Get Set!

Get Set, Go!

As a committed Mac user I’m a confirmed disciple of beautiful simplicity.?But eventually we all get used to our tech (even the stuff from Apple).?We may get bored or a bit picky.? Frankly, we’re all spoilt rotten so over time we become susceptible to the attraction of the ‘new’.?Now,?I’m not often given to buying expensive kit on impulse (my wife may disagree), but sometimes a seismic event will disrupt my workday;?a shock that stops me in my tracks and forces even me to consider a rash purchase.

But that’s what happened last summer.?Despite what I thought was my diligent use of Cloud Storage, my laptop’s hard drive had an attack of asthma.?It just could not breathe for lack of memory and space. In a panic, I re-jigged, deleted and offloaded gigabytes of stuff to the Cloud (I’m a congenital hoarder) but still my MacBook Air was gasping - freezing and stalling every few hours.?

I needed a quick fix to solve the immediate problem but not something as flimsy as a ‘sticking plaster’ that would give up in a month.?And in my panicky search for air, I found an App.

That App was CleanMyMac.?It was a lifesaver.?It effectively gave me back over 80GB of storage that put me and my business, well, back in business.?At the time I’d have willingly paid hundreds of pounds to install a bigger hard drive.?I even considered replacing the whole machine with an even bigger brain for nearly ￡2,000. I was that desperate. ?

However, the App was a Godsend and I?use it weekly to clean, tidy and delete the fluff and lint (aka system junk) my machine picks up as it romps around internet and mail.?‘How much was it?’ you may ask.?Well, how about this??Just $7.99 per month.?But it gets better.

To my delight, CleanMyMac is just one of over 200 apps in a stellar, curated collection of apps from SetApp (from MacPaw).?Every one of them is designed, developed and built especially for Macs and iPhone and every one of them is included in that small monthly subscription if $7.99, which is less than many of them charge if bought on their own - because they’re all available to buy online in their own right.

So, now I’ve been using SetApp for over 8 months and the collection is just bursting with all those new, shiny software gadgets and widgets that I love.?In fact part of the fun with SetApp is just browsing in a free moment to see what catches your eye and downloading it on a whim.?It’s like having access to all the optional extras that you couldn’t afford on a new car - for free.?So, if I want to beef up the sound system, turbo-charge the engine, repaint the chassis, or install clever new systems I can!?Of course, while some Apps are terrific which I use all the time, others are a little more ‘Meh!’?But with over 200 to choose from I’ve never yet found myself questioning whether its value for money.?I genuinely love it. ?

But my reason for sharing this insight into my untidy mind and nerdy purchases, is because I discovered only today that SetApp is not just a great find.?It’s the brainchild of a company owned and run by a collection of young Ukrainians in Kyiv.?This made me think that in a very, very small way, that my monthly subs are injecting, inadvertently but happily, some cash into a war-torn nation and helping a young business to survive when the rest of the country is being blown to pieces by Putin and the Russian Military.?My wife and I have made our donations to the Red Cross and The Disasters Emergency Committee like many other people who can spare some cash.?But for me, my subscription to SetApp has strangely taken on a new meaning. Beyond being a genuinely fair exchange of value, it now feels more like a tiny, yet constructive investment in the future of a company, of a country, in need, as opposed to simply helping fund their immediate need for food, shelter, medics and bandages.

So, I thought I‘d share SetApp with you.?If you appreciate a bit of sexy tech that can make otherwise utilitarian displays, functions and tasks on a Mac (or a Windows PC) a little more beautiful, simpler, more efficient or just different, then you might like to take SetApp for a spin.?Plus it helps some good people who are being forced to endure a desperately tough time. ?

I’m conscious that this all sounds like a sales pitch that SetApp themselves might have written.?However, I assure you they didn’t .?And nor do I think they would because I’m convinced they would never express it in quite these terms.?If they did, it might seem that they were exploiting pathos, tragedy or the loss of human life to sell commercial services which most would find deeply distasteful.?So this is why I thought it better to explain upfront why I think SetApp stands on its own merits, before even mentioning that they also happen to be Ukrainian.

https://go.setapp.com/invite/we1uocbi

So, if you do decide to give it a gander, cut and paste the link above or click this link.?Both you and I would both get a free month - which I would willingly sacrifice frankly.? So, no great shakes in terms of a discount, but who cares! And besides, as an old Direct Marketer, I always like a ‘Recommend a Friend’ incentive. You can of course cancel anytime. ?

Let me know what you think.

Andrew

CEO & Founder

The Official Military Beer Co.