Tucked Away Nearby: A Refinement of my Desk Setup

When Federico and I published our setups last November, I was happy with mine, but there was still something that bothered me. Every day, I wound up with too much stuff strewn across my desk. At the same time, some of the things I use most days felt annoyingly out of reach. These … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

MacStories Unwind: John’s Surprise Payback

[audio_player src=”https://traffic.libsyn.com/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/MacStories_Unwind_Episode_2024-02-02.mp3” mime_type=”audio/mpeg” total_duration=”00:28:52” caption=”“] [subscribe_to_unwind] This week on MacStories Unwind, John turns the tables, surprising Federi … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Apple Reports Quarterly Revenue of $119.6 Billion for Q1 2024

Apple earned how much? Last quarter, Apple reported that its revenue came in at $89.5 billion, which was down year-over-year but slightly more than expected. Today, the company reported $119.6 billion in revenue for the first quarter of 2024, which include the holiday season and … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

The Browser Company Announces Act II for Arc: ‘The Browser That Browses For You’

Today, The Browser Company announced a selection of new features coming to their Arc browser for Mac as part of what they are billing ’Act II’ of their increasingly popular app. There are four features in total, centered around the theme of ‘the browser that browses for you.’ For … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Magic Rays of Light: Argylle and Imagining Spatial Computing with Swan Song

[audio_player src=”https://traffic.libsyn.com/523780f5-37d4-4397-9a07-f454cb69eb24/MROL_107_FINAL_FINAL_REALLY.mp3” total_duration=”01:13:58” caption=”“] This week on Magic Rays of Light, Sigmund and Devon discuss Apple Original Film Argylle ahead of its theatrical debut, our fir … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

On Vision Pro’s Spatial Computing

There’s no tech commentator better equipped to talk about the history of spatial interfaces in Apple operating systems than John Siracusa, and I enjoyed his latest, thought-provoking column on where visionOS and the Vision Pro’s gesture system fit in the spatial computing world: … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

The Iconfactory Launches Project Tapestry, a Kickstarter Campaign to Create a Universal Inbox for RSS, Social Media, and More

Source: The Iconfactory. We’re at an exciting moment in the history of the Internet where the downsides of walled gardens of content have become painfully obvious to more people than ever. Those downsides weren’t so clear when companies like Twitter got their start. As it and oth … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

What Reviewers Have Learned about Apple Vision Pro

By the time most Apple hardware is released, we usually know every minute detail of the specs and have a pretty good idea of what using it will be like. That hasn’t been the case with the Apple Vision Pro. Apple conducted multiple waves of demos in the months since WWDC 2023, but … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

AppStories, Episode 368 – Workflow Experiments

This week on AppStories, we explore workflows we’ve been trying in a variety of apps. [subscribe_to_appstories] Sponsored by: Memberful - Help your clients monetize their passion. Get started for free today! On AppStories+, Federico and John follow up last week’s Vision Pro episo … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

QuickTime VR and Spatial Computing

Source: Tabletops. Soon, the world will get a glimpse of the Apple Vision Pro outside of the tightly controlled demos provided to a select number of people. As we wait for that moment, it’s worth taking a look back at QuickTime VR with Michael Steeber through his excellent newsle … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Arc Search Review: My New Default iPhone Browser

Every once in a while, I come across a new app whose design, feature set, or combination of the two redefines my expectations for a particular category of software. The new Arc Search app for iPhone, which is launching today on the App Store as a separate app from The Browser Com … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Kolide: Struggling to Afford Cybersecurity Insurance? Here’s Why. [Sponsor]

When MGM Resorts suffered a $100 million hack in September, CEO Bill Hornbuckle wasn’t too worried about the lost revenue, because cyber insurance would cover the tab. “I can only imagine what next year’s bill will be,” he joked. Weeks later, on a call with analysts, Hornbuckle c … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Understanding Apple’s Response to the DMA

Source: Apple. What a week. When it began to look like Apple would announce how it planned to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), I expected small changes at the margins that wouldn’t significantly move the needle in the EU or anywhere else. Boy, I was wrong. Instead, … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Add Timestamp Links to Apple Podcasts Next

Matthew Cassinelli: Yesterday, Apple began adding transcripts to Apple Podcasts, detailing the change on the Apple Podcast for Creators site and making them available for in iOS 17.4 developer beta 1. This change is a huge win for accessibility, will surely improve searching in t … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Obsidian’s ‘2023 Gems of the Year’

Silver, writing on the Obsidian blog: It has been nearly four years since the first line of code of Obsidian was written on January 31st, 2020. Today we’re thrilled to announce the winners of our fourth annual Gems of the Year awards! This year the Obsidian community nominated 28 … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

MacStories Unwind: Diablo Mode, Part 3 of Federico’s Gaming Surprise

[audio_player src=”https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/0de98bba-5e4d-4879-94dc-8c76a3a88322/episodes/a4894787-cf59-4fd2-a667-bb106c63d924/audio/48df2b0b-b714-45b0-a0ee-edb6ae9e3113/default_tc.mp3?nocache” mime_type=”audio/mpeg” total_duration=”00:38:36” caption=”“] [subscribe_to_unw … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Apple Shares List of Alternate Browsers That Will Be Available to EU Users in iOS 17.4

One element of the changes coming to iOS in the European Union is that beginning with iOS 17.4, EU users will see a choice of browsers when they first launch Safari that can be set as the systemwide default browser. For each country, that list will contain the 12 most popular bro … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Apple Introduces Transcripts for Podcasts

I switch to Apple system apps every summer to test the latest versions of the company’s OSes. I usually return to my favorite third-party apps over time, but Apple Podcasts has been an outlier since last summer for various reasons. The app has come a long way in recent years, and … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Apple Details How It Plans to Comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act

Today, Apple announced how it intends to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which the European Commission says applies to the App Store. There are a lot of details to cover, but in summary, radical change is coming to the EU App Store, but only in the EU. Let’s take a loo … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

The macOS App Icon Book: A Mini Review

Are you still basking in the glow of the Mac’s 40th anniversary and longing for a little more nostalgia? Well, I’ve got it for you with Michael Flarup’s latest book of iconography, The macOS App Icon Book. I loved Flarup’s book of iOS icons and was excited when I heard months ago … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Apple Shares the Secret of Why the 40-Year-Old Mac Still Rules

Steven Levy, writing for Wired, interviewed Apple executives about the secret to the Mac’s 40-year run: “With the transition to Apple silicon that we started in 2020, the experience of using a Mac was unlike anything before that,” says John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president o … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Magic Rays of Light: Apple Vision Pro Preorders, Masters Of The Air, HFR, And An Historic Oscar Nomination

This week on Magic Rays of Light, Sigmund and Devon share their experiences with Apple Vision Pro preorders, highlight Apple Original war drama series Masters of the Air ahead of its debut this weekend, and break down all of the Apple FYC news in the wake of BAFTA and Oscar Award … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

40 Years of Macintosh

This morning, the Steve Jobs Archive remembered the 40th anniversary of the Mac with a message to its email subscribers that tells the story of when Rolling Stone photographer Norman Seeff and reporter Steven Levy visited Apple. It’s a great anecdote that captures the spirit of t … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Author of ICONIC Marks the Mac’s 40th Anniversary with Over 1,000 Photos

Jonathan Zufi, the creator behind the coffee table book ICONIC - A Photographic Tribute To Apple Innovation has dug into his archive of Mac photography to mark the 40th anniversary of the Mac with over 1,000 photos and videos that he’s taken and collected over the years, all of w … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

AppStories, Episode 367 – Apple Vision Pro Preparations, Questions, and Apps

This week on AppStories, we kick Apple Vision Pro preparations into high gear, sharing the questions we still have about the device and discussing the apps developers are working on. [subscribe_to_appstories] Sponsored by: Notion – Do your most efficient work with Notion AI. Try … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Hands-On: Ford Debuts New in-Car Digital Platform with Dual-Screen Apple Maps via CarPlay

Today, Ford announced its next-generation in-car infotainment system built on Google’s Android Automotive platform, which includes an expansion of its CarPlay support. Chance Miller at 9to5Mac got a preview of the new system last week, which includes support for a variety of buil … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Apple Releases iOS and iPadOS 17.3 with Collaborative Playlists, Stolen Device Protection, New Black Unity Wallpaper, and More

Today, Apple released iOS and iPadOS 17.3, the third major updates to the operating systems that launched in September and Federico reviewed on MacStories. iOS and iPadOS 17.3 bring only a couple of major new features, including one that was previously expected to be released in … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

The Vision Pro’s Most Important App Is Safari

Interesting perspective by David Pierce, writing for The Verge, on how, for the time being, Vision Pro users may have to use Safari to access popular services more than they anticipated: But what if you don’t need the App Store to reach Apple users anymore? All this corporate inf … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Textastic Code Editor [Sponsor]

Textastic is the most comprehensive and versatile text and code editor for iPad and iPhone. This begins with support for syntax highlighting of more than 80 programming and markup languages: Textastic covers a wide range, including HTML, JavaScript, CSS, C, C++, Swift, Objective- … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Federico’s Evolving Setup

Federico with the Z13 Acronym. Just like the App Store Review Guidelines, our Setups page is a living document. Federico and I are always tweaking and refining the gear we use, so it should come as no surprise that today, Federico updated his sections of the Setups page with new … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

MacStories Unwind: Godzilla Vs. Ticci’s Surprise, Part 2

[audio_player src=”https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/0de98bba-5e4d-4879-94dc-8c76a3a88322/episodes/067e4f59-2a7b-4333-a65c-af10dca0fcd9/audio/dc691d3c-cfc6-4213-bcaf-cf9e0508b218/default_tc.mp3?nocache” mime_type=”audio/mpeg” total_duration=”00:31:10” caption=”“] [subscribe_to_unw … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Apple Releases a Guided Tour of Vision Pro and Shares a Making Of Video

Source: Apple. Apple has released a guided tour of Vision Pro on its website that walks through a bunch of its features. Whether or not you’re planning to purchase Apple Vision Pro, this video is worth taking the time to watch. It’s about ten minutes long and covers many of the d … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Every Apple Vision Pro Accessory Option

The Vision Pro Travel Case. If you finished the Apple Vision Pro checkout process with any money left in your bank account, Apple has several accessories available for its new spatial computing headset. The Vision Pro battery. At the $199 price point, you have three options: A sp … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

A Survey of Popular Apps Currently Compatible With Apple Vision Pro

Source: Apple. We’re excited about the Apple Vision Pro. In planning our coverage at MacStories, we’ve already collected a list of over 50 apps from some of our favorite developers who have been hard at work on visionOS versions of their apps. Soon after the Vision Pro ships, you … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

BenQ ScreenBar Halo: Lighting Your Entire Desk Setup

Years ago, I bought a BenQ ScreenBar with Dial. It sat perched on top of my display, bathing my desk in light. I loved it, except for the cables that snaked down the back of my monitor: one to power it via USB-A and the other leading to a knob for turning it on and […] | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Magic Rays of Light Joins MacStories, Apple Vision Pro, Immersive Video Details, and Journaling What We Watch with Shortcuts

[audio_player src=”https://traffic.libsyn.com/523780f5-37d4-4397-9a07-f454cb69eb24/mrol105final.mp3” mime_type=”audio/mpeg” total_duration=”01:27:41” caption=”“] [subscribe_to_magicraysoflight] This week on Magic Rays of Light, Sigmund and Devon are joined by Federico and John fo … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

How I Modded My iPad Pro with a Screen Protector, iPhone Holder, and Magnetic Stereo Speakers

My new, modular iPad Pro 12.9” setup. Those who have been reading MacStories for a few years should know something about me: I love modding things. Whether it’s customizing the silicone tips of AirPods Pro or adding kickstands to iPad covers (which I don’t do anymore), there’s so … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

What’s Next for Apple and Epic’s Legal Disputes?

Yesterday, the US Supreme Court told Epic Games and Apple, “No, thank you,” and Apple served up an ugly alert to developers who can now offer payment options outside the App Store. If you’re thinking, “Wait, didn’t this all get resolved ages ago?” I feel you. The legal system mov … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

ScreenFloat 2.0: Floating Reference Screenshots and Management from the Mac’s Menu Bar

ScreenFloat 2.0. ScreenFloat 2.0 is a Mac-only screenshot utility from Matthias Gansrigler of Eternal Storms Software. As Gansrigler explains, the app is like Picture-in-Picture for screenshots, allowing you to float screenshots or screen recordings above other windows to use as … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

New Apple Vision Pro Hands-On Accounts From Engadget and The Verge

Today’s announcement by Apple about the entertainment aspects of the Vision Pro was followed up by new hands-on stories from Engadget and The Verge. A lot of what they saw was similar to the WWDC demos, but there were some new highlights, including additional Environments, a beta … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Apple Details Vision Pro’s Launch Day Entertainment Options

Source: Apple. Apple has revealed new information about the entertainment that will be available when Vision Pro launches on February 2nd. One of the highlights will be 3D movies. There will be more than 150 3D movies available, including Avatar: The Way of Water, Dune, Spider-Ma … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Tom Coates on Integrating Threads with the Fediverse

Just before the holidays, Meta held a meeting at its San Francisco offices with members from the fediverse community about its plans to use ActivityPub to integrate Threads with Mastodon. Last week, Tom Coates wrote a detailed post about everything covered during the meeting from … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

AppStories, Episode 366 – Magic Rays of Light Joins MacStories, Plus Our Favorite Media Tracking Apps

This week on AppStories, we are joined by Sigmund Judge and Devon Dundee, the hosts of Magic Rays of Light, a weekly show that explores the world of Apple TV and Apple Arcade, which has joined MacStories, to discuss the show’s move to MacStories as well as tvOS and the apps we us … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

We Are Bringing Magic Rays of Light, Our Podcast about Apple TV, to MacStories

Today is an exciting day for Magic Rays of Light. We couldn’t be happier that our show is joining the MacStories family of podcasts. Before the first episode of this new era releases on Wednesday, we thought we’d take a moment to introduce ourselves and the show to you. You can s … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Magic Rays of Light Joins MacStories

We’re pleased to announce that starting today, Magic Rays of Light, the podcast hosted by Sigmund Judge and Devon Dundee is joining MacStories. Federico and I couldn’t be happier to be adding Sigmund and Devon’s expertise in all things Apple TV+, tvOS, and Apple Arcade to MacStor … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

Whisper Memos: Turn Your Ramblings into Paragraphed Articles, Sent Right to Your Email Inbox [Sponsor]

Ideas are precious but fleeting. One moment, inspiration strikes, but if you don’t capture that lightning in a bottle, it’s gone before you know it. With Whisper Memos, you can harness the power of artificial intelligence to turn your ideas into orderly memos. Whisper Memos combi … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

A Glimmer of Hope for Thread at CES

Threads has a problem. It was supposed to be the low-energy, wireless protocol that lets all of your smart home devices talk to each other no matter who built them. However, in practice, devices from different makers don’t play very well with each other, often resulting in multip … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago

MacStories Unwind: Federico’s New Year Surprise

[audio_player src=”https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/0de98bba-5e4d-4879-94dc-8c76a3a88322/episodes/385e040e-a379-48e2-aa25-392f04f57c71/audio/dec4a693-3798-49bf-80bf-4ef315bafe17/default_tc.mp3?nocache” mime_type=”audio/mpeg” total_duration=”00:25:37” caption=”“] [subscribe_to_unw … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 10 months ago