Posts tagged with "appstories"

AppStories, Episode 300 – App Trends Revisited and Reconsidered→

This week on AppStories, we mark episode 300 of the show by revisiting the app trends they covered in episode 100 and discussing the new trends that will shape the apps we use in the next several years.

Sponsored by:

  • Things – The award-winning to-do app.
  • Pillow – Sleeping better, made simple.
  • Kolide – Kolide believes that maintaining endpoint security shouldn’t mean compromising employee privacy. Check out our manifesto: Honest Security.
  • Kosmik – For All Mindkind
[Subscribe here.](https://appstories.net/plans)

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On AppStories+, we reveal the app trends we want to see end.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

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AppStories, Episode 299 – Return to the App Grab Bag→

This week on AppStories, we return to the app grab bag to cover more of our favorite releases and updates from the past several weeks.

Sponsored by:

  • Kolide – Kolide believes that maintaining endpoint security shouldn’t mean compromising employee privacy. Check out our manifesto: Honest Security.
  • Memberful – Monetize your passion with membership.
  • Pillow – Sleeping better, made simple.
[Subscribe here.](https://appstories.net/plans)

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On AppStories+, we look back at 2022’s unusual beta period, and I update listeners on the state of macOS Ventura and my upcoming review.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

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AppStories, Episode 298 – Widgets, iPhone Photography, and the Apple Watch Ultra with David Smith→

This week on AppStories, we are joined by Widgetsmith developer David Smith to talk about the history of his app, Widgetsmith, iOS 16 Lock Screen Widgets, and his recent hike through the Scottish Highlands where he tested the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera and the Apple Watch.

Sponsored by:

  • Pillow – Sleeping better, made simple.
  • MasterClass – Get unlimited access to EVERY Class and get 15% off an annual membership.
  • Trade – Save big, support small roasters. Get $30 off your first order.
[Subscribe here.](https://appstories.net/plans)

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On AppStories+, it’s my turn to surprise Federico.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

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AppStories, Episode 296 – iOS 16 Apps with Great Lock Screen Widgets→

This week on AppStories, we cover some of our favorite new apps and updates that feature iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets.

Sponsored by:

  • RevenueCat – Subscription management built for mobile apps.
  • Pillow – Sleeping better, made simple.
  • Kolide – Kolide can help you nail third-party audits and internal compliance goals with endpoint security for your entire fleet. Learn more here.
[Subscribe here.](https://appstories.net/plans)

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On AppStories+, I got a new microphone, and both Federico and I contemplate our evolving work setups.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

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AppStories, Episode 295 – iOS 16: The MacStories Review

This week on AppStories, we dig into Federico’s iOS 16 review, discussing the all-new Lock Screen, wallpaper creation, Focus modes and filters, App Shortcuts, and some of the smaller changes you might have missed.

Sponsored by:

  • Pillow – Sleeping better, made simple.
  • Memberful – Monetize your passion with membership.
[Subscribe here.](https://appstories.net/plans)

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On AppStories+, we take a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this year’s iOS 16 review.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

AppStories, Episode 294 – macOS Ventura with Jason Snell

This week on AppStories, I’m joined by special guest Jason Snell to talk about macOS Ventura, including iCloud Shared Photo Library, Stage Manager, Shortcuts, and System Settings.

Sponsored by:

  • Pillow – Sleeping better, made simple.
  • Kolide – Kolide can help you nail third party audits and internal compliance goals with endpoint security for your entire fleet. Learn more here.
  • Sourcegraph – Universal Code Search. Move fast, even in big codebases. Try it now.
[Subscribe here.](https://appstories.net/plans)

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On AppStories+, Jason and I go behind the scenes to talk about how they cover Apple events and consider the narrative Apple might build around the rumored ‘pro’ Apple Watch.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

AppStories, Episode 293 – Let’s Fix the Music App

This week on AppStories, we roll up our sleeves to talk about the Music app and how it could be improved.

Sponsored by:

  • Trade – Save Big, Support Small Roasters. Get $30 off your first order.
  • Pillow – Sleeping better, made simple.
  • Sourcegraph – Universal Code Search. Move fast, even in big codebases. Try it now.
[Subscribe here.](https://appstories.net/plans)

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On AppStories+, I’ve been playing with a special adapter to connect Nintendo Joy-Con to the iPad mini.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

AppStories, Episode 292 – What Makes a Great Modern Shortcuts Action?→

This week on AppStories, we consider what it takes to create a great set of modern Shortcuts actions using examples of what Apple is doing in its own apps and what some of our favorite third-party apps are already doing to make Shortcuts accessible to a wider audience and more useful to power users.

Sponsored by:

  • RevenueCat – Subscription management built for mobile apps.
  • Setapp – More than 240 powerful apps. Try it free for a month.
  • Sourcegraph – Universal Code Search. Move fast, even in big codebases. Try it now.
  • Kolide – It helps you nail third party audits and internal compliance goals with endpoint security for your entire fleet. Learn more here.
[Subscribe here.](https://appstories.net/plans)

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On AppStories+, we look back at one year of AppStories+ and the expansion of Club MacStories and consider the ways that Apple’s new Shortcuts actions for Safari on iOS and iPadOS can be used to get more out of your web browsing.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

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The Club MacStories and AppStories Expansion: One Year Later

One year ago tomorrow, we introduced the MacStories audience to all-new versions of Club MacStories and AppStories. Club MacStories+, Club Premier, and AppStories+, were the culmination of months of work on ideas that we’d been considering for years and represent the first step in offering MacStories readers and listeners a tightly integrated experience across everything we do. There’s more to come, but to mark the first year on this journey, we wanted to take a quick look at how the Club and AppStories have evolved in that time and announce what we’re doing to celebrate this week.

Our Discord Community

Our Discord community, which is part of both a Club MacStories+ and Club Premier membership, has become a pillar of the Club. It’s a dynamic community rich with terrific recommendations for apps, hardware, automations, and more.

However, the Club Discord community is more than a resource for tips and tricks. It’s where members share their passion for all sorts of media, photography, development, their pets, and more. The Discord server is also where we regularly gather for community Town Halls, which are live audio events hosted by the MacStories team, often with special guests from the community, covering Apple events, WWDC, Automation April, and other events.

Discord is the home of Beta Beat, a series of channels where we invite developers to share their upcoming apps with members who provide feedback. So far, Beta Beat has included apps like LookUp, Play, Timery, MusicBox, and Runestone.

Our periodic bookclub-style AV Club events happen on the Discord server too. We collectively pick and enjoy a book, TV show, movie, or other media and then discuss it during a special Town Hall. We’ve even got a special Discord bot for giveaways that we’ve done for events like Automation April.

Speaking of which, Discord played a big role during Automation April, one of two new special events we debuted in 2022. Participants shared their shortcuts in discord, traded tips, and attended Town Halls dedicated to the event. Participants and winners received special Discord roles too. The community played a big role in the success of the event, which is something we plan to expand to our other MacStories events.

Most important of all, though, are the people who make up the Discord community. We have heard repeatedly from members who join our Discord server about how much they enjoy the civil, respectful conversations with other members. We’re very fortunate to have such a great group of people along for the ride. Of course, we’re also incredibly grateful to our moderators, who have provided valuable feedback to us along the way.

Automation Academy and The Macintosh Desktop Experience

The expansion of the Club marked the debut of two Club MacStories+ and Club Premier-exclusive columns. Automation Academy is Federico’s column where he breaks down Shortcuts actions and techniques to help Club members get more from Apple’s automation system. So far, he’s covered topics from Reminders and Files actions to ways to optimize your shortcuts for the Mac. The column is where Federico debuted his shortcut that creates a podcast feed from articles stored in Matter too.

The Macintosh Desktop Experience is my modern spin on Apple’s oldest OS. In the past year, I’ve written about ways to combine AppleScript, Shortcuts, and third-party automation tools to create advanced automations, covered hardware like the Loupedeck Live, explored modern app launchers such as Raycast, and explained how I’m using Universal Control to incorporate the iPad Pro into my Mac setup.

MacStories Weekly, the Monthly Log, and Discounts

Of course, we’ve also continued to publish our MacStories Weekly and Monthly Log newsletters, which have been greatly enhanced by Calliope, the web app and technologies assembled by Alex Guyot that underly everything we do with the Club and AppStories. Calliope allows all Club members to read the newsletters on the web in a format that’s far better than Mailchimp’s web versions of newsletters and manage their Club account.

Explore allows Club MacStories+ and Club Premier members to filter Club stories based on a long list of metadata.

Explore allows Club MacStories+ and Club Premier members to filter Club stories based on a long list of metadata.

Plus, Club MacStories+ and Club Premier members can search and filter seven years of newsletter content by keyword and an extensive set of predefined parameters. Better yet, Explore’s filtered results can be turned into individualized RSS feeds, allowing members to build a personalized Club MacStories experience.

Explore results can be turned into RSS feeds.

Explore results can be turned into RSS feeds.

The new Club website is also where Club MacStories+ and Club Premier members will find a rotating list of deeply discounted apps and services, including CleanShot X, Keyboard Maestro, Typefully, and Hook.

AppStories+

[Subscribe here.](https://appstories.net/plans)

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Last but not least, we launched AppStories+ one year ago, which is our extended, ad-free version of the show that is published a day early for subscribers in high bitrate audio. AppStories+ is available as a standalone subscription from us or via Apple Podcasts, but the show is best experienced as part of a Club Premier plan. Not only is that the most economical way to enjoy everything we offer at MacStories at just $2/month more than the standalone Club MacStories+ membership that’s included as part of Club Premier, but the show is also recorded live in the Club MacStories+ Discord community for special events like Apple events and WWDC as an added perk for Club members.

After over a year of recording AppStories+, there’s a big back catalog of bonus content, too, with over 70 extended episodes published since May 2021. In total AppStories+ subscribers and Club Premier members have access to more than 14 hours of bonus content on a wide range of topics.

What’s Next

To kick off year two of our expanded offerings, we have a few special things in store for Club members this week. The first is a special Town Hall in the Club MacStories+ Discord. Federico, Alex, and I will be on hand to talk about the Club and AppStories+ and will answer member questions. Mark your calendars to listen in live at 4:30 PM Eastern on August 23rd. We’ll release the audio of the Town Hall later in the Town Hall podcast feed too.

We’re also welcoming Vidit Bhargava’s app LookUp back to Beta Beat, so users can test what Vidit is doing with Lock Screen widgets.

Finally, we’ve got a special digital download gift for all Club members, which will be announced in Friday’s issue of MacStories Weekly.

Thank You

Thanks to all of you who subscribe to Club MacStories and AppStories+ and who read MacStories. The direct support of readers and listeners has been critical to MacStories’ growth for years now, and the expansion we launched last year is the fuel that will drive the next generation of MacStories forward.

We have lots of new ideas in the pipeline for the Club and AppStories for the coming year that we can’t wait to share with you, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s too early to announce anything, but we’ve been clear from the start that last summer’s expansion of the Club and AppStories was part of a much longer-term project. We’ve spent the past year testing and fine-tuning the technical underpinnings of what we built last year, and it’s ready to take on more. So, stay tuned for the next chapter of MacStories.