The Inside Story on Apple Maps

CNN scored a nice interview with some of the Apple Maps leadership about the journey they’ve been on and where the app is now. (I found this interview via 9to5 Mac.) I wish Apple would let their project leaders talk to the press more often. Articles like this let us get a better understanding of the philosophy behind choices in Cupertino and help us make better decisions as consumers as to what is right for us. For instance, I didn’t realize how big a deal Privacy was to the Apple Maps team until reading this article.

As for me, I’ve been using Apple Maps for a long time. I like the convenience of it and I’m fortunate enough to live in California, where I think Apple has historically always had pretty good data. It has performed well for me or I wouldn’t have stuck with it. That said, I really only care about accurate directions and navigation help, like telling me what lane I need to be in. All that stuff about the 3D maps of buildings is something I never looked at until getting the image for this post. It’s nice, but I don’t have much use for it.

Focused 141: You Never Arrive

Join Mike and me on the latest episode of Focused as we discuss the arrival fallacy and the importance of finding joy in the journey.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

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Mac Power Users 619: Home Studio Updates

I had to move my home office, and Stephen built a cabin. On this week’s episode of Mac Power Users, we compare notes on how our studios have evolved over the last couple of years.

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Even More Holiday Music

I’ve continued to grow my holiday “Yule” playlist on Apple Music. If you’d like an overwhelming amount of holiday jazz, here you go. My latest addition is an album from the Phat Cat Swingers, From All of Us to All of You, that has a distinct swing band/rockabilly feel. It’s an album that can really make you tap your foot. I listen to this playlist throughout December every year. Just press “shuffle” and let it rip.

Apple Display Rumors

Rumors around an Apple-branded display are heating up. 9to5 Mac reports on a reputable leaker that reports display panels are in development for Apple from LG for 24 and 27 inch Apple Displays along with a 32-inch panel including Apple Silicon for a successor to the Pro Display XDR. I have no insider knowledge, but if I were a betting man, I’d say any Apple Silicon in the new Pro Display XDR would address more I/O with more USB-C ports.

In my mind, Apple’s failure to get a quality consumer-priced display to market is the most prominent hardware miss in the immensely successful Mac lineup. They have so many great laptops now (and the M1 Mac mini) that would benefit from a quality, sub $6,000 Apple Display. This product can’t come soon enough.

Automators 91: Focus Modes, the Showdown

In this episode of Automators, Rosemary and I dive into Focus modes, how we use them, and of course, how we automate them.

This episode of Automators is sponsored by:

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MacSparky Studios Update (Holiday 2021 Edition)

After COVID started I got evicted from my prior studio space in the house (so my daughter could turn it back into her bedroom). I’ve updated my studio page with new my gear and lodgings.

A Few Notes on the iOS 15.2 Release

Apple released a new update to iOS that’s got some noteworthy features. Here are a few points of note:

Legacy Contact

This is my favorite new feature. You can now set a person as your legacy contact. That gives them a secret access key so that they can (upon proof of your death) access your data. I made a video explaining how to do this. I know it’s morbid, but you should do it today.

Hide My Email

You can now create one-time email addresses in the Apple Mail app. You can only use this feature when sending to a single recipient since the random email is tied to that person.

Macro Mode Manual Control

There is now a setting to let you disable macro mode if you don’t want it to automatically kick in. It’s located at Settings > Camera > Macro Control.

Music Upgrades

You can now search for a specific song from within a playlist. Amen. They also launched the Apple Music Voice Plan, for which I am pretty skeptical.

iPad Gesture Update

You can now set separate actions for a swipe from lower-right and lower-left corners. I’ve got Quick Notes in the lower right and Screenshot in the lower left. Just go to Settings > General > Gestures.

iPhone Parts and Service History

You can now see the service and part history for your device under Settings > General > About.

App Privacy Report

The App Privacy Report (located at Settings > Privacy > App Privacy Report) got a serious upgrade. You can now see exactly what your apps are up to and when. This will make sussing out offending apps very easy. I want this now for the Mac.

Setting Up Your Legacy Contact Screencast

The Legacy Contact feature that shipped with iOS 15.2 is grim, but smart. It only takes two minutes to set up and I made a screencast to show you how it works. No excuses not to set it up right now!