@viticci@macstories.net
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

viticci

@viticci@macstories.net

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of https://mastodon.macstories.net/@macstories and https://mastodon.macstories.net/@club, where I write every week.

I also co-host https://mastodon.macstories.net/@appstories, a weekly podcast about #Apple and the world of apps, with https://mastodon.macstories.net/@johnvoorhees.

I try too many apps, create automations with Shortcuts, love plain text, and believe in the open web.

Email: viticci@macstories.net

Find me on Discord: https://club.macstories.net/faq/discord

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

I'm sorry everyone but we need to take back whatever we all said about Apple not doing machine learning right.

iOS 17's Photos app can now identify and explain laundry symbols in pictures and this is amazing. No more need for apps that do this; just swipe up on a photo.

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

Apple has announced some SWEEPING changes coming to the App Store in the EU with iOS 17.4:

  • Alternative app marketplaces
  • 0% commission for apps sold outside the App Store, with 0% commission on alternative payment methods (!)
  • Third-party browser engines now allowed (!!)
  • Game streaming now allowed on the App Store

We have an extensive summary of all the changes on MacStories, with more to come shortly: https://www.macstories.net/news/apple-details-how-it-plans-to-comply-with-the-eus-digital-markets-act/

viticci,
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

Whatever you think of the EU and its policies, it's hard not to see these changes as a massive win for European users and developers.

More choice, more apps now possible, more money to be made. There are risks involved, but thanks to notarizarion, they should be mitigated – like they have been on macOS for years.

Thank you, EU, for forcing this change. And thank you Apple for listening and building an extensive set of features to do the right thing.

https://www.macstories.net/news/apple-details-how-it-plans-to-comply-with-the-eus-digital-markets-act/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

I used a Game Boy Camera as a webcam to do FaceTime video calls on my iPad Pro.

That's right. It's wild, ridiculous, and it totally works thanks to USB changes in iPadOS 17.

Here's what I did: https://www.macstories.net/stories/i-used-a-game-boy-camera-for-facetime-video-calls-in-ipados-17-and-it-was-glorious/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

For the past three weeks, I've been using an Apple computer that doesn't exist:

A MacPad.

I created a hybrid Mac-iPad laptop and tablet, which lets me seamlessly switch from macOS to iPadOS. Or even use them together.

Here's my story: https://www.macstories.net/stories/macpad-how-i-created-the-hybrid-mac-ipad-laptop-and-tablet-that-apple-wont-make/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

So @MonaApp is out today and immediately takes the crown for most customizable Mastodon client to date. Multiple columns on Mac and iPad, split-screen on iPhone (!), and TONS of settings you can tweak. Insta-purchase for me, with no subscription.

Our review: https://www.macstories.net/reviews/mona-a-unique-mix-of-customization-options-and-features-you-wont-find-in-any-other-mastodon-app/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

Hundreds of features.

17 pages.

7 chapters.

2 OSes.

Here it is: my annual review of iOS and iPadOS. Let's go 🚀

iOS and iPadOS 17: The MacStories Review https://www.macstories.net/stories/ios-and-ipados-17-the-macstories-review/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

It's easy: gay rights are human rights. If your company is directly associated with another whose CEO is notoriously anti-gay rights, you're supporting their agenda. It's not about "politics".

Framing this as "We just care about tech!" is childish, unethical, and demoralizing.

Incredibly disappointed by Kagi here.

(Also: I'd suggest they moderate their Discord so that our writer @nileane wouldn't continue to be harassed and ridiculed by their tech bro audience.)

https://nileane.fr/@nileane/111705532073853768

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

To be fair, I feel like Reddit should pay @christianselig $20 million to help them improve their shitty app.

Apps like Apollo have made Reddit usable for millions of people. This is an idiotic move.

https://www.macstories.net/linked/reddit-quotes-extraordinarily-high-api-pricing-to-apollo-developer/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

Apple is pre-announcing some Accessibility features likely coming to iOS 17 later this year, and we have the details on @macstories.

Two features are especially a big deal:

  • Personal Voice will let users who are at risk of losing their voice create a synthetic version of it. All done with Neural Engine on-device.

  • Assistive Access is a brand new, simplified UI mode for iPhone and iPad that streamlines the entire UI.

More details: https://www.macstories.net/news/apple-marks-global-accessibility-awareness-day-with-features-coming-to-ios-ipados-and-macos-later-this-year/

New personal voice feature

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

I couldn’t get an iPad Pro long enough in advance to publish a review today.

Instead, I finally took the time to prepare something else: a comprehensive story about all the problems of iPadOS.

Enjoy ☕️

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right https://www.macstories.net/stories/not-an-ipad-pro-review/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

Ivory for Mac is out today! It's very good, and I love its multi-column design, which I hope comes to the iPad next.

Our review:

Ivory for Mac Review: Tapbots’ Superb Mastodon Client Comes to Apple Desktops and Laptops https://www.macstories.net/reviews/ivory-for-mac-review-tapbots-superb-mastodon-client-comes-to-apple-desktops-and-laptops/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

You may have heard that Apple's brand new LLM for iOS 18 is code named 'Ajax'.

What you may not know is that in classic Greek mythology, Ajax (or Aias) The Great is a warrior in Homer's Iliad, second only to Achilles in strength.

As the myth goes, upon his death, a single flower sprang from his blood, with its petals marked with the initials of his name:

AI.

As a Greek mythology nerd: well done, Apple. 🌸

https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/The_Myths/The_Madness_of_Ajax/the_madness_of_ajax.html

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

The Action button is great, but what if you could assign it two shortcuts instead of just one?

Introducing MultiButton, my latest shortcut to automatically cycle between two shortcuts from the same Action button press.

Free to download for everyone, including some Action button shortcuts to get started: https://www.macstories.net/ios/introducing-multibutton-assign-two-shortcuts-to-the-same-action-button-press-on-iphone-15-pro/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

Threads federation is rolling out now. I can see, follow, and reply to @mosseri from our MacStories instance on Mastodon.

Here's what a federated Threads account looks like in @ivory.

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

I rarely post Italian news but this from my hometown of Viterbo is too crazy not to share.

Construction workers found a huge WWII bomb buried just a few meters underground. In a few weeks, 30K people (half the town) will need to evacuate for a day so the bomb can be defused and carried away safely. My mom is in the affected area.

Italian news story: https://www.tusciaweb.eu/2024/03/giancarlo-martinengo-levacuazione-iniziera-attorno-alle-6-durera-al-pomeriggio-la-zona-rossa-dovra-libera-entro-le-9-del-mattino/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

I spent the past few weeks modding my iPad Pro.

It started with a matte screen protector. And then came a magnetic mount for my iPhone. And then...magnetically-mounted stereo speakers.

Here's my story on the Weird Setup for my iPad Pro that I absolutely love: https://www.macstories.net/ipad/how-i-modded-my-ipad-pro-with-a-screen-protector-iphone-holder-and-magnetic-stereo-speakers/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

Nintendo heard about Mastodon and came up with this

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

With iPadOS 17, Stage Manager is – finally – moving in the right direction.

Apple listened to feedback, reversed course on two major aspects of the original Stage Manager, and shipped something that feels much better to use already. I'm willing to give it another chance.

My story: https://www.macstories.net/stories/with-ipados-17-stage-manager-is-finally-moving-in-the-right-direction/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

whatever new Siri AI Apple is working on, I sure hope it doesn't bring up 'Mussolini' literally every single time I search for a 'music' app on my phone

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

We have been able to independently survey the state of popular apps coming to the Apple Vision Pro – either in compatibility mode or as native apps.

As of today the results (coming straight from the App Store API) are pretty concerning. We found no native apps and a lot of companies that manually opted out of compatibility mode. That includes Spotify and YouTube.

We hope this will change soon. Our results and compiled list: https://www.macstories.net/news/a-survey-of-popular-apps-currently-compatible-with-apple-vision-pro/

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

Fascinating change in iOS 17.4 beta 1: Siri can now read messages in other languages, different from the primary one.

First step toward a multilingual Siri in iOS 18? 🤔

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

Even more 😮😮

Native transcripts in the Podcasts app!

They look like lyrics from the Music app, but they support search, text selection, and sharing. Wow.

Looking forward to more details on this one.

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

I turned the new 13" iPad Pro into a MacPad as well as a portable gaming display.

macOS on OLED is amazing. And for streaming PC games, this is the best device I've ever tested.

This is why I love the iPad's hardware modularity so much. My story: https://www.macstories.net/stories/i-turned-the-new-13-ipad-pro-into-a-macpad-and-portable-gaming-display/

image/jpeg

viticci, to random
@viticci@macstories.net avatar

I wonder how DHH would feel if someone took one of their products, which I assume make some money with some people, and "essentially" recreated them...?

Even better – for free!

"True artists steal" as they say, right?

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • JUstTest
  • mdbf
  • Durango
  • thenastyranch
  • ngwrru68w68
  • InstantRegret
  • DreamBathrooms
  • modclub
  • magazineikmin
  • Youngstown
  • everett
  • ethstaker
  • slotface
  • rosin
  • anitta
  • kavyap
  • osvaldo12
  • GTA5RPClips
  • cisconetworking
  • provamag3
  • khanakhh
  • tacticalgear
  • cubers
  • Leos
  • normalnudes
  • megavids
  • tester
  • lostlight
  • All magazines
    •