This Was It

I recently took a flight and following touchdown, a crew member made a surprise announcement: this landing marked our captain’s final flight after 30 years piloting aircraft. We all applauded. As we disembarked, the captain stood in the aisle, offering each passenger a farewell.

When it was my turn, I congratulated him. I actually thought about what I’d say. “I hope your next adventure is as exciting as this one was.” His eyes met mine, serious and somber, as he quietly replied, “This was it.” I was swept onward by the flow of passengers, but he held my eye for just a moment longer. The sadness on his face has stayed with me.

Life is full of transitions. I’ve faced many — shifting careers, watching my kids grow up, leaving behind the identity I had built as a lawyer. Most big changes in life aren’t surprises. Retirement doesn’t sneak up overnight, and children don’t grow up in secret. Yet, some of us still find ourselves flat-footed when life’s inevitable curves appear. It’s tempting to ignore change, to stick our heads in the sand, pretending it’s far away, until suddenly we’re facing a stark realization: “This was it.”

I’ve written before about the importance of continuously ​Knitting Your Parachute​. Asking yourself often, “What’s next, and how do I make that work?” is a practice I deeply believe in. It’s an approach that keeps hope alive, turns anxiety into anticipation, and keeps you engaged with life.

This week, I encourage you to spend a few quiet moments reflecting: What’s your next move, and how can you embrace it? Whether you’re graduating, shifting careers, or facing retirement, don’t wait until change feels overwhelming. Life’s bends in the road are inevitable, but how we meet them, that’s entirely up to us.

Let’s commit never to find ourselves in a position where we have to quietly say, “This was it.”

It’s stories like this that led me to make the ​Productivity Field Guide.​

Chat GPT Studio Ghibli Art

If you’ve been paying any attention to social media lately, you’ve probably noticed how much better AI multi-modal art has gotten. The zeitgeist has definitely latched onto this — mainly to generate Studio Ghibli-style art of themselves.

It’s impressive and once again raises the big questions about AI and art. Artists spend years honing their craft. Now, with these new tools, anyone is just a prompt or two away from generating convincing images of themselves and their friends. How are we supposed to feel about that?

I’m still working through my own thoughts on AI and intellectual property, but one thing’s for sure: this toothpaste isn’t going back in the tube.

As an example, I had the new ChatGPT engine generate some drawings for a recent Productivity Field Guide webinar I did on Habits being a useful tool for becoming your best self. I explained to ChatGPT that I wanted to illustrate how habits, once ingrained, become part of your identity. It made this image. Remarkable.

The Lab Report for April 4, 2025

In this week’s episode of The Lab Report: OS updates across the board are here and, is there an Apple AI Doctor in the house? Sparky also invites you to make your Lock Screen special this weekend and sends us off with a brassy music recommendation.
… This is a post for MacSparky Labs members only. Care to join? If you’re already a member, you can log in here.

On the Hypothetical “Thinner” M6 MacBook Pro

Rumors are swirling about a redesigned MacBook Pro slated for release next year, featuring the M6 chip, a thinner chassis — and most notably — an OLED display. A recent 9to5Mac article summarizes the rumors.

I’m particularly excited about the prospect of an OLED screen. This technology promises higher brightness, improved contrast ratios, and more vibrant colors, making the types of things folks do on a MacBook Pro even easier.

However, the notion of a thinner design makes me nervous. In my experience, when surveying the needs of MacBook Pro users — especially those in same creative professions — the desire for a slimmer profile rarely tops the list. More commonly, folks want better battery life, enhanced performance, and adequate input/output.

Apple has a history of pursuing thinner designs, sometimes at the expense of functionality. The butterfly keyboard is the most recent example. If “thinner” is on that whiteboard in Cupertino, I hope Apple doesn’t compromise the performance and reliability that MacBook Pro users depend on. Perhaps advancements in chip design will allow for a thinner MacBook Pro without sacrificing battery life or power. But even if that is true, I’d argue the MacBook Pro still doesn’t need to get thinner. I’d fill that empty space with more battery and a better cooling system to let the new MacBook Pro run even harder.

In the meantime, we can anticipate the release of the M5 MacBook Pro later this year, likely in the fall as the last MacBook Pro with this current, much-loved, design.

Daylite: The All-in-One Business Tool for Apple Users (Sponsor)

Running a small business or working as a solo professional often means juggling a dozen roles at once — client meetings, project deadlines, follow-ups, invoicing — you name it. I’ve learned the hard way that when your tools aren’t helping you stay on top of all that, they’re just adding to the chaos.

That’s where Daylite comes in. It’s a powerful CRM and project management app made specifically for Mac, iPhone, and iPad users. What sets Daylite apart is how well it blends contact management, project tracking, calendar integration, and team collaboration, all in one place. It’s like having a command center for your business, designed with the Apple ecosystem in mind.

Daylite is especially useful if you’re in a client-focused profession like legal, design, real estate, coaching, or consulting. You can link your emails, notes, tasks, and appointments to individual clients and projects, so nothing slips through the cracks. I love how it integrates with Apple Mail and Calendar, making it feel like a natural extension of the tools many of us already use daily.

One thing that really stands out is how Daylite helps you stay proactive, not just reactive. You can set up pipelines for sales or onboarding workflows, assign tasks to your team, and always know what the next step is. That means less time digging through email threads and more time actually doing the work.

Moreover, the Daylite development team is 100% committed to giving Mac users the best native experience. They’ve proven that with decades of innovative updates. And because Daylite is a native Mac app (not just a web wrapper), it feels snappy and familiar. There’s no clunky interface or learning curve; it just works the way you expect it to.

If you’re trying to grow your business or just bring some order to the daily madness, I highly recommend checking out Daylite. It’s a great example of a thoughtfully built tool for Apple-centric teams who want to work smarter.

This Month in the MacSparky Labs

We had a lot of fun this month in the MacSparky Labs. Notable events was a meetup of Vision Pro users to reflect on the first year with Apple’s new device and a deep dive on e-books in light of Amazon tightening the screws on downloading your purchased book.

Here’s what took place in the Labs for the month of March 2025:

  • 2025-03-03 – Testing Cotypist (BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-31 – TRMNL to Show Status Information (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-28 – Lab Report 2025-03-28 (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-21 – The Lab Report for March 21, 2025 (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-19 – March 2025 Deep Dive – Ebook Workflows (EA)
  • 2025-03-19 – FOD – Vision Pro Check-In (Podcast) (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-17 – Using ChatGPT with Timing Data (BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-17 – Accessing the Labs Calendar (BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-14 – The Lab Report for March 7, 2025 (SU, BA, EA)
  • 2025-03-12 – Using Supercharge (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-10 – Choosing “Send From” Email Account in Apple Mail (BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-08 – FOD – Vision Pro Check In (Event) (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-07 – Labs March Meetup (SU,BA,EA)
  • 2025-03-07 – The Lab Report for March 7, 2025 (SU, BA, EA)
  • 2025-03-05 – Sparky’s Tech Travel Gear 2025 (SU, BA, EA)
  • 2025-03-03 – February 2025 Deep Dive – iPad + Mac (Video) (EA)

If you’d like to be a part of the MacSparky Labs, you can get more information and join right here.

Mac Power Users 790: Wandering Around The Verge, with David Pierce

David Pierce is editor-at-large at The Verge. This week, he joins Stephen and me on Mac Power Users to talk about the hardware and software he relies on for work, the overall state of Apple in 2025, and his complicated feelings about his new SodaStream.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • 1Password: Never forget a password again.
  • DEVONthink: Get Organized — Unleash Your Creativity.

Nano-texture Normalcy

It’s been a while since Apple introduced Nano-texture glass on iPad, and in that time, they’ve expanded the option to the MacBook Pro. What’s interesting to me is that we haven’t seen any major controversies or “gates” surrounding this technology. The Nano-texture glass seems to be delivering as promised, reducing glare while maintaining a sharp, high-quality display.

I’ve had the chance to use the Nano-texture glass option on iPad and have seen it on the MacBook Pro as well. The common complaint that colors appear slightly less vibrant is valid, but the screen remains incredibly sharp. And if you need a non-reflective display, this is an obvious choice. It makes particular sense on iPad and MacBook Pro, given that these are among Apple’s devices that are often used outdoors or in bright lighting conditions.

Another positive development is the price. I remember that when choosing the Nano-texture glass on the Pro Display XDR, it set you back $1,000. Now, you can get it on a MacBook Pro for just $150.

I can’t help but wonder if Apple will eventually bring Nano-texture to the iPhone. Given how often people use their phones in direct sunlight, it could help. Regardless, for those who need a high-end, anti-reflective display, Apple’s Nano-texture glass is the best I’ve seen, and far superior to any screen treatment or film I’ve tried.