#Apptrap review series
#Apptrap review download

Let’s see what they can do, and if they’re really that useful. User Interface refinements aside, nothing changed here since the 1.0 version.ĪppZapper comes with two new features: Hit List and My Apps. And that’s it for the zapping process: you can add multiple to the list and AppZapper will take care of it. You can decide to check off all the items and zap them (move them to the trash) or just Cancel and go back to the previous screen. Preference panes are depicted as a black sheet, Application Support files as a book with the “A” symbol on the cover and Caches as a wooden clipboard. So, the icons really help to convey the “meaning” of what you’re actually deleting. I interviewed both Marcelo and David a while ago ( here and here), be sure to read the interviews if you missed them. The icons are crisp and pixel-perfect and they were designed (together with the whole UI) by the uber-talented designers Marcelo Marfil, Clemens Knieper, Jasper Hauser and David Lanham. But, and here comes the cool part, just take a look at the details: every file has its own 32px icon on the left side. I was an AppZapper die hard fan, and I knew all along it would get way better someday.Īnd here we are today, with a completely refreshed app, with more features and a brand new, awesome user interface.Īt first launch, you’ll notice how the overall feel of AppZapper is still there: there’s the small window where you have to drag the app’s icon and as you’ve dragged it, there’s the list of every file found on your hard drive, the file size, type and the Zap! button. Many followers told me on Twitter to try AppTrap, a preference pane which runs in the background and asks you if you want to delete additional files every time you trash an application. Now, many people didn’t like AppZapper as much as I did: take a look at this AppStorm roundup and you’ll see how many utilities you can use to correctly delete an application from your Mac. This is why I used to love the first version of AppZapper: if I wanted to delete an app, I dragged the icon into the main window and AppZapper found all the related files. Guess what, after 2 years of usage these files could waste GBs of space and you don’t even know that. They’ll just stay there on your hard drive.

#Apptrap review series

Well, they’re not so hidden, actually: you should know that every time you launch an application on your Mac, the OS creates a series of “associated” files like preferences, support files and databases which won’t be deleted when you drag the app’s icon to the trash. Some developers have a special branded page to make all of this even more clear - Final Fantasy-maker Square Enix, for example, has a page on the App Store that clearly denotes its official status.AppZapper was popular because with a simple drag & drop it allowed you to delete an application together with all the “hidden” files related to it. a clear attempt to ape Foot Locker that was littered with apps with no connection to sportswear. When The New York Times reported on the App Store's problems Sunday, it included a screenshot from a developer named Footlocke Sports Co., Ltd. If a developer's page is filled with other apps that look suspect, don't trust it.

Tap into that and you'll see their other offerings - Champs Sports and Footaction, which are other (legitimate) Foot Locker brands, so you know you're getting the real thing. When you tap into the app's page on the App Store, you'll see the developer (Foot Locker, Inc.) listed directly below the app's name.

Next, before downloading an app, take a look at the developer's page to get a better sense of how legit they are. These apps are frequently developed internationally, which means you might notice odd characters, spelling errors or strange grammar in an app's name or description.

#Apptrap review download

Look out for obvious errorsīefore you rush to slam that download button, scan an app's page for any glaring mistakes. But don't freak out: Apple's doing what it can to purge these bogus apps, and avoiding them to begin with is easy.