Podcast Rewind: A Pre-Event Vibe Check, New Handhelds, and an All-New Interview Show

This week, Federico and John do their annual pre-Apple event “vibe check,” discussing what they expect and hope to see at the upcoming September Apple event. They explore the rumored iPhone 17 lineup, AirPods Pro 3, and debate the Apple Watch Ultra. Plus, they share thoughts on the prospect of a Apple TV with Apple Intelligence capabilities, HomePods, and updates to AirTags.

On AppStories+, John and Federico explore the divisiveness surrounding the Liquid Glass update coming to macOS Tahoe.

This episode is sponsored by:

Claude – Get 50% off Claude Pro, including access to Claude Code.

Factor – Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Use code appstories50off

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Brendon and John examine the latest handheld announcements from Lenovo and AYN that both come with impressive specs and some age-old frustrations. Plus, a new chip is coming to Anbernic’s lineup, and Brendon shares his first impressions of Dbrand’s Nintendo Switch 2 killswitch case.

On NPC XL, Brendon and John tackle the handheld collector’s dilemma as both hosts find themselves swimming in too many devices. They discuss strategies for decluttering their collections, from Brendon’s “three device rule” to the challenges of finding good homes for beloved handhelds.

First, Last, Everything

In this premiere episode, YouTuber Tom Hitchins, aka Byte Review, discusses his creative life that led to the creation of one of the most aesthetically pleasing tech channels on the site. From teaching Photoshop at a college to a lifelong love of Nintendo and Japanese design and entertainment, Tom’s passion for technology touches every aspect of his life.

AppStories, Episode 451, ‘Apple Event Vibe Check’ Show Notes

An Apple Event Vibe Check

Products Discussed

Apple Watch

AirPods Pro

iPhone 17 line

Apple TV

HomePod

AppStories+ Post-Show

One Size Does Not Fit All

NPC, Episode 47, ‘New Handhelds, Old Problems: Legion Go 2 and Odin 3 Arrive’ Show Notes

The Latest Portable Gaming News

Legion Go 2

Early Leaks Reveal Lenovo Legion Go 2 Improvements

Legion Go 2 official: Lenovo’s new flagship handheld costs $1,099 — and up

Lenovo Concept Laptop

Lenovo’s next concept laptop has a rotating screen that works in portrait or landscape

Anbernic RG476H

Anbernic RG476H Looks to Take on the RP Mini V2 and Pocket ACE

AYN Odin 3

AYN Odin 3 gaming handheld features Snapdragon 8 Elite and a 120 Hz OLED display for $299 during crowdfunding ($349 and up retail)

dbrand killswitch for Nintendo Switch 2

Website

Brendon’s review

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.

First, Last Everything, Episode 1, ‘Tom Hitchins’ Show Notes

This Episode’s Links

Byte Review on YouTube

Byte Review on Instagram

Byte Review on TikTok

First Byte Review Video - Lumia 435 Review

Why I Left Teaching During COVID-19

Apple REBUILT my Desk Setup and Office with the M3 MacBook Air!

Kiroku Studio

Kiroku Studio on Instagram

Kiroku Radio

Tom’s Picks

Tom’s ‘First’ pick: Game Boy Advance SP

Tom’s ‘Last’ pick: DJI Osmo Pocket 3

Tom’s ‘Everything’ pick: BioShock

Something

‘Something’: the Buick Riviera Graphic Control Centre: MotorWeek | Retro Review: 1986 Buick Century T-Type & Riviera CRT