"Do one thing and do it well" – Tiny apps and extensions I can't live without
Published: 2021-01-08 17:42:25

Whenever I see someone else's computer desktop, I quickly scan the dock below and the menubar above to see what apps and tools that person uses. I am fundamentally a product guy, and I'm rhapsodic when I discover a new tool that has the potential to improve my workflow. What makes menubar apps and browser extensions so special is that they are usually focused to do a single small thing that makes a big difference. Oh how I love them so!

#### Menubar Apps 

* __[FiveNotes](https://www.apptorium.com/fivenotes)__
 * __What:__ Itty bitty universal notepad for, ya know, whatever you need to jot down in a pinch. 
 * __Why:__ Need to get something down before you forget it? Stymied by wondering if it should live in Notes or Asana or Evernote or email or a sticky note? Just put it here and deal with it later.
 * __How much:__ Free trial version, Buy for $5

* __[Speedtest.net](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/speedtest-by-ookla/id1153157709?mt=12)__
 * __What:__ A button to test your download and upload speeds. 
 * __Why:__ Future generations will laugh at the idea of slow or spotty wifi. Until then, you need a quick and easy way to test if you're getting the throughput you deserve, goddamnit.
 * __How much:__ Free

* __[XScope](https://xscopeapp.com/)__
 * __What:__ A Swiss Army Knife of helpful tools for designers that front-end coders would also love. 
 * __Why:__ It comes with a pixel ruler, a Loupe magnifier, draggable guides, and so much more omg i love it so much seriously.
 * __How much:__ Free trial version, Buy for $50. I know, but it's worth it if you have income.

* __[Caffeine](https://intelliscapesolutions.com/apps/caffeine)__
 * __What:__ An app that keeps your 'puter from sleeping or turning on the screensaver. 
 * __Why:__ Ever give a presentation and your computer falls asleep and you have to lean down and jiggle the mouse to wake it up? Yeah, that.
 * __How much:__ Free

* __[Nightowl](https://nightowl.kramser.xyz/)__
 * __What:__ Toggles Day/Night mode on your computer
 * __Why:__ My computer switches from Day Mode to Night Mode at sunset/sunrise, but sometimes I don't want to wait that long to save my eyes from the blinding glare of whiteness.
 * __How much:__ Free but you should really donate something, Tightwad.

* __[Bartender](https://www.macbartender.com/Bartender4/)__
 * __What:__ A menubar app to manage your menubar apps! 
 * __Why:__ You know how your menubar gets clogged with apps you never use? Bartender lets you organize the ones you use and hide the ones you don't.
 * __How much:__ Free trial version, Buy for $15

* __[Mountain](https://appgineers.de/mountain/)__
 * __What:__ Basically a button to un-mount external hard drives. 
 * __Why:__ I try to plug in an external hard drive every day so Time Machine backs up my computer since it has saved my ass many times in the past. For some reason in 2020 we still don't have hot-swappable external hard drives, and un-mounting a hard drive is a multi-step process of finding the drive then dragging it to the trash or pressing a key combo to eject it. Too many steps for me thankyouverymuch.
 * __How much:__ Free trial version, Buy for $6

* __[ToothFairy](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/toothfairy/id1191449274?mt=12)__
 * __What:__ One-click bluetooth pairing for AirPods. 
 * __Why:__ Going to the Bluetooth menu and selecting my airpods and then activating a connection wastes precious programming seconds! No more, I say! *Warning: doesn't always work prefectly* :-/
 * __How much:__ Free trial version, Buy for $6


* Extra Credit: __[Skitch](https://evernote.com/products/skitch)__ (it's an app but primarily accessed through the menubar, so I say it counts)
 * __What:__ Markup screenshots oh-so easily 
 * __Why:__ Ever need to show someone a screenshot of something? Wouldn't that screenshot be _so_ much better with clear arrow pointing something out? Well Skitch has taken that idea and *ran* with it. You can even pixelate sensitive information. *Love. It.*
 * __How much:__ Free with limitations, I actually pay $6/month to Evernote for unlimited usage


#### Chrome Extensions

* __[Dark Reader](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dark-reader/eimadpbcbfnmbkopoojfekhnkhdbieeh)__
 * __What:__ Dark Mode toggle for your browser. 
 * __Why:__ When the sky is dark but your screen is bright, your eyes are sad.
 * __How much:__ Free

* __[GoFullPage](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gofullpage-full-page-scre/fdpohaocaechififmbbbbbknoalclacl?hl=en)__
 * __What:__ Takes a screenshot below the fold and then some. 
 * __Why:__ Sometimes you need a screenshot of something that requires scrolling to view in its entirety. Honestly, why does it take a third party to provide this feature??
 * __How much:__ Free

* __[Animation Policy](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/animation-policy/ncigbofjfbodhkaffojakplpmnleeoee)__
 * __What:__ Reigns in endlessly cycling animated GIFs. 
 * __Why:__ Animated GIFs are great the first 2 or 3 repeats. Then they becoming jarringly distracting. Animation Policy allows you to let an animated GIF run just once then mercifully stop, or bans them altogether.
 * __How much:__ Free

* __[FakeSpot](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fakespot-fake-amazon-revi/nakplnnackehceedgkgkokbgbmfghain?utm_campaign=menu_item)__
 * __What:__ You want to buy a lime squeezer. Amazon has three pages worth of lime squeezers that have 5 stars. Which do you buy? 
 * __Why:__ Turns out unscrupulous merchants on Amazon are gaming the system and faking reviews. FakeSpot uses AI or ML or both or something to analyze the reviews and gives each product and each merchant a letter grade. Makes it super quick and easy to decide which Squeezer-monger is getting my hard-earned $9.
 * __How much:__ Free

Ok, I hate it how every article tries to get engagement by ending an article with "SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK? TELL US IN THE COMMENTS WHYDONCHA" but I genuinely want to know what little apps you love. Please tell me. I don't know how I'm living without them.