dockstar01.png

One of my favorite tools that I find I use every day that I am editing is not a generator for Final Cut Pro or a plug-in to Avid Media Composer. It is a tiny little add-on to the Apple Mail application called DockStar. This little enhancement “adds up to 5 new-mail indicators to the dock icon. This lets Mail users keep track of email as it arrives in various accounts and local mailboxes.” It takes the default little red circle “new mail” indicator Mail and supercharges it with different shapes, sizes and colors that can be customized for up to 5 mailboxes. You can also assign specific sounds to each of the 5 mailboxes. The custom sounds option can be handy if you often hide the dock or work in Avid applications that hide the dock for you.

DockStar allows you to:

  • Assign a badge to up to 5 different mailboxes.
  • Assign badges to individual account inboxes.
  • Choose from five fun shapes.
  • Fine-tune the size of each badge.
  • Select just the right color and transparency for each mailbox.
  • Display unread count, flagged count, or junk count for mailboxes.
  • Includes Dashboard Widget and fun Screen Saver!
  • In English, French, German and Japanese.

dockstar02.png  The customized DockStar mail icon

Why is this so useful? If you ever work with clients in the room looming over your shoulder then you know that they might tend to get annoyed when you have to tab over to check your email every few minutes, especially when you are being paid on an hourly rate. Say you are waiting for a graphic to be emailed for a current job, a quick glance at the dock can tell you if that email address you specified the file be sent to has just received mail. With the included screen saver you can go to lunch and then upon return you know with a quick glance what mail boxes have new messages.

There’s a free demo (direct link here) available from the developer’s website as well as a handy tips page that outlines a bit more about DockStar’s functionality.