deposit). If you don't have a landline anymore, it's a great way to make calls overseas without paying the ridiculously high international long-distance rates charged by cellular carriers. You also can make free computer-to-computer audio and video calls to other Skype users. Although theoretically you ...