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

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.

AppStories, Episode 480, ‘OpenAI’s Everything App Trap’ Show Notes

This episode is sponsored by:

Mercury Weather: Forecasts, beautifully done. Download now for free.

Steamclock: We make great apps. Design and development, from demos to details.

The Everything App Trap

OpenAI raises $122 billion to accelerate the next phase of AI

OpenAI Bets Big on Building an Everything App

Daring Fireball

AppStories+ Post-Show: Federico’s AI Tool Consolidation

Claude

Claude Code

ChatGPT

Perplexity

Google Gemini

Telegram

Firecrawl

SerpAPI

Parallel.ai

Feedbin

Obsidian

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NPC, Episode 76, ‘The RG Rotate Gets Real’ Show Notes

The Latest Portable Gaming News

GAMEMT E5 ModX is a modular handheld that converts between controller, horizontal, and vertical form factors.

AYN Odin 3’s “Snapdragon 8 Elite” is actually a Qualcomm Dragonwing Q8 IoT chip.

Genki launches Covert Dock 3 and ShadowCast 3 Pro for Switch 2 and modern handhelds.

Anbernic RG Rotate new photos

More on whether the RG Rotate has a headphone jack

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, Season 2, Episode 5, ‘Simon Pittman, aka Better Creating - Creator, Notion Ambassador’ Show Notes

This Episode’s Links

Better Creating - Agent OS for Notion - The Multi-Mode Personal Agent (S(ai)mon)

Better Creating - Claude CoWork Templated System

Better Creating - Notion Life OS Template

Bill Nye’s podcast: “Ill-advised by Bill Nye”

David Allen’s book: “Getting Things Done”

3D Printers

Motorola Flip Razr

Nokia 3310

Simon’s Picks

Simon’s ‘First’: The First Macintosh

Simon’s ‘Last’: Notion Agents

Simon’s ‘Everything’: Maeving RM1 Motorcycle

‘Something’

Segway

Follow Simon

Better Creating on YouTube

Simon’s new YouTube channel, ‘Systems Made Better’

Better Creating Website

Instagram

Comfort Zone, Episode 96, ‘You’ve Unlocked Something in Me’ Show Notes

Things Discussed

Cogito

Fiio BTR15

eqMac

Chris’s ball thrower

Matt’s feeder

Niléane’s French best-seller

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, ‘Hue and Heist’ Show Notes

Unplugged

Old English Sheepdog

West Highland White Terrier

Primal Brewing

Picks

John’s Pick: Hue Smart Plugs

Federico’s Pick: Your Friends and Neighbors, Season 2 on Apple TV

Unwind Deal

No Country for Old Men is just $4.99 in the TV app right

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.