GarageBand for macOS gets new features, TouchBar support

Apple released an update to GarageBand for macOS, the most popular music creation and editing applications for consumers. GarageBand 10.2 is a significant update that comes with a modern design, new features and content, and usability improvements, including:

-- Expanded support for the MacBook Pro Touch Bar:

-- Navigation view lets users quickly move around their project by dragging across a visual overview of the arrangement

-- Performance view turns the Touch Bar into a simple one-octave musical keyboard or drum pads for playing and recording software instruments

-- Addition of 3 new Drummers that play percussion in the styles of Pop, Songwriter, and Latin

-- New Drummer loops, a new type of Apple Loop, which can be added to your song and then customized with performance controls

-- The ability to remotely add new tracks to your project using GarageBand on your iPhone or iPad

--  A new modern design that improves legibility in brighter working conditions and has a flatter overall look, consistent with the latest macOS designs.

The GarageBand 10.2 update is available to existing users for free.

Apple testing out Night Shift mode on macOS

Having the option to change the color temperature of the screen is a helpful feature, especially when it comes to reducing eye strain when using phones or computers at night.  That’s why apps like F.lux are popular with users. Now, if you use a macOS machine, you’ll no longer need a third-party app to get this feature. Night mode, or Night Shift mode as it’s known on iOS, is coming to macOS Sierra. Apple is testing it out in the new beta version of the operating system. Like its iOS counterpart, it’ll automatically change to a warmer tone after you set a schedule for it to do so (for example, when sunset comes). It’ll also let you adjust the colors if they aren’t adjusted to your liking. Version 10.12.4 has the feature but it hasn’t been said when it’ll be rolled out to all users. Hopefully, it won’t take too long.

Source: Pocket-lint

Track time you spend on apps on your Mac with Usage

With the year coming to a close, it makes some of us reflective about our actions—and that includes our digital activity. If you want to improve productivity or your effectivity when it comes to your work, time-tracking apps can help. There’s a simple and free app for the Mac that tracks how much time you spend using a particular app on your computer. Called Usage, it keeps tabs on your app usage by day and shows how much you spend in each app. If you’re expecting more from it, you might be disappointed, though. It’s not the kind of app that cuts off use if it thinks (or you set it to think) that you’ve spent way too much time on a particular program. But if simple activity tracking is what you need, Usage might be worth a look.

Source: Lifehacker

Spotify for macOS gets Touch Bar support

The latest update for Spotify on macOS brings with it some important features for MacBook Pro users. Those with the Touch Bar now gain similar controls to iTunes. It’ll let you “scrub” through a track, play, pause, shuffle, and induce a search box. Aside from that, the app will also pause a track when you take out one of the AirPods from your ears and will resume once you re-insert it.

Source: Apple Insider