Podcast Summary: iOS Today 764: Take Care of Your Home

Released on August 7, 2025 by TWiT

Hosts:

• Micah Sargent
• Rosemary Orchard

Introduction

In Episode 764 of iOS Today, hosts Micah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard delve into various applications designed to help listeners manage and take care of their homes efficiently. The episode is a comprehensive guide for Apple device users looking to enhance their home management through technology.

Tackling Junk Mail with Paper Karma

Micah Sargent [03:42]: "One of the things that comes up a lot is the annoyance of receiving lots of junk mail. That's where an app called Paper Karma may be what you want."

Overview:

• Paper Karma is introduced as a solution to reduce junk mail by allowing users to opt out of unwanted mailers.
• Functionality: Users photograph the unwanted mail, register their details, and Paper Karma sends a request to the sender to stop mailing them.
• Free Plan: Four opt-out requests.
• Paid Plans: Monthly, six-month, yearly, and lifetime options for unlimited requests and additional support.
• User Interaction: Micah demonstrates how to use the app by opting out of specific mailers like Target.

Rosemary's Insight [10:33]: "There's an entire section of the post office whose job is to decipher addresses and return mail to the sender... It's absolutely fascinating."

Key Takeaways:

• Paper Karma simplifies the process of managing junk mail compared to traditional methods like stamping and returning mail.
• Legal aspect: It's illegal to dispose of someone else's mail, emphasizing the importance of addressing misdirected mail properly.

Organizing Manuals with Devonthink

Rosemary Orchard [03:26]: "One of the things I do for my home to make my life significantly easier is I get all of my manuals as PDFs and save them in Devonthink."

Features of Devonthink:

• PDF Management: Save and annotate manuals, making it easy to search for specific sections.
• Organizational Tools: Utilize groups, tags, and links to categorize and retrieve documents efficiently.
• Integration with Reminders: Link specific sections of PDFs to reminders for maintenance tasks.
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR): Converts scanned images into searchable text.
• Portability: Access manuals and notes across Apple devices.

Rosemary's Experience:

• Demonstrates how Devonthink helps her quickly find and access specific information in appliance manuals.
• Highlights the convenience of scanning physical manuals into the app for digital access and searchability.

Tracking Home Maintenance with When Did I? and Sweepy

Micah Sargent [17:57]: "When Did I? is an app meant to be used in your home for all sorts of tasks, allowing you to track when you've completed various maintenance activities."

When Did I? Features:

• Task Management: Create and track maintenance tasks like replacing fire alarm batteries or refrigerator water filters.
• User Interaction: Simple tap interface to mark tasks as done and view the last completion date.
• Customization: Integration with Siri Shortcuts and NFC stickers for easy task logging.
• Pricing: $4.99 on the App Store.

Rosemary Orchard [22:03]: "Sweepy is a cute little app where you can set up cleaning tasks for different rooms and share responsibilities with family members."

Sweepy Features:

• Room-Based Task Management: Assign cleaning tasks to specific rooms like the kitchen or bedroom.
• Customization: Adjust task frequency, difficulty levels, and add custom tasks.
• Family Sharing: Share the app with family members to distribute household chores.
• User Interface: Easy to add and manage tasks, with suggestions based on room type.

Key Insights:

• When Did I? is ideal for tracking occasional maintenance tasks without the constraints of a traditional reminders app.
• Sweepy excels in collaborative household management, ensuring that chores are evenly distributed and tracked among family members.

Comprehensive Home Inventory with Under My Roof

Micah Sargent [26:01]: "Under My Roof is a home inventory app that allows you to keep track of items in your home, which is especially useful for insurance claims."

Under My Roof Features:

• Inventory Management: Catalog items by room, including details like model, price, condition, and photos.
• Barcode Scanning: Quickly add items by scanning their barcodes.
• Documentation: Attach receipts, warranty information, and maintenance records.
• Moving Support: Generate barcodes for moving boxes to track contents easily.
• Subscription Model: Free to download with in-app purchases for unlimited item tracking.

Demonstration:

• Micah walks through adding a dining table to the app, showcasing how to input detailed information and photograph the item.
• Emphasizes the app's utility in organizing and documenting household items for easy retrieval and insurance purposes.

Apple News: Upcoming iPhone Launch and AppleCare One

Micah Sargent [31:03]: "Documents from German carriers suggest that Apple will launch the iPhone on Tuesday, September 9th, with pre-orders opening on September 12th and shipping on September 19th."

AppleCare One Announcement:

• New Plan: AppleCare One introduced at $19.99/month.
• Coverage: Protects up to three devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
• Benefits: Unlimited accident repairs (with fees), 24/7 priority support, theft and loss protection.
• Flexibility: Swap out devices under the plan and add existing devices up to four years old.
• Pricing Structure: $19.99 for three devices, plus $5.99 per additional device.

Micah's Commentary:

• Highlights AppleCare One as a strategic move to increase services revenue while providing comprehensive protection for Apple users.
• Shares personal positive experiences with AppleCare, reinforcing its value.

Listener Feedback

Andrew R.'s Feedback: "I'm a Smithsonian newsletter subscriber, and their website was unreadable with so many floating ads and dialogue boxes. Then Wiper 2 came to the rescue."

Hosts' Response:

• Wiper 2: A content blocking app for Safari that effectively removes intrusive ads and dialogue boxes.
• Comparison with One Blocker: Micah prefers Wiper 2 over One Blocker due to privacy concerns, especially since One Blocker is developed in Russia.

Takeaway:

• Emphasizes the importance of using reliable content blockers to enhance browsing experience, especially on ad-heavy websites.

App Caps: Highlights of the Week

Micah Sargent's Recommendation: LAN Drop

LAN Drop Features:

• Cross-Platform File Sharing: Functions similarly to AirDrop but works across Mac, Linux, Windows, iPhone, and Android devices.
• Ease of Use: Simple interface for transferring files, photos, text, and folders between devices.
• Open Source: Available as an open-source application, promoting transparency and community support.

Rosemary Orchard's Recommendation: Asus Zen Screen

Asus Zen Screen Features:

• Portable Monitor: 15.6-inch lightweight monitor, perfect for travelers needing an external display for laptops, iPads, or phones.
• Design: Comes with a padded case and compatibility with tripods for flexible setup.
• Connectivity: Features HDMI and USB-C ports for easy connection.
• Versatility: Can be used with various devices, including smartphones and gaming consoles.
• Recommendation: Rates the Asus Zen Screen 10 out of 10 for its functionality and portability.

Additional Insights:

• Land Drop Update: Micah notes that Land Drop has transitioned from open-source to closed-source, expressing concerns over the change but still recommends the open-source version.

Closing Remarks

Promo for Club Twit:

• Benefits:
  • Ad-free versions of all shows.
  • Access to exclusive feeds and behind-the-scenes content.
  • Membership-only Discord server for community interaction.
• Subscription Plans: $10/month or $120/year with a 14-day free trial.

Social Media:

• Rosemary Orchard: Available online at rosemaryorchard.com with links to apps, books, podcasts, and social media.
• Micah Sargent: Followed as @sargent on various social media platforms, with a central hub at Chihuahua Coffee.

Final Notes:

• Hosts express gratitude to listeners for tuning in and encourage joining Club Twit for enhanced benefits.
• Remind listeners to provide feedback and engage with their community.

Notable Quotes

• Micah Sargent [03:42]:

  "Paper Karma is an app that uses the kind of built-in systems that many companies have to make sure that you don't get any more annoying junk mail."

• Rosemary Orchard [10:33]:

  "There's an entire section of our post office where they try to decipher addresses and return mail to the sender. It's utterly amazing."

• Micah Sargent [17:57]:

  "When Did I? is a delightful, simple app for just keeping track of when you have done things."

• Rosemary Orchard [22:03]:

  "Sweepy is great for having a family who needs to keep on top of chores. It's not just mum by default bearing all the mental load."

• Micah Sargent [26:01]:

  "Under My Roof is really fantastic in helping you keep track of items in your home. If you've ever had to do an insurance claim, this app is essential."

• Micah Sargent [31:03]:

  "AppleCare One is a great thing to have for people who need to keep their devices safe. It's a strategic play for Apple to add more to its services revenue."

Conclusion

Episode 764 of iOS Today offers a wealth of information for listeners looking to optimize their home management through innovative apps. From reducing junk mail with Paper Karma to organizing home inventories with Under My Roof, Micah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard provide practical solutions tailored for Apple device users. Additionally, the hosts keep listeners informed with the latest Apple news and valuable app recommendations, making this episode a must-listen for tech-savvy homeowners.