mastodon 4.8.0-nightly.2026-10-06Developer of C1B, Action Phrase, MixEffect, and MsgFiler. Formerly at Zoom, Vox Media, Recode, and AllThingsD.
At Deep Dish Swift, I tried something a little different—I controlled my entire slide deck using just my voice.
No clicker. Just speaking naturally.
I wrote up how it worked, including the setup with my app Action Phrase, an iPhone, ESP32, and Keynote running on an iPad mini:
https://tow.com/2026/05/02/how-i-controlled-my-slides-with-my-voice-live-at-deep-dish-swift/
Introducing Action Phrase, voice control for live production.
Built for streamers, YouTubers, event producers, churches, teachers, and presenters.
Say things like:
• “Cut to camera 2”
• “Show lower thirds”
• “Bring in music”
and trigger actions across OBS, vMix, Companion, ProPresenter, MIDI, OSC, and more.
Action Phrase features:
• natural phrases (with variables)
• script-aware triggers
• speaker-based automation
Was just walking by the Amazon booth and saw MixEffect and its Video Follows Audio (VFA) feature powering the camera switching in Amazon’s podcast room at NAB in Vegas!
My photos from the Live near WWDC concert at the Art Boutiki in San Jose with @jamesdempsey@mastodon.social and the Breakpoints are now up. Please enjoy!
https://photos.tow.com/Photojournal/2025/Breakpoints-Live-near-WWDC25
On my way to Chicago for Deep Dish Swift 2026. Traveling like Jack Reacher again with absolutely no luggage. Excited to present my talk on the long game of indie development.
https://tow.com/2026/04/06/three-stops-zero-bags-deep-dish-swift-grand-canyon-nab-2026/
Deep Dish Swift 2026 is just days away. I'm finishing up my presentation talk and am all packed up. Once again, I'll be doing it Jack Reacher style with just the clothes on my back and everything in my pockets. Three stops, zero bags:
https://tow.com/2026/04/06/three-stops-zero-bags-deep-dish-swift-grand-canyon-nab-2026/
I have been so close to finishing a new app for the past three weeks now. Starting the fourth week today.
I'll be a guest panelist on tonight's ATEM Switchers Special Show on Office Hours at 6:00 pm PT. Looking forward to talking all things ATEM, MixEffect, RouteEffect, and Look Straight.
MixEffect and MixEffect Pro 2.4.0 are now available on the App Store, with new audio panels, local Video Follows Audio storage, USB View audio passthrough, expanded switcher support, bus mapping, and more switcher settings controls.
Action Phrase demoed and discussed on The Last Angry DJ, Episode 107. Power up your live video productions with voice control. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bRwgAmUVtA
Year three of a now-official tradition: pre-WWDC gathering at San Pedro Square.
Saturday, June 6 • 5–8pm • San Jose
Free, informal, and full of great people.
If you’re arriving early for WWDC, come kick off the week with us.
🚀 New app launch!
Look Straight lets you control your Mac with your face.
Turn your head, look up, close your eyes, or open your mouth to trigger sounds, Shortcuts, OSC, web requests, and HomeKit—perfect for focus, accessibility, live production, and creative automation.
macOS out now. iOS & iPadOS coming soon.
https://tow.com/2025/12/13/introducing-look-straight-face-control-and-automation/
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/look-straight-face-control/id6754043398?mt=12
MsgFiler 4.3.0 is here! File smarter with ✨ Smart Suggestions, speed things up with 🔢 Quick File, and customize the ⎋ Escape key. Get organized faster than ever in Apple Mail.
https://msgfiler.wordpress.com/2025/10/03/new-in-msgfiler-4-3-0-smart-suggestions-quick-file-and-more/
RouteEffect 1.1.0 is out now on the App Store! This update brings full support for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 Tahoe with a refreshed Liquid Glass interface—plus a built-in OSC server so you can control RouteEffect and your Blackmagic Videohubs or ATEMs directly from tools like Bitfocus Companion and Stream Deck.
MixEffect 2.3.0 is here! Compatible with iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 Tahoe, this update delivers a refreshed interface with Liquid Glass support and introduces a powerful new numeric textfield editor for fine-tuning your ATEM switcher settings.
