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Mac Power Users 644: Some Cool Mac Utilities

Stephen and I are catching up on some recent updates to some stalwarts of the macOS utility landscape on the latest episode of Mac Power Users. We’re also talking about some other apps that make our Mac setups complete.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • SaneBox: Stop drowning in email!
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  • CleanMyMac X: Your Mac. As good as new. Get 5% off today.

DEVONthink Gets You All the Metadata (Sponsor)

This week MacSparky is sponsored by DEVONthink. DEVONthink has been offering AI-based research tools for years on the Mac, but it has hardly stood still. DEVONthink is now on version 3 for the Mac and version 3 of DEVONthink to Go for iPad and iPhone. The apps are modern and take full advantage of the most recent and powerful tools available in the Apple Ecosystem. They just keep evolving right alongside Apple.

DEVONthink Metadata

But when it comes to metadata, DEVONthink is leaving Apple (and the Finder) in the dust. DEVONthink has its own systems for organizing, tagging, sorting, automating, and updating all sorts of metadata for your files. One example is that I store contracts I’m writing for clients in DEVONthink. I use the app’s Annotations metadata to store notes on drafts of contracts. These are notes that only I see but prove invaluable when I come back a month later and ask, “why does this exist?” DEVONthink runs circles around the metadata tools available to you with the native Finder. Using the full array of DEVONthink metadata tools I’m able to cut through my files and get to what matters most fast.

And better metadata is just one of many features you’ll get with DEVONthink. To learn more head over to DEVONthink and download the trial and check it out for yourself.

Reflections on WWDC 2022

I’m writing these words in a corner of the San Jose airport as I wait to board my plane and head home after spending a satisfying few days at and around Apple Park. I didn’t expect to get invited by Apple to WWDC this year, but happily agreed to when they called.

The Worldwide Developers Conference has had many iterations over the years. I’ve attended it in San Francisco and San Jose. This year, with COVID, they held it at Apple Park itself. Apple Park is an amazing place and I will write a separate post about that, but suffice it to say it is one of the most impressive buildings on the planet. Holding WWDC at Apple Park lent a vibe of Apple letting down its guard for its developers. That, plus so many kind reunions following the worst days of COVID, gave the whole event an emotional charge that I did not expect. I was so happy to see friends that I’ve been unable to see for so long. I wasn’t alone. Moreover, being at Apple Park made so much more of a connection for everyone than downtown San Jose.

Talking to Apple folks, it sounds to me like they aren’t certain what the path forward is for WWDC is, but having attended the Apple Park event, I think there is no question that this week should be the model. This makes the live event smaller, but better, while also allowing Apple to primarily focus on those folks attending remotely. There are 34 Million registered developers. If Apple hosts 1,000 of them at Apple Park, that is 0.00003%. If Apple hosts 5,000 of them at a convention center, that is 0.0001%. Either way, they should be focused on the other 99.999% attending remotely.

I doubt future WWDCs will feel as emotional as this one did. Indeed, since that was a result of us surviving a global pandemic, I hope there will never be one so emotional. Those that do attend any future WWDC at Apple Park, however, will have a great time.

Mac Power Users 643: WWDC 2022

This episode of Mac Power Users was recorded live and in person at Apple Park. Stephen and I reflect on the announcements made at WWDC22.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • 1Password: Have you ever forgotten a password? You don’t have to worry about that anymore. 
  • Sourcegraph: Universal Code Search. Move fast, even in big codebases. Try it now.
  • Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code MPU at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
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A Few Thoughts on Apple’s WWDC Announcements

Hooray. I got to watch the WWDC Keynote today in Apple Park! I have lots to report on in the coming days but for now, here are a few thoughts.

The iPad

  • It was really nice today seeing some pro-user features make their way to iPadOS. Stage Manager was first announced in relation to the Mac, but once I saw it, I knew immediately, it’d also be on iPad. This paradigm looks to be a lot easier for people to understand and use. Putting it on both iPad and Mac means knowledge on one platform will be usable on the other. These are all good things.
  • Custom toolbars? Yes, thank you. I like this feature because it makes sense on the iPad interface. Toolbar buttons are big and press-able by our meaty, monkey hands. However, not all of us want or need the same buttons. I hope all the productivity app developers jump on this.
  • External display on the iPad is also overdue, but appreciated. I’ll be curious to see how workflows evolve to support iPads connect to extra, non-touch screens.
  • I’m particularly interested in the new dictation features. QuickType, where you can both type, tap, and dictate at once, should make dictation a lot more accessible to people. I can’t wait to test this out.

The Mac

  • I can see Stage Manager really landing with non-pro users. There are a lot of people that are just lost with their windows. I’ll have to spend some time with it before I can comment on it for power users.
  • Spotlight is creeping up on apps like Alfred but has a while to go. If anything, I expect the enhanced Spotlight features may whet people’s appetite for even more power features.
  • Passkeys sound promising as an alternative to passwords, but there is a lot more to learn here.
  • There definitely is a theme to sharing and collaboration. One of the biggest moves here is the shared Photos library. I can’t wait to test that.
  • Continuity Camera looks to me like a sleeper hit. When folks figure out they can stick their iPhone on their Macs and drastically improve their webcam with no further software or cables, look out.
  • I’m just digging in on the new settings window. Amen here. I suggest we now pour concrete over the grave of the old System Settings. We don’t want it coming back.

The M2

  • The incremental improvements of the M2 are better than I thought they’d be from the M1. It seems about a 20% increase. We’ll not have another huge leap like we did going from Intel to M1 for quite a while. 
  • Now that the stake is in the ground for M2 and the very much linear nature of the improvements of the subsequent M1 chips, it is pretty easy to see where we’re heading with the M2 performance chips. (2X, 4X, 8X, 16X?)

The New MacBook Air

  • I thought today we’d get a peek at the new Mac Pro and not get the new MacBook Air. So I missed that one on both accounts.
  • I was lucky enough to get to handle new MacBook Air for a few minutes. It really does feel like a miniaturized and squished MacBook Pro. It is just a bit lighter than the existing MacBook Air, but having been used to a 16” MacBook Pro, it feels very light.
  • The successor lost the wedge, but the new design still feels good.
  • I really wish the rumors of the colors had come true.
  • You can spec it up to 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.

watchOS 9

  • There is no surprise on the additional health emphasis. That said, they look to be some nice improvements.
  • Medication and sleep tracking look immediately useful to me. I think a lot of folks were looking for those features. (Or at least I was.)
  • I’m sad that we didn’t get more/better faces. That said, the new Astronomy and Metropolitan faces look like they are worth a try. 
  • One bit of good news: Some of the classic faces, like Utility, got updated to support rich complications.

A Few More Random Notes

  • I wrote this on a Mac running beta 1 Ventura. So far so good.
  • I am very interested in Freeform. I’ve been looking for an app like this for a long time.
  • It’s not lost on me that we got a lot of nice improvements to Apple Mail across all platforms. I’ll have more to say about this later.
  • The Weather app on the iPad!? That’s crazy. What’s next year? The calculator?
  • I thought we may get some changes to the Notes app to incorporate back-linking and some of the other changes going on in the notes world. Nope.

May in the MacSparky Labs

One of the best things to come from my quitting the practice of law is the introduction of the MacSparky Labs. I feel like I’m unleashed and able to share so much more with the MacSparky Supporters. In May, I was able to give the Early Access members access to the Shortcuts for Mac Field Guide a month early and open up sales for the remaining members in the few days before the official launch. That’s not all that happened in the labs in May though. I’d love to have you join.

May in the MacSparky Labs

  • 2022-05-31 – WWDC update from Sparky (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-20 – Lab Report Podcast (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-26 – Using Your iPad as a Mac Dashboard (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-25 – Using Obsidian for Task Management (Levels 2-3)
  • 2022-05-24 – Early Release: Shortcuts for Mac Field Guide (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-24 – Sparky’s Obsidian Presentation (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-23 – Early Access Content – Obsidian and Status Board Videos (Level 3)
  • 2022-05-20 – Lab Report Podcast (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-19 – Using Your iPhone as a Webcam with Camo (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-18 – Creating OmniFocus Template Projects with Keyboard Maestro (Levels 2-3)
  • 2022-05-16 – Early Access Video Previews (Level 3)
  • 2022-05-16 – Friends of Dave Interview with Ian Byrd (Levels 2-3)
  • 2022-05-13 – Lab Report Podcast (Level 1-3)
  • 2022-05-12 – Taking Screenshots with the Mac’s Built-in Tools (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-10 – Early Access – Shortcuts for Mac Field Guide (Level 3)
  • 2022-05-09 – Early Access Screenshot Video (Level 3)
  • 2022-05-09 – May 2022 Virtual Meetup Video and Podcast (Levels 2-3)
  • 2022-05-06 – Labs Report Podcast Release (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-05 – May 2022 Questions and Answers (Levels 1-3)
  • 2022-05-04 – Virtual Meetup Details (Levels 2-3)
  • 2022-05-03 – Using the Bento App (Task Manager Survey) (Levels 2-3)
  • 2022-05-02 – Early Access Release, Questions and Answers Video and Podcast (Level 3)
  • 2022-05-02 – Testing a Card-Based Goal System and Additional Early Access Content (Level 3)

SaneBox (Sponsor)

Sometimes we subscribe to a newsletter or other mailing list because we want to keep up with what’s going on, or know when the next sale is, or if they’re offering a good discount code. We signed up because we don’t want to miss out. These emails can be very informational and fun, but not something I need to deal with during an average workday. These distractions not only clutter up your inbox, but they take from your focus and time. This is where this week’s MacSparky sponsor SaneBox comes in.

SaneNews is a great feature of SaneBox. You can train newsletters or other mailing lists you’ve subscribed to to go there. SaneBox doesn’t delete these emails. It takes these lower priority emails you don’t have deal with right now, and automatically puts them in the SaneNews folder (once you’ve trained it) so that they’re there for you to look at when you do have the time to check out the news articles or latest promotions. 

SaneBox will help you by having the most important emails brought to your attention. Minimize distractions, keep focus, and save time with SaneBox. You can try it out for yourself. SaneBox is offering a free trial, and a $10 credit you can use towards a SaneBox subscription.

Slow Horses Gets More Seasons

One of my favorite shows this year has been the Apple TV+ spy drama, Slow Horses. Imagine everything that makes a James Bond movie, and this is the exact opposite. It reminds me of all the John le Carré novels I used to read where the spies are sad, broken people more than martini drinking killers.

I’m probably doing a lousy job of selling it, but if you like spy stories, this one’s a doozy. Apple has already filmed season two and is now committed to seasons three and four. They’re all based on Mick Herron’s Slough House novels, and I’m halfway through the third book now.