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via MakeUseOf.com by Damien Oh on 9/24/08
xMod is a Mac application that uncovers the hidden features of Mac Leopard and provides an easy way for you to tweak the hidden settings. You can modify the hidden settings via the simple interface, thus avoiding the command lines. Things that you can tweak range from Finder, Safari, Dock to iTunes, and it also includes tools to check your hard disk health status and perform vital system diagnostics.
When you open the xMod application, you will see a window with several option panes at the top.
Under the Tools pane, there is a one-click button for you to check SMART status of your disks. For those who are not sure what SMART status is, it refers to the Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology that is built into your Mac’s hard drive to constantly monitor its condition. Frequent checks of the SMART status can allow you to predict and/or prevent disk failures.
You can also repair files permission and verify Preferences files in the Tools pane.
In the Finder pane, there is a great list of stuff that you can tweak, ranging from the default behavior in the Finder window to screen capture file type and save location. You can also change the menubar to a white background (just like in Mac Tiger) or give it a textured look.
One tweak that amazed me is the ability to set your screensaver as your desktop wallpaper. If you like to see a dynamic effect on your desktop, then you will definitely like this tweak.
The Dock pane allows you to change the behavior of your dock. If you prefer the old 2D dock in Mac Tiger or want to lock up some of the dock options (such as the position of the dock, dock content, autohide option) so that other people cannot change it, then this is the place to tweak it. If you don’t like the dashboard, you can also disable it here.
Both the Safari and the Clean panes contain tweaks for the Safari browser. The Safari pane allows you to enable the “Inspect Element” and debugging options while the Clean pane provides a one-click clean up of all your Web history.
The iTunes pane is a newly added feature in the latest version 1.5. It allows you to change the play count of selected songs and also remove dead tracks if there are any.
On the whole, I would recommend xMod to anyone who wants to get more out of their Mac Leopard and/or looking for ways to get thing done faster. It didn’t take long for xMod to become one of my ‘must-have’ applications in Mac. What about you?
xMod is free and can be downloaded from Geek Peak Software.
(By) Damien Oh is an all-out technology geek who loves to tweak and hack various operating systems to make life easier. Check out his blog at MakeTechEasier.com where he shares all the tips, tricks and tutorials.
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