As we wait for Siri to gain the features promised last June by Apple, I thought it would be worthwhile to look further into the future. I’ve been thinking beyond Siri in part because I’m skeptical that Apple will be able to pull off what was shown off last year. The technical challenge alone is...
Beyond Search: Digital Hoarding Finally Pays Off
The age of AI will reward digital hoarders in ways that search never has. As a computer user, I grew up on search. As a law student at the dawn of the ’90s, I cut my teeth on Westlaw and Lexis terminals. Back then, both services – enormous databases of court decisions and related materials...
5 for 5: Five Predictions, Five Years
Federico
JohnThis week, Federico and John make five app predictions for the next five years covering everything from App Intents and automation to the fate of the App Store.
On AppStories+, John talks through a very specific use case for Apple’s new iPhone 16e.
](https://cdn.macstories.net/banneras-1629219199428.png)
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
AppStories Episode 424 - 5 for 5: Five Predictions, Five Years
0:00
29:35
29:35
This episode is sponsored by:
- P – The water reminder and hydration app.
Links and Show Notes
5 for 5: Five App Predictions for the Next Five Years
- Additional Reading:
- Apple Intelligence: The MacStories Overview
- iOS and iPadOS 18: The MacStories Review
- macOS Sequoia: The MacStories Review
- Gemini 2.0 and LLMs Integrated with Apps
- Apple Intelligence in iOS 18.2: A Deep Dive into Working with Siri and ChatGPT, Together
- Apple Reveals A Partial Timeline for the Rollout of More Apple Intelligence Features
- Apple’s Commitment to AI Is Clear, But Its Execution Is Uneven
- Widgets and What Apple’s Recent Expansion of App Intents Might Mean for the Shortcuts App
- An App Store First: Delta Adds Patreon Link for Purchase and Perks
- The Delta Videogame Emulator Launches on the App Store
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
Interesting Links
[[federico]] After one year of ownership, Castro’s developers share a behind-the-scenes look at the improvements made to the podcast app’s backend infrastructure, including faster feed updates and increased reliability. (Link) In a fascinating deep dive into their Apple Health data export, Kieran Healy discovers nearly eight million entries of personal health metrics collected by the...
App Debuts
[[federico]] Peek Peek is a new iPhone app that lets developers track their App Store sales data and trends. The app integrates with App Store Connect and displays key metrics like active subscriptions, revenue trends, and top-performing apps through a widget-based UI (both inside the app and with actual widgets on the Home Screen). What...
My Latest Mac Hacks Column: Using Google Gemini with Read-Later and Listen-Later Services for Research→
Yesterday, I published the latest installment of my Mac Hacks column, an exclusive perk of Club MacStories+ and Club Premier, covering how I use Google Gemini combined with read- and listen-later services to do preliminary research for projects.
What started as a way to reduce distractions when doing research with the help of Google Gemini quickly evolved into something more. As I explain in the conclusion:
The result of this workflow is that I can generate a Gemini report for an ongoing project and then read it at my leisure somewhere other than at my desk, whether I’m using my laptop, an iPad, or an e-ink device. I also have the option of heading out to my local coffee shop for a change of scenery and listening to a report as I walk. On a busy day, it’s a nice way to get some exercise and knock out some research at the same time. That flexibility, combined with fewer up-front distractions, has proven to be a great productivity boost.
Research is a universal task that touches every sort of project. It’s also a place where it’s easy to get bogged down. If you’re interested in streamlining the process, don’t miss the latest Mac Hacks.
Mac Hacks is just one of many perks that Club MacStories+ and Club Premier members enjoy, which also include:
- weekly and monthly newsletters,
- a sophisticated web app with search and filtering tools to navigate eight years of content,
- customizable RSS feeds,
- bonus columns,
- an early and ad-free version of MacStories Unwind, our Internet culture and media podcast,
- a vibrant Discord community of smart app and automation fans who trade a wealth of tips and discoveries every day, and
- live Discord audio events after Apple events and at other times of the year.
On top of that, Club Premier members get AppStories+, an extended, ad-free version of our flagship podcast that we deliver early every week in high-bitrate audio.
Use the buttons below to learn more and sign up for Club MacStories+ or Club Premier.
Join Club MacStories+:
Join Club Premier:
Mac Hacks: A Research Workflow Combining Google Gemini with Read-Later and Listen-Later Apps
I’m a research nerd. I love chasing down details about whatever interests me, diving into the minutiae of a topic. However, the trouble with research is that it’s also easy to get lost in unproductive rabbit holes and waste a lot of time. That’s especially true when the topic is something I know little or...
Read moreThe Latest from AppStories and Ruminate
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
AppStories
This week, Federico and I each pick two apps you may or may not have heard of or considered using and explain why you should give them a try.
On AppStories+, we extend our picks with several more apps we’ve been testing recently.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Memberful – Easy-to-Use Reliable Membership Software
- Incogni – Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code APPSTORIES with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.
Ruminate
A live snack test, some new task managers, and I bought a 15 year old handheld.
A Classic Pick 2: Hidden Gems
AppStories Episode 423 - A Classic Pick 2: Hidden Gems
0:00
31:07
31:07
This week, Federico and John each pick two apps you may or may not have heard of or considered using and explain why you should give them a try.
On AppStories+, we extend our picks with several more apps we’ve been testing recently. Learn more at appstories.plus.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Memberful – Easy-to-Use Reliable Membership Software
- Incogni – Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code APPSTORIES with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.
Links and Show Notes
Classic Pick 2: Hidden Gems Edition
- Federico’s Picks
- John’s Picks
- ScreenFloat
- MassReplaceIt
- Also Mentioned:
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.