EarPods Rule→

Even though we have a podcast together, I promise I did not talk to my friend Brendon about something I started doing myself last month: using EarPods – yes, the old wired ones – as my “universal earbuds” that can connect to just about anything these days. In any case, Brendon came to the same conclusion:

At the death of my most recent pair of Beats Fit Pro — the left earbud started to emit a loud electrical sound every so often or just disconnect entirely — I decided to give up on them for the time being. I instead bought some wired Apple EarPods which I haven’t used since the final days of the iPod. It’s hard to overstate how much I’ve loved having them with me for the past month.

And:

I’m not about to wax poetic about all of the ways using wired headphones in 2024 “changes everything” like a clickbaity YouTube video, but I will say that the proliferation of USB-C on pretty much every device is slowly returning the EarPods to their once-ubiquitous days of the 3.5mm jack. Yes I’m using them on my iPhone when I’m commuting, doing chores around the house, meditating, and what-have-you — but being able to plug them into my gaming devices, laptop, and tablet does in some ways feel like a return to form when it comes to ease of use.

I’m still using AirPods when I want to listen to music or podcasts without bothering my girlfriend at home or when I’m taking the dogs for a walk (although the Meta Ray-Bans have replaced a lot of my AirPods usage outdoors – something I plan to write about soon). A few weeks ago, however, fed up with limitations of Bluetooth multipoint-enabled earbuds, I thought: maybe I should just get Apple’s $20 USB-C EarPods and stop worrying about which wireless earbuds I use with my Apple devices and various gaming handhelds.

I’m here to tell you, like Brendon, that those $20 earbuds still rule. The ubiquity of USB-C means I can use them with my iPhone, iPad, Legion Go, Steam Deck, and even more novel devices such as the RG Cube and ROG Ally X (stay tuned for my thoughts on these on a future episode of NPC). I don’t have to worry about battery life, pairing, or latency. Sure, there’s a wire, and there’s no noise cancelling when using them – but these are my “downtime earbuds” anyway, so I don’t care.

Wireless earbuds – and specifically AirPods – are amazing. But if, like me, you often find yourself playing around with non-Apple devices and wishing you didn’t have to buy separate wireless earbuds for them…Apple’s EarPods are still great, and they’re better than ever thanks to USB-C.

Hear me out: a single cable standard that ensures headphones can work with any device, with no concerns regarding wireless protocols, batteries, and latency. What a concept, right?

Hear me out: a single cable standard that ensures headphones can work with any device, with no concerns regarding wireless protocols, batteries, and latency. What a concept, right?

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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, Devon is joined by guest co-host Jonathan Reed to discuss Jonathan’s first impressions of Apple Vision Pro, new Apple Original documentary series Omnivore, 72 Emmy Awards nominations for Apple Originals, and Devon’s experience seeing Fly Me to the Moon in theaters.

This week, Chris can finally talk about iPadOS 18, Niléane goes on a quest for great dynamic wallpapers, and Matt brought a tea kettle for some reason. Then they all say nice things about new browsers and Chris has a “visionary” new challenge.

This week, John decides to take the iPad-only travel plunge, and Federico advises on which gaming handhelds to bring on a trip.

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Apple Announces New Immersive Video Content for the Vision Pro

Source: Apple.

Source: Apple.

Beginning today, Apple says it will begin releasing a series of films, documentaries, music, sports, travel, and other video content for the Vision Pro.

First up is ‘Hot Air Balloons,’ which will be available beginning at 6 PM Pacific today, and is part of a series dubbed Boundless. That will be followed in August by a new installment of Wild Life, and a new travel series called Elevated in September. Later this year, Apple will release an immersive concert experience with The Weeknd, a scripted short film called Submerged by director Edward Berger, a behind-the-scenes and court-side look at the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, and Big-Wave Surfing, part of a new sports series with Red Bull.

According to Tor Myhren, Apple’s vice president of Marketing Communications:

Apple Immersive Video is a groundbreaking leap forward for storytelling, offering Apple Vision Pro users remarkable experiences with an unparalleled sense of realism and immersion. From soaring over volcanoes in Hawaii and surfing huge waves in Tahiti, to enjoying performances by the world’s biggest artists and athletes from all-new perspectives, Apple Immersive Video revolutionizes the way people experience places, stories, sports, and more by making viewers feel like they’re truly there. It’s the next generation of visual storytelling, and we’re excited to bring it to more people around the world.

I’m really looking forward to these new immersive videos. There’s been a real dearth of content produced for the Vision Pro since its release, but with the device available in more countries, it’s great to see new content available for the growing audience.

Chris Lawley’s In-Depth Interview About Smart Script and Math Notes→

Smart Script and Math Notes are two of the most notable features coming to iPadOS this fall. Both take advantage of the Apple Pencil and the iPad’s computer power to do a lot of complex work under the hood, which makes taking good-looking notes and working with numbers and equations feel natural.

Chris Lawley, co-host of Comfort Zone, sat down for an exclusive interview with Jenny Chen, an Apple engineering manager for input experiences, and Ty Jordan, an Apple system experiences product manager, to talk about both features in-depth for his YouTube channel. It’s an excellent interview full of little details you may have missed from the WWDC keynote:

When the new iPad Pros were released, I debated whether to buy an Apple Pencil Pro. I’ve never been a heavy user of the Apple Pencil, but I’m glad I bought one in the end. With features like Smart Script and Math Notes added to Quick Notes and the other Pencil features, my use has slowly crept up to the point where I’m now looking to find places where I can do even more with it.

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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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