Jolt is a useful Mac OS X app that solves a basic problem. If you’ve ever wanted your MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air display to stay on full power for just a few minutes, Jolt is for you.
Simply click the Jolt icon and your system will stay on for a few minutes. After the time you’ve specified is over your Mac returns to normal operation so that your battery doesn’t drain and you don’t have to fiddle with energy settings.
Easily watch YouTube videos without moving your mouse every minute, deliver presentations without a blank screen showing up, or take your time reading a page without having to touch your Mac.
Jolt comes in two versions, the freeware Jolt Lite, and the full version of Jolt (US$5, 50% donated to charity) which lets users create up to five durations ranging from 3 minutes to forever. Users can also assign different icon colors to tell each of them apart.
More info and download link here.
A very useful product.
I’ll get it immediatly. As soon as I get off this god awlful Windows box.
(using Safari though
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Uhhh… Can’t the Energy Preferences do the same thing? Or am I just hopelessly confused?
Sounds good, but I personally like Caffeine. Instead of putting the computer into full power mode, it simply disables screen shut off and the screen saver, all with one click. It runs as long as it it activated, without a time limit.
http://lightheadsw.com/caffeine/
Oh, let’s have some fun with the right-wing loonies out there…Anyone notice that the charities appear to be socially conscious? As in promoting “justice for the poor” and “environmental justice”?
Loonies, Mark?
Aren’t you the one trying to immaturely instigate political crossfire on an Apple news site?
How is this different from JIGGLER?
Caffeine does the trick for me. I don’t really see the purpose of this app existing.
Yeah, the app Caffeine looks just as good … and it’s FREE.
i have always hated the screen dimming when i am reading a long document or watching a tv show online.
I was completely unaware of these apps.
I will check out Caffeine, Jolt, and Jiggler immediately. As long as they are not some full on OS hack I will use the best of breed.
Jiggler keeps your machine from going to sleep.
Jolt seems interesting, though. How’s the icon?
Now if my Mac would only sleep when it’s supposed to…
Jimithy,
“Aren’t you the one trying to immaturely instigate political crossfire on an Apple news site?”
Hey, I do it all the time. We instigators have to pick an off-topic subject, so why not politics? This is the perfect time for it. After that, we will move on to discuss rap. How much tech talk do we really need anyway?
Pity it doesn’t even WORK !
Hot Carl, I was thinking the exact same thing! Is there a bug that we don’t know about in 10.5 which prevents Energy Preferences from disabling dimming? And are the brightness keys not working either!?! No insult intended towards any developers — you are all a lot smarter than I am — but I have been using OS X since 10.0.3 and have never needed to download an app like Jolt. What is going on?
Holy cow there are some opinions here! Seriously though, I like that. Lets see where to begin…
When I decided to create Jolt, I first looked at the options and while some offered most of the features, I really wanted something that:
1. I only had to click once
2. Could have different timing durations
3. would turn off automatically, so that if I got up from the computer and forgot to turn it off that I wouldn’t drain the battery (and also one less step is nice)
4. Could be easily set to start at login
5. Has a nice icon, yes shameless ego here, but I just didn’t like the big X through the icon of Caffeine
Some other thoughts:
Energy saver can definitely do this, but its a pain. On my laptop I usually want it to quickly start saving power, but when I don’t its annoying to change. This lets you temporarily do it for just a little while.
To Paul W:
“Instead of putting the computer into full power mode…”
I believe mine behaves pretty much the same, it uses very low CPU and just refreshes the user activity every few seconds. Also, it has mode to be on forever, if thats you’re desired behavior.
To grh:
“Pity it doesn’t even WORK !”
I’d love to sort out why, drop me an email: bryguy@driftinglight.com A lot of users have been happily pleased so I don’t think this is the norm.
To :
“No insult intended towards any developers — you are all a lot smarter than I am — but I have been using OS X since 10.0.3 and have never needed to download an app like Jolt. What is going on?”
Watch a youtube video on battery ever? That was original reason I had the idea. I don’t want to take 15 sec to change all my settings, watch a video, and then take another to change them back. I might be smart, but man am I lazy, huh?
To Mark Holoubek:
“promoting ‘justice for the poor’ and ‘environmental justice'”
You caught me! I am indeed trying to help the poor and the earth. Actually, one of the things I was hoping to do from the beginning was support an organization that combats e-waste. That computer you had 10 years ago could be sitting on a beach in India poisoning some well-to-do fish… plus I grew up in Boulder, CO, its full of hippies!
Thanks for the input all,
If you guys have any other thoughts or suggestions I’d love to hear them!
Bryan
http://www.driftinglight.com