Checking in with Apple Music

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple Music is now bigger than Spotify with 28 million subscribers. If that’s true, it doesn’t surprise me. Apple has a considerable advantage in that it is baked into iOS, works with Siri, and just more convenient for iPhone owners.

I thought it would be a good time to check in on Apple Music since I haven’t written much about it since it initially launched. We’ve enjoyed a family subscription ($15/month) since launch. Everyone in my family loves music and, oddly, we all listen to different kinds of music. As a result, we have downloaded a lot more music than we would have if we were paying for tracks and we are getting our money’s worth on Apple Music.

I haven’t used Spotify, but I know its users are big fans of the recommendations. I don’t feel the same rabid love for Apple Music recommendations that my Spotify-wielding friends profess. Still, the suggestions are good. No longer does it throw artists at me from my kids’ playlists. (Sorry Hannah Montana.) The recommended playlists are a good assortment of artists I already love, artists I’d like to hear more, and artists I’ve never heard of before but are nevertheless in my wheelhouse. I like Apple’s recommended playlists and their A-Lists, where I’ve found several new interesting artists. I also like the easy ability to share tracks, as I’ve often done here.

While the user interface has improved over the years, there is still room for improvement. For instance, the buttons across the bottom of the music app are too opinionated. I’ve never listened to Beats 1 and don’t use radio stations. Nonetheless, some of the most valuable real estate in the user interface is taken up with a Radio button. Those buttons should be customizable.


Radio button .. why are you there?

Radio button .. why are you there?

By far, my favorite Apple Music feature is the depth of the catalog. I’ll frequently think of some obscure album and, more often than not, have it playing in minutes. Just a few weeks ago I woke up with an old Chuck Mangione song, Carousel, in my head. The song was recorded in 1975 and the last time I heard it had to be in the 70’s. Nevertheless, Apple Music had Carousel playing throughout my house in minutes.

Accomplish More Every Day with OmniFocus (Sponsor)

This week MacSparky is sponsored by OmniFocus, the task manager I’ve used for years to stay on top of my work and make time for play.

OmniFocus not only offers its users power, it also comes with flexibility. You can make this app work the way you think. Need tags? OmniFocus has them. Want to review your active project routinely? OmniFocus does that. Need to quickly get your tasks out of your brain and into your Mac/iPad/iPhone? OmniFocus makes task capture trivial.

With OmniFocus, you have all the tools. This week has been bananas for me. Because of some work commitments, I only have time for the few most critical tasks every day. OmniFocus is helping me out with that because I tag the most important tasks (I use “Big Rock”) and OmniFocus has a perspective to show me the big rocks every day. This week. I’m just doing those items. Next week, when things slow down a bit, I can dive deeper, but for now, I see exactly what I need. It’s a simple perspective and I’m adding a screenshot at the bottom of this post.

I use OmniFocus every day to keep my life together. There is no way I could run a law practice, video business, three podcasts, and be a dad without the powerful tools that OmniFocus gives me. Why not check it out for yourself? Head over to the OmniFocus website and download the free trial. Make sure to let them know you heard about it here at MacSparky.com.


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Focused 70: Digital Decluttering, with Shahid Kamal Ahmad



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Video game developer Shahid Kamal Ahmad is back on the latest episode of Focused to talk about his digital declutter, staying present, and quieting the voices in your head with an intentional approach to managing your technology.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

  • FreshBooks: Online invoicing made easy.

  • ExpressVPN: High-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service. Get 3 months free with a 1-year package.

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

Mac Power Users 476: Exploring the Mac App Store



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We talk through the ups and downs of the Mac App Store and share some of the hidden gems we have found there over the years on this week’s episode of Mac Power Users. Then, Stephen and I recap Apple’s recent media event after being interrupted by Mother Nature in the Sparks’ yard.

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. 

  • Gazelle: Sell your iPhone for cash at Gazelle! 

  • Luna Display: The only hardware solution that turns your iPad into a wireless display for your Mac. Use promo code POWER at checkout for 10% off.

  • Away: Travel smarter with the suitcase that charges your phone. Get $20 off with the code ‘mpu’.

MacStock 2019


Last year I made a last-minute decision to attend MacStock to see what it was all about. I had a great time, and this year I’m looking forward to going back. Moreover, this year I am participating. I will be giving the session, and we will be recording the Mac Power Users episode 500 live at MacStock. Stephen and I are making lots of plans, and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.

MacStock has the feel of Macworld, but at the same time, it is much more intimate. Because there are fewer people, we all get to spend more time together.

If you’re interested in attending, I can get you a small discount with the discount code “macsparky”. Regardless, if you do attend, I’ll see you there.

Ulysses, My Place For Words (Sponsor)


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This week MacSparky is sponsored by Ulysses, that powerful writing tool that works on Mac, iPad, and iPhone and I use every day. In the last year, my usage of Ulysses has only increased more. It has become for me, “the place for words”. Not only do I keep a repository of text, I call it the “text bank” that I use in my law practice in Ulysses, it has also become the place I keep notes, work on drafts, outline screencasts, plan podcasts, and write just about all the other words I make in one context or another. I love the clean design and the way it syncs everything everywhere. The image to the right is my Ulysses sidebar. There is so much contained in these categories.

The Ulysses team has been busy. Recent additions include new styles and themes and the new ability to split the view, showing you two different Ulysses notes at the same time. I’ve only been using split view a short time but already couldn’t imagine Ulysses without it. Best of all, if you sign up with the links in this blog post, you’ll get three months of Ulysses for free. 



Cardhop for iOS Release and Videos



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For a while now, I’ve been using Cardhop on my Mac to manage contacts. Today marks the release of Cardhop for iOS. Made by Flexibits, the same team behind Fantastical, Cardhop is better than the native Contacts app in just about every way. It has a smart parser that lets you find, modify, and act on contacts without diving into the button pressing hell that is the native Contacts app. It allows you to actually move contacts among groups easily, it looks beautiful, and it has wicked Siri Shortcuts support. The icon is even better looking on your home screen. You can buy it today.

I made a whole series of videos for the app that you can watch on the developer’s website. Consider it a free, mini field guide on this cool app. Here’s my overview.