This Week's Sponsor:

Dropzone 5

Improve your Drag-and-Drop Workflow


MacUpdater: Keep All Your Software Effortlessly Up-to-Date [Sponsor]

MacUpdater is an effortless way to ensure that all the software on your Mac is always up-to-date with the latest version. With a single click, the app scans your system for installed software and provides you with a comprehensive list of everything that is outdated in one simple, clear interface. It’s the perfect tool to keep your Mac’s software running smoothly and securely.

MacUpdater has an enormous built-in database of version information for over 60,000 apps and can update 6,000 of the most popular of those with a single click. What’s more, MacUpdater is actively maintained all the way back to version 1, so no matter which version you’re using, you know you can rely on MacUpdater to get the job done.

With version 2, MacUpdater added the ability to update multiple apps simultaneously, the ability to update non-app software you’ve installed, password-free updates for non-admin accounts, support for Big Sur and Apple silicon Macs, faster system scans, and much more. The recent 2.3 update already brings support for new technologies in macOS 13 ‘Ventura’ and enables transparent handling of updates delivered in packages (.pkg).

MacUpdater is available as a one-time purchase. There’s no subscription, other recurring fees, or hidden costs, and for a limited time, readers of MacStories can get a 10% discount when they use the coupon code MACSTORIESQ4 at checkout. So visit MacUpdater’s website today to learn more about this terrific utility and to take control of updates on your Mac.

Our thanks to MacUpdater for sponsoring MacStories this week.


MacStories Weekly: Issue 339

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MacStories Unwind: A Tech Gripe, An Power-Pop Album, and Thoughts on Better Call Saul

AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps
0:00
30:26

AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps


This week on MacStories Unwind, I unleash a tech gripe about an otherwise excellent product and recommend The Beth’s latest album, Expert in a Dying Field. Plus, Federico has finished Better Call Saul, so he revisits the show which he originally covered last month.

John’s Gripe:

John’s Pick:

Federico’s Pick:


AppStories, Episode 298 – Widgets, iPhone Photography, and the Apple Watch Ultra with David Smith

This week on AppStories, we are joined by Widgetsmith developer David Smith to talk about the history of his app, Widgetsmith, iOS 16 Lock Screen Widgets, and his recent hike through the Scottish Highlands where he tested the iPhone 14 Pro’s camera and the Apple Watch.

Sponsored by:

  • Pillow – Sleeping better, made simple.
  • MasterClass – Get unlimited access to EVERY Class and get 15% off an annual membership.
  • Trade – Save big, support small roasters. Get $30 off your first order.

On AppStories+, it’s my turn to surprise Federico.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

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Gamevice Begins Taking Pre-Orders for the Flex, Its New iPhone Game Controller

Source: Gamevice.

Source: Gamevice.

Today, Gamevice announced pre-orders for the Flex, a new MFi-certified, case-compatible game controller for the iPhone. Like the Backbone One and Razer Kishi V2, the Flex separates an Xbox-style controller into two halves that connect to the ends of your iPhone for playing controller-compatible iOS games. I haven’t had a chance to try the Gamevice Flex, but based on the company’s announcement video, there are a handful of features that set it apart from the Backbone One and Razer Kishi V2 that are worth considering if you’re shopping for an iPhone game controller.

Like the Razer Kishi V2, the Gamevice Flex uses spacers to accommodate a long list of Apple and third-party cases, an advantage over the Backbone One, which requires you to remove your case before using it. The downside, of course, is keeping track of the collection of spacers to allow for moving to a different case in the future.

Gamevice says that the Flex uses Hall effect triggers, a technology that uses magnetic field sensors instead of mechanical parts to cut down on the wear and tear on components. The company hasn’t said if the Flex’s thumbsticks use the same technology or not.

Like the Backbone One, the Flex includes passthrough charging via a Lightning port on the end of one of the controller’s grips and a headphone jack on the other grip. The Razer Kishi V2 includes a Lightning port for charging but not a headphone jack. Although you can never be sure about how a controller will feel to use until you have it in your hands, I like the look of Flex’s grips too.

Originally announced in August with the video above, 9to5Mac has a hands-on with a prototype of the Flex with more details on what the device is like to use.

Set to start shipping later this month, the Gamevice Flex costs $109.95 for the iPhone model, which is about $10 more than the Backbone One or Razer Kishi V2, and $99.95 for the Android version. Customers who order before October 14th can get one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate free with their purchase.


Last Week, on Club MacStories: Advanced Notes Shortcuts, Focused Work, Stage Manager, and a New MacStories Unplugged Episode

Because Club MacStories now encompasses more than just newsletters, we’ve created a guide to the past week’s happenings along with a look at what’s coming up next:

Monthly Log: September 2022

Stage Manager running in an early macOS Ventura beta.

Stage Manager running in an early macOS Ventura beta.

MacStories Weekly: Issue 338


Kolide: A Fleet Visibility Solution for Mac, Windows, and Linux That Can Help You Securely Scale Your Business [Sponsor]

Device security is a lot like Mount Everest: it’s tough to scale.

When you’re a small company dominated by engineers, you can keep up with fleet management with nothing more than trust and a spreadsheet. But once you start to hire marketers, designers, and the rest, the number of laptops balloons and the line between “work” and “personal” devices gets fuzzy. 

But fuzzy isn’t going to cut it. You have to prove you’ve got device security under control to close deals with customers, pass a third-party audit, and prove you’re ready for acquisition or an IPO. 

At this point, you start looking for a tool that will give you visibility across all these devices. And you have two options. 

Option one is an MDM, which acts as the puppet master for your whole fleet, forcing compliance through intrusive agents. But for all an MDM’s power, it still can’t answer your most nuanced questions. And when it comes to Linux devices? Good luck with that.

Your other option is Kolide. 

Kolide is an endpoint security solution that gives IT teams a single dashboard for all devices, regardless of their operating system.

Kolide can answer questions MDMs can’t. Questions like:

  • Do you have production data being stored on devices?
  • Are all your developers’ SSH keys encrypted?
  • And a host of other data points you’d otherwise have to write a custom shell script to learn about.

Want to see how it works for yourself? Click here for a free trial, no credit card required, and let us show you what we’re all about.

Our thanks to Kolide for sponsoring MacStories this week.



MacStories Unwind: Cyberpunk 2077 and Shovel Knight Dig

AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps
0:00
24:05

AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps


This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico’s been playing Cyberpunk 2077 on his PC, while I’ve been enjoying Shovel Knight Dig on my iPhone using the Razer Kishi V2 controller that I reviewed earlier this week.

Sponsored By: Kosmik – For All Mindkind

Federico’s Pick:

John’s Pick: