MacSparky

The MacSparky Blog has been sharing insights since 2007. It offers a variety of tips, including easy keyboard shortcuts to quickly manage PDFs, advanced AppleScript scripts to help you compose emails more efficiently, and thoughtful strategies for better time management and increased productivity.

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Apple's Gaming Push Falls Short with Assassin's Creed Shadows

1 week ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

Quinn Nelson recently did a solid job of breaking down the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on the Mac. If you’re not tracking these things, that’s a big deal: it’s a flagship AAA game that released on the Mac the same day as on other platforms. That kind of same-day launch is rare for the Mac. So I bought the game. Not because I’m a hardcore Assassin’s Creed fan (though who doesn’t want to sneak around feudal Japan?), but because I was curious. How would it perform on my M2 Max Mac Studio?
The Lab Report for April 18, 2025

1 week ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

In this week’s episode of The Lab Report: Meta’s lawyers are not Mac power users, Intel Macs go vintage. and some controversy over Siri’s AI investment cuts. I also share my Freeform calendar video and urge you to update to iOS 18.4.1 right now. … This is a post for MacSparky Labs members only. Care to join? If you’re already a member, you can log in here.
Framous: The Ultimate Screenshot Framing App for Apple Devices

1 week ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

Charlie Chapman, the developer behind Dark Noise — the white noise generator I use constantly — is back with a another Mac application that feels custom-tailored for me. It’s called Framous, and it allows you to take screenshots on your Apple devices and elegantly frame them inside an appropriate Apple device bezel. As someone who frequently frames screenshots, Framous is a game-changer. The app offers granular control over how your screenshots appear.
Talking Tech with Two Teachers

1 week ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

I recently joined Tony and Charles on the Two Teachers Talking Podcast to talk about my winding road from engineer to lawyer to full-time Mac nerd. We dug into how I teach tech, the tools I love for helping others learn, and how technology can better serve teachers. It was a fun conversation, and I think you’ll enjoy it. 🎧 Listen to the episode
Building A Focus Mode Workflow in Alfred

1 week ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

Something I learned while working on the Alfred Field Guide is that building your own workflows is not that difficult. In this video, I show you how to set up your own to quickly switch between your different Focus modes. You learn quite a bit about Alfred Workflows in the process!… This is a post for MacSparky Labs members only. Care to join? If you’re already a member, you can log in here.
Direct Mail: Email Marketing That Feels at Home on Your Mac (Sponsor)

2 weeks ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

I’m pleased to welcome a new sponsor to MacSparky, Direct Mail for Mac. If you run a business, a side hustle, a podcast, or just want to stay in touch with a community, you know how important great email marketing can be. The brand-new Version 7 is a huge leap forward. This update brings a host of new features, including a reimagined user interface, smarter list management, powerful email sign-up forms, upgraded reporting, and all-new tools to help your emails stand out.
Mac Power Users 792: Where Automation Meets Intention, with Kim Caloca-Madden

2 weeks ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

Kim Caloca-Madden joins Mac Power Users to talk with Stephen and me about her online business supporting other entrepreneurs and companies, and how automation and AI make her more efficient at her tasks. 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. NetSuite: The leading integrated cloud business software suite.
ChatGPT Multi-Modal Image Generation

2 weeks ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

ChatGPT recently introduced multi-modal image generation and the Internet freaked out a bit, again. I can see why. In this demo I give a few very simple prompts for some extraordinary results… This is a post for MacSparky Labs members only. Care to join? If you’re already a member, you can log in here.
Apple Dodges Another Bullet

2 weeks ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

Over the weekend, we learned that smartphones and computers are now exempt from the latest tariffs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed that smartphones, computer monitors, and various electronic components are among the exempted items. This means Apple has dodged another bullet — again. This news is clearly good for Apple and for us as customers in the short term. However, it’s also a flashing red warning for the future. Apple currently assembles over 90% of its iPhones in China.
My Super Boring (and Super Useful) iPhone Home Screen

2 weeks ago | macsparky.com | David Sparks

I recently shared my current iPhone home screen over in the MacSparky Labs, and it generated a lot of interesting responses accusing me of both genius and madness. Let me explain…The default tools for managing the iPhone home screen are fine, and I’ve used them for years. But in my never-ending quest for increased intentionality, I started to wonder—what if I took some of the sexiness out of the iPhone home screen?