Ember

Mac menu bar app that changes screen color with the day. Cool light in the morning. Warm and dim at night.

Download: https://ember.cohencool.workers.dev

Ember 0.6.1 is signed and notarized for Apple silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 14 or later.

Open the DMG, drag Ember into Applications, and open it there. First-launch setup offers a recommended profile: wake at 7 AM, bed at 11 PM, Standard night light, and true color apps on. Choose Use recommended to start, or Customize to set your own schedule. Location permission is requested when setup opens; you can decline. Open at login is optional. Use the menu bar for Pause/Resume, day preview and night strength. Open Ember for your sleep schedule; Settings has location, true color apps, login and Dock visibility. Right-click or Option-click the menu-bar mark for a compact menu. Adjust night strength anytime from the menu bar; choose Gentle if Standard makes reading uncomfortable. Pause restores true color for an hour. Photos and other supported color apps restore true color while frontmost.

Ember changes display color and software dimming. It does not measure light reaching your eyes or guarantee better sleep. See the evidence review.

xcodegen generate
DEVELOPER_DIR=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer xcodebuild -scheme Ember -configuration Debug -destination 'platform=macOS,arch=arm64' test
scripts/package.sh --skip-notarize # Local signed universal build; not for public distribution
NOTARYTOOL_PROFILE=your-profile scripts/package.sh # Sign, notarize, staple, verify

Packaging uses an existing Apple notarization Keychain profile and never loads credential files. Only a successful notarization and Gatekeeper check replaces site/downloads/Ember.dmg. Public deployment requires Cohen's explicit approval: (cd site && npx wrangler deploy).

The installer uses create-dmg v1.3.0, fetched into build/tools/ on the first package build. scripts/make-dmg-background.py needs Pillow (also used by the icon script). A Retina Finder backdrop puts the draggable app beside the Applications shortcut. See Mac UI research and 0.4 validation.

Menu-bar redesign: reference teardown, validation and before/after captures. Local development changes require separate release approval.