Two-Day Indie App Sales Event Begins Today with Over 250 Apps

Matt Corey has once again gathered indie developers to organize a huge sale today and tomorrow. Corey, the maker of Bills to Budget and Signals, has organized a collection of over 250 apps that will be offered at a discount through Wednesday. The list is too long to publish here, but it includes many apps we’ve covered here on MacStories and on Club MacStories in the past, including:

There are a lot of great deals, with many apps discounted 50% or more. What’s listed above is a small fraction of the participating apps, so be sure to visit Indie App Sales and support these great indie apps.

Web Advocates Challenge Apple’s EU Browser Policies→

The EU’s Digital Markets Act requires Apple to allow third parties to offer web browsers with their own browser engines. However, more than a year later, there are no browsers built with Chromium, Gecko, or any other engine in the EU.

At a recent EU workshop on Apple’s compliance with the DMA’s browser requirements, Apple representatives were asked some pointed questions by Open Web Advocacy (OWA), and others about its browser engine policies. OWA, a non-profit that advocates for the open web, raised multiple issues with Apple’s approach to browser engines in the EU that they believe are holding back third-party engines.

One issue is that versions of the same browser with different engines can’t be part of the same app bundle. According to OWA, that effectively means vendors like Google and Mozilla would need to release a new EU-only version of their browsers, starting the process of acquiring users from scratch, which I can’t imagine any browser company would sign up to do voluntarily.

Another issue OWA raised is that there is currently no way for web developers outside the EU who are not associated with the browser makers to obtain browsers with competing engines for testing purposes. That’s a problem that’s been solved with other apps by allowing test versions to be distributed outside the EU. However, as things stand today, OWA says that web developers couldn’t use EU-only browsers for testing even if there were any available.

Other issues were raised, too, but these two strike me as practical impediments to third-party browser engines that can and should be resolved. Apple’s responses to OWA’s challenges focused on privacy and security, which are legitimate factors to consider, but it’s disappointing that more than a year after the DMA took effect, the practical problems raised by OWA and others still haven’t been solved.

Permalink

Direct Mail 7: Professional Email Marketing Built Just for Mac Users [Sponsor]

If you run a business, a side hustle, a podcast, or just want to stay in touch with a community, you know how important great email marketing can be. That’s where Direct Mail comes in — a native macOS app that makes it incredibly easy to design, send, and track email campaigns that get results. Unlike web-based alternatives, Direct Mail is designed specifically for macOS, with the speed, polish, and Mac-first integration you expect.

The brand-new Version 7 is a huge leap forward. This update brings a host of new features, including a reimagined user interface, smarter list management, powerful email signup forms, upgraded reporting, and all-new tools to help your emails stand out. Whether you’re sending to 10 people or 10,000, Direct Mail gives you the tools to do it professionally and painlessly.

If you’ve ever been frustrated with clunky, web-based email marketing tools, or just want something that feels right at home on your Mac, check out Direct Mail. It’s free to download and try, with flexible pricing plans to match every budget — including pay-as-you-go options. You can be up and running with your first campaign in just minutes. Our friendly customer support reps are available via live chat to help with any questions, ensuring you’re never stuck. Get started today and expand your reach with powerful, Mac-first email marketing tools.

Our thanks to Direct Mail for sponsoring MacStories this week.

Podcast Rewind: An F1 Challenge and Setup Changes

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

Comfort Zone

Everyone explains their gaming setups, Niléane went to war with her computer, and Matt is very impressed with how everyone integrated F1 into their workflows.

MacStories Unwind

This week, Federico and John discuss the updates to their work and play tech gear setups.

Read more

The Search for Nintendo’s Elusive iMac G3-Inspired Game Boy Colors→

Source: [Console Variations](https://consolevariations.com/collectibles/nintendo-game-boy-color-imac-console?ref=retrododo.com).

Source: Console Variations.

Retro Dodo, linking to the website Console Variations, has a story about the time Nintendo produced variants of the Game Boy Color that matched the iMac G3. All that seemingly remains of these color-matched Game Boys is the low-resolution image above from a 1999 issue of 64 Dream Magazine because Retro Dodo’s Sebastian Santabarbara went looking for the handhelds and was unable to find them anywhere online.

Nintendo wasn’t alone in copying the vibrant translucency of the iMac G3. In the late ’90s it seemed like every consumer product maker did something similar. Most of those products have been lost to time and forgotten, but Nintendo fans are an intrepid bunch. I wouldn’t be surprised if these iMac-themed Game Boy Colors turn up in an auction online eventually.

Permalink

Podcast Rewind: Review Season Tools and What’s Up with the Switch 2 Dock?

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and John reflect on their preparations for the fall review season, how dealing with design changes is different from new features, and some of the tools they’re using for research and writing this year.

On AppStories+, John answers the question, “What if the Stream Deck was $20 and fit in the palm of your hand?”

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Federico, John, and Brendon cover REDMAGIC’s Android tablet, rumors of an Ayn Odin 3, and other news before digging into the mysteries surrounding Nintendo’s Switch 2 dock.

On NPC XL, Federico solves a Switch 2 dock problem with the help of fairies, and Brendon acquires a bucket list handheld.

Read more

Apple Names Sabih Khan COO as Jeff Williams Plans Retirement

Apple announced today that later this month, Sabih Khan is taking over for Jeff Williams as the company’s Chief Operating Officer. According to Apple’s press release, Williams will continue to oversee the company’s design team, Apple Watch, and health initiatives. Later this year, Williams plans to retire, at which point Apple’s design team will report directly to Tim Cook.

Cook had this to say of Williams:

Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn’t be what it is without him. He’s helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world; launched Apple Watch and overseen its development; architected Apple’s health strategy; and led our world class team of designers with great wisdom, heart, and dedication. I am and will always be beyond grateful for his numerous contributions to Apple over the years and his loyal friendship. Jeff’s true legacy can be seen in the amazing team he’s created and, while he’ll be greatly missed, he leaves the work of the future in incredible hands.

Of Khan, Cook said:

Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain. While overseeing Apple’s supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple’s manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges. He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 percent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer.

Khan isn’t someone who is probably familiar with a lot of readers, but he’s worked alongside Williams throughout his tenure at Apple. Williams said of Khan:

I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Sabih for 27 years and I think he’s the most talented operations executive on the planet. I have tremendous confidence in Apple’s future under his leadership in this role.”

I’ve always enjoyed Jeff Williams’ Apple Watch and health initiative presentations, which he’s delivered with a relaxed confidence for years. Apple’s press release doesn’t say who will lead its Apple Watch program or health initiatives, but I’m sure we’ll hear more on that front later this year.

My Latest Mac Automation Tool is a Tiny Game Controller

Source: 8BitDo.

Source: 8BitDo.

I never expected my game controller obsession to pay automation dividends, but it did last week in the form of the tiny 16-button 8BitDo Micro. For the past week, I’ve used the Micro to dictate on my Mac, interact with AI chatbots, and record and edit podcasts. While the setup won’t replace a Stream Deck or Logitech Creative Console for every use case, it excels in areas where those devices don’t because it fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and costs a fraction of those other devices.

My experiments started when I read a story on Endless Mode by Nicole Carpenter, who explained how medical students turned to two tiny 8BitDo game controllers to help with their studies. The students were using an open-source flashcard app called Anki and ran into an issue while spending long hours with their flashcards:

The only problem is that using Anki from a computer isn’t too ergonomic. You’re hunched over a laptop, and your hands start cramping from hitting all the different buttons on your keyboard. If you’re studying thousands of cards a day, it becomes a real problem—and no one needs to make studying even more intense than it already is.

To relieve the strain on their hands, the med students turned to 8BitDo’s tiny Micro and Zero 2 controllers, using them as remote controls for the Anki app. The story didn’t explain how 8BitDo’s controllers worked with Anki, but as I read it, I thought to myself, “Surely this isn’t something that was built into the app,” which immediately drew me deeper into the world of 8BitDo controllers as study aides.

8BitDo markets the Micro's other uses, but for some reason, it hasn't spread much beyond the world of medical school students. Source: 8BitDo.

8BitDo markets the Micro’s other uses, but for some reason, it hasn’t spread much beyond the world of medical school students. Source: 8BitDo.

As I suspected, the 8BitDo Micro works just as well with any app that supports keyboard shortcuts as it does with Anki. What’s curious, though, is that even though medical students have been using the Micro and Zero 2 with Anki for several years and 8BitDo’s website includes a marketing image of someone using the Micro with Clip Studio Paint on an iPad, word of the Micro’s automation capabilities hasn’t spread much. That’s something I’d like to help change.

Read more

MacStories Setups Update: Fresh Approaches, Wi-Fi Upgrades, and Handhelds→

Our setups.

Our setups.

It’s time for another update to the MacStories Setups page, where you’ll find all the gear and apps that Federico and I use for work and play. With Prime Day upon us, it’s a great time to revisit our setups and see what’s on sale. Plus, there’s a handy changelog at the top of the page for those of you who are only interested in what’s new. If you want to hear more about what drove the latest changes to our setups, we’ll be discussing them in more detail on this week’s episode of MacStories Unwind, too.

Federico's PC accessories.

Federico’s PC accessories.

It’s been a little while since we last heard from Federico about his setup, which took a recent turn with the developer beta of iPadOS 26. The iPad Pro is back at the center of Federico’s workflow, but he’s been able to keep everything as streamlined as ever with the help of his ASUS ROG PG27UCDM monitor that features a built-in KVM switch. That display lets him easily switch between the iPad, an M4 Max Mac Studio, his custom-built gaming PC, and the Nintendo Switch 2. When he’s not at his work and gaming monitor, Federico has the latest Viture Pro XR glasses that serve as a USB-C connected external display.

One highlight of both of our setup updates is the TP-Link WiFi 7 Deco BE85 routers. Federico got a two-pack, and I have a three-pack, thanks to my three-story condo. Home Wi-Fi 7 mesh networks are still on the expensive side, but they are much faster than Wi-Fi 6 and 6E in my experience, and the models that Federico and I each installed earlier this year are discounted during Prime Day.

My 11" iPad Pro and GL.iNet portable Wi-Fi 7 router.

My 11” iPad Pro and GL.iNet portable Wi-Fi 7 router.

My setup has been simplified a bit with my latest update. I’m carrying a smaller tomtoc bag when I’m away from home (which I’ve been loving), I upgraded my travel router to Wi-Fi 7 with the GL.iNet GL-BE3600 (Slate 7) Portable Travel Router, and I’m a big fan of the compact elegance of the MOFT Invisible Laptop Stand that I reviewed earlier this year.

At my desk, I swapped a Belkin AirPlay 2 receiver for the more powerful Arylic LP10 AirPlay 2 Wireless Music Streamer, which drives my Harmon Kardon SoundSticks III speakers. I also replaced a pair of broken podcasting headphones with the inexpensive but very comfortable CCZ Yinyoo Melody In Ear Monitors. And I recently started using the Kensington SD5000T5 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station to expand my Mac Studio’s peripheral options.

Finally, you’ll notice I’ve trimmed down my handheld console setup. There’s still a lot there, but I’ve been focused on flip-style handhelds and picking a favorite of each form factor instead of jumping endlessly from one handheld to the next. With this update, the big additions are the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 and the Miyoo Flip.

Both of us have added other apps and gear, too, so be sure to browse through the Setups page to find the complete listing of our current setups.

Permalink