Manton and Daniel talk about the successful launch of FastScripts 3.0! Manton talks about frustrating problems with App Store review for his latest Micro.blog app, Epilogue. They talk about the latest news in Apple & Google’s respective legal challenges regarding in app purchases.
Many thanks to our sponsors this week:
- Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit.
- RevenueCat: In-app subscriptions made easy. Also check out the Sub Club Podcast!
Links:
- FastScripts 3 – Daniel’s announcement post for the latest update to his scripting utility for the Mac.
- Epilogue for Android – Manton ships his new Micro.blog for Android while Apple holds up the iOS version in App Review.
- Apple Must Comply – The Verge reports on a US judge’s rejection of Apple’s request to delay enforcement.
- Enabling Alternative Billing – Google’s blog post announcing their proposed accommodation of South Korea’s in-app purchasing law.
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November 12, 2021 at 8:24 pm.
Daniel talks to Manton about his recent development work on Micro.blog, including the debut of Epilogue, his new app for books. They talk about balancing the urge to add new features with the demand from existing customers to fix pet peeves. Manton talks more about his recent ventures in to the web development and Android worlds. Daniel reports back after attending one of Apple’s virtual Tech Talk events, and catches us up on the status of the repeatedly postponed FastScripts 3 release.
Many thanks to our sponsors this week:
- TextExpander: Communicate Smarter. Listeners get 20% off their first year.
- Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit.
Links:
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November 4, 2021 at 10:28 pm.
Manton talks to Daniel about the change of plans in his MacBook Pro ordering, and how he ended up getting one earlier than expected. Manton shared his experience with updating to macOS Monterey, and they compare notes about what is new in the update. Finally, they talk about cross-platform development in the context of Micro.blog and beyond.
Many thanks to our sponsors this week:
- RevenueCat: In-app subscriptions made easy. Also check out the Sub Club Podcast!
- Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit.
Links:
- macOS Monterey – Apple’s latest macOS update.
- Eh, It’s Not Bad! – Gus Mueller’s “Monterey Review.”
- Hello, Android! – Vincent Ritter’s blog post about the new official Micro.blog client for Android.
- React Native – A popular cross-platform development framework.
- Gluon – Vincent Ritter’s own independent app for Micro.blog.
- Docker Desktop – Popular virtualization software that enables Linux development on Macs.
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October 30, 2021 at 9:28 pm.
Daniel and Manton talk about Apple’s just-announced Tech Talks, and whether this is a clue to the future of WWDC. They celebrate the announcement of new Apple Silicon based MacBook Pros, and compare notes on their buying plans. Finally, they take stock of the state of macOS as Monterey is about to be released, and revisit their ongoing grief over Apple’s strategy with respect to SwiftUI, Catalyst and AppKit.
Many thanks to our sponsors this week:
- Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit.
- MacStadium: Leading provider of cloud solutions built on Apple Mac hardware.
Links:
- Apple Tech Talks – Apple’s online sessions and meetups, starting later this month.
- New MacBook Pros – The long-awaited Apple Silicon updates to the larger MacBooks.
- macOS Monterey – Apple’s forthcoming update to Mac operating system.
- Technical Issues – Federico Viticci on problems in iOS 15’s implementation of Shortcuts.
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October 23, 2021 at 1:40 pm.
Manton and Daniel talk about the expected MacBook Pro announcements coming on Monday, and whether they’re likely to buy one if announced. Manton shares some details about the new Micro.blog Subscriptions feature he teased, and Daniel asks him to consider whether the word Subscription has unwanted connotations. Finally, they talk about Manton’s switch of mobile providers and the various ways to avoid overage charges with data tethering.
Many thanks to our sponsors this week:
- Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit.
- RevenueCat: In-app subscriptions made easy. Also check out the Sub Club Podcast!
Links:
- Months of Mac Rumors – The Verge reports on rumors of Mac announcements and more.
- ATP 451 – Episode in which the Accidental Tech Podcast gang discuss rumors of upcoming MacBook Pros.
- Little Screenshot – Manton’s teaser post for a forthcoming “Subscriptions” feature.
- Substack – Service for supporting writers with paid subscriptions.
- Ghost Members – Native features of the Ghost CMS that facilitate Patreon-like functionality.
- Jean MacDonald – Marketing guru and Manton’s associate at Micro.blog.
- Truphone – Service providing mobile data via eSim activation.
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October 15, 2021 at 8:32 pm.
Daniel and Manton revisit the etymology of the word “engineer”, discovering that it runs much deeper than trains. They talk about Paddle’s new iOS in-app purchase offering and whether Apple will allow it or not. Finally, they talk about Daniel’s lost momentum with his index-card motivation, and his plans to get back on track.
Many thanks to our sponsors this week:
- TextExpander: Communicate Smarter.
- Linode: Instantly deploy and manage an SSD server in the Linode Cloud. New accounts get a $100 credit.
Links:
- Paddle In-app Purchase – An alternative to Apple’s in-app purchases, coming soon from Paddle.
- RevenueCat – Another company with plans to facilitate third-party in-app purchases.
- Skirting Apple’s Cut – CNBC article about developers such as Paddle and RevenueCat.
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October 9, 2021 at 7:46 pm.
Manton catches us up on whether he ended up splurging to trade up to the iPad Mini. They talk more about Manton’s upcoming train trip, and about the little-known fact that Manton once released a train-oriented podcast episode! They talk about the allure of trains and other technical systems to computer programmers, and how nerds have always had to find their interests in the realm of what was possible at the time.
Many thanks to our sponsor this week:
- MacStadium: Leading provider of cloud solutions built on Apple Mac hardware.
Links:
- Pacific Surfliner – An Amtrak train line that runs along the Southern California coast.
- Trains Podcast – Manton’s 2005 podcasting effort on the subject.
- Rail Modeller Pro – A Mac app for model train aficionados.
- Manton Recording – 2006 photo by Willie Abrams of Manton in San Francisco.
- Engineer – Etymology of the word – not rooted in train engines!
- Dr. Drang – A “real” engineer with opinions about “software engineers.”
- So Happy – Picture of Manton’s acquired model train project.
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October 1, 2021 at 3:44 pm.
Daniel ends up buying an iPhone 13, while Manton holds off. Meanwhile, Manton considers buying a “real” camera instead, and also shares his plans to hop on a cross-country train to see a basketball game, take in the scenery, and to finish his book. They talk about the relative risks and rewards of investing so much intention into dedicated effort, and how Manton will feel if he does or does not achieve his goal.
Many thanks to our sponsor this week:
Links:
- Sony RX100 VII – The compact camera Manton is considering, on sale for $919 at Abe’s of Maine at time of recording.
- 30 Murals in 30 Days – Manton’s latest photo-blogging project.
- Jon Hays – Manton’s collaborator in Sunlit development and basketball enjoyment.
- The Texas Eagle – The Amtrak train
- Amtrak Routes – List of other named routes in the Amtrak network.
- City of New Orleans – Lyrics to the song about the train line from Chicago to New Orleans.
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September 26, 2021 at 3:15 am.
Manton and Daniel react to Apple’s September 13 event, talking about the increasing satisfaction they have with their existing phones now that the products have matured in features and performance. Manton talks about the new Sunlit update with changes that were partly inspired by Glass, and Daniel commits to a new index card goal. Finally, Manton talks about migrating his Discourse server to a hosted solution, which leads to a discussion about the relative merits of paying for specialized hosting services.
Many thanks to our sponsor this week:
- MacStadium: Leading provider of cloud solutions built on Apple Mac hardware.
Links:
- Apple Event – Link to the September 13 event page.
- iPhone 13 – Apple’s forthcoming line of new iPhones.
- Apple Watch Series 7 – Promo page for the new Apple Watch.
- iPad Mini – The iPad that Manton really wants but probably won’t trade up to.
- Apple Trade In – Apple’s credit-for-device trade-in service.
- Sunlit 3.4 – The latest version of Manton’s and Jon Hays’s photo-blogging app for Micro.blog.
- Black Ink 2.1.8 – Daniel’s quick 1-hour update to his crossword-solving app for Mac.
- Micro.blog Help Center – Micro.blog’s forums, now running on a hosted Discourse server.
- Communiteq – The Discourse hosting service Manton is using.
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September 16, 2021 at 12:06 am.
Daniel and Manton look forward to Apple’s September 14 event, where the next major update to the iPhone is expected to be announced. They talk about their respective likelihood of upgrading and the extent to which iPhones hold their value for an increasingly long time. Daniel talks about his next priority for the “index card directive,” and Manton shares his strategy of using Basecamp’s Monday reminder emails to set high level goals for the week.
Many thanks to our sponsor this week:
Links:
- Apple Event – Apple’s landing page for the September 14 livestream.
- Basecamp – The business-planning software that Manton uses for Micro.blog.
- Sunlit – The photo-blogging app Manton is working on an update to.
- Stratechery – Ben Thompson’s newsletter + blog.
Enjoy our show? Become a sustaining member!
September 10, 2021 at 4:05 pm.
