While traveling recently, I used several streaming services on my iPad. I usually watch TV and movies on my Apple TV, so it struck me how differently each service seems to approach the UI/UX in their websites and apps – and how bad some of them are. So I thought it was time for an...
And This E-Reader is Just Right
The story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a current favorite of my daughter’s. The story of a girl who tries several porridge bowls, chairs, and beds until she finds the one that’s just right is weirdly reflective of my search for the perfect e-reader. Let’s rewind a bit. Last week, I mentioned that...
Live Photo Editing, Big Cases, and Batteries Galore
Among the highlights on the Club MacStories+ Discord: T.G. Cid recommended a nice app for transferring files between iPads, gaming handhelds, PCs, phones, and more. I know most people already know about Live Photos’ Key Photo editing, but in the hopes that anyone doesn’t, let Evan break it down for you. sizemo went through a...
Trying a New Tech Carry Setup for Traveling
This past weekend, I flew to Sitges in Spain for my friends’ wedding. The event was a no-kids affair, so my wife had to stay home in London with our daughter. It was a packed three-day celebration that included a boat party, pool party, and, yes, a wedding. This presented me with an opportunity to...
Good Dogs, Permission Nightmares, and Sleep Trackers
Among the highlights on the Club MacStories+ Discord: Paul shared an incredible video of his dogs’ reaction to the Apple TV ‘home screen’ sound. Screen recording permissions seem to be renewed weekly in macOS Sequoia, to the despair of members. rynot asked about using the Whoop as an alternative to the Apple Watch for sleep...
Entering the Macro Keyboard World with the Creator Micro
Macro keyboards are custom keyboards with several programable keys or dials. They’re very simple, but they can become quite powerful when you customize them via software. Up to now, the world of macro keyboards has eluded me. With the exception of a couple of people – such as Comfort Zone host Matt Birchler – I’ve...
Speed Dialing, MacStories Staffing, and Gamifying Feedback
Among the highlights on the Club MacStories+ Discord: Nicolas shared a tip for calling and storing phone numbers without going into the Phone app. StorresJayrMx shared an alternative way of testing your Internet speed on your Mac directly from Terminal. Apple Intelligence seems to have a suggested hire for MacStories. Federico had an update on...
Fortnite Coming to AltStore PAL as Epic Announces New Plans for Distribution→
Yesterday, AltStore co-creator Riley Testut posted on Mastodon that the ‘cat’s out of the bag.’ That cat was the announcement from Epic Games that their hugely popular game ‘Fortnite’ would be coming to AltStore PAL in the EU.
Epic had previously announced they would be launching the Epic Games Store in the EU on iOS and worldwide on Android ‘soon’ with what they called ‘great terms’ for developers. However, this announcement of their most popular title coming to an alternate App Store was somewhat of a surprise.
In the statement, Epic also said they plan to bring their games — including Fortnite — to other mobile stores, though AltStore PAL was the only one confirmed.
This being Epic Games, the statement didn’t forget to take some shots at the larger App Store owners. In addition to mentioning the recent legal battles Apple and Google have faced in Europe, the statement also reminded everyone of Epic’s win against Google in the US before making one final announcement.
In what Epic Games called a ‘protest of Samsung’s anticompetitive decision to block side-loading by default on Samsung Android devices,’ the company announced it would be withdrawing Fortnite and their other games from the Samsung Galaxy Store.
While it was only one sentence in another spicy statement from Epic Games, the announcement of Fortnite on AltStore PAL is a testament to the hard work Riley Testut and Shane Gill have put into the store. It’s also the realization of a joke Riley made way back in 2020.
Meta Data Training, Lots of Podcast Apps, and Jumping on the Beta Train
Among the highlights on the Club MacStories+ Discord: MadMax (the very same) posted an interesting link to a guide showing how you can opt out of letting Meta use your data from Facebook and Instagram to train its AI. Federico put out a call for feedback from anyone who has recently been toying with both...