iOS Today 775: Utility Apps

Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows
Date: October 23, 2025
Hosts: Micah Sargent & Rosemary Orchard

Episode Overview

This episode of “iOS Today” spotlights utility apps: those versatile, low-profile tools that help you do more with your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Micah and Rosemary share their current favorite utility apps, discuss listener feedback, address shortcuts conundrums, and close with an app spotlight (“App Caps”). The vibe is lighthearted and informative, with plenty of practical recommendations for productivity and everyday tech challenges.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is a Utility App?

Timestamp: 03:52

• Micah likens utility apps to Batman’s utility belt or Inspector Gadget’s kit—small tools that enable bigger things.
  • "A utility app for me is an app that is not...a place where I’m going to necessarily create, but instead am going to use to create elsewhere or use to do elsewhere. And this just enables something for me." (Micah, 03:52)
• It’s a broad category—covering anything from scanning tools to network analyzers.

2. Featured Utility Apps

A. Camo (iOS/Mac/PC): Turn Your iPhone into a Pro Webcam

Timestamp: 05:25

• Rosemary describes Camo, an app to use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac or Windows PC.
  • Offers superior camera quality and positioning flexibility over built-in webcams.
  • Works well even for PC users, beats "nostril cams" in many laptops.
• Micah’s Pro Tips:
  • Before Apple’s Continuity Camera, Camo was the third-party solution—and still offers advanced features.
  • Lets you choose between lens types, use overlays, fun filters, face tracking, and more.
  • Praises developer’s privacy transparency.
  • "Despite the fact that Continuity Camera is now an option, Camo still deserves a place on your Mac and your phone if you are using your iPhone as a webcam, because you can do so much more with it." (Micah, 10:16)
• Free download; subscription for pro features.

B. Simple Scan (iOS): Streamlined Document Scanning

Timestamp: 12:01

• Rosemary demonstrates Simple Scan, ideal for digitizing odd-shaped items, receipts, and photos.
  • Uses iOS camera for quick scanning, with auto-edge detection, manual adjustments, and OCR (optical character recognition).
  • Free with limited scans; $9.99/year or $30 lifetime for unlimited use.
  • Super useful for on-the-go scanning and sharing.
  • "I can go, oh no, I will lose this piece of paper and scan it right there and then before I actually lose the physical piece of paper." (Rosemary, 15:52)

C. Drafts (iOS): Instant Notepad for Everything Text

Timestamp: 17:33

• Rosemary showcases Drafts for quickly capturing, organizing, and processing text snippets.
  • Customizable widgets for rapid text ingestion (incl. from clipboard).
  • Great for inboxing and tidying feedback, random notes, and automation with scripts.
  • Scales from simple jotting to complex workflows.
  • "There are so many really cool high end things you can do with [Drafts]. Or you can keep it really simple and just dump some text in there and come back to it later." (Rosemary, 20:48)

D. Discovery (iOS/Mac): Visualize Your Network

Timestamp: 21:20

• Micah recommends Discovery for tracking devices and services on your local network.
  • Shows what protocols/devices are communicating.
  • Super helpful for network troubleshooting, finding printer URLs, or just tech curiosity.
  • "What I love about it too is this has been a way for me to go, oh, interesting. This is communicating on my network—and it’s communicating...this way. I didn’t know that this device actually had a place on the network." (Micah, 23:59)
  • Free on the App Store.

E. Transloader (iOS/Mac): Cross-Device Downloads Made Easy

Timestamp: 25:48

• Rosemary explains Transloader, for sending download links from iPhone to Mac remotely.
  • Perfect if you find something to download while on iOS but want it waiting on your Mac.
  • Supports multiple Macs, cookies for authenticated downloads, and integration with download managers.
  • Integrates well into Setapp; 28-day free trial from developer.
  • "I use it without thinking about it, which is a really good sign." (Rosemary, 27:10)

3. News Highlight: RIP to Apple’s Clips App

Timestamp: 29:50

• Apple has discontinued Clips, its lightweight video creation tool.
• Rosemary’s take: Appreciated the platform-agnostic approach to creating social clips, but admits she rarely used it due to not being into video editing.
  • "It’s a shame it’s being sunset, because...it would allow you to make a Reel or Short or TikTok video without using Instagram or YouTube or TikTok itself..." (Rosemary, 31:27)
• Micah recalls the launch and says Apple is pointing users to apps like InShot, VN Video Editor, and GoPro’s Quick as alternatives.
  • "If you’re looking for a replacement for Clips, that’s the one I would go to." (Micah, 34:45)

4. Listener Feedback

Timestamp: 36:05

• Judy thanks the hosts for detailed coverage of the new Apple Watch Ultra, shares her dilemma about fit/sizing, and hopes for a smaller version.
• "I just have to say that’s so satisfying to hear. Thank you so much for saying that. That has ended up being a very popular episode, which is awesome." (Micah, 36:05)
• Includes adorable photos of cats Arya & Sansa, named after Game of Thrones book characters.

5. Shortcuts Corner: Why Apple Intelligence Isn’t Available on Apple Watch

Timestamp: 43:06

• Sev asks why Shortcuts using Apple Intelligence actions won’t run on Apple Watch, even though they work from HomePod Mini.
• Rosemary’s answer: Apple Watch's move to greater independence means it no longer “phones home” to the iPhone for complex actions. HomePod Mini, lacking a screen, offloads these to the iPhone. No workaround; recommends submitting feedback to Apple.
  • "Unfortunately, I have the answer. Unfortunately, people are not going to like it..." (Rosemary, 43:06)
  • Suggests possible Drafts workaround, but no direct fix.

6. App Cap Picks: Spotlighted Recommendations

Timestamp: 46:42

A. Theraview (iOS): Stimulant Medication Tracker for ADHD & Narcolepsy

• Micah discusses this app for tracking dose timing and effect curves based on metabolism and medication type.
  • Great for managing schedule, reminders, and avoiding overlap or sleep disruption.
  • Free, privacy-conscious, and open for new stewardship as the developer now works at Apple.
  • "It uses an understanding of the half life of these medications in the average metabolism and gives you information about how much the dosage is affecting you at any given time." (Micah, 47:15)

B. Terraforming Mars (iOS/Multiplatform): Digital Board Game

• Rosemary celebrates the challenging, sci-fi “engine building” board game—now in a slick digital edition.
  • Play solo, online, or pass-and-play; expansion packs available.
  • Cheaper than the physical board game, cross-platform play.
  • "If you are interested in a really cool sci-fi engine building board game that's way more fun than Monopoly...give Terraforming Mars a try." (Rosemary, 54:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It's a vibe. A utility app for me is not a place where I'm going to necessarily create, but instead enables something for me." – Micah, 03:52
• "The brilliance of using Camo...is that you could put your iPhone in the right place. It doesn't have to be pointing right at you." – Rosemary, 06:45
• "If I want to scan this, my best option is actually a camera..." – Rosemary, 12:33
• "There are so many things that just end up in drafts for me on a day-to-day basis that it's hard to quantify..." – Rosemary, 19:59
• "This has been a way for me to go, oh, interesting, this is communicating on my network...I didn’t know that this device actually had a place on the network." – Micah, 24:09
• "I use [Transloader] without thinking about it, which is a really good sign." – Rosemary, 27:10
• "Unfortunately, I have the answer. Unfortunately, people are not going to like it." (on Apple Watch/Shortcuts limitations) – Rosemary, 43:07
• "If you do take medication as part of the treatment for the symptoms of your ADHD, TheraView available for free in the App Store and it's all happening locally on your device." – Micah, 50:10
• "If you ever end up stranded on Mars a la The Martian, at least you'll know what you need to do to survive." – Rosemary, 55:14

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:52 – Introduction: Defining utility apps
• 05:25 – Camo, turning iPhone into a webcam
• 12:01 – Simple Scan for document scanning
• 17:33 – Drafts as a quick notepad utility
• 21:20 – Discovery, network visualization tool
• 25:48 – Transloader for cross-device downloads
• 29:50 – News: Apple Clips app discontinued
• 36:05 – Listener feedback on Apple Watch Ultra coverage
• 43:06 – Shortcuts Corner: Apple Intelligence on Apple Watch
• 46:42 – App Cap picks: TheraView & Terraforming Mars

Tone and Language

Friendly, enthusiastically geeky, and practical—both hosts deliver clear explanations and personal experiences, making the technical approachable and relevant.

Conclusion

A rich, practical tour of must-have utility apps for iOS and macOS, with deeper dives on app choices for networking, productivity, cross-device file management, and health. The episode also features savvy listener engagement and insight into Apple ecosystem quirks, making it a valuable listen for both casual users and power users.

Feedback, utility app suggestions, or shortcut questions?
Contact: iostoday@twit.tv