John Voorhees

3093 posts on MacStories since November 2015

John is MacStories’ Managing Editor, has been writing about Apple and apps since joining the team in 2015, and today, runs the site alongside Federico.

John also co-hosts four MacStories podcasts: AppStories, which covers the world of apps, MacStories Unwind, which explores the fun differences between American and Italian culture and recommends media to listeners, Ruminate, a show about the weird web and unusual snacks, and NPC: Next Portable Console, a show about the games we take with us.

@johnvoorhees@macstories.net
@johnvoorhees.macstories.net
voorhees@macstories.net

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The Latest from AppStories and NPC: Next Portable Console

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

This week, Federico and John run down the highlights of the iOS and iPadOS 18 public betas that were released today.

On AppStories+, Federico and John compare earbud notes, covering recent models from Sennheiser, Technics, and Beats.

This episode is sponsored by:

  • CleanMyMac X: Your Mac. As good as new. Get 15% off today with code APPSTORIES15.
  • Setapp – the place to get apps. Use the code appstories20 at checkout for 20% off.

It was a busy news week in the world of portable gaming hardware, plus Federico’s quest for cable perfection continues, a return of the Steam Deck, and a look at mobile phone gaming, controllers, and more.

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Federico’s Updated Setup Is Designed for Modular Simplicity→

Federico has been on quite a journey with his gear setup over the past few months. If you’ve been following along on NPC: Next Portable Console, MacStories Unwind, and AppStories, you know that he’s been assembling a modular system that lets him switch effortlessly from work to play. He’s working on a story that pulls the threads of his experience together for readers, but in the meantime, Federico has updated our dedicated Setups page with what’s changed.

If you start with Federico’s latest entry in our Setups changelog, you’ll notice right away that the updates he’s made to his setup are all about simplifying his tech life. But, while many things have been taken away, several have been strategically added too. Let’s take a look.

The additions to Federico’ desk include:

Like me, Federico has also been experimenting with video and has added the Elgato FaceCam Pro and Elgato Key Light with Mini Mount to his setup.

As for gaming, Federico is still using the Lenovo Legion Go, but he upgraded to a new Steam Deck OLED with an etched glass display and added a bunch of Legion Go accessories, along with a custom-built eGPU:

On the home automation front, Federico has added Aqara E1 cameras and an Aqara Camera Hub G3 to his setup along with a variety of Philips Hue lights, a smart plug, and more.

For the complete list of gear in Federico’s setup, along with mine, be sure to check out our dedicated Setups page.

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New Projects, New Setup

The past few months have been busy at MacStories. The release of new iPads was followed by our launch of new podcasts and then WWDC. Along the way, my gear setup has changed a little, too.

Portable Setup Changes

11” iPad Pro and Accessories

Leading up to Apple’s spring event and knowing that it would feature new iPads, I was on the fence about buying one. The Pencil Pro and the Tandem OLED display tipped the balance, though, and I ended up getting the 11” Wi-Fi-only model with a Magic Keyboard Case, a Smart Folio cover, and Apple Pencil Pro.

I was tempted by the nano-texture display but ultimately passed on it as well as cellular connectivity. I expect there’s a nano-texture device of some sort in my future, but even without it, the iPad Pro’s Tandem OLED display works better in sunlight than previous displays. I don’t use an Apple Pencil often, but with the new Pro model, I plan to play around with it more to see if I can find a place for it in my day-to-day computing. The lack of meaningful iPadOS 18 updates coming this fall is a letdown, but I’m still pleased with my purchase because the smaller form factor and fantastic display have led me to use my iPad Pro more.

Desk Setup Changes

Balolo's tablet holder accessory.

Balolo’s tablet holder accessory.

With the change in iPad sizes, the articulating arm I used for the 12.9” iPad Pro no longer worked for me. Instead, I’ve transitioned to another Balolo accessory, the Tablet Holder. It sits neatly in the center of my Desk Cockpit shelf, where I can set my iPad for use with Sidecar or Universal Control. If you’re a Club member and interested in Balolo’s Desk Cockpit setup, which I covered in detail this past February, there’s a coupon code for 10% off on the Club Discounts page.

My new video gear from Elgato.

My new video gear from Elgato.

I have been experimenting more with video in recent weeks, too. That led to the addition of an Elgato Facecam Pro and Key Light to my desk, along with an Elgato Mini Mount stand for the camera.

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My Top Amazon Prime Day Picks

There are thousands of things on sale during Amazon Prime Day, including a lot of my favorite gadgets, so I thought I’d highlight the deals I’ve found for the gear I’ve used, tested, and love. Here are my top picks.

Apple Hardware and Accessory Deals

Apple Studio Display with Adjustable Stand (15% off)

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

I’ve had an Apple Studio Display for two years now and love it. Colors are bright, text is crisp, and having a set of additional Thunderbolt ports available on its rear panel comes in surprisingly handy.

Apple iPad mini (6th Gen), 256GB Storage, Wi-Fi (15% off)

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

It may be getting a little long in the tooth, but I still love my mighty iPad mini. My new 11” iPad Pro has absorbed some of the reading and video-watching I used to do almost exclusively on the mini, but the mini’s size is perfect for reading, which is what I still use it for almost every day.

Beats Fit Pro (25% off)

Source: Beats.

Source: Beats.

I haven’t gotten around to writing about the Beats Fit Pro yet, but I picked up a pair a couple of months ago, and I love them. They’re smaller than the Powerbeats Pro that wrap around your ears, which I like, and because they use Apple’s H1 chip, they include features like fast pairing with the Apple Watch and transparency mode. They don’t have every feature of the latest AirPods Pro, but they have the most important ones that I want when I go out for a run on a hot day.

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macOS Sequoia: The MacStories Public Beta Preview

Sequoia is not your typical macOS release. In recent years, new features of all Apple OSes have been increasingly meted out over time instead of dropping all at once in the fall. That’s been true of macOS, too, but this year, the magnitude of the staged release will be more pronounced, which has trickled through to the public beta released today.

macOS Sequoia will be a phased release. That means you won’t find everything announced at WWDC in the public beta. Some features, notably large parts of Apple Intelligence, won’t be available until 2025. That’s something worth keeping in mind if you’re thinking about installing the Sequoia public beta today. The beta is generally stable, but you’re likely to run into bugs, and with many features still to come in the months ahead, the upside of running it is more limited than in past years.

Apple Intelligence promises to round out Sequoia over time, but neither I nor anyone else outside of Apple has had a chance to try those features yet. So, for now, let’s focus on what you can expect if you install the macOS Sequoia public beta today.

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The Latest from Magic Rays of Light, Comfort Zone, and MacStories Unwind

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

This week on Magic Rays of Light, Sigmund and Devon spotlight the theatrical release of Fly Me to the Moon, revisit the idea of an Apple TV Pro, recap Trying season four, and highlight new Apple Original series Sunny starring Rashida Jones.

This week on Comfort Zone, Niléane has a social media surprise, Matt tries to take his email to superhuman levels, and Chris blows his hair back with Wi-Fi speeds you wouldn’t believe. Then we reflect on last week’s very chill challenge before jumping into the next one where we must be nice.

This week, I am joined by Jonathan Reed for some travel picks for my upcoming trip to London, plus a movie, TV show, and Irish band.

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The Latest from AppStories and Ruminate

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

This week, Federico and I cover the developer features we’re excited to see come to third-party apps later this year.

This episode is sponsored by:

  • Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
  • Notion: Start turning ideas into action. Try it free today.

This week, I tried fruit popcorn, Robb has an EchoFeed and Threads update, then we discuss some new tech that’s actually interesting.

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Delta 1.6 Released in the EU and for Patreon Members with a Worldwide App Store Release in the Works

Delta, the retro gaming emulator that took the App Store by storm when it was released earlier this spring and now has over 10 million users, has been updated in the EU via AltStore PAL and for Patreon members, who can sideload the app. An update to the App Store version has been submitted to the App Store for the rest of the world but has not been approved yet.

Playing the SNES version of Donkey Kong Country.

Playing the SNES version of Donkey Kong Country.

The update brings official iPadOS support to Delta for the first time. That means support for native iPad features like Split View, Stage Manager, multiwindowing, and even Handoff, which can be used to move a game from one device to another. The update also introduces a refinement of Delta’s new icon, which was changed because Adobe thought it looked too much like its own logo and demanded that Delta make changes to the icon. Delta’s built-in skins have been updated too to work with the iPad’s larger screen:

Multiwindow gaming.

Multiwindow gaming.

I’ve had a chance to try the new Delta 1.6 iPad features and they’re great, so it was disappointing to see that the app has been rejected by App Review. According to the AltStore Mastodon account, the reason was that the app included a link to the developers’ Patreon page, even though that link appeared in prior versions of the app. The Patreon link has been removed and the app resubmitted, so hopefully the update will be available worldwide soon.

It’s a shame that Delta 1.6 is being held up in App Review, but barring any further objections from Apple, I expect we’ll see the update on the App Store soon.

Insta360 Brings the X4 to Apple.com and Releases the Flow Pro Gimbal

Insta360 X4. Source: Insta360.

Insta360 X4. Source: Insta360.

Insta360 has had a busy week. Earlier this spring, the company released the X4, an advanced 360º action camera, which became available at Apple.com for the first time last week. Then this week, the company released the Insta360 Flow Pro, an AI-powered gimbal for smartphones, including the iPhone. I haven’t had a chance to try either gadget yet, but both caught my eye for different reasons.

First, the Insta360 reminds me of the company’s One X2 that I reviewed a few years ago. As action cameras go, that was a great little device that took excellent video and photos for something so compact.

Source: Insta360.

Source: Insta360.

Three years later, the Insta360 X4 goes much further. The candy bar-shaped camera is capable of 8K video at 30 fps and has a 2290mAh battery that Insta360 says lasts for 135 minutes, which is impressive if it bears out in real-world use. The bundle being sold on Apple.com, includes the camera, a lens cover, a carrying case, a 256GB microSD card, a USB-C cable, and the company’s Invisible Selfie Stick accessory. That last item is key because, through the magic of software, it can be removed from any scene you shoot, creating a third-person perspective without needing someone else to operate the camera.

The X4 also features a 2.5” screen that is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. Plus, it can take 360º photos, capture different cinematic styles of video like slow motion, and be controlled with voice and hand gestures, making it an intriguing choice for solo creators. The X4 is also available on Amazon.

The Insta360 Flow Pro. Source: Insta360.

The Insta360 Flow Pro. Source: Insta360.

Smartphone gimbals have come a long way too. I tried a DJI Osmo 2 gimbal years ago, but it was bulky and difficult to calibrate accurately. Insta360’s new Flow Pro looks like it solves a lot of those friction points. The gimbal, which will stabilize video taken with an iPhone or other smartphone using AI, folds up, saving room in your bag. It also doubles as a tripod with a flip-out base that allows you to set it up to film yourself or others nearby tracking you to keep you framed in the scene. For iPhone users, the Flow Pro uses DockKit, the API introduced by Apple in 2023, that coordinates shots with the gimbal stabilizing them and keeping you in the frame. The only other iPhone accessory that I’m aware of that does this is the Belkin Auto-Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit, which is a tabletop or desktop device, not a gimbal. The Flow Pro, which is available on Insta360s’ website, also offers a fast, integrated pairing process for iPhone users.

It’s summer, which means I and a lot of others will be traveling, and both of these devices strike me as compelling travel companions. The X4 offers high-resolution video, 360º images, and a plethora of cool software tricks for creating unique videos. Meanwhile, the Flow Pro is the kind of accessory that allows you to take the camera you always have with you and use it in new and creative ways, extending its utility. I’m hoping to get a chance to test one or both devices later this summer and will report back.