One of the best things about the App Store is the convenience of buying any iOS app with just your iTunes password. For better or worse, OS X lacks this simplicity, so we have to buy Mac applications from the internet or retail shelves while juggling an alphabet soup of license keys, the codes that developers exchange for our hard-earned cash to end trial periods or unlock all a program’s features. AppChest can organize all your license information in style, but unless you need to access your keys quickly and often, it’s overkill.
Arr, 'tis a chest of well-organized booty!
Think of AppChest as Address Book for applications. First, you create a password required every time you launch AppChest, then you fill your “chest” by dragging applications from the Finder into the sidebar of AppChest’s single window. From there, you can manually enter the developer’s contact information, the license key, and other details. You can also drag an email, PDF, or other plain-text file containing your license key into the window, and AppChest will automagically add it and any other relevant information to the selected application’s entry. While the feature worked well most of the time, in practice it was just a nifty way to copy and paste an application’s license that didn’t save us much effort or time. More useful is the fact that added files remain within the application’s entry, making for a convenient way to keep receipts, emails from tech support, and other app-related stuff in one place on your Mac.
But what most sets AppChest apart from, say, simply pasting licenses into a Word doc is an attractive interface and the Hot Deals feature. Applications are arranged alphabetically, and while they can’t be organized in groups, you can search your stash by app name or metadata to quickly find what you’re looking for. License information can be exported as text files or as AppChest files that can be opened in other copies of the application. The Hot Deals button displays a current list of discounted MacUpdate Promo software and lets you view an application’s screenshots, download a trial, and even buy programs with a click from the AppChest window. It’s a tastefully implemented addition that makes sense in an application like this.
AppChest may not be a must-buy for most users, but it’s worth a look if you’re addicted to shareware.
AppChest
COMPANY: Tool Force Software
CONTACT: www.tool-forcesw.com
PRICE: $14.95
REQUIREMENTS: Mac OS 10.5 or later
Stores your license information in one password-protected file. Autofills license keys from emails and text files.
Core features easily duplicated by pasting your license information into a text file.
