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Thoughtful, detailed coverage of everything Apple for 36 years
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Category: Productivity

Adam Engst 17 comments

Comparing Audio Transcription in Notes, Audio Hijack, and MacWhisper

Wondering which transcription tool works best? Adam Engst tests Notes, Audio Hijack, and MacWhisper against an NPR podcast, discovering accuracy differences, platform variations, and key features to help you choose the right solution.

Adam Engst 3 comments

ProVUE Celebrates 40 Years Since Exhibiting at the First Macworld Expo

Congratulations to Jim Rea of ProVUE, who is celebrating the 40th anniversary of exhibiting his database OverVUE (which has evolved into today’s Panorama X) at the very first Macworld Expo.

Adam Engst 34 comments

Why Grammarly Beats Apple’s Writing Tools for Serious Writers

Adam Engst explains why he finds his Grammarly subscription essential even after 35 years of professional writing, describing both its traditional proofreading features and new AI-powered paragraph-level enhancements. He also evaluates Apple Intelligence’s new Writing Tools, which fall short in comparison.

Adam Engst 21 comments

ChatGPT Proves Useful for Data Exploration

Adam Engst explores how ChatGPT can transform complex spreadsheet data into valuable visualizations, sharing insights from analyzing his running club’s registration patterns and promotional channel analysis.

Adam Engst 64 comments

Do You Use It? Backup Strategies Span the Gamut

The results of our poll asking about your backup strategy show that most TidBITS readers employ a variety of backup methods to facilitate recovery in different disaster scenarios.

Adam Engst 45 comments

Modern CSV Lets You Manipulate CSV Files Directly

If you regularly work with CSV files, you should investigate Modern CSV, a cross-platform app that allows direct manipulation of data using menu commands, avoiding the trouble of importing them into a spreadsheet and writing formulas. While Modern CSV is powerful, it lacks a Mac-like interface, and the current version can’t print.

Adam Engst 8 comments

Beware of Copyright Infringement Link Insertion Scams

Website owners should be aware of a relatively new scam email claiming that their site features an unauthorized image, demanding the addition of attribution and a link. At first glance, the message and supporting materials may appear legitimate, but they crumble under closer inspection. Here’s how to recognize these scams.

Adam Engst 31 comments

How to Tame Sequoia’s Window Tiling

Struggling with window resizing surprises in macOS 15 Sequoia? Adam Engst guides you through configuring Sequoia’s new tiling features to improve your Mac window management.

Michael E. Cohen Adam Engst 4 comments

Apple Sets Q4 2024 Revenue Record on Services and iPhone Growth

Apple set revenue records in its fourth-quarter fiscal results, thanks to strong numbers from the iPhone and Services segments and increases from the iPad and Mac. On the downside, revenue growth dropped in the Wearables category, and sales in the Greater China region declined slightly.

Adam Engst 25 comments

New MacBook Pros Gain M4 Chips, 12MP Center Stage Camera, and Thunderbolt 5

With the release of new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models based on the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Apple has addressed every niggling annoyance in the previous generation—these are glorious machines. But they still aren’t cheap.

Adam Engst 10 comments

AppBITS: FileUtils Turbocharges the Finder

If you want more from the Finder, check out FileUtils. It offers options for immediate and secure deletion of files, support for more compression formats, more powerful batch renaming, file checksums, and more path formats.

Adam Engst No comments

California Moves to Regulate AI by Signing 18 New Bills Into Law

Despite all the news surrounding California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoing a bill aimed at preventing AI disasters, it’s more telling to look at the 18 AI bills he has already signed into law.

Adam Engst 11 comments

Guided Access Turns Your iPhone or iPad into a Sharable Single-App Tool

Want to let someone use an app on your iPhone or iPad without sharing your passcode? Try the Guided Access feature that’s hidden deep within iOS and iPadOS. It prevents users from straying into other apps and keeps your notifications private.

Adam Engst 2 comments

AppBITS: adoc Studio Eases AsciiDoc Publishing 

Adam Engst looks at adoc Studio, a new app for creating and previewing AsciiDoc files. AsciiDoc is a markup language for long technical documents, and adoc Studio simplifies the process with a native Mac interface and numerous helpful features.

Adam Engst 16 comments

AppBITS: Stapler Opens Multiple Apps, Documents, and Folders

If you prefer a task-based method of working that requires assembling multiple apps, documents, and folders, take a look at Stapler, a modern-day take on several classic Mac apps from yesteryear.