DEVONthink, The Best Database Solution (Sponsor)

This week MacSparky is sponsored by DEVONthink. There are a lot of ways to manage a database on your Mac, but in my opinion, there is no better tool than DEVONthink. Just a few of the things I use DEVONthink for include:

A reliable repository of research documents. DEVONthink will hold as many documents as you can throw at it. In addition, it makes import (and export) easy, so you can have all that power without feeling trapped.

A research assistant. DEVONthink uses artificial intelligence to analyze and connect your documents in ways that may not otherwise occur to you. This isn’t that new-fangled-kinda-dumb AI. This is search AI that finds shockingly relevant documents. It’s spooky.

An OCR Tool. Everything you store in your DEVONthink Pro library gets OCR’d. It just happens.

An Automation Tool. DEVONthink lets you build powerful automation subroutines into your library to help tag, move, and organize documents.

DEVONthink supports multiple sync methods and lets you even use your own sync password, so everything is encrypted. If you’ve got an iPad or an iPhone, you can access your DEVONthink data there, too, with DEVONthink To Go.

It never ceases to amaze me how fast DEVONthink search is. Just recently I needed an obscure documents from several years ago sent to me buy a guy whose name I could not remember. DEVONthink found it in my first search as the #1 result. Boom.

It is this combination of power and security that makes DEVONthink the clear winner. You can think of DEVONthink as your paperless office. You can automate your workflow from capture to filing, editing to publishing. It stores all your documents, helps you keep them organized, and presents you with what you need to get the job done.

And of course the DEVONthink team never stops making improvements. The latest update (3.8.7) improves upon Wikilinks, the Concordance inspector, and more.

Interested? MacSparky readers can get a 20% discount on DEVONthink. Use the code MACSPARKY2023 at checkout.

718: Workflows with Dan Provost

Dan Provost is one of the folks behind Studio Neat. This week on Mac Power Users, Stephen and I tal k to him about what his role is in the company and its products, the tools he uses to get his work done, and some of his favorite apps and services.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

TextExpander: Get 20% off with this link and type more with less effort! Expand short abbreviations into longer bits of text, even fill-ins, with TextExpander.
Mas terClass: Get unlimited access to EVERY Class and get 15% off an annual membership.
Squares pace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MPU.
In deed: Join more than three million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.

Automators 139: Action Button Time

In this episode of Automators, Rosemary and I dive into t he power of the action button on the iPhone 15 Pro and Apple Watch Ultra—and all of its possibilities.

This episode of A utomators is sponsored by:

Elect ric: Unbury yourself from IT tasks. Get a free pair of Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones when you schedule a meeting.

Build. That. Wall. (Sponsor)

I’ve talked previously about how Focus modes are underrated and underused. One of the first steps in setting up a Focus mode is having a wall in place to keep out distractions so you can get your important business done. With the help of SaneBox, MacSparky’s sponsor this week, you can start building this wall.

SaneBox has a feature called Do Not Disturb. When you enable this nifty feature, you can take away the distraction of checking your inbox. SaneBox temporarily pauses new emails and moves them to your Do Not Disturb folder. Do Not Disturb is customizable so you can set your inbox to get these emails at a time and/or date of your choosing. You’re in charge of who passes through, so you can also choose if there are delivery exceptions, such as certain people or clients, that you don’t want to miss out on if there’s something really important going on.

The battle to fight distractions is real, and with SaneBox and Do Not Disturb, you can keep interruptions at bay. Add SaneBox to your armor. Try it on with a free trial, and if you decide you like it, you’ll get a $10 credit you can use towards a SaneBox subscription. Focus on what matters and keep out the distractions with SaneBox.

Mac Power Users 704: “The Details Matter,” with Shahid Kamal Ahmad

Video game industry veteran Shahid Kamal Ahmad rejoins Mac Power Users to catch Stephen and me up on his work and evolving setup. Then, we dive into gaming on visionOS, the current state of Android, and a lot more.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

1Passwor d: Never forget a password again.
MacPa w: Introducing Moonlock, the new cybersecurity division at MacPaw, and the upgraded CleanMyMac Malware removal module.
Squ arespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MPU.
Tailscal e: Secure remote access to shared resources. Sign up today.

Mac Power Users 701: The Safari Extension Roundup

On this week’s Mac Power Users, Stephen and I grab our lassos and gather up some of the best Safari extensions out on the free, open range of the App Store.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

Text Expander: Get 20% off with this link and type more with less effort! Expand short abbreviations into longer bits of text, even fill-ins, with TextExpander.
Zoc doc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
Net Suite: The leading integrated cloud business software suite. Get a special one-of-a-kind financing offer: no interest, no payments for six months.
Tailsc ale: Secure remote access to shared resources. Sign up today.

Focused 180: A Focused Hodgepodge

On this episode of Focused, I’m reflecting on 18 months of freedom, Mike is reporting back from Craft + Commerce, and we’re both sharing our best advice for teaching kids how to focus. Join us.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

Squarespac e: Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
Exp ressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free.
Indee d: Join more than three million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.

Mike Schmitz Opens Obsidian University

Mike Schmitz recently went indie, and we are already seeing the dividends of that. He’s getting ready to start Obsidian University on June 12. It’s a 4-week cohort-style course with eight 60-minute sessions to get you going with Obsidian. Mike is a great teacher, and I expect this to be something pretty great.