Since its introduction, HomeKit has steadily grown into a wide-reaching ecosystem for smart home devices. This week’s Mac Power Users has Stephen and I talking with Mikah Sargent about HomeKit hardware and software, as well as ways to extend what Apple allows it to do in its default app.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

• SaneBox: Stop drowning in email!

• MarsEdit: Powerful web publishing from your Mac. Get 20% off.

• Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code MPU at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

On this week’s Mac Power Users, Stephen and I are joined by orchestrator and composer David Metzger, whose resume includes Frozen, Muppets Most Wanted, The Avengers, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and more. He shares his setup, which includes multiple Macs networked together, numerous music applications, and (eventually) a full-blown orchestra. 

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

• TextExpander from Smile: 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 from Smile.

• Matias: The perfect wired backlit keyboard for your Mac. Get 10% off.

• eero: The WiFi every home deserves. Get your eero delivered with free next day shipping.

• Hover: Make a name for yourself. Get 10% off any domain name.

RSS can bring news, blog posts, and even podcasts to you, without needing to visit a bunch of different websites. This week on Mac Power Users, Stephen and I talk about the rise of numerous RSS services, the apps we’ve seen over the last few years, and share how this web technology makes our lives better.

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. 

• Mint Mobile: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month.

• Indeed: Get a free $75 credit to boost your job post.

• Hover: Make a name for yourself. Get 10% off any domain name.

From jotting quick notes to writing for the web, Markdown has become a very popular choice for formatting plain text. Its syntax is human-readable and easy to learn. On this week’s episode of Mac Power Users, Stephen and I teach Markdown 101, covering the more complex things the language can do.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

• SaneBox: Stop drowning in email!

• Indeed: Get a free $75 credit to boost your job post.

On the latest episode of Mac Power Users, Jim Metzendorf, the editor of Mac Power Users, talks to Stephen and me about his background in audio and photography, and how the gear and workflows have changed in those fields over the years.

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. 

• Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code MPU at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

• The Intrazone by Microsoft SharePoint: Your bi-weekly conversation and interview podcast hosted by the SharePoint team.

• TextExpander from Smile: 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 from Smile.

On this Mac Power Users feedback episode, Stephen and I go through some listener email, revisit note apps, and discuss remote troubleshooting iOS devices.

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. 

• Miro: The online collaborative whiteboard platform. Sign up for a free account today.

• Mint Mobile: Cut your wireless bill to $15 a month.

• Indeed: Get a free $75 credit to boost your job post.

The Apple Watch has undergone massive changes since its introduction in 2014. On this week’s episode of Mac Power Users, Stephen and I review some of that history, then launch into a conversation of the platform’s strengths and weaknesses and how we use our watches.

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. 

• TextExpander from Smile: 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 from Smile.

• Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code MPU at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

The market for note-taking applications is huge. There are options that just deal in plain-text, apps that serve as “everything buckets,” and still others focus on automation. This week on Mac Power Users, Stephen and I cover some of the better options out there and share how we keep up with various bits of digital information in our lives.

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. 

• Miro: The online collaborative whiteboard platform. Sign up for a free account today.

• The Intrazone by Microsoft SharePoint: Your bi-weekly conversation and interview podcast hosted by the SharePoint team.

• DEVONthink: Get organized—unleash your creativity. Use this link for 10% off.

This week on Mac Power Users, Underscore David Smith joins the show to talk about what life as a developer is like between WWDC and the fall, when new versions of Apple’s operating system ship.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

• TextExpander from Smile: 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 from Smile.

• Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code MPU at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

• DEVONthink: Get organized—unleash your creativity. Use this link for 10% off.

Starting today, Stephen and I are premiering even more Mac Power Users. For all Relay FM Members that directly support Mac Power Users, we are upping the member benefits.

There is now a specially dedicated feed for MPU members that includes ad-free episodes, as well as regular bonus segments, more focused on news or current happening in the Apple community. This is something we don’t get to do very often on MPU, and we’re excited to have these conversations together. We are calling this members version More Power Users, because you’re going to get more MPU.

If you are interested you can sign up here. One of the casualties of Covid-19 was a lot of podcast advertising budgets. Stephen and I both appreciate your support.