Apple Frames 3.3 Adds Support for iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, M4 iPad Pro, and Apple Watch Series 10 (feat. An Unexpected Technical Detour)

Apple Frames 3.3 supports all the new devices released by Apple in 2024. Well, this certainly took longer than expected. Today, I’m happy to finally release version 3.3 of Apple Frames, my shortcut to put screenshots inside physical frames of Apple devices. In this new version, w … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 2 hours ago

The Best Amazon Black Friday Gadget Deals, as Selected by the MacStories Team

There’s a lot on sale during Amazon’s weeklong Black Friday event. I’ve been combing through the deals and found some great gadget buys, which I’ve summarized below. For even more deals, Club MacStories+ and Premier members should visit our Black Friday Discord channel, where mem … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 hours ago

Apple Announces 45 App Store Awards Finalists for 2024

Source: Apple. Today, Apple announced the finalists for its App Store Awards, a selection of apps picked by the App Store Editorial team each fall to recognize “exceptional user experience, design, and innovation from developers across the world.” This year’s awards are a little … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 hours ago

Capacities: A Novel Approach to Note-Taking [Sponsor]

Having a calm and personal space in which to make sense of the world is crucial in the age of information overload. You must be able to capture what’s important to you and have a distraction-free place to process it. Capacities is a note-taking app that wants to be just that. A n … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 6 hours ago

The Latest from Comfort Zone, Magic Rays of Light, and MacStories Unwind

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts: Comfort Zone Matt brings his latest obsession, Niléane wants to talk about Bluesky, and Chris challenges the gang to automate something. Magic Rays of Light Sigmund and Devon highlight the return of Silo, dive in to T … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 days ago

A Peek into the Past Through the Lens of the Early iPhone’s Camera

Riley Walz has created a marvelous couch potato project that peeks into a different era of the iPhone and YouTube. The idea behind Walz’s project, which I stumbled upon thanks to a story written by Umar Shakir at The Verge, is simple. The project is called ‘IMG_0001,’ because, as … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 days ago

Creating Gradients with Your iPhone and an App Clip

Recently on AppStories, I asked listeners to suggest apps for creating gradients. I’ve tried a few, but none have grabbed me yet, so I’d sort of given up for the time being. But then a listener suggested something totally different and amazing: a prototype App Clip that uses your … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 days ago

Shazam Crosses 100 Billion Songs Recognized

According to Apple, Shazam has recognized over 100 billion songs, a staggering number of songs. To help put the milestone in perspective Apple shared some statistics: That’s equivalent to 12 songs identified for every person on Earth. A person would need to use Shazam to identify … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 days ago

Control Ultimate Edition Is Coming to the Mac Early Next Year

Source: Remedy Entertainment. At WWDC this year, Apple announced that Control Ultimate Edition from Remedy Entertainment would be coming to the Mac. At the time, no release date was announced, but thanks to a Remedy investor event, we now know that the game is slated to arrive on … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 days ago

The Latest from NPC: Next Portable Console and AppStories

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts: AppStories This week, Federico and John interview Robb Knight, John’s co-host on Ruminate, a show about the open web, snacks, and the occasional videogame about Mastodon, ActivityPub, and the apps Robb uses day-to-day … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 6 days ago

A Feature from 10 Years Ago Is Back – with a Twist – in My Favorite RSS Client

Unread’s new custom shortcuts. When it comes to productivity apps, especially those that have to work within the constraints of iOS and iPadOS, it’s rare these days to stumble upon a new idea that has never been tried before. With the exception of objectively new technologies suc … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 6 days ago

MacStories Is on Bluesky

It’s been another busy year for social networks. It seems more recent, but it was nearly a year ago that Threads became available in the EU and we introduced readers to the MacStories team there. Now, Bluesky has taken off, with many MacStories readers moving their social media l … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 7 days ago

Transit Can Now Track Underground Trains without GPS

Source: Transit Earlier this month, Transit, one of my favorite apps of all time, gained an impressive new feature: the app is now able to track your train and warn you when you are about to reach your destination even when your train is underground. Previously, Transit had to re … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 7 days ago

The Latest from Comfort Zone, Magic Rays of Light, and MacStories Unwind

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts: Comfort Zone Niléane has a fancy new way to block ads and annoyances, Chris has our first look at a bunch of Final Cut Pro updates, and then we all judge the best apps on the App Store with Orange icons. Sponsored thi … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 days ago

The Mac mini Excels as a Videogame Emulation System

Over at Retro Game Corps, Russ Crandall put the new M4 Mac mini through its paces to see how it handled videogame emulation. As Crandall’s video demonstrates, even the base model version of Apple’s tiny Mac did very well: Crandall walks viewers through the basics of setting up Em … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 11 days ago

Apple Releases Updates to Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for the Mac and iPad

The Magnetic Mask. Source: Apple. Today, Apple revealed the latest updates to Final Cut Pro for the Mac and iPad, with both offering a variety of new features and simplified workflows. Final Cut Pro 11 for the Mac has added magnetic masks, extending the “magnetic” metaphor used f … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 11 days ago

Kino 1.2 Adds Camera Control Support and Higher Resolution and Frame Rate Recording

Source: Lux Camera. Lux Camera’s video camera app Kino has been updated to version 1.2, bringing a variety of new features and a redesigned icon. I covered the debut of Kino back in May and have been using it a lot lately because it’s design makes taking great-looking video so ea … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 12 days ago

Apple Announces New Games Coming to Apple Arcade

Source: Apple. Apple has announced fifteen games coming to Apple Arcade between December 5 and January 9, ranging from all-new titles to App Store games making the jump to Arcade. Snowman is making another Skate City game dedicated to New York. The original Arcade title takes pla … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 12 days ago

App Store Connect Adds New Tools for Developers to Promote Their Apps

Source: Apple. App Store Connect, the web app that developers use to submit their apps to Apple’s App Store and manage them, was updated yesterday with new tools developers can use to promote their apps. Source: Apple. Developers have been able to submit promotional requests to A … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 12 days ago

The Latest from AppStories and Ruminate

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts: AppStories This week, Federico and I are joined by Chris Lawley for a fun defense of his taste in music and beverages, plus a discussion of Apple’s acquisition of Pixelmator, working on the iPad, Final Cut Pro for iPa … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 12 days ago

Pre-Orders Begin for Book Commemorating Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums

Apple Music has teamed up with Assouline, a book publisher based in Paris and London, to sell a $450 book that commemorates Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums of all time. If you haven’t heard of Assouline before, it’s known for its high-end books and other items: Today, through its e … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 13 days ago

Horse Browser Tries Its Hooves at a New Take on Tabs

In 2024, web browsers mostly all look the same. Their user interfaces always feature an address bar at the top of the window and horizontal tabs that allow you to navigate through multiple websites. So whenever a new browser tries to shake things up and innovate on this basic pre … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 14 days ago

Denim Adds Direct Spotify Integration to Customize Playlist Artwork

Denim’s Spotify integration. I don’t remember exactly when I started using Denim, but it was years ago, and I was looking for a way to spruce up the covers of my playlists. I was using Apple Music at the time, and it was before Apple added basic playlist cover generation features … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 14 days ago

Inoreader: A Smarter Way to Discover, Manage, and Streamline Content

Inoreader, a trusted platform for content discovery and organization, has introduced a comprehensive redesign of its web application to enhance how users find, manage, and share content online. With a fresh and intuitive interface, this update brings powerful tools for organizing … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 14 days ago

The Latest from Comfort Zone, Magic Rays of Light, and MacStories Unwind

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts: Comfort Zone Chris breaks down Apple Intelligence, and while Matt is under the weather, he brings the good Nintendo vibes. Then we all do our best to speak a different language, with delightful results. Magic Rays of … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 16 days ago

Building a Downtime Home Screen Featuring Louie Mantia’s Retro Gaming Icons

Louie Mantia has been making beautiful icons for many years, both as one of the owners of icon design studio Parakeet and as personal side projects. Recently, two of Mantia’s personal projects caught my eye because they combine my love of classic games with the technology I use e … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 18 days ago

Raycast Overhauls Its Notes Feature

Raycast has always been more than an app launcher. From the start, it has included a multitude of other handy utilities, including Floating Notes. I’ve used Floating Notes now and then to park a bit of text where I knew I’d be able to find it later. Because the note floated above … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 19 days ago

The Latest from NPC: Next Portable Console and AppStories

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts: AppStories This week, Federico and I are joined by Jonathan Reed to check in on the parts of watchOS 11 that he’s still using, talk about browsing the web from an Apple Watch, and dig into the apps he uses day-to-day. … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 19 days ago

Dave Lee Reveals the Old-School Technology and Flaws Behind the tinyPod

Announced back in May, the tinyPod is a plastic case that turns your strapless Apple Watch into an iPod-like phone. The company claims the case can make a cellular Apple Watch your “phone away from phone” with core apps like Messages, Phone, Music, Maps, and more. You can even us … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 20 days ago

Michael MJD Revisits the Short-Lived HP TouchPad and Its Precursor Multitasking UI

On YouTube, the fantastic Michael MJD—known for exploring the history of tech devices and software—recently revisited the 2011 HP TouchPad. This short-lived tablet is quite fascinating. It originally shipped with webOS, an operating system which was ahead of its time, featuring a … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 20 days ago

Mac Hacks: Everyday Tailscale Uses for People Who Aren’t Network Administrators

During our Club MacStories Fall Membership Drive, I published my Mac Hacks column, an exclusive perk of Club MacStories+ and Club Premier. Mac Hacks is about exploring new ways of using the Mac and integrating it with other devices and novel workflows. My latest column is all abo … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 21 days ago

iPod Fans Are Trying to Preserve Lost Click Wheel Games

I last wrote about iPod click wheel games here on MacStories in…2011, when Apple officially delisted them from the iTunes Store. Thirteen years later, some enterprising iPod fans are trying to preserve those games and find a way to let other old-school iPod fans play them today. … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 21 days ago

CoverSutra Adds a Standalone Apple Music Client to Your Mac’s Menu Bar

CoverSutra by Sophiestication is a name that may sound familiar if you’re as ancient as Federico, who last reviewed the app on MacStories in January 2010. At the time, the app was a fully-featured iTunes controller. It could display your music in the menu bar as well on the Deskt … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 21 days ago

Pixelmator Pro: Professional Image Editing Tools Anyone Can Use [Sponsor]

Pixelmator Pro proves that powerful Mac image editors don’t need to be complex. The app is designed for ultimate ease of use. It’s the ‘image editor for the rest of us’ who want a native Mac app that’s instantly familiar. The app includes a refined, single-window design that puts … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 21 days ago

The Latest from Comfort Zone, Magic Rays of Light, and MacStories Unwind

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts: Comfort Zone Matt buys his first ereader, Niléane has moved to a new calendar app, and for the challenge everyone did something with Stage Manager. Magic Rays of Light Sigmund and Devon discuss the first five years of … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 24 days ago

Pixelmator Team to Join Apple

Today, the Pixelmator team (this and next week’s MacStories sponsor) announced on their company blog that they plan to join Apple after regulatory approvals are obtained. The Pixelmator team had this to say about the news: We’ve been inspired by Apple since day one, crafting our … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 24 days ago

Apple Reports Q4 2024 Financial Results

Last quarter, Apple reported revenue of $85.8 billion, which was a 5% year-over-year gain. Today, fourth-quarter earnings are out and Apple reported revenue of $94.9 billion, a 6% year-over-year gain. Also, the diluted earnings per share was $1.64 a 12% year-over-year gain. Both … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 24 days ago

A Roundup of Club MacStories Giveaways and Discounts

Tomorrow, November 1st, is the final day of the Club MacStories Fall Membership Drive. So if you haven’t jumped on our deal to get 20% off any annual plan with the code ‘CLUB2024’, you can read more about it here. Each of the Club’s three tiers offers a variety of perks, but toda … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 25 days ago

Nintendo Releases a Music App

Nintendo just released a surprise new iOS app: Nintendo Music, a music player that draws on Nintendo’s decades of videogame soundtracks. The iPhone-only app is an exclusive perk for Nintendo Online members. Once you sign into your account, you’re greeted with a deep catalog of cl … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 25 days ago

Apple Reveals New M4 MacBook Pros

Source: Apple. In its third and likely last Mac announcement this week, Apple revealed updates to the MacBook Pro line of laptops, which includes Pro and Max variants of the M4 chipsets in the same 14-inch and 16-inch form factors we’ve seen in the MacBook Pro line for the past f … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 26 days ago

GameSir G8+ iPad mini and iPhone Controller Walkthrough

The new iPad mini is the first model with Wi-Fi 6E support, which makes it the best mini for game streaming yet. Of course, it’s a great size for playing App Store and Apple Arcade games too. Last weekend, I did an in-depth review of the GameSir G8+ for Club MacStories Weekly, wh … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 26 days ago

Pokémon TCG Pocket Launches Early

Pokémon TCG Pocket, originally slated to be released on October 31st, is out now and available to download from the App Store. The free-to-play game from The Pokémon Company recreates the company’s trading cards as a mobile experience, with a focus on collecting and casual battli … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 26 days ago

The Latest from AppStories and Ruminate

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts: AppStories This week, Federico and John are joined by Niléane Dorffer who writes at MacStories and is a co-host of Comfort Zone, a show all about trying new things in your tech life, to talk about three of Niléane’s f … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 26 days ago

The More Mini Mac mini

Source: Apple. Today, Apple announced the new M4 Mac mini via a press release. The new mini’s chip jumped from M2 to M4, which is available in both its base and Pro configurations. However, what’s most remarkable about the Mac mini is its size. The new design measures just 5 inch … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 27 days ago

What It’s Like to Hear Better with AirPods Pro 2

I’ll admit, I was a little apprehensive about taking Apple’s hearing test. I’ve spent my fair share of time at loud concerts and shouting above the din in crowded bars, so I was fairly certain the test would show my hearing isn’t what it once was. The question was, “How bad is it … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 27 days ago

Apple Reveals A Partial Timeline for the Rollout of More Apple Intelligence Features

Last week, Apple released the first developer betas of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS 15.2, which the press speculated would be out by the end of the year. It turns out that was a good call because today, Apple confirmed that timing. In its press release about the Apple Intelli … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 28 days ago

You Can Use Clean Up with a Clear Conscience

I enjoyed this take on Apple Intelligence’s Clean Up feature by Joe Rosensteel, writing for Six Colors last week: The photographs you take are not courtroom evidence. They’re not historical documents. Well, they could be, but mostly they’re images to remember a moment or share th … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 28 days ago

Apple Releases Magic Keyboard, Trackpad, and Mouse with USB-C

Source: Apple. Today, Apple finally released USB-C versions of the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad in white and black. The accessories don’t appear to have changed substantially from the models they replace, except for the fact that they can be connected to a Mac … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 28 days ago