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Nothing beats finding just the right application to fill a common need, fix a problem, or boost your productivity. Give yourself an early present this holiday season with 15 of the most popular Mac downloads of 2009. Like last year's most popular Mac downloads, this list is based on the popularity of apps we've covered in 2009, regardless of the original release date of the app. Many were brand new this year, while others were solid updates to popular software. If you took a look at yesterday's Most Popular Free Windows Downloads of 2009, a few of the cross-platform favorites may look familiar. (I've rounded up the most popular cross-platform downloads at the bottom of the post.) Snow Leopard: The Feisty Kitty That Could The release of Snow Leopard was nearly as big a deal for Mac users this year as Windows 7 for Windows folks, and while it was never strictly a download (unless you grabbed it from less reputable means), it's worth highlighting. Over the course of the year, we helped...

Fake Steve Jobs calls users to arms against AT&T, iPhone apps can be rescued from bad updates, and Google's little browser that could appears to have dashed past Safari. When good apps go bad Using Time Machine and some firm-handed iTunes wiping, a Macworld writer finds out you can save yourself from updates that break your favorite app. If only this was the case with unofficial tethering tools. [Macworld] file drag and drop in Firefox 3.6 One of the nifty, web-upgrading features of HTML5 is support for drag-and-drop file handling. Running a Firefox 3.6 beta? Go ahead and test it out [hacks.mozilla.org] Operation Chokehold Frustrated by AT&T's suggestions that iPhone data service may be leveled out, everyone's favorite pseudonymous blogger asks his followers to load a "data intensive app and run that app for one solid hour" at noon Pacific on Friday. AT&T has responded, and we're suggesting you reschedule that job interview call a bit earlier. [The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs]...

Daylight savings time means shorter days and less exposure to the positive mood-boosting effects of natural sunlight. Fend off the winter blahs with this killer DIY lamp that uses LED lights to simulate the soothing effects of sunrise and sunset. Instructables dissected how to build this awesome lamp using a Picaxe controller, a couple of potentiometers, a handful of capacitors (not flux), resistors, cables, and a few other electronic components. If you know what these items do—and happen to have them laying around—you're ready to get started. The post has step-by-step directions that tell you exactly how to build the lamp, then walks you through how to set up what colors to choose in order to simulate sunrises and sunsets. With the right tweaks and a good timer, the lamp will gradually light up in the morning and reenact a sunrise against your bedroom wall. When you're ready for bed, switch it to sunset mode and fall asleep to a soothing gradual darkness. We can't guarantee this DIY...

iPhone: You know how annoying it is when you're trying to find your way around a shopping mall but need a special directory just to find the mall directory? iPhone application Point Inside is a database of mall layouts in your pocket. Point Inside makes it easy to pull up nearby mall directories with the help of your iPhone's GPS. Just fire up the app, let it locate you, then pick a nearby venue. The tool offers directory style maps of the shopping malls with everything but the "You are here" sign (which, honestly, would be helpful but probably expecting a little too much precision). It even has a handy car locator to help you remember where you've parked. The app also lists phone numbers for the mall and for various stores inside, and while the layout of its features could be a little more intuitive, it's a pretty clever idea. Point Inside is a free download from the iTunes App Store, appears to be U.S. only. Point Inside [iTunes App Store]

Last week's Hive Five proves that you don't have to create something with the most bells, whistles, and options, you just have to get a functional product in front of people and they'll use it. While CCleaner isn't the first tool most people think of when they think of managing the startup of their Windows machines, it's a popular tool for cleaning your computer in other ways and it happens to have a simple and easy to use tool for plucking programs out of your startup routine. That's all you can do with CCleaner though, so if you're serious about managing your startup routine you're going to want to give a good look at the runners up in the Hive. Second place goes to MSConfig, built right into Windows since 1998 and steadily improving since then. Third place goes to Autoruns, which lets you an enormous amount of settings and configuration files related to the startup process. Trailing in fourth place, but still worth a mention for it's awesome ability to delay—instead of simply...

One of the biggest downers of cooking meat on a skillet is scraping off the aftermath. Cooking weblog Houseboat Eats highlights a simple water trick that helps you find the ideal temperature for cooking without sticking using the power of science. Watch the video above for the full overview. In short, when a small dose of water (about 1/8 teaspoon) forms into a mercury-like ball floating on top of the heating skillet (rather than boiling and quickly evaporating), your skillet temperature is at the sweetspot for cooking without sticking. Hit up the full post at Houseboat Eats for more specifics on the science behind this tip (and to learn about things like the Leidenfrost effect and why sticking happens in the first place). Got your own similarly clever cooking trick? Let's hear it in the comments. Thanks Charlie! On properly heating your pan [Houseboat Eats]

Windows only: Previously mentioned VirusTotal Uploader automatically uploads any file to online virus scanner VirusTotal, scanning it for viruses with 41 different popular antivirus applications—and now it's even better and faster, with instant hash checking, letting you skip uploads altogether. Once you've installed the tiny VirusTotal Uploader application, you can simply right-click on a file and use the Send To -> VirusTotal option, which will take a hash of the file (a unique fingerprint that identifies the file) and submit it to the VirusTotal service. If the file has already been scanned by VirusTotal, you will see a message saying that the hash was found, and your default browser will be opened to the scan results instantaneously. If the file hasn't already been scanned by VirusTotal, it'll continue uploading the file; you can also choose to re-upload an already-scanned file if you wish. You can also now open the VirusTotal Uploader window directly, choose from running...

The purpose of refrigerator coils is to dissipate heat, not suck up electricity—or cash—out of your wallet. But that's what happens if you don't clean off those bad boys once in a while. Here's how. Photo by M0les. Some fridge coils are located underneath the appliance, others are on the back of it, but they all need a good scrubbing at least once a year. When they're gunked up with pet hair, cooking grease, and other flotsam, they won't operate efficiently. At best, your refrigerator will use extra electricity as it runs more often to keep things cool. At worst, it will run so often that your compressor burns out—a big expense that will leave a significant dent in your wallet. Cleaning your fridge coils isn't as much of a pain as it sounds, and the folks at home improvement web site Home Envy walk you through it. The first step, of course, is unplug the fridge so you don't zap yourself. Depending on where the coils are, you may need to move the appliance away from the wall. Putting...

Many of us prop laptops on blankets or pillows to avoid the heat, but these inevitably obstruct air circulation and cause overheating. This DIY stand made from a bistro tray and a bit of wood helps keep your computer—and legs—cool. This step-by-step guide from DIY web site Instructables is far from difficult—all it requires is a few household tools, along with some thin pieces of wood and, of course, a stylish bistro tray. Plus, not only can you use the extra space to store flash drives, power cords, or other miscellaneous computer items below the laptop, but you can also still use the tray to carry drinks and such when it's not holding your laptop—and where once the tray was stylish but prone to spillage, it is now a spill-free multitasker. We had a tough time finding the exact tray used in the post, but it looks to be this one from CB2. IKEA has similar trays that could work, though, if you're looking for something a bit different. If you find one that you like, feel free to share...

Computer mice are great and all, but sometimes you'd rather not have to deal with them—say, when you're using an uncomfortable touchpad on a laptop. Chrome Extension KeyboardNavigation helps you browse the web while keeping mouse clicking to a minimum. Once installed, you can activate the extension by hitting Alt+G on your keyboard—this will put a number next to every link on the page. Typing in one of the numbers will take you to the linked page as if you clicked on it, and you can toggle whether to open up links in a new foreground, background, or the same tab by pressing b or g. When you want to go ahead and read the page, just hit Alt+G again to hide the numbers (as the page can get pretty cluttered pretty quickly on sites with lots of links). KeyboardNavigation is a free download, and works with the Dev version of Chrome for Windows or the Linux beta. Firefox users, check out similar extensions like LoL. KeyboardNavigation [via gHacks]

You'd have a tough time finding a workspace with a more seamless integration of greenery than today's featured workspace. Lifehacker reader Nicholas Todd wanted to introduce some green into his office. He also wanted to get his monitors up to a more comfortable height and make the surface of the desk free and open. He accomplished all three things by building a shelf out of a plywood and putting a planter right into the surface of it. Filled with wheat grass it adds a lush bit of greenery and texture to an otherwise minimalist workspace. Check out the photos below for a closer look. If you have a workspace of your own to show off, throw the pictures on your Flickr account and add it to the Lifehacker Workspace Show and Tell Pool. Include some details about your setup and why it works for you, and you just might see it featured on the front page of Lifehacker. The Organic-Shelf Office [Lifehacker Workspace Show and Tell Pool]

Discounted laptops, GPS devices, and a pile of cheap HDTVs are but a few of the deals you'll find in today's roundup. Here for the loot? We've got coupons for free peppermint hush puppies and free music. Computer Gear! 15.6" Acer Aspire AS5732Z-4510 Laptop for $399.99 + $9.99 Shipping (Regular Price: $499.99) 10" HP/Dell/Samsung/Acer/ASUS/Gateway Netbooks Under $300 at Amazon (12 models) for $280-$300 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $300-$330) 10.1" Asus Eee PC 1005HAB Netbook (Deep Red) for $229.99 + $11.50 Shipping (Regular Price: $280) Sony VAIO Laptops: Extra 20% Off Pre-customized Outlet Laptops + Free Shipping (use coupon code OUTLETVAIO20) 320GB Western Digital Elements WDBAAR3200ABK Portable Hard Drive for $53.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $79 - use coupon code L0DGG3?VJ78?V8) 15.6" HP Pavilion DV6-1354US Laptop for $649.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $700 - use this form) 15.6" Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 Laptop for $549.99 + Free Shipping (Regular Price: $580)...

Marking messages as unread is a quick and easy way to remind you to read a thread when you return to Gmail, but you couldn't mark specific messages within long threads as unread—until today. The newly released feature, called "Mark Unread From Here", can be activated in Gmail's Labs tab, and adds this option to your extended reply menu. When you click it for a certain message, Gmail will mark the thread as unread and that message will be the first to open up when you return to that thread later—this way, you don't need to sift through long threads over and over again, you can just mark where you want to start reading. New in Labs: Mark unread from here [Official Gmail Blog]

We've been hosting weekly Google Wave invitation threads aiming to help our readers secure Google Wave invites, but our last thread demonstrated a lot more supply than demand. From now on, all Wave invite exchanges will take place in our #waveinvitationdonationthread. The same rules apply: Don't ask for an invite if you're not already an approved commenter. If you want an invite, don't start a new thread asking for one. Only reply to commenters offering invites. If you've got an invite to give out, feel free to start a thread and let your fellow commenters know how to best secure your invitation. (Note: No one should ever be asking for money.) So if you're still aching for a Wave invite, you can head to the #waveinvitationdonationthread hashtag forum any time during the week and see if anyone's offering. Good luck, and thanks to everyone who's donating invitations. If you do happen to secure an invitation, be sure to check out The Complete Guide to Google Wave, Gina and Adam's...

Firefox with Windows only: While traveling the internet, sometimes we don't realize how much memory our browser is hogging until it starts acting sluggish, hangs, or crashes altogether. Firefox extension Memory Fox optimizes your memory so you can surf without slowing down. Memory Fox keeps an eye on your browser's memory usage and notices when Firefox starts edging toward user-preset resource limits. When it does, the extension springs into action, automatically flushing your memory to recover space and keep your browser from slowing down. To use the add-on, you need two things: A Windows operating system and Firefox 3. Once you download the tool, restart your browser then activate Memory Fox from the Tools button in the toolbar. Now the add-on is all set up to flush the memory every time you open or close a tab, or switch between tabs. Memory Fox may not make a noticeable difference in your browsing speed if you've got a souped up computer, but it's a terrific add-on for machines...

You may be a diehard Gmail user, prone to declaring desktop email clients dead. That's fine. We still think you'll find Thunderbird 3 to be a better offline email solution, and a really convenient aggregator for all your inboxes. What follows is a guide for getting Thunderbird 3 set up as a dedicated offline email client, as well as a more convenient and powerful online inbox aggregator—allowing you to manage everything from your regular email accounts to Google Voice, Google Wave, and other non-email inboxes with a little setting up. If you're using a standard Gmail account, setting it up with Thunderbird 3 is really easy—just type in your username and password when you first start up. If you're a Google Apps user or have another IMAP-available email client, follow Google's IMAP instructions to get started. Set up content tabs for Google Wave, Voice, or any site We showed you last week how easy it is to create a persistent Google Wave tab in Thunderbird 3, helping you keep tabs on...

Google Maps Navigation is a fairly great GPS replacement, but typing in an address and launching Navigate isn't something you want to do while driving. Add instant navigation shortcuts to your Android home screens for faster Navigation directions. Helpful shortcuts tied to their apps are one of the little features Android users usually discover by accident. To get an instant Navigate link to a particular address, long-press on your Android home screen, select the Shortcuts option, and scroll down to get a Directions option. You'll be prompted for an address, which can be either specific (123 Evergreen Terrace) or general (Happy Jack's, Fort Erie, Ont.). Choose car, public transit, or walking directions, ensure "Turn-by-turn navigation" is checked, and give it a short name. You've now got a rather helpful one-click route to wherever you're going. If your address was very general, you'll likely have to verify which listing you want, and if GPS is off, you'll have to turn it on when...

Need a quick MP3 file of a certain saying to goof on a co-worker? Whatever your needs, Google Translate can be used as an impromptu text-to-speech converter, providing a handy MP3 file of your chosen words. It's not an official offering, but when Google Translate wants to provide you the spoken version of your translation, as it has done since last month's upgrades, it calls up a URL—translate.google.com/translate_tts—with something like q=Lifehacker+is+occasionally+more+goofy+than+productive appended at the end. Anyone can enter that URL on their own and attach their own search string. As an example, click on the example below to hear the text-to-speech work (or be prompted to download an MP3, depending on your browser setup): http://translate.google.com/transla... The service is, unfortunately, limited to 100 characters, and is English only at this point, and may or may not disappear if it sees heavy use/abuse. For the...

If you've never used a package tracking tool before, it's a great time of year to start. PackageTrackr make tracking your packages online, on your desktop, or on your mobile phone as simple as can be. Sign up for a free account at PackageTrackr and plug in the numbers of the packages you want to track. Packagetrackr can track packages from over a dozen carriers and continually updates the status of your packages with easy to recognize visual marker. When a package is in-transit it gets a blue T, out for delivery a green O, and delivered a red D—those are the three most common flags you'll see but they have a total of 12 covering just about every situation your package might find itself in. You can track your packages on the web site, on your phone using their iPhone app or the mobile-version of the site, or Windows Vista/7 users can download a sidebar gadget—see the screenshot to your right for a peek at the sidebar gadget. PackageTrackr is a free service and can be accessed by...

Sure, you can use Google Chrome's new tab page to quickly launch your favorite sites, but launching all your needed tabs at once, with a single click, is really darned helpful. The Session Manager extension makes it so. Session Manager is one of the Chrome extensions that doesn't need an options dialog—it simply does what it does, and does it quickly. When you've got a group of tabs open worth re-opening in the future, hit the box-type icon, give it a name like "Work Tabs," and hit Save. Hit the button again to fire up those tabs, or rename or remove other saved sessions from the dialog. That's all it does—and it's not quite as sophisticated as add-ons like SessionSaver for Firefox, but that's a nice feature that Chrome definitely benefits from. Session Manager is a free download, requires a Dev version of Chrome for Windows or the Linux beta (for now). For more Chrome-empowering extensions, check out our 18 picks from the extensions gallery. Session Manager [Google Chrome Extensions...

Following up on our Monday morning roundup of "Google Phone"/Nexus One news, we thought we'd offer (just) one more bunch of news. First up, the Reuters news service has a "source familiar with the matter" citing a Jan. 5 release date, both as an unlocked phone sold directly by Google, and at a reduced price, with two-year contract, through T-Mobile USA. The Android Guys blog has a tipster who claims something juicier: a $99 price through Google, for those with "old" Google accounts, with a $100 rebate that can be spent on data service or other goods. Finally, Gizmodo, courtesy of Boy Genius Report, offers up some crisp, size-comparing shots.

If you're the type to craft and send out homemade gifts, especially the baked kind, there's a good chance your treats will get tossed around in the mail. Serious Eats' readers suggest how to protect their shapes and flavors. Photo by chadmagiera. Most clever among the Eat-ers' tips? A mostly foolproof way of shipping great cupcakes to far-away friends and relatives: Cakespy gave us a great idea: ship them in mason jars! Not only does it look fun but it ships safely, and if using a flat-rate box, it shouldn't be super expensive either. Read her tutorial for further instruction. Take-out containers also work well. How do you send along your favorite treats, baked or otherwise, to ensure they arrive intact? Spill the secrets in the comments. How to Ship Baked Goods [Serious Eats]

Readers offer their best tips for keeping bundled furniture tools where they're useful, running Windows Vista/7 off a flash drive, and opening stuck plastic bottles. Don't like the gallery layout? Click here to view everything on one page. About the Tips Box: Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox, but for various reasons—maybe they're a bit too niche, maybe we couldn't find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn't fit it in—the tip didn't make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favorites for your buffet-style consumption. Got a tip of your own to share? Add it in the comments or email it to tips at lifehacker.com. Tape Tools to Furniture to Keep Track of Them Timothy tells us how he keeps his tools organized outside his toolbox: Duct tape weird tools to the underside of hand built furniture such as desks, sofas and bookcases instead of putting them all in one location - this way if you ever need to take the item...

We've featured hundreds of free Windows applications over the course for 2009 that we hoped might bolster your productivity, workflow, or your PC usefulness in one form or another. Here's a look back at the most popular Windows downloads of the year. As with 2008's most popular free Windows downloads, keep in mind that the apps featured here are chosen by the popularity of the associated post we published in 2009. Many were new, some were improvements to already loved apps, and others were simply new-to-us. Here's a quick look back at the 19 or so most popular Windows downloads of 2009: Windows 7—from Beta to Release Candidate and So On 2009 was a big year for Windows, and Windows 7 was the most important ingredient in Windows' solid year. (In fact, you'll notice that several of this year's most popular downloads are related to Windows 7 in one way or another.) Sure it's not exactly an application but rather a full-blown operating system, but it only makes sense that a new version of...