A clear and concise overview of the changes in Logic Pro X. Make sure to watch the 17-minute demo of the new Drummer feature.
Posts in Linked
Jim Dalrymple’s Review of Logic Pro X→
OmniFocus for iPhone Gets Background Location Sync→
OmniFocus for iPhone was updated today to include a background location sync feature previously seen in apps like Downcast, Instapaper, and CameraSync.
Users can now leverage iOS’ geofencing to tell OmniFocus to sync its online database in the background and automatically whenever they enter or leave a specific location. There’s a new Background Sync screen in the settings where locations can be configured, which works similarly to Instapaper’s one. Unlike CameraSync, I wasn’t able to receive a local notification when I left or arrived at a location that triggered background sync.
The Omni Group is undoubtedly looking at iOS 7’s new background app refresh options, but, until then, this is a nice (and common) workaround.
Editorial for iPad→
Ole Zorn is finally talking about his upcoming new app, Editorial, publicly on his website:
I tweeted earlier today that I’ve registered the name for a new app in iTunes Connect. It’s called Editorial, and I’ve actually been working on this for over a year now.
At its core, it’s a Markdown editor for iPad, but you can also think of it as a Pythonista spinoff, or a workflow automation tool, not unlike Automator.
I say “finally” because I have been testing Editorial since November 2012. All my reviews have been written and edited with Editorial; I have built workflows that, for me, make working with text on the iPad better than using Sublime Text 2 on my MacBook Air. When I’m on my Mac, I miss Editorial’s automation and editing features. And if I haven’t posted a screenshot of my iPad’s Home screen in a while, it’s because I had Editorial in my dock and I couldn’t share it.
Ole Zorn is the developer of Pythonista, which I have written extensively about. I can’t wait to share more about Editorial.
WWDC 2013 Session Videos On YouTube→
Update: According to iMore’s Rene Ritchie, Apple confirmed that the videos are not official and, as suspected, in violation of the NDA.
After the release of the keynote’s video on its website, iTunes, and YouTube, WWDC 2013 session videos have surfaced on YouTube under the account WWDCVideos.
Originally tweeted by Safari and WebKit engineer Timothy Hatcher, the WWDCVideos channel has the following description:
Get an in-depth look at what’s next in iOS and OS X, and learn how to take your apps to the next level. With over 100 sessions, extensive hands–on labs, and engaging events, you’ll connect with Apple engineers and fellow developers for an incredible week of inspiration.
If confirmed official, this wouldn’t be Apple’s first YouTube channel, as the company has been uploading keynotes, promo videos, and TV commercials on the Apple channel for years now; it’s unclear, however, how such videos would be available publicly on YouTube considering Apple’s NDA, which prevents developers from discussing upcoming iOS and OS X features publicly.
The Prompt: An Annoying Mispronunciation→
This week on The Prompt, Myke and Stephen discuss Federico’s absence, Myke’s recent government questioning and then cameras and photo management with correspondent Shawn Blanc.
I couldn’t join the team yesterday, but I’ll be back next week. It’s good to know that Myke can survive a government questioning. You can get the episode here.
The Dropbox Platform→
At its first developer conference that kicked off today, Dropbox CEO Drew Houston announced the Dropbox Platform, a new initiative aimed at making Dropbox the “best foundation to connect the world’s apps, devices, and services”.
Part of the Platform is the new Datastore API, which will allow developers of Dropbox-enabled apps to sync more than just files:
Our Sync and Core APIs already take care of syncing files and folders, but as people use mobile apps more and more, a lot of their stuff doesn’t really look like a file at all. It could be anything — settings, contacts, to-do list items, or the latest doodle you drew.
With the Datastore API, we’re moving beyond files and providing a new model for effortlessly storing and syncing app data. When you use an app built with datastores your data will be up-to-date across all devices whether you’re online or offline. Imagine a task-tracking app that works on both your iPhone and the web. If it’s built with the Datastore API, you can check off items from your phone during a cross-country flight and add new tasks from your computer and Dropbox will make sure the changes don’t clobber each other.
It’s unsurprising to see various comments on how Dropbox Datastore looks like what Apple should have done with iCloud for third-party developers. Last month at WWDC, Apple acknowledged the issues that troubled iCloud’s Core Data sync and promised several fixes coming with iOS 7 and OS X 10.9.
It’ll be interesting to see if a new architecture based on drop-ins (components) that include (for now) a Saver and Chooser (for saving files to and picking them from Dropbox, respectively) will convince third-party developers of iOS apps to keep avoiding iCloud and embracing Dropbox. For as much as Dropbox improves upon its platform, key aspects of the iOS experience such as photos, videos, music, mail, contacts, and todos remain natively tied to Apple’s iCloud service. Can Dropbox apps, developers, and users grow faster than Apple can improve iCloud? Assuming that iCloud will work reliably in iOS 7 and Mavericks, will developers of groundbreaking and innovative apps support both iCloud and Dropbox? How many platforms is too many?
Dropbox says they now have 175 million users; the latest number from Apple is the 300 million iCloud accounts shared at WWDC ‘13. A first result of the new APIs will soon be shown in an update to Mailbox, which Dropbox owns.
Watermarker 1.2 with Editable Custom Image Watermarks→
I first looked at Watermarker, developed by my friend and colleague Don Southard, back in January when version 1.1 added batch processing:
Watermarker provides a simple and automated way to add watermarks to images. You can choose between various options including text, your own logo, or even a customizable strikethrough. The app has a clean interface with the “canvas” (the area where you can drop an image) displayed on the left, and watermarking settings on the right. I like how you can save presets (so I can have one for my “large” MacStories watermark, another one for the smaller version), and the fact that an image’s size is reported right below its preview.
Version 1.2 of the app, released today, comes with several enhancements for custom image watermarks, which are now editable. You can resize an image watermark that you want to place on top of other images through a pinch-to-zoom gesture or manual controls. Aside from the default positions, you can also click to drag a watermark around or use the arrow keys for additional precision. I’m happy with the feature because I often end up with watermarks that are either too big for a screenshot/photo, or that I would like to position elsewhere on an image.
You can check out Watermarker here. The app is available at $7.99 on the Mac App Store.
CoolIris for iOS Adds Evernote Integration→
Gabe Weatherhead on CoolIris’ latest update:
There is now support for connecting with Evernote. Importantly, it can be configured to show photos for a specific tag as well, searches or all photos. This is a nice option for using Evernote as a photo locker. I’m loving it for the scans of my daughter’s school art I collect in Evernote.
This is an interesting idea – I imagine I could plug CoolIris into Evernote’s “skitch” tag to view a stream of my Skitch notes, or perhaps the “Paperless” notebook to view the most recent receipts and bills I have scanned. I don’t use Evernote as a photo locker (my photos are all backed up to Dropbox, shared through Instagram and backed up with IFTTT, or uploaded to Droplr), so I guess I would only rely on CoolIris for screenshots or documents archived as images.
How the New Line Tags in Drafts Can Improve Your Existing Workflows→
Eric Pramono has a good tutorial on how you can take advantage of Drafts’ new line tags in your iOS workflows. If you wanted to spend a few hours tweaking your iOS automation techniques, here you go.