DEVONthink – Your Research Command Center (Sponsor)

One question I frequently get from MacSparky readers and MPU listeners is: “What’s the best tool for managing research on the Mac?” My answer is always DEVONthink, and this week I’m happy to have them as a sponsor.

Let me tell you about my favorite new feature: the Mentions inspector. Think of it as your digital librarian that automatically discovers connections in your research. When you select a document, Mentions shows you everywhere its title appears across your database, complete with context. I’ve found this invaluable for uncovering relationships in my research that I didn’t even know existed.

official application icon for DEVONthink

But that’s just scratching the surface. Here’s what makes DEVONthink my go-to research tool:

  • Its AI engine learns how you organize and helps file new documents
  • A powerful search language that lets you construct precise queries
  • Rock-solid sync across devices with end-to-end encryption
  • Smart rules and reminders to automate your workflow
  • Rich AppleScript support for deep automation (I use this constantly)

The DEVONthink team keeps pushing the envelope with thoughtful improvements. Recent updates have brought enhanced PDF annotation, seamless Evernote import capabilities, and expanded Markdown support. This continuous evolution is why DEVONthink remains central to my research workflow.

If you’re looking to level up your research game, DEVONthink is offering MacSparky readers a 20% discount. It’s the tool I trust with my own research, and I think you’ll find it just as indispensable.

My thanks to DEVONthink for supporting MacSparky.

Mac Power Users 809: Exploring Kagi with CEO Vladimir Prelovac

Kagi is a search engine and browser company offering an alternative to products offered by the tech giants. On this week’s episode of Mac Power Users, Kagi’s CEO Vladimir Prelovac talks with Stephen and me about what Kagi offers its customers.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • 1Password: Never forget a password again.
  • Ecamm: Powerful live streaming platform for Mac. Get one month free.

Deep Dive – Using Apple Reminders

I’m building out my system in Apple Reminders as I research a future project. In the latest Deep Dive session, I shared what I’m doing with Apple’s impressive, but also limited task manager, and listened to Pathfinders’ experience with the app, as many of you are now using Reminders.… This is a post for the MacSparky Labs Pathfinder members. Care to join? If you’re already a member, you can log in here.

Mac Power Users 808: “The Momentum Is Building,” with Simon Støvring

Simon Støvring is the developer behind some fantastic apps, including Runestone, Scriptable, Jayson, and Data Jar. This week, he joins Stephen and me on Mac Power Users to talk about how he works on these apps, his use of Apple’s default apps, and how he’s thinking about iOS 26.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MPU.

Open a Folder From Anywhere

A Labs member asked for a way to open a folder from anywhere on his Mac. Here’s a Keyboard Maestro macro that uses the URL call action to solve the problem. This is a handy technique that can be deployed in several ways on your Mac. Here I show a use case involving the Notes field from an OmniFocus action. … This is a post for the MacSparky Labs Pathfinder and Insider members. Care to join? If you’re already a member, you can log in here.

In Praise of Pencils

I very much have an analog side. Sometimes I find slowing down and writing things down helps me process thoughts a little better. That doesn’t mean the things I write with paper and pencil necessarily stay that way forever, but quite often, it’s an excellent first draft.

As an analog explorer, I’ve gone down the rabbit hole over the years of fancy pens, including fountain pens. But several years ago, I found an old box of pencils and decided on a whim to try using those. I never looked back.

It’s easy to think of the simple pencil as that thing we used back in school, never to be touched again, but pencils have a lot of merits.

They’re erasable. If you make a mistake, you can erase it and do it over. But that goes even deeper. Because it’s erasable, you can take a risk once in a while.

They dry instantly. The fancier and more expensive your pen gets, it seems, the longer you have to wait for the ink to dry. Not so with a pencil.

They work in extreme conditions. You can write with a pencil underwater, in extreme heat or cold, or even zero gravity. When I had a fountain pen, I was terrified to use it on an airplane because I kept reading about fountain pen explosions under airplane cabin pressure. That’s just not a thing when you use pencils.

I also find the process of sharpening pencils therapeutic. It gives me a minute to stop and think. Over the years, I’ve bought several different sharpeners, ranging from a simple hand twist to a fancy one that’s more akin to a hand plane. They’re all delightful and give me a break to stop and think while writing.

Overall, there’s an appealing simplicity to pencils. There’s no cables or batteries or sync issues—you just pick it up and write. There’s also a strange sense of accomplishment when you use up a pencil down to the nib. I look at it and think, “I made something relevant with this.”

I like the way pencils embrace impermanence. Anything I write with my pencil is subject to change, and that’s okay. It almost invites mindfulness as you sit there, sharpening a pencil, and then listen to the scratch, scratch across the paper as you write down your thoughts.

I doubt this essay is going to get many converts. I think most people still think of pencils as things for third graders. But boy, do I love mine.

If you’re curious, my favorite pencil is the Mitsubishi 9852 EW. They are inexpensive and a pleasure to use.