If you’ve decided to make the switch from PC to Mac, you’re in for a lot of pleasant surprises. Macbook owners fall in love with their computers from day one, and wouldn’t change them no matter the specs on another option. There is just so much functionality, along with bonuses that would cost you a lot of money on their own.
Your MacBook comes with an office suite pre-installed, as well as the excellent GarageBand and iMovie. These powerful pieces of software can turn anyone into a musician or vlogger, no matter what your experience.
But once you’ve figured out how to make the most of your native Mac software, what’s next. There are some essential apps available to download from websites or on the app store.
Here are 3 apps which will optimize your new Macbook.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is considered by many to be the best VPN for Mac. There are others that come close, but none are so perfectly suited to the macOS environment. Furthermore, a subscription to ExpressVPN is very affordable.
You need a VPN on your Macbook, even though you don’t need a traditional antivirus. This is because just by using the internet, you’re putting all your information at risk. It’s remarkably easy to steal your information online, with your IP address itself giving out way too much free data on exactly where you are in the world.
A VPN is crucial for safety reasons, but there are also added benefits that come along with it. For one, you can use it to watch Netflix and Amazon series only available in other countries. You can also use it to get past government censorship if you’re in a country where what you can see is strictly controlled.
Chrome Internet Browser
Apple has put a lot of work into improving the native internet browser, Safari. However, it still simply doesn’t stand up to Google Chrome. This is for a number of reasons. Chrome is faster than Safari. It has more extensions available. It links seamlessly with your online life (which, let’s be honest, is very Google-centric).
It’s also more attractive, more user-friendly, and most of us are just used to it. Switching to Safari just isn’t worth the effort.
Download Chrome for your Macbook. It’s free and will improve your online experience. Note, however, that it is battery-draining. This is the trade-off for the extra speed.
VLC Media Player
Apple’s native media players just are not worth their salt as of yet. No one actually plays movies on iTunes unless they’ve bought or rented it through Apple and have no other choice. QuickTime Player is one of those apps that I never use, either.
VLC has long been considered the best free media player to use. It is intuitive, user-friendly, and fast. It plays a range of different formats. It is also dedicated to this one job, unlike iTunes, for which video seems to be an afterthought.
Download VLC media player for your Macbook now. You’ll be grateful for it later,when iTunes refuses to play your next episode of The Golden Girls.
