This week on AppStories, we take a look at our latest app downloads on a variety of Apple devices.

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Links and Show Notes

AppStories+ Pre-Show

• Text-to-Speech Apps and Services
  • Speechify
  • NaturalReader
  • Listen Later
  • ElevenLabs
• Ways to Listen
  • Plex
  • Prologue

Why’d You Download That?

• Empty Fasting
• Chronicling
  • Also Mentioned: Tempo
• Speechify
  • Also Mentioned: NaturalReader
• Shonen Jump
• Table of Contents
• Windora
• PastePal
• Tower and Kaleidoscope
  • Also Mentioned: Working Copy
• Text Workflow
• Prologue

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On AppStories+, I cover is attempts to integrate text-to-speech engines with read-later apps.

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This week on AppStories, Federico introduces the world to the MacPad, a hybrid Mac/iPad that he built from an M2 MacBook Air and 11” iPad Pro, and I quiz him on the build process, software involved, and what it’s like to use.

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Links and Show Notes

The MacPad

• MacPad - How I Created the Hybrid Mac-iPad Laptop and Tablet That Apple Won’t Make
• The Hardware and Accessories
  • M2 MacBook Air (13”, 1 TB model)
  • 11” iPad Pro (4th gen.)
  • Rolling Square Edge Pro Core magnetic clips
  • iFixit toolkit
  • PopSocket (PopGrip)
  • ESR cover for iPad Pro
  • JETech sleeve for 13” laptops
  • GL-iNet Beryl AX3000 portable router
  • CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt dock
  • 90-degree angled USB-C connector
  • GameSir G8 Galileo game controller
• Apps Mentioned:
  • Screens 5
  • Yoink
• Luke Miani’s headless MacBook Air video

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On AppStories+, we discuss Apple’s reversal on removing progressive web apps from iOS 17.4 in the EU.

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This week on AppStories, we move on from hardware to explore visionOS, where it hits, where it misses, and what we’d like to see in the future from the OS.

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On AppStories+, we discuss the developer strap and how it could potentially gain new features in the future, as well as the idea of using a headless Mac as a Vision Pro accessory.

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This week on AppStories, we explore workflows we’ve been trying in a variety of apps.

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On AppStories+, Federico and John follow up last week’s Vision Pro episode with follow up on their plans and consider what the device will be good for besides sitting by yourself watching movies.

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