Mobile hotspots can be a lifesaver when you’re traveling and don’t have access to Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, they’re not always the fastest connections, especially once you have a bunch of apps loaded up.
TripMode is a minimalist solution for OS X that limits what apps can actually access the Web to make sure your data is being used for what you need the most. If I’m writing an article on a train, for instance, I don’t need to continue downloading that game from Steam or synching up large Dropbox files.
TripMode automatically turns on when it detects you’re connected to a mobile hotspot. However, you can also enable it manually from OS X’s topbar. Once you do, the app will switch on every time you go on that connection.
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Click on the icon also lets you see which apps currently have access to the Web, as well as total and individual figures for data usage in a given month.
Of course, you could just manually close these applications or stop them from downloading or uploading files, but that often involves diving into settings. Besides, when you’re in a hurry, you may forget some software is even running.
The app currently costs $4.99 for a launch promotion. A trial version is available with full functionality for 7 days, after which the app will limit itself to 15 minutes per day.
➤ TripMode
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