The best applications for Windows and macOS of 2019

With the year about to end, it is time to review the best software we discovered this 2019. We have decided to bring together the best applications for Windows and macOS that we talked about in the last 12 months.

Although several are multiplatform and have a version for Linux, we have not put this system in the title because it is very little represented at the end. Except for two exceptional cases of programs that we have known for years but that launched their first official stable version, or that underwent a huge transformation.

Microsoft Edge Chromium


The new Microsoft browser based on Chromium has become a favorite, this first server, I have been using it since the middle of the year and has become my main browser despite not even having a stable version yet. That will arrive in January 2020.
This version of Edge makes you forget the shortcomings of the classic Edge and combines the best that it offered, with some of Chrome's best things, such as its speed, huge web support, its gigantic library of extensions, and all without consuming so many resources. It is also multiplatform, we already have versions for the versions with Windows support and for macOS, and at some point next year we should also have a version for Linux.
• Download Microsoft Edge


The best extensions for Chrome and Firefox of 2019

Deepl


This year, the people of DeepL, one of the best translators we have tested, and one that in many cases leaves in evidence that of Google, launched a new desktop app for Windows and macOS that despite being in beta works excellently well.
The translations in the few languages it supports are of high quality and with a much more natural language than other tools offer. This mini-app lets us translate any text in the system by simply pressing a keyboard shortcut, something that can turn you into a productivity beast without constantly translating text segments into another language.

Brave 1.0


Many already know this alternative browser co-created by Brendan Eich, the inventor of JavaScript and one of the founders of Mozilla. In November 2019, after several years of development and in a public beta state, the company finally announced the official launch of its first stable version: Brave 1.0.
Brave includes tracker blocker, invasive ads and fingerprinting by default, integrates Tor, has truly private tabs, and also integrates a blockchain-based advertising system that remains to be seen if it manages to succeed fully in promoting a way for users and they can benefit from advertisements on the web without relying on the same monopoly in the industry.

Blender 2.8


The year of Blender has been an exceptional one, after almost an eternity of waiting and users complaining about the same, finally the project took a huge step forward and transformed this powerful graphic editing tool into more modern and easy-to-use software.
Blender 2.8 landed in mid-2019 with drastic changes in user experience ( finally the left click is used to select ), a whole new work area, a modern 3D viewer, a new rendering engine with new utilities, new tools, and widgets, a new taskbar with greater visibility of the options available and greater control in general. What the community and the Blender Foundation have said represents the work of more than 10 years deserves a position among the best of 2019.



Boostnote


One of the best apps for taking notes with which I came across this year is Boostnote, it is free, it is open source and it is multiplatform. In addition to having a nice and easy-to-use interface, it supports the use of Markdown language and that of 20 programming languages, since it is intended for developers, but that can be useful to anyone.
Boostnote lets you organize your notes in collections, folders, and labels. It supports various text formats such as .md, .txt, .html, and .pdf . You can change the appearance theme by selecting from a wide variety, it has multiple keyboard shortcuts, and it generally offers an excellent experience.

YouTube-dl


Some may know the command console tool that allows us to download videos from YouTube, Facebook, and a huge number of other websites. His name is Youtube-dl, and thanks to the community he has an application for Windows and Linux with a graphical interface that simply works wonders.
There is also an alternative package for macOS, a more complete and easy-to-use tool for downloading videos or audio from almost any web.

Xbox


In the middle of the year, Microsoft launched its new Xbox application for Windows 10, and although it is curiously written in Electron, which means that it really is not a native app, we have mentioned it by what it represents for PC gaming.
This app accompanies the Xbox Game Pass service for PCs, which is an enormous value for the user offering more than 100 video games for a subscription that currently costs only 4 euros per month to be in beta. The app that looks pretty good, lets us manage all the games in the catalog (even with installation remotely with the companion mobile app), and chat with our friends.

waifu2x-Caffe


If you know waifu2x you know one of the most miraculous websites on the planet, that allows you to double the size of any image without practically losing quality. If you didn't know it, you're welcome. Now, the same technology behind that website, which is an open-source, was used to create a native app for Windows.

Its name is waifu2x-Caffe and it works in a wonderful way offering everything you need to scale an image without the need for a browser or internet connection.

Powertoys


This year Microsoft revived an extremely nostalgic project, but also extremely useful. The PowerToys for Windows have and better than ever, and the first "toys" that have been included as examples are excellent productivity tools.
FancyZones and Shortcut Guide were the first PowerToys in a preliminary version that Microsoft launched with the new/old project. The first utility helps us to create customized grids to better organize your windows and be more productive, it's like the Windows Snap-on steroids. And the second offers us a list of keyboard shortcuts by simply pressing the Windows key for a few seconds.

WinDynamicDesktop


If you want to bring dynamic funds like macOS to Windows 10, this is the solution. WinDynamicDesktop is a simple app available for free in the Microsoft store that uses our location to determine the time at sunrise and sunset to change our wallpaper.
In the GitHub community of the tool, you get several topics to try.

Pasta


It is probably the most indispensable app for macOS I've discovered this year. Pasta is an excellent replacement for the clipboard on Mac that will make your life a million times easier when copying and pasting into the system.
The app keeps a history of all the text and files you copy so you can paste anytime, anywhere, just by pressing a keyboard shortcut. It also has a very nice interface and is free.