Post Category → not-labs

Fantastical: The Superhero of Calendar Apps (Sponsor)

I’m thrilled to once again have Flexibits and their fantastic calendar app as a MacSparky sponsor. I use Fantastical every day at MacSparky HQ, and I’m constantly blown away by how much it can do for me.

Some of my favorite features are the meeting setting and Zoom integration. Openings and Proposals links got a lot better and I can now add contact details in the URL link. Some more great Fantastical features:

  • Live Activities — for those of us with a Dynamic Island-equipped iPhone, seeing your upcoming Fantastical event in this prime spot is so handy, and you can get right to it with a tap.
  • The Quarter view was added to the Mini Window on Mac. This is my favorite view in Fantastical and one that I’m convinced they added just for me.

With iOS 17 came interactive widgets, including SmartStack and StandBy on iPhone. Fantastical was ready, and took advantage of these new features in September. I use widgets all the time. They also made the Apple Watch app so much nicer and easier to use.

I could go on and on…but I think you’re getting it: Fantastical has never been better, and if you’re wondering whether it’s right for you, head over there now and give it a spin! Managing your events, tasks, and meetings has never felt as good.

Mac Power Users 743: The Current AI Moment

AI is suddenly everywhere, from online services and software to bespoke hardware products. On this episode of Mac Power Users, I take Stephen on a journey to talk about the tools I have found useful, as well as what is not yet ready for prime time.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • 1Password: Never forget a password again.
  • Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MPU.
  • Tailscale: Secure remote access to shared resources. Sign up today.

Automators 153: Shortcuts Update with Matthew Cassinelli

Shortcuts guru Matthew Cassinelli joins Automators to discuss the state of shortcuts and some of his favorite automations.

This episode of Automators is sponsored by:

  • LinkedIn Jobs: Find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free today.
  • Computex: Grow your career, expand your business, and discover the infinite possibilities of technology. Register now or find out more info.

Apple’s Looming International Struggles

As I continue to follow news reports about the regulations arising from Europe and decreasing sales in China, in Q1 2024, Apple experienced a 25% year-over-year decrease. I can’t help but think that Apple has some heavy rowing ahead with respect to international markets. As governments are starting to take an active role in regulating smartphones and related technologies, Apple is increasingly under scrutiny.

I expect it’s only a question of time before some government demands that Apple give them a backdoor into user privacy as a condition of selling in their market. At that point, I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple just pulled out of that market. Indeed, I would expect it.

For years, smartphone (and social media) businesses were allowed to expand without regulation or oversight. It looks as if that is coming to an end.

Fixkey: Grammar Correction Anywhere with One Keystroke (Sponsor)

Grammar correction is, in my opinion, one task where AI shines. This week’s sponsor, Fixkey.ai, is an excellent implementation of grammar-correcting AI that you can use anywhere on your Mac. Fixkey is an app on your Mac that, with a single keystroke, will grab your text and check it against an artificial intelligence grammar checker. It can then rewrite an entire sentence, without you having to click on individual issues; it just fixes them. It can even show you what it’s changing. You don’t need to click on single words to correct them. Just trigger Fixkey and let it do its work.  

I’ve been using Fixkey for several months, and I’m impressed. I love that it works everywhere and gives me a way to quickly clean up and improve my writing. Its ubiquity is what really makes it work. Type anywhere on your Mac, and you have the Fixkey AI copilot at your back.

With Fixkey Pro, you can access all the new features, get 24-hour support, as well as unlimited use of AI models to translate many languages into English. You can even set up custom prompts. Best of all, the gang at Fixkey.ai will give you a 30% discount with coupon code MACSPARKY30.

Tasks are Stored Intentions

I recently heard my friend, Kourosh Dini, explain tasks as “stored intentions”. I think that’s a wonderful outlook for tasks. Too often, we think of tasks as obligations or future sources of guilt. And really, all they are is unfulfilled intentions.

Intentions, like tasks, can change. They should adapt as circumstances change. This flexibility is more important than any task management tool. It reminds you that your attitude towards task management and your choice to commit to a task are personal and can be adjusted to suit your needs.

This Month in the MacSparky Labs

Here’s what took place in the Labs for the month of April 2024:

  • 2024-04-30 – Building Virtual Seneca (Levels 2-3)
  • 2024-04-26 – The Lab Report for April 26, 2024 (Levels 1-3)
  • 2024-04-24 – Relative Dates with OmniFocus 4.2 (Levels 1-3)
  • 2024-04-23 – Podcast – FOD – Visit-based Productivity with Kourosh Dini (Levels 2-3)
  • 2024-04-23 – Video – FOD – Visit-based Productivity with Kourosh Dini (Levels 2-3)
  • 2024-04-19 – The Lab Report for April 19, 2024 (Levels 1-3)
  • 2024-04-17 – Using TimeZone in Alfred (Levels 1-3)
  • 2024-04-17 – April 2024 Deep Dive – Ideal Weeks (Level 3)
  • 2024-04-16 – Testing Godspeed Task Manager (Levels 2-3)
  • 2024-04-12 – The Lab Report for April 12, 2024 (Levels 1-3)
  • 2024-04-10 – Stream Deck Profiles and Focus Modes (Levels 1-3)
  • 2024-04-09 – Should I Ditch My ScanSnap? (Level 2)
  • 2024-04-08 – My Current Infatuation with Whisper-based Transcription (Level 1)
  • 2024-04-05 – A Few Ideas from Q2 Planning (Levels 1-3)
  • 2024-04-05 – The Lab Report for April 5, 2024 (Level 1)
  • 2024-04-04 – Q2 2024 Planning Session (Level 3)
  • 2024-04-03 – Labs Meetup – April 2024 (Level 2)
  • 2024-04-03 – Launching Shortcuts with Alfred (Level 1)
  • 2024-04-02 – Using Shapr3D to Design for 3D Printing (Level 2)

If you’d like to be a part of the MacSparky Labs, you can get more information and join right here.

Hypothetical M4 iPads

Mark Gurman is now reporting that the new iPad Pro we’ll get next week may include the M4 chip. Because that particular chip is expected to have new AI features, the argument is that adding it to the new iPad Pro would help boost sales as Apple goes deeper into AI at WWDC in June.

While I think Apple will turn the M4’s AI features into a selling point, I find it hard to believe we’ll get one next week. They still haven’t released the M3 chip for all the existing Mac hardware. Wouldn’t it be strange if an iPad had an M4 while the Mac Studio was still on an M2? The good news is we don’t have to wait long to find out.

Mac Power Users 742: All About Mimestream, with Neil Jhaveri

Neil Jhaveri founded Mimestream, a macOS email app for Gmail users. On this episode of Mac Power Users, Stephen and I talk to Neil about his time at Apple, Mimestream’s roadmap (including an iOS version and supporting non-Google services), and email’s place in today’s world.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MPU.
  • Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
  • Ecamm: Powerful live streaming platform for Mac. Try it for free today.