MacSparky

Logitech just released versions of their MX Master mouse and keyboard aimed directly at the Mac. 9to5 Mac did a generally positive review of the whole set. My Logitech Journey I’d always been hesitant to use the Logitech gear because I had a bad experience…

On the latest episode of Focused, I’m tweaking my shutdown routine and prepping for my for sabbatical. Mike’s unpacking his hybrid productivity system. And we each have our own productivity challenge to complete.This episode of Focused is sponsored…

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…

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,…

On the this week’s episode of Automators, Rosemary and I bring you all of the automation news from Apple's 2020 Developer Conference.This episode of Automators is sponsored by:The Uptake, from Microsoft: A new show on all things tech and community from…

The Internet has been losing its mind the last several days over a rumor that Apple will ship the next iPhone without a charger or cable. The argument for is, of course, that you need a charger and a cable if you want to keep using your phone past the first…

I love it when tools I use every day want to sponsor MacSparky.com. A case in point is this week’s sponsor, TextExpander. I use that application every day. I am currently working on a complicated transaction where we have a pile of exhibits, all with…

As COVIC-19 comes roaring back, Apple is closing Apple stores in multiple states (including my home state, California). All of the work Apple has done to improve the online Apple Store experience over the last few years is paying off for them. Thus far, Apple…

I am currently hard at work on an all-new second edition of the Paperless Field Guide. I am already deep in production and pleased with how it is coming out. While the curriculum is pretty thorough, it isn’t in stone just yet. If you’ve got ideas or…

It's beta season, and on the latest episode of Mac Power Users, Stephen and I have reported for duty with reports of new features and general thoughts on macOS Big Sur, iOS and iPadOS 14, as well as watchOS 7. Plus, a brief announcement about something coming…

Steven Sinofsky, formerly of Microsoft, had an interesting Twitter thread a few days ago that was complimentary of Apple and its ability to ship their own Apple silicon. I read through the thread, and at one point he explains the sort of focus it takes for a…

Every year, it is fun to look at the announcements from WWDC and look for the breadcrumbs that lead to new Apple hardware. Often signs exist pointing to new features, hardware, and screen sizes. You just have to look for them. That’s why many folks are…

The reason the Pomodoro Technique is so popular is because it takes almost no effort to implement and immediately delivers real productivity. If you're going to use the Pomodoro Technique on your Mac, I recommend Tomato 2, this week's sponsor. Just like the…

Speaking of YouTube …

I couldn’t help myself and installed the iOS 14 beta on my iPhone. There are a lot of nice new features, but one obscure one is Back Tap. This new accessibility feature lets you trigger Accessibility functions by tapping the back of your phone two or three…

The Pen Addict Brad Dowdy joins Mike and me on this week’s episode of Focused to explain how he struggles to stay focused and discovers that he is a time blocker. We also get very nerdy about pens and paper toward the end.This episode of Focused is…

It’s Keynote day, and Apple had more announcements than I expected during a global pandemic. So here are a few thoughts following the 2020 WWDC Keynote:It was dense. There was a lot of information pushed out in those two hours. There were no fluffy demos…

Buckle up, gang. It’s WWDC day, and starting today at 10 AM Pacific Apple is going to be showing off its latest changes for the Mac, iPad, iPhone, and all of its other hardware. I particularly like WWDC because I think Apple needs to do the most work on the…

Charty developer Rodrigo Araujo joins Rosemary and me on this week’s episode of Automators to talk about using Charty with Shortcuts. He also shares some of his favorite personal automations.This episode of Automators is sponsored by:PDFpen, from Smile:…

I spent the last week guesting on Ken Ray’s In a Few Minutes podcast. It was a lot of fun and topics covered range from iBooks Author to my five-song jazz playlist. Enjoy.