Apps

    Metadata Lab - Exif Editor

    Metadata Lab

    Modern DSLR cameras and cell phones add extensive data to every photo they take. The information recorded includes camera settings like ISO speed, shutter speed, focal length, and other details. Including GPS location. After a photo is taken, and you've downloaded it to your computer, it's possible to add other information to its metadata, including a description, keywords and licensing/copyright information. Some of this information is more important to professional photographers than it is to regular people, but there are reasons why anyone might want to edit the details of a photo.

    Some higher end photo management applications have metadata editing capabilities, but if you are piecing together your own workflow, the free app, Metadata Lab is a quick and easy way to add, remove or change information on any photo you have. The app is compatible with RAW, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and many other formats (including video/audio files). You can import photos from the Mac Photo's App into the Metadata Lab. Not only can you edit the EXIF data, you can also edit IPTC, PDF, PNG and QuickTime metadata.

    Use Cases

    • Correcting date and time data if it was incorrect on the camera
    • Adding GPS data for later personal reference
    • Removing GPS data for images shared with third parties or on the Internet
    • Adding keywords for cataloging purposes

    More information is available on the developer's website. You can download Metadata Lab on the App Store.

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    5 Great RSS Feeds for Good Reading Every Day

    RSS

    This is a special edition containing links to five of the best sources on the Internet to keep abreast of the latest trending topics and discover new writers. And then there is a bonus feed.

    1 follow my favorite IndieWeb bloggers via RSS to stay abreast of what they are up to, for inspiration and education. I also have an RSS feed that's mostly for curated reposts of the best of the web each day. If you'd like to build a list like that, here are some great feeds to get started with. Keep these in a separate app or however you want to segregate them, but don't mix them up with all your other subscriptions or they will just get lost.

    1. Jason Kottke - one of the Internet's OG bloggers who posts regularly and who alwways seems to be finding the best stuff. - RSS Feed
    2. I've been reading NextDraft for well over a decade. Dave Pell says "I pluck the most fascinating news items of the day and then create a modern-day column which I deliver with a fast, pithy wit that will make your computer device vibrate with delight." -RSS Feed
    3. Feedle is a search engine for the IndieWeb where any search you fo can be turned into an RSS feed. Try it for any subject that interests you. In the meantime, subscribe to their curated feed of some of the best blog posts they've found -RSS Feed
    4. BearBlog is the home of two of my own online endeavors. It's also the home of many fine bloggers. Reading the most popular posts on the platform each day is a good use of your time and a good way to discover new writers - RSS Feed
    5. Murmel is a service that tracks the most shared stories on social media. The main feed covers a giant cross-section of the Fediverse, but you can subscribe to a personalized feed to see what the people you follow are sharing. - RSS Feed
    6. The last feed on the list is in way over its head. If you have a hard time sorting out where all the stuff I write about is being posted, you can subscribe to a single RSS feed and get it all out of one fire hose, including my weekly bookmarks and my updated /now page in addition to AppAddict, Living Out Loud and Linkage. - RSS Feed

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    Librewolf for Security and Privacy

    Librewolf


    If you become more concerned with privacy and surveillance regarding your online activities, moving to a more secure browser is a definite step in the right direction, along with using a reputable VPN, a privacy focused DNS setup and good ad and tracker blocking extensions. The ultimate in privacy for most users is probably using the TOR browser and network. That comes with a significant performance hit. If you are looking for more privacy without the usability issues of TOR, Librewolf is most likely your best option for a daily driver.

    LibreWolf is a privacy-focused fork of Firefox. Its primary benefits include:

    Tracking Protection

    • Strict default settings protecting against trackers, ads and scripts
    • uBlock Origin included by default
    • Fingerprinting resistance, including protection against canvas, font, and WebGL fingerprinting.
    • Encrypted SNI:preventing your Internet Service Provider (ISP) from seeing which websites you visit.

    Privacy

    • No telemetry or data collection
    • Privacy-focused search engine, DuckDuckGo enabled by default, although you can change it to Kagi or the engine of your choice:
    • Cookie AutoDelete to automatically purge tracking cookies after each browsing session
    • HTTPS-Only Mode on by default

    Security

    • Blocks known malware sites through disconnect.me's list of over 5000 tracking and malicious domains
    • WebRTC disabled by default to prevent IP address leakage
    • Strict default settings for website permissions for your location, camera, and microphone

    Open Source

    • Open Source
    • Ethical community members
    • Removes sponsored content, distracting elements on the home page, and search suggestions
    • Wide range of customization options

    The most important element in your security setup is you. No amount of consumer technology can protect you as much as limiting what you share online. Making use of encryption technology to share highly sensitive data can be a necessary step if you are engaged in conduct that hostile actors could intercept.

    The recommended way to install Librewolf is using Homebrew. You can download a DMG, but you will lose access to automatic updates.

    brew install --cask librewolf
    

    Download site.

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    Applite Updated with New Features

    Applite


    Installing software using the package manager, Homebrew, makes it much easier to update than downloading installation files manually. It isn't necessarily difficult to find the commands to download apps, but it does require a certain amount of searching around. The free and open-source utility, Applite, provides an App Store like interface for Homebrew, allowing you to browse what is available through a GUI. Anything you download through Applite can also be updated through the same interface.

    When you install Applite, it will offer to install Homebrew . If you don't have it installed already, you'll want to do that. Otherwise, just choose the option to use your currently installed version, which will be detected.

    Every application in the Homebrew Catalog is available through Applite. When you launch an app downloaded with Applite, the built-in Mac security apps, Gatekeeper and Xprotect will examine it to make sure it is safe to run. Most of the apps in the Homebrew catalog are notarized, but not all of them are sandboxed, meaning that some may run with elevated privileges. Be careful when downloading applications that few others have downloaded. Not all apps available through Homebrew are FOSS. Some are trialware of commercial products.

    The following categories of apps are available along with info on some of the apps I have tested:

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    Use KIWIX to Access Wikipedia and Other Resources Offline

    KIWIX


    You should use this free and open-source tool to secure a personal copy of Wikipedia and other resource information valuable to you. KIWIX believes that access to knowledge is a fundamental right. That’s why they’re dedicated to providing free and open access to it for everyone, everywhere.

    KIWIX enables you to have the whole of Wikipedia (and many other websites like TED talks, Stack Exchange, Gutenberg Project library, WikiHow, Khan Academy, freeCodeCamp, YouTube channels) Data downloaded on a Mac can be transferred to mobile devices.

    The source code for the Mac and iOS versions is on GitHub.

    You may have seen the recent stories about attacks on Wikipedia. Certain parties have:

    Some of these same parties have been responsible for the removal of publicly funded databases from government websites. If you are concerned about censorship or data altered to fit a certain narrative, download KIWIX to avoid issues. It is still currently available on Mac App Store..

    The most reliable way to get the Wikipedia data is to use a Mac to download the small peer-to-peer seed file for the large non-indexed ZIM file you want (not the pre-indexed package for Windows) from http://www.kiwix.org/wiki/Content\_in\_all\_languages, then use a peer-to-peer client (such as Folx) to download the actual ZIM data file to your computer. You can then transfer the ZIM file to your iOS device using iTunes/Apple Music File Sharing.

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    Geofency - Location Based Time Tracking

    Geofency for Mac
    Geofency for Mac

    I have used various location tracking apps over the years. Most of the ones I've tried have had issues. Either the company behind them folded or the apps had poor privacy policies or were strictly for iOS and drained my battery faster than I liked. These apps are often subscription-based. Google will gladly track your location for free using your device if you let them, but what sane person wants Google of all companies knowing their every move?

    The one app that consistently delivers added features, accuracy, and unsurpassed privacy is Geofency by developer Karl Heinz Herbel. It is a universal app for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac. I use my iPhone as the default for tracking my location and use the Mac version to pull reports and see my data. Geofency is currently at version 9 and has been in the app store for 12 years. Geofency does not do route tracking, so look elsewhere if that's what you need. Instead, it tracks the amount of time you spend at the locations you visit. I used it for years when I worked in a rural county, traveling between schools. When I needed to complete my expense report, I could pull all my data from Geofency as well as for my time card. If, for some reason, it fails to accurately record a visit (rarely) you can manually edit the data.

    It is accurate enough that today I use it to determine which buildings on the campus of the university where I work I have visited during the current reporting period. I am able to add notes to any visit to a particular building for later reference. For visits to commercial locations, Geofency connects to Apple Maps to pull phone, address and website data. I can automatically export visits to any location to any calendar. The app will even generate a CSV time sheet for any time period I specify for any location. I can customize the locations by renaming them or resizing the spatial radius Geofency recognizes, helpful for separate locations near one another.

    None of your Geofency data is collected by the developer. It all lives in your iCloud account only.

    The iOS app features live activities and widgets. I would gladly pay a higher price for this app I have now used for over a decade, but it is still only $4.99 as a one-time purchase in. the App Store.

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    Acorn Image Editor Provides Great Value

    Acorn
    Acorn


    Through the years, I've used multiple versions of Adobe Photoshop, Pixelmator add even GIMP for layered image editing and graphic design. The most user-friendly yet powerful app I've ever used in that category is Acorn, by the developers at Flying Meat, Inc. For less than $20 you get a Photoshop compatible application, either from the developer's website or the App Store.The feature set is long and varied, but the interface isn't overly complicated, and you don't need to buy an 800-page book to explain the ins and outs of using it. A two-time Apple award winner, it's a one-time purchase of $19.99, and you get access to extensive online documentation, a user forum and tech support. The current version is a universal binary compatible with macOS 14 and 15, but earlier versions can still be downloaded.

    New Features in Latest Version

    • AI subject selection
    • Live text tool
    • Data-driven graphics
    • On canvas ruler
    • JPEG-XL support
    • Look up tables (LUTs)
    • Super resolution (upscaling)
    • Extensive export support
    • Apple shortcut support

    Basic Use Cases

    • Design logos and custom typography by adding text to paths or shapes.
    • Remove backgrounds using Magic Wand and Instant Alpha Eraser.
    • Combine images to create collages and layouts.
    • Retouch images with Clone, Dodge, and Burn.
    • Adjust contrast, highlights, and shadows with Levels and Curves.
    • Export professionally with customizable color profiles, file formats, and precise size control.

    Extended Feature Set

    • Layer capabilities
    • Filters, effects and styles
    • Basic and custom brushes (including Adobe imports)
    • Magic Wand shapes
    • Vector support
    • Supports multiple file types

    If you only need basic features, like image conversion, compression and resizing, there are programs with smaller feature sets to accomplish those tasks. If. However, you want something full-featured with batch processing capabilities (using Automator support), Acorn is a good tool to have.

    Limited Purpose Tools

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    Vivaldi, My Favorite Browser Just Got Some Updates

    Vivaldi Speed Dial
    Vivaldi Speed Dial

    I switched to using Vivaldi late last year after being all in on Microsoft Edge because of work. I am trying to leave as many big tech companies behind as possible, and I grew tired of having AI shoved in my face all day. Vivaldi is a Chromium-based browser designed for the technically proficient, who form the core of its 3.1 million user base.

    Through the years I've used Netscape, Internet Explorer, Camino, Safari, Chrome and Edge. None of them ever provided the customization options that Vivaldi does. The ability to group tabs and save them as browsing sessions is a real game changer. The iOS version is great too and getting to my bookmarks, tabs and history works well between platforms. Version 7.1 was released recently and these are some of the new features.

    Bring Your Tabs Along

    If the thought of abandoning the open tabs in your current browser gives you anxiety, Vivaldi now has you covered. It can import them all so you can get right back to doing what you were doing without having to set things up again.

    Speed Dials

    Vivaldi has a mechanism for setting up link collections called Speed Dials. You can reach your Speed Dials right from the new tab page. I have several, including one with the websites I use for posting to my blog and another for research. The process for adding sites to them has been redesigned and is no easier than ever to manage.

    Seamless Tab Sharing

    If, like me, you use your browser on multiple devices, four in my case, the ability to send tabs to my phone, iPad or work computer is easier than ever. I can continue to read or research anything without using third-party software or cumbersome workarounds.

    New Default Search Engines

    Vivaldi doesn’t track you, profile you, or sell your data. It's monetized by defaulting to one of three search engines, although you are free to use anything you want. Vivaldi features Startpage, Ecosia, DuckDuckGo and Qwant. It's built in tracker blocking and the availability of ad blockers routinely give me a score of 99 to 100 on sites that grade privacy.

    Weather Widget

    There is a new custom weather widget for Vivaldi's new tab page, which it calls a dashboard. The dashboard already has widgets to display your email inbox, top stories from your choice of RSS feeds, your calendar and more.

    Dashboard Customization

    You can now customize the look of your dashboard with themes ranging from minimalist styles to bold and colorful. The page background is adjustable to fit your style, and you can color your widgets to match the overall them you've chosen for the browser as a whole.

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    Vivaldi, My Favorite Browser Just Got Some Updates

    Vivaldi Speed Dial
    Vivaldi Speed Dial

    I switched to using Vivaldi late last year after being all in on Microsoft Edge because of work. I am trying to leave as many big tech companies behind as possible, and I grew tired of having AI shoved in my face all day. Vivaldi is a Chromium-based browser designed for the technically proficient, who form the core of its 3.1 million user base.

    Through the years I've used Netscape, Internet Explorer, Camino, Safari, Chrome and Edge. None of them ever provided the customization options that Vivaldi does. The ability to group tabs and save them as browsing sessions is a real game changer. The iOS version is great too and getting to my bookmarks, tabs and history works well between platforms. Version 7.1 was released recently and these are some of the new features.

    Bring Your Tabs Along

    If the thought of abandoning the open tabs in your current browser gives you anxiety, Vivaldi now has you covered. It can import them all so you can get right back to doing what you were doing without having to set things up again.

    Speed Dials

    Vivaldi has a mechanism for setting up link collections called Speed Dials. You can reach your Speed Dials right from the new tab page. I have several, including one with the websites I use for posting to my blog and another for research. The process for adding sites to them has been redesigned and is no easier than ever to manage.

    Seamless Tab Sharing

    If, like me, you use your browser on multiple devices, four in my case, the ability to send tabs to my phone, iPad or work computer is easier than ever. I can continue to read or research anything without using third-party software or cumbersome workarounds.

    New Default Search Engines

    Vivaldi doesn’t track you, profile you, or sell your data. It's monetized by defaulting to one of three search engines, although you are free to use anything you want. Vivaldi features Startpage, Ecosia, DuckDuckGo and Qwant. It's built in tracker blocking and the availability of ad blockers routinely give me a score of 99 to 100 on sites that grade privacy.

    Weather Widget

    There is a new custom weather widget for Vivaldi's new tab page, which it calls a dashboard. The dashboard already has widgets to display your email inbox, top stories from your choice of RSS feeds, your calendar and more.

    Dashboard Customization

    You can now customize the look of your dashboard with themes ranging from minimalist styles to bold and colorful. The page background is adjustable to fit your style, and you can color your widgets to match the overall them you've chosen for the browser as a whole.

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    Tapestry by Iconfactory on Day 2

    Tapestry
    Tapestry


    Announced a year ago on Kickstarter, Tapestry by Iconfactory was released on February 4. Tapestry is an aggregator that creates a combined timeline from a long list of possible sources including :

    • RSS feeds
    • YouTube channels
    • Podcasts
    • Mastodon
    • Bluesky
    • Micro.blog
    • Tumblr
    • Reddit

    Items in your timeline are shown in chronological order. There is no algorithm. Searching within Tapestry searches across all feeds. Likewise, setting a mute filter for terms such as "Elon Musk" will block content from every source. Content from different sources is color coded to make readily apparent which resource your information is coming from. If you install Tapestry on a phone and an iPad, your reading position syncs across devices via iCloud. You can combine sources in any way you want to have your own custom feeds. I am still experimenting, but so far I created the following:

    • Personal bloggers
    • Hard news
    • Tech news
    • Combined Mastodon and Bluesky home feeds
    • Favorite individual social media feeds, since you can add a feed for a single account holder (e.g. Kottke, AOC, Joan Westenberg)

    The settings allow you to choose an icon, a theme and a font for the timeline. You can use the in app browser or your default browser to view content. I recommend doing that so you can view content using reader mode. Reddit links open in the Reddit app. Mastodon links open in my browser, although I can use the share sheet to open them in my preferred app. Tapestry also has bookmarks.


    The privacy policy states that all searches take place on your device. The developers do not collect any data.

    Iconfactory offers monthly subscriptions for $1.99, yearly for $19.99 and a one time purchase for $79.99. A Mac version is in the works, but is not here yet. There is a free version with limited features. Get it on the App Store

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    Tapestry by Iconfactory on Day 2

    Tapestry
    Tapestry


    Announced a year ago on Kickstarter, Tapestry by Iconfactory was released on February 4. Tapestry is an aggregator that creates a combined timeline from a long list of possible sources including :

    • RSS feeds
    • YouTube channels
    • Podcasts
    • Mastodon
    • Bluesky
    • Micro.blog
    • Tumblr
    • Reddit

    Items in your timeline are shown in chronological order. There is no algorithm. Searching within Tapestry searches across all feeds. Likewise, setting a mute filter for terms such as "Elon Musk" will block content from every source. Content from different sources is color coded to make readily apparent which resource your information is coming from. If you install Tapestry on a phone and an iPad, your reading position syncs across devices via iCloud. You can combine sources in any way you want to have your own custom feeds. I am still experimenting, but so far I created the following:

    • Personal bloggers
    • Hard news
    • Tech news
    • Combined Mastodon and Bluesky home feeds
    • Favorite individual social media feeds, since you can add a feed for a single account holder (e.g. Kottke, AOC, Joan Westenberg)

    The settings allow you to choose an icon, a theme and a font for the timeline. You can use the in app browser or your default browser to view content. I recommend doing that so you can view content using reader mode. Reddit links open in the Reddit app. Mastodon links open in my browser, although I can use the share sheet to open them in my preferred app. Tapestry also has bookmarks.


    The privacy policy states that all searches take place on your device. The developers do not collect any data.

    Iconfactory offers monthly subscriptions for $1.99, yearly for $19.99 and a one time purchase for $79.99. A Mac version is in the works, but is not here yet. There is a free version with limited features. Get it on the App Store

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    Privileges - Operate Your Mac Safely

    Privileges
    Privileges

    As much as you may not want to hear it, using an administrator account on your Mac as your daily driver is absolutely not the best practice. It's bad because it provides full access rights across the system to every application and process running in that account. If malware or a bad actor gains control of the administrator account, they could potentially install unwanted applications, alter system settings, or access or delete sensitive data. Limiting the use of an administrator account helps to mitigate these risks. Unfortunately, most people consider it a huge hassle to use the standard Mac method of temporarily elevating the privileges of a standard account. So they just accept the risk and use an admin account anyway. You don't have to be like them.

    Use the free app, Privileges, a macOS application that lets users perform daily tasks as a standard user while easily requesting administrator rights. Users can set a specific timeframe in the app's settings to handle tasks like installing or uninstalling applications. To request admin rights, just click the Privileges icon in your Dock or menu bar. Using a standard user account instead of an administrator enhances your Mac's security and is a best practice. All users, including developers, can benefit from using Privileges. The app is compatible with macOS 11.x - 15.x. It has recently been updated.

    Features

    • Easy install
    • Perfect for day-to-day use
    • Turn on admin rights anytime
    • Enjoy standard user security
    • Command line use supported

    New Privileges 2.1 features

    • Installer package
    • Revoke admin rights at login
    • Unified expiration interval for administrator privileges
    • Renew expiring administrator privileges
    • Run actions on privilege change
    • Status item
    • Command line tool now also supports Touch ID
    • AppleScript support

    You can download the Privileges installer on GitHub.

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    Privileges - Operate Your Mac Safely

    Privileges
    Privileges

    As much as you may not want to hear it, using an administrator account on your Mac as your daily driver is absolutely not the best practice. It's bad because it provides full access rights across the system to every application and process running in that account. If malware or a bad actor gains control of the administrator account, they could potentially install unwanted applications, alter system settings, or access or delete sensitive data. Limiting the use of an administrator account helps to mitigate these risks. Unfortunately, most people consider it a huge hassle to use the standard Mac method of temporarily elevating the privileges of a standard account. So they just accept the risk and use an admin account anyway. You don't have to be like them.

    Use the free app, Privileges, a macOS application that lets users perform daily tasks as a standard user while easily requesting administrator rights. Users can set a specific timeframe in the app's settings to handle tasks like installing or uninstalling applications. To request admin rights, just click the Privileges icon in your Dock or menu bar. Using a standard user account instead of an administrator enhances your Mac's security and is a best practice. All users, including developers, can benefit from using Privileges. The app is compatible with macOS 11.x - 15.x. It has recently been updated.

    Features

    • Easy install
    • Perfect for day-to-day use
    • Turn on admin rights anytime
    • Enjoy standard user security
    • Command line use supported

    New Privileges 2.1 features

    • Installer package
    • Revoke admin rights at login
    • Unified expiration interval for administrator privileges
    • Renew expiring administrator privileges
    • Run actions on privilege change
    • Status item
    • Command line tool now also supports Touch ID
    • AppleScript support

    You can download the Privileges installer on GitHub.

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    Latest Apps of Note from Mac Menu Bar

    Control Center Options
    Control Center Options


    Luuk over at Mac Menu Bar has been busy as usual, keeping up with the latest releases of new Menu Bar apps for the community. Here are my favorites from the recent additions:

    AutoShot - Automatic screenshots in set intervals - This app automatically takes a screenshot of your workspace at intervals you specify and even if you are using multiple monitors. You can choose the file format you want to use for the screenshots and where they are kept in your file structure. You can alleviate concerns about excessive disk usage by setting auto-delete parameters. (Free)

    Sprinkles – Customize any website - One of the features that Arc browser users like is the ability to apply custom CSS to websites. With Sprinkles, you can bring that functionality to Safari, Chrome and Firefox. Sprinkles runs a tiny webserver on your machine. When you visit a website, the browser extension asks this server for scripts. The server looks for 4 files in your Sprinkles scripts directory:

    1. global.js
    2. global.css
    3. github.com.js
    4. github.com.css

    When there's a hit, the extension adds the provided JS and CSS. (Free)

    Mackernews - If you frequent Hackernews to see the latest goings-on in the tech world, this tiny app makes it easy to see and connect to the latest hot stories. Just choose the headline from a dropdown menu and instantly load the story. (Free)

    AutoRun - Run Apps. Mac App Store - This simple app can be used to launch apps or run scripts at a specific time or at regular intervals. Some possible use cases:

    • Run Applescript to eject backup disk before you wake up so you can just disconnect it
    • Launch a file synchronization app once a day to back up folders to cloud drives
    • Run scripts to start and stop apps you don't want running simultaneously on two computers
    • Automatically launch your task manager, calendar, email and browser every morning just before you wake up (Free)

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    Latest Apps of Note from Mac Menu Bar

    Control Center Options
    Control Center Options


    Luuk over at Mac Menu Bar has been busy as usual, keeping up with the latest releases of new Menu Bar apps for the community. Here are my favorites from the recent additions:

    AutoShot - Automatic screenshots in set intervals - This app automatically takes a screenshot of your workspace at intervals you specify and even if you are using multiple monitors. You can choose the file format you want to use for the screenshots and where they are kept in your file structure. You can alleviate concerns about excessive disk usage by setting auto-delete parameters. (Free)

    Sprinkles – Customize any website - One of the features that Arc browser users like is the ability to apply custom CSS to websites. With Sprinkles, you can bring that functionality to Safari, Chrome and Firefox. Sprinkles runs a tiny webserver on your machine. When you visit a website, the browser extension asks this server for scripts. The server looks for 4 files in your Sprinkles scripts directory:

    1. global.js
    2. global.css
    3. github.com.js
    4. github.com.css

    When there's a hit, the extension adds the provided JS and CSS. (Free)

    Mackernews - If you frequent Hackernews to see the latest goings-on in the tech world, this tiny app makes it easy to see and connect to the latest hot stories. Just choose the headline from a dropdown menu and instantly load the story. (Free)

    AutoRun - Run Apps. Mac App Store - This simple app can be used to launch apps or run scripts at a specific time or at regular intervals. Some possible use cases:

    • Run Applescript to eject backup disk before you wake up so you can just disconnect it
    • Launch a file synchronization app once a day to back up folders to cloud drives
    • Run scripts to start and stop apps you don't want running simultaneously on two computers
    • Automatically launch your task manager, calendar, email and browser every morning just before you wake up (Free)

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    Quick Reviews - For Sharing and Reference

    Created with Quick Reviews
    Created with Quick Reviews

    If you're looking for a quick and easy way to share you general opinion and ratings of movies, TV shows, games, books or whatever, Quick Reviews, a new app by Indy developer, blogger, YouTuber and podcaster, Matt Birchler can generate a graphic for you in just a few clicks. 

    The free version lets you create unlimited reviews and allows you the leeway to control all the design elements: accent color, font, theme, rating icons, light/dark mode, default review type. 

    Quick Reviews also has clipboard detection and will use the graphic you've copied to automatically illustrate your review. You can also set it to automatically copy your review text out to your clipboard when saving the finished graphic. 

    The paid version, a $9.99 subscription, offers to populate your review metadata, including art from The Movie DB, allowing you to even import a suggested rating if you like. You can also import movie reviews from your Letterboxd account. 

    Both versions of the app feature filtering by media type, year and rating. 

    The current 1.0 release of Quick Reviews is not yet Mac compatible, but it's on the developer's roadmap. As for now, creating a quick graphic to share on social media or on a personal blog is supremely easy and quick. Matt is also the kind of thoughtful developer needed in the Mac community. 

    Get Quick View in the iOS App Store.


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    Quick Reviews - For Sharing and Reference

    Created with Quick Reviews
    Created with Quick Reviews

    If you're looking for a quick and easy way to share you general opinion and ratings of movies, TV shows, games, books or whatever, Quick Reviews, a new app by Indy developer, blogger, YouTuber and podcaster, Matt Birchler can generate a graphic for you in just a few clicks. 

    The free version lets you create unlimited reviews and allows you the leeway to control all the design elements: accent color, font, theme, rating icons, light/dark mode, default review type. 

    Quick Reviews also has clipboard detection and will use the graphic you've copied to automatically illustrate your review. You can also set it to automatically copy your review text out to your clipboard when saving the finished graphic. 

    The paid version, a $9.99 subscription, offers to populate your review metadata, including art from The Movie DB, allowing you to even import a suggested rating if you like. You can also import movie reviews from your Letterboxd account. 

    Both versions of the app feature filtering by media type, year and rating. 

    The current 1.0 release of Quick Reviews is not yet Mac compatible, but it's on the developer's roadmap. As for now, creating a quick graphic to share on social media or on a personal blog is supremely easy and quick. Matt is also the kind of thoughtful developer needed in the Mac community. 

    Get Quick View in the iOS App Store.


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    Rego - An App for Bookmarking Places

    Rego Screenshots
    Rego Screenshots


    I've been using Rego to bookmark locations for the last eleven years, using seven different iPhones. I have over 600 places saved in various categories, including:

    • Restaurants
    • Coffee Shops
    • Accommodations
    • Parks
    • Residences (friends and family)
    • Bookstores

    Whenever we travel, it's easy to find places where we've enjoyed eating in the past. The same with coffee shops and hotels and rental properties. Adding a new location can be done onsite, from an address or pulled from the metadata from a photograph. Bookmarks contain GPS coordinates, street address where applicable, notes, date added and a stock photo or one or more of your own. You can also use custom pin colors and designate any location as a favorite.

    You can also use Rego when hiking or fishing offshore.

    Rego provides plenty of navigation options, with internal maps or working with external apps like Google Maps or TomTom. Your bookmark collection stays on your device. If you opt in, you can back up to Dropbox. There is not an option to use any other cloud provider, including iCloud.

    You can get a free trial of Rego that allows you to add up to 10 locations. To add more, you can subscribe monthly for $2.99, yearly for $9.99 or opt for a lifetime purchase for $24.99.

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    Rego - An App for Bookmarking Places

    Rego Screenshots
    Rego Screenshots


    I've been using Rego to bookmark locations for the last eleven years, using seven different iPhones. I have over 600 places saved in various categories, including:

    • Restaurants
    • Coffee Shops
    • Accommodations
    • Parks
    • Residences (friends and family)
    • Bookstores

    Whenever we travel, it's easy to find places where we've enjoyed eating in the past. The same with coffee shops and hotels and rental properties. Adding a new location can be done onsite, from an address or pulled from the metadata from a photograph. Bookmarks contain GPS coordinates, street address where applicable, notes, date added and a stock photo or one or more of your own. You can also use custom pin colors and designate any location as a favorite.

    You can also use Rego when hiking or fishing offshore.

    Rego provides plenty of navigation options, with internal maps or working with external apps like Google Maps or TomTom. Your bookmark collection stays on your device. If you opt in, you can back up to Dropbox. There is not an option to use any other cloud provider, including iCloud.

    You can get a free trial of Rego that allows you to add up to 10 locations. To add more, you can subscribe monthly for $2.99, yearly for $9.99 or opt for a lifetime purchase for $24.99.

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    AppAddict Free App List #3

    This is the third collection of free apps reviewed on AppAddict. Links to the first two collections are posted below. I've downloaded and installed each of these on my own laptop. In many cases, I've added them to various workflows for my day job and blogging pursuits. I'm sorry for the recent double post to your RSS feeds. This post may also go out twice, but after that I hope the problem is solved.

    A Curated Collection of Free Apps

    Another Curated Collection of Free Software

    Shareful - A Free App I Use Every Day

    Two Free Apps for Mac OS Installation Ease


    Free Apps \#3

    Recents App for Mac - A Free Intelligent File Launcher

    MarkEdit - A Pure Markdown Editor for Free

    Royal TSX for Remote Management

    Simplenote - Free, Rock Solid and Dependable for Over a Decade

    SingleFile - For Safari and Other Mac Browsers

    Ente Auth - The Free Authy Replacement for Your Mac and iPhone

    Sloth - Activity Monitor on Steroids

    Cronica - A Free, Privacy Focused

    Media Tracker for Mac and iOS

    Free Security Apps for Mac

    MacTracker - Can You Call Yourself a Fanboy If You Don't Have This Installed?

    Orange Card - Get Info Easily for Free

    Glympse Location Sharing - Free and Secure

    Zero Duplicates Free Duplicate File Finder

    OpenVibe - Free Social Thread Aggregator

    Resilio Sync - Secure, Private Peer-to-Peer File Sharing

    Lossless Cut - Save Time When Editing Videos

    Background Music - Per App Volume Control and More

    Unsplash Wallpaper App - Free Unlimited Wallpapers at Your Fingertips

    FSNotes - A Free and Open-Source Successor to NValt

    Using Google Photos on iOS Makes Leaving Meta Easier

    Picocrypt - Free and Open-Source File Encryption with Simple but Powerful Features

    Session - Free and Open-Source E2E Decentralized Cross Platform Messaging

    DEVONagent Lite - Free Tool to Increase Search Productivity

    Integrity - Free Link Checker

    Raycast Quicklinks - Power Searching from the Keyboard

    RsyncUI - a GUI for the powerful CLI Utility

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