Where is the iPad mini Pro?

Rumors are we will get a new iPad mini later this month. The seventh generation iPad mini looks to have several nice improvements with better specs, an A18 chip, and hopefully support for the Apple Pencil Pro. But overall, it’s going to be the same iPad mini.

So many people in the MacSparky Labs have asked me about Apple releasing an iPad mini Pro. The iPad mini is a perfect mobile device for many folks, but they’d like just a bit more power and features as you get with the iPad Pro in the other sizes. Why not make one with the best possible screen and the improved “Pro” design aesthetics?

I’m sure Apple has researched this and, for whatever reason, decided not to make one. But I can tell you that among the MacSparky Labs folks, an iPad mini Pro would be popular.

Get Organized with DEVONthink (Sponsor)

official application icon for DEVONthink

I often hear from listeners and readers looking for a research solution in the Mac ecosystem. My favorite app for this, without a doubt, is DEVONthink. DEVONthink is the most professional document and information management application for the Mac. It’s the one place for storing all your documents, snippets, or bookmarks, and working with them.

The integrated AI engine assists you with filing and searching, while the extensive search language includes advanced Boolean operators.

DEVONthink features a flexible sync system that supports many cloud services — or lets you synchronize over your local network — with everything securely encrypted. This gives you the choice for whichever syncing works best for you!

It has Smart rules and flexible reminders that let you automate all parts of your workflow and delegate boring, repeating tasks. Let DEVONthink automatically organize your data with rules you define!

DEVONthink’s AppleScript dictionary is one of the best on the Mac. There’s no part of DEVONthink that can’t be automated. Extend DEVONthink’s functionality with your own commands by adding them to its Scripts menu. Even templates can have scripts inside and you can set up new documents with data from placeholders, or inserted using your own AppleScript code.

DEVONthink just continues to get better. In the latest update they improved PDF annotation, Evernote import, Markdown functionality, and added even more AppleScript and JavaScript automation.

I find DEVONthink’s combination of innovative features and automation support irresistible. Interested? MacSparky readers can get a 20% discount on DEVONthink.

The Instagram Changes Are Not Enough

A few weeks ago Instagram announced some changes to accounts to further protect minors. Anyone under 18 who signs up for an Instagram account will be placed on a restrictive teen account, and those under 18 will be migrated over the next 60 days. However, the user’s age is reported by the user. So, minors can easily lie on the form to subvert these restrictions.

Teen accounts will be private by default. Private messages will be restricted so teenagers can only receive them from people they already follow, and some sensitive content will not be viewable. While it’s nice to see Meta put some effort into this, it’s not enough. Moreover, people have been asking for protections like this for years. Why now? My theory is that these partial restrictions exist because of the threat of looming regulation.

I think the solution to keep minors safe on social media requires a combination of social media companies, hardware companies, and parents. (Some regulation would also be helpful.) Your iPhone knows how old you are. And there are certainly better ways to confirm someone is a minor other than just asking them. Regardless, these changes are not enough. I’m just spit-balling here, but I’d have a two-step verification: one from the hardware device and a second confirmed by the social media company itself. If they can earn billions off these accounts, they surely can come up with a reliable age-verification system.

I recently read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and it confirmed my thinking about minors and social media. Specifically, that it’s harmful and dangerous.

Walt’s Flywheel

I recently saw a link to The Walt Disney Productions 1957 Strategy Diagram (via Kotke). I’ve seen this several times, and every time, it impresses me. Specifically, the Disney Company treats their movies as the source material for everything else they make, whether it be music, books, or theme park rides. When it all works properly, they had a virtuous circle where the movie characters generated interest in the theme parks, and the theme park visitors’ experiences generated interest back in the movies. If something doesn’t tie into the overall flywheel, then it probably shouldn’t be there.

I try to do the same thing with my tiny MacSparky empire, and this 67-year-old chart still makes a lot of sense to me.