Much like Dynamic Island, NotchNook expands from the notch to reveal a “Nook” with basic media controls (similar to iOS’s Live Activities) and other customizable widgets. Then there’s a “Tray” tab where you can place files or apps—it’s similar to the macOS dock, except the tray empties when you exit NotchNook.
To access this feature, click on a tab that merges into the notch or swipe down on the touchpad when the mouse cursor is over it. You can also set it to automatically unfold when you hover over it.
NotchNook works on Macs with and without notches; on Macs without notches, you can customize it to look like a full notch or just appear as a small black strip at the top center of the screen. The app lists other “coming soon” features, such as the ability to zip or unzip files by dragging them into the app (which sounds funny and unnecessary, but that’s the feeling I get from this app anyway).
The app still needs some tweaking: I couldn’t figure out how to remove files from the Tray tab, which becomes the default tab once you put something in it. Also, swiping left or right is supposed to be like hitting the next or previous song button, but that didn’t work for me. And it only seems to be supported in certain media apps, like Apple Music, as controls didn’t appear for other apps I tried. I also couldn’t find a privacy policy for Lo.cafe, and the developer didn’t respond to my questions by time of publication.
But those issues aside, NotchNook feels like a very natural extension of macOS. I don't feel like it does anything I couldn't do without it, which is fine because it's fun to use.
