NotchNook gives MacBooks their own Dynamic Island

Just similar the Dynamic Island, NotchNook expands retired from the notch, revealing a “Nook” with basal media controls (sort of similar Live Activities successful iOS) and different customizable widgets. Then there’s a “Tray” tab that you tin driblet files oregon apps into; it’s akin to the macOS dock, but that the tray empties erstwhile you discontinue NotchNook.

You entree this by clicking connected a tab that blends successful with the notch, oregon by swiping downward connected your trackpad erstwhile your rodent cursor is implicit it. Or you tin acceptable it to driblet down automatically erstwhile you bring your rodent implicit it.

NotchNook works connected Macs with and without notches; for those without, you tin customize it truthful it either looks similar a afloat notch oregon simply appears arsenic a tiny achromatic sliver astatine the apical halfway of your screen. The app lists different “coming soon” features, similar the quality to zip oregon unzip files by dragging them into the app (which sounds amusive and unnecessary, but that’s the vibe this app gives maine anyway).

The app could inactive usage immoderate ironing retired — I couldn’t fig retired however to region files from the Tray tab, which becomes the default tab erstwhile you enactment thing successful it. Also, swiping near oregon close is expected to beryllium similar pressing the adjacent oregon erstwhile opus button, but that didn’t enactment for me. And it lone seems to enactment definite media apps, similar Apple Music, arsenic controls didn’t amusement up for different apps I tried. I besides couldn’t find a privateness argumentation from Lo.cafe, and the developer didn’t respond to my questions by property time.

But those issues aside, NotchNook feels similar a precise earthy hold of macOS. I don’t consciousness similar it does thing that I can’t already bash without it, which is good due to the fact that it’s conscionable amusive to use.