Easy macOS and iOS Tips and Fixes
Iris Photos is a native macOS photo library app that lets users privately manage, explore, and rediscover their photos on their own Mac without using the cloud. It scans existing folders or the Apple Photos library in read-only mode, offering features like on-device facial recognition, location mapping, timeline organization, powerful search, and multi-device viewing, all while keeping original files unchanged and user data fully private.
Nick Heer shares his experience resolving issues with iCloud Photos, highlighting two main problems: difficulty extracting images from iCloud and the necessity of long-term third-party storage commitments. He found relief using two Mac applications, Parachute Backup for creating local copies of his iCloud library and PowerPhotos for managing and archiving photos, which together provide better control over his photo collection despite ongoing challenges with iCloud’s transparency and data verification.
The article discusses how iPhone users can capture more natural-looking photos by bypassing Apple's default computational photography features like Smart HDR and Deep Fusion, which often result in over-processed images. It highlights third-party apps such as Halide's “Process Zero” that minimize in-camera processing to produce flatter, more authentic photos better suited for editing, while also noting trade-offs like grainier images in low light and loss of some convenience features.
https://www.macworld.com/article/3111956/how-im-taking-much-better-photos-with-my-iphone.html
The DaVinci Resolve Photo page introduces Hollywood's advanced color grading tools for still photography, offering professional-grade controls such as primary color correction, curves, qualifiers, and Power Windows, along with AI-driven features like Magic Mask and Depth Map for precise edits. It supports native RAW formats up to 32K resolution and provides non-destructive transforms, collaborative cloud workflows, and GPU acceleration for fast processing and exporting, enabling photographers and colorists to manage, grade, and deliver high-quality images efficiently.
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/photo
Daniel Kennett reminisces about Apple's discontinued Aperture software, emphasizing its unique features that revolutionized photo editing by integrating controls smoothly into the workflow. Reflecting on past tech nostalgia, he contrasts Aperture's user-friendly design with modern apps like Photos, which interrupt the editing flow. Despite technological advancements, he laments the loss of Aperture's efficiency and expresses frustration with the inadequacies of current alternatives, underscoring its lasting significance to user experience.
https://ikennd.ac/blog/2026/01/old-man-yells-at-modern-software-design/
Clever Cleaner is a free app for iPhones that optimizes storage by removing duplicate photos, heavy files, and unnecessary screenshots, enhancing device performance without any ads or in-app purchases. It features AI for smart cleanup, video compression, and user-friendly swipe mode for manual sorting. Privacy is ensured with local processing—no data is uploaded. Developed by trusted US creators, it promises a clutter-free experience, maintaining harmony between efficiency and user security. Downloadable on the App Store, it's touted as one of the best iPhone cleaner apps available.