Afloat (for Mac)

Afloat is a free Mac utility—only available on the Leopard and Snow Leopard platforms—that not only lets you resize windows with ease, but it adds extra window functionality that you won't find in OS X Lion such as keeping windows afloat on top of others, pinning windows to the desktop, and more. If you spend even a modest amount of time working or playing on a computer, Afloat will enhance your Mac experience.

The Afloat Experience
Afloat works as advertised. I resized windows (this time using any area of the frame!), and pinned them to the desktop with ease. The app also lets you turn a window into a semi-translucent screen. Surprisingly, this was the feature that I used the most as I don't have a multi-monitor setup and appreciated the option to see through a window to items beneath it.

Activating these features requires using keyboard shortcuts or the "Windows" options in the Mac's menu bar. Some features, such as the ability to resize windows using any part of its frame, lack a menu bar option, which means you need to use the keyboard.

The keyboard shortcuts are mapped with power users in mind; you need to press  ^ + Cmd +  left-click to pull the window to a new size  while also dragging the mouse. This may prove cumbersome for those not used to multi-key inputs. That said, if you grow accustomed to the keyboard combinations, you'll find it difficult to use a Mac without the functionality.

Staying Afloat
Afloat is a Mac utility that brings an additional layer of functionality to OS X—one that power users will find an invaluable tool in their day to day use. If there were a simpler method for the average user to execute some of the commands, it would easily be an Editors' Choice Mac utility. But even as is, Afloat is a very good utility for those who want to better their Mac experiences.

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