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David Sparks (MacSparky)

In a world where technology is increasingly conspiring to steal our focus and attention, my goal is to teach you how to be more productive with Apple technology. I want to help you achieve what is most important to you and enjoy your life at the same time using technology instead of becoming another one of its victims. Pretty much everything I make points at that North Star. I believe in this message so much that I’ve staked my livelihood on it.

Featured Post

Speed Should Not Always Be the Metric

Hello Friend, Too often, we treat speed as the primary goal in optimization. Faster is better! While modern technology and automation offer countless ways to accelerate our lives, the question we need to ask is: should we? There are times when delay is a feature, not a bug. Going slower has its own benefits, giving you more time for consideration and intentionality. It’s also a satisfying way to occasionally give the finger to the modern world and its relentless demands. I’ve recently begun...

Hi Friend, The most interesting part of launching the Apple Productivity Suite Field Guide? Watching people discover they've been working too hard. Here's what's happening: Someone running five different productivity apps went through the course and realized the Apple apps are good enough and everything already talks to each other. They consolidated to three apps in a weekend. "I spent more time managing my productivity system than being productive," they wrote. "Now I just... work." Another...

Hello Friend, Apple has been quietly building a complete productivity ecosystem into every device you own. But without proper guidance, these apps feel basic, disconnected, and underpowered. The Apple Productivity Suite Field Guide reveals the hidden 80% of Apple's productivity suite (Notes, Reminders, Calendar, and Freeform) that transforms free apps into a system that rivals anything you can buy. Use Code APSLAUNCH for 10% off for a limited time. Apple Productivity Suite Field Guide - Pro...

Hi Friend, I’ve been thinking about the idea of the creative act and how it inspires joy in humans. I recently watched a documentary about a group of jazz musicians who were lamenting how no one is really willing to pay them what they’re worth. Club owners barely compensate these musicians, so why don’t they just take jobs digging ditches or doing something else more stable? I think the answer lies in the joy of creation. As humans, I believe when we are creating, we are being our most...

Hello Friend, If you've been listening to the Mac Power Users podcast the last few years, you've heard me slowly come around to the fact that Apple's productivity apps — Reminders, Notes, Calendar, and Freeform — are getting pretty good. But getting the most out of those apps takes some work. Most people use about 20% of what Apple's built-in productivity apps can actually do. The other 80%? It's a hidden ecosystem of integrations, automations, and workflows that Apple never advertises. I've...

The No List App Hi Friend, This week I shipped an app. It's called The No List, and while it might seem like a simple idea, I think it addresses one of the most important productivity challenges we face today. Let me back up a bit. For years, I've been interested in the idea of building my own app. Part of it was the challenge—could someone who spends their days writing about technology actually create some? Part of it was scratching a very specific itch that no existing app seemed to...

My First Draft of this Newsleter. Hi Friends, I very much have an analog side. Sometimes I find slowing down and writing things down helps me process thoughts a little better. That doesn't mean the things I write with paper and pencil necessarily stay that way forever, but quite often, it's an excellent first draft. As an analog explorer, I've gone down the rabbit hole over the years of fancy pens, including fountain pens. But several years ago, I found an old box of pencils and decided on a...

Hi Friend, Recently, we had a family celebration. The reason is irrelevant, but the means of our celebration was our usual. We went to Disneyland. We’re fortunate to live close, and two of the four members of my immediate family work for Mickey. So, we went to “the park,” where we shared a meal at a restaurant, rode the Pirates of the Caribbean, shared a delicious cookie, and stretched our legs by walking through the park before heading home. It was delightful. While eating our meal, there...

Hi [FORMATTED_FIRST_NAME GOES HERE], I tore through Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series when I was about twelve. At first, I assumed the story would follow Hari Seldon, the brilliant mathematician who kicks off the series by predicting the collapse and rebirth of galactic civilization. Twelve-year-old me loved Hari, and I couldn't wait to see his story unfold. Then the books leapt forward … by centuries. Seldon slipped from living legend to myth, from myth to footnote, and finally into...

Hi Friend, Apple’s WWDC 2025 was, in many ways, a return to form. That was the title of this week’s Mac Power Users episode, and I stand by it. Apple delivered a compelling presentation that reminded us what Apple is best at: thoughtful design, tight integration, and bold ideas across the ecosystem. Chief among those ideas was the unveiling of a completely new user interface, “Liquid Glass.” It’s more than just eye candy. It’s a technical and aesthetic achievement that unifies the feel of...