Syncing information has become really important, simply because we all have all sorts of accounts on the web and usually more than one devices to work with.

Spanning Sync is a nifty little app that syncs your Google Calendar and iCal together. The app is really easy to set up on your Mac. It gets installed in your preferences pane and all you need to start using it is your Google login details.

Once open, just select either the calendars or contacts tab depending on what you want to sync. If you have more than one calendar and contact group on either iCal or in Google, you can select which ones to merge or sync them all together. You'll have to choose between either merging or simply replacing one with another. Also beware that Spanning Sync does not support same contact info yet, so if you choose to merge some of your contacts might appear twice.

A real handy tool to merge your Google Calendar and iCal. Fast and simple, gets the job done.

Download Spanning Sync 2.0b356 in Softonic

Bitpim allows you to transfer and edit data from your mobile device to your computer and back. The application works with most CDMA phones but will interact best with specific models from brands like LG, Samsung or Motorola.

Once your phone is connected to your computer simply select the option to synchronize the device. A little pop-up window will allow you to select what data to choose from your phone. It normally lists everything, from your calendar to contacts and messages to music and wallpapers. Transferring is fairly quick.

Once the data is uploaded to the Bitpim program you can edit it and make any changes. Send it back to your device and Bitpim will ask you whether you want to replace or add the information.

I did find Bitpim's interface a little sparse and didn't really like how it opened numerous windows at startup.

Bitpim will not always work properly via Bluetooth, so its best to connect your mobile phone via a USB cable.

Need to transfer and edit data from your mobile device to your computer? Bitpim should get the job done.

Download Bitpim 1.0.7 in Softonic

FlexCal, previously known as FlexTD, is a preference pane item that allows you to quickly enter todos and events in your iCal.

The application is activated via a hotkey, which you can set. Then all you need to do is type in your note, select the calendar it applies to, a priority level and the relevant dates.

The interface is clear and well designed, making it very easy to type in new entries.

FlexCal makes your calendar very easily accessible and avoids you wasting time having to open up iCal every time you come up with a new idea. Being a preference pane item, it doesn't take much space in your Mac yet can still be called up every time you need it.

If you find that you very often work with iCal, yet get tired of opening and closing the application just for writing up to-dos and new events then FlexCal should come in handy.

Download FlexCal 1.0 in Softonic

Daylite is a productivity suite specifically built for small businesses and private users. The application lets you manage your projects and all your contact information and data.

Daylite streamlines your work process, in that it's easy to create all elements to a project and manage them. You can easily import and sync all your contact info from iCal and Address Book and create elements like tasks, appointments, notes, projects and even add opportunities for businesses.

The interface is built so that you always have an eye on your calendars, contacts and projects. Even so, the search function is very efficient at finding anything. First time users will like to find a wide range of sample data with which to get an idea of how the application works.

We would have like to see integration with more online productivity services, as many small businesses rely on these every day. We also found the application to freeze up all too frequently when loading data. It also tended to make Apple Mail a little unstable.

Although it can freeze up when loading data, Daylite is a streamlined all-in-one productivity suite.

Download Daylite 3.7.6 in Softonic

Tired of iCal? PreMinder, which is still in Beta, makes for a potentially viable alternative.

First of all, don't worry about losing all your iCal info and events. PreMinder lets you easily import all iCal information. The application is built in a multi-windowed interface, which has always turned me off a bit, as I find it unpractical to work. Not only do you have the big calendar window, but also the reminder window at the bottom, an events window on the left and a floating mini-calendar.

PreMinder provides multiple ways of scrolling through items, from a very handy monthly slider at the top to the daily notifier on the left or the quick back and forward buttons in the Calendar window.

PreMinder lets you create your own events, alarms and reminders. These can be repeated, stretched to multiple days or weeks and moved around very easily.

The search box at the top right of the PreMinder interface makes it easy to find any piece of data in seconds.

Although still in development, PreMinder is a promising alternative to iCal with lots of flexibility and features.

Download PreMinder Beta 0.7.2 in Softonic

Chandler is an open source organizer which lets you create and save notes and organize them in your calendar.

Although at first I found the interface a little cluttered, it really seems to have everything you need. The quick entry section at the top, which you could mistake for a search bar, lets you create notes quickly. Detail on your notes is shown on the right side of the interface. Chandler also displays a calendar, which you can browse through to see notes for each day.

In place of tags, Chandler has what it calls collections. These work more or less the same way, however I've found them to be slightly less flexible.

Chandler allows you to easily import and export information, mostly as CSV files and you can share your notes with others, by using the Chandler Server and Hub Sharing Service.

One of the best features of Chandler is that you can customize it with any sort of plugins found on the website.

Despite a slightly cluttered interface, Chandler is a solid open source note taker and organizer.

Download Chandler 1.0 in Softonic

Nowadays online applications like Google or Yahoo! Calendar can easily be shared with other people. If you use iCal on Mac it's not that easy though. BusySync therefore comes in handy, as it lets you sync up multiple iCals to keep everybody up to date on upcoming events. From the BusySync interface, you'll be able to select the calendars you want to share and the rights you want to give to other users (read, read or read & write).

Using the Subscribe, you'll be able to monitor when calendars were synced and with whom. If you've been disconnected for a while, BusySync will automatically sync as soon you connect your Mac to your network again. BusySync works with the reliable Bonjour networking to sync iCals.

A nice feature to have to share iCal calendars with others.

Download BusySync 2.1.5 in Softonic

To survive the theft or crash of your Mac you need to make sure you have backups of your most important files. Always overlooked by users, this boring yet necessary task can be easily handled by Time Machine if you have Leopard. If not you'll have to choose a backup program.

BackityMac lets you select what you consider to be your most important files and save them in a dmg. The application offers a simple menu view from which you check the files you'd like to backup, such as Apple Mail files, iCal calendars, or iPhoto and iTunes libraries.

You can save files in a disk image (dmg) or have them burned in a CD or DVD. BackityMac can also restore all your files at the click of a button. A lesser known yet smart feature of BackityMac is that it can import music stored on your iPod back into your iTunes library, in case you've lost it.

BackityMac is simple to use but does include some limitations. For one you won't be able to properly clone your hard drive, meaning you're liable to forget files in the backup process. You won't be able to make incremental backups either so every time you want to save new files you'll have to start from scratch.

In all, BackityMac is a good program for those of you looking for a basic backup solution. For serious backups, find a program which can clone your hard drive, or use Time Machine.

Download BackityMac 2.2 in Softonic

Sony Ericsson Themes Creator is a recommendable tool if you are the owner of a mobile device from the phones manufacturer.

The application allows you to customize everything in your Sony Ericsson mobile phone, from standby, to the app launcher, menu and calendar. Thanks to the tabbed interface you can quickly move between the different sections. The right side of the program shows the current theme and the left one is where you can make the changes, from selecting a new image to changing text.

We were a little disappointed to find out that you can only upload GIF files, however the program does allow you to change sounds like the alert for new emails, messages or calendar events.

Once you are happy with your changes, press preview to take a look at all the different screens with the changes. It's then just a case of updating the new theme to your Sony Ericsson phone.

I quite liked how you pick your Sony Ericsson model from a list of thumbnail images, unfortunately it doesn't seem the program allows you to update the device list, so you might not find the most recent models.

If you own a Sony Ericsson mobile phone, you'll enjoy this app, which lets you create your own theme.

Download Sony Ericsson Themes Creator 3.29 in Softonic

Managing time spent on projects is essential, even more so if your work freelance. TimeLog is built to work with iCal, to keep track of time spent on different projects. With an interface at crossroads between iTunes and iCal, TimeLog gives you an immediate view of your different projects.

TimeLog allows you to create smart lists to better organize your projects and can analyze them based on all criteria like billing, time or project type. You'll also notice that it features automatic timer and billing, so you don't have to go around worrying about these. The most useful feature is the red record button at the top left of the interface, which will allow you to launch the time spent on projects and calculate your rates precisely.

TimeLog is known to have some issues when printing out projects, and some users also complained about troubled interaction with iCal. However, overall, TimeLog interacts well with Apple programs.

TimeLog keeps time spent on projects for you.

Download TimeLog 4.3.7 in Softonic

So you’ve taken the leap and installed the versatile internet browser, Firefox, but are you ready to trade in your Outlook Express for Mozilla’s open source mail application? Thunderbird is Mozilla’s award winning and free solution to manage your mail more efficiently.

Thunderbird woos users thanks to its flurry of options and the benefits of an open source application. Automatic updates ensure that you have the latest version of Thunderbird, preventing any security threats and offering you new features as soon as they’re available.

The biggest worry for users is switching from one mail application to another and losing precious information. With Thunderbird the switch is painless because you can quickly import your mail and contacts from your Outlook and set up your POP3 or IMAP account is a snap. To stay well organized we suggest taking advantage of Thunderbird’s filters. While this option is nothing new to the experienced Outlook user, you’ll have to admit that Thunderbird makes filters much more accessible, thanks to a simple selection of combinations and actions. Create distinct folders for your personal and professional mail and your newsletters and associate them with filters to avoid the hassle of constantly sorting your mail. Another feature we could single out is the integrated spell checker, a blessing if you send many emails and can’t be bothered to constantly verify your writing.

Although it isn’t visible right away, Thunderbird also features an RSS reader. Handy if you need to follow the news or specialist websites, this tool fits seamlessly into Thunderbird and you could almost forget that it is a mail application. Paste in the RSS feed from your favorite news source and the main messages window will reveal a list of all the latest feeds. The message pane is used as an integrated browser window to display the selected article.

Email is the number one source of viruses, that’s why Thunderbird offers various levels of message encryption, a spam filter and support for valid certificates. We found the spam filter particularly effective. Set it to “learn” mode, and it teaches itself to separate the valid email from the rest of the junk. You have to be mindful of this option though, because Thunderbird can become too restrictive and may decide on its own that one of your friends is suddenly persona non grata. Reviewing your junk folder every now and then should avoid you accidentally losing friends. Thunderbird also automatically turns off Javascript and by default does not load remote images, a good way to defuse the risk of viruses from dodgy emails.

Another known feature of the Mozilla line of products is customization. Just as with Firefox, Thunderbird can integrate a slew of extensions and add-ons to rev up your inbox. You can also add or remove icons from the actions pane, selecting the ones you use most frequently.

The one place where Thunderbird fails, and professionals will confirm this, is the failure to integrate Microsoft Exchange support. An essential tool in any work environment, the collaborative messaging software is sorely missed in Thunderbird and seriously limits its usefulness in offices. Furthermore, we can question why Mozilla included an RSS reader yet failed to incorporate a calendar, standard in most mail applications nowadays.

While the lack of proper business minded features will limit Thunderbird’s point in the workplace, the simplicity, customizability and security make it a number one choice for home users. If you’re worried about your safety on the Internet or are just looking for a more efficient way of handling your mail, Thunderbird is probably the best solution out there.

Download Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.16 in Softonic

Kerio MailServer is what's known as a "groupware server" which basically means it allows several companies or organisations to collaborate on it at the same time.

Kerio MailServer does this through email, shared contacts, shared calendars and tasks.
Kerio MailServer does this in complete security because it is integrated with McAfee Antivirus which enables it to instantly remove viruses from incoming and outgoing email. Likewise, SpamEliminator automatically detects and filters spam from the Kerio MailServer.

Kerio WebMail is particularly easy to use. You can drag and drop mails to an extent that's not possible in Outlook but at the same time, it can be used in conjunction with Outlook because Kerio MailServer Server-based calendars and address books synchronize seamlessly with both Outlook, Entourage and of course, Kerio WebMail. You can even migrate data and messages from Outlook on anything held on an MS Exchange server with a handy wizard.

If you're looking for a good alternative to Outlook with more drag-and-drop features and need group collaboration options, Kerio MailServer is worth a try.

Download Kerio MailServer 6.4.2 in Softonic

The MobileMe button is a little Dashboard widget that gives you quick access to all the pages of Apple's new online MobileMe service.

Whether you are looking to access your account page, your contacts, calendars, photos, iDisk or mail page, the MobileMe button always puts only a click away and what's more gives you a different entry point to the web service than by your browser.

MobileMe button is smaller than most widgets, which sometimes makes it a little difficult to work with. To move the widget around you have to click on either it's left or right side, which takes a little getting used to.

Interestingly Mobile Me button used to be called Dot Mac button. Now that Apple have updated their service the developer has also decided to offer a new version of the widget.

Although the widget could be a little bigger, MobileMe button gives you access to Mac's fresh new online services directly from your Dashboard.

Download MobileMe button 2.2 in Softonic

Today will come in handy to those of you that need to have a quick view of the tasks and events for the day. The application synchronizes perfectly with both iCal and Apple Mail, so any event or task you create in them will appear in Today. If you select a different calendar in iCal, Today will also take that into account and only show related tasks and events.

You can also use the application to create your own tasks and events, although you will not be able to add an alarm, set attendees or attachments. Today can be opened from either the menu bar or Dock for quick access.

Today almost works like a widget. You can bring it up in a click and have an overview of all the tasks and events for the day. It's perfect if you need to focus and do not want to open up iCal. Having it perfectly synchronize with iCal and Apple Mail means you never have to worry about if events and tasks are updated on all your different applications.

Although offering basic event and task creation, Today is a great tool to immediately see tasks and events for the day. It boasts perfect synchronization with iCal and Apple Mail.

Download Today 1.2.1 in Softonic

Scalp is a nifty little tool to share your iCal calendar with anyone.

This little hack lets you publish a calendar to .Mac via FTP or SFTP. You can set a password and username to protect it in SFTP, in case you want your calendars to be private. Publishing to iCal can be a very good and fast way of actually sharing dates and notes with your friends and colleagues.

Scalp lets you set five different publishing settings: tasks, titles and notes, automatic modifications, alarms and attachments. Effectively you can then almost publish different versions of the same calendar.

Setting up Scalp is a little tricky, especially managing to connect via FTP to your .Mac account, but once it's up and ready, there's no real difficulty to running the program. The application can still be a little unstable though, especially on Power PC, where it hasn't really been tested.

Despite its instability, Scalp is a nifty hack to easily publish iCal calendars via FTP to .Mac.

Download Scalp 0.6 in Softonic

TinyCal makes either your iCal or Google Calendar accessible from the menu bar. You'll be able to see all your calendars immediately.

TinyCal appears in your menu bar as a drop down item. Even though the icon will not show the month nor date it will display the day. You can set multiple calendars to appear from the drop down, and have them either in a line or a row. TinyCal integrates both Google Calendar and iCal well, which does come in handy if you have different notes saved in each. It will also display days with corresponding events, which are shown right under the calendar.

One of the strengths of the applications is that it is not limited to the Gregorian calendar but will also show Buddhist, Hebrew, Islamic and Japanese. Our only disappointment though is that you can't set the start day of the week, and will have to settle with Sunday.

TinyCal works great at integrating both your Google and iCal calendars.

Download TinyCal 1.3 in Softonic

QuickCal will suit you if you don't have the patience to open Apple's iCal every time you need to create a new event.

Just type in details like the place, people and subject of the event and don't forget to add the date (in the American format). Press enter and QuickCal will save it automatically in iCal. All it takes is two seconds and you don't even need to open up the program. If you click on the 'info' button you'll see you can select which calendar to add an event to and set yourself multiple reminders from all events up to those that are more than a month away. Reminders can appear from 15 minutes up to three weeks before an event is due.

QuickCal isn't the nicest looking widget you'll find, but I found it very intuitive to use and well integrated with iCal.

If you're looking for a widget to handle all your new events, then QuickCal is a good choice.

Download QuickCal Widget 0.90 in Softonic

If you ever wanted to be like Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City, writing columns and blog posts (well, she was writing just newspaper columns, but you never know) in a cosy cafe, without caring about anybody and anything apart from your own written world, this might just be the program you’re looking for.

Although MacJournal is a very simple program and it’s basically a text editor, it has a couple of features that makes it interesting. The first one is a calendar. You can browse this calendar and write posts which will be saved at the specific date you write them. It's particularly useful for writers I think, as you might want to prepare a piece for a specific day and after you have written it you can actually concentrate on something else without worrying about remembering when you have to publish an article.

The second exciting tool is a full screen mode which will turn your screen completely black with just your text showing on it. Writing in this mode means that you’re free from all of the distractions your Mac can usually throw at you, helping you maximize your concentration and productivity. It makes you feel good and even important, I am not sure why but this is true. I guess it's because you can feel you have the space and the power to write all you want without having any interference, not even design foibles, with your writing. Then when you go back to the normal mode, it will be easy to format your text, add pictures if you need to, or double-check possible mistakes underlined of course with those unforgiving red lines. When you have finished you can lock your journal as if it were your secret diary.

If you are one of those writers who feels that even the interface of your editor is an element of disturbance with your artistic vein, try this effective editor which will leave you with nothing but your words.

Download MacJournal 5.04 in Softonic

DoBeDo is a widget to handle your to-do lists from your Dashboard.

Much more than a simple widget, DoBeDo allows you to control your lists like a real GTD application. You'll be able to manage your items, adding and deleting them from the list. The interface is simple and clear making your lists accessible at a click. You can choose from four different styles and either a basic or detailed view. Items can be sorted by date, favorite list or randomly and you can show completed, future or both types of items.

The real strength of DoBeDo is its integration with both iCal and Apple Mail. Thanks to this, you can link up events from your iCal and emails from Mail. This is a great of way of managing multiple items through just one, easy to reach interface. If you need to, DoBeDo also allows you to quickly print out your lists to take them with you anywhere. While it can feel a bit sluggish at times, the widget is very handy most of the time.

In all, DoBeDo is a very handy to-do list widget with great iCal and Apple Mail integrations.

Download DoBeDo 4.2.2 in Softonic

Google Notifier is the perfect menu bar companion if you need access to your mail and calendars at all times.

Thanks to the application, you can get notified of new messages, check your mail create new Google Calendar events in a few clicks. All you'll need to use the Notifier is a Google Account, and you'll have to enter your username and login the first time you launch the application.

Google Notifier can be customized so that you receive a pop up message every time a new message arrives in your inbox. You can also set a sound for new mail and for calendar reminders.

Google Calendar and Gmail both show up as separate in your menu bar, something which I personally do not like but that some of you might prefer to separate mail and events.

Google Notifier is a must if you want constant access to your Gmail inbox and Google Calendar.

Download Google Notifier for Mac 1.10.0.522 in Softonic