A note from MacSparky Hi Friend, Your pal, David P.S. Do you want to help me out? Why not recommend this newsletter to a friend? Read this post on macsparky.com
4 days ago • 1 min read
A Note From MacSparky Hi friend, There's a lot of head-scratching going on outside Apple right now with all the management changes over the last few weeks. Many of these changes were predictable. As people get older, they tend to retire and want to spend some of their Apple wealth enjoying life. John Giannandrea's departure was also predictable, given the public criticism following the problems with Siri. The only real surprise has been Alan Dye. The reaction from the cheap seats has been...
10 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Friend, If I have a superpower, it's probably this: I'm immune to social media. It's been years since I've used Twitter or any Twitter-like app. (I know the name has changed but the last time I used it was long before that.) I've never gotten hooked. Never felt that pull to scroll. Never lost hours to the feed. Until last month. I decided to give Instagram a real shot. Just to see what all the fuss was about. I figured maybe I'd been missing something. The algorithm was terrifyingly good....
24 days ago • 2 min read
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...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
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...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
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...
2 months ago • 1 min read
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...
2 months ago • 3 min read
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...
3 months ago • 1 min read
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...
4 months ago • 4 min read