Mac Power Users 474: Using the iPad as a Laptop



Mac Power Users Artwork.png


When thinking about replacing your notebook with an iPad, there are a lot of factors to consider. On this week’s episode of Mac Power Users, Stephen and I talk through the hardware and software that can make — or break — this experience.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • SaneBox: Stop drowning in email!

  • TextExpander from Smile: Get 20% off with this link and type more with less effort! Expand short abbreviations into longer bits of text, even fill-ins, with TextExpander from Smile.

  • eero: Never think about WiFi again. Get $100 off the ‘Eero base unit and 2 beacons package’, and a year of eero Plus.

  • 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.

WWDC is in June. Who Should Attend?


wwdc-2019.jpg

Today Apple announced the Worldwide Developer Conference for the first week of June, again returning to San Jose. WWDC is where Apple unveils the latest iterations of its operating systems (and I often fall headfirst down the . That’s going to be interesting this year because so many of us are getting surly about the lack of substantial iPad updates. It is also widely expected that we’ll learn something about the new Mac Pro at the event.

I’m often asked by friends whether or not they should head to San Jose for WWDC. If you are a developer, there is a lot for you from both Apple and AltConf. For everyone else, however, it depends. For the week of WWDC, the business of Apple takes over a portion of downtown San Jose. There are a lot of people there, most of whom I only see at WWDC and yet I work with regularly. I also am legal counsel for several developers, and WWDC is the one time a year I get to spend significant time with those people in person.

Still, WWDC is not Macworld. Macworld was a special place. It was about users, not the business of Apple. I wouldn’t recommend going to WWDC if you are looking for the Macworld experience. The nearest thing we have to Macworld now is MacStock.

Don’t Let Your Email Make You Crazy. Get SaneBox (Sponsor)



IMG_0149.png


This week MacSparky is sponsored by SaneBox, the email service that can help you get control of your inbox. For a lot of folks, email is a constant pain point, and it doesn’t need to be. With SaneBox, you add a powerful set of email tools that can work in just about any email client. SaneBox allows you to:

  • Wake up everyday to find that the SaneBox robots have automatically sorted your incoming email for you so you can address the important and ignore the irrelevant.

  • Defer email for hours, days, or weeks so it is out of your life until a more appropriate time.

  • Set secret reminders so if someone doesn’t reply to an important email, SaneBox gives you a nudge to follow up.

  • Automatically save attachments to the cloud (like Dropbox).

  • Use their SaneForward service to automatically send appropriate emails to services such as Evernote, Expensify, and Kayak.

  • Move unwanted email to the SaneBlackHole and never see anything from that person again.

To me, getting the SaneBox account was the inflection point between when email controlled me and I started controlling email. If you are still on the other side of that equation, it’s time you joined us and stop letting email make you crazy. I’ve been a paying subscriber for years and can’t imagine getting by without it. If you sign up with this link, you even get a discount off your subscription.

Siri Shortcuts Field Guide, Version 1.1 (And Discount Code)



Siri Shortcuts FG.png


I’ve been thrilled with all the nice tweets, emails, and messages and the generally warm reception for the Siri Shortcuts Field Guide. I love seeing tweets and emails from customers that are now automating their iPhones and iPads. Siri Shortcuts turns out to be one of those rare Apple products that gets frequent updates. Since I first launched the Siri Shortcuts Field Guide, Apple has added several new features.

So I’ve been hard at work in the Screencasting cave adding new content. With this post, I’m pleased to announce the release of the Siri Shortcuts Field Guide, version 1.1.

  • The new version adds 17 new videos and 50 minutes of content bringing the course size to over 4 hours.

  • New content includes additional features (like weather and conversions) and also goes deeper on both beginner and advanced topics.

  • The new version also features combined downloads so if you want to download everything, it’s ten big video files instead of 57 little ones. 

If You Enrolled in the Siri Shortcuts Field Guide …

There is nothing for you to do but log in and check out the new content. It’s a free update.

If you haven’t signed up for the Siri Shortcuts Field Guide Yet …

Now’s the time. Go to this link and use the promotion code “SIRIBLOG”.That gets you $10 off, but it is only good for a week.

Mac Power Users 473: Shawn Blanc’s Evolved Workflows



Mac Power Users Artwork.png


Shawn Blanc returns on this week’s episode of Mac Power Users to talk about his move to the iPad Pro and how he manages the growing team behind projects such as the Sweet Setup and the Focus Course.

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. 

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

  • 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.

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

Email Breach

Wired recently published an article about the discovery of a database containing 809 million total records exposed online. The MongoDB (freely available to hackers for some time now) contains 150 gigabytes of plain-text marketing data, including 763 unique email addresses.

These days it seems I get nearly as much phishing email as regular email. Setting aside the discussion of email being unproductive, at what point does the medium fail just because we stop believing any email we receive is legitimate? I’m already getting that way with nearly all of my vendors.