Daniel and Manton reflect on the MarsEdit 4 beta, the bugs it’s revealed, and the impact on Daniel’s schedule urgency. They also react to Apple’s purported “sense of panic” about the iPhone 8: is it a true indicator of problems, or just the status quo for the company? Finally they respond to a listener question about the long-term viability of the Mac and other desktop platforms as the iPad continues to mature.

Many thanks to our sponsor this week:

• Linode: Cloud Hosting for You.

Links:

• MarsEdit 4 Public Beta – Daniel’s blog post announcing the preview release of MarsEdit 4.
• PowerPhotos – Mac app for organizing multiple Photos libraries.
• Sense of Panic – Fast Company article alleging problems with iPhone 8 development.
• iPhone Silly Season – John Gruber reacts to iPhone rumors.
• RailModeller – Model railroad layout design app for the Mac.
• Ferrite – Audio recording software for iOS.
• OmniGraffle 3 – iOS version of the venerable graphic design tool.

Manton talks to Daniel about his just-released MarsEdit 4 beta. They discuss the anxiety caused by sitting on unreleased features, and other rationale in favor of a public beta. Daniel talks about the anticipated income boost from the new version, and how it might confirm or deny viability of indie Mac development. Finally, they remember 10 years of iPhone, and laugh about the phones they used previously.

Many thanks to our sponsor this week:

• TextExpander: The Productivity Multiplier

Links:

• MarsEdit 4 Public Beta – Daniel’s blog post announcing the preview release of MarsEdit 4.
• Micro.blog – Manton’s microblogging service, currently in private beta.
• It Felt Impossible – Manton’s reminiscence of iPhone launch day, including links to several of his tweets on the day.
• Perfect Ten – John Gruber’s reflections on ten years of iPhone.
• Daniel’s First iPhone – Dan Moren’s picture of Daniel on August 10, 2007.
• Kyocera Oystr – Daniel’s go-to cell phone before making the leap to iPhone.
• Core Intuition Episode 1 – The first very episode, released on May 29, 2008
• One Device – New book chronicling the early history of iPhone development.
• Creating Magic – Interview event by the Computer History Museum with Scott Forstall and original iPhone team members.

Daniel and Manton react to Chris Lattner’s early departure from Tesla, and segue into speculation about his job prospects, and the challenges of effective technical interviews. They talk about the new frameworks announced at WWDC, and overcoming fear of incompetence when learning new things. Finally, they react to Uber CEO Travis Kalanick’s resignation, and think about what’s next for the company.

Many thanks to our sponsors this week:

• Linode: Cloud Hosting for You.
• Digimarc: The best mobile scanning solution today. The only solution for tomorrow.

Links:

• Tesla Isn’t a Good Fit – Chris Lattner announces his departure from Tesla.
• Core ML – Apple’s new machine learning framework.
• AR Kit – Apple’s new augmented reality framework.
• Magical Code – Daniel’s 2006 blog post about being undaunted by programming technologies.
• Featured Videos – The six videos that Apple evidently thinks most developers should watch.
• Uber’s Perpetual Second Chance – Manton’s blog post about Uber’s repeated failures to do right.
• Kalanick Resigns – TechCrunch article on Uber’s CEO stepping down.
• Bozoma St. John – Former Apple Music marketing lead who left for Uber.
• The Holder Report – Eric Holder’s assessment of the systemic problems at Uber and what to do about them.

Manton and Daniel compare notes on recent MacBook Pro repairs and the relative merit of purchasing AppleCare. They react to Tim Cook’s admissions that an Apple “car” project exists and is still underway. Manton looks on the bright side of “Planet of the Apps,” and Daniel looks on the dark side. Finally, they talk briefly about the controversy around an excerpt from “One Device,” by Brian Merchant.

Many thanks to our sponsor this week:

• Linode: Cloud Hosting for You.

Links:

• MacBook Pro Delamination – MacRumors story describing the screen defect that Apple will repair on some MacBook Pros.
• Mother of all AI Projects – Tim Cook’s telling interview about Apple’s car project.
• Planet of the Apps – Apple Music produced reality show about the business of app development.
• Everything on the Line – Jason Fried’s citation of Apple Music’s poorly chosen PR tweet about Planet of the Apps.
• Secret Origin Story – The Verge publishes an exclusive excerpt from Brian Merchant’s new book “The One Device.”
• Not True – Phil Schiller objects to characterization in Merchant’s book.
• A Colleague & Friend – Tony Fadell rejects Merchant’s representation of his quotation about Phil Schiller.
• Steve Jobs – Walter Isaacson’s widely criticized biography of Steve Jobs.
• Becoming Steve Jobs – Brent Schlender’s biography of Steve Jobs.
• Manton Reece – Manton’s been blogging even more than usual!

Daniel and Manton catch upon WWDC, and Manton’s ailing MacBook Pro. They talk about new hardware announcements and react to highlights from the Keynote. Manton laments Apple’s continued, slow progress with SiriKit, and Daniel is frustrated that HomePod is not a Wifi hub. Finally, they talk about iOS Drag and Drop and compare it with Apple’s traditional tendency to move slowly but surely into the future.

Many thanks to our sponsors this week:

• PDFpen: New Version 9.
• 1Password is a beautifully designed password manager that helps you stay safe online.

Links:

• WWDC Keynote 2017 – Watch the video replay of the momentous event.
• HomePod – Apple’s forthcoming all-in-one music speaker and personal assistant.
• SiriKit – Apple’s developer interface to Siri.
• iOS Drag and Drop – Coming in iOS 11.
• Macintosh Drag and Drop – Mid-1990’s article celebrating the long-awaited introduction of Drag and Drop on the Mac.
• iOS 11 – User-facing overview of features coming in iOS 11.

Manton and Daniel chat about WWDC, what they expect Apple to announce, and what we think of it. They discuss Federico Viticci’s iOS 11 concept video, and limitations of prototypes vs. iterative design. Finally, they discuss Dash’s return to the App Store, and question whether Apple even knows it’s back.

No sponsor this week! Please consider a sponsorship or ask your employer to do so!

Links:

• Microblogging Meetup – Sign-up for for Manton’s WWDC week meetup.
• iOS 11 iPad Wishes – Concept from Macstories’s Federico Viticci and Sam Beckett.
• Back on the App Store – Announcement from Kapeli about the return of Dash to the iOS App Store.

Daniel and Manton discuss the new JSON Feed format and initial public reaction to it. They talk about Panic’s source code being stolen, and Daniel celebrates/laments his new MacBook Pro.

Many thanks to our sponsors this week:

• Digimarc: The best mobile scanning solution today. The only solution for tomorrow.
• Linode: Cloud Hosting for You.

Links:

• Announcing JSON Feed – Official announcement of JSON Feed 1.0.
• jsonfeed-wp – WordPress plugin supporting automated generation of JSON Feed compatible feeds.
• Micro.blog – Manton’s microblogging service.
• Brent on JSON Feed – Brent Simmons shares his thoughts on the announcement…
• Manton on JSON Feed – … and Manton shares his.
• The Case of the Stolen Source Code – Panic details the theft of their source code, subsequent ransom threat, and what they’re doing about it.

Manton and Daniel react to new rumors of Apple’s “Siri Smart Speakers” standalone voice assistant. They follow up on the debate about Chromebooks vs. iPads in schools, Apple’s ongoing development of Workflow, and changes in App Store commissions. Finally, they catch up on respective indie work progress and how easy it is to get thrown off course.

Many thanks to our sponsors this week:

• Linode: Cloud Hosting for You.
• Indeed Prime: Apply to 100 Top Tech Companies with 1 Application.

Links:

• Echo Look – New hands-free video voice assistant from Amazon.
• Echo Show – Another new Amazon product, designed to help evaluate your fashion style.
• Siri Smart Speakers – New article from Mark Gurman including details about alleged testing of Apple’s new product.
• Amazon and Whole Foods – Bloomberg story about Amazon’s consideration of a Whole Foods acquisition.
• Uh Oh Chromebook – Brian Foutty writes confidently about the virtues of iPad over Chromebook in the classroom.
• Workflow Update – MacStories reports on substantial changes to Apple’s Workflow app.
• Commission Update – Apple clarifies that only in-app purchases will see a reduction in commission rate.
• Refresh Austin – The event at which Manton recently spoke about Indie Microblogging.
• CocoaConf Next Door – Mac and iOS conference at which Manton will speak next.

Daniel talks to Manton about his challenges with Micro.blog server problems, and his successful fulfillment of accounts to Kickstarter backers. Manton talks about his strategy for shutting down social media in the wake of stress, and taking time to recuperate. The two also talk about Microsoft’s new Windows 10 S announcement and the apparent bleakness of Apple’s chances in the school laptop market. Finally, they check in on WWDC plans and consider the absurdity of $40 box lunches.

Many thanks to our sponsors this week:

• PDFpen: New Version 9.
• Indeed Prime: Apply to 100 Top Tech Companies with 1 Application.

Links:

• Micro.blog – Manton’s new indie microblogging service.
• Core Intuition Slack – Join the community of listeners.
• Microsoft’s Answer to ChromeOS – The Verge on the new Windows 10 S.
• Savor SMG – Menu from the exclusive caterer for WWDC SF.
• Release Notes Conference – Indie software conference being held October 16-18 in Chicago.
• CocoaConf Next Door – Mac and iOS conference held in proximity of WWDC 2017 in San Jose.
• Refresh Austin – Event page for Manton’s talk in Austin on May 9.

Manton and Daniel talk about Manton’s launch of Micro.blog to Kickstarter backers, then check in on Swift and the state of Developer Tools. Finally they talk about Apple’s affiliate program cuts, and the merits of avoiding reliance on a single platform or marketplace for a living.

Many thanks to our sponsors this week:

• appGarten.io: appInsight, appCare, and appServices for Your App.
• Indeed Prime: Apply to 100 Top Tech Companies with 1 Application.

Links:

• Micro.blog – Manton’s new microblogging service.
• Apple Cuts Commissions – John Voorhees of Macstories responds to Apple’s affiliate commission changes.
• Killing the iTunes Affiliate – Brett Terpstra responds in no uncertain terms to the Apple affiliate changes.
• touchArcade – A business Daniel assumed might be somewhat dependent on iTunes affiliate links.