MacHeist Bundle Announced!

If there was one significant announcement in Mac shareware this year, it would be the MacHeist 2 bundle. Just announced minutes ago, the bundle is a seriously good deal.

Over the past month or so, MacHeist members were involved in several missions (or heists), where each heist would unlock a small set of Mac apps. At the end of it all the bundle would be unlocked for all to be purchased.

Even before the unveiling, there was a general feeling that the bundle would be amazing; I mean, just look at their Macworld ad:

Anyway, enough pondering, wondering or guessing. Here are the 10 apps for just $49, and the little things you ought to know.

1. 1Password
Why, it’s our old friend 1Password! We’ve reviewed this app, interviewed the developer and even organized a giveaway for 5 lucky readers. Being such a unique and intuitive app, it has been the receiver of an accolade of awards from Macworld magazine, MacLife magazine, and Leo Laporte & Merlin Mann’s Pick of the Week on MacBreak Weekly.

2. CoverSutra
Ah, the daddy of all iTunes controllers. We think that this is the most elegant, and user-friendly iTunes controller out there. With all the UI tweaks and modifications since we last reviewed it, we’re sure it’s going to be a blast. The good news is, all MacHeist customers will get exclusive early access to CoverSutra 2. Expect a brand new music search, an updated UI, and more features.

3. Cha Ching
Store your money in a piggy. Specifically, the Cha Ching piggy. Reviewed earlier last year by our very own Greg Healy, we found it to be a very elegant, intuitive and sleek accounting/financial app. What’s more, MacHeist customers who purchase the bundle will be eligible to the exclusive beta for Cha Ching 2.0. So, what are you waiting for?

4. iStopMotion
A great tool for those wishing to make a stop motion film. Stop motion is simply a type of filming that displays a series of snapshots of inanimate objects; the creator simply tweaks the positions after each frame, giving the illusion of movement. Just buy a camera, make some props and think of a great idea.

5. Awaken
This one’s a familiar one because I reviewed it sometime last year. Awaken is an iTunes alarm clock that does a whole lot more. MacHeist users will be able to get the exclusive Awaken 4.0, which according to developer Jerry Brace was totally rewritten, and features a new, animated UI, better iTunes support, additional full screen modes, and lots more. Check out the new screenshots from Jerry’s Flickr account.

6. TaskPaper
This is another GTD application that I personally reviewed. Simply consisting of a flat text file, TaskPaper makes it very simple to keep your life sorted. In fact, you can use the entire application without even touching a mouse. Written by Jesse Grosjean of Hog Bay Software.

7. AppZapper
This is an app that I presume most Mac users would have, since it’s touted as the uninstaller that Apple forgot. However, Austin Sarner did mention that version 2.0 would be arriving shortly with “less buttons than appzapper 1″ and that they’re rather “proud of that”. Fortunately, he did provide a couple of screenshots, showcasing the new application.

8. CSSEdit
Web development just got easier thanks to this innovative tool from MacRabbit. Did you know that the MacHeist website, like a lot of other beautifully designed sites were built using this tool? Certainly worth it. This application will only be unlocked if more than 5,000 bundles are purchased.

9. Snapz Pro X
Snapz Pro X, from Ambroisa Software is an app for capturing screenshots or movies on your Mac. Some of the biggest names like Apple, Adobe and even the creators of South Park have Snapz Pro in their arsenal of tools. All Macworld goers should remember to stop by their booth (W-4216) for some good giveaways to celebrate their 15th anniversary.

10. Pixelmator
Last but not least is Pixelmator. There were rumors before the announcement that PixelMator would show up, so I guess we can finally confirm it. While it may not be the most feature-laden image manipulation app out there, it’s certainly the prettiest of the lot. It’s also incredibly fast because it utilizes some of Mac OS X’s native frameworks. Certainly worth a look.

Buying individually, the 10 apps would set you back $343.75. But purchase directly through MacHeist and it will be just $49! What’s more, you can choose to donate 25% of your purchase to a charity of your choice. So what are you waiting for? Let us know whether you’ll be purchasing the bundle or not.