Hello friend, We recently got an update to the iPad mini (hooray!) The latest version is a solid upgrade, making the iPad mini more capable thanks to additional memory improving its ability to handle the coming Apple’s Intelligence features. But it’s hardly a massive leap forward. I often hear from people asking, “Which iPad size should I get?” The answer, as always: it depends. For me, the starting point for any iPad purchase is the iPad Air with its 10.9” screen. It’s a great all-around...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hello friend, I’ve mentioned several times on my podcasts that we’re experiencing a renaissance in automation, particularly on the Mac. This shift isn’t driven by a single tool but rather by the interoperability of a collection of tools. AppleScript has been available on the Mac for decades, offering significant automation opportunities if you want to learn it. AppleScript allows users to connect applications and work with the same data to accomplish unified tasks. However, for many, learning...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello friend, With the public release of iOS 18.1 looming, I thought it was time to share a few of my thoughts, having used the Apple Intelligence features throughout the beta. I am listing them according to their utility (at least to me). Apple Intelligence and Photos The photos-related AI features in 18.1 are my favorite. The Clean Up feature is way more powerful than I expected and ridiculously easy to use. Here is a video I made about it for the MacSparky Labs members. The Memories on...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello friend, Earlier this year, I had a chance to spend time in London, and I made a point to return to the British Museum. Specifically I was interested in the Parthenon pieces. I've been in that room before, but I felt like I didn't experience these artifacts properly. So this time I spent three hours in the Parthenon room. I studied each piece, I reviewed each placard, I even spent some time reading additional resources concerning those ancient pieces. They have the pieces from the...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello friend, I recently read Dr. Drang’s post, which explained a new workflow he’s trying to sort out with the text editor Tot, a beautiful little app that’s perfect for tracking just a few notes. Towards the bottom of his post he explains why he’s not using Drafts: I was worried that my notes would get lost in its infinitude ...Tot’s limitations impose a discipline that will (I hope) have me going through my dictated notes and clearing them out frequently. There is a trend for users to...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Friend, In an era of ever-expanding smartphone screens, a curious trend persists: many tech-savvy individuals, including several of my friends from Relay, still cling to their small iPhones. So, should Apple continue to offer a compact iPhone option despite its reportedly lower sales figures? Apple has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the small iPhone form factor. However, recent trends suggest that Apple is less enthusiastic about smaller models. Industry insiders report that...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Hello, friends! Many words have been applied to me throughout my lifetime, but very rarely has the word “spontaneous” been used. I suspect that’s true for a lot of my subscribers. As I’ve gotten older, however, I lean into it more than I used to. A good example is my daughter’s play at Edinburgh Fringe Fest. My youngest daughter wrote a play that’s getting produced at the Edinburgh Fringe Fest this week. As soon as I realized she was going, there was a long debate about whether I should go....
5 months ago • 1 min read
It's Never the Tools As the Paris Olympics wrap up, my favorite meme from the games is the story of Yousef Dikeç, the Turkish sharpshooter. I had no idea how much gear is involved in Olympic-caliber shooting. Special heavy clothes limit your motion. Special glasses with special lenses allow you to see your sight and target perfectly. Eye patches that would make Blackbeard jealous prevent your brain from getting confused. The whole thing starts to give off a Locutus of Borg feel. And then...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Friend, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about artificial intelligence. There are a lot of good uses for it, but the one everyone talks about is writing. People are transfixed by its ability to write college-level essays. As AI technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, more and more people are turning to it for help with everything from drafting emails to generating content for the internet. This repels me. While the efficiency of these tools can’t be denied, I’ve decided to take a...
5 months ago • 1 min read