Podcast Rewind: The 2025 MacStories Selects Awards, John’s Journey into Bazzite, Techy Clothes Shopping, and The Best Music of the Year

AppStories

This week, Federico and John reveal the winners of the 2025 MacStories Selects Awards, which celebrate the exceptional design, innovation, and creativity of apps across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

On AppStories+, John has some Apple Music discovery tips for Federico, and they reveal the iPhone features they don’t use.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, handhelds are shipping for the holidays, AYANEO makes a bold bet on a phone, a new Strix Halo tablet one-ups the ASUS ROG Flow Z13, and John dips a toe in the Bazzite waters.

On NPC XL, Federico jumps into the Bazzite mini PC world, while Brendon is revisiting the iPod on handheld consoles.

Comfort Zone

Chris reflects on a big year of changes, Matt has turned his garage into a mini-factory, and the gang buys clothes, but in a techy way.

On Cozy Zone, we draft fonts…for real this time!

MacStories Unwind

This week, Federico and John close out the year by sharing their favorite music of 2025.

AppStories, Episode 465, ‘The 2025 MacStories Selects Awards’ Show Notes

This episode is sponsored by:

RevenueCat – It’s the easiest way to add in-app subscriptions and native paywalls into your mobile apps, and getting started is free.

MacStories Selects 2025

Best New App: Quick Reviews

Runner-up: Wispr Flow

Runner-up: Activas AI

Best Mac App: Bloom

Runner-up: Supercharge

Best Watch App: Athlytic

Runner-up: µBrowser

Best New Feature: Matter’s TTS voices

Runner-up: Bridges’ Shortcuts Actions

Runner-up: Longplay MCP

Best Design: Sequel 2.6

Runner-up: Not Boring Camera

Readers’ Choice Award: Alfred

App of the Year: Drafts

Runner-up: Athlytic

Lifetime Achievement Award: Unread

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NPC, Episode 61, ‘New Phones and Tablets Take Aim at Portable Gaming’ Show Notes

The Latest Portable Gaming News

The Odin 3 and MCON are starting to ship

The Anbernic RG DS got a big software update

AYANEO Pocket Play

Video

Kickstarter

Pocket Codex for iPhone and iPad

Another Strix Halo Tablet - OneXplayer Super X

John installs Bazzite on the GMKtech EVO-X2

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 80, ‘My Pink Booties’ Show Notes

Main Topics

beyerdynamic DT. 770 Pro X

Bambu Lab A1 mini

Other Stuff We Talked About

The Opposite of Snow Leopard (2025 predictions episode)

Ora Browser

Ozlo Sleepbuds

Anker Soundcore A20

IKEA SKÅDIS

Star Wars Galactic Racer trailer

Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic trailer

Resident Evil Requiem trailer

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, ‘The Best Music of 2025’ Show Notes

The Best Music of 2025

Federico’s Picks

Forgiving Spree by Slowly Slowly

Idols by Youngblud

NSFW by The Paradox

Better Days by Yellowcard

Qualifying Miles by We Are Scientists

Album of the Year: Pruning of the Limbs by Moving Mountains

John’s Picks

(my world is an) oyster by Chloe Moriando

Modern Romance by Chloe Qisha

Ego Death at the Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams

Cosmic Selector Vol. 1 by Lord Huron

Tunnel Vision by Beach Bunny

Album of the Year: Living While Dying by fanclubwallet

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.