It’s that time of year again. If you haven’t already subscribed to my Yule Playlist, you should check it out. I’ve been curating it for over a decade, and it’s full of excellent holiday music, primarily in the jazz genre. Over the years, I’ve received…
Continue reading →Date Archives → 2024
The Lab Report for December 6, 2024
This week in The Lab Report: News – Tim Cook Wired Interview; Microsoft Recall Back in Beta (Michael Kan – PC Mag); Google search on decline (Christopher Mims – WSJ) … This is a post for MacSparky Labs Members. Care to join? Or perhaps you need to sign in?
Sparky’s Holiday HomeKit Special
Here’s a breakdown of how I use some the Home app and automation as well as some hardware to manage the holiday lights in the Sparks house.
And like all holiday specials, make sure to stick around until the end for the musical finale!
… This is a post for MacSparky Labs Members. Care to join? Or perhaps you need to sign in?
Get Organized with DEVONthink (Sponsor)
I often hear from listeners and readers looking for a research solution in the Mac ecosystem. My favorite app for this, without a doubt, is DEVONthink. DEVONthink is the most professional document and information management application for the Mac. It’s the one place for storing…
Continue reading →Focused 218: Turning Down the Volume, with Stephen Hackett
Stephen Hackett joins Mike and me on this episode of Focused to talk about his recent sabbatical experience and share what he learned from taking an extended break. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or…
Listen & read notes →About that Rumored Apple Command Center
Rumors are percolating about Apple creating a home command center for launch next year. According to Mark Gurman, it’s roughly a six-inch square iPad that you hang on the wall, allowing you to control your HomeKit devices and other helpful home command center-y type work.…
Continue reading →Apple’s Too Conservative Approach to Text Intelligence
Apple is, understandably, taking a conservative approach to artificial intelligence. Nowhere is this more obvious and product-crippling than its text intelligence features. I am a fan of using AI for an edit pass on my words. Specifically, I’ve come to rely on Grammarly and…
Continue reading →Mac Power Users 773: 2024 State of the Platforms (Part 2)
On this episode of Mac Power Users, Stephen and I make it through the rest of Apple’s platforms, including a speed round of the company’s entertainment portfolio. This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by: Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website…
Listen & read notes →The 2025 Focused Wall Calendar
We’re almost to 2025 and it’s not too late to get yourself a Focused wall calendar. Mike and I put a lot of effort into making this calendar special. I love mine, and I bet you would, too.
Listen & read notes →A Look at Magnific As Image Manipulator
I’ve been skeptical of Apple’s image AI tools. In this video I look at one of the more powerful image tools on the market, Magnific, with interesting results.… This is a post for the Early Access and Backstage MacSparky Labs Members. Care to join? Or perhaps you need to sign in?