iPulse - January 02, 2004
Author: The IconFactory
Cost: $12.95
Version: 2.0.1
Reviewed by: Phillip Ryu
User Rating: 
62%
iPulse is an apt name for a performance gauge that blinks, flashes, pulses, and shifts colors. As a performance gauge, the application is detailed in its information, and surprisingly kind on your CPU. As an IconFactory app, iPulse is incredibly customizable, and this is made even easier with skins packaged as iPulse Jackets.
Features
iPulse is an abstract visualization of your computer's processes. Through the use of a circular, colorful, and dynamic interface, iPulse can show your CPU use, memory information, network activity, battery levels, wireless signal strength, and even the time. In effect, a skilled iPulse reader could supposedly rattle off how hard his mac is working in minute detail from a single glance.
Furthermore, iPulse provides mouse over textual information for those who want more detailed information, or perhaps cannot figure out the somewhat cryptic interface. On mouse-over, a floating panel appears next to iPulse, giving specific information on each of your computer's processes.
The application's preferences are also well filled out and organized. The pane is populated mostly by process specific preferences, but also contains options to control useful global application behaviors such as its updates per second, its priority (setting it higher gives the app's CPU usage more weight over others) and options to show the gauge in the dock. Another useful option is the size of the dial, which can be changed by adjusting a slider from 32*32 size to a comfortable 128*128. Basically, any preference you could think of are included, though I do not understand why options to open and save your own jackets are not in the application "File" menu.
The most enjoyable bit about iPulse, however, is its UI. I have to question the almost excessive animations that go on in this application due to their distracting nature, but there is no doubt that iPulse is enjoyable to watch! What makes this even more exciting is the fine degree of control you have over its looks, and the availability of preset configurations, packaged as iPulse Jackets. iPulse comes with several of its own, and more can be downloaded through the IconFactory website. For people who regularly theme OS X, this is an app that can keep up with flying colors.
Ease of Use
The ease of use varies in iPulse. On one hand, various parts of the user experience, including applying jackets (double click one) and the well organized preference pane is a major plus. On the other hand, because of the pure volume of information iPulse displays, there is no way to make things easily comprehensible. Luckily, you can turn off things like the disk usage gauge, which most readers would probably find pretty useless, to make things a bit simpler. Because of the amount of information that iPulse needs to deliver, the initial chaos of color and pulsing can be excused. (The help lists 20 gauges in the dial!) However, it might be a smart choice for new users if IconFactory turned off a few gauges in the default preferences. Finally, as previously stated, I found the lack of open/save options in the application's file menu unintuitive and rather confusing.
Price
It comes to this. Either you're willing to pay because you need to see detailed information on your computer's processes, or you're willing to pay because it looks pretty, and it's fun to play with. Is it worth the price? As a simple CPU or network activity gauge, iPulse would be a waste of money. However, it is undoubtedly much more than that, being about as full featured, pretty, and polished as an app of its kind could be. For that reason, the price is reasonable for its target audience. (That would be professionals and GUI customization geeks.)
iPulse is another polished creation from the IconFactory that is worth looking over, whether out of curiosity or genuine need. Though the interface is rather difficult to decipher (especially with everything turned on), it does provide the needed information in both visual and textual representations.
Comments
Posted by wibs at January 3, 2004 06:54 PM | Edit | Delete
This isn't really about iPulse as it is about the reviews in general. So far, everything has been getting pretty good reviews (I might be wrong, but I don't think I've seen anything even lower than an 8 overall). That might be because everything reviewed so far really is pretty damn good, or maybe because the reviewers don't want to stick out their neck. I'm not going to argue either way, just that if everything reviewed gets a rave, you should just have a Software/Theme Spotlight feature instead. I don't want to sound too criticising, because there are some good points that aren't all positive in the main review texts, but a quick glance at the scores could make some wonder about the objectivity.
Posted by Phillip Ryu at January 3, 2004 08:28 PM | Edit | Delete
This is a valid point, and it's true that what we have reviewed so far are some of my personal favorites ;)
That having been said, if you stick around for a couple more weeks, I think you'll find a more rounded collection of reviews, as more writers and reviews are added. Thanks for your feedback.
Posted by danielgrenell at January 4, 2004 01:55 AM | Edit | Delete
yeah, everything has been really good, but it would be mean to rate someone down, because a lot of these themes and programs are made by a single person, so it would really be a direct attack. i don't mind the raves, they show me what is good! although i can't stand ipulse, it has a poor interface. all i'd like to see is more theme reviews! those are really great. do brushed metal, which should be released for panther really soon. don't forget to review theme changers like shapeshifter, duality and themechanger. oh, and do tinkertool, a classic mac os x app. but most importantly, don't forget the less known programs, those are the great programs to bring into the lime light.
Posted by rorschach at January 4, 2004 02:12 AM | Edit | Delete
I love the fact that is completely and totally customizable. There's pretty much a setting for everything you might want to change. Plus, the jackets make it really easy to change iPulse's appearance to match whatever theme you have (i.e., the included "Ice" jacket is an excellent match to Milk).
Two gripes: (1) I wish that iPulse was controlled through a status item, rather than through a regular application, which seems pointless as the only thing you actually do in the app is change settings, and that's usually not often. Waste of Dock space. And (2) If the first suggestion isn't feasible, then at least make an option to run the app as background-only. Now, I could (and did) set the LSUIElement key in the Info.plist to 1; but now that launchservices are heavily cached in Panther, you need to log out first.
Anyway...great app overall!
Posted by div at January 4, 2004 01:01 PM | Edit | Delete
While I certainly appreciate the eye candy that iPulse provides, I find it nearly useless for the following reasons:
1) If you want to look at it to see your system stats, you need to bring it to the foreground. I want to be able to see system stats as I'm working in other apps. I don't want to switch to another app just so I can see information about my system.
2) You have to _learn_ to read iPulse. Sure, I've heard the stories that once you learn how to read iPulse, you can quickly get a lot of information about the status of your system in one glance. Personally, I'd rather invest my brain cells in learning something else (like how to build my own theme for instance. ;) )
While it lacks the eye candy goodness that iPulse provides, I much prefer the non-obtrusive (and free) MenuMeters (http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters/index.html). It sits in my menu bar (you can see a screenshot of how I have mine set up here: http://www.blot.com/misc/menumeters.html) and if I want to see some vital system statistics, I can quickly glance at it without switching to another app and breaking my workflow.
Summary: iPulse is pretty, has a changeable interface, and can track a slew of system statistics. But please; does the average OSX user _really_ benefit from all of the statistics that iPulse tracks? I'd instead suggest downloading the _free_ MenuMeters to track the vital system stats that really matter, pocket the $12.95, sift through the sofa to find another $7, and buy ShapeShifter (or another equally good shareware app) instead.
/ div
Posted by kovacs at January 5, 2004 11:56 AM | Edit | Delete
Hmmm, the main problem I had with earlier versions of this app was that it used a lot of CPU and RAM resources, I would like to see this kind of information in a review, does it still use a lot of CPU and does it slow down your mac ? This review was good but without this kind of information it is incomplete...
Posted by Phillip Ryu at January 5, 2004 05:31 PM | Edit | Delete
Kovacs, I suggest you try the app. As I noted in my review (the little summary next to the icon) iPulse is "surpsingly kind on your CPU". I found this version to take about 3-4% max on my 600mhz iBook. Hope that helps :)
Posted by Christopher Biagini at February 27, 2004 03:01 PM | Edit | Delete
Rorschach, you don't need to log out. If you drag the app package out of /Applications, and then back, iPulse won't display a dock item on the next launch. Also, I make a new key (NSUIElement) and set that to 1.
Posted by Seth Yates at April 5, 2004 11:51 AM | Edit | Delete
I find iPulse very useful and well worth the asking price. It's far quicker glancing at this little app to find out what's going on with your machine than opening a terminal session or one of the various utilities. Pretty much anything you would want to monitor is available through iPulse.
Posted by iNeusch at April 29, 2004 12:03 PM | Edit | Delete
Tried it once, then I bought Konfabulator :)
Posted by Heiesuke at April 30, 2004 10:11 AM | Edit | Delete
i tried this out, it looks kool, but menu meters blows it away
Posted by James at August 24, 2004 11:32 PM | Edit | Delete
Thanks for the honest review. Will certainly help me make up my mind.
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