In this week’s episode of The Lab Report: Apple introduces Distraction Control with iOS 18 beta 5, Gatekeeper gets more invasive in macOS Sequoia, Humane’s AI pin challenges, and a poem by Robert Burns.… This is a post for the Early Access MacSparky Labs Members. Care to join? Or perhaps you need to sign in?
More Vision Pro Environments, Please
I frequently use environments in Vision Pro, which is one of the device’s best features. They can give you a context shift that is only possible with Vision Pro. I wish there were more of them.
Related to this, the Disney+ application got a nice addition with a new immersive environment in Iceland which was created by National Geographic, one of the Disney companies. It looks fantastic inside Vision Pro and again raises the question of why these environments are all bottled up inside individual applications. Apple needs to release more system-wide environments. I expect these app-based environments are similar enough to system-wide environments that we could have some donation-based system where I could use Disney’s Iceland outside the Disney+ application.
Of course, this would require some work on Apple’s part and agreement on the part of the app developers, but why wouldn’t they? If there is a technical limitation preventing this, my advice to Apple is to solve it. If there is a pride limitation on allowing third-party applications to donate environments, I advise Apple to get over it.
I know for a fact Apple has at least one middle-aged user who would love nothing better than to work in Apple Notes while sitting in the driver’s seat of his virtual Landspeeder. Why not bring him a little joy?
On the Plastic Apple Watch SE
There is a rumor afloat that the next Apple Watch SE will be made of plastic. Mark Gurman recently stated that Apple using rigid plastic in the Apple Watch SE is “increasingly likely.” I think this is a good idea for several reasons:
- Hopefully, it would allow them to lower the price. Lower prices should equal more Apple Watches on wrists. The Apple Watch is an excellent device. Not only does it tell you the time, but it could save your life. Whether you’re in a crash, suffer a fall, or develop a bad ticker, the Apple Watch is there for you.
- Second, plastic would hopefully give them more options regarding colors. Apple, the company that brought us the Bondi Blue iMac has been off its game lately regarding product colors. Maybe plastic would allow them to be a little more experimental.
- Finally, it would be a lot lighter. Lately, I’ve been making a real effort to wear my Apple Watch Ultra while I sleep, and I notice the weight. Granted, I’ve the heaviest of Apple Watches. But there is a market for people who prefer a lighter wristwatch.
The internal argument against a plastic watch would be that Apple doesn’t make things out of plastic. Hopefully, the powers that be see that Apple should make things out of whatever materials make the most sense for the product. And in the case of the Apple Watch SE, a plastic watch makes a ton of sense.
Apple Intelligence Text Tools
I’ve done some project planning scripts in the past but folks have been asking about doing it with Reminders. Here you go!… This is a post for MacSparky Labs Members only. Care to join? Or perhaps do you need to sign in?
Installing and Using NotePlan
We covered NotePlan on last week’s episode of the Mac Power Users. Here’s a video walkthrough of the NotePlan install I set up over the few months that we prepared for recording the show.… This is a post for the Early Access and Backstage MacSparky Labs Members. Care to join? Or perhaps you need to sign in?
Fantastical RSVP Feature
Fantastical recently released a new feature called RSVP that lets you set a meeting and send out a link where people can RSVP their attendance. As the meeting organizer, this gives you a list of attendees and an easy way to contact them. I feel partially responsible for this new addition to my favorite calendar app because I’ve been needling Team Fantastical about adding something like this since I opened the MacSparky Labs, where Zoom events take place on a regular basis.
Mac Power Users 756: Exploring NotePlan with David Roth
David Roth joins Stephen and me on this episode of Mac Power Users to cover NotePlan, an application that combines tasks, events, and notes in some really interesting ways. We discuss how to be more productive using its unique features, and compare it with some other applications.
This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:
- Ecamm: Powerful live streaming platform for Mac. Get 30% off now.
- Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MPU.
- Xojo: Create native cross-platform apps. Use code MPU24 for 15% off any license.
Digital Journal Entry 5,000
I recently hit entry number 5,000 in Day One. That’s over a decades worth of entries.
Whither Apple Calendar?
I have noted that Apple continues to make progress on its productivity application suite. Apple Notes is no longer a joke; it is a powerful tool that many people are using effectively. Reminders is also on an upswing. While certainly not a tier-one task manager, it has most of the features that people are looking for and continues to make yearly improvements.
Apple’s Calendar app is the exception, however. There’s been a lot of evolution in how we manage calendars, and Calendar has yet to keep up with any of it. While the application is acceptable for keeping track of dental and other appointments, even its touted Reminders integration (introduced in macOS Sequoia) is half-baked. A powerful calendar app can make a huge difference in our productivity if harnessed correctly. The problem with Calendar is that it doesn’t have any of the tools necessary to do so. Moreover, from the outside, it looks like Apple has no intention of ever adding those features.
Focused 209: A System for Writing, with Bob Doto
Writer Bob Doto joins Mike and me on this episode of Focused to discuss creative systems, connecting ideas, and why you really should care about Zettelkasten.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by: