SplashData released their list of top 100 worst passwords of 2018. “123456” tops the list and “password” is a close second. Take a look at the list and make sure you’re not making it easy for the hackers.
I happily use 1Password (full disclosure: sometimes an MPU sponsor) for this. There are plenty of password options out there. Just please use one of them. Digital security is under increasing threat. Don’t walk around with your fly down.
Troy Hunt did some digital spelunking and found a group of shared files, “Collection #1,” with 773 million emails and passwords. Yikes!
I bang on about password security a lot; this is why. Read this article and check your email against the database to see if you are on the list. It doesn’t necessarily mean your current password is exposed (unless you never change it). My podcast listeners are already familiar with my practice of routinely changing all of my critical passwords every time we change the clock for daylight savings. If you are on the Pwned list, change yours today.
Author and productivity experimenter Chris Bailey is on this week’s episode of Focused to share ideas and strategies for getting your focus on.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
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When I announced the Siri Shortcuts and OmniFocus Field Guides, I explained the introductory price of $24 would eventually go up to $29. That’s going to happen on January 27 so it is the last call if you want to get in on the entry price.
The Siri Shortcuts Field Guide is getting a nice 1.1 update pretty soon. I’ve got hours of video shot that needs editing down and there is some more to follow. There is going to be both entry level and high-end content with the update. It’s nice to see how much Apple has improved Siri Shortcuts since it launched.
The OmniFocus Field Guide is also getting an update to include, among other things, OmniFocus for the web. That is still several months off though.
John Gruber of Daring Fireball and The Talk Show join Stephen and me on this week’s Mac Power Users’ episode for a discussion about writing and podcasting, WWDC, and what the future may hold for the iPad and Mac.
This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:
Gazelle: Sell your iPhone for cash at Gazelle!
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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.
eero: Never think about WiFi again. Get $100 off the ‘Eero base unit and 2 beacons package’, and a year of eero Plus.
Lately, I’ve had the itch to try a mechanical keyboard again. It has been many years since I last used one but every time I start to think about pushing the button to order one, I get cold feet because I don’t like the idea of a USB cord, or they look too big, or something else.
This week I stumbled onto the Keychron K1 keyboard. Keychron is a company I’ve never heard of before and I may have made a mistake, but their new mechanical keyboards push all my buttons. (See what I did there?)
The Keychron K1 keyboards are Mac friendly, with the expected command button and the function row has glyphs very similar to Apple’s there is even a dedicated screenshot key (which presumably macros Command-Shift-4) and separate keys to activate Siri and Dictation. The keyboard is Bluetooth so there is no cord and it can, with the push of yet another button, jump between my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The switches are half height blue switches and the whole thing just looks damn sexy with keys that seem to float.
I’ve ordered the 87-Key Mac variant. I’ll report back when I actually have one on my desk.
It seems like that just about every time we write off the Apple AirPower, the charge-everything-in-one device announced but never shipped, rumors start up again about it going into production. Again we are hearing it is back from the dead. While Apple watchers love to talk about the AirPower, I have to wonder if anyone actually cares. How many people: a) have a need for one gadget to charge all their Apple devices (iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch),and; b) are going to pay Apple sized prices for a charging mat?
I hope Apple does perfect and ship the AirPower, if for no other reason, so we can start talking about it. Regardless, I can’t help but think in the overall scheme of things, AirPower is small potatoes.
I’m hitting the publish button on this post as I am about to board a plane for Seattle to attend the Podcon conference. The decision to attend came pretty late in the process for me but one of the main reasons I’m going to Podcon is to meet up with friends, old and new. If you are attending Podcon and see me shuffling around, please say hello. If you’re not attending, check out my Instagram feed (@macsparky) the next few days. I plan to publish some fun stories as I deal with Podcon.
If you are attending, Rosemary and I will be recording a live episode of Automators on Saturday February 19 at 11 AM. We’ll also be live-streaming that episode through Twitter so even if you’re not in Seattle, check our Twitter feeds (here’s mine) tomorrow before 11AM PST. We’re also doing a meetup, which is sadly fully booked but going to be a lot of fun tomorrow.
There is a pile of applications that claim to turn your iPad into a virtual notebook but none of them, in my opinion, do that as good as GoodNotes, which just released version 5.
The best thing about the new version is the improved ink engine. I have always felt that GoodNotes had the most natural writing for the iPad. This new version only increases their lead. You can even see how the ink changes as you lift the Apple Pencil off the screen. I spent some time with the GoodNotes team at WWDC last year, and they explained how much time they had put into making the app feel more like writing on paper, and it shows. It’s still plastic on glass, but in every way they can improve on those mediums, they have.
That’s not all. With this new update, GoodNotes has added additional file management tools. There’s a new folder system where you can nest folders to organize your notes easier. Finding access your notes gets easier with other improvements as well. There’s a favorites view to help you get to the most important notes. You can now also start a new fresh note instantly upon launch. This isn’t as convenient with the Apple Notes app (which is baked into the operating system) but as instant as you are going to get with a third party app and, once you get rolling, the GoodNotes ink engine runs circles around the Apple Notes pen.
There’s a lot more new features, but they’ve also improved some of the older features. Traditionally, GoodNotes has one of the best paper selections to write on. They’ve got it all with multiple colors and styles (grids, lines, music).
GoodNotes 5 is $7.99. If you purchased GoodNotes, version 4 for full price, the upgrade to version 5 is free. If you paid a discounted price for version 4, you can get the new version for the difference. If you’re the type of person that likes to bring a pad of paper and a pencil into a meeting but iPad curious, GoodNotes may work for you.
Well that didn’t take long. Ordered yesterday and arrived this morning. I explained why I ordered the case yesterday. Here are some photos of the new case in action and a bit of commentary. Click on any image for further detail.
