Google Chrome for Mac

For too long mac users have been limited to choosing between Safari McRAMhog and Firefox Crashy McCrashesalot for their web browsing needs (because let's be honest here--no self-respecting mac user is going to let Internet Explorer anywhere near their mac), but Google has finally brought us salvation from shitty web browsing with the much anticipated release of its Google Chrome browser for mac. I've been using this shiny piece of work for about two days now and after trying all my usual browser-killing tricks--using 10 tabs at once, searching Hulu for a new show while playing Hulu in another tab, browsing Amazon while doing everything else, running my browser while running 10 other programs, and generally showing no respect for the idea of doing one thing at a time--my sweet little 1st generation macbook has only crashed a total of two times. Most browsing has been smooth and special and at this point I'm willing to accept that the two crashes I did have were either the result of my newly updated OS (finally got snow leopard) or are kinks that our benevolent Google overlords will work out over time.

So all in all, Google Chrome is the best new thing since the sexy Keurig machine (review coming soon) that my sister gave me for Christmas.

Rating: 81%

iTunes Genius

If you have a large and diverse music collection, you may have noticed that using the iTunes party shuffle can be less than fulfilling. It's just not fun to hear say, Lil Wayne followed by Sufjan Stevens followed by one of the random reggae songs your ex boyfriend who is Jamaican left on your computer. If this sounds like you (and feel free to sub in one of your own ex's crappy music selections), you might want to stop ignoring that swirly little button down there in the corner of your iTunes window and finally check out the iTunes Genius feature. After scanning your entire music collection (this can take a while if you have a lot of music...I just set mine in motion and left it while I went out to run errands), the Genius will build playlists for you based a song of your choice. For example, my first playlist was based on the song All That I Need by Blind Melon. I clicked the song and then hit the Genius button. Then iTunes made a playlist that included stuff like Pearl Jam, the Smashing Pumpkins, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Neutral Milk Hotel, The White Stripes, etc., etc. Then I tried one based on Beast of Burden and it generated a nice old skool Americana type playlist that had Neil Young, Bowie, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Tom Petty, etc. The interwebs tells me that there are some problem with it (for example, it doesn't work with Beatles songs or other bands that aren't in the iTunes store), but I'm still pretty damn pleased with it, and think you might be too.

Rating: 81%