I’m pleased to welcome a new sponsor to MacSparky, Direct Mail for Mac. If you run a business, a side hustle, a podcast, or just want to stay in touch with a community, you know how important great email marketing can be.
The brand-new Version 7 is a huge leap forward. This update brings a host of new features, including a reimagined user interface, smarter list management, powerful email sign-up forms, upgraded reporting, and all-new tools to help your emails stand out. Whether you’re sending to 10 people or 10,000, Direct Mail gives you the tools to do it professionally and painlessly.
If you’ve ever been frustrated with clunky email marketing websites, or just want something that feels right at home on your Mac, I encourage you to check out Direct Mail. It’s free to download and try, and there’s no subscription required if you prefer a pay-as-you-go option. You can be up and running with your first campaign in just minutes. Get started today and grow your audience with powerful, Mac-first email marketing tools.
2025 sponsorship slots at MacSparky are filling up. There’s still a bit of availability left for the remainder of the year, but not much.
If you’re interested in getting your product or service in front of an Apple-centric, productivity-loving audience with no respect for money, now’s a good time to reach out. Let me know.
I’ve been using the beta, and I can confirm: this is a real leap forward. DEVONthink 4 is smarter, faster, and more modern in all the right ways. They’ve taken everything that made DEVONthink 3 great and brought it into 2025 with a thoughtful touch, especially when it comes to Artificial Intelligence.
And really, that’s no surprise. DEVONthink was using AI before AI was a buzzword. Now with version 4, they’ve taken it up a notch: integrating modern large language models like ChatGPT and Claude, enabling natural language search, tagging, summarizing, and even interactive document conversations. And you get to decide whether to use local or cloud-based models. It’s a smart, privacy-conscious approach that fits the DEVONthink ethos perfectly.
Beyond AI, DEVONthink 4 introduces versioning, audit-proof databases, a redesigned web interface for teams, enhanced automation tools, and a new license model that makes future upgrades easier to manage.
You can download the public beta and give it a try yourself. If you already own DEVONthink 3, there are upgrade paths available, including a free upgrade if you bought it recently.
This update feels exactly like what you’d expect from the DEVONthink team: powerful, modern, and built with care.
Running a small business or working as a solo professional often means juggling a dozen roles at once — client meetings, project deadlines, follow-ups, invoicing — you name it. I’ve learned the hard way that when your tools aren’t helping you stay on top of all that, they’re just adding to the chaos.
That’s where Daylite comes in. It’s a powerful CRM and project management app made specifically for Mac, iPhone, and iPad users. What sets Daylite apart is how well it blends contact management, project tracking, calendar integration, and team collaboration, all in one place. It’s like having a command center for your business, designed with the Apple ecosystem in mind.
Daylite is especially useful if you’re in a client-focused profession like legal, design, real estate, coaching, or consulting. You can link your emails, notes, tasks, and appointments to individual clients and projects, so nothing slips through the cracks. I love how it integrates with Apple Mail and Calendar, making it feel like a natural extension of the tools many of us already use daily.
One thing that really stands out is how Daylite helps you stay proactive, not just reactive. You can set up pipelines for sales or onboarding workflows, assign tasks to your team, and always know what the next step is. That means less time digging through email threads and more time actually doing the work.
Moreover, the Daylite development team is 100% committed to giving Mac users the best native experience. They’ve proven that with decades of innovative updates. And because Daylite is a native Mac app (not just a web wrapper), it feels snappy and familiar. There’s no clunky interface or learning curve; it just works the way you expect it to.
If you’re trying to grow your business or just bring some order to the daily madness, I highly recommend checking out Daylite. It’s a great example of a thoughtfully built tool for Apple-centric teams who want to work smarter.
This week, my friends at Rogue Amoeba are back to sponsor MacSparky. They make an incredible lineup of audio tools for your Mac, useful for everyone from home hobbyists to professional podcasters and studio technicians.
Thanks to the work the team did in tandem with Apple (see the epic backstory!), you can now get started with Rogue Amoeba’s tools in mere seconds. That includes their flagship audio recording utility Audio Hijack, which was recently updated to version 4.5 with enhancements to the secure and local Transcribe block. (This is the app that I use to record everything from the Mac Power Users on down.)
They also make Loopback, which lets you do things like combine microphone audio with the audio playing from apps running right on your Mac, to create a virtual audio device. It’s a perfect way to spice up calls on Zoom or FaceTime, or make your screen recordings even more immersive. Add their top-notch soundboard app Farrago can manage backing tracks and sound effects while you’re recording your podcast.
SoundSource is the premier audio control app for your Mac. Now you can control the volume of each individual app, apply audio effects (including Audio Unit plugins), and redirect to the different output devices you have available on your system. All this power comes in an app that lives right in your menu bar for instant access. In my opinion, no Mac is fully set up until SoundSource is installed.
You can test out Rogue Amoeba’s software for free with their fully-functional trials, then make a one-time purchase online. Best of all, as a MacSparky reader, you can save 20% through the end of March. Just use coupon code SPARKYXX at their store.
My thanks to Rogue Amoeba for supporting MacSparky, and all my audio needs.
This week, MacSparky is delighted to feature Timing, the premier automatic time-tracking app for Mac users. Unlike traditional timers that require manual activation, Timing works seamlessly in the background, meticulously recording your activity across apps, websites, and documents. This ensures you gain an accurate and comprehensive overview of how your time is allocated, enabling you to identify productivity patterns and areas for improvement. Looking at your Timing log will let you know exactly what went down if your day ever gets away from you.
AI summaries show you how you spend your time
Key Features of Timing
Automatic Tracking: No need to remember to start or stop timers. Timing automatically logs your activities, capturing every detail without manual intervention.
Detailed Insights: Review precise data on the duration spent on specific applications, documents, or websites. For instance, distinguish between time dedicated to a client proposal in Word versus casual browsing on retail sites.
AI-Powered Summaries: Leverage artificial intelligence to receive concise summaries of your daily activities, helping you quickly grasp where your time goes without sifting through extensive logs.
Team Functionality: Timing also has teams support. Collaborate effortlessly by sharing projects, while managers can view aggregated time reports. Importantly, individual privacy is respected, as only manual time entries are visible to supervisors, ensuring a non-intrusive tracking environment.
Integration and Automation: Timing offers seamless integration with various tools and supports automation through features like Siri Shortcuts and a web API, enhancing your workflow efficiency.
Web App Access: Access your Timing data from anywhere using the Timing web app. Start and stop timers on the go, manage your team, and integrate with other services, ensuring flexibility and control over your time tracking.
Understanding how you spend your time is the first step toward enhanced productivity. By providing an unobtrusive and precise tracking system, Timing empowers you to make informed decisions about your time.
I’m delighted to welcome back Flexibits as a MacSparky sponsor. Their premier calendar application, Fantastical, continues to set the standard for personal and professional scheduling. With the recent release of Fantastical, the app has expanded its reach beyond the Apple ecosystem, now offering native support for Windows users as well.
Fantastical’s intuitive natural language event creation allows you to schedule meetings, set reminders, and plan tasks effortlessly. The app’s beautiful and clean interface provides multiple views, including day, week, month, quarter, and year, ensuring you have the flexibility to manage your time effectively. It also beautifully integrates with Apple’s Reminders app.
One standout feature is the integration popular video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, Webex, and Microsoft Teams. This means you can schedule and join virtual meetings directly from your calendar without any hassle. I set all of my MacSparky Labs calls in Fantastical and the associated Zoom event is created with a single click.
For those who appreciate customization, Fantastical offers Calendar Sets, allowing you to group different calendars and task lists together. These sets can be enabled based on your location or a specific time, providing a tailored experience that adapts to your routine.
The recent update also enhances the Apple Watch app, making it more user friendly with added features. With interactive widgets and support for Live Activities, staying on top of your schedule has never been easier.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive calendar solution that seamlessly integrates with your devices and enhances your productivity, I recommend giving Fantastical a try. Experience the convenience and efficiency that comes with using a top-tier calendar app designed to meet all your scheduling needs.
One question I frequently get from MacSparky readers and MPU listeners is: “What’s the best tool for managing research on the Mac?” My answer is always DEVONthink, and this week I’m happy to have them as a sponsor.
Let me tell you about my favorite new feature: the Mentions inspector. Think of it as your digital librarian that automatically discovers connections in your research. When you select a document, Mentions shows you everywhere its title appears across your database, complete with context. I’ve found this invaluable for uncovering relationships in my research that I didn’t even know existed.
But that’s just scratching the surface. Here’s what makes DEVONthink my go-to research tool:
Its AI engine learns how you organize and helps file new documents
A powerful search language that lets you construct precise queries
Rock-solid sync across devices with end-to-end encryption
Smart rules and reminders to automate your workflow
Rich AppleScript support for deep automation (I use this constantly)
The DEVONthink team keeps pushing the envelope with thoughtful improvements. Recent updates have brought enhanced PDF annotation, seamless Evernote import capabilities, and expanded Markdown support. This continuous evolution is why DEVONthink remains central to my research workflow.
If you’re looking to level up your research game, DEVONthink is offering MacSparky readers a 20% discount. It’s the tool I trust with my own research, and I think you’ll find it just as indispensable.
Transform how you run your business with Daylite – the native CRM and business management platform crafted exclusively for the Apple ecosystem. Whether at your Mac or iPhone and iPad, Daylite brings your client relationships, sales pipeline, and projects together in one elegant solution.
Why Daylite?
Running a small business means wearing multiple hats. Rather than juggling separate apps for your CRM, project management, and sales tracking, Daylite offers a unified workspace where everything connects. Every email, call, task, and note links directly to your clients, projects, and opportunities – keeping your team aligned and your business moving forward.
Power Features That Set Daylite Apart
Smart Contact Management: Never let important client details slip through the cracks. Daylite centralizes all client interactions, giving your team instant access to communication history, preferences, and ongoing projects. Build stronger relationships by having the full context at your fingertips.
Seamless Apple Mail: Integration Work where you already spend your time – your inbox. Daylite’s Apple Mail integration lets you create tasks, schedule follow-ups, and link emails to projects without switching apps. Stay responsive to clients while keeping everything organized.
Dynamic Sales Pipeline: Watch your deals progress with the visual Opportunities Board. Custom pipeline stages reflect your unique sales process, helping you prioritize leads and forecast revenue. Your team stays aligned on deal status and next steps, turning more opportunities into wins.
Project Command Center: Keep projects running smoothly with powerful, flexible tools. Organize tasks, track milestones, allocate resources, and monitor deadlines in one place. Whether you’re managing client deliverables or internal initiatives, Daylite ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
True Offline Access: Your business doesn’t stop when the internet does. Daylite’s offline capabilities mean you can access and update your data anywhere – perfect for productive work during flights, remote client visits, or anywhere else your business takes you.
Native Apple Experience: Daylite is an app made by Mac-loving developers for Mac-loving users. As a true native app, Daylite delivers the performance and polish Apple users expect. The familiar interface lets you hit the ground running, while deep integration with macOS and iOS ensures a fluid experience across all your devices.
Start Growing with Daylite
Experience how the right tools can transform your business. Try Daylite and discover why small businesses trust it to strengthen client relationships, close more deals, and deliver projects successfully.
Scanning apps on iOS have taken a turn for the worse. Many have become bloated with features. Monetization schemes have multiplied. That’s what Greg Pierce (maker of Drafts) realized when he wanted to scan a document to a PDF. The good news is that Greg fixed that with his scanning app, Simple Scan. Simple Scan lives up to its name by doing one thing really well: turning your paper documents into high-quality, searchable PDFs with minimal fuss.
What sets Simple Scan apart is its focused approach. Simple Scan is purpose-built for quick document capture. Just scan and send, no document library to manage. Every PDF is automatically processed with OCR, making your scanned documents fully searchable.
The app comes with thoughtful features like custom destinations for frequent tasks (perfect for “Email to Myself”), direct saves to specific folders, and flexible output options, including high-quality JPEGs. And true to its principles of simplicity, you’ll never see ads. Ever. I use this app all the time.
Simple Scan is free to try, with a Pro version available as either a low-cost annual subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase.
