For years now I’ve been writing and talking about the trouble with Siri. This problem became even more acute for Apple with the rise of large language models (LLMs) and the world’s collective realization at just how useful a smart artificial intelligence can be.…
Continue reading →Google’s AI Search Mode: What It Means for Users and Creators
Google recently announced the integration of an AI Mode into its search engine, powered by the Gemini 2.0 model. This update aims to provide more advanced and conversational responses directly in the search results. Frankly, I’m not surprised. The only surprise is that it took…
Continue reading →Timing is Your Silent Partner in Productivity (Sponsor)
This week, MacSparky is delighted to feature Timing, the premier automatic time-tracking app for Mac users. Unlike traditional timers that require manual activation, Timing works seamlessly in the background, meticulously recording your activity across apps, websites, and documents. This ensures you gain an accurate and…
Continue reading →Focused 225: Tiny Experiments, with Anne-Laure Le Cunff
Anne-Laure Le Cunff joins Mike and me on Focused to talk about the value of tiny experiments and how they enable us to live more focused, intentional lives. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or…
Listen & read notes →Apple’s New Child Safety Update: A Step in the Right Direction
Apple recently posted a white paper called Helping Protect Kids Online, where, among other things, they disclosed an upcoming software update that will make it easier to set up child accounts and provide age ranges to developers. I am sure part of the reason for…
Continue reading →OpenAI Announces GPT-4.5: A Stepping Stone to GPT-5
The AI march continues. OpenAI has announced that GPT-4.5 is now available for ChatGPT Pro and Enterprise users, with plans to roll it out to lower tiers in the coming weeks. This new release feels like a stepping stone on the way to GPT-5, which is anticipated…
Continue reading →Mac Power Users 787: Revisiting Our Mac Menu Bars
It’s been a while, so Stephen and I use this episode of Mac Power Users to share what’s in our Macs’ menu bars, touching on some all-time great macOS apps. This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by: 1Password: Never forget a password again. Ecamm:…
Listen & read notes →The Pragmatic Explanation of Apple’s AI-Free iPad
A lot of folks are getting bent out of shape over the fact that the new entry-level iPad, released last week, doesn’t support Apple Intelligence. I don’t really see it that way. The goal of this iPad, in my opinion, is to keep it under…
Continue reading →New Apple Hardware
This week, Apple unveiled a bunch of new hardware, including the M4 Mac Studio, M4 MacBook Air, and the latest iPad Air. There’s a lot to discuss: M4 Mac Studio Apple’s new Mac Studio has two primary configurations: one with the M4 Max chip and another with the M3…
Continue reading →Fantastical: The Premier Calendar App (Sponsor)
I’m delighted to welcome back Flexibits as a MacSparky sponsor. Their premier calendar application, Fantastical, continues to set the standard for personal and professional scheduling. With the recent release of Fantastical, the app has expanded its reach beyond the Apple ecosystem, now offering native support…
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