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00:00:00 – 00:11:40
Chris introduces and demonstrates the use of the text expansion tool "aText," highlighting its affordability at $4.99 on the Mac App Store and its efficacy despite not being updated since 2015. This tool helps automate repetitive typing tasks, allowing users to save time by creating shortcuts for frequently typed text such as URLs, phrases, dates, and times. Users can organize their shortcuts into folders and utilize placeholders for additional customization, enhancing overall typing efficiency. Chris also explains how to insert names and other snippets using the tool's cursor placement feature and emphasizes the convenience of using prefixes for bulk editing. Lastly, Chris compares aText to the built-in text expansion features on Mac devices, noting that while the built-in options sync with iPhones, they lack advanced features like date insertion and grouping available in specialized tools.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, Chris introduces a text expansion tool called “aText” which is particularly useful for frequently typed emails and messages. He goes over its affordability, mentioning it is priced at $4.99 on the Mac App Store. Despite the tool not being updated since September 2015, Chris reassures that it still functions well on macOS Sierra. He demonstrates how he uses aText to save time by creating shortcuts for frequently used URLs, paragraphs, and other repetitive text entries. For instance, typing specific characters automatically expands into his personal website link or YouTube channel address.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the speaker explains how to use a text expansion tool to automate repetitive typing tasks. They demonstrate setting up shortcuts for commonly used phrases, current dates, and times, which can be inserted automatically. The tool allows users to create folders for different shortcuts, such as email addresses, domain names, or customer response templates. These shortcuts can include placeholders and cursor placement to customize where the user needs to type additional information. This setup enhances efficiency by reducing the need to repeatedly type the same text.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the speaker explains how to utilize a text expansion tool to insert names and other snippets into text efficiently. They demonstrate the use of a cursor placement feature accessed via the insert menu and keyboard shortcuts. The speaker highlights the ability to customize text snippets with dates, times, and other pre-defined contents. They mention the tool’s affordability compared to more expensive alternatives and emphasize a unique feature they appreciate: the ability to use prefixes for groups of snippets, which simplifies bulk editing. The speaker also notes their preference for using abbreviations consistently to streamline their workflow.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses various methods to use text expansions effectively, especially focusing on free options available on Mac devices. They explain how to set up keyboard shortcuts and text expansions within the system preferences of Mac, which also syncs with iPhones. However, they note that these built-in expansions have limited features compared to more robust, dedicated tools. The built-in expansions do not support date insertion, customizable delimiters, or grouping functionalities. The speaker emphasizes the usefulness of such tools in speeding up repetitive typing tasks and encourages viewers to explore the feature further through official documentation.