appleJAC Users Group

October 2023 appleJAC Presentations

 

The October 3, 2023, meeting videos about new Apple Products including hardware and operating systems presented by Tom Piper, George Kopp, Joe Mertzlufft, Alice Kopp and Peggy Landwehr can be viewed by seeing the video of the first half of the meeting (Tips & Tricks by Joe Mertzlufft, Q&A, Apple Hardware and iOS17) is available at facebook.com/appleJAC.org/634497265469542; and for the second half (iPadOS17, WatchOS10, AppleTVOS10), click on facebook.com/appleJAC.org/724183772874553 (it may be necessary to click on the resulting image in order to hear the sound with picture).

PDF versions of the presentations can be downloaded by clicking on Tom's video link (macrumors.com/apple-announced), George's slideshow (Whats New in iOS 17), Joe's video link (youtube.com/iPadOS17), Alice's slideshow (Apple WatchOS 10), and Peggy's slideshow (Apple WatchOS 10).

The next appleJAC meeting will be November 7, 2023, about 15 Gadgets in 60 Minutes at Kennedy Hall in IC Schools.

 

November 2021 Meeting Resources

The November 2, 2021, 7:00pm CDST, monthly meeting of appleJAC User Group about 30 Gadgets in 60 Minutes and macOS 12.01 Monterey had 25 people in attendance. The videos of this meeting before and after the break can be viewed by clicking on facebook.com/appleJAC.part1 and facebook.com/appleJAC.part2.

In order to view the PDF slideshow of George's macOS Monterey, Joe's Tips and Tricks, Jason's Apple announcement and all the gadgets at this meeting, just click on this link: applejac-november-2021-topics.

 

appleJAC Oct. 6 presentations

New OSs & Other Apple Announcements

A video of the entire October 6, 2020, online Virtual Meeting using Zoom about New OSs & Other Apple Announcements, just click on this link: https://youtu.be/0PkaJtF_BLA.

If you would like to download and view Jason Piper's slides from his presentation about "iPadOS 14 & iOS 14", then click on: Download appleJAC-2020-10-iOS.

In order to download and view Alice Kopp's keynote presentation about "watchOS 7 & tvOS 14", just click on: Download Watchos 7 and TVos 14.key.

A copy of Tom Piper's slides from his presentation about "Other Sept. 15 Apple Event announcements" is available for download and viewing by clicking on: Download Apple OTHER pres.

 

Eve Energy: Remote Appliance Control

a review by Tom Piper

Home automation has become all the rage for many of us, and there is a wide variety of controllers available. Early to the market were remote-control light bulbs and outlet inserts, many of which were simply on/off switches for lamps and such. There is now an amazing appliance switch that does much more.

The Eve Energy is a smart plug and power meter that inserts into any outlet so that I can switch appliances on and off from anywhere. Not only that, it also tells me how much power they’re using, and allows  them to come to life on their own. This can be done with a simple tap, Siri voice command, or a press of the onboard button. And activate the child lock to prevent unwanted operation.

Setup of the unit actually took about 5 minutes. Simply using my iPhone to scan the included QR code set me up immediately after plugging the unit into a wall socket. The heater fan I plugged into it is now voice-controlled by. Siri, or controlled by an icon in my Home app, or manually turned on/off with a lighted button on the front. I can also set a timer or schedule for autonomous control through my Eve app.

My home hub (AppleTV and HomePod) keeps me connected to my home whether I’m  strolling around the block, or exploring the world. I can use this device to set schedules for lights, humidifiers, fans, and other vital devices. My appliances can now respond to occupancy by communicating with other Eve devices about where I am, such as using my Eve motion sensor.

As for energy, my curiosity, sense of economy, and need for conservation are good reasons to monitor power consumption and projected cost are aplenty. Eve Energy gives me the information needed to meet these needs. In the Eve app, I can see that the heater is using 708 watts of energy (the unit can handle up to 1,800 watts) with a projected cost per year, and a graph showing when and how it was used.

Because I already have a number of HomeKit accessories, they all work in concert with this device. I can create a “scene” in which my Eve Energy switches the appliance on/off based on occupancy, or time of day, or motion, or many other programmable factors. It doesn’t matter where I am at any time since my Apple TV (and HomePod) makes all this possible. It’s easy to set scenes quickly using Siri, my Control Center, or Apple Watch. 

I can engage accessories using the Home app on my iPhone, iPads, or iPod touch. Not only that, but I can see concise records, gain insights, and enjoy full control of my connected home, all with the free Eve app. And, all data is end-to-end encrypted and stored on my iPhone or iPad. It is comforting to know that, equipped with Bluetooth low energy technology, Eve accessories ensure reliable operation independently of bridges.

More information about the Eve Energy unit is available at https://www.evehome.com/en-us/eve-energy. The regular purchase price is $39.95 (USD), and a 25% discount is available if you are an Apple user group member. Like all Eve devices, this is a dependable, high-quality, durable product at a reasonable price that will bring you great satisfaction, just as it has for me!

 

New Apple Releases Display Information

This October 1, 2019, appleJAC meeting was devoted to information about the latest hardware and software released by Apple during the previous month.

Joe Mertzlufft talked about the Apple Card, Apple TV, and Apple Arcade — click on this link to see his presentation slides:

Greg Breuer presented an overview of the new 10.2" iPad in comparison to the 12.9" iPad Pro — click on this link to see iPad website: https://www.apple.com/ipad/.

Tom Piper described the new Apple Series 5 Watch, plus the latest iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max — click on this link to see his slides: Download AJ watch-iphone pres X.

George Kopp explained the newest iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 — Download IOS 13 and iPadOS 13 to see his slides. 

It was a great night to learn lots of great information (archived Facebook video is also available — click on this link to video it: https://www.facebook.com/appleJAC.org/videos/398402384182532/.

 

Best Practices of iOS & macOS Settings

On May 7, 2019, the appleJAC meeting featured "Best Practices of iOS and macOS Settings" with the first presentation about iOS (by George Kopp before the break) and the second about macOS (by Tom Piper after the break).

Attached is a PDF version of the macOS slideshow: MacOS Best Practices

George's presentation: Download Best Practices iOS Settings 

UNIREX: USB-C+A Super SD Reader

a review by Tom Piper

Flash drive or thumb drive or U disk or pan drive . . . whatever you call portable solid-state storage that we have used for years . . . the newest computers and tablets now go beyond the traditional USB-A connector to embrace the new USB-C standard — faster and more robust, for better data transmission. The latest iPad Pros use this new port to great advantage, but most flash drives don’t work correctly with them, until now!

The UNIREX MicroSD U1 is a 5-in-1 reader and SD adapter that can be successfully used with all of Apple’s MacBooks and iPads released the past two years. It features connections to USB-A, USB-C and USBmicro at USB 3.0 speeds from regular SD and microSD cards from 32GB to 256GB. It has removable cap covers on both ends.

This unit can efficiently transfer data from SDXC, SDHC, SD, MicroSDXC, MicroSDHC and MicroSD cards, which makes it perfect for USB-C and microUSB supported smartphones, tablets, laptops & other devices. As a result, I get smooth full HD or 4K video recording and playback with the latest high-resolution standards at ultra-fast data transfer and retrieval speeds. 

Not only that, but it is also waterproof, x-ray proof, temperature proof and shockproof in a small lightweight device (0.4” x 0.8” x 3.2”). It is compliant with SD Card Association specifications and USB backward compatible with earlier USB devices. The package includes an SD adapter that converts a microSD card to traditional-sized SD card.

I acquired my reader at CES 2019, and have used it for several months with impressive results. It works very well and quickly with my new 13” MacBook Air, 15” MacBook Pro, 27” iMac, and other computers, for moving any and all data. But, without any special apps, only photos and videos can be transferred to my new 12.9” iPad Pro (this is an Apple restriction which we hope will be removed soon). My only issue with this unit is that the removable caps are not attached to the reader, so they can be mislaid mistakenly.

This UNIREX Reader can be bought at http://unirex.com/product/microsd-u1-with-5-in-1-reader-sd-adapter/ for $34.99 or $54.99 USD (includes either 64GB or 128GB microSD card). I highly recommend this versatile and fast storage solution.

 

Apple Tech on KWOS Open Air 08-04-18

Apple Technology of past, present and future was discussed on Open Air Saturday, hosted by Hal Dulle, with guests Peggy Landwehr, George Kopp, and Tom Piper.

To listen to this 26 minute segment on your computer, just click on OpenAirSat KWOS 080418

 

 
 

October 12 iPad class information

• Cost: $25 for appleJAC Members, $35 for non-members
• To pre-register, just email your name to [email protected]

Three new Take Control titles on High Sierra and iOS 11

from Your Take Control Team—Joe Kissell and Morgen Jahnke

Summer is almost over (in our neck of the woods, anyway) and that means the next releases of Apple’s macOS and iOS are right around the corner. We’re pleased to offer you three new titles that provide early access to what you need to know about High Sierra and iOS 11, and to give you the chance to save when you buy all three books together.

• Get more info or buy Take Control of Upgrading to High Sierra with the 30% MUG discount

• Get more info or buy Take Control of High Sierra with the 30% MUG discount

• Get more info or buy Take Control of iOS 11 with the 30% MUG discount

• Buy all 3 books (a $40 value) for only $26

In Take Control of Upgrading to High Sierra, tech expert Joe Kissell has updated his stellar advice on upgrading to the latest version of macOS. Learn what you need to know to make the process go smoothly and efficiently, and what has changed from previous versions of the operating system, like the new file storage system Apple is introducing in High Sierra.

Once you’ve successfully installed High Sierra, learn all about it with Take Control of High Sierra by Scholle McFarland. This expanded version of Scholle’s popular Crash Course on macOS (previously on Sierra and El Capitan), makes the book a more substantive look at what’s in store with High Sierra. Find out about all the changes to your Mac’s apps and system-wide tools, learn useful tricks that may be not be obvious at first glance, and handle troubleshooting using Scholle’s expert advice.

Take Control of iOS 11, by TidBITS Managing Editor Josh Centers, also expands his Crash Course on iOS to give an even more thorough survey of everything that has changed in the new iOS. Learn about major changes to Control Center, about the new Instant Markup features, and the Files app, which offers access to files stored in iCloud and on your device. Find out how iOS 11 is a game-changer for the iPad, with new features that take it one step closer to being a peer to the Mac.

You can purchase any of these books individually, or save $14 when you buy all three together. Plus, once High Sierra and iOS 11 officially ship, we’ll release free updates to all three books, to cover what changes between now and then.

• Get more info or buy Take Control of Upgrading to High Sierra with the 30% MUG discount

• Get more info or buy Take Control of High Sierra with the 30% MUG discount

• Get more info or buy Take Control of iOS 11 with the 30% MUG discount

• Buy all 3 books (a $40 value) for only $26

Get ready for Apple’s fall operating system releases with the invaluable advice of Joe, Scholle, and Josh, and save money doing it!

We appreciate your continued support of Take Control and our authors!

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Our mailing address is 4142 Adams Ave. Ste. 103-619, San Diego, CA 92116

 

President's Place: August 2017

by Tom Piper

As I'm writing this, we've already received 1.6" of welcome rain, and the temperature is hovering around a comfortable 74° outside. Its amazing that the summer is already half over, and my legs still don't have a suntan. Then again, no sunburn either!

In technology, we are looking forward to the September release of macOS 10.13 High Sierra and iOS 11, as well as major updates to tvOS and watchOS, all of which promise to deliver amazing advances in productivity (for details, watch the WWDC announcements at apple.com/WWDC). Public betas of these are available now, but be careful . . . before ANY upgrade, now or later, BACKUP your computer and devices FIRST, using either Time Machine or a cloning program . . . hard drives are plentiful and cheap (amazon.com/harddrives)!!!

Our last meeting at Modern Litho had a lower attendance, but was incredibly educational and entertaining for those who travelled to the Algoa industrial park. We will share some photos and information at our next meeting to provide highlights from this Apple@Work visit. We deeply appreciate the courtesy and dedication of this local company to advanced technology in print media and augmented reality.

Our next meeting is at Peggy & John Landwehr's house, 2103 Scenic Drive, Jefferson City (enter lower level at side) and will be about MacStock 2017 Recap plus Favorite macOS and iOS Games. My son Jason and I will first share information and pictures from our trip to Woodstock IL on July 14-16 where we rubbed elbows with other Apple zeolots, and learned many new things about a broad range of topics (24 presentations in all). You will see why you want to go with us next year. After the break, we will also learn from Jason and Joe about popular games available on the Mac, iPhone, iPad and appleTV (some of which are cross-over and multi-player). You will also have a chance to share games that you have enjoyed on these platforms. Review the agenda below for more details.

As always, we hope that you can attend our meetings along with friends and family. Its not only an opportunity to answer your questions and learn more about your valuable investments in technology, but also to share your experiences with others who enjoy the best computers and mobile devices of our time. See you there . . . 

iPad Class March 28 . . . register now

Email your registration to [email protected] . . .

 click on image below to enlarge it:

KWOS Open Air Saturday

This November 5, 2016, segment of Hal Dulle's "Open Air Saturday" on KWOS radio featured Peggy Landwehr, Tom Piper and George Kopp. The topic was generally tech talk about Apple products (iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro) and operating systems (iOS 10 and macOS 10.12). They also talked about how to select cellphones and plans offered by various vendors, as well as appleJAC meetings and membership.

In order to listen to this entertaining and educational 43-minute segment, just click on Download OpenAirSat 110516.

 

Banktivity 5: Phenomenal Personal Finance Manager

a review by Tom Piper

Home accounting systems trace all the way back to the first spreadsheets, pioneered by VisiCalc for the Apple ][. Today, I have found over 50 free, open-source, and proprietary accounting programs that run on the Macintosh platform for accounting and personal finance. But, there is one which stands head-and-shoulders above the rest.

A little over five years ago, I wrote a review of iBank 4 (applejac/ibank-4). This was a great product then, and it is even better now (and has been renamed Banktivity).

Banktivity 5 is a personal finance manager which offers sophisticated reports, debt/loan management, a streamlined interface, simple and reliable import from Quicken or MS Money, powerful investment tracking, free private cloud sync to iOS devices, support for bill pay and multiple currencies, innovative transaction templates, integrated web downloads from bank accounts, intuitive checklist-style reconciliation, file attachments of any type, and much more. This is an accounting tool that can fit a wide range of needs for home and business.

To begin using Banktivity, if you were previously a Quicken (or related software) user, then data import is reasonably simple and straight-forward so you can have your accounts, transactions, categories and investments ready and waiting for you (a nice online video tutorial is most helpful). On the other hand, to start from scratch (which is what I did), Banktivity's streamlined setup assistant had me going in no time (another very helpful video tutorial that walked me through the process).

The first step is to select either a Home or Business setup, then to create an account (normally a bank, of which I created three, plus a Discover credit card account). Banktivity 5 offers easy bank connections for direct downloads (I could also have used Direct Access to automatic updates or Direct download, but these are subscription services, starting at $9.99 per month). 

Since the initial setup, I now do download monthly updates from all my accounts. It posts most of critical information, like amount and payee or payor, after which I add the budget category manually from the list I customized (it does a nice job of guessing too).

Although I don’t use this feature, Banktivity 5 delivers online bill pay to set up, schedule and send payments, track those transactions, and categorize the expenses (it requires an OFX account connection).

With the advanced budgeting tools, I can build savings, watch my spending habits, monitor daily progress, incorporate scheduled income and bills, compare goals vs. results, and sync budgets to Banktivity on my iOS device. Meanwhile, I can track my spending patterns, assign categories or sub-categories to every transaction, use enhanced import rules for speedy categorization, and split transactions multiple ways for detailed budgeting and reporting.

Banktivity makes it easy to see my whole financial picture on my iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch (okay, its just summary information by account, since the type is so small). It is amazing how the private Cloud Sync seamlessly keeps everything up to date. Believe it or not, I’ve just scratched the surface in describing this program’s extensive features; this is a truly powerful and impressive accounting package.

To learn more, go to banktivity.com. Banktivity for the Mac can be purchased at iggsoftware.com for $59.99 (a 30-day free trial is also available before buying), plus, under the Apps menu, you will find Banktivity for iPad for $19.99, Banktivity for iPhone is $9.99, and Banktivity Investor for free. It takes some time and effort, but if you need to manage all of your financial affairs (as I do), this is the right package for you!

 

Elgato Avea Flare: Wireless Portable Glow

a review by Tom Piper

 HomeKit technology now provides wonderful lighting controlled by a variety of related devices and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. At CES 2016, I reconnected with Elgato who has a nice range of such excellent devices.

The Avea Flare from Elgato just brought dynamic light moods into many locations in my life. It is a battery-powered, wirelessly-charged LED lamp which illuminates any place I put it for more than 8 hours on a single charge (the charging base is innovative, just set the unit on it in any direction). With IP65 water resistance, my home atmosphere can now extend to the outside and many portable locations (like restaurants and events).

With this light, I control my ambience from my iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. It is truly amazing to easily select any of the carefully crafted settings with subtly changing light which include Magic Hour, Northern Glow, Cherry Blossom, Mountain Breeze, Cozy Flames, Sunny Field, Fairy Woods, Caribbean Sea, Candy Land, or Calm Provence.

Avea connects directly to my iDevices (or someone else’s Android phone) using Bluetooth Smart technology, without requiring additional gateways or bridges. But it doesn't stop there because, once I have chosen a light scene, the smart LED lightbulb will take care of the rest, not requiring a constant connection to your phone or iPad. Only two controls on the bottom: Power and Mode.

Now, I can also connect to more than one Avea (like my Avea Bulb), and they will automatically coordinate their lighting to create an even more immersive atmosphere. What’s more is that my Apple Watch makes it easier than ever to pick the perfect lighting for my changing mood. I can raise my wrist to view the current status of Avea at a glance, and effortlessly transform my home with a simple tap. 

After a relaxing evening, I can even set my alarm using the built-in wake-up light scene. With Avea, I can wake up to a natural sunrise, right in my bedroom. Adjustable brightness and vividness are also just a slider away on (on either Flare or Bulb, or both combined). My favorite is Candy Land that slowly shifts from among all the colors (very relaxing). I can’t say enough great things about this unique enhancement to my life. You can learn more about it at elgato.com/avea.

This unit is a great buy at only $99.95, available from Elgato at elgato/flare, or from Amazon for $79.95 at amazon/flare. Avea Flare is part of a growing family of products including Avea Bulb (mood bulb, $39.95), and Avea Sphere (only available in Europe). I’ve used Elgato products for decades, and find them delightful, economical, reliable and very useful.

iOS & macOS Malware and Backup - Presenter slides

On Tuesday, August 2, 2016, three great presentations were provided by appleJAC gurus. The information in their presentations is available for you to view again by clicking on any of the blue links below:

Download IPhone and iPad Malware and Backup - See George Kopp's slides for iOS info.

Download macOS MalWare RansomWare Backup - See Joe Mertzlufft's slides in their entirety.

Download Email Protection - See Jason Piper's slides on email security.

 

Scanners: July 5 presentations

"Scanners: Flat-Top, Feeder, iPhone, iPad" was the topic of the July 5, 2016, appleJAC meeting.

Tom Piper delivered a presentation about several portable and innovative scanners that work with desktop computers, iPhones and iPads. His slideshow can be downloaded at Scanner Presentation.

Elgato Eve Energy: Wireless Sensor/Switch

a review by Tom Piper

HomeKit technology now provides advanced security with end-to-end encryption and authentication between a variety of related devices and iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. At CES 2016 I reconnected with Elgato who has a nice range of such excellent devices.

Eve Energy from Elgato is an electrical switch and power meter that helps me to live smarter by knowing more about my home power consumption. It allows me to switch my devices on or off using Siri or with a simple tap, and instantly see how much energy my devices are using. I use my iPhone 6s plus to see my energy consumption at a glance.

Setup is so easy ... after opening the box, the simple instructions describe how the Elgato Eve app should first be downloaded from the Apple App Store, then plug the Eve Energy unit in a wall socket. Using the new Eve app, just select Add Accessory which will “see” the new unit, after which I was able to customize the titling for future reference. Eve connects directly to any iDevice using Bluetooth 4.0 Smart technology, without complicated WiFi setup or the need for a hub, gateway or bridge. 

Once operational, I can use Siri on my iPhone (or iPad, or iPod touch) to control the devices connected to Eve Energy with just my voice. I was able to give custom names to my devices, combine them into groups, and create scenes to control multiple home settings in just one step (if I had multiple units). There is also a button on the unit to manually turn a device on/off. Even better, I can now control Eve Energy when I’m away away from home. Since I already have an Apple TV, my iPhone now can remotely turn devices on and off, launch my favorite scene, or check the status of my home at a glance.

Not only is it nice to be able to see my energy consumption at a glance, but I can also view beautiful graphs by day, month or year. This allows me to gain insights that help me improve my comfort, and make my home a smarter place. It is a great companion to my Eve Room (see more below) and Avea mood lamp.

Eve requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 9.1 or later. HomeKit requires an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 8.1 or later. Controlling HomeKit-enabled accessories away from home requires an Apple TV (3rd generation or later) with Apple TV software 7.0 or later and an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 8.1 or later (iPad 2 is not supported).

This unit is a great buy at only $49.95, available at elgato.com/eve-energy. Eve Energy is part of a growing family of products including Eve Room (wireless indoor air quality, temperature and humidity sensor, $79.95), Eve Door & Window (wireless contact sensor, $39.95), and Eve Thermo (thermostatic radiator valve, not currently available in US). I’ve used Elgato products for decades, and find them economical, reliable and very useful.

 

DoorBird Video doorbell: Door Answering from Anywhere

a review by Tom Piper

I’ve been a video doorbell user for several years with a SkyBell. At CES 2016, I was introduced to another competing vendor with a very robust product.

The DoorBird Video Door Station D101 with a white polycarbonate housing has been my test model for the past few weeks. It allows me to speak with my visitors and open my door (if I had an electric lock) by my iPhone (or iPad) from anywhere in the world. It can actually be paired with up to 8 devices (like iPhones, iPads, and Androids). With this unit, I will not need to miss any more deliveries or visitors since I will be informed right away when the person rings.  

It really has a broad field of vision. Thanks to the integrated high-end motion sensor, I can know what happens in front of my home with the 180° camera lens and infrared motion sensor can which has the ability to set off an alarm without ever touching the doorbell unit. 

It has a durable all-weather case with temperature-resistant from just below 0° F to over 100°F, and rain water protection (in accordance with IP54 industry standard), all packaged in a stylish product design (high quality stainless steel models also available). This smart solution is of the highest quality and made in Germany. It has many features which are summarized at below.

Installation was relatively easy, in spite of a multi-language instruction book with tiny print. Thankfully, an easier-to-read online version was conveniently available online. It initially seemed complex only because of the international power unit with adapters, wide variety of connections, wire assemblies, and mounting screws included in the package. A few minutes of reading clarified that it really was easy to install. Downloading and installing the DoorBird app was also simple.

At about 1.5” x 3” x 6”, this unit is rather large for external mounting to replace the doorbell button, but the quality of the speaker, microphone, video camera, and motion detector certainly justify this size. I was amazed at how quickly I was notified of a visitor when the doorbell button was pushed, even when I was out of town. The very wide field of view allowed me to see the visitor plainly, even when they stood close to the door (the infra-red feature is also nice for night vision). I also like the ability to turn on the camera remotely just to view the area in front of the house using my iPhone (cannot yet be viewed from my computer screen, probably later). 

If I had an electric front door lock or garage door opener, with the indoor and outdoor add-on of BirdGuard, I could even see what the visitor is doing after I had opened the door. To go even further, I could send potential burglars packing with a siren of 100dB or a loud announcement using their external speaker. Unfortunately, the DoorBird is not HomeKit compatible.

The DoorBird Video Door Station D101 can be viewed and purchased for $349.00 at doorbird.com (available colors are black, grey, white and yellow). This innovative idea was developed by the Bird Home Automation Group located in Berlin and San Francisco. The also have nine other models and four accessories to enhance the functionality of this innovative unit. This is a very nice, well-made unit.

 

Fantastical 2: Awesome Calendar

a review by Tom Piper

Calendars have been around for a long time on our Macs, and more recently on our iPhones and iPads. Apple has allowed us to sync all our calendars effectively through iCloud, but they still need to be more full-featured. A recently upgraded application has demonstrated how many functions can be integrated into a great product.

Fantastical 2 has a beautiful, all-new design exclusively for OS X Yosemite and fully compatible with El Capitan. The original Fantastical was only a menu bar app, but has now been reinvented into a full Mac application, without losing the benefits and convenience of the menu bar window.

Fantastical's natural language engine is expressive and intelligent so I can write in my own style. It automatically recognizes the location of my event and can even invite people from Contacts to my event. They've made multiple parser improvements including improved repeating event and reminder support, the ability to add alerts, full-time zone support, and many other time-saving improvements.

This calendar app lets me quickly toggle multiple calendars on or off with a single click, so I can focus on what's more important in that moment. I can even automatically switch Calendar Sets based on my location (such as Work and Home). The Mini Window that started it all is back, better than ever. It resides in my menu bar and lets me create, edit, and view my events and reminders instantly. I can now drag the Mini Window away from the menu bar, allowing me to position the window anywhere I like. And the new infinite list makes it easy to find all of my events and reminders, no matter when they occur.

As it that’s not enough, Fantastical supports the same reminders as OS X and iOS, giving me the fastest way to create or update my to-do list. Creating a new reminder is as easy as creating a new event by just typing in what I need to get done. It now also features a focused reminders list, as well as support for location-based reminders. 

Fantastical now has its own CalDAV engine, meaning that I can add my calendar accounts directly. It supports iCloud, Google, Yahoo, as well as any other CalDAV account. I can also use local and Exchange calendars, as long as they've been added to my Mac's built-in Calendar. Fantastical's Today Widget gives me convenient access to my schedule. The new Share and Action Extensions make it super easy to get data into my calendar. 

Fantastical is also available for my iPhone and iPad as separate apps which all sync seamlessly when using a service like iCloud, Google Calendar, or Yahoo Calendar. The extraordinary calendar also supports Handoff, allowing me to seamlessly transition between Fantastical on all of my devices. It even works with an Apple Watch app and glance, ensuring that Fantastical is always there for me. This is how such systems should really function!

Fantastical 2 is available for the Mac for $39.99 at flexibits.com/fantastical, for the iPhone for $4.99 at flexibits.com/fantastical-iphone, and for the iPad for $9.99 at flexibits.com/fantastical-ipad. After having used Fantastical for several years, I can attest to it versatility, dependability, and great value. With this latest update, it has become even better, more robust, and very convenient.