Mac Power Users
1,290 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1.3K ratingsLearn about getting the most from your Apple technology with focused topics and workflow guests. Creating Mac Power Users since 2009, one conversation at a time. Hosted by David Sparks and Stephen Hackett.
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Episodes
588: macOS Services, with Sal Soghoian
May 16, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 128 MBStephen and David talk with Sal Soghoian on the history of Automator and Services on the Mac, both of which are cornerstones of automation on macOS today. The trio discusses how these tools came to be, and how Apple has evolved them over the years, in addition to what can be done with them.
587: Catching Up with Casey Liss
May 09, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 146 MBCasey Liss drops by to chat with Stephen and David about waiting on the next Apple silicon announcement, his iPhone development work, home automation and how not to deal with digital photos.
586: iPhone Productivity
May 02, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 96.3 MBAs the computer that's almost always in our pockets, the iPhone can become a surprisingly useful tool for getting things done.
585: Spring Loaded
April 25, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 82.1 MBIn the wake of Apple's spring event, Stephen and David cover the new iMac and iPad Pro, and also discuss changes to the Apple TV and some of Apple's services. In short, everything should be more colorful and some things more powerful.
584: Everything Fades to Black
April 18, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 88.6 MBIt's feedback time, so David and Stephen answer listener email, talk about iOS apps running on Apple silicon Macs and preparing your tech for the afterlife. There's also new MPU merch for sale!
583: The Obsidian Deep Dive
April 11, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 93 MBWith the recent explosion in personal knowledge management tools, it is hard to know which one fits your needs the best. This week, David and Stephen talk through Obsidian, which builds on top of plain, old-fashioned Markdown documents.
582: Radio and Podcasts and Books, Oh My... with Shelly Brisbin
April 04, 2021 21:45 - 1 hour - 97.3 MBShelly Brisbin returns to the show to explain how she applies power user workflows to working across multiple mediums throughout a normal work week.
581: “Work” Flows with Stephen and David
March 28, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 94 MBOn this episode, David and Stephen discuss their work beyond MPU and what workflows and tools they use to keep things running smoothly in their small businesses.
580: Twenty Years of OS X
March 21, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 88.7 MBAfter several years of development, Apple launched Mac OS X to the world in March 2001. The new operating system was vastly different from what it replaced, and ushered in a new era for Apple. This week, Stephen and David reflect on two decades of their beloved platform.
579: 30 Mac Apps for Under $30
March 14, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 94.4 MBThe ecosystem of Mac apps is small compared to what's available for iOS and iPadOS, but that doesn't mean there aren't some real gems out there to make working on macOS more productive.
578: Getting to Know Notion, with August Bradley
March 07, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 87.2 MBDavid and Stephen are joined by August Bradley, an expert in Notion. They discuss the features of the app, as well as its pros and cons. August then explains Systems Thinking and runs through some favorite apps and services.
577: Workflows with Shahid Kamal Ahmad
February 28, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 103 MBShahid Kamal Ahmad drops by the show to tell David and Stephen about his ever-growing displays, game development on the Mac and creating music with a computer.
576: No Judgement Here
February 21, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 93.1 MBIn this feedback episode, the guys revisit dictation, UUIDs, FileVault and the longevity of recent Mac hardware. Then, David talks about a new computer in his life and Stephen reworks his home screen.
575: Talking Parity with John Siracusa
February 14, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 110 MBJohn Siracusa joins Stephen and David to talk about the 2019 Mac Pro and what Apple silicon may mean for pro users. Then, John talks about his pair of Mac apps and what he wants out of the future of macOS.
574: Calendars, Contacts and Tasks
February 07, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 82 MBThis week, David and Stephen get back to the basics, and check on how calendars, contacts and tasks can be effectively managed across a range of devices and apps.
573: Rosemary Orchard Returns
January 31, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 90.3 MBThe Queen of Automation drops by to talk about her current gear and use of Plex, as well as how she is using HomeKit and managing files.
572: iPhone & iPad Tips
January 24, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 85.5 MBAs the iPhone and iPad have become more full-featured, the software that runs them has gotten more complex and powerful. This time, David and Stephen run though a whole bunch of their favorite ways to get more out of these devices.
571: Catching up with Jeff Richardson
January 17, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 94.9 MBWriter and lawyer Jeff Richardson returns to the show to update Stephen and David on how he's working at a 12.9-inch iPad Pro most of the time, even when needing to use Windows.
570: Mac Security
January 10, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 88.7 MBFrom the beginning, Mac OS X was designed with security and privacy in mind, but over the years Apple has worked to make both the Mac's software and hardware more even more so. This week, Stephen and David cover what's what when it comes to Mac security.
569: Contextual Computing
January 03, 2021 23:15 - 1 hour - 79.5 MBThis week, David walks Stephen through his concept of contextual computing, and why it's a lot easier to get started with than it sounds.
568: Looking Toward 2021
December 27, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 81.4 MBAt the end of an unprecedented year, Stephen and David take some time to reflect on what it's meant for an Apple user, and what they'd like to see out of 2021 in terms of tech.
567: The M1 Honeymoon Continues
December 20, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 87.2 MBIn this feedback episode, Stephen and David revisit bookmarks and Mail, M1 Macs and 32-bit apps, note taking and keyboards.
566: Paperless Strikes Back
December 13, 2020 22:45 - 1 hour - 71.4 MBStephen and David talk through paperless tools, apps, and workflows in 2020. Also, David's released his new Paperless Field Guide.
565: The 2020 Holiday Gift Guide
December 06, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 86.8 MBIf you're shopping for a nerd in your life, David and Stephen are here to help.
564: Taking Pictures and Enriching Lives with Austin Mann
November 29, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 86.7 MBDavid and Stephen talk with photographer Austin Mann about his work and his annual iPhone camera reviews, including what sets the iPhone 12 Pro Max apart from Apple's other new phones.
563: macOS Big Sur
November 22, 2020 23:00 - 2 hours - 117 MBmacOS Big Sur brings with it a new design and updated features. This week, Stephen and David wade in to macOS 11, before giving their impressions of the M1-powered MacBook Air.
562: The First Apple Silicon Macs
November 15, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 98.2 MBThis week, David and Stephen are joined by Kurt Knight, Senior Director, Platform Product Marketing at Apple to talk about the M1 chip and macOS Big Sur. After that, the guys talk about this first wave of new Macs.
561: iPad Check-In with Federico Viticci
November 08, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 100 MBMacStories Founder Federico Viticci joins David to talk about the iPad and its ecosystem of apps for power users. As the iPad itself becomes more capable, what users can do with it continues to expand, but as the guys discuss, there are still pain points.
560: Workflows with Luc Beaudoin
November 01, 2020 23:00 - 1 hour - 108 MBStephen and David are joined by Luc Beaudoin, a cognitive scientist, author and developer of the Mac app Hook. He explains how we typically gather, process and use data, and how our computing devices can assist — and detract — in that work.
559: Research Apps
October 25, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 92.7 MBA few new research applications have popped over the last year, joining some true Mac legends. To see what is what, David went on a quest, and has returned to share with Stephen the wisdom he gained while exploring.
558: Apple Hardware Season, with Zac Hall
October 18, 2020 22:00 - 2 hours - 113 MBZac Hall from 9to5Mac and Space Explored joins David and Stephen to talk about the state of the Apple Watch's software and hardware, as well as Apple's new iPhones.
557: Grading the Intel Era
October 11, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 80.7 MBWith Apple Silicon Macs coming soon, Stephen plays a montage for David that recaps the Intel era, featuring its highs and lows.
556: Video Conferencing Deep Dive, with Liana Lehua
October 04, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 86.1 MBLiana Lehua joins in this week to share the best workflows and gear for improving video conferencing and home audio and video. Liana and David also discuss business apps, widgets, and revisit the iPad vs. MacBook question.
555: iOS 14 Extravaganza
September 27, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 87.5 MBiOS 14 is here, bringing new features like widgets, the App Library, increased privacy and a lot more. This week, David and Stephen review the release and talk about how Apple could take some of these features farther in the future.
554: Read-it-later Services
September 20, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 91.8 MBRead-it-later services can be a great way to save and enjoy an article later, away from the noise of social media or an overflowing RSS client. This week, David and Stephen talk about some of the popular choices, and how to keep them from becoming just another thing to check. Then, a recap of Apple’s recent media event.
553: Sparky's Wrong ... Again
September 13, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 78.5 MBOn this feedback episode, Stephen and David talk more about HomeKit, Dropbox, photo management and much, much more.
552: HomeKit in 2020, with Mikah Sargent
September 06, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 105 MBSince its introduction, HomeKit has steadily grown into a wide-reaching ecosystem for smart home devices. This week, Stephen and David talk with Mikah Sargent about HomeKit hardware and software, as well as ways to extend what Apple allows it to do in its default app.
551: Writing Music for the Picture Business, with David Metzger
August 30, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 90.8 MBDavid and Stephen are joined by orchestrator and composer David Metzger, whose resume includes *Frozen,* *Muppets Most Wanted,* *The Avengers,* *Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2* and more. He shares his setup, which includes multiple Macs networked together, numerous music applications and (eventually) a full-blown orchestra.
550: The World of RSS
August 23, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBRSS can bring news, blog posts and even podcasts to you, without needing to visit a bunch of different website. This week, Stephen and David talk about the rise of numerous RSS services and apps they've seen over the last few years, and share how this web technology makes their lives better.
549: Brett Terpstra's New Robe
August 16, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 71.1 MBBrett Terpstra returns to the show to talk about the Touch Bar, regular expressions, Markdown and what Apple Silicon Macs will mean for macOS applications and utilities.
548: Jumping Into Markdown
August 09, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBFrom jotting quick notes to writing for the web, Markdown has become a very popular choice for formatting plain text. It's syntax is human-readable and easy to learn. This week, David and Stephen teach Markdown 101 covering the more complex things the language can do.
547: Of a Certain Age, with Jim Metzendorf
August 02, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 83.9 MBThis week, the editor of Mac Power Users, Jim Metzendorf, talks to Stephen and David about his background in audio and photography, and how the gear and workflows have changed in those fields over the years.
Mac Power Users 547: Of a Certain Age, with Jim Metzendorf
August 02, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 83.9 MBThis week, the editor of Mac Power Users, Jim Metzendorf, talks to Stephen and David about his background in audio and photography, and how the gear and workflows have changed in those fields over the years.
546: The Best Listeners
July 26, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 91 MBOn this feedback show, David and Stephen go through some listener email, revisit notes apps and discuss remote troubleshooting iOS devices.
Mac Power Users 546: The Best Listeners
July 26, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 91 MBOn this feedback show, David and Stephen go through some listener email, revisit notes apps and discuss remote troubleshooting iOS devices.
545: State of the Apple Watch
July 19, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 94.3 MBThe Apple Watch has undergone massive changes since its introduction in 2014. This week, Stephen and David review some of that history, then launch into a conversation of the platform's strengths and weaknesses and how they use their Watches.
Mac Power Users 545: State of the Apple Watch
July 19, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 94.3 MBThe Apple Watch has undergone massive changes since its introduction in 2014. This week, Stephen and David review some of that history, then launch into a conversation of the platform's strengths and weaknesses and how they use their Watches.
544: The Notes Roundup
July 12, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 83.3 MBThe market for note taking applications is huge. There are options that just deal in plain-text, apps that serve as "everything buckets," and still others focused on automation. This week, David and Stephen cover some of the better options out there and share how they keep up with various bits of digital information in their lives.
Mac Power Users 544: The Notes Roundup
July 12, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 83.3 MBThe market for note taking applications is huge. There are options that just deal in plain-text, apps that serve as "everything buckets," and still others focused on automation. This week, David and Stephen cover some of the better options out there and share how they keep up with various bits of digital information in their lives.
Mac Power Users 543: A Developer's Summer, with Underscore David Smith
July 05, 2020 22:00 - 1 hour - 81.7 MBThis week, Underscore David Smith joins the show to talk about what life as a developer is like between WWDC and the fall when new versions of Apple's operating system ship.