Color banding (or posterization) is a common type of image artifact especially noticeable in low-quality photos featuring gradients or large areas of solid color. I see this all the time in wallpapers and landscapes. Instead of smoothly blending together, colors jump abruptly from one…
Continue reading →Author Archives → David Sparks
Tinderbox: Notes and So Much More (Sponsor)
This week MacSparky is sponsored by Tinderbox, the Tool for Notes. Tinderbox is a workbench for your ideas, projects, and plans. It can help you analyze and understand them today, and it will adapt to your changing needs and growing knowledge. The thing I…
Continue reading →The Algorithm and You
The Wall Street Journal did an interesting study, as reported in 9to5Mac, where it attempted to decrypt the TikTok algorithm and came up with some disturbing results. TikTok looks at the videos you linger on and rewatch in particular, then starts feeding you more…
Continue reading →Focused 167: 2022 Year in ReviewFocused
Mike and I are using this episode of Focused to reflect on the last year and share what went well, what could have gone better, and our lessons learned. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra…
Listen & read notes →Apple’s Increasingly Diversified Manufacturing
A significant part of the formula that brought Apple from a near-bankrupt company to a trillion-dollar one was its relationship with Chinese manufacturing. Through China, Apple developed and sold the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Mac. At the same time, few things could more effectively…
Continue reading →Mac Power Users 671: Out of the Water
On this feedback episode of Mac Power Users, Stephen and I reflect on the first year of the MacSparky Labs, discuss the recent eufy camera news, and answer a bunch of listener questions. This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by: 1Password: Have you ever…
Listen & read notes →Contextual Spaces and Window Management Tricks (MacSparky Labs)
Here’s a walkthrough on how I’m using Spaces these days. I like to keep different contexts in different spaces. For example, all of my communications apps are in one Space so I only see those when I actually want to work on communications. Either…
Continue reading →Automators 117: Magic Online Automations with Make
In this episode of Automators, Rosemary and I dive into Make.com and get nerdy with a new online automation platform. And because it’s the holidays, we also touch on some of our holiday automations. This episode of Automators is sponsored by: MasterClass: This holiday, give one…
Listen & read notes →Home Screens – Ian Byrd
Ian Byrd (Website) is a friend, an educator of educators, and a charming human overall. He’s also incredibly thoughtful in the way he handles his technology. So I asked him to share his home screen with us. So Ian, show us your home screen.…
Continue reading →Eating Crow on CleanShot X 4.5
For so long, I resisted CleanShot X, the screenshot replacement tool. I told myself that I was such a badass with the built-in screenshot tools that I didn’t need an app, even though everyone kept telling me how they loved CleanShot and it is…
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