A Missed Opportunity with Text and Screen Effects in iOS

We have now had text and screen effects on iOS for eight months. Are you using them? Perhaps more importantly, does Apple remember they exist?

When iOS 10 was first released, I made the argument that to keep these relevant, Apple needed to constantly iterate and update them. If you’ve ever spent any time with Snapchat, you know what I’m talking about. Snapchat regularly releases new filters and effects that you can apply to your images. They often change seasonally and even for particular holidays. Watching my children and their friends, they all get a kick out of whatever the latest and greatest Snapchat filter is.

I think Apple had a similar opportunity with text and screen effects in iOS messaging. Why not render text with snowflakes during the winter? Why not have a screen effect with flowers blooming in the spring?

By changing things up, Apple could keep text and screen effects more relevant, and they’d get used more often. (When’s the last time you used either of these features?) If Apple brought a little regularly updated whimsy to the table, it would make the iPhone even more “sticky” for users and make them less likely to change platforms.

This seems like such a no-brainer that I’m surprised Apple hasn’t been more aggressive with text and screen effects. I’m guessing we’ll get a few updated animations with iOS 11 when they announce it next month, but I think they are missing out by not having much more frequent updates and animations.

Sort Your Mail Automatically with SaneBox (sponsor)




This week MacSparky is sponsored by SaneBox, the email service that allows you to be the boss of your email inbox.

SaneBox is an email service with a lot of features. This week I’d like to focus on SaneBox’s ability to automatically sort your email for you. Every day we all get a lot of email. Some of it may come from family or coworkers and be super important. Other email may come from some online store that you bought a shirt from 10 years ago and be a lot less important. With all of your email going into your inbox, you’ve got to spend time every day sorting the wheat from the chaff.

SaneBox can do that for you. Specifically, SaneBox will look at your inbox and sort your less important email into other folders. For instance, SaneBox sorts all of my email from people that I buy things from into a specific folder. Likewise, SaneBox has a separate folder, called “Later” that holds email from senders I usually let sit for a few days. Once SaneBox is done sorting out my inbox for me, I only see the email that is most important to me. I can deal with those and then come back to the remaining sorted folders later when I have time.

The day after I signed up for SaneBox my morning inbox went from 150 emails to seven emails and I immediately knew I had a winner. I’ve been a paying customer for years and couldn’t get by without it.

If you have been struggling with email, you should check out SaneBox. It’s a great service that will save you a lot of time. Use this link to get a discount and let them know you heard about it here at MacSparky.




MPU 378 – More iOS Hidden Features




The latest episode of Mac Power Users is up and available for download. This week we are joined by Clayton Morris to talk about some of our favorite underused iOS features. This episode is actually a continuation of an episode recorded several months ago. The outline had so much content that we couldn’t finish it in one show.

This is one of those shows full of little tips and tricks, and my goal is that everyone who listens to it can get a little bit better and a little bit faster using their iPhone and iPad. Check it out.

Sponsors include:

  • Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy.
  • 1Password: Have you ever forgotten a password? Now you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Save up to 20% using this link.
  • The Omni Group: We’re passionate about productivity for Mac, iPhone and iPad. 
  • Market circle: We help small business grow with great Mac, iPhone and iPad apps including Daylight and Billings Pro.

 

The CMD-D Mac Automation Conference


When we had Sal Saghoian on the Mac Power Users a few months ago, I observed that one of the best things about him leaving Apple is that he gets to share more with us automation-loving nerds. It looks like Sal is pretty serious about that because he is putting on a conference with Paul Kent (the former conference organizer for Macworld Expo). CMD-D is a one day conference in August in Santa Clara all about Mac and iOS automation.

If you’re thinking about attending, I’d recommend it. I took a two-day AppleScript course from Sal several years ago and can attest that he’s not only very knowledgeable on the subject of automation, he’s also a great teacher. Learn more at the CMD-D website.

AirPods Sport Strap

I spend a lot of time on my bicycle riding around town. It’s one of the advantages of being self-employed. I can work where I want, when I want.

One bit of forbidden fruit on my bicycle is my Apple AirPods. The idea of coming to a sudden stop and watching them fly out of my ears down onto the street or the drain, or simply somewhere else is enough for me to keep them in my pocket while pedaling around.

I have, however, found a solution. The Sport Strap for AirPods is nothing more than two plastic clips that fit over your ear with a hole of exactly the right diameter to securely hold my AirPods and a rubber tether between them. I can put the AirPods in the clips, slide them over my ears, and everything is much more secure. I’m actually thinking about cutting off the rubber tether. When I ride my bike, I only keep one AirPod in so I can keep the other ear open for my surroundings. 

The Sport Strap includes a little zippered carry pouch, and everything tucks away nicely in my bag. If you’re concerned your AirPods may fall out, these $13 bits of plastic will help you out.

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MPU 377 – Audio Media Management




This week we take a good look at dealing with audio on your Apple gear. Topics include traditional music management, the best streaming services and why I loves them, podcast management, and playing audio in your car and home.

Sponsors include:

  • TextExpander from Smile Type more with less effort! Expand short abbreviations into longer bits of text, even fill-ins, with TextExpander from Smile.
  • Pixelmator Powerful image editing that gives you everything you need to create, edit and enhance your images, now on iPad and Mac.
  • Sanebox Stop drowning in email!
  • Casper: Because everyone deserves a great night sleep. Get $50 off with the code ‘MPU’

30 Years of PopChar

I would like to congratulate Ergonis software, which is now celebrating 30 years of the Mac utility PopChar. Keeping a software application running for 30 years is quite an accomplishment. PopChar allows you to easily see all of the characters attached to your various fonts. There’s a lot in there, and if you’re looking for a specific symbol or emoji, they aren’t always that easy to find. PopChar solves that problem—and has been solving that problem for 30 years now.

If the character lists Apple provides you with when you hold down Control + Command + Space isn’t solving the problem for you, you should check out PopChar. Best of all, with the 30-year celebration, it’s reduced by 45% until May 24 ($16.50 for an individual license.)  Follow this link to get the discount coupon code “PopChar30”. 



MacPaw’s Ukrainian Apple Museum

Over the years of publishing MacSparky, I’ve got to know the team from MacPaw. MacPaw makes several Mac Apps that I use including CleanMyMac and, increasingly, their SetApp (Netflix for Mac Apps) service. I’ve been genuinely impressed with everyone I’ve met from MacPaw. They make great software but, even more, they get being part of the Apple community. 

Last year the long-running New York Apple repair shop, Tekserve, shut down and sold their Mac collection to, it turns out, MacPaw. Now MacPaw’s set up their own Apple Museum in Ukraine. I love that. They even made a clever video.