Procreate 5 Review: A Rebuilt Graphics Engine Drives Fantastic Animation, Color, and Brush Tools in an Art App Perfectly Tailored to the iPad

Procreate 5 for iPadOS is out with an impressive roster of new features. The update by Savage Interactive includes a new graphics engine, an updated color picker and color management tools, an incredibly deep and flexible brush studio, and a fun new animation assistant that bring … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

Hands-On with Clips 2.1: Memoji and Animoji Support, Plus New Sticker Face Tracking and More

Apple has released the first big update in over a year for its Clips video creation tool. Following the trend begun in iOS 12, which added Animoji support to FaceTime, now all Animoji and Memoji characters can also be used inside Clips. Though I would have expected such an update … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

Club MacStories Makes a Terrific Holiday Gift 

As you shop for holiday gifts for friends and family, we wanted to remind everyone that Club MacStories memberships can be given as gifts year-round. The Club extends what we publish at MacStories, which makes it the perfect gift for someone who wants more of the kind of app, aut … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

Chirp 2.0 Offers a Remarkably Full-Featured Twitter Experience on Apple Watch

It’s time for Apple Watch apps to grow up, and Chirp for Twitter is leading the charge. Chirp 2.0 debuted today, offering a full-featured Twitter experience on the Apple Watch. Chirp was already the prime Twitter client on watchOS, but with version 2 the app becomes something tru … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

Apple News Debuts Daily Email Newsletter

Benjamin Mayo, reporting for 9to5Mac: Apple News is expanding its mail notifications with a new ‘Good Morning’ daily newsletter. Previously, users could opt in to receive email alerts from Apple News about select featured stories. The company appears to be formalizing that into a … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

AppStories, Episode 141 – Pick 2: Reeder for the Mac and iOS

This week, we cover one of our favorite RSS clients for the Mac and iOS: Reeder by Silvio Rizzi. Sponsored by: Luna Display – Turn any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display. MacStadium – Get 50% off your first two months of a Mac mini subscription now w/ code APPSTORIES, or … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

Apple Announces Winners of the Inaugural Apple Music Awards

Apple has made a habit of honoring some of the top apps, music, books, podcasts, and more on an annual basis at year’s end, and this year is no different. However, one change to the format for 2019 is that Apple has split out music as its own separate awards category dubbed the A … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

Apple Announces ‘Best of 2019’ Lists for Apps, Books, and Podcasts

Apple today published its picks for the best media in 2019 across its various platforms and services. These include selections for best app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, as well as top picks in books and podcasts. Alongside these editorial selections, Apple has published to … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

Express Mode for Apple Pay Now Available with Transport for London

Benjamin Mayo, reporting for 9to5Mac: If you are in London, you can now travel using Apple Pay on the Underground network without having to use Touch ID or Face ID authentication. This means that you don’t need to hold up the queue at the turnstile when travelling the Underground … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

UpHabit: The Personal CRM That Helps Make Building and Maintaining Strong Relationships Part of Your Daily Routine [Sponsor]

UpHabit makes building and maintaining strong relationships with the people who matter to you the most part of your daily routine. We all lead busy, active lives. Pulled in several directions at once and with an ever-growing list of personal and business contacts, it’s easy to fa … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 4 years ago

Adapt, Episode 14: The Modern iPad Home Screen

On this week’s episode of Adapt: Ryan outlines why now is the perfect time to revisit the iPad’s Home screen, then Federico details Pages’ Smart Annotation feature, and the guys celebrate Thanksgiving with some iPad gratitude. You can listen below (and find the show notes here), … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Connected, Episode 271: You Have a Police Record

On this week’s episode of Connected: There are a lot of iPhone cases to talk about, as well as new information about HomeKit Secure Video and Deep Fusion. One of us bought a TV, but no one here is ordering a Cybertruck. You can listen below (and find the show notes here). [audio_ … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Loupedeck+ Review: Faster, More Natural Image and Video Editing with a Dedicated Control Panel

The Loupedeck+ is a hardware control panel for editing photos and video that transforms the software tools you’re accustomed to using with a mouse or trackpad into physical buttons, knobs, and dials. By eliminating the need to dive into menus and hunt for software, the Loupedeck+ … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

MacStories Shortcuts Icons: 50% Off for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are nearly upon us, and we’ve prepared something truly special to celebrate the occasion at MacStories: starting today through Monday, December 2, MacStories Shortcuts Icons will be available at 50% off the regular price. To purchase MacStories Short … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Automating a Dyson Fan with HomeKit and Push Notifications

[aside title=”Editor’s Note” align=”center” width=”wide”]The following story was originally published in Issue 199 of the MacStories Weekly newsletter on November 8, 2019. We wanted to share it as an example of the type of longform stories exclusive to Club MacStories members. Ev … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

AppStories, Episode 140 – Our Favorite HomeKit Gear, Apps, and Automations

This week, we dive into our favorite HomeKit devices, apps, and automations. Sponsored by: Luna Display – Turn any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display. Linode – High-performance SSD Linux servers for all of your infrastructure needs. Get a $20 credit. Moo: Custom business … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Apple Releases Annual Holiday Video ‘The Surprise’

It’s become a tradition for Apple to release a special holiday season video each year, and this year is no different. Today, the company revealed the 2019 version entitled ‘The Surprise.’ The storyline follows a family as they visit the mother’s father. The video chronicle’s the … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Actions by Moleskine Adds Reminders Import, Shortcuts with Parameters, and Context Menus

The new year approaches, and with it arrive dreams of being a more productive you – which of course involves choosing the perfect task management system for your needs. In a timely move, Moleskine’s elegant task manager, Actions, was updated today with a new Reminders import feat … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

iOS Photo Metadata Utility Metapho Adds Deep Fusion and Dark Mode Photo Detection

Metapho has been one of my favorite photo utilities on iOS for years. The marquee feature has always been its ability to strip metadata from images, which is handy when sharing photos online, for instance. Over time though, Metapho has grown to incorporate other functionality for … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Timemator 2: Automatic Time-Tracking Based On Your Rules and Activities [Sponsor]

One of the biggest hurdles to consistently tracking your time is starting and stopping timers. It’s too easy to forget to do, leaving you with gaps in your tracking or timers left running overnight. What if you could free yourself from the burden of timers by automating the proce … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Automating HomePod Volume Levels

Great idea by Matthew Cassinelli: using the new HomePod and AirPlay 2 actions for home automation in iOS 13.2, it is possible to automate a HomePod’s volume level (including its Siri responses) throughout the day. But one of the nagging problems with HomePod is the way Siri, rega … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Adobe Previews Features Coming to Photoshop for iPad Through mid-2020

The long-anticipated release of Photoshop for iPad was met with disappointment by many users who felt that significant functionality was missing. Although Adobe explained at the time that version 1.0 was a foundation upon which it intended to build rapidly, the length of time it … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Connected, Episode 270: Best Trees in the Country

On this week’s episode of Connected: Federico and Stephen each attempted to use HomeKit Secure Video, and it didn’t go well. Myke is excited about a new folding phone, and the whole crew orders iPhone 11 Pro battery cases before solving many mysteries presented in photos of Apple … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Timery for Toggl Updated with Shortcut Parameter Support and a Refreshed Design

Timery for Toggl continues to add new iOS 13 features with the release today of version 1.05, which includes improved Shortcuts support and new design elements. The most significant addition to Timery is support for shortcut actions with parameters and data output. Now users can … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Apple Releases Smart Battery Case for iPhone 11 and 11 Pro with Dedicated Camera Button

Today Apple has launched new versions of its Smart Battery Case for the latest iPhone models, the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max, which are available to order now from the company’s website with November 25 delivery, which is the same date the case will be available in local s … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Apple’s Cycle Tracking: A Personal Review

Menstruation is often forgotten or overlooked – ironic considering that 50% of the population experiences it. This applied to health tracking on Apple Watch and iPhone too, which for the first year offered nothing related to menstruation, but this year Apple Watch received a dedi … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Spark Updated with Multiwindow and Dark Mode Support and a Design Refresh

Spark, the email client from Readdle, received a strong update today that adds support for the latest iOS and iPadOS features, dark mode and multiwindow, while also introducing a design refresh that refines, rather than reimagines what was already there. Multiwindow on iPad is ex … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Apple Maps Continues Its US Expansion

Yesterday, Apple Maps received its biggest US update by area yet, encompassing several states in the Midwest and West. Along with it, came a comprehensive update from Justin O’Beirne, who has been chronicling the updates since they began. Apple started rolling out new, more detai … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Spotify Announces New ‘Your Daily Podcasts’ Algorithmic Playlist

Spotify aims to do for podcasts what it’s done for music recommendations with today’s announcement of a new algorithmic podcast playlist. One of the music streaming service’s greatest strengths is the analysis it does of users’ listening habits, which it uses to recommend new tra … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

My Modern iPad Home Screen: Apps, Widgets, Files, Folders, and Shortcuts

For several years after its launch, one of the best and worst things about the iPad was that it was basically just a blown-up iPhone. This meant the device was extremely easy to use and intuitive, but it also meant lots of “computer-like” tasks were difficult to perform on an iPa … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

AppStories, Episode 139 – Interview: How Soulver Reimagined the Calculator with Its Creator, Zac Cohan

This week, we are joined by developer Zac Cohan, the creator of Soulver, a combination notepad and calculator that reimagines how calculations are made on the Mac and iOS. Sponsored by: Luna Display – Turn any Mac or iPad into a wireless second display. MacStadium – Get 50% off y … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Apple To Hold Awards Ceremony Celebrating Its Favorite Apps and Games on December 2nd

Apple unexpectedly announced today that it will hold a ceremony in New York City on Monday, December 2nd to honor its favorite apps and games. No other details are currently available, except those in the invitation that was received by some members of the tech press including, a … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Kolide: User Focused Security For Teams That Slack [Sponsor]

Kolide is a new Slack app that messages employees when their Mac, Windows, or Linux device is not compliant with security best-practices or policy. With this app, Kolide will notify users or groups when a device is out of compliance along with clear instructions about what is wro … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

NoiseBuddy: Control Noise Cancellation and Transparency Modes of AirPods Pro on a Mac

Earlier this week, Guilherme Rambo released a new Mac utility called NoiseBuddy that toggles between the noise cancellation and Transparency modes of AirPods Pro and the Beats Solo Pro headphones when they’re connected to a Mac. The app can place an icon in your Mac’s menu bar or … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Triode: Internet Radio from The Iconfactory with AirPlay 2, Apple Music Integration, and CarPlay

Triode is a new Internet radio app from The Iconfactory for iOS and iPadOS, the Mac, and Apple TV that fills a niche all but abandoned by Apple. Internet radio stations used to claim a more prominent place in iTunes, but in Apple’s new Music app, they have been mostly abandoned i … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Adapt, Episode 13: Automated Shortcuts

On this week’s episode of Adapt: One of the most common Shortcuts feature requests was granted in iPadOS 13: the ability to run shortcuts automatically in the background. Federico walks through this powerful feature in detail, then Ryan surveys the App Store’s best calendar apps. … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Apple Debuts New Research App, Launches Health Studies for Women’s Health, Hearing, and Heart and Movement

Today Apple announced the next phase of its efforts in medical research studies. Following the Heart Study which debuted in late 2017 and shared its first results earlier this year, Apple now has three new studies it’s launching at once, which users can sign up for through a bran … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

HomeRun Adds Thousands of Icons for Customizing Your Watch HomeKit Triggers

Customization options have never hurt an app, and in many cases they make apps far more functional and endearing. Today HomeRun, the Apple Watch app for running HomeKit scenes, has expanded its customization options immensely by adding over 4,400 new icons that can be used for co … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Connected, Episode 269: Read My Email Through My Eyes

On this week’s episode of Connected: There’s a new MacBook Pro in town, bringing with it an updated design and a new keyboard, and Apple’s rumored AR glasses make everyone feel old. Myke is crowned the Popsocket Enthusiast, Stephen gets an email and Federico explains Toolbox Pro. … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Adobe Previews Direct Photo Import from External Storage Coming to Lightroom for iPad

In a video shared earlier today, Tom Hogarty, who’s a Lightroom product manager at Adobe, demonstrated an upcoming feature of Lightroom for iPad – the ability to import photos from external devices (such as cameras, drives, or SD cards connected over USB-C) into Lightroom’s libra … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Apple Music Introduces Replay, a Rolling Playlist of Your Most-Played Music

TechCrunch reports that Apple Music has added a new automatically-generated playlist called Replay that collects your top 100 songs for each year you’ve subscribed to the music streaming service. The concept is similar to Spotify’s year-end Wrapped playlist but differs in that it … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

CNET Interviews Phil Schiller About the New MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and More

To mark the release of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, Roger Cheng of CNET interviewed Apple’s Phil Schiller. The interview begins with a discussion of the laptop’s new keyboard but covers the role of the iPad Pro in Apple’s hardware lineup as well as Macs in education too. Accordin … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Toolbox Pro Review: A Must-Have Companion Utility for Shortcuts Power Users

When I covered the updated Shortcuts app in my iOS and iPadOS 13 review earlier this year, I argued how, thanks to parameters, Shortcuts actions provided by third-party apps could become native features of the Shortcuts app. With his debut app Toolbox Pro, released today on the A … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Game Day: NABOKI

NABOKI, a brand new puzzle game by Maciej Targoni, is a masterpiece of mobile game design. Targoni is the developer of klocki, which I previously reviewed, and several other games that feature a similar minimalist aesthetic that I love. I started NABOKI for the first time on a re … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Apple Announces New 16” MacBook Pro with Redesigned Keyboard, Thinner Display Bezels, and Updated Processors

Apple has announced a new 16-inch model of the MacBook Pro that features a redesigned keyboard with keys that use a scissor mechanism, a larger screen with thinner bezels, and 9th generation Intel Core i7 and i9 processors. The new model replaces the existing 15-inch MacBook Pro. … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

FoodNoms: A Privacy-Focused Food Tracker with Innovative New Ways to Log Meals

FoodNoms is a new privacy-oriented food tracking app that tackles the tedium of logging what you’ve eaten in innovative ways that make it one of the most promising apps in this category that I’ve seen in a long time. Too often during the year, I find myself eating what’s easy, no … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

Disney+ Available Now, Integrated with Apple’s TV App But Not as a Channel

Today Disney has launched what’s almost certain to become one of the most successful streaming services over time: Disney+. Apple users can enjoy the new streaming service through the Disney+ app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. You can subscribe directly inside the app to start a … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago

AppStories, Episode 138 – Rethinking Apple’s TV App in Light of TV+

On this week’s episode of AppStories, we share our thoughts on Apple’s new TV+ video streaming TV app, including what works, what doesn’t, and ways we think it could be improved. Sponsored by: Linode – High-performance SSD Linux servers for all of your infrastructure needs. Get a … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 5 years ago