MacLegion bundle focuses on utility, value

Mac software bundles come and bundles go -- some with an emphasis on pretty apps with limited shelf life, others with more of a gaming or business bent. It's not clear whether 'bundle fever' will still be with us well into the Mac App Store era, but depending on your needs and your timing, you can still get fantastic deals from app bundles... assuming you don't already own more than half the apps.

The good news about the new US$49.99 MacLegion Spring bundle, announced today and available for two weeks, is that it's tightly focused on utilitarian apps that deliver clear and lasting value for power users (and those who aspire to become so). With no obvious clunkers in the batch (with one potential caveat, noted below), the bundle might make a good gift for the new Mac user in your life who keeps pestering you with "How do I do that?" questions.

The bundle consists of 10 apps, with retail prices ranging from $20 to $99. Here's the lineup:

• Prosoft's Data Rescue, a powerful data recovery and repair tool -- TUAW coverage

• Telestream's ScreenFlow, a screencasting capture and editing tool -- TUAW coverage

• Contactizer Pro, a personal information and task manager

• Intego VirusBarrier X6, an antivirus utility -- TUAW coverage

• ForkLift 2, an FTP/SFTP and WebDAV client

• LaunchBar 5, a menubar utility for launching apps and finding files -- TUAW coverage

• Amadeus Pro, a sound editor

• Radio Gaga, an internet radio recording manager

• Printopia 2, an AirPrint enabler for Mac -- TUAW coverage

• MacPilot, a settings tweaker and preference manager

About that caveat: Reasonable people can disagree over whether Mac OS X users actually need antivirus protection under normal circumstances, so just because VirusBarrier X6 is included in the bundle that doesn't mean you need to install it. Given my experience with Intego's approach to marketing its products (which leans toward the sensational rather than sober assessments of security risk), I wouldn't be particularly inclined to use their app if I needed AV. Rather, I'd suggest the free ClamXAV or the free home edition of Sophos Anti-Virus.