Podcast Rewind: Fable, SteamOS on Android, and Voice-Created Shortcuts

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and John look at their experiences with Claude Fable 5 and how it differs from other models and break down the controversial changes made by OpenAI to its ChatGPT Mac app.

Then on AppStories+, John and Federico contrast their experiences with Fable 5 and OpenAI’s new family of GPT 5.6 models.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Brendon and John go it alone with more bizarre news from AYANEO, a new tease and OS update from Anbernic, Valve’s e-ink Steam Machine faceplate, Armada bringing SteamOS to Android handhelds, and more.

On NPC XL, John and Brendon check on handheld gaming halfway through the year and look forward to what the rest of 2026 may have in store for the hobby.

Comfort Zone

Matt has been doing tons with Quick Reads, Chris has all the small things, and everyone creates Shortcuts WITH THEIR VOICE.

This week’s Cozy Zone sees the boys competing in Niléane’s Great Star Wars Quotes Quiz, and it goes… let’s just say “good and bad.”

MacStories Unwind

On a special Saturday edition of MacStories Unwind, Federico and John talk live music, blockbuster movies, and their ongoing experiments with Markdown text editors.

AppStories, Episode 493, ‘Fable 5 and OpenAI’s Curious ChatGPT Update’ Show Notes

This episode is sponsored by:

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App State

Appalachian State University

Anthropic’s Claude Fable 5

Claude Fable

What did OpenAI Do to ChatGPT?

The New ChatGPT

The ChatGPT “Super App” Sort of Super Sucks

AppStories, Episode 483: Codex as a Productivity Super App

AppStories+ Post-Show

GPT 5.6 Announcement

Subscribe to AppStories+

Visit AppStories.net to learn more about the extended, high bitrate audio version of AppStories that is delivered early each week and subscribe.

NPC, Episode 88, ‘SteamOS Comes to Android Handhelds’ Show Notes

The Latest Portable Gaming News

AYANEO teases a GBA

AYANEO CEO livestream teases second-half 2025 lineup but offers little new information

Valve open-sources Steam Machine “Inkterface” e-ink faceplate for DIY builds

Anbernic pushes major “RG Ecosystem” software update to entire T820 handheld lineup

Anbernic RG 55G1 gameplay video hints at Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 with Turnip drivers and possible OLED

EmuDeck for Android adds Rift Frontend launcher and gains Armada/SteamOS compatibility

Armada

TrimUI Brick Hammer Pro U Might Be Dead Before It Even Ships

Subscribe to NPC XL

NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the “regular” NPC episodes. You can subscribe here.

Comfort Zone, Episode 109, ‘You Can’t Kill Chrome’ Show Notes

Things Discussed

Parchment on the App Store

Atlas is dead

Quick Reads

Final Cut Pro update

GPT 5.6

Open Knowledge

Cozy Zone

For even more from the Comfort Zone crew, you can subscribe to Cozy Zone. Cozy Zone is a weekly bonus episode of Comfort Zone where Matt, Niléane, and Chris invite listeners to join them in the Cozy Zone where they’ll cover extra topics, invent wilder challenges and games, and share all their great (and not so great) takes on tech. You can subscribe to Cozy Zone for $5 per month here or $50 per year here.

MacStories Unwind, ‘Text Editor Experiments’ Show Notes

Live Music

Bruno Mars tour dates

My Chemical Romance tour dates

Phoebe Bridgers tour dates

A Summer Blockbuster

The Odyssey

Text Editor Experiments

Bear

Lettera

Ulysses

MWeb

MacStories Unwind+

We deliver MacStories Unwind+ to Club MacStories subscribers ad-free with high bitrate audio every week. To learn more about the benefits of a Club MacStories subscription, visit our Plans page.

MacStories launched its first podcast in 2017 with AppStories. Since then, the lineup has expanded to include a family of weekly shows that also includes MacStories Unwind, Magic Rays of Light, Comfort Zone, NPC: Next Portable Console, and First, Last, Everything that collectively, cover a broad range of the modern media world from Apple’s streaming service and videogame hardware to apps for a growing audience that appreciates our thoughtful, in-depth approach to media.

If you’re interested in advertising on our shows, you can learn more here or by contacting our Managing Editor, John Voorhees.