MacMost: Patreon Video

I tested out the macro photography feature, the 3x zoom, and the new "Styles" feature. I did this video in 4K so you can see the stills clearly, if you have the bandwidth to watch it at that size.

Got these this morning and been playing with them all day.

Busy making a lot of tutorials today. But between those I can't stop playing With iOS 15 Visual Lookup. Here are some tests I did with plants, animals, landmarks, artwork and album covers.

Here's what I'm thinking about the new iPads, iPhones and Apple Watch.

These two new privacy features are coming to macOS Monterey. One lets you create as many email aliases as you want, so you can sign up for sites and services and keep your real email address private. The other is very close to a VPN service.

Which art tools can you get for the Mac that are truly free, no strings attached? I found some good image editing apps, vector graphics apps, a 3D app and an audio editor. Can you think of any more? Tools: <a href="https://www.gimp.org" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">GIMP</a>, <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/seashore/id1448648921?mt=12" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Seashore</a>, <a href="http://audacityteam.org" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Audacity</a>, <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vectornator-design-software/id1219074514" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Vectornator</a>, <a href="https://www.blender.org" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Blender</a>, and <a href="https://www.designer.io/en/pricing/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Gravit Designer</a>. (After recording this video, I'm not so sure about Gravit anymore. Seems to be more of a pay-to-get-the-real-app thing).

Here's a simple method for creating random passwords using Numbers. I have a video coming up on how to generate random passwords outside of Safari or a password manager. This method didn't make the cut as it is kinda, well, silly? But maybe not. After all, if you live in Numbers all day it would make sense to do this in Numbers instead of another tool, maybe. I'll attach the document too.

Link to video in case you don't see it above: <a href="https://vimeo.com/588895323" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/588895323</a>  Here's another location in case that doesn't work: <a href="https://archive.org/download/the-super-secret-mac-keyboard-shortcuts-almost-no-one-knows-about-macmost-2511/2511KeyBindings.mp4" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://archive.org/download/the-super-secret-mac-keyboard-shortcuts-almost-no-one-knows-about-macmost-2511/2511KeyBindings.mp4</a>  I'm very excited about this video I just finished for next week. It describes a way to create text entry keyboard shortcuts, "macros" and text insertions that I don't think many other people have ever even talked about. These are called Key Bindings and you can use them to do all sorts of interesting stuff. I thought I'd post it here early and we can discuss it. I'll attach the file I create for reference. Here are some of the links I mention at the end of the video: <a href="https://ss64.com/osx/syntax-keybindings.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://ss64.com/osx/syntax-keybindings.html</a>  <a href="https://github.com/ttscoff/KeyBindings" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://github.com/ttscoff/KeyBindings</a>  <a href="https://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/site/cocoa-text.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/site/cocoa-text.html</a>  <a href="http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/selectors.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/selectors.html</a> <a href="https://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/system-bindings.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~jrus/Site/system-bindings.html</a> 

Since so many enjoyed how I built a custom green screen, here's how I made a custom mounting system for my camera and the lights. Very low budget, but not on purpose. They simply don't make anything like this. A tripod would take up too much space. I said a foot or so in the video, but the legs would have stuck out way more than that actually. Here are some links to some of the items I bought: WALI Single LCD Monitor Desk Mount <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018MT6ZEK" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018MT6ZEK</a>  WALI Dual Fully Adjustable Arm <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BHY3CNM" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BHY3CNM</a>  Pergear Q02S DSLR Camera Tripod Ball Head <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T5RBQLD" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T5RBQLD</a>  Diffusion Film Filter Sheet 6 Packs Kit <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PTCGTX9" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PTCGTX9</a>  SMALLRIG Left Side Cold Shoe Adapter Relocation Plate <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RWC8Y6J" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RWC8Y6J</a>  2 Pack Set Magnetic Flexible Gooseneck Metal with Alligator Clips <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XNSYK6F" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XNSYK6F</a> 

When you copy large files, or lots of files, with the Finder, you can cancel but not pause. However, if you use the Terminal you can pause in the middle of a large copy, move or anything. This works best using rsync so you can see the progress. Basically you use Control+Z to pause the Terminal command. Then you use fg to continue.

The green screen I use isn't one from off-the-shelf. This is my own design using a green screen fabric, two 1x4 pieces of wood, and some chain and tacks. This is version 3 or 4 of the design. I think I showed an earlier design a year or two ago. This is the fabric I bought. I guess I remember it being cheaper in the video. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EKAJ1M" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EKAJ1M</a> 

Did you know you can export text replacements? And import them? Bizarre, true and also useful!

Does the Apple Weather app really not display 69 degrees? Why not write an article about it and not ask any expert at all before publishing?

You can use Command+click to move a window without it popping to the front. But you can also do much more with Command+click that will act on a window in different ways. It conflicts with Safari's Command+click functionality and it is hard to do some things because the window isn't the frontmost one, but there is potential there.

Found another <a href="https://collections.artsmia.org/search/artist:%22Utagawa%20Hiroshige%22?size=1060" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">source of amazing desktop backgrounds</a>.  I know lots of other museums also have their collections online and downloadable. Any others to recommend?

I was about to compose a video thumbnail using video of me and some clipart. When I do these, I always think after-the-fact that I should have recorded that. This time I remembered beforehand. I'm using Pixelmator Pro to combine a frame of a video of me with some clipart to make it look like I'm holding a newspaper. Hope some of you find it interesting.

Apple Motion is so cool. I got lost in it yesterday after discovering how to connect visual elements to audio tracks. You can build shapes that tap out the beat, equalizers and waveform things. The sky is the limit with what you can do. Thought I'd share some of my experiments.

Thought it would be fun to create a Quick Action in Automator to make text upside down. Or, to put it another way: ˙uʍop ǝpᴉsdn ʇxǝʇ ǝʞɐɯ oʇ ɹoʇɐɯoʇn∀ uᴉ uoᴉʇɔ∀ ʞɔᴉnტ ɐ ǝʇɐǝɹɔ oʇ unɟ ǝq plnoʍ ʇᴉ ʇɥɓnoɥ┴

If you've ever wanted to group apps together on the Dock, adding a few small spaces between app icons is possible. Watch the video for a demo, and here's the code:

defaults write com.apple.dock persistent-apps -array-add '{"tile-type"="spacer-tile";}'

killall Dock

This macOS Monterey feature is being overshadowed by another feature. But I think it is just as useful. You can turn a Mac into an AirPlay display in Monterey. That means you can use that Mac as an addition display for a first Mac. It even works if the first Mac is using Big Sur!