David and Stephen compare the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12, discuss David’s move to an M6 Mac mini for local AI and server work, and test Siri AI on everyday tasks. In the Bonus segment, the hosts look ahead to Apple’s rumored…
Listen & read notes →Why Quarterly Reviews Matter More Than Annual Goals
I recently did a quarterly planning session with some of the MacSparky Labs members. I do that every quarter and find it really rewarding. It gives us a bit of a personal accountability circle. During the session, I started talking about the importance of…
Continue reading →This Week in the Labs — October 2, 2026
It was another fun week in the MacSparky Labs. A highlight for me was the Q4 Planning session where we talked about our plans for the final quarter of the year. Below you’ll find the week’s new videos and podcasts, a few of the…
Continue reading →Apps Adding Siri AI Support for iOS 27
iOS 27 brings the long-promised Siri AI, but the part that matters most is what happens outside Apple’s apps. If Siri AI is really going to get legs, it needs third-party developer support. I had hoped Apple might use MCP as the bridge between…
Continue reading →Mike Vardy’s New Book, Productiveness
Mike Vardy has spent his career inside the word “productivity.” He built frameworks around it, taught it, made a living off it. And for years the word itself bugged him. But don’t forget “Productivity” started out as a term for measuring the efficiency of…
Continue reading →Daylite Now Syncs With Google Calendar
This week MacSparky is sponsored by Daylite. My calendar is great at telling me where I need to be. It’s terrible at telling me why. The appointment says “Call with client,” and everything I need for that call lives somewhere else. Daylite just fixed…
Continue reading →Rogue Amoeba Turns 24 (and 24% Off)
Rogue Amoeba opened its doors on September 30, 2002, and they’re celebrating 24 years with a birthday sale: 24% off anything in their store with the code 24YEARS. The discount runs through October 4. I use Rogue Amoeba apps every day. Audio Hijack, Fission,…
Continue reading →Mac Power Users 868: Tyler Stalman Reviews iPhone 18 Pro Camera
I thought variable aperture meant more of that creamy background blur. Tyler Stalman joins Stephen and me to explain what the iPhone 18 Pro’s cameras actually give us, including better ways to work with Apple Log and ProRAW. We also compare pocket video cameras…
Listen & read notes →Don’t Ask the Robot What to Do
There is a world of difference between asking a robot, “Help me do this,” and asking, “What should I do?” AI can be remarkably good at the first question but lead you astray with the second. New users often learn that distinction the expensive…
Continue reading →This Week in the Labs — September 25, 2026
Wow! A busy week for me. Coming off a cold, I did four podcasts and three webinars this week. Below you’ll find the week’s new videos and podcasts, a few of the conversations happening in the member community, and what’s coming next week. Most…
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