512 Pixels

That brings the total to three “default” wallpapers for the new operating system. The newest is named “Tahoe Day” and is very similar to Apple’s other Aerial images. Download full-sized copies of all three here:

• Light Tahoe
• Dark Tahoe
• Tahoe Day

Happy Prime Day! In the spirit of the season, I’ve rounded up a bunch of links so you could rebuild my desk, mostly on Amazon. Shameless, I know…

Computer

• 14-inch MacBook Pro
• CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt Dock
• Apple Studio Display with Adjustable Display
• Elgato Stream Deck XL
• Logitech MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse
• Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID
• Apple Magic Trackpad
• A couple of OWC USB-C enclosures with some very fancy SSDs in them
• 11-inch iPad Pro, usually in a Smart Folio but sometimes in a Magic Keyboard

Audio + Video

• USBPRE2 Audio Interface
• Elgato Wave Mic Arm LP
• Neumann KMS 105 MT Condenser Microphone
• Rolls MS111 Mute Switch
• Some very old and very out-of-stock Schiit gear
• Ultimate Ears 7 CSX in-ear monitors
• Elgato Key Light
• Belkin MagSafe Continuity Camera Mount

It has been reported that macOS Tahoe doesn’t include support for FireWire devices. To see for myself, I dug out an old FireWire 800 drive I used to use in my Apple service tech days. This baby has a lot of volumes on it, all of which appeared when plugged into my MacBook Pro running macOS Sequoia:

Getting this old drive plugged into a modern Mac requires a trip to Dongletown:

• MacBook Pro (Thunderbolt 5)
• An Apple-branded Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter
• An Apple-branded Thunderbolt 2 to FireWire 800 adapter
• A Firewire 800 cable to my bus-powered drive

With this monstrosity in place on my Sequoia machine, the volumes all appeared in Finder and System Information app, under FireWire:

When I moved the drive over to my MacBook Air running macOS Tahoe, it was a very different story. With the dongles in place, I held my breath, but it was in vain.

As you can see, Tahoe doesn’t even have a FireWire listing in System Information, and only the adapter shows up under Thunderbolt:

The reports are true: FireWire’s run on the Mac has ended after 26 years. RIP, my once-fast friend.

A decade ago, I made a major announcement:

I’m leaving my 9-5 job to work on Relay FM, 512 Pixels and my freelance business full time.

This anniversary snuck up on me, and I think that’s a sign of how well things have gone since I published that blog post.

Had you told me ten years ago that I’d still be making things on the Internet with my friends, I’m not sure I would have believed you.

This Is Probably Too Much History, but I Wanted to Chronicle It All Somewhere, and This Blog Post Seemed Like the Right Place for It

In the beginning, there was 512 Pixels, which launched as ForkBombr almost 17 years ago. I wrote a lot about the site a couple of years ago, so will point you to that post, and simply add this: while blogging is not as cool as it once was, the fact that I can write and publish whatever I want, whenever I want, is still something I find incredibly dear. This site still feels like my home base on the Internet, and always will.

On June 5, 2013, Federico Viticci, Myke Hurley, and I launched The Prompt, and it changed our lives. The Prompt’s success on 5by5 gave us the courage and platform to start Relay. We renamed the show Connected at that point, but, aside from 512 Pixels, it’s the longest-running project of my career. If something were to happen to Relay, I suspect the three of us would find a way to continue discussing Apple and other things that interest us.

I am extremely thankful to Ticci and Myke for our ongoing partnership, and to Dan Benjamin for giving us the space to explore all those years ago.

When I stepped away from my previous job, Relay wasn’t generating quite what I needed to support my family, so I took on a variety of freelance projects. At the time, I was writing at The Sweet Setup and monthly at iMore, and would have stints at MacStories and Six Colors as well. What I didn’t elaborate on was my in-person freelance. In 2015, a friend and mentor of mine named David Madison¹ was retiring from his Apple consulting business here in Memphis, and I took over a significant portion of his clientele.

I’m extremely thankful to Shawn, Rene, Serenity, Federico, John, Jason, and Dan for allowing me to publish on their sites, and to David for trusting me to serve his clients as he transitioned into retirement.

Additionally, I was providing consulting services to several large clients in Memphis, including The Children’s Museum. I put a mountain of time into helping the organization design and implement the space that houses the 1909 Grand Carousel that is now enjoyed by thousands of kids a year. I built websites for a range of smaller non-profits, churches, and even a couple of companies.

All of this let me pay my bills, but it was exhausting to be available to so many people while also trying to grow Relay. After a few years of seeing my work week fragmented into more pieces than I wanted, I scaled back some of my outside work. I turned my attention to new podcasts on Relay, and at one point, was hosting or producing half a dozen shows. Beyond Relay, I also hosted a couple of shows on The Incomparable.

I’m extremely thankful to Serenity, Mikah, Tiff, Quinn Rose, and Quinn Nelson for helping make those shows with me.

Some of these shows ended of their own accord, while others were retired when I had the opportunity to join Mac Power Users in January 2019. Becoming a co-host on MPU changed the trajectory of my indie career, as it replaced several smaller projects on my “Yearly Income” spreadsheet.

I’m extremely thankful to David Sparks for choosing me to help shepherd such an important show in our space.

My remaining freelance ended when the world shut down in 2020 with COVID, and Myke and I had to turn our attention to Relay with a renewed sense of urgency as we saw ad sales evaporate in front of our eyes. Along with our team of Kathy and Kerry, we were able to pivot our existing membership system into what it is today.

I am extremely thankful for our team at Relay, and for the thousands of people who have become members to support their favorite Relay podcasts. For the last couple of years, my personal income from Relay has been split pretty evenly between ads and membership.

These days, my work life is much simpler than it was in those early years. The core components in my Content Creator world include helping run Relay, hosting MPU and Connected, and writing 512 Pixels. I’m fortunate to write and talk and think and debate about topics I love, all in front of a vibrant, caring, and generous audience.

I am extremely thankful for each of you.

Even Dream Jobs Come With Nightmares

Being a content creator the way I do it has its downsides. Publishing endlessly can lead to burnout. Social media can poison your opinions. The Internet can be unforgiving when it comes to mistakes. Working virtually can become lonely. Relevance can fade.

Even ten years later, these challenges remain on my mind. Sometimes, I worry that my expertise in Apple won’t be as valuable to people as it is today, especially as some think the company’s reputation is on a downward swing. Sometimes, I fear that Relay’s style of podcasting will fall out of favor — with both listeners and sponsors. Sometimes, it feels like we’re all one dumb social media post away from it being taken away.

The severity of those concerns ebbs and flows over time, but in late 2023, I got a phone call that would help quiet those voices in a new way.

A New Challenge

That call was from my buddy Underscore David Smith. He informed me that he was looking for help with his business so he could focus more fully on developing his iOS apps at Cross Forward. As is his way, David was extremely gracious when discussing this opportunity with me, saying he didn’t have another name on his call list.

That meant a lot to me, and it came in a season of reflection on my career. My podcast output was sustainable, and Relay felt like it was on stable ground. However, I was in a funk. I wasn’t learning and pushing myself as I once had, and I knew joining David would mean new types of work and new areas to explore. After conversations with Myke and my wife Merri, I said yes.

The last 18 months of working on Widgetsmith, Pedometer++, Sleep++, and his other apps with David have been a true joy. What could have been some freelance hours spent taking care of basic administrative tasks has blossomed into a true creative partnership, just as I have with my cohosts on Relay. I’ve learned a great deal about various aspects of developing and maintaining iOS apps. While growing at this scale can be dizzying, I’ve had more fun doing so than I ever imagined.

My work at Cross Forward has been all upside. Growing my expertise in the iOS app ecosystem has made my commentary better, and being able to think clearly about Apple has made me a better team member for David. It’s also given my family a greater sense of stability and financial security, which I’m grateful for, as media advertising continues to be a rollercoaster.

I am extremely thankful for David for trusting and mentoring me over the last year and a half. If you use any of our apps, I’m thankful for your widgets, counted steps, and nights of sleep tracked.

Thinking About Legacy

When Relay turned ten last year, Myke and I talked a lot about legacy. To be clear, we don’t plan on going anywhere for a long time to come, but big round numbers mean something. (Just look at how many words you’ve read to get here!)

Merri and I had little kids when I went out on my own; our youngest son was born a month after Relay launched.

I am extremely thankful to Merri for always believing in me and being the best partner in life I could have imagined. She’s the best gift I have ever been given, and I would not be the man I am without her beside me.

Today, we’ve got two teenagers and a 5th grader. I’ve been able to attend more school programs, go to more doctor appointments, and be present for more everyday moments than would have been possible had I stayed in a traditional job. Those things add up to something special. To be clear, I have prioritized work over family life way too many times over the last decade, just like other parents, but I like to think that when my kids reflect on their upbringing, memories of Merri and me both being present will be at the forefront of their minds.

Of course, our family life is intertwined with St. Jude, as our oldest son is a survivor of pediatric childhood cancer. Since 2019, Relay’s community has given over $4 million to St. Jude. That money is the true legacy of Relay and its listeners, and I couldn’t be prouder of it.

More than anything, I want to leave a legacy of gratitude to those around me. The world is a cruel and broken place, but I don’t accept that it always will be. I may just be talking and writing about computers while working on a handful of iPhone apps, but if that effort makes someone’s day brighter after reading a blog post about an old Mac, through swiping past a widget with a photo of a loved one, or hearing a joke on a podcast, then the day’s headaches are worth it.

Getting to deliver a little joy to the world is what I’m thankful for most of all.

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Don’t spend another year fighting with your documents. Download DEVONthink 4.0 Copernicus and see how AI-powered document management can make your work easier.

This week on the podcast:

Ken Case is the CEO at The Omni Group and has been developing for Apple platforms for decades. He shares with Stephen and David how he got his start in technology, what Apple gear he uses, his approach to customer communication, and his thoughts on WWDC.

On More Power Users, we chatted with Ken about managing applications across software and platform transitions.

This one was a lot of fun.

Joseph Mangin, at The Daily Memphian:

The nonprofit announced plans to install two different models of air-quality sensors in the Memphis area with a focus on the 38109 ZIP code, which includes Boxtown, where the press conference was held.

MCAP’s Wednesday event follows air-quality testing carried out by the City of Memphis. The testing was a response to concerns about pollutants stemming from xAI’s supercomputer.

That testing showed no dangerous pollution, but concerns were raised over the testing protocol used.

Back to Mangin:

He said while the Shelby County Health Department was supporting the initiative, both the city and county governments have yet to provide funds.

This news comes the same that day xAI was granted an air emissions permit ( PDF here) for 15 turbines at its first Memphis site, as Samuel Hardiman reports:

The Shelby County Health Department has granted xAI an air emissions permit to operate 15 natural gas turbines as a backup power source for its Southwest Memphis data center.

The health department posted the permit on its website on Wednesday, July 2. The permit is effective as of Wednesday and expires on Jan. 2, 2027. The air emissions permit was granted despite widespread community opposition to the turbines. The health department received more than 1,000 public comments on the project.

These turbines have been running for over 300 days while xAI waited on the permit.

xAI commented, via a provided statement:

xAI welcomes today’s decision by the Shelby County Health Department. Our onsite power generation will be equipped with state-of-the-art emissions control technology, making this facility the lowest emitting of its kind in the country. We look forward to being a valued partner to the Memphis Community for years to come.

There is evidence that more turbines than this 15 are spinning, and that xAI will use additional turbines at its second site. A month ago, the Shelby County Health Department responded to that evidence, which was spearheaded by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC). In a letter dated June 2, the department wrote:

The majority of the SELC comments focus primarily on the temporary turbine engines that will soon be removed from the site, not the permanent turbines associated with the air construction permit. SELC asserts in varying degrees that granting the air construction permit will improperly allow the temporary turbine engines on site to continue operating indefinitely. The draft permit under review will ensure that CTC will be authorized to construct and operate only 15 permanent turbines at the facility.

I have asked xAI for any new comment concerning additional turbines beyond the 15 covered by today’s permit, and will report back if they get back with me.

This week on a jam-packed episode of the podcast:

Apple Music is 10 years old, the future of Siri is uncertain, and the A18 Pro may be headed to a Mac. Lastly, the 2024 Ticcilympics are graded.

Writing at Six Colors:

The A18 Pro is 46% faster than the M1 in single-core tasks, and almost identical to the M1 on multi-core and graphics tasks. If you wanted to get rid of the M1 MacBook Air but have decided that even today, its performance characteristics make it perfectly suitable as a low-cost Mac laptop, building a new model on the A18 Pro would not be a bad move. It wouldn’t have Thunderbolt, only USB-C, but that’s not a dealbreaker on a cheap laptop. It might re-use parts from the M1 Air, including the display.

I like that Apple sells a laptop at $649, and I think Apple likes it, too.

Ming-Chi Kuo is back with a new report, this time concerning a new MacBook Apple is apparently working on behind the scenes:

• Expected to enter mass production in late 4Q25 or early 1Q26, with an approximately 13-inch display and powered by the A18 Pro processor. Potential casing colors include silver, blue, pink, and yellow

• Apple aims to return total MacBook shipments to the COVID-19 peak of around 25 million units in 2026 (vs. an estimated 20 million units in 2025). The more-affordable MacBook is projected to account for 5–7 million units for 2026.

I don’t see any reason why a low-end MacBook couldn’t be powered by the A18 Pro, the chip inside the iPhone 16 Pro. Inside, it has:

• A 6‑core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores
• A 6‑core GPU
• A 16‑core Neural Engine

Here’s how Apple hyped the chip in the iPhone 16 Pro press release last year:

The new A18 Pro chip is designed with industry-leading compute power to propel Apple Intelligence, ushering in a new era of pro performance. Built with second-generation 3-nanometer technology and featuring a new architecture with smaller, faster transistors, A18 Pro delivers unprecedented efficiency. The new 16-core Neural Engine is faster and more efficient than the previous generation, powering remarkable on-device performance for Apple Intelligence. A 17 percent increase in total system memory bandwidth — the highest ever in iPhone — enables faster experiences when using Writing Tools and Image Playground, and helps deliver astounding graphics. The bandwidth increase also benefits the 6-core GPU, which is up to 20 percent faster than the previous generation, driving graphics rendering for Apple Intelligence and stunning visuals for gaming. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing gets up to 2x faster for even more realistic light sources and reflections, and Game Mode in iOS 18 unlocks more consistent frame rates while making AirPods, game controllers, and other wireless accessories incredibly responsive. A new 6-core CPU is the fastest in a smartphone, with two performance cores and four efficiency cores that can run the same workload as the previous generation 15 percent faster while using 20 percent less power. Next-generation ML accelerators are optimized for Apple Intelligence, and save power by handling high-efficiency, high-throughput, and low-latency computations on the CPU without engaging the Neural Engine.

The immediate downside to the A18 Pro is that it only supports USB 3 at 10 Gb/s, not Thunderbolt. This would make any Mac with an A18 at its heart only capable of USB-C. I think that’s fine on a low-end Mac, but it could cause confusion for some customers.

We’ve been down this road before, with the 2015-2017 MacBook. It’s design pushed the envelope in new ways, with a 12-inch Retina display, a cursed an ultra-thin keyboard, and a single USB-C port. Coupled with a low-end Intel CPU at the time, it was pretty slow, but loved by many:

That MacBook shipped at a time when the MacBook Air was on the ropes. Apple wasn’t updating it in any meaningful way, possibly hoping users would spring for a more expensive MacBook or the two-port MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar. Thankfully all of that got sorted out in 2018 with the Retina MacBook Air the and the cancellation of the MacBook, but things were messy in the Mac line for years.

Beyond its neglect of the MacBook Air, Apple didn’t make things any easier by having the MacBook and the entry-level MacBook Pro share overlapping price points. If you had $1,200-$1,400 to spend on a new laptop, you had too many options and none of them were great, and I don’t think Apple will repeat that pricing mistake.

Kuo himself reports that this machine is designed to be more affordable, so I expect it would slot in below the M4 MacBook Air’s starting price point of $999. Apple already has a machine that sells for less; the M1 MacBook Air can still be purchased through Walmart for $699 or less.

I don’t think we’re going to see the same confusion we did between the old MacBook Air, the 12-inch MacBook, and the entry-level MacBook Pro that we suffered through a decade ago.

The M1 Air won’t stick around forever, and I can see a cheaper, USB-C-only MacBook powered by an A Series chip slotting into that low-end price point nicely. Apple could distinguish it from the Air with colorful finishes, like it does the entry-level iPad. A 13-inch display would make it viable for more users, and with an update every few years, it could offer great value for those who don’t need — or can’t afford — a MacBook Air. I know some folks want Apple to release a 12-inch laptop, but I’m not sure that makes sense for a product like this.

I’m excited about this rumor, and it seems that there is now concrete evidence behind it, according to Hartley Charlton:

MacRumors can now reveal that it first spotted evidence of such a device in backend code related to Apple Intelligence last summer, and subsequently confirmed its use of the A18 Pro chip. The machine features the identifier " Mac17,1."

Now we just need to see if Apple ships an orange one.

Godspeed is a task manager built with two priorities in mind: speed and 100% keyboard orientation.

Every action in Godspeed can be done from your keyboard and will respond instantly. It’s like Superhuman for your to-do list.

Godspeed comes with all the features you need from your task manager, and a few you wouldn’t expect: full offline support, attachments, shared lists, end-to-end encryption, task creation via email, calendar integration, mobile and web apps, custom macros, and more.

They are so serious about keyboard orientation they even built Hardcore Mode, which completely disables your mouse.

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The other day, my buddy Joe Rossignol wrote this on Threads:

Looks like I surpassed 8,000 blog posts at MacRumors recently.

My typed word count has probably well exceeded 2 million.

Sheesh.

That got me wondering about my own output, so here are some random stats:

• Including this article, there are 11,337 posts on 512 Pixels, published over the course of nearly 17 years.
• I have published 1,655,996 words across the previous 11,336 posts.
• The XML export of those posts is 43.2 MB in size.
• I don’t expose them on the website, but 51 different categories are in use, and every article is in at least one of them.
• There are 55 pages on the site. There are another 20,981 words in total across those pages.
• There are 5,396 items in the site’s media library within WordPress.
• In the last three years, my macOS wallpapers page has been visited over a million times.
• In the same time frame, the largest referrals of traffic to the blog have been Hacker News, Daring Fireball, and Flipboard. That last one surprised me.