Mac Power Users 501: iOS 13 and the Shortcuts Field Guide



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iOS 13 is here, and is full of new features. Stephen and I share some of our favorites, after talking through the changes Apple has made to Shortcuts on this week’s Mac Power Users.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • 1Password: Have you ever forgotten a password? You don’t have to worry about that anymore.

  • Away: Thoughtful luggage for modern travel. Get $20 off a suitcase with promo code mpu.

  • MOO: Custom business printing and design. Save up to 35% until September 24.

  • FreshBooks: Online invoicing made easy.

Focused 82: The Hustle



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Join us for the latest episode of Focused. Mike and I tackle the Hustle. Is that a good thing or bad thing? We also get around to gratitude and virtual help.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

  • Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

  • Timing: The automatic time-tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase.

  • Blinkist: Read 3,000+ books in 15 minutes or fewer. Start your 7-day free trial.

Announcing the Shortcuts Field Guide, iOS 13 Edition



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I’m pleased to announce the release of the new iOS 13 edition of the Shortcuts Field Guide.

The Short Pitch for the New Field Guide

The new Shortcuts Field guide was shot entirely new with the new Shortcuts for iOS 13. Apple changed a lot and it is all covered in this field guide:

  • Over 6 hours of downloadable video tutorials

  • New materials for both beginners and advanced users

  • New Downloadable Shortcuts

  • So much Automation

As a blog reader, you get a limited-time $5 discount with the code “BLOGSHORTS”.

If you want to go straight to the course now, here you go.

If you’d like further explanation, read on …

Mobile Automation Is within Your Grasp.

Apple continues to put the gas down on iOS automation. The iOS 13 version of Shortcuts represents a significant improvement over the prior version. Best of all, anyone can do it. Shortcuts does not rely on scripting languages but instead a common-sense approach to Automation. Here are just a few possible things you can do with Shortcuts in iOS 13:

  • Get an automatic weather report for the location of tomorrow’s appointments

  • Block schedule an entire week

  • Put your iPhone into focus mode when you connect to a coffee shop’s WiFi

  • Build simple apps, like a self-creating packing list customized for you

  • Automate your meetings

  • Automate sending a message when you are running late with an accurate, automatically generated ETA.

These are just a few examples of what you can do with Shortcuts, and all of these examples (along with many others) are included among the many video lessons in this course.

With Shortcuts, you can automate just about anything. In addition to teaching you all of the mechanics of Shortcuts, this course includes many walkthroughs of automation workflows you can use, download, or alter to automate your own iPhone and iPad.

There are 107 lovingly crafted screencasts totaling over six hours of content. Each tutorial includes a full transcript and closed captioning. Where appropriate, the tutorials also include downloadable Shortcuts that you can install and run alongside the video.

Course Outline:

1. Introduction

Learn the basics of Shortcuts, including installation and interface. This section covers basic application concepts and how it organizes your Shortcuts. Also, build your first Shortcut.

2. Shortcuts Key Concepts
Shortcuts is a simplified type of programming, and there are several basic, key concepts you’ll want to know to get the most out of it. This section covers those basics, including the Shortcuts programming model, variables, magic variables, conversational shortcuts, share sheet-based shortcuts, and more.

3. Triggers

With Shortcuts, there are a lot of ways to kick off your automation. It can be something you physically trigger, such as a button on your screen, or something automated, like at a specific time or when you connect your phone to WiFi (or CarPlay!) or tap your phone against an NFC sticker. It’s brilliant. This section includes sixteen videos explaining every possible Shortcuts trigger.

4. Actions

Once you have figured out all of the triggers, you will want to start making your iPhone and iPad dance. Just like triggers, Shortcuts is capable of so many actions including the ability to control applications; control settings; add notifications; type text; get directions; create and modify calendar events, bulk adjust photos; make a better share sheet; automate mail; and so much more. There is so much that Shortcuts can do. This section includes 28 videos showing off all of Shortcuts’s tricks.

5. Advanced Concepts

Shortcuts is a lot more powerful than you may think. Once you work through the basic concepts, triggers, and actions, it’s time to dig in on advanced concepts like nesting, programming logic, URL schemes, Base64, regular expressions, and more. This section demystifies some of Shortcuts’s more powerful tools so anyone can use them.

6. Useful Shortcuts

Here you will find a laundry list of useful shortcuts. This section includes 32 screencasts of helpful walkthroughs and downloadable scripts to get more out of your iPhone and iPad. You can download and start using these scripts immediately, or use all of the knowledge that you will have picked up to customize these scripts and make them your own.

7. Conclusion

Learn about more Shortcuts resources.

Here is the course, by the numbers:

  • Over 6 hours of streaming or downloadable video

  • 107 separate videos, 7 separate sections

  • Many downloadable shortcuts

  • Heaps of dangerous knowledge, tricks, and hacks to make your iPhone and iPad dance

The Shortcuts Field Guide is Now Available for Purchase.

Want a preview? How about a 40 minute preview …

1Password Advanced Protection

The battle to protect your passwords never ends. Today 1Password announced it’s new Advanced Protection service for businesses that want better password protection. 
1Password Advanced Protection adds several security controls:

  • Enforce two-factor authentication. Enforce two-factor authentication company-wide, and choose which second factors your team can use when they add 1Password to a new device.

  • Restrict access with firewall rules. Create rules to allow, report, or deny sign-in attempts from certain locations, IP addresses, and more.

  • View and manage sign-in attempts. Review recent sign-in attempts and take any action required to protect your team.

  • Set complex Master Password policies. Define requirements employees must adhere to when they choose their Master Password.

  • Require modern app usage. Check which version of 1Password your employees are using to ensure they have the latest security and feature updates.

I can’t help but feel the Internet security situation is going to only get worse before it gets better. Does your company need to protect something like seven secret herbs and spices? If so, get yourself some advanced protection.

Use SaneBox to Upgrade Any Email System (Sponsor)



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This week MacSparky is sponsored by SaneBox, the email service I use every day to manage my email. SaneBox acts as your own personal email assistant, sorting your inbox for you so you only see the most important emails with less important email getting relegated to other mailboxes for later.

I’m not the only one that relies on SaneBox. It’s also used by companies like eBay, Coca-Cola, Adidas, and LinkedIn to help their employees stay on top of the most important email.

SaneBox has many additional features, like the ability track and notify you if people don’t respond to your email and defer incoming email until later. It really serves as a set of power tools to make every aspect of using email easier and it works with just about any email platform: including iCloud, IMAP, Google, and Exchange. No matter what system, platform, or app you use to do email, SaneBox can help. It’s like feature upgrading every email application. If you’d like to become the boss of your email, go sign up for free SaneBox trial today and use the links in this post to get a significant discount when you sign up.

Mac Power Users 500: David in the Hot Seat



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Stephen marks the 500th episode of Mac Power Users by interviewing me about my career, technology, and choice of light saber color.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • eero: Get your WiFi fixed as soon as tomorrow! Free overnight shipping.

  • 1Password: Have you ever forgotten a password? You don’t have to worry about that anymore.

  • The Omni Group: We’re passionate about productivity for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Automators 32 – Shortcuts and iOS 13



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The latest episode of Automators is posted. In it Rose and I cover the breakdown of how Shortcuts will fit into iOS 13.0 and 13.1, some of our favorite new shortcuts, and the looming release of the Shortcuts Field Guide next week.

Sponsors include:

  • PDFpen, from Smile : The ultimate tool for editing PDFs on the Mac.

  • Zapier: The easiest way to automate your work. Start your 14-day free trial today.

  • Backblaze: Unlimited cloud backup for Macs and PCs for just $6/month.