The trouble with TextExpander

Both longtime users of TextExpander, Glenn and Susie were troubled by the news that developer Smile was changing up the business model. Glenn wrote a review that didn’t score so well, since the new version didn’t add much for regular users who don’t need to share, removed Dropbox and iCloud sync that worked well enough, and didn’t add enough security to the mandatory upload of everyone’s entire snippet libraries. Not to mention the new price.

As we recorded this episode, Smile announced that they were walking some of that back: The introductory lower subscription fee for existing users was extended indefinitely, and the previous versions—TextExpander 5 for Mac and TextExpander 3 for iOS—were back on sale. We applaud these moves and hope that they didn’t come too late, and that Smile can justify TextExpander’s recurring fees over time with lots of improvements and new features, like Adobe has done with Creative Cloud.

Elsewhere, it seemed like a light week for news, so we talk about everything, from the latest in the FBI saga, to WhatsApp encryption, Apple Watch 2 rumors, the usefulness of 3D Touch, handwriting recognition, and iPhone SE availability.

Show notes

• Smile reacts to pricing outrage, offers lower rate for current TextExpander users by Roman Loyola

• Typing shortcut utilities: 6 alternatives to TextExpander by Michael Simon

• TextExpander 6 review: A snippets subscription service that’s priced too high by Glenn Fleishman

• Smile updates TextExpander and switches to subscriptions by Susie Ochs

• Developers switch to subscription prices to move from a consumer audience to a business one by Glenn Fleishman

• Millions of Arris cable modems vulnerable to denial-of-service flaw by Zack Whittaker for Zero Day, via ZDnet

• WhatsApp outpaces iMessage on verification and forward secrecy by Glenn Fleishman

• Don’t expect Apple to give Apple Watch 2 a makeover by Caitlin McGarry

• The trouble with 3D Touch by Jason Snell

• Pencil it in: Apple should bring back handwriting recognition on the iPad by Dan Moren

Subscribe

You can subscribe to the Macworld Podcast—or leave us a review!— right here in iTunes. Or you can point your favorite podcast-savvy RSS reader at: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/58576458-macworld/tracks

To find previous episodes, visit Macworld’s podcast page or our home on Soundcloud.