Use HoudahGeo to Manage Photo Location Data on Your Mac (Sponsor)


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This week MacSparky is sponsored by HoudahGeo, the Mac application that simplifies adding geolocation data to your photos.

A lot of us have fancy cameras that, unlike the iPhone, don’t automatically add geolocation data to every photo. The thing is, I like having location data attached to my photos so I can look at all the pictures I took in Chicago or Hawaii, even those taken with the fancy camera.

HoudahGeo solves that problem. HoudahGeo can add locations to photos, whether they’re in a folder on your Mac or right in the photo library, making it Apple Photos compatible.

HoudahGeo does two things for photos in your library:

  • Add location information to the photo in your library. This allows Apple Photos to organize and find your photos by location. Just the same as if you had made the effort to manually assign the locations in Apple Photos

  • Geotag the original image files saved to your Photos library. This updates the JPEG or RAW files that came from your camera to include GPS tags, location names, etc.*

HoudahGeo is used by travelers and professionals alike. Some use location information to organize and find photos. Others need to add GPS coordinates to photo to assess roadwork damages, to record wildlife sightings or to document environmental damages, or even document the location of a really great looking tree. There is a cool blog entry where the developer used HoudahGeo to track an 8-day hike up Mount Kilimanjaro, which explains exactly how they used the app. Using HoudahGeo you can attach location data to photos with or without a geolocation log.

Using HoudahGeo, I’m quickly able to add location data to all of my photos. Moreover, this week you can get a discount using the links in this post.

* Caveat: iCloud Photos does not re-upload modified image files. Location information added to the library gets synched through iCloud. Geotagged image files are uploaded to iCloud only if the tags were added before iCloud Photos got to uploading the files. Thus users of iCloud Photos should geotag their photos before adding them to the Photos library. For this purpose, you can use HoudahGeo instead of the Photos app to download photos from your camera. Download, geotag, add to the Photos library, and let iCloud Photos do its job.

Focused 68: Getting Productive with an Unproductive Boss

On this week’s episode of Focused, Mike and I talk about getting intentional and getting productive with an unproductive boss. Finally, we cover productive Italians.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

  • FreshBooks: Online invoicing made easy.

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

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

Classic Mac Pillow

Months ago I backed a silly Kickstarter that involved creating pillows looking like classic Apple products. Last week the pillows showed up and we’ve been having fun with them at the house. When nerd friends come over, they immediately recognize my classic Mac and Finder icon. Note they must have not got rights from Apple, so instead of the rainbow Mac logo, we just got a rainbow square. Also, the Mac has a handle (sort of).

A friend told me the the Finder pillow resembles me. I often get mistaken for the Finder.

Mac Power Users 472: Live in Chicago with Friends

This week’s episode of Mac Power Users is live from Chicago. Stephen and I thaw out long enough to talk to a couple of very special guests about the MacBook Air and the friction between analog and digital tools. We also answer some listener questions.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • 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.

  • Hover: Extensions for anything you’re passionate about. Grab a .ME domain for $9.99.

  • CleanMyMac X: Your Mac. As good as new.

GoodNotes and Planner Forms


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During Mac Power Users episode 472 (releasing later today), I talked through my spirit quest to figure out analog versus digital planner tools. I’ve been building digital planner sheets in OmniGraffle for use in GoodNotes. When exported from OmniGraffle as PDF’s these forms import into GoodNotes easily. I initially went a little nuts with this projet and made several more forms than I actually ended up using. I’m sharing them all anyway. Here are links to the PDF files.

Once you fill out the forms in GoodNotes, it is easy to export them to Apple Notes, Day One, or anywhere else. This is definitely a work in progress but give them a try, listen to me talk about them on MPU 472 (with a secret guest), and feel free to make adjustments to make them work for you.

See Me at the ABA TechShow 2019


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This year I’m speaking at the ABA TechShow to lawyers and legal professionals about topics including iOS and Mac Security and how to up your game in the courtroom using technology. The conference starts today and I’ve already bumped into several readers/listeners. If you’re attending and see me, please make sure to say “hello”. 

SaneBox, Because Email Doesn’t Have to Suck (Sponsor)

This week’s MacSparky sponsor is SaneBox, the email tool that everybody could use. You may have heard about some of the innovative new email features like inbox auto-sorting, deferred email, and reply tracking. The trouble is that early implementations of those features were all app-specific. You had to switch to a different email client that you didn’t necessarily like to get those features.

SaneBox fixes that. SaneBox has all of those cool new email tools (plus many more), and it works with just about any email client. Over the last few years, I have been jumping between iOS email clients trying to find the right app for me. Throughout this process, my one constant has been SaneBox because no matter which email client I’m using, I can still get auto inbox sorting, deferred email, reply tracking, and a pile of additional email tools via SaneBox. The service gives me the freedom to try and use any email client that tickles my fancy.

There is a lot more to SaneBox, but in addition to all of that, SaneBox gives you email client freedom. To learn more head over to SaneBox and sign up today. Using the links in this post, you’ll even get a sweet discount.

Replacing an AirPod

For some time now, we have been waiting for an update to the Apple AirPods, those clever little wireless headphones that we all went for bananas for a few years ago. Whether or not Apple plans to come out with a new version (which seems likely), it’s hard to believe it has been two years since Apple first started shipping them.

When I’m wearing my lawyer hat, I spend a lot of time on the phone. The AirPods were a game changer for me in that regard. They sound great. They fit in my pocket. They can be used in both ears or just one ear. I often keep one in my right ear for hours at a time as I’m fielding calls with clients and other lawyers.

It was that right ear thing that got me in trouble. A few months ago, the right AirPod went fritz on me. The microphone stopped working, and it couldn’t hold a charge any longer. I took it into the Apple Store, and they declared it dead. Unfortunately, I was out of warranty and $60 later I had a new right ear AirPod. While it was no fun paying to replace the dead AirPod, there was no question in my mind that I would do it.

After two years, I continue to use the AirPods every day. Going forward, I’m going to try and make a point of splitting single AirPod use between both ears.

Mac Power Users 471: Menu Bars, Docks, and Startup Apps, Oh My!

Join Stephen and me on this week’s episode of Mac Power Users as we talk through the Mac utilities and applications that are always at our fingertips.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • Gazelle: Sell your iPhone for cash at Gazelle! 

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

  • Setapp, from MacPaw: More than 100 powerful apps for your Mac.

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