This article was published on May 12, 2015

Tripmode for Mac frees you from mobile data nightmares


Tripmode for Mac frees you from mobile data nightmares

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.

Screenshot - 03 - Mail and TripMode

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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Screenshot - 07 - Use Case Step 2 - TripMode is turned on notifiation

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.

Screenshot - 02 - TripMode - Zoom

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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