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The HyperDrive Slim 8-in-1 USB-C Hub Balances Flexibility and Portability for Mac and iPad Pro Owners

My main Mac is a 2016 MacBook Pro, which isn’t ideal. The problem isn’t really the laptop itself, it’s that my needs have changed. You see, in 2016 I was commuting to downtown Chicago every day and I wanted a portable Mac for working in Xcode and other tasks on the go.

Now, I work from home and my MacBook Pro sits in clamshell mode most of the time. It’s handy to have the MacBook to take with me when I need it, but that’s far less frequent than it used to be. Instead, my Mac drives a 27” LG 4K display, is connected to Ethernet, speakers, a Luna Display dongle, my podcasting microphone, and various other peripherals I need from time to time.

The trouble with the setup is that I quickly ran out of USB-C ports even though my MacBook Pro has four. I’ve tried several different configurations to streamline my setup, but none were quite right. Now though, I’ve finally found a solution that comes closest to meeting my needs and has the added benefit of working well with my iPad Pro. With a couple of minor caveats, the HyperDrive Slim 8-in-1 USB-C Hub is the best solution I’ve tried.

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AppStories, Episode 99 – Pick 2: Everyday Workflows→

On this week’s episode of AppStories, we each pick an aspect of our MacStories work and break down the apps, workflows, and processes we use to accomplish it.

Sponsored by:

  • Yoink - Simplify and improve drag and drop on your Mac, iPad and iPhone, and speed up your daily workflow.
  • Linode – High-performance SSD Linux servers for all of your infrastructure needs. Get a $20 credit.
AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps

AppStories Episode 99 - Pick 2: Everyday Workflows

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AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps

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Ten Years Ago, Apple Said Goodbye to Macworld but Set the Stage for the Future

Macworld 2009. Image via Engadget

Macworld 2009. Image via Engadget

In January 2009, Apple took to the stage at Macworld Expo one final time. The company announced the change a few weeks before the show. Phil Schiller would deliver the keynote. News of Steve Jobs’ medical leave would break just weeks later, one day before the keynote.

All of this cast a weird vibe over the event, and while it was far from Apple’s most exciting keynote, it’s worth revisiting Phil Schiller’s three announcements now, ten years later.1

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AnyFont: Install Any Font on Your iPhone or iPad [Sponsor]

iOS devices come with a pre-installed set of fonts. That’s great, but sometimes you want more. Whether you’re working on a special presentation or another document, AnyFont makes it possible to use exactly the fonts you want whether they come preinstalled or not.

AnyFont lets you install TrueType Fonts (.ttf), OpenType Fonts (.otf) and TrueType Collections (.ttc) on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Once installed, these fonts can be used system-wide in apps like Pages, Keynote, Word, PowerPoint, Cricut Design, and many others. That’s because fonts added with AnyFont are installed as configuration profiles directly in the iOS Settings app.



If you’ve ever started a presentation on your Mac or PC and then opened it on an iOS device to show off only to find your carefully picked fonts replaced with a different default ones, you’ll understand why AnyFont is so powerful. By installing the fonts you use on your desktop on your mobile devices with AnyFont you can confidently show off your presentations on iOS knowing that they’ll look exactly the way you intended. This makes AnyFont the perfect solution for any creative user.

AnyFont is extremely easy to use and comes with an extensive FAQ and an introductory tutorial that walks you through the simple steps for installing a font. AnyFont also features:

  • The ability to add new single fonts or multiple fonts as a ZIP file using iTunes file sharing or the ‘Open in…’ feature from apps like Mail, Files, or Dropbox
  • Font previews
  • An optional bundle of 1,000+ fonts as an In-App Purchase for $ 0.99
  • A complete list of installed and available fonts on your device
  • 3D Touch
  • Localizations in English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish

Don’t limit yourself to the fonts that come with iOS, visit AnyFont’s website to learn more, and download the app today to install any font at all on your iPhone or iPad.

Our thanks to AnyFont for sponsoring MacStories this week.

Connected, Episode 230: Here’s the Thing about Code Names→

Stephen solves a problem that has been plaguing the podcast, Federico has concerns about Apple’s rumored news service and Myke is fighting a losing battle with AirPlay 2.

On this week’s episode of Connected, I reveal something from my youth and we consider the potential of future Apple services. You can listen here.

Sponsored by:

  • TextExpander, from Smile: Recall your best words. Instantly, repeatedly. Get 20% off your first year.
  • Luna Display: The only hardware solution that turns your iPad into a wireless display for your Mac. Use promo code CONNECTED at checkout for 10% off.
  • Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code CONNECTED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
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Agenda 5 Expands iPad External Keyboard Support

Agenda recently passed the milestone of its first full year in public release, with the Mac version debuting last January and the iOS app a few months later. The team behind Agenda has been keeping busy ever since, with improvements like Siri shortcuts, dark mode, accent colors, and most recently, images and file attachments. Today’s update to version 5.0 on iOS and the Mac is relatively minor by comparison, but it still offers a few valuable additions. There are new options for your text environment, like the ability to set a custom line spacing and use an extra small text size, plus you can now perform multi-tag and multi-person searches. The improvement that stands out most, however, is Agenda’s newly expanded support for external keyboards on iPad.

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AppStories, Episode 98 – Mixed iOS/Mac Automation→

On this week’s episode of AppStories, dive into Federico’s experiments in mixed iOS and Mac automation for controlling his Mac mini, iTunes, and podcasting setup.

Sponsored by:

  • RAW Power - Make your best shots better. If you miss Aperture, check out RAW Power for Mac and iOS. Enter to win a free copy of RAW Power for iOS or the Mac here.
  • ExpressVPN - High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get 3 months free with a 1-year package.
AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps

AppStories Episode 98 - Mixed iOS/Mac Automation

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AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps

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