The Fastmail Switcheroo

Years ago, when I first set up the domain for MacSparky, I made the decision to forego Gmail in exchange for my own IMAP email service. So I trudged along with Hover’s reliable, yet basic, IMAP service for over ten years. For some time now, I’ve been meaning to upgrade to something with more features so last month I got serious and started a research project that eventually led me to Fastmail. Moreover, less than a week after I decided to switch to Fastmail, they announced a collaboration with 1Password which allows you to create 1-time emails for web sign-ups (called masked email) right inside 1Password further sealing the deal.

Once the decision was made, I waited for the initial hubbub over the DEVONthink Field Guide to die down before making the switch, and last night at midnight I went into the Hover DNS records to point the necessary bits to Fastmail. The transition took an hour, and now I’ve got all of my email along with the other team member emails set up in Fastmail, along with all the alias emails and other bits. Once everything was connected, I also initiated moving archives and sent messages from the Hover account to the new Fastmail account in Apple Mail and I went to bed. I woke up this morning to find everything working. It’s funny how you can put off projects that seem overwhelming, but when you finally get down to it, take less time than it takes to go out to lunch.

I haven’t dug in yet on Fastmail’s power features. The server-based rule system is impressive, though not as powerful as Google server rules, and getting it working with my team was trivial. After I get more time under the hood, I’ll report in.

Mac Power Users 609: Sir, Get Out of My E-Waste



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In this feedback episode of Mac Power Users, Stephen and I discuss recent updates to iWork, more on various editions of DEVONthink, and go through some listener feedback.

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.

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

  • Hullo: A simple, natural pillow designed for comfort. Try it for 60 days.

The Imminent TextExpander 7 (Sponsor)



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I’m excited that this week’s sponsor, TextExpander, is about to release version 7. I’ve written and talked a lot about TextExpander. It instantly insert snippets of text that you’ve saved as abbreviations in order to streamline and speed up everything you type. What’s new with the upcoming 7.0 version is that it:

  • Updates and unifies the user experience

  • Improves main window search

  • Improves performance and responsiveness

  • Improves conflict management

  • Broadens accessibility

  • Has other fixes and improvements.

TextExpander 7 is expected soon and is already in the app’s beta channel. If you’re currently a user, you can check “include beta builds” in TextExpander’s Update preference tab to be prompted to update to the public beta. This is going to be a popular update.

The Relay St. Jude Fund Raiser

This year the Relay Network raised over $700,000 for the fight against childhood cancer. I only get the slightest peek at all the work Stephen Hackett and gang do behind the scenes for this every year and it is remarkable. My congratulations and thanks to everyone that contributed, donated, and got behind this.

Celebrating Steve

Apple made an inspirational video commemorating the 10th anniversary of Steve Jobs’ death. Over the years I’ve talked to several people that had direct experience working with Steve while at Apple and the one thing they all tell me is that the popular narrative, that he was a jackass, gets it wrong. Like all humans, he had many sides and this simplification, focused on his worst traits doesn’t come close to representing the man he was.

DEVONthink Field Guide Early Bird Pricing Ends Tomorrow

Folks are digging my new DEVONthink Field Guide. Here’s just one of the nice testimonials I’ve received:

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“I wish I’d had this MacSparky Field Guide when I first started using DT 8 months ago; it would have saved me hours of reading manuals, watching videos, and reading blog posts to try to figure out how to use DevonThink. In his typical thorough and logical manner, David takes you by the hand and leads you step-by-step through everything you need to know to get the most out of DevonThink. Excellent, and a steal for the value!”
— Jim E.

Tomorrow the early bird price of $44 is going up so if you want that discounted price, now’s the time.

Mac Power Users 608: DEVONthink & New Apple Hardware



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My newest Field Guide covers DEVONthink, and on this week’s Mac Power Users, Stephen and I discuss the application, some example uses, and the basics anyone looking at it should know. After that, we review the new iPhone and iPad mini.

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.

  • SaneBox: Stop drowning in email!

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

Daylite Pushes Your Productivity and Your Profits to the Macs (Sponsor)



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Make no mistake, Daylite isn’t just a CRM tool, it’s a Mac CRM tool. It isn’t for everyone, it’s for us. It’s for Mac people. People who ‘get’ that thinking exclusively and holistically about small business is actually thinking big. 

Just like a Mac, Daylite is an intuitive way of instantly integrating your Apple calendar and Apple mail, reminders, notes, tasks and more. Online, offline, wherever, it’s completely shareable with any Mac user and accessible from any macOS or iOS device. Daylite allows you to minimize the juggling of accounts, tasks and projects while maximizing leads, customer relationships and profits.

At once, your small business has everything you and your team expect from a leading CRM tool while having the stress-relieving perks you’d only expect from a made-for-Mac app. Name one other CRM app with the productivity-boosting power to seamlessly work well with Apple integration. 

It’s Daylite. Learn more. 

Focused 135: Don’t Eat the Frog, with Jesse J. Anderson



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Jesse Anderson joins MIke and me on the latest episode of Focused to talk about self-awareness and the struggles with being productive while battling ADHD.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

  • ExpressVPN: High-speed, secure and anonymous VPN service. Get an extra three months free.

  • Novo: Powerfully simple business banking. Sign up for free.

  • Privacy: Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase.