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Deciding whether to switch from Spotlight to another launching application is not an easy task. For some users, Spotlight is more than just enough to accomodate their daily usage. But for some users hesitating to switch, keep reading.

If you are one of the users who launches application from Spotlight, searching for folders and files using Spotlight, and you live inside the cloud. I’m sure you must switch from Spotlight to Alfred App.

Spotlight can also launch application!

While it’s true, Alfred offers more than just launching applications. The single window listing all the available items is simpler than Spotlight which list all the available items. Alfred App is smart, it lists items based on your behaviour. So, by the next time you want to launch Tweetie, just type “t”.

One of the feature that Spotlight missing is the way for you to control when to find files. Most of the Spotlight usage lies in launching applications and entering system preferences. By default, Alfred App only covers these two search scope. If you want to find files or folders, Alfred App let you do this using a small keyword such as typing “find ”. So the next time I want to search my collection of e-book, just type “find iphone prog”. Want to customize the syntax keyword? Make it shorter into “f iphone book”.

Searching the web can’t be easier than this. At first, I tell myself there is no reason to have another application for searching the web. I can easily pull it off using Google. If you constantly using the web for research, searching via varies of search engine such as Twitter, Wikipedia, Amazon. Alfred App can help do it in a quicker way. Here are some examples.

• “gmail ” for searching mail in Gmail
• “twitter ” for searching in Twitter
• “flickr ” for searching in Flickr
• “reader” for firing up Google Reader

There are more services provided in the preferences. You can customize the syntax key for each keyword to make it shorter.

Have you ever thought of shutting down your computer using Spotlight? Well, Alfred App can do exactly what Spotlight can’t do. You can tell Alfred App to empty trash, shutdown, log out, screen saver, restart by typing exactly what you want it to do. Pretty neat stuff, right?

Spotlight can calculate and define, so does Alfred App. One extra feature from Alfred App is you can tell it to play music from your iTunes library.

Alfred App is a great application for you who know how to make the best of Spotlight. If you frequently use Spotlight to navigate, launching applications. The Alfred App is certainly what you have been looking for. It is simple and easy to use. And if you don’t like the icon, hide it.

It must be a long time since the last post tagged with music. One of my favourite singer has released a single with her master.

You can listen to it by visiting this link.

If you follow or visit this blog, I hope you understand that the topics of this blog is covered between the Apple, lifestyle and music I love. It will be nice to stay focused on the topic. But it won’t sound like me if I try to not be myself. I honestly believe that a writing should reflect oneself. And I am holding onto that belief.

I spent a little time to modify Tweetie for Mac which you can see at the picture below.

I don’t like the default bubble message because it is too aquatic. Instead, the modified one which I got from iChat Matte Mod fits perfectly with Tweetie for Mac.

Download Tweetie for Mac Mod

The best feature for any new mac user is probably Spotlight. It provides a simplify experience to locate and run files and applications. It can be fast or slow depending on how we configure it. A decent and “just enough” configuration can lead to a better experience with Spotlight.

Let’s start by limiting the search results. There are many items that the Spotlight will show you if you never set a limit to the search result. By default, it displays all categories of items in the search result. It can cause the overload of search result which cause annoyance. Try to search using Spotlight and you can see a “Spotlight Preferences” at the bottom of the result.

There are 14 categories that the Spotlight display. As for me, I usually use Spotlight to run application, searching for presentation slide, and look for folder. As you can see the picture below, this is the configuration.

Remember that it is relative for each person. List out what you usually search with Spotlight and you should be to decide easily.

You should be able to tell the difference immediately. But, wait! Try to search using keyword like “xml” or “html”. Most of the the files under the system folder are like that. So, we are going to limit the Spotlight by not telling it to index these types of folder.

If you click the privacy panel, you can prevent Spotlight from searching some folders. In the picture below, I deliberately prevent it to search system folder where there are many files I don’t use. You need to do testing to find out which folder you want to prevent it from Spotlight search scope.

What if you have a lot of folders that you want to prevent it from Spotlight’s search scope?

I put all the folders I don’t want Spotlight to search into one folder called “Firewall”. By doing so, you don’t need to put many folders in Spotlight Privacy Preferences. Instead, you can drag all the folders into that Firewall folder. I only make the name for fun, you can use any name that can describe the function better.

There are many applications that can do better than Spotlight. But I never find these applications useful since I only use Spotlight for searching and running applications. Installing another applications is redundant to me, that’s why I always try to leverage existed applications instead of using third party applications. If you find this post useful, tweet it or share it with your friends.

The only possession I use to manage my daily item is a MacBook. It can do everything I want from study, entertainment, and working. It is the only machine I need to keep everything organised.

Minimal living is to make use of your possession to the fullest. Reducing the unnecessary. So the focus is not on the thing you own, but the problem and challenge you face.

I will always tell my friend to list out their needs if they plan to buy a gadget. Be sure when you list out your needs. Don’t use “What if” because you don’t need the “What if”. Be certain in what you want to do with your gadget. In this case, be sure what you want to do with your MacBook.

• I need it to be fast, simple and beautiful.
• I need it to code and design.
• I need it to store music and movie.
• I need it to kick away my gaming habit.
• I need it to manage pictures and images.
• I need it to do in a beautiful ways.

Needs above is a must. I don’t believe in “What if”, I only choose for what I need.

Mac OS X will not be this successful if the software developer doesn’t develop an easy to use and beautiful software for it. Remember, when you choose a gadget, it is about the developer. Developers who love their platform makes beautiful software.

Since we are talking about making the best out of the MacBook. Then we are talking the software itself.

• The MacBook comes with the iLife preinstalled. I removed mine because I don’t need it.
• The MacBook has TextEdit, I don’t need another tool for writing an article.
• The MacBook has iTunes, I don’t need another music player to manage my music.
• The MacBook has iChat, but I need Adium for my other contacts.
• The MacBook has Stickies, but I don’t find it useful. I use Notational Velocity for note taking. I removed Stickies.
• The MacBook has Chess, but I don’t play chess. I removed Chess.

As you can see, I decide based on my needs. I don’t use the “What if”.

I buy CD album. I enjoy collecting some music albums. I can choose to purchase it from iTunes store but some of us enjoy buying the CD album.

What I’m saying is not to be obsessed with going digital. If you hear some people telling you that going digital is reducing clutter and living minimal, then they are wrong. Being minimal is to reduce what you find they are clutter. If you prefer paper over the note in computer, then carry on with your ways of doing thing.

I go digital for note taking. But I prefer a real book compared to the digital book. I keep movies in my external hard disk to save space. I never use more than 60 GB for my internal hard disk. This is how I use my MacBook. Now tell me how you plan to use your MacBook.

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