TechTonic 53n15

This week on the podcast, Joe is out sick so Joshua takes over. Our special guest, David Sparks, and Joshua talk about MacSparky Field Guides, highlighting a few updates to OmniFocus but primarily discussing Hazel. Then, the guys dig a little into the Workflow app to contrast automation for iOS and ‘macOS’ as we know them (note this episode was recorded before WWDC16). Show Notes & LinksAbout David Sparks:David on Twitter (@macsparky)David’s blog, MacSparky.comMac Power s podcastOmniFocus app related:OmniFocus by OmniGroupOmniFocus Field GuideOmniFocus is Now Automation ReadyDavid’s Lynda OmniFocus courseHazel app related:Hazel Field GuideMPU #322: Cleaning Up with HazelHazel, by NoodlesoftWorkflow app related:Workflow Video Field GuideWorkflow’s websiteMacStories, Workflow 1.1: Deeper iOS AutomationMentioned in ing:Photos Field GuideAppleScript: The Language of AutomationSimplicity Versus ComplexityIFTTT (If This Then That)WWDC16Apple planning Siri SDK for WWDCFind us online:TechTonic.fmIf you dig the show, leave us an iTunes review:TechTonic podcast on iTunesWe’d love to correspond by way of old-fashioned email:[email protected] better acquainted with us on Twitter:@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer@techtonicfm

This week on the podcast, Joe is out sick so Joshua takes over. Our special guest, David Sparks, and Joshua talk about MacSparky Field Guides, highlighting a few updates to OmniFocus but primarily discussing Hazel. Then, the guys dig a little into the Workflow app to contrast automation for iOS and ‘macOS’ as we know them (note this episode was recorded before WWDC16). About David Sparks:David on Twitter (@macsparky)David’s blog, MacSparky.comMac Power s podcast OmniFocus app related:OmniFocus by OmniGroupOmniFocus Field GuideOmniFocus is Now Automation ReadyDavid’s Lynda OmniFocus course Hazel app related:Hazel Field GuideMPU #322: Cleaning Up with HazelHazel, by Noodlesoft Workflow app related:Workflow Video Field GuideWorkflow’s websiteMacStories, Workflow 1.1: Deeper iOS Automation Mentioned in ing:Photos Field GuideAppleScript: The Language of AutomationSimplicity Versus ComplexityIFTTT (If This Then That)WWDC16Apple planning Siri SDK for WWDC Find us online:TechTonic.fm If you dig the show, leave us an iTunes review:TechTonic podcast on iTunes We’d love to correspond by way of old-fashioned email:[email protected] Get better acquainted with us on Twitter:@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer@techtonicfm

This week on the podcast, Joshua and Joe and special guest, Sean Doran, discuss their wish lists for iOS 10 and macOS, expected to be announced at WWDC (just around the corner). Sean’s a smart experience designer in Columbus, Ohio, who can appreciate the finer details of Apple software platform. We think through the future of Siri, icloud backups—if ever such a thing should exist—and the relentless push to refresh Apple’s products. Show Notes & HighlightsSean Doran related:Sean on Twitter (@SPJPGRD)Sean's last episode of TechtonicMentioned in ing:Amazon EchoApple WWDC: What to expect at this year's conferenceiOS wish list:Apple Wants to Make Siri Far More PowerfulApple's VocalIQ takeover could hint at Siri upgrades for WWDC and beyondHow to use Siri with typing instead of your voice on iPhone and iPadApple Working on Amazon Echo Competitor, Opening Siri Up to DevelopersGoogle's text messaging strategy: try everythingmacOS wish list:Deep within the rumor mill?: ‘Apple to Sell Personal Cloud Storage Device Starting Next Month’Apple Time Capsule 2TB ME177LL/A [5th Generation]Arq Backup: backs up all your computersDropbox Project Infinite: A revolutionary new way to access all your filesOS X: Turn your beautiful photos into beautiful keepsakes.wachOS wish list:- Faster, like demo models- Better button actionsEverything is a Remix:Everything is a Remix (Remastered)The iPhone Case StudyThe series is by Kirby FergusonFind us online:TechTonic.fmIf you dig the show, leave us an iTunes review:TechTonic podcast on iTunesWe’d love to correspond by way of old-fashioned email:[email protected] better acquainted with us on Twitter:@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer@techtonicfm

This week on the podcast, Joshua and Joe and special guest, Sean Doran, discuss their wish lists for iOS 10 and macOS, expected to be announced at WWDC (just around the corner). Sean’s a smart experience designer in Columbus, Ohio, who can appreciate the finer details of Apple software platform. We think through the future of Siri, icloud backups—if ever such a thing should exist—and the relentless push to refresh Apple’s products. Sean Doran related:Sean on Twitter (@SPJPGRD)Sean’s last episode of Techtonic Mentioned in ing:Amazon EchoApple WWDC: What to expect at this year’s conference iOS wish list:Apple Wants to Make Siri Far More PowerfulApple’s VocalIQ takeover could hint at Siri upgrades for WWDC and beyondHow to use Siri with typing instead of your voice on iPhone and iPadApple Working on Amazon Echo Competitor, Opening Siri Up to DevelopersGoogle’s text messaging strategy: try everything macOS wish list:Deep within the rumor mill?: ‘Apple to Sell Personal Cloud Storage Device Starting Next Month’Apple Time Capsule 2TB ME177LL/A [5th Generation]Arq Backup: backs up all your computersDropbox Project Infinite: A revolutionary new way to access all your filesOS X: Turn your beautiful photos into beautiful keepsakes. wachOS wish list:- Faster, like demo models- Better button actions Everything is a Remix:Everything is a Remix (Remastered)The iPhone Case StudyThe series is by Kirby Ferguson Find us online:TechTonic.fm If you dig the show, leave us an iTunes review:TechTonic podcast on iTunes We’d love to correspond by way of old-fashioned email:[email protected] Get better acquainted with us on Twitter:@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer@techtonicfm

Joe Darnell and our special guest, Lee Peterson, discuss new design changes afoot in iOS 9. Apple Music is rumored to receive a ‘simpler’ and more friendly interface in iOS 10 (X?). We debate how we feel about the design of Apple Music in iOS 9.3 and where we’d like it to go from here. Also, we talk about Instagram’s redesign; how will it influence communities and change what we think of Instagram’s brand? Listen and find out. Show NotesLee’s interests:Lee Peterson on Twitter (@ljpuk)The Guitar ShowThe British Tech NetworkLee's LJPUK blogThe App FactorCalendaring on iOS 9:Watch: iOS 9’s Calendar App - How to Use the Calendar‘10 Gotta-know Calendar Tips for iOS’Fantastical (calendar alternative)Retro devices:iPhone 3GS ‘Everything You Need to Know’, from iMoreWatch: iPhone 6S compared to First Gen iPhoneApple Music:Apple Music vs Spotify: How do the two streaming services compare?Lee’s Post: Apple Music Set for an Overhaul in iOS 10Apple Music’s iOS 10 overhaul detailed: black & white UI, ‘huge artwork’, lyrics integrationSongza is no more (Thanks for ing Google Play Music!)Google ‘All Access’How to Use Siri with Apple MusicDifferent Ways to Play Music on Apple WatchEcoute 2, Apple Music app alternativeInstagram’s interface and icon design update:Lee’s post: ‘Instagram Gets a New Icon and Makeover’Instagram Launches Redesigned App and IconFind us online:Techtonic.fmGive us a review on iTunes:Techtonic podcast on iTunesCorrespond with us via email:[email protected] with the people on Twitter:@techtonicfm@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer

Joe Darnell and our special guest, Lee Peterson, discuss new design changes afoot in iOS 9. Apple Music is rumored to receive a ‘simpler’ and more friendly interface in iOS 10 (X?). We debate how we feel about the design of Apple Music in iOS 9.3 and where we’d like it to go from here. Also, we talk about Instagram’s redesign; how will it influence communities and change what we think of Instagram’s brand? Listen and find out. Lee’s interests: Lee Peterson on Twitter (@ljpuk)The Guitar ShowThe British Tech NetworkLee’s LJPUK blogThe App Factor Calendaring on iOS 9: Watch: iOS 9’s Calendar App - How to Use the Calendar‘10 Gotta-know Calendar Tips for iOS’Fantastical (calendar alternative) Retro devices: iPhone 3GS ‘Everything You Need to Know’, from iMoreWatch: iPhone 6S compared to First Gen iPhone Apple Music: Apple Music vs Spotify: How do the two streaming services compare?Lee’s Post: Apple Music Set for an Overhaul in iOS 10Apple Music’s iOS 10 overhaul detailed: black & white UI, ‘huge artwork’, lyrics integrationSongza is no more (Thanks for ing Google Play Music!)Google ‘All Access’How to Use Siri with Apple MusicDifferent Ways to Play Music on Apple WatchEcoute 2, Apple Music app alternative Instagram’s interface and icon design update: Lee’s post: ‘Instagram Gets a New Icon and Makeover’Instagram Launches Redesigned App and Icon Find us online:Techtonic.fm Give us a review on iTunes:Techtonic podcast on iTunes Correspond with us via email:[email protected] Connect with the people on Twitter:@techtonicfm@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer

Joshua is out of town, so Joe has our special guest, Tim Smith, to discuss RSS reading, standing/sitting desks, healthy habits, Joe’s new iPad Pro (9.7), and podcasts in alternate universes. Show NotesRSS StuffFeed WranglerFeedlyUnreadReederStanding DeskTim's Review: Human Solution Uplift DeskUplift Stand Up Desk with 1'' Thick Bamboo TopBonus material: Tim recommends this chairiPad ProFirst, TIm’s iPad Mini (she’s a cutie)Apple’s general iPad Pro pageCompare all 5 currently available iPad devicesSpace Gray iPad Pro 9.7 w/Wi-Fi (Amazon)AccessoriesApple PencilSmart KeyboardLogitech Keys-To-Go KeyboardFind us online:Techtonic.fmGive us a review on iTunes:Techtonic podcast on iTunesCorrespond with us via email:[email protected] with the people on Twitter:@techtonicfm@jcsdarnell@ttimsmith

Joshua is out of town, so Joe has our special guest, Tim Smith, to discuss RSS reading, standing/sitting desks, healthy habits, Joe’s new iPad Pro (9.7), and podcasts in alternate universes. RSS Stuff Feed WranglerFeedlyUnreadReeder Standing Desk Tim’s Review: Human Solution Uplift DeskUplift Stand Up Desk with 1” Thick Bamboo TopBonus material: Tim recommends this chair iPad Pro First, TIm’s iPad Mini (she’s a cutie)Apple’s general iPad Pro pageCompare all 5 currently available iPad devicesSpace Gray iPad Pro 9.7 w/Wi-Fi (Amazon) Accessories Apple PencilSmart KeyboardLogitech Keys-To-Go Keyboard Find us online:Techtonic.fm Give us a review on iTunes: Techtonic podcast on iTunes Correspond with us via email:[email protected] Connect with the people on Twitter:@techtonicfm@jcsdarnell@ttimsmith

This week on Techtonic, Joshua describes his first days with Amazon’s Echo, ‘The Woman in the Box’. She is far more responsive than Apple’s Siri, which disappoints us for reasons. On a good note, the Echo is showing promise and is useful for many scenarios at home. After Echo talk, Joe reviews his new iPhone SE. Why did he want to down-grade from his 6S, and what does the SE offer people that are ready to embrace a small phone? Amazon Echo:Amazon Echo, by AmazonThe Echo is Dan Moren’s favorite device of 2015The rest of the Echo family that we didn’t get toJoe’s substitute: AmazonBasics’ Portable Bluetooth SpeakerAmazonBasics’ Large Portable Bluetooth SpeakerAmazonBasics’ Small Portable Bluetooth SpeakeriPhone SE:Joe’s former phone: iPhone 6S (64 GB, Unlocked, Retail Packaging, Space Gray)Joe’s new model: iPhone SE (Unlocked, 64 GB, Retail Packaging, Silver)Apple’s iPhone SE webpageJoe’s preferred case: Apple’s MF046LL/A iPhone 5S Red Leather Case (Joe only uses cases when traveling)Joe’s preferred iPhone dock: Twelve South HiRiseFind us online:Techtonic.fmGive us a review on iTunes:Techtonic podcast on iTunesCorrespond with us by email:[email protected] with us hosts and the show on Twitter:@techtonicfm@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer(You will note that we have experimented with longer show notes lately. This week’s is nice a short, but in-depth highlights and takeaways will be back soon for future episodes.)

This week on Techtonic, Joshua describes his first days with Amazon’s Echo, ‘The Woman in the Box’. She is far more responsive than Apple’s Siri, which disappoints us for reasons. On a good note, the Echo is showing promise and is useful for many scenarios at home. After Echo talk, Joe reviews his new iPhone SE. Why did he want to down-grade from his 6S, and what does the SE offer people that are ready to embrace a small phone? Amazon Echo:Amazon Echo, by AmazonThe Echo is Dan Moren’s favorite device of 2015The rest of the Echo family that we didn’t get toJoe’s substitute: AmazonBasics’ Portable Bluetooth SpeakerAmazonBasics’ Large Portable Bluetooth SpeakerAmazonBasics’ Small Portable Bluetooth Speaker iPhone SE:Joe’s former phone: iPhone 6S (64 GB, Unlocked, Retail Packaging, Space Gray)Joe’s new model: iPhone SE (Unlocked, 64 GB, Retail Packaging, Silver)Apple’s iPhone SE webpageJoe’s preferred case: Apple’s MF046LL/A iPhone 5S Red Leather Case (Joe only uses cases when traveling)Joe’s preferred iPhone dock: Twelve South HiRise Find us online:Techtonic.fm Give us a review on iTunes:Techtonic podcast on iTunes Correspond with us by email:[email protected] Connect with us hosts and the show on Twitter:@techtonicfm@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer (You will note that we have experimented with longer show notes lately. This week’s is nice a short, but in-depth highlights and takeaways will be back soon for future episodes.)

Our special guest this week, Daniel Jalkut, discusses MarsEdit, developing apps for Mac and iOS, and the difficult choices that independent app developers all face over the course of their careers. Highlights and Show Notes Many Apple s know that fortune and failure is made on the App Stores. What’s even more uncertain is going it alone: a developer with an app that makes their livelihood. But fortune and sustainability is made every day from the sell of productivity apps. Clever apps, like MarsEdit, were far ahead of their time, which helped it find a loyal base. But this isn’t the story of Brent Simmons, the creator of MarsEdit. This is the story of Daniel Jalkut, the founder of Red Sweater Software; a one-of-a-kind developer that started working for Apple at the age of 18, later went to college to study music, then later became the independent developer that took ownership of MarsEdit and developed this blog text editor for the past nine years. Not a Story You Hear Every Day Joe first discovered Daniel Jalkut on the CMD+Space podcast in 2013. For a long time, Joe was aware that MarsEdit was still in development and that Daniel’s command center was Red Sweater, but what he didn’t know was that Jalkut is a host of listener favorite Core Intuition, a podcast about indie software development for the Mac, iOS and other Apple technologies. On April 1, they released episode #226: A Little Bit in Crisis. (Joe will now stop referring to himself in the third person. Hey, everyone, I’m writing these here show notes.) But there’s more to Mr. Jalkut than his podcast and the MarsEdit text editor. At an early age, Daniel participated in the tech community — long before the Internet. Out of high school, Daniel applied for work at Apple and was hired as a contractor. Daniel worked for Apple for many years before mustering up the courage to leave his job security and pursue another ion: music. He went to collage and studied the arts before becoming an independent app developer. If his journey wasn’t already unique enough, he chose to purchase and continue development of the MarsEdit text editor that specializes in desktop blog editing on the Mac. And while many a developer has followed the mainstream urgent rush to build cross platform tools, like text editors available on Mac and iOS with sporty features like cloud syncing to boot, Daniel has maintained a steady course. The majority of his focus has remained on the Mac while maintaining and refining MarsEdit. Lulling a Baby to Sleep with Noise In the early days of the iOS App Store, Daniel’s first son was a newborn. Daniel and his wife read ‘The Happiest Baby on the Block’, to learn about the art of helping his child feel comfortable and find quality rest. From study, he learned that infants do well listening to static noise. The theory goes that static noise is similar to the sound inside a mother’s womb, which infants hear before birth. Many young ones find it soothing. Daniel developed the simple app he named Swish. With very few features, it presents just what it promises on the label: a static white noise and visual representation, like that of a broadcast television with poor reception. To this day, Swish is a classic example of an app with a skeuomorphic interface, which we discuss later in the show. The Urgency of iOS Apps Like most independent Mac developers, Daniel was allured to the iOS platform. For many, it’s the obvious thing to do. As a developer, building apps for two platforms sounds more impressive and possibly affords more opportunities than sticking to one. There is a pervasive awareness of the fame and glory that comes with apps that make millions on the iOS App Store. In 2008, there was a gold rush mentality to build business and products around iOS, and it certainly paid off for early apps to market. But as time moved on, Daniel discerned that the need to build apps for multiple platforms wasn’t the right path for his app’s development. He perceived that there’s an urgency to create iOS apps, but not necessarily a well-defined and important reason all Mac developers should divide their attention with the addition of iOS development. Daniel has started building more than one app for iOS that he’s chosen not to ship. MarsEdit, Fast Scripts and Clarion are products of Daniel’s undivided attention to the Mac. Other Apps for Sale Though MarsEdit is his bread and butter, Daniel has a few other apps to offer: Black Ink Black Ink makes it easy to free puzzles from sources on the Internet such as the Wall Street Journal and Chicago Reader, and can open "Across Lite" files from various other sources on the web. Unlike books or CD-ROMs that come with a limited selection, Black Ink puts you in charge of ing the puzzles you love to solve. Fast Scripts FastScripts is a powerful script management utility. Instant access to your scripts, by keyboard shortcut or menubar. Global or application-specific control at the tip of your fingers. You'll spend less time mousing and more time doing. An the Apple Script Menu - a familiar design with many usability improvements and a refined UI. Clarion Clarion will fine-tune your musical ear. A customizable quiz partner for interval ear training. You need a helpful training partner, not a messy interface. Clarion's simple quiz window is a snap to bring up for quick training between other tasks. Choose the instruments, scales, and octaves that are most important to you. Set up as many configurations as you like and switch between them instantly. Why Acquire MarsEdit? When asked about taking and developing MarsEdit, Daniel equates it to a tag team wrestling match: “It takes a lot of work to come up with an idea, put in all of the original investment of experimenting with the idea…work out the bugs, come of with a interface, ship the first version, take the , come up with a way to sell it…come up with a strategy for handling customer … And you do all of that and you get 1.0 out the door, and often there’s not much gas left in the tank. “And what was kind of cool about this situation with MarsEdit is my friend, Brent Simmons, had developed it and actually spun it off from NetNewsWire, which was and still is a popular Mac desktop news reader. I think that if that had been his focus and ion — to move forward with MarsEdit — he could’ve done a great job with it, but it was a situation where… I think it worked well for me to come into it with fresh energy. “I often think back, like, how much did my own separate apps, like Fast Scripts and some other apps that I shipped… How much did I just get burned out at one point of shipping fatigue? With MarsEdit, not only did I come into it with fresh energy, but I also came into a scene where it wasn’t like it was making tons of money… But it was an established product and it had ionate s. And that was to Brent’s credit. He had not made it a household name, but like a very geeky household name.” Acquisitions that Thrive Something that Daniel has noticed is that many people think he can’t take credit for MarsEdit’s development because he didn’t create it. It’s true that he didn’t, but his own contributions to MarsEdit over the last nine years are significant and shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s a heartwarming story: ‘App Acquired and Not Abandoned’. Many a large tech company has acquired smaller businesses to drain them dry of talent and leave the acquired company’s projects in the dust bin. Google and Apple have done this several times in the last decade alone. Sure, there are exceptions like Siri, an app created by a third party that Apple integrated into iOS. But when we think of startup acquisitions, we usually expect the products they make to fade away from existence. Daniel has cultivated a sustainable community of MarsEdit s, making it possible to satisfy customers with the app’s prolonged life. Daniel notes, “When it works out, it can really benefit both parties.” Where’s MarsEdit for iOS? Like most developers that love Apple devices, Daniel believes that iOS has shown great potential and value. At times, he’s dabbled in more than one iOS app, but none of them have come to fruition. For one reason, he didn’t want to spread himself too thin. This is the main reason MarsEdit is a dedicated Mac app. When tools and platforms evolve around your app, it’s not really necessary that yours updates with them. Why change what already works? Since MarsEdit’s Mac app hasn’t suffered, and Daniel hasn’t created more work for himself than he has time for, it’s a win-win to stay focused on one version for one platform. Before you start developing for multiple platforms, you need to ask yourself: When you’ve been a developer for one platform for a long time, do you have a real reason that’s pushing you to learn and develop for the additional one? Is it not good enough to be a developer for the platform you already know and love? Is the allure of the newer platform so great you need to work on it? Is the money so great in the new platform you can’t it up? Is the money dwindling for the platform you already know? For Daniel, the answer to all of these questions was no. Daniel says, “It’s not stupendously easy to make a living on the Mac with software. But, if I had to make a guess, I would say that it is easier than it is on iOS for the average person running their own software company.” That said, there was this one time that Daniel started an iOS app that he intented to release. Daniel had the idea to build an app that artistically customized pictures with frames and filters and ed them to blogs. This was before photo sharing was especially popular with the rise of Instagram. Examples of his app’s processed images: The Polaroid The stamp The wanted poster He spent a lot of time and money building and deg the photo editing app for iOS. But in time, he realized that releasing the app would inadvertently hinder MarsEdit, so he chose to re-focus on his first commitment. Another iOS app that Daniel started was a mobile version of Black Ink. To hear the comical case of unfortunate events that surround it, you’re going to have to listen to the show. (Please note: Be careful what you to the App Store.) All of this and much more was discussed on this week’s episode. Our thanks to Daniel for ing us this week! Find us online:Techtonic.fmGive us a review on iTunes:Techtonic podcast on iTunesCorrespond with us via email:[email protected] with the people on Twitter:@techtonicfm@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer

Our special guest this week, Daniel Jalkut, discusses MarsEdit, developing apps for Mac and iOS, and the difficult choices that independent app developers all face over the course of their careers. Many Apple s know that fortune and failure is made on the app stores. What’s even more uncertain is going it alone: being a developer with an app that’s responsible for your livelihood. But fortune and sustainability is made every day from the sell of productivity apps. Clever apps, like MarsEdit, were far ahead of their time, which help them find a loyal  base. This isn’t the story of Brent Simmons, the creator of MarsEdit. This is the story of and lessons learned by Daniel Jalkut, the founder of Red Sweater Software. Daniel started working for Apple at the age of 18, later went to college to study music, then later became the independent developer that took ownership of MarsEdit. This one app has been responsible for his paycheck for the last nine years. Not a Story You Hear Every Day Joe first discovered Daniel Jalkut on the CMD+Space show in 2013. For a long time, Joe was aware that MarsEdit was in development and that Daniel’s command center was Red Sweater, but what he didn’t know was that Jalkut is a host of listener’s favorite Core Intuition, “a podcast about indie software development for the Mac, iOS and other Apple technologies.” This past April 1, they released episode #226: A Little Bit in Crisis. (Joe will now stop referring to himself in the third person. Hey, everyone, I’m writing the show notes.) There’s more to Mr. Jalkut than his podcast and the MarsEdit text editor. At an early age, Daniel participated in the tech community, long before the Internet change everything. Out of high school, Daniel was hired for contract work at Apple. Daniel worked for Apple for many years before mustering up the courage to leave his job security and pursue another ion: music. He went to collage and studied the arts before becoming an independent app developer. If his journey wasn’t already different from most (first, go to college, then, find a job, eventually create your own projects on the side, if you’re up for it…), he chose to purchase and continue development of the MarsEdit text editor that specializes in desktop blog editing on the Mac. And while many developers have followed the rush to build cross platform tools, like productivity tools with versions for Mac and iOS, with sporty cloud syncing for file management, Daniel has maintained a steady course. The majority of his focus has remained on MarsEdit for Mac. Lulling a Baby to Sleep with Noise In the early day of the iOS App Store, Daniel’s first son was a newborn. Daniel and his wife read ‘The Happiest Baby on the Block’ to learn about the art of rearing a child. From study, he learned that infants do well listening to static noise. The theory goes that static noise is similar to the sound inside a mother’s womb, which infants hear before birth. Many young ones find it soothing. Daniel developed the simple app he named Swish. With just a few simple features, it presents a static white noise and visual representation, like that of a broadcast television with poor antenna reception. To this day, Swish is a classic example of an app with a skeuomorphic interface, which we discuss later in the show. The Urgency of iOS Apps Like most independent Mac developers, Daniel has been allured to the iOS platform. For many, building iOS products is the obvious thing to do. As a developer, building apps for two platforms sounds more impressive and possibly affords more opportunities than sticking to one. There is a pervasive awareness of the fame and glory that comes with apps that have millions of s on the iOS App Store. In 2008, there was a gold rush to build businesses and products for iOS, and it certainly paid off for early app to market. As time moved on, Daniel discerned that the need to build apps for multiple platforms wasn’t the right path for Red Sweater. He perceived that there’s an urgency to create iOS apps, but not necessarily a well-defined and important reason all Mac developers should divide their attention with the addition of iOS projects. Daniel has started more than one app for iOS that he’s chosen not to ship. MarsEdit, Black Ink, Fast Scripts and Clarion are products of Daniel’s dedication to the Mac platform. If he magically had an iOS version of MarsEdit at the ready with a strategic marketing plan to go with it, he’d jump at the opportunity to grow his business. For now, he’s strategically focusing on the Mac platform. Other Apps for Sale Though MarsEdit is his bread and butter, Daniel has a few other apps to offer: Black Ink Black Ink makes it easy to free puzzles from sources on the internet such as the Wall Street Journal and Chicago Reader, and can open “Across Lite” files from various other sources on the web. Unlike books or CD-ROMs that come with a limited selection, Black Ink puts you in charge of ing the puzzles you love to solve. Fast Scripts FastScripts is a powerful script management utility. Instant access to your scripts, by keyboard shortcut or menubar. Global or application-specific control at the tip of your fingers. You’ll spend less time mousing and more time doing. An the Apple Script Menu - a familiar design with many usability improvements and a refined UI. Clarion Clarion will fine-tune your musical ear. A customizable quiz partner for interval ear training. You need a helpful training partner, not a messy interface. Clarion’s simple quiz window is a snap to bring up for quick training between other tasks. Choose the instruments, scales, and octaves that are most important to you. Set up as many configurations as you like and switch between them instantly. Why Acquire MarsEdit? When asked about obtaining and developing MarsEdit, Daniel equates it to a tag team wrestling match: “It takes a lot of work to come up with an idea, put in all of the original investment of experimenting with the idea…work out the bugs, come of with a interface, ship the first version, take the , come up with a way to sell it…come up with a strategy for handling customer … And you do all of that and you get 1.0 out the door, and often there’s not much gas left in the tank. “And what was kind of cool about this situation with MarsEdit is my friend, Brent Simmons, had developed it and actually spun it off from NetNewsWire, which was and still is a popular Mac desktop news reader. I think that if that had been his focus and ion — to move forward with MarsEdit — he could’ve done a great job with it, but it was a situation where… I think it worked well for me to come into it with fresh energy. “I often think back, like, how much did my own separate apps, like Fast Scripts and some other apps that I shipped… How much did I just get burned out at one point of shipping fatigue? With MarsEdit, not only did I come into it with fresh energy, but I also came into a scene where it wasn’t like it was making tons of money… But it was an established product and it had ionate s. And that was to Brent’s credit. He had not made it a household name, but like a very geeky household name.” Acquisitions that Thrive Something that Daniel has noticed is that many people believe he can’t take credit for MarsEdit’s development because he didn’t create it. It’s true that he didn’t write it from scratch, but his contributions to MarsEdit over the last nine years are significant and shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s a heartwarming story: ‘App Acquired and Not Abandoned’. Daniel notes, “When it works out, it can really benefit both parties.” Many a large tech company has acquired smaller businesses to drain them dry of talent, leaving the acquired company’s products to die. Google and Apple have done this several times in the last decade alone. Sure, there are exceptions, like Siri, an app created by a third party that Apple acquired and integrated into iOS. But when we think of startup acquisitions, we usually expect the products they made to fade away. Daniel has cultivated a sustainable community of MarsEdit s, making it possible to satisfy customers with the app’s betterment and long life. Where’s MarsEdit for iOS? Like most developers that love Apple devices, Daniel believes that iOS has shown great potential and value. At times, he’s dabbled in more than one iOS app, but none of them have been officially released. Daniel didn’t want to spread himself too thin. This is the main reason MarsEdit is a dedicated Mac app. When tools and platforms evolve around your app, it’s not necessary that you update with them. Why change what already works? Since the Mac app hasn’t suffered, and Daniel hasn’t created more work for himself than he has time for, it’s a win-win to stay focused on one version for one platform. Before you start developing for multiple platforms, you need to ask yourself: When you’ve been a developer for one platform long enough to find stable success, do you have a real reason that’s pushing you to learn and develop for the additional one? Is it not good enough to be a developer for the platform you already know? Is the allure of the newer platform so great that you need to work on it? Is the money so great in the new platform that you can’t it up? Is the money dwindling for the platform that you already know? For Daniel, the answer to all of these questions was no. “It’s not stupendously easy to make a living on the Mac with software, but if I had to make a guess, I would say that it is easier than it is on iOS for the average person running their own software company.” Experiments on iOS There was this one time that Daniel started an app that he had every intention to release. Daniel had the idea to build an app that let people artistically customize pictures with frames and filters and them to blogs. He thought of this app long before photo sharing was especially popular with the rise of Instagram. Examples of his app’s processed images: The Polaroid The stamp The wanted poster He spent a lot of time and money building and deg the photo editing app for iOS. But in time, he weighed what releasing the app would inadvertently do to MarsEdit, and chose to re-focus on his first commitment. Another iOS app that Daniel started was a mobile version of Black Ink. To hear the comical case of unfortunate events that surround it, you’re going to have to listen to the show. (Please note: Be careful what you to the App Store.) All of this and much more was discussed on this week’s episode. Our thanks to Daniel for ing us this week! Find us online:Techtonic.fm Give us a review on iTunes:Techtonic podcast on iTunes Correspond with us via email:[email protected] Connect with the people on Twitter:@techtonicfm@jcsdarnell@joshuapeiffer

Joe Darnell, Joshua Peiffer and our special guest, Joe Caiati, discuss a video by James Rath about Apple products’ accessibility features. Afterward, the guys break down what Apple device is best suited for specific contexts, but more specifically, the implications of using different combinations of Apple products — from the iPhone to the iMac to the Apple Watch. For example, life is very different with a Mac and iPhone than an iPad Pro and Apple TV. What’s the ideal combo? Sponsored By:Focus App: The simplest tool for writing task lists, marking them complete, and focusing on real work using the Pomodoro Technique from any of your Apple devices.Show Notes:Joe Caiati (@joecaiati on Twitter)Coworking office space by WeWorkWindows 7 and Windows 10Mac Keyboard Shortcuts and Their Windows EquivalentsWatch James Rath’s accessibility videoTim Cook’s shout out to James RathAccessibility features for Mac OS XJan Heiermann of Focus App on episode 42 of Techtonic

Joe Darnell, Joshua Peiffer and our special guest, Joe Caiati, discuss a video by James Rath about Apple products’ accessibility features. Afterward, the guys break down what Apple device is best suited for specific contexts, but more specifically, the implications of using different combinations of Apple products — from the iPhone to the iMac to the Apple Watch. For example, life is very different with a Mac and iPhone than an iPad Pro and Apple TV. What’s the ideal combo? Sponsored By: Focus App: The simplest tool for writing task lists, marking them complete, and focusing on real work using the Pomodoro Technique from any of your Apple devices. Show Notes: Joe Caiati (@joecaiati on Twitter) Coworking office space by WeWork Windows 7 and Windows 10 Mac Keyboard Shortcuts and Their Windows Equivalents Watch James Rath’s accessibility video Tim Cook’s shout out to James Rath Accessibility features for Mac OS X Jan Heiermann of Focus App on episode 42 of Techtonic

Joe, Joshua and special guest, Micah Pogue, discuss the apps on their home screens, how they use their apps for productivity and entertainment, and their app layout organization philosophies. Show Notes:Our guest, Micah Pogue (@micah_pogue) Joe’s home screen Micah’s home screen Joshua’s home screen 1Google MapsGmail AppMint - Money ManagerScannableScanner ProInteractSparkReaddleOmniFocusWunderlistListenHoursFocusOur episode with the Focus developerHoundSpotifyApple Musiodcasts AppOvercast

Joe, Joshua and special guest, Micah Pogue, discuss the apps on their home screens, how they use their apps for productivity and entertainment, and their app layout organization philosophies. Show Notes: Our guest, Micah Pogue (@micah_pogue) Joe’s home screen Micah’s home screen Joshua’s home screen 1Google MapsGmail AppMint - Money ManagerScannableScanner ProInteractSparkReaddleOmniFocusWunderlistListenHoursFocusOur episode with the Focus developerHoundSpotifyApple Musiodcasts AppOvercast

This week, our returning guest, John Livingston, discusses more features and experiences with his and Joshua’s iPad Pros. Joshua shares troubleshooting issues for his Retina iMac 27”, and Joe reviews his new MacBook (early 2015), and whether it makes a good 15” Retina MacBook Pro replacement. Show Notes:Logitech Create keyboard for iPad ProThe lackluster iPad 2 (by today’s standards)Bose bluetooth speakersThe iPhone has always had poor external speakersQuick ways to enhance iPhone speakers on the countertopTip: Make your iPhone speaker louder with that empty pint glass on your deskThe Stump StoreBrydge keyoard for iPad ProSurface Book 5Five reasons not to buy a SurfaceMicrosoft ContinuumWatch Steve Jobs introduces the original iPadApple iMac MK472LL/A 27-Inch Retina 5K DesktopHow to move your Mac’s content with Migration AssistantArq BackupApple PencilMacBook (early 2015 to present model)FX on the 2015 MacBook Retina 12"Apple Magic KeyboardApple Magic Trackpad 2AmazonBasics 4-Port USB 2.0 Ultra-Mini HubDell UltraSharp U2412M 24-Inch Screen LED-Lit MonitorApple USB-C VGA Multiport AdapterHengedocksMoom app for resizing and positioning windows with hot keysFind us online:Techtonic.fmIf you dig the show, leave us an iTunes review:Techtonic podcast on iTunesWe’d love to correspond by way of old-fashioned email:[email protected] better acquainted with us on Twitter:@jcsdarnell@JoshuaPeiffer@TechTonicFM

This week, our returning guest, John Livingston, discusses more features and experiences with his and Joshua’s iPad Pros. Joshua shares troubleshooting issues for his Retina iMac 27”, and Joe reviews his new MacBook (early 2015), and whether it makes a good 15” Retina MacBook Pro replacement. Show Notes: Logitech Create keyboard for iPad ProThe lackluster iPad 2 (by today’s standards)Bose bluetooth speakersThe iPhone has always had poor external speakersQuick ways to enhance iPhone speakers on the countertopTip: Make your iPhone speaker louder with that empty pint glass on your deskThe Stump StoreBrydge keyoard for iPad ProSurface Book 5Five reasons not to buy a SurfaceMicrosoft ContinuumWatch Steve Jobs introduces the original iPadApple iMac MK472LL/A 27-Inch Retina 5K DesktopHow to move your Mac’s content with Migration AssistantArq BackupApple PencilMacBook (early 2015 to present model)FX on the 2015 MacBook Retina 12”Apple Magic KeyboardApple Magic Trackpad 2AmazonBasics 4-Port USB 2.0 Ultra-Mini HubDell UltraSharp U2412M 24-Inch Screen LED-Lit MonitorApple USB-C VGA Multiport AdapterHengedocksMoom app for resizing and positioning windows with hot keys Find us online:Techtonic.fm If you dig the show, leave us an iTunes review:Techtonic podcast on iTunes We’d love to correspond by way of old-fashioned email:[email protected] Get better acquainted with us on Twitter:@jcsdarnell@JoshuaPeiffer@TechTonicFM

Joshua and our special returning guest, John Livingston, review the iPad Pro. How is it shaking up engineering for John?Has it replaced Joshua’s MacBook Air in everyday use? What apps do the guys use to manage files and markup documents? All this and more in our iOS/iPad for professionals review. *Trying out a different audio player on the website. Let us know what you think. -JoeShow Notes:Apple vs. FBI?Watch: Apple CEO Tim Cook Says iPhone-Cracking Software ‘Equivalent of Cancer’ATP discusses in #158: YOU CAN'T OUTLAW MATHUpgrade discusses in #77: I Don't Know Why You'd Call Them FriendsWho is John Livingston?John Livingston on Twitter (@nuclear_ee)John’s site (about engineering)What is this iPad Pro you speak of?Apple’s first generation iPad ProThe iPad Pro’s smart keyboard coverThe Apple PencilApple Pencilgate?Apple to launch 9.7-inch iPad Pro, not Air 3Logitech’s Create Smart Keyboard and CaseApple’s iPad Pro protective caseHardware we mention?Samsung Galaxy NoteStumps available at the Stump Store onlineSoftware we mention?Microsoft OneNote - notes on all devicesMicrosoft Office for iOS (and other mobile platforms)PDF Expert 5 - Fill forms, annotate PDFs, sign documentsPDF Converter by Readdle for iOSGoogle DocsMicrosoft Office 365Microsoft SharePointMircosoft OneDriveThe Sweet Setup’s review of PDF ExpertEvernote for iOSPaper 53Other stuff we mention?Watch: Moses destroy the original Ten Commandments TabletsHere's what the 'i' in iPhone meansTell me more about Techtonic!Techtonic’s siteTechtonic on Twitter (@techtonicfm)Joe on Twitter (@jcsdarnell)Joshua on Twitter (@joshuapeiffer)Send email to at [email protected] to the show on iTunesSubscribe to the show with RSS

Joshua and our special returning guest, John Livingston, review the iPad Pro. How is it shaking up engineering for John? Has it replaced Joshua’s MacBook Air in everyday use? What apps do the guys use to manage files and markup documents? All this and more in our iOS/iPad for professionals review. *Trying out a different audio player on the website. Let us know what you think. -Joe Apple vs. FBI?Watch: Apple CEO Tim Cook Says iPhone-Cracking Software ‘Equivalent of Cancer’ATP discusses in #158: YOU CAN’T OUTLAW MATHUpgrade discusses in #77: I Don’t Know Why You’d Call Them FriendsWho is John Livingston?John Livingston on Twitter (@nuclear_ee)John’s site (about engineering)What is this iPad Pro you speak of?Apple’s first generation iPad ProThe iPad Pro’s smart keyboard coverThe Apple PencilApple Pencilgate?Apple to launch 9.7-inch iPad Pro, not Air 3Logitech’s Create Smart Keyboard and CaseApple’s iPad Pro protective caseHardware we mention?Samsung Galaxy NoteStumps available at the Stump Store onlineSoftware we mention?Microsoft OneNote - notes on all devicesMicrosoft Office for iOS (and other mobile platforms)PDF Expert 5 - Fill forms, annotate PDFs, sign documentsPDF Converter by Readdle for iOSGoogle DocsMicrosoft Office 365Microsoft SharePointMircosoft OneDriveThe Sweet Setup’s review of PDF ExpertEvernote for iOSPaper 53Other stuff we mention?Watch: Moses destroy the original Ten Commandments TabletsHere’s what the ‘i’ in iPhone meansTell me more about Techtonic!Techtonic’s siteTechtonic on Twitter (@techtonicfm)Joe on Twitter (@jcsdarnell)Joshua on Twitter (@joshuapeiffer)Send email to at [email protected] to the show on iTunesSubscribe to the show with RSS