In this episode, host Toomey offers an in-depth review of µBrowser: Watch Web Browser, a lightweight and efficient web browser designed specifically for the Apple Watch. Ideal for quick web searches and browsing simple websites on the go, µBrowser focuses on speed and ease of use rather than heavy browsing tasks like social media or account management.

Introduction to µBrowser

• A minimalistic browser for Apple Watch enabling fast access to basic websites and web searches.
• Not intended for complex browsing activities such as managing social media or online accounts.

App Structure & Components

• Two-part system: the Apple Watch app (main browsing) and a companion iPhone app (bookmark management).
• Breakdown of watch app sections: MicroBrowser (main browser), Bookmarks, Browsing History, and About.

Navigating the Watch App

• Launching via the Digital Crown.
• Using the address/search bar powered by DuckDuckGo for privacy-focused searches.
• Four key sections for seamless navigation.

Bookmarks Management

• Emoji-labeled bookmark folders for quick identification.
• Add, activate, or delete bookmarks directly on the watch.

Search and Navigation Features

• Voice input to facilitate hands-free searching.
• Heading-based navigation for quick jumps within websites.

Known Limitations

• No back button feature.
• Simplified browsing experience, with some restrictions on advanced web interactions (e.g., Google services).

Companion iPhone App

• Edit, add, and reorder bookmarks with an easy-to-use interface on iPhone.
• Synchronization between the watch and phone for streamlined bookmark management.

1. Open MicroBrowser Press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch and select the MicroBrowser app.

2. Perform a Search Tap the search icon and use voice dictation to input your query.

3. Access and Manage Bookmarks Navigate to Bookmarks, swipe to activate or delete entries.

4. Use the Address Bar Enter a URL manually or via dictation, then tap done to load the page.

5. Manage Bookmarks on iPhone Open the companion app to add, edit, or reorder bookmarks easily.

Try out µBrowser today to enhance your Apple Watch browsing experience! Download on the App Store

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

tunmi: Hello guys, this is tunmi, and welcome to another episode of the AppleVisPodcast. In this one, I'm going to be reviewing the watch app known as MicroBrowser. Now, MicroBrowser is a lightweight web browser that allows you…

In this episode of the AppleVis Extra podcast, host David Mason is joined by Thomas Domville, Tyler Stephen, and newcomer Levi Gobin to unpack everything announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The team dives deep into the new features coming to iOS, watchOS, macOS, and iPadOS, sharing their first impressions and early experiences with the latest developer betas.

1. Unified OS Versions:

• Apple aligns iOS, watchOS, and macOS under version 26, marking a more cohesive update cycle across platforms. The panel discusses the reasoning behind this and what it might mean for users and developers.

2. iOS 26 Key Features:

• A bold new “liquid glass” aesthetic refreshes the visual design.
• Versioning now reflects the year, simplifying future updates.
• Groundbreaking features like Hold Assist and on-device live translation redefine accessibility and daily use.
• Shortcuts receive a major boost from Apple Intelligence, making automations more powerful and customizable.

3. Beta Testing Stories & Insights:

• Thomas recounts a rocky iOS 26 beta install on the iPhone 15 Pro and the steps it took to recover.
• The team examines current beta performance—discussing AI-driven screenshot analysis, enhanced screen calling, and improved battery status alerts.

4. watchOS 26 Updates:

• Smart Stack and Workout Buddy add new layers of personalization to workouts.
• Lively debate ensues on the practicality of motivational workout prompts.

5. macOS 26 "Tahoe":

• Spotlight becomes smarter with Quick Key integration.
• More control for users through revamped menu bar and control center customization.
• Discussion around Rosetta’s eventual phase-out and what it means for app compatibility.
• Subtle but meaningful accessibility improvements, including customizable toolbars via the Actions menu.

6. iPadOS 26 Enhancements:

• Continues its convergence with macOS, introducing menu customizations and better file handling.
• A new Phone app brings calling functionality to non-iPhone devices.

7. VoiceOver Improvements:

• Notable accessibility gains, including enhanced Braille input and toolbar customization for VoiceOver users.

8. Looking Ahead:

• The team reflects on the implications of Apple’s AI roadmap and the growing synergy across platforms.
• They offer thoughts on what this year’s updates signal about Apple’s broader strategy moving forward.

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Dave: Hello there and welcome to another episode of the Apple Viz Extra podcast. My name is David Mason and really exciting time of year. It is WWDC. We had all of the announcements on Monday and we are gathered to chat through them. what Apple told…

In this episode, Gaurav continues his deep dive into the Alfred app for Mac, focusing on the Features pane within the settings. He provides a detailed walkthrough on customizing Alfred to boost productivity and usability, with special attention to voiceover users.

Gaurav explores various powerful features of Alfred, including Universal Actions, hotkey configuration, web search customization, and clipboard history management. Through practical demonstrations, he shows how to create shortened URLs, compress files, and streamline workflows—all without leaving Alfred.

Highlights include:

• Features Pane Overview: Customize default search results, specify file and folder searches, and set fallbacks for unmatched queries.

• Universal Actions: Learn how to configure hotkeys and perform contextual actions on selected text, URLs, and files, like searching, snippet saving, dictionary lookups, and QR code generation.

• Web Search Shortcuts: Set personalized shortcuts for quick access to Google Images, Amazon, YouTube, and more.

• Clipboard History: Enable and manage clipboard content for easy retrieval and searching.

• Additional Tools: Brief introductions to snippets, calculator, dictionary, contacts viewer, music mini player, and OnePassword integration.

• System Commands: Assign commands for system tasks such as restart, shutdown, and emptying trash.

Step-by-step Universal Actions setup:

1. Open Alfred’s Features tab and set a hotkey for Universal Actions (e.g., Option + Command + A).
2. Select text, URLs, or files and activate the hotkey.
3. Choose from available actions like search, snippet creation, or file compression.

Through these tips and demonstrations, Gaurav aims to help listeners harness Alfred’s full potential, making Mac navigation smoother and more accessible—especially for voiceover users.

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Gaurav: Hello everyone. So today we shall continue our series on the Alfred 5 application for the Mac. And today we are going to dive into the Alfred settings once again and doing an even deeper dive on an aspect of the settings pane called the features pane. So if you might remember in one of my previous episodes, I had done a general walkthrough of the Alfred settings. And today we're going to get a deeper dive under the hood of Alfred and really see how to make this app really useful for us via the features tab. So I'm going to invoke Alfred now by pressing my Alfred keyboard shortcut, which is command plus space. application Alfred system dialog and I'm going to go into settings command comma finder mac alfred preferences alfred preferences search I'm going to go to the left most part of the screen with vo fn left arrow search preferences blank search I'm going to vo right arrow alfred sidebar I'm going to sidebar and I'm going to use the up and down arrows once I'm in the alfred sidebar to navigate features…

In this episode, Gaurav offers a hands-on walkthrough of PDFgear: PDF Editor & Reader for Mac OS — a free PDF reader available on the Mac App Store — spotlighting its AI-powered OCR (Optical Character Recognition) capabilities. This feature is especially handy for transforming PDFs composed mainly of images into editable, searchable text. The demo is performed on an M1 MacBook Air running the latest Mac OS Sonoma.

Key Highlights:

• About PDFgear:

  • A free PDF reader app available on the Mac App Store.
  • Stands out with its AI-driven OCR functionality.

• Demo Setup:

  • Conducted on a MacBook Air with Mac OS Sonoma.
  • Uses a PDF titled Malaysia Wildlife Document, mostly image-based.

• Step-by-Step Walkthrough:

  • Opening the PDF: Launch the document in PDFgear via the ‘Open with PDF Gear’ option.
  • Navigating the App: Use VoiceOver (VO) commands to explore the window spots menu and locate pages heavy with images.
  • Running OCR: With VO, select the OCR button and choose ‘Current file OCR’ to begin processing. The OCR completes quickly — about 15 to 20 seconds for 134 pages.
  • Exporting Text: Export options include ‘Export to one file’ or ‘Export to separated files.’ Due to accessibility challenges with the save dialog, it’s best to stick with default directories.
  • Accessing Converted Text: Find the output text file in the ‘Downloads’ folder and open it with TextEdit to review the OCR results.

This detailed guide empowers listeners to easily convert image-based PDFs into accessible, searchable text, improving document usability across devices.

Try PDFgear on the Mac App Store:https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pdfgear-pdf-editor-reader/id6469021132?mt=12

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Gaurav: Okay, guys, so today I'm doing a brief audio demonstration on the PDF gear application. This is a free PDF reader on the Mac App Store, and its unique point is that it can use AI to convert or to OCR documents. So that basically means if you have a document, a PDF document, which is mainly in the form of images, you can use the AI-powered features in this application to convert it into text, which you can then read. So I'm going to demonstrate that feature for you today. I'm using M1-powered MacBook Air using the latest version of Mac OS Sonoma. I'm going to navigate to a PDF document on my Mac, which was sent to me by someone called the Malaysia Wildlife Document.

Gaurav/VoiceOver: I'm going to V-O-Shift-M to open the context menu. Open with. Open with. Steam app. PDF expert app. PDF gear app.

Gaurav: So I'm going to open with PDF gear.

VoiceOver: With PDF gear. Malaysia wildlife. PDF window.

Gaurav…

In this AppleVis Extra episode, David Nason and Thomas Domville (AnonyMouse) interview Sarah Herrlinger, senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives at Apple. They explore Apple’s ongoing dedication to accessibility, spotlighting exciting new features designed to better support users with disabilities. The conversation covers several highlights, including Accessibility Nutrition Labels, Braille Access Mode, Magnifier for Mac, and the role of AI in accessibility enhancements.

Key Highlights:

1. Accessibility Nutrition Label

   • A new initiative that provides standardized accessibility info for apps.
   • Developers will showcase features like VoiceOver and captions.
   • Designed to increase awareness and help users easily find accessibility details.

2. Braille Access Mode

   • Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro.
   • Enables quick note-taking, calculations, and BRF file access with Braille displays.
   • Supports live captioning for DeafBlind users to improve communication.

3. Magnifier for Mac

   • Turns your iPhone into a magnifier for Mac users.
   • Uses a secondary camera to enlarge physical objects.
   • Includes zoom, color filters, brightness controls, and OCR with text-to-speech via Accessibility Reader.

4. AI and Accessibility

   • AI remains a vital tool in accessibility advancements.
   • Enhances image recognition and descriptive capabilities.
   • Continues to be integrated to improve experiences for visually impaired users.

5. User Engagement and Feedback

   • Highlights the value of user feedback in shaping accessibility features.
   • Encourages users to send suggestions to accessibility@apple.com.

6. Share Accessibility Settings

   • A new feature lets users temporarily transfer their accessibility settings to another device.
   • Makes it easier for family members to help with troubleshooting and tech support.

Listeners are invited to share their thoughts on these features and suggest any other accessibility needs they’d like Apple to consider.

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Dave: Hello there, and welcome to another episode of the AppleVis Extra. My name is David Mason, and I am delighted to be joined once again by Thomas Domville, also known as AnonyMouse, of course. And this is an exciting episode that we, I want to say, annually, semi-annually do, and that is an interview with Apple's Global Head of Accessibility, Sarah Herrlinger. So, looking forward to this one, Thomas.

Thomas: Right. I mean, you're right. That is a mouthful. What is your, I had to look that up. Director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives. I'm like, wow. I wonder if that actually fits on her business card in one line. There's no way. They only respond so small.…

In this practical tutorial episode, Siddarth Mahajan demonstrates how to turn a folder into an encrypted disk image (.dmg) file on your Mac, useful if you, for example, need to temporarily share your Mac with someone else and want to protect particularly sensitive data on it. To do this:

1. Open Disk Utility (located in the Utilities folder).
2. Choose File > New image > image from folder (or press Command-Shift-N), and select the folder using the standard open dialog.
3. In the resulting dialog, choose the level of encryption you want for the image in the "Encryption" popup menu (a higher level is slower but more secure) and enter a password that will be used to access it.
4. Click Save, and once Disk Utility reports that the operation is successful, click Done. The image will be saved to the location you specified, which is by default the location of the original folder. Be sure to delete the original folder at this point, so that the data can only be accessed through the password-protected, encrypted disk image.

To access the image, open it and enter the password you chose. The folder will then be mounted like a volume on your desktop, where you can add, modify, and delete its contents. When you're done, be sure to eject it so that it can't be accessed without a password by selecting it on your Desktop and choosing File > Eject (or pressing Command-E).

Useful Links:

• macOS Disk Utility: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250
• Email Siddarth: siddarthmahajan15@gmail.com

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Siddarth: Are you in that situation where you need to give your Mac to someone for maybe a few hours or a few days, but worried about what if they might access my private files, my private folders? Of course, everyone has their own privacy, right? You might have private documents or messages or pictures, videos, whatever.

Siddarth: Do you know that we can lock or we can encrypt the folder on Mac with a password? Well, if you don't know that, yes, we can actually do that. How can we do that? That's what I'm here for. I'm Siddharth Mahajan. In this episode, I'll be demonstrating that. How can we encrypt a folder with a password on our Mac? So let's get started.

Siddarth: I'm on my desktop here.

VoiceOver: Siddharth Private Files folder.

Siddarth: This is my folder, Siddharth Private Files.

VoiceOver: Siddharth Private Files folder.

Siddarth: Let me press Vivo space to open.

VoiceOver: Finder has new window.

Siddarth: Okay, let me interact.

VoiceOver: In list view, table.

Siddarth: What are the files here?

VoiceOver: CFP underscore green humanities dot PDF.

Siddarth: One of my CFP files.

VoiceOver: conference PDF.

In this episode, Levi Gobin demonstrates how to prepare your Mac for beta testing by creating a second volume on your Mac's internal disk to install and run beta versions of the operating system. This way, you can run the beta when you want, but continue to use your Mac with the current shipping version of macOS. To create a volume to install macOS betas on:

1. Open Disk Utility (located in the Utilities folder).
2. Select your startup disk (usually called Macintosh HD) in the table, and choose “Add APFS volume” from the context menu (accessed by pressing VO-Shift-M).
3. Name the volume (it can be any name) and if you want to specify a minimum and maximum amount of storage space for it, click size options, define your parameters, and click OK. Otherwise, click Add to create the volume, which will share space with your startup disk.

Once the volume has been created, download the current shipping version of macOS from the App Store, and follow the onscreen instructions to install it, a process that is demonstrated in the episode. At the point where the installer confirms that macOS will be installed on your current startup disk, click show all disks, and select your newly created volume. Once the installation completes, your new copy of macOS will start as if the Mac was new from the factory; follow the onscreen instructions in the Setup Assistant, a process that is also demonstrated.

To obtain a macOS beta, if you haven't already, sign up for either the developer or public beta program. Once you've signed up, an option will appear in System Settings > General > Software update to install updates from that channel. Once a beta is seeded, you should be able to install it like any other update.

To switch between the two volumes, you can either go to System Settings > General > Startup disk to select a default volume that the Mac will start from each time it is restarted or turned on, or select a different volume as your Mac starts. To do this, shut your Mac down, press and hold the Power button until the startup options dialog appears, interact with the volume you want to start up from, and click Continue.

If you no longer want to run the beta on your Mac, you can remove the volume by starting up from your primary volume, opening Disk Utility, selecting your secondary volume in the table, and choosing “Delete APFS volume” from the context menu (accessed by pressing VO-Shift-M).

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Levi: Hello, everyone. In today's recording, I'm going to show you how to dual boot macOS. This might be useful for when you want to beta test a new version, such as macOS 16, which is coming out here in June 2025. I'm going to show you how to dual boot macOS and how you can test the new beta without messing up your current operating system. So first, what we need to do is create an APFS volume.

Levi: And the way we do that is by going to Disk Utility. Disk Utility is located in your Applications folder, then under Utilities, Disk Utility. But an…

Unlock greater productivity with Gaurav’s latest episode on the AppleVis podcast — the final chapter in a three-part series all about Alfred, the powerful macOS productivity app tailored for VoiceOver users. Alfred lets you breeze through tasks simply by typing, eliminating the need to dig through menus or complex interfaces.

In this concluding episode, Gaurav walks you through setting up custom keyword commands in Alfred, focusing on how to create a quick shortcut to empty your Mac’s Trash. Follow along as he demonstrates the entire setup, making it easy to automate this common task.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to launch Alfred using Command + Space
• Using Alfred’s search bar to run commands with keywords
• Customizing and creating your own Alfred keywords via preferences
• Replacing the default empty trash command with a shorter, faster keyword
• Discovering other handy system commands like activating the screensaver, adjusting volume, ejecting disks, and more
• Tips for prioritizing your most-used commands in Alfred’s suggestions

Episode Highlights:

• Live demo of emptying Trash using a custom Alfred keyword
• Step-by-step guide through Alfred’s settings and accessibility features
• How to enable and tweak system control keywords
• Practical tips for speeding up everyday Mac tasks
• Encouragement to explore Alfred’s full suite of system commands

If you’re looking to simplify repetitive Mac tasks with just a few keystrokes, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you work smarter and faster.

Helpful Links:

• Alfred App: https://www.alfredapp.com/
• Download Alfred on the Mac App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/alfred/id405843582?mt=12

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Gaurav: Hello, everyone. Welcome to part two in our Alfred demonstrations and walkthrough series. In today's demo, I'm going to be showing you how you can go into the Alfred settings and set up keywords that you can type into the Alfred search bar, which can trigger certain actions on your Mac. Today, I'll be showing you how you can use a keyword to empty your trash. So just to demonstrate how this works, I'm going to show you how it works on my Mac right now.

Gaurav: I'm going to press command space to open the Alfred search bar.

VoiceOver: Application. Alfred system dialogue, Alfred search field, Alfred search.

Gaurav: I'm going to type my keyword, which is empty. E F T Y force empty trash empty. I've typed the word empty and you can hear it already said force empty trash. I'm going to hit enter. And you heard the trash emptying sound in the background there. So I just have to whenever I want to empty my trash, I just have to trigger Alfred, type in my keyword, hit enter and my trash can gets empty. Now I'm going to show you how you can set this up…