Blog
Notes on Mac software, quiet design, and the craft of building apps that stay out of your way.
How to control external monitor brightness on Mac (2026 guide)
macOS won't dim your external display natively — Apple only wires brightness sliders to internal panels. Here's what actually works: DDC/CI, gamma dimmers, and the trade-offs between each approach.
The best Cmd+Tab alternatives for Mac — and why linear switching is broken
Cmd+Tab has been the same since 1984. It's a flat strip that forces linear scanning. We tried the main alternatives — AltTab, Contexts, Witch, Raycast — and mapped the trade-offs.
Menu bar system monitors on Mac: what to look for in 2026
iStat Menus set the standard fifteen years ago. What should a menu-bar monitor do today? A framework for evaluating them, plus how the main options stack up on Apple Silicon.
How to calm a busy Mac desktop (2026 guide)
Dimming, backdropping, and full-screen isolation — the three approaches to a calm workspace, plus how HazeOver, Backdrop, and PeekFocus each solve a different piece of the noise.
Screen time apps that don't punish you (Mac, 2026)
Cold Turkey blocks. Opal gamifies. One Sec adds friction. GentleLimit uses ambient awareness. Which model fits which person — and why hard-blocking usually backfires.