Exploring Apple Jing’an

Source: Apple. Earlier today, Apple announced that its Jing’an store will open in Shanghai on March 21st. Apple’s press release includes several images of the new store, but for more context and an extensive collection of images, you can’t beat Michael Steeber’s Tabletops newslet … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

RoamPod: Exploring the Untapped Potential of a Portable HomePod mini

A couple of months ago, my partner and I were contemplating purchasing a Bluetooth speaker for the bathroom. We both like to listen to podcasts and music while in the shower, and using our iPhones at maximum volume outside of the shower booth was getting old. Here’s the thing, th … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Club MacStories Sample: BetterTouchTool Tips, Vision Pro Shortcuts, a Task Manager Review, and the Effect of AI on the Internet

We often describe Club MacStories as more of the MacStories you know and love reading on this website. That’s an apt shorthand for the Club, but when you’re being asked to sign up and pay for something, it still helps to see what you’re buying. That’s why every now and then, we l … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

FastMinder: A Simple, Lightweight, and Clutter-Free Intermittent Fasting Tracking Experience [Sponsor]

Funn Media knows that the best tracking apps make it easy to get started and even simpler to stick with your tracking. That’s exactly what FastMinder, its new iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch app for tracking intermittent fasting, does. Funn Media’s years of experience developing ap … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

MacStories Unwind: A Videogame Doubleheader

This week on MacStories Unwind, spring is in the air, the cicadas are coming, and Federico is teasing a bigger and better MultiButton shortcut. That makes it the perfect time for a videogame doubleheader with Balatro and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. This episode is sponsored by: Ko … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Vivaldi for iOS Updated with Colorful Themes and Ability to Force Dark Mode

When I first reviewed Vivaldi for iOS back in October, I was disappointed by the small number of customization features that were available in the app at launch. This was especially remarkable since Vivaldi Browser is mostly known on the desktop for its emphasis on UI customizati … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

MultiButton 1.1 Makes the Action Button Change Its Behavior Based on the Currently Open App

The same Action button; multiple behaviors for different apps. What if the Action button could change its behavior depending on which app is currently open? That’s what I started wondering months ago after I released MultiButton, my shortcut for toggling between two commands assi … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Logitech’s Casa Pop-Up Desk Elevates Your MacBook for More Comfortable Computing

When I’m sitting at home in my office, the ergonomics are perfect. I have a comfortable chair with plenty of back support, my keyboard is at the right height, and my Studio Display is at eye level. The trouble is, that’s not the only place I work or want to work. As a result, I [ … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Building Games for Playdate in Swift

Panic’s Playdate has been in the news again recently. The company has caught up with pre-orders, so anyone can order one, and it will ship within 2-3 days. Also, Lucas Pope, the creator of beloved games like Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn just released Mars After Midn … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Over 250 Apps from Indie Developers Are On Sale Now

The folks at Indie App Sales are back with another big sale featuring apps from some of your favorite indie developers. This time around, they have over 250 apps in the lineup, including MacStories favorites like: Bridges Cardiobot Classifier Countdowns Everlog Focused Work FoodN … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Apple Announces New Distribution Options for iOS Developers in the EU

Apple has announced a trio of additional changes related to iOS developers in the EU where it is subject to the Digital Markets Act. The changes, which are outlined on Apple’s developer website, include: Effective immediately, developers that offer alternative marketplaces will n … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

AppStories, Episode 374 – Examining Apple App and OS Design Trends

This week on AppStories, we examine Apple’s Sports and Journal apps and visionOS for clues to what their designs may mean for the next major revisions of Apple’s OSes. [subscribe_to_appstories] Sponsored by: Memberful – Help Your Clients Monetize Their Passion Examining Apple App … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Voice Clones Have Crossed the Uncanny Valley [Sponsor]

Now, don’t get offended, but – you aren’t as good at clocking deepfakes as you think you are.  And it’s not just you–nobody’s that good at it. Not your mom, or your boss, or anyone in your IT department.  To make matters worse, you probably think you can spot a fake. After all, y … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

MacStories Unwind: Live MacPad Q&A from the Club MacStories Town Hall

This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico and I are joined by Jonathan Reed in the Club MacStories Discord community for a live question and answer session about Federico’s MacPad setup. Links and Show Notes MacPad: How I Created the Hybrid Mac-iPad Laptop and Tablet That Apple Wo … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Three Tips to Combine BetterTouchTool and Raycast for Simpler Keyboard Shortcuts

Raycast is one of my favorite Mac utilities of all time. When I recommend Raycast to someone, I usually like to say that it’s a Swiss Army knife for your Mac. It is an app launcher, a shortcut launcher, a clipboard manager, an emoji picker, and more, all in one single app. I am a … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

The Best Small Feature of visionOS 1.1

Apple released visionOS 1.1 earlier today. The update focuses on a variety of performance enhancements (I’m intrigued to test improved cursor control and Mac Virtual Display), but, arguably, updated Personas are the most important feature of this release. I haven’t recreated my P … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Tapbots Releases Ivory 1.9 with Quote Posts

Today, Tapbots released version 1.9 of their award-winning Mastodon client Ivory for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The update brings the long-awaited ability to quote posts, and to view quoted posts inline in the timeline. Quote posts have been on the team’s roadmap ever since the app … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Emulation on iPhone

Last year I wrote an about retro gaming on iOS. I’ve had a lot of fun playing games on the platform, especially through emulation. Much of what I wrote last year is still applicable today, but I thought I’d revisit the topic with a focus on the state of emulation on iOS and all o … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

The M3 MacBook Air: Two Displays, Faster Wi-Fi, and Better Performance

There’s not much to say about the M3 MacBook Airs that Apple revealed earlier this week. Last year’s M2 redesign was universally praised, and this year’s M3 version one-ups it with support for two displays, faster Wi-Fi 6E, and performance improvements, thanks to the M3 processor … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Vision Pro App Spotlight: GameTrack Updated with Built-In Cloud Streaming

Late last week, Joe Kimberlin released GameTrack 5.4, an update to the iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS versions of the app that enables new ways to access your favorite games and navigate the app’s UI. Of course, the Vision Pro version of GameTrack is completely new since the last time … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Magic Rays of Light: Napoleon and Oscars Predictions

This week on Magic Rays of Light, Sigmund and Devon are joined by MacStories Managing Editor John Voorhees to take another look at Ridley Scott’s Napoleon upon the film’s streaming debut. They also dive into March releases on Apple Arcade and share who they think will take home t … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

FinanceKit Opens Real-Time Apple Card, Apple Cash, and Apple Savings Transaction Data to Third-Party Apps

Ivan Mehta, writing for TechCrunch: Apple’s iOS 17.4 update is primarily about adapting iOS to EU’s Digital Market Act Regulation. But the company has also released a new API called FinanceKit that lets developers fetch transactions and balance information from Apple Card, Apple … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Apple Releases iOS and iPadOS 17.4 with Major Safari and App Store Changes in the EU, Transcripts for Podcasts, New Emoji, and More

Today, Apple released iOS and iPadOS 17.4, the fourth major updates to the operating systems that launched in September and Federico reviewed on MacStories. iOS 17.4 is a significant release, bringing major platform changes to iOS in Europe as part of Apple’s response to the Euro … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

AppStories, Episode 373 – Introducing the MacPad

This week on AppStories, Federico introduces the world to the MacPad, a hybrid Mac/iPad that he built from an M2 MacBook Air and 11” iPad Pro, and I quiz him on the build process, software involved, and what it’s like to use. [subscribe_to_appstories] Sponsored by: Concepts: Sket … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

MacPad: How I Created the Hybrid Mac-iPad Laptop and Tablet That Apple Won’t Make

Hello, MacPad. It all started because I wanted a better keyboard for my Vision Pro. I had no idea that, in looking for one, I’d accidentally create the hybrid Apple computer of my dreams. As I quickly discovered after working on the Vision Pro daily, you can get by without an ext … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Apple Releases New Spring Colors for iPhone Cases and Watch Bands

Source: Apple. As has become a tradition, Apple released new colors of some of its cases and Apple Watch bands today. The new Silicone Case colors are Soft Mint, Sunshine, Light Blue, and Pink and come in all iPhone 15 model sizes. No new colors are available for the Fine Woven c … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Apple Introduces New M3 MacBook Airs

Source: Apple. Apple has unveiled new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Airs that feature the M3 processor, Wi-Fi 6E, support for two external displays, and up to 18 hours of battery life. The M3 chipset features an 8-core CPU, up to a 10-core GPU, and up to 24GB of unified memory. Apple s … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

The European Commission Fines Apple Over €1.8 Billion

In a decision issued today, the European Commission leveled a fine of over €1.8 billion against Apple for preventing developers of music streaming services from letting iOS users know about subscriptions available outside their apps. After an investigation, the Commission conclud … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 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 | 8 months ago

MacStories Unwind: Obsessing Over Wi-Fi

This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico teases a big project he’s been working on that will be out on MacStories next week, plus both he and John obsess over their Wi-Fi setups but wish Apple would make hardware that made it all easier. [audio_player src=”https://traffic.libsyn. … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 8 months ago

Vision Pro App Spotlight: Status Bar Builder’s Key Is Customization Combined with Simplicity

There’s an elegance in simplicity that I value. I use plenty of complex apps, but there’s a certain satisfaction in finding one that fits your needs perfectly. One such app that seems destined to claim a long-term spot on my Vision Pro is Status Bar Builder, a customizable utilit … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Magic Rays of Light: Apple Sports, Immersive Video, and Dick Turpin

This week on Magic Rays of Light, Sigmund and Devon discuss new Apple Original comedy series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, Apple’s brand new Sports app for iPhone, and the potential for immersive video across sports, music, and live performances. Show Notes Hi … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Apple Music Debuts Heavy Rotation, A New Daily Made For You Playlist

This morning I woke up to a pleasant surprise. Apple had quietly added a new Made For You playlist to the Music app called Heavy Rotation that’s updated daily. As you’d expect from a playlist called Heady Rotation, mine is comprised of 25 songs, most of which I believe I listened … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Simple Scan: A Scanning Solution for People Who Don’t Scan Often

One of my favorite kinds of apps is simple utilities that solve a common problem and are straightforward to use. That’s exactly what Greg Pierce has created with Simple Scan, a scanning app for the iPhone and iPad that simplifies the process of one-off document scans. Simple Scan … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Apple Vision Pro Entertainment Apps

This week on AppStories, we share some of our favorite visionOS entertainment apps. [subscribe_to_appstories] Sponsored by: Memberful – Help Your Clients Monetize Their Passion Porkbun: Get $1 off your next domain name with the code APPDEVFOO1. AppStories+ Pre-Show The Best Way t … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Apple Arcade’s Prestige Problem

Brendon Bigley wrote about the Apple Arcade report by mobilegamer.biz today on Wavelengths too. This part really rang true to me: I don’t agree that there is any “real” difference in prestige between mediums beyond ever-changing societal norms, all art is capable of rising to sit … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Some Game Developers Are Unhappy about Apple Arcade

According to multiple unnamed mobilegamer.biz sources, some game developers are unhappy with Apple Arcade, citing shrinking payouts and canceled games. No specifics about canceled projects are cited in the story. Nor are concrete revenue numbers shared. Moreover, the criticisms l … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Mona 6 Moves from High Visual Customization to Advanced Automation

Mona, the Mastodon client for iOS, iPadOS, and Mac from Junyu Kuang, is out today with a significant version 6 update. Mona is my choice for using Mastodon primarily due to what John referred to in his review as its ‘epic level of customization.’ Everything from how the taskbar a … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Looking Past the Smoke and Mirrors of the MGM Hack [Sponsor]

The September 2023 MGM hack quickly became one of the most notorious ransomware attacks in recent memory. Journalists and cybersecurity experts rushed to report on the broken slot machines, angry hotel guests, and the fateful phishing call to MGM’s help desk that started it all. … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

MacStories Unwind: Ripping CDs for a Living

This week on MacStories Unwind, I share my tech discoveries during a visit to a classical music radio station, Federico finally goes for a spider-style gaming Wi-Fi router, and I recommend Criminal Record on Apple TV+. This episode is sponsored by: Paste – Endless Clipboard for M … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Automation Academy: My Collection of Advanced Shortcuts for Things

Earlier today, Federico released a series of seven advanced shortcuts for the task manager Things as part of his Automation Academy column, an exclusive perk of Club MacStories+ and Club Premier. Federico explains in the introduction of the story why he returned to Things a few m … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

The Fastest Way to Save RSS Articles to A Read-Later App

Skimming through the day’s tech headlines in Reeder. I follow about 180 RSS feeds, and I skim through all of my tech feeds every day, looking for interesting news, angles, opinions, and inspiration. A lot of what I see is repetitive, but I’ve gotten very good over the years at sp … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Vision Pro App Spotlight: Longplay Adds Immersive Album Listening

The music experience on the Apple Vision Pro is excellent. It starts with the device’s built-in headphones and spatial audio, which work hand-in-hand with the visual components of spatial computing. Apple has already shown off the potential for immersive experiences like Alicia K … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Looks Like Rain: Visualizing the Weather on a Color-Coded Timeline

I’m always excited when a new weather app is released, especially when it’s a weather app that looks different from most of its counterparts. Looks Like Rain by Thinkbits is beautifully designed, and it certainly looks different, to say the least. The layout of the app is clean, … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Apple Vision Pro Accessory Roundup: Our Favorites So Far

Slowly but surely, a growing number of accessories are popping up around the Apple Vision Pro. Today, we thought we’d share our favorites so far. Battery Accessories Battery Packs The Anker Prime 27,650mAh power bank. John: Apple sells the battery pack that powers the Apple Visio … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

iMessage Is Preparing for a Post-Quantum Computing World

Yesterday, Apple’s Security Research website published a report on a cryptographic security upgrade coming to iMessage with the release of iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, and watchOS 10.4 called PQ3. It’s a forward-looking, preemptive upgrade that anticipates a future where qu … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Apple Says a 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Film is ‘Coming Soon’ to the Vision Pro

Source: Apple. This morning, I was listening to the latest episode of Dithering, when John Gruber wondered something I’d noticed too. At WWDC and subsequent press demos of the Vision Pro, Apple showed off sports footage, including a sequence from a Boston Red Sox game, but none o … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago

Apple Launches Free Sports App in the US, UK, and Canada

Today, Apple introduced a new iPhone-only app called Apple Sports. The free app is available to download from the App Store in the US, UK, and Canada, and, as Apple describes it in its press release: gives sports fans access to real-time scores, stats, and more. Designed for spee … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 9 months ago