Podcast Rewind: App Gaps Filled, GameCubes Emulated, Quick Reads Released, Holidays Bridged, and Craig Hockenberry Interviewed

By Devon Dundee

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, John and Federico cover Apple’s executive transition, follow up on OpenAI’s super app, share the apps they’re looking for, and give each other suggestions on how to fill their app gaps.

On AppStories+, we round up the tools we’ve built for ourselves that fill gaps we haven’t found apps for.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, OnePlus makes a phone controller with only triggers, Tico 0.7.0 brings GameCube and Wii emulation to the Switch, Ayn raises prices, and Steam comes to Android via ROCKNIX.

On NPC XL, Brendon shares his experience installing ROCKNIX and Steam on the Ayn Odin 2 M

First, Last, Everything

Jonathan is joined by Craig Hockenberry, a longtime software designer and developer at The Iconfactory, known for building influential Mac and iOS apps like Twitterific, Tapestry, and Tot.

Comfort Zone

Matt has released Quick Reads, Niléane has entered her M5 (and Jonny Ive) era, and the whole gang throws their monitors away in favor of that laptop life.

On Cozy Zone, the gang tier lists the Olympic logos from 2000 through 2036. (Yes, 2036!)

This week, Federico and John get ready for the summer with a conversation about vacation bridging, bringing your dog to the beach, and cooling off in the mountains. Then, John shares a blockbuster movie recommendation and a movie bundle deal.

Podcast Rewind: Steam Controllers on a Boat, Life with the MacBook Neo, North Carolina BBQ, and an Interview with Nate Parrott

By Devon Dundee

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, we draw from Federico’s experience creating the Apple Frames 4 shortcut and CLI to discuss the multiplier effect that AI agents can have in the hands of someone with deep domain expertise.

On AppStories+, we share our AI agent mishaps and horror stories along with additional details on a John’s ongoing HomeKit makeover project.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, TrimUI’s slow drip of details on the Brick Pro continues, shipping manifests suggest the Steam Controller may beat the Steam Machine to market, and OnePlus makes a strong bid for weirdest handheld announcement of 2026.

Then on NPC XL, Federico reports on his trip to Romics and the trading card takeover of Italian comic-cons, plus how not to sell a “pristine” Nintendo DS.

First, Last, Everything

Jonathan is joined by Nate Parrott, a designer and coder known for his work as a founding designer at The Browser Company, working on Arc. He also creates playful software and apps that blend utility with whimsy.

Comfort Zone

Chris and Matt are on their own this week and do a deeper dive into the MacBook Neo after a month using it. Do they still love it? Hate it? Probably somewhere in the middle, huh?

On Cozy Zone, the gang tier lists macOS default wallpapers, and you just know someone’s going to have some very wrong opinions.

MacStories Unwind

This week, John schools Federico on the differences between Eastern and Western North Carolina BBQ before they both share several TV show and album picks for the weekend.

Podcast Rewind: Everything Apps, the RG Rotate, Pet Tech, TV Heists, and an Interview with Simon Pittman

By Devon Dundee

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, we return to a topic that’s an old favorite: the Everything App in honor of OpenAI’s announcement that they are building a Super App.

On AppStories+, Federico consolidates the tools and services he uses.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, the SN Operator is delayed, an Ayn Odin non-drama, a new contender for weirdest handheld of 2026, even more on the RG Rotate, and how we find retro game shops.

On NPC XL, John and Brendon revisit the Ayn Thor six months later to check on how it’s going.

First, Last, Everything

Jonathan is joined by Simon Pittman, the tech and productivity creator behind ‘Better Creating’, known for teaching practical systems, thoughtful workflows, and how best to use tools like Notion and AI.

Comfort Zone

Matt has a new writing app, Niléane is becoming a true audiophile, and everyone tries to find Chris the best pet tech for his soon-to-be new puppy.

On Cozy Zone, the gang tier lists macOS default wallpapers, and you just know someone’s going to have some very wrong opinions.

MacStories Unwind

This week, pets, pints, Hue smart plugs, and a heist TV show.

Podcast Rewind: Text Editors, the Pocket Taco, Photo Backups, an Apple Frames Preview, and an Interview with Evan Ratliff

By Devon Dundee

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, John and Federico revisit the state of text editors on Apple platforms and how they use them.

On AppStories+, John and Federico dig deeper into their writing workflows and the apps they’re using to write.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Brendon reports back on the hardware he saw at PAX East, John gives the Pocket Taco a try, and with Federico, they cover the latest handheld news.

On NPC XL, Federico shows off the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3, and Brendon shares the SuperStation One.

First, Last, Everything

Jonathan is joined by Evan Ratliff, an award-winning investigative journalist, bestselling author, and podcast host, known for his reporting on technology, crime, and online identity.

Comfort Zone

Chris has some new headphones, Matt wants to talk about why development is still complex in the AI age, and everyone tries to find the most clever way to back up their photos.

On Cozy Zone, the game roasts each other’s ten-year-old Home Screens.

MacStories Unwind

This week, Federico has a sneak peak at a big update to his Apple Frames shortcut, and both he and John share a couple of their favorite Apple TV shows.

Podcast Rewind: Apple’s AI Future, the Legion Go’s Return, Niléane’s App, and an Interview with MacSparky

By Devon Dundee

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and John draw from their experiences using AI agents to imagine the sort of agent Apple could build with tight hardware and software integration if it had a LLM to orchestrate the pieces already in place.

On AppStories+, John asks where artificial intelligence falls on the spectrum of historical technology milestones.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, a PlayStation Portable update, Honda and Sony call off car-based gaming, Epilogue shows of the SN Operator and makes an app, the fate of Windows handhelds, Federico’s Legion Go makes a comeback, and more.

On NPC XL, Federico finally received his OhSnap MCON controller, John has the Genki Convert Dock 3, and a conversation about how to make handheld gaming accessible to a broader audience.

First, Last, Everything

Jonathan is joined by David Sparks, productivity writer, podcaster, and creator behind MacSparky, best known for the Mac Power Users podcast and his Field Guides, on getting the most from Apple devices and apps.

Comfort Zone

Niléane built an awesome Mac app, Chris bought a new monitor (but it’s not what you thiiiiink), and Matt grills the group on what they’d install if they could only install three new apps on their Macs.

On Cozy Zone, the gang has to guess what Matt subscribes to on YouTube by just the thumbnails.

MacStories Unwind

This week, space exploration, workflow shakeups, a buddy movie, and more.

Podcast Rewind: Folding Phones, a Big Switch 2 Update, Discovering New Mac Apps, and Setups Changes

By Devon Dundee

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico shares his experiences with foldable Android phones and what Apple might do for its first foldable hardware and its software.

On AppStories+, Federico shares his experience using Samsung DeX.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Nintendo dropped a big Switch 2 software surprise, Anbernic got back to being weird, Federico went large with his PC streaming setup, and more.

Comfort Zone

Matt poisons the show with Android, Niléane brings us back with Forkflift, and everyone finds a really great Mac app they’ve never used before.

On Cozy Zone, we discover who has a good backup system, who has a robust backup system, and who basically doesn’t care about their data.

MacStories Unwind

This week, Federico and John share the highlights of their recent MacStories Setups update. Plus, John has an offbeat movie pick, and Federico is revisiting a game that’s an old favorite.

Podcast Rewind: AI Fragmentation, Joy-Con Alternatives, Pitching Vivaldi, and an Interview with Riley Testut

By Devon Dundee

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and John look at the confusing array of tools and naming conventions used by Anthropic and OpenAI.

On AppStories+, John explains how he automated two unautomatable Mac apps.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, the confusing state of Switch 2 Joy-Con replacements, more on emulating PC games on Android, and we place our bets on the future of Valve’s Steam Machine.

This week on NPC XL, we follow up on last week’s discussion of the death of Xbox with its reincarnation as Project Helix.

First, Last, Everything

Jonathan is joined by Riley Testut, an iOS developer best known for building the Delta game emulator and AltStore, expanding how apps can be distributed and enjoyed outside of Apple’s App Store.

Comfort Zone

A budget laptop is the hot tech product of 2026, and the whole gang has thoughts. Then, everyone evangelizes Vivaldi with varying levels of success.

On Cozy Zone, Chris and Matt teach Niléane the real rules of the road right before her driver’s test. They’re pretty sure it was a lot of help.

MacStories Unwind

This week, John argues that it’s time to bring Xcode to the iPad and iPhone before he and Federico share a hardware and TV pick for the weekend. Plus, a quirky movie pick for your weekend unwind.

Podcast Rewind: Federico’s MacBook Neo, the Sony PC Withdrawal, iPod Touch Nostalgia, Complimenting Password Managers, and More

By Devon Dundee

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and John discuss Apple’s latest hardware announcements.

Then on AppStories+, Federico explains Notion Agents and Workers and how he’s using them.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, more bad memory and storage news, followed by a conversation about Bloomberg’s report that Sony is withdrawing from the PC gaming market and a wild Lenovo handheld.

Then on NPC XL, John asks the question: did handhelds kill the Xbox?

First, Last, Everything

This time, Jonathan is joined by Becca Farsace. Becca is an Emmy and Webby award-winning tech creator. She was formerly the senior video producer at The Verge before going solo in 2024, primarily via her self-titled YouTube channel, where she aims to “take tech outside.”

Comfort Zone

Niléane is replacing Discord with Slack, Chris has the new iPad Air in hand, and everyone found something nice to say about password managers.

On Cozy Zone, we tier-list app icons, and opinions are stronger than anticipated. (Probably should have seen it coming.)

MacStories Unwind

This week, Federico shares his hands-on impressions of the MacBook Neo, John whips up an iPhone app when Shortcuts fails, and they both have media picks and an Unwind deal to start the weekend off right.

Podcast Rewind: Building Personalized Software, Steam Machine Pricing Rumors, Matt Podcasts Solo, and Ted Danson

By Devon Dundee

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

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