OpenCase, A Clever Solution for Your iPhone (Sponsor)

This week MacSparky is sponsored by OpenCase, and I want to tell you about a genuinely clever approach to iPhone cases.

We all want to use MagSafe accessories, but traditional cases add bulk. Stack a MagSafe wallet or charger on top of a case, and you’re carrying around a thick sandwich of phone, case, and accessory. Plus, those accessories slide around or fall off at the worst moments.

OpenCase solves this with a patented design that has an actual open space in the back of the case. Instead of stacking your MagSafe accessories on top, they sit inside that space. The result is a thinner, lighter setup that’s more secure and charges more efficiently.

The open space creates a border that cradles MagSafe accessories and stops them from sliding around. You can also wedge an accessory like a wallet into that space to create an impromptu stand—handy when you’re traveling or working away from your desk. And because there’s nothing between your iPhone and your MagSafe charger, you’re following Apple’s own wireless charging guidelines for optimal performance.

I appreciate that OpenCase isn’t trying to lock you into their ecosystem. They make accessories designed specifically for that open space, but the case works with most third-party MagSafe accessories too. And here’s a bonus: when you’re not using an accessory, you can actually see the color of your iPhone through that open space. If you bought a gorgeous new iPhone color, why hide it completely?

The new iPhone 17 is here, and if you’re planning to use MagSafe accessories, OpenCase is worth a look. Head over to TheOpenCase.com and use promo code SPARKY for 10% off. That’s TheOpenCase.com with promo code SPARKY for 10% off.

Fantastical: The Calendar That Actually Thinks Like You Do (Sponsor)

Today’s sponsor is Fantastical from Flexibits. I want to share why their approach to calendar management continues to impress me after all these years.

You know that moment when you’re trying to schedule something and your brain works faster than your calendar app? That’s where Fantastical shines. I can type “Coffee with Sarah next Tuesday at 10am at Blue Bottle” and Fantastical just gets it. The natural language processing isn’t just a party trick. It fundamentally changes how I interact with my calendar. No more clicking through date pickers and dropdown menus when my brain’s already moved on to the next task.

What really sets Fantastical apart for productivity nerds like us is the depth of customization. Calendar Sets let me switch contexts instantly—I’ve got different sets for deep work days, meeting-heavy days, and weekends. The app automatically knows which calendars I need to see based on where I am or what time it is. It’s like having multiple calendar personalities that adapt to my workflow.

The integration game is strong too. Beyond the usual suspects, Fantastical plays beautifully with Shortcuts, which means I’ve automated calendar creation for recurring project types. The app handles conference calls brilliantly—whether it’s Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet, the join button is right there when I need it.

One feature that doesn’t get enough love: the weather integration. Knowing if tomorrow’s meeting requires an umbrella or if that outdoor event might get rained out helps me plan better. It’s these thoughtful touches that make Fantastical feel less like software and more like a really competent assistant.

If you’re ready to stop fighting with your calendar and start working with it, check out Fantastical. They offer a free trial so you can experience the difference yourself.

Timing: Stay on Top of Your Time Without Timers (Sponsor)

This week, MacSparky is delighted to feature Timing, the premier automatic time-tracking app for Mac users. As we march toward the macOS 26 Tahoe release, Timing got a nice update and now looks great with Liquid Glass. Just look at this screenshot:

Unlike traditional timers that require manual activation, Timing works seamlessly in the background, meticulously recording your activity across apps, websites, and documents. This ensures you gain an accurate and comprehensive overview of how your time is allocated, enabling you to identify productivity patterns and areas for improvement. Looking at your Timing log will let you know exactly what went down if your day ever gets away from you.

Key Features of Timing

Automatic Tracking: No need to remember to start or stop timers. Timing automatically logs your activities, capturing every detail without manual intervention.
Detailed Insights: Review precise data on the duration spent on specific applications, documents, or websites. For instance, distinguish between time dedicated to a client proposal in Word versus casual browsing on retail sites.
AI-Powered Summaries: Leverage artificial intelligence to receive concise summaries of your daily activities, helping you quickly grasp where your time goes without sifting through extensive logs.
Team Functionality: Timing also has teams support. Collaborate effortlessly by sharing projects, while managers can view aggregated time reports. Importantly, individual privacy is respected, as only manual time entries are visible to supervisors, ensuring a non-intrusive tracking environment.
Integration and Automation: Timing offers seamless integration with various tools and supports automation through features like Siri Shortcuts and a web API, enhancing your workflow efficiency.
Web App Access: Access your Timing data from anywhere using the Timing web app. Start and stop timers on the go, manage your team, and integrate with other services, ensuring flexibility and control over your time tracking.

Understanding how you spend your time is the first step toward enhanced productivity. By providing an unobtrusive and precise tracking system, Timing empowers you to make informed decisions about your time.

DEVONthink – Your Research Command Center (Sponsor)

One question I frequently get from MacSparky readers and MPU listeners is: “What’s the best tool for managing research on the Mac?” My answer is always DEVONthink, and this week I’m happy to have them as a sponsor.

Let me tell you about my favorite new feature: the Mentions inspector. Think of it as your digital librarian that automatically discovers connections in your research. When you select a document, Mentions shows you everywhere its title appears across your database, complete with context. I’ve found this invaluable for uncovering relationships in my research that I didn’t even know existed.

But that’s just scratching the surface. Here’s what makes DEVONthink my go-to research tool:

Its AI engine learns how you organize and helps file new documents
A powerful search language that lets you construct precise queries
Rock-solid sync across devices with end-to-end encryption
Smart rules and reminders to automate your workflow
Rich AppleScript support for deep automation (I use this constantly)

The DEVONthink team keeps pushing the envelope with thoughtful improvements. Recent updates have brought enhanced PDF annotation, seamless Evernote import capabilities, and expanded Markdown support. This continuous evolution is why DEVONthink remains central to my research workflow.

If you’re looking to level up your research game, DEVONthink is offering MacSparky readers a 20% discount. It’s the tool I trust with my own research, and I think you’ll find it just as indispensable.

My thanks to DEVONthink for supporting MacSparky.

DEVONthink – Your Research Command Center (Sponsor)

But that’s just scratching the surface. Here’s what makes DEVONthink my go-to research tool:

Its AI engine learns how you organize and helps file new documents
A powerful search language that lets you construct precise queries
Rock-solid sync across devices with end-to-end encryption
Smart rules and reminders to automate your workflow
Rich AppleScript support for deep automation (I use this constantly)

My thanks to DEVONthink for supporting MacSparky.

Quip, Your Clipboard, Supercharged (Sponsor)

We’ve all been there: you copy something important—a password, a snippet of code, that perfect turn of phrase—and then accidentally copy something else. Poof. Gone forever. It’s one of those small, daily frustrations that adds up over time.

That’s exactly why Quip caught my attention. It’s an AI-powered clipboard manager that remembers everything you copy, and it does it with the kind of thoughtful design that makes you wonder how you lived without it.

What sets Quip apart isn’t just that it stores your clipboard history (though it does that beautifully across Mac, iPhone, and iPad via iCloud sync). It’s the intelligence behind it. The app uses completely local AI to automatically clean up your clipboard—removing duplicate entries, normalizing text formatting, stripping tracking parameters from URLs, and even filtering out those random 2FA codes that would otherwise clutter your history.

I’ve been testing Quip for the past few weeks, and the “Super Shortcuts” feature alone has changed how I work. You can turn any clipboard item into a text expansion trigger. Type “sig” and your entire email signature appears. Type “bugfeedback” and that canned customer service response is ready to go. It’s like having TextExpander built right into your clipboard manager.

The OCR capability is particularly clever—hit ⌘⇧2 and you can capture text from presentations, locked PDFs, or even video calls. No more manually transcribing meeting notes from a shared screen.

Quip is built by BZG Apps, the same developer behind Unite 6 (which turns websites into native Mac apps), and you can tell they understand the Mac ecosystem. Everything feels native, from the keyboard shortcuts (all customizable) to the way it integrates with Continuity features.

If you’re tired of losing important clipboard items or want to streamline your text expansion workflow, Quip is worth checking out. It starts at $19.99 for a standalone macOS license, with iOS and iPadOS apps included for the full ecosystem experience.

Learn more at bzgapps.com/quip.