productivity Archives - The Mac Blog

A List of macOS Defaults Commands with Demos

The website macos-defaults.com provides an extensive, categorized list of macOS defaults commands that allow users to customize system and application preferences beyond the standard settings panels. It explains the concept of macOS user defaults—stored preferences for applications and system domains—and offers command-line instructions to read, modify, and discover these settings, covering areas like Dock, Finder, screenshots, keyboard behavior, and more. The site also invites community contributions to expand the commands database and shares details on how it was built using VitePress.

https://macos-defaults.com/

Marked 3

app, macos, markdown, productivity

Marked 3 is a Markdown preview app for macOS that offers live rendering, advanced proofreading, customizable themes, and extensive export options including PDF, DOCX, and EPUB. It supports multiple Markdown processors, integrates with various editors like Scrivener and Ulysses, and includes features such as custom processing rules, style management, and speed reading. The app is available via direct purchase or subscription on the Mac App Store and Setapp, targeting users who need powerful Markdown preview and export tools in their workflows.

https://markedapp.com/

Reassign · The 24-Hour Circular Day Planner

app, calendar, productivity

Reassign is a 24-hour circular day planner designed specifically for makers, created by Leo Spanovic. It offers a visual and structured method to organize daily tasks over a full day cycle. This tool aims to enhance productivity by providing a clear overview of time allocation.

https://reassign.app/

Keep AI Out of Your (Obsidian) Vault

ai, notes, productivity

The article argues against heavily integrating AI-generated content directly into your Obsidian vault, emphasizing that AI summaries often dilute personal insights and reduce clarity over time. Instead, it recommends maintaining a human-curated knowledge system where note connections reflect your own thinking, using AI selectively for tasks like advanced research or separate vaults for AI-generated material. This approach preserves the value of your “second brain” as a meaningful, personalized repository rather than a generic AI-driven database.

https://www.ssp.sh/brain/using-obsidian-with-ai/

ChatGPT Can Now Remember What You Did on Your Mac — Without Screenshots – The New Stack

ai, chatgpt, macos, productivity

OpenAI has enhanced ChatGPT's capabilities to remember a user’s activity on their Mac without relying on screenshots, enabling more context-aware interactions. This advancement allows the AI to track and recall user actions more naturally, improving productivity and workflow integration on macOS.

https://thenewstack.io/openai-chatgpt-computer-history/

I Tested Over 100 Claude Code Plugins—here Are the 5 That Actually Matter

ai, claude, productivity

Claude Code’s functionality improves significantly with plugins, which bundle skills, MCP servers, agents, and documents tailored for specific workflows. After testing over 100 plugins, five stand out: Superpowers (enhances coding discipline and methodology), Productivity (centralizes tasks and memory for project management), language server plugins (provide IDE-like code understanding), Frontend Design (guides unique web UI aesthetics), and Context7 (injects up-to-date documentation to overcome AI knowledge freezes). These plugins streamline workflows by providing specialized context and tools that enhance Claude Code’s performance beyond its generic baseline.

https://www.howtogeek.com/the-best-claude-code-plugins/