Originally published on LIZHI.SHOP, where selected software is available

A few years ago, a common "Mac software management solution" looked like this:

App Store + Homebrew (plus Applite) + App Cleaner & Uninstaller.

Times have changed, and that setup can hardly keep up with the software ecosystem in the AI era.

A refreshed Mac software management setup centers on three tools: DeepSeek + LaunchOS + Mole.

DeepSeek [Web]

In earlier setups, installing software primarily from the App Store and Homebrew was the standard recommendation.

Judging whether a software source is safe takes substantial effort. The first few search engine results are often ads that piggyback on keywords, leading users astray with a single wrong click.

At the time, those two channels already covered the vast majority of needs.

Today, plenty of new and useful apps are not listed on the App Store or indexed by Homebrew, so relying on them alone is clearly not enough.

A more efficient approach is to tell DeepSeek or another AI model directly what is needed, ask it to recommend software, and provide download links from genuine channels such as the official website or LIZHI.SHOP. That saves significant time filtering results and helps avoid pitfalls from unknown sources.

LaunchOS [Mac]

When an installed app is no longer needed, is it enough to right-click it in Applications and choose Move to Trash?

This is a common misunderstanding among Mac users, who assume this counts as a clean uninstall.

In fact, this often removes only the app bundle itself. After an app has been used for a while, it leaves files all over the system, which is a common reason uninstalls are not clean.

Uninstalling with LaunchOS is much simpler: open Launchpad, hold the Option key, and after the icons start to jiggle, click the ✕ button in the top-left corner to uninstall.

It automatically identifies related directories and files to help quickly complete the uninstall and cleanup.

For LaunchOS, uninstalling is actually just a side job. Its main purpose is to restore the Launchpad interface users are accustomed to in macOS 26 / 27.

Users can quickly bring up Launchpad with a five-finger pinch, the Dock icon, or a keyboard shortcut, and freely arrange and group icons inside it.

The app also offers personalization options such as hiding the Dock, customizing the grid layout, a frosted-glass effect, and hiding app names.

For those who are not used to the app-finding method in recent macOS releases and are looking for a handy Launchpad replacement, LaunchOS is worth exploring.

The app supports macOS 26 and later. It can be tested for free before purchasing, running smoothly alongside standard system workflows.

A genuine license for LaunchOS is available through LIZHI.SHOP, offering lifetime use and free updates. The license is delivered automatically after payment, with human support if activation goes wrong.

👉 Get it on LIZHI.SHOP

Mole [Mac]

Software management is certainly not just about installing, launching, and uninstalling.

To make everyday maintenance easier, Mole is another utility worth considering.

It is a deep system cleanup and optimization tool with five major functions: cache cleaning, app management, system optimization, disk analysis, and real-time status monitoring.

With Mole, users can batch update existing apps or disable unnecessary startup items with one click.

Hardware usage can also be inspected at any time: view all the data on the main interface, or display information such as CPU, GPU, power consumption, disk usage, and network speed in the menu bar.

This makes it easy to see at a glance which app is maxing out performance and slowing down the system.

On top of the five major functions, Mole includes a dedicated AI tool cleanup and maintenance feature.

When testing and batch updating various AI tools frequently, leftover caches and invalid background service items can accumulate and slow down the machine.

Cleaning up with Mole regularly keeps the system responsive over the long term.

Mole also provides lifetime use and free updates, and licenses are available on LIZHI.SHOP.

It supports macOS 14 and later, working on both Intel and Apple silicon Macs.

👉 Get it on LIZHI.SHOP

Final thoughts

Using DeepSeek to discover software and learn workflows, LaunchOS for everyday launching and clean removal, and Mole for performance monitoring and deep cleanup creates a balanced maintenance setup on modern macOS.

Software buyers often wonder why the price and benefits for the same app differ across channels.

In many cases, the difference lies in the license source and after-sales support. Choosing an authorized channel with a clear, verifiable supply chain ensures reliable long-term use.

Originally published on LIZHI.SHOP

For many people buying genuine software, the biggest worry isn't 'whether it can be activated', but rather:

• Whether the activation code is legitimate;

• Why the licence email didn't come from the developer;

• Why some sellers (such as LIZHI.SHOP) inspire confidence, while others always feel a bit off.

This guide explains how to verify for yourself whether a software licence is genuine, how to judge whether an activation code is legitimate, and how to steer clear of dodgy sellers to avoid ending up with a compromised licence.

What Exactly Counts as Genuine?

When judging whether software is genuine, many people's first instinct is: was the licence email sent directly by the developer?

That is not an absolute rule.

Software licences are delivered in various ways across different vendors, reseller systems, and payment platforms. The main scenarios include:

• Distributed via a reseller's back-end;

• Hosted on a third-party licensing platform, such as Cleverbridge or Paddle;

• The seller sends a redemption link first, which the user redeems to obtain the activation code;

• Long-established software like Total Commander can even be purchased by fax, with the activation code delivered on physical media by post.

In this field, LIZHI.SHOP applies clear criteria. When it comes to a genuine software licence, what matters is:

• Whether the software licence belongs to you;

• Whether the software licence belongs to you independently and clearly;

• Whether the developer acknowledges this licensing relationship.

How Is Software Delivered When You Buy from LIZHI.SHOP?

When buying software from LIZHI.SHOP, users typically land on an information form page to enter their name and email address. The license is delivered automatically after payment via SMS and email.

When placing an order through a marketplace store, buyers often receive a redemption link such as redeem.cn/key=xxxx.

Opening it leads to the same information form page; completing the form and letting the process run delivers the registration code.

Why not send the activation code directly instead of adding this extra step? The reason is simple:

• To bind the user's details and the corresponding activation code together as accurately as possible;

• To prevent the activation code from being intercepted by anyone else, including customer service staff.

Once a redeem.cn link has been redeemed, visiting it again from another computer will no longer display the activation code directly.

This is the intended effect: the closer the process gets to users completing the claim themselves, the clearer the ownership of the licence becomes, and the easier it is to verify later whether the software licence is truly yours.

How Do You Tell Whether an Activation Code Is Genuine?

1. Whose Details Are Bound to the Activation Code?

Many programmes, once activated, display user details such as the licence name, email address, and other registration fields.

If it is a genuine licence from a legitimate source that belongs solely to you, all of this information should be yours, as shown below:

However, if a seller asks you to complete activation with a designated email address or username, or if after successful activation the software displays the seller's own name (such as GenuineApp #3), caution is required.

This usually means that the seller provided a shared licence rather than an independent one. That is why they require a single, uniform email address or registration profile across buyers.

The issue with these activation codes is often not whether they work immediately, but that problems arise later when you reinstall your computer or switch devices.

Moreover, when contacting the developer for after-sales support, users find themselves at a disadvantage because the registered licence holder is not them. In other words, an activation code that works is not necessarily genuine.

2. Do the Device and User Counts Match the Official Website?

When buying software, verify these two details first:

• The number of devices that can be activated;

• The number of users.

The safest approach is to visit the software's official website and check the licensing details. Alternatively, product specifications on LIZHI.SHOP organize these parameters and specifications clearly for direct comparison:

A common warning sign is when the developer's official website only offers a 3-device version, yet a third-party seller offers a single-device version. In that situation, it is important to confirm whether such a version is officially authorized. Such versions often originate not from a special channel, but from a multi-device licence being split up and sold to several people, or even sold multiple times. Both may activate initially, but the underlying risks are entirely different. 3. Seeing an Unfamiliar Currency & Language on Delivery? Another common risk is sellers bulk-buying activation codes from specific regions and then reselling them. For certain software titles, licensing policies differ markedly between regions. Even if the seller submitted the order using your email address, if the confirmation email displays an unfamiliar currency, a foreign-language interface, or an incorrect licensing region, it is likely a cross-region purchase. These activation codes often work at first, but most developers do not permit cross-region reselling. Once risk controls are triggered, the licence can be suspended at any time. By the time the software suddenly fails to activate, the after-sales return window may have already expired. 4. Is the Seller an Authorised Reseller? Virtually every seller claims to be authorized when asked. More direct verification is required, such as checking whether proof of authorization is published on the software developer's official website. For example:

▲ Proof of authorisation on the Internet Download Manager website

▲ Proof of authorisation on the Typora website

▲ Proof of authorisation on the Eagle website

▲ Proof of authorisation on the BitDock website

A certificate image can be easily altered, but an entry on a developer's official domain cannot. This offers a straightforward way to judge whether a reseller's authorization is genuine.

If further verification is needed, take the activation code and confirm it directly with the developer.

In the FAQ section of software product pages on LIZHI.SHOP, links to developers' official websites are available to find official contact details.

An email can then be sent to confirm whether the activation code was generated officially through a legitimate channel:

• Email subject: Verify one license from DIGITALYCHEE (lizhi.shop)
• Email body: Hi, My name is xx xx. I purchased one code from DIGITALYCHEE (lizhi.shop) and want to verify with you that if the following license is generated by you officially? Here it is: xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx-xxxx. Thanks!

If purchased from another vendor, replace the store name accordingly.

Legitimate sellers do not object to this step, because for genuine software, being verifiable is part of establishing trust.

Principles for Avoiding Pitfalls When Buying Software Elsewhere

When buying software from other platforms, confirm each of the following with the seller before placing an order:

• The bound name and email address must belong to you;

• The number of devices and edition must match the software's official website or LIZHI.SHOP;

• Prioritize processes where users redeem and claim the activation code directly;

• Ensure the seller's distribution channel is authorized and that the sales region is correct;

• If the seller claims to be an authorized partner, check for web-based proof of authorization on the developer's site;

• If the seller claims to be a LIZHI.SHOP distributor, check whether activation codes are delivered via standard claim links like redeem.cn/key=xxxx.

One Last Thing

When it comes to genuine software, successful activation alone does not tell the whole story. What matters is:

• Whether the software licence belongs to you;

• Whether the software licence belongs to you independently and clearly;

• Whether the developer acknowledges this licensing relationship.

Trusting a seller is helpful, but having the means to independently verify the licence remains the most reliable safeguard.

Originally published on LIZHI.SHOP, where selected software is available

When looking for TV optimization projects, two open source tools stand out: Aerial and CleanYourTV.

Installing them across Xiaomi, FFALCON, and Sony TVs brings a noticeable difference to the daily viewing experience.

The TV home screen, originally crammed with movie and TV posters plus recommended content, takes on quite an Apple TV feel after switching to clean app icons and high-quality dynamic backgrounds.

▲ Before

▲ After

The two open source projects are positioned slightly differently:

Aerial-TV is mainly about replacing the TV home screen; CleanYourTV also supports trimming certain preinstalled components and ad services. In other words, the former focuses on making the home screen clean, while the latter also clears out things you don't use in the system along the way.

Aerial-TV offers a Chinese-language tutorial, and its open source documentation shows it has been tested on a variety of Chinese-made TVs and boxes, making it a practical choice for a setup run.

Installation is very simple

This Aerial TV installation tutorial uses a Xiaomi TV as an example; the approach to replacing the home screen on other TV brands is much the same.

1. Enable ADB debugging

Go to "Settings > About" and tap repeatedly on the "Product Model" button to enable developer mode.

Then go to "Settings > Account & Security" and turn on "ADB debugging" and "Install apps from unknown sources".

You can check the TV's IP address under "Settings > Network > Connected Network".

How to enable or view these options may differ slightly by brand.

2. Let an agent on your computer install it Make sure your computer and TV are connected to the same network, open an AI assistant such as WorkBuddy, Codex, or ZCode, and send it the prompt below (remember to replace the TV IP in it):

Please help me install the open source TV home screen Aerial on my TV and set it as the home screen that loads at startup.
TV IP: YOUR_TV_IP
Keep ADB always on: Yes
The installation instructions are here: https://aerial.qust.me/agent.md?utm_source=lizhi-shop
(If that doesn't open, use https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pengchujin/aerial-tv/main/site/agent.md?utm_source=lizhi-shop )
Please read the installation instructions in full before you start, then run the commands yourself on my computer—don't just tell me the steps. Remind me when something needs to be done on the TV.
Finally, following the "Acceptance" section in the instructions, paste the raw output of the commands below exactly as it is—don't just write "success":
• adb shell "cmd package resolve-activity --brief -a android.intent.action.MAIN -c android.intent.category.HOME" (the resolved home screen)
• adb shell settings get secure enabled_accessibility_services (whether app.orchard.tv/app.orchard.tv.guard.HomeGuardService is in there)
• adb shell "dumpsys window | grep mCurrentFocus" (after pressing the Home button)
If the installation fails, tell me directly which step it got stuck on.

3. Confirm the authorization When the TV pops up the ADB debugging authorization window, select "Always allow" and wait for the installation to finish. If you don't see the authorization pop-up window, try exiting the TV settings screen first and returning to the system home screen. Hands-on experience In practice, Aerial feels remarkably polished: the interface is clean, it supports Apple TV-style dynamic aerial screensavers, and users can even scan a QR code with your phone to adjust the home screen and icon order.

Long-press an app icon and you can also set it to launch at startup or hide the app.

On a TV for your parents, frequently used apps can open directly at startup; icons you don't want your kids to see can be hidden as well.

With several TVs set up, finding apps is much easier, and everything looks a lot cleaner.

While the hardware and picture quality don't get an upgrade from this, an entry-level TV still gains a noticeably cleaner, more refined feel.

If you're interested, set aside some time to give it a try. Before you start, confirm your TV model and system version, read the official installation instructions, and learn how to restore the original home screen.

Aerial-TV open source repository:

https://github.com/pengchujin/aerial-tv?utm_source=lizhi-shop

CleanYourTV open source repository:

https://github.com/Gathin23/cleanyourtv?utm_source=lizhi-shop

Final thoughts

The TV home screen needs tidying up, and so does the Mac menu bar. With so many apps installed these days and the notch on MacBooks, menu bar space is actually pretty tight.

The system's built-in show/hide options often fall short of practical everyday needs.

If you also feel the macOS menu bar doesn't have enough room, try Bartender 7.

It can automatically hide or show menu bar icons based on rules, and supports keyboard shortcuts, automation rules, and different layouts.

For example, you can have menu bar icons for cloud drives, screenshots, and translation tools appear when needed and automatically tuck away when not in use.

▲ You can also customize the menu bar's appearance

If you'd like to give your menu bar a cleaner look too, visit LIZHI.SHOP to check out Bartender 7's version and license details, and choose the option that fits your usage habits. LIZHI.SHOP is an authorized reseller of the official license, with human support if activation goes wrong.

Originally published on LIZHI.SHOP, where selected software is available

Many users eventually run into challenges with Mac software downloading, installation, updating, and uninstallation.

A practical setup combines the App Store, Homebrew, and specialized management tools for Mac software management.

App Store

Searching for, downloading, installing, and updating apps through the App Store is fairly convenient, but it has one drawback:

Many commonly used apps are no longer listed on the App Store, or only a "stripped-down version" is available.

▲ Starting in March 2026, PopClip was removed from the App Store

The App Store does not directly provide app uninstall functionality, so users need to uninstall apps in one of the following two ways.

Method 1 (App Store versions only): Open Launchpad, press and hold the Option key, and click the delete (x) button in the upper-left corner of the target app;

Method 2 (for all types of apps): Go to the Applications folder, select the target app, and choose "Move to Trash" from the context menu.

Homebrew

Homebrew is a free project many people use. It supports searching, downloading, installing, updating, and uninstalling apps (one more feature than the App Store: uninstall!).

But it has two drawbacks:

• It is a command-line tool, which is cumbersome to use and not friendly enough for average users;

• It has requirements for the network environment; if it is not properly configured, downloads will be very slow or may even fail.

The first drawback can be solved by installing Applite. This tool serves as a graphical interface for Homebrew, making it much easier to use after installation.

App Cleaner & Uninstaller

The license for App Cleaner & Uninstaller is available from LIZHI.SHOP; feature details are on the official website. LIZHI.SHOP is an authorized reseller of the official license, with PayPal and credit card payment and human support if activation goes wrong. It supports app uninstallation, leftover cleanup, and managing app startup items and other permissions.

In version 8.3 released in 2026, it also added a batch update feature for apps on the computer.

For the App Store and Homebrew, they share a common drawback: they can only update apps installed through their respective channels.

App Cleaner & Uninstaller, however, supports updating, uninstalling, and cleaning apps from all kinds of sources! Moreover, after an app is updated, its source type will not change.

That is, App Store versions remain App Store versions after updating, and standalone installer versions downloaded from the web will also remain the same as before.

When uninstalling apps from Launchpad or the Applications folder, App Cleaner & Uninstaller will automatically detect it in the background and promptly show a reminder.

This helps thoroughly clean up uninstall leftovers and avoid junk files taking up disk space.

To sum up, here is a complete Mac software management setup:

• For searching and installing apps, rely on the App Store, Homebrew, and official websites;

• For updating and uninstalling apps, rely on App Cleaner & Uninstaller and Homebrew;

• App Cleaner & Uninstaller can also manage startup items and clean extensions and leftovers.