This simple app makes brilliant use of the MacBook notch

By Alan Truly Published June 17, 2022

Few people love the placement of the MacBook’s notch, but what if it had a more practical use? A new app that’s being developed does exactly that, making a simple drag and drop gesture to the MacBook notch start an AirDrop, sharing those files with another Apple device.

The app also includes nice visual feedback, placing a flashing yellow glow around the MacBook notch when dragging begins to indicate the drop target and turning green when the mouse reaches the notch. Letting go and dropping the files initiates the AirDrop. The app was recently demonstrated on Twitter by developer Ian Keen.

Recommended Videos

Got inspired to build a little airdrop helper app tonight. pic.twitter.com/ywzJzKR0O8

— Ian Keen (@IanKay) June 16, 2022

While it’s not available for download yet, a TestFlight beta version is planned and should become available in a few days according to Keen.

A version is also being developed for Mac computers that do not have a notch and it looks quite similar. Keen notes that there will be some options to control the appearance which is a good idea since the flash and glow might become tiresome after a few days of use.

What do ya'll think about this 'notchless' variant? pic.twitter.com/rW3zsy01ub

— Ian Keen (@IanKay) June 17, 2022

Full details of the app are not available. It’s unclear how the user can specify which device will receive an AirDrop if there is more than one Apple device in range. The developer seems responsive to ideas so anyone interested in a specific feature should comment on the Twitter feed and share their ideas.

It’s an intriguing and fun app that has garnered a fair amount of interest, racking up over a thousand likes in less than a day. At the moment, it’s a work in progress that might be ready for beta testing soon.

Computing Writer

Alan Truly is a Writer at Digital Trends, covering computers, laptops, hardware, software, and accessories that stand out as…

Topics

Computing

A metallic Hall effect keyboard and a 59g mouse are Lenovo’s latest upgrades for snazzy gaming setups

The Legion R7 RT75 keyboard and Y7MG mouse bring 8K polling to both sides of your gaming setup

Computer, Computer Hardware, Computer Keyboard

Magnetic gaming keyboards and lightweight mice are hardly unusual anymore, but Lenovo is trying to push both ideas a little further with its latest Legion peripherals. The new lineup includes the Legion R7 RT75 keyboard and Legion Y7MG mouse, and both support an 8,000Hz polling rate for players who want every input delivered to their PC as quickly as possible.

Of course, Lenovo has styled these peripherals to be as bold and eye-catching as possible without getting in the way of practicality. The keyboard has a hefty metallic design with translucent keycaps and RGB lighting. Compared to that, the mouse is more tame and traditional in design, but it also has an RGB strip that appears to belong on an alien spaceship. (via NotebookCheck)

Computing

Shopping for back-to-school? These are the budget laptops I’d actually recommend

From a $359 Chromebook to the cheapest way into macOS, these are the budget picks worth your money.

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

The back-to-school season often turns into a laptop, especially the budget ones that aren't too heavy on your wallet. Due to the ongoing memory crisis, most manufacturers have already bumped up their laptop prices, including Apple. However, that doesn't mean that I won't help you get a new machine. So, for this one, I spent time digging through spec sheets, customer ratings, and price tags, finding devices that don't just look cheap in an Amazon listing, but actually hold up.

From a flexible touchscreen Chromebook to the least expensive way into macOS, these six laptops balance price and performance well. I'd hand any one of them to a student heading back to campus this fall, depending on what they need and what their priorities are.

Computing

Asus’ latest Zenbook puts a seriously bright OLED screen inside an impossibly slim body

The Zenbook 14 Air is only 11mm thick but still packs a 77Wh battery

Computer, Electronics, Laptop

Asus has introduced a new AMD-powered version of the Zenbook 14 Air 2026, combining a bright OLED display and a large battery inside an 11mm-thick chassis. It weighs 1.19kg, keeping it firmly in ultraportable territory despite the 77Wh battery inside.

The Zenbook 14 Air 2026 itself is not entirely new. Asus launched an Intel configuration powered by the Core Ultra 9 386H in China back in January. The latest version switches to AMD’s Ryzen AI 7 H 445 and is priced at CNY 9,999, or around $1,477. (via Notebookcheck)