MacVoices #25269: Briefing - The AirCard Pro Bluetooth Tracker from Rolling Square Chuck relates his experience with the Rolling Square AirCard Pro —a slim, credit-card-sized Bluetooth tracker compatible with Apple’s Find My network. With a rechargeable 12-month battery, Qi charging, and optional QR ID, it is an ideal compact Bluetooth tracker with a flat form factor.
MacVoices #25268: CarPlay Ultra Supporters, California Regulates ChatBots, Amazon Disarms James Bond This session starts with a discussion of the expansion of Apple’s CarPlay Ultra and which automakers are committing or holding back, highlighting Hyundai’s early adoption. Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, Marty Jencius, and Norbert Frassa examine California’s new chatbot regulations following tragic incidents, questioning effectiveness and personal responsibility. The conversation closes with debate over Amazon’s editing of classic James Bond artwork and broader concerns about cultural revisionism.
MacVoices #25267: JOhn Rokos On The Origins of the OpenCase iPhone CaseFounder John Rokos shares how MagSafe inspired OpenCase—an iPhone case with a recessed opening that locks MagSafe accessories in place to prevent sliding, improve charging/heat, and cut weight. He covers patenting, vetting manufacturers in China, yearly fit changes, testing with dummy phones, and building an open accessory ecosystem.
**[MacVoices #25266: Live! - Apple’s AI Vision Acquisition, Bug Bounties, and Teens and iPhones](MacVoices #25266: Live! - Apple’s AI Vision Acquisition, Bug Bounties, and Teens and iPhones w/ @daveg65 @brian8944 @provuejim @jencius @norbertfrassa
macvoices.com/macvoices…)** Apple’s reported acquisition of Prompt.ai’s team/IP drew thoughts from the MacVoices panel about what it could mean for computer vision across Face ID, HomeKit, a rumored HomePod with a screen, and even a home robot. Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, Marty Jencius, and Norbert Frassa debate Apple’s new $2M bug bounty—promise vs. payout history—then note Piper Sandler data showing 87% of teens own iPhones. Finally, they discuss Apple’s lawsuit against John Prosser over iOS 26 leaks and the risks of ignoring the case.
MacVoices #25265: Live! - Why Apple TV+ Is Now Apple TV, and Why Clips Is No MoreThe MacVoices Live! reacts to Apple’s decision to discontinue the Clips app and rename Apple TV+ simply to Apple TV. Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, Marty Jencius, and Norbert Frassa debate why Clips failed to gain traction, Apple’s pattern of abandoning smaller software, and how confusing naming conventions blur the lines between Apple’s hardware, apps, and streaming service. They also explore the broader trends in streaming and brand identity among the various streaming services.
MacVoices #25264: Live! - Another Power Bank Recall and Logitech Pushes Cancel On the Pop Smart Button A MacVoices Live! discussion covers another major recall—this time ESR’s HaloLock power banks over fire risks—and explores why power bank failures remain common despite reputable brands. Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, Marty Jencius, and Norbert Frassa also react to Logitech’s sudden shutdown of its Pop Smart Button, raising questions about product obsolescence, support lifespans, and smart home stability.
MacVoices #25263: Celebrating 20 Years of MacVoices with Doug Adams of Doug’s Scripts Doug Adams of Doug’s AppleScripts was a guest on the very first episode of MacVoices and he’s back to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show. Doug looks at AppleScript’s enduring legacy, automation on the Mac, and his inventive “bathroom music” project. Doug and Chuck discuss the evolution from CDs to streaming, Apple Music’s scripting roots, and the changing ways people collect and experience music. Later, Chuck talks about the genesis of MacVoices, how his other shows (MacNotables, The MacJury, and MacVoicesTV) eventually merged into MacVoices, and answers some frequently asked questions.
MacVoices #25262: Live! - Sora and IP, What Are YOU Hiding, Instagram Reels, and Hulu Morphs The MacVoices Live! panel debates OpenAI’s Sora—deepfakes, IP use, and “opt-out” controls that still require adding your likeness. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Web Bixby, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, and Jim Rea swap privacy tips, share scam/robocall concerns, and discuss Instagram shifting to Reels and what that means for attention and demographics. Finally, they sort out Hulu’s fold-in to Disney bundles, acknowledge the end of TiVo DVRs, and note coming OTA/ATSC 3.0 complications.
MacVoices #25261: Live! - Epic’s Latest Complaints, Gemini Privacy, A Surprise AOL Acquisition Epic’s latest complaints about Apple’s App Store rules spark frustration and humor among the panel, while Rivian’s lack of CarPlay draws mockery from Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Web Bixby, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, and Jim Rea. The discussion shifts to growing concerns over Google’s Gemini integration in Chrome and AI-driven search privacy. Finally, they analyze Bending Spoons’ spree of acquisitions, including Vimeo and a surprising $1.4 billion bid for AOL.
MacVoices #25260: TV+ Talk - ‘The Morning Show’ and Peanuts Until 2030 Charlotte Henry and Chuck Joiner unpack the latest season of The Morning Show, exploring Apple TV+’s creative freedom, layered storylines, and standout performances. They discuss Apple’s evolving tolerance for edgier content and the show’s newsroom chaos. The announcement of Peanuts staying on Apple TV+ through 2030 represents an artistic and business win that strengthens Apple’s family-friendly content offerings.
MacVoices #25259: Live! - Rivian’s CarPlay Position, More UK Cloud Demands, FCC iPhone Leaks The MacVoices Live! panel discuss the Rivian CEO’s claim that drivers will eventually appreciate cars without Apple CarPlay, sparking debate about automakers’ push for control and subscription models. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Web Bixby, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, and Jim Rea explore consumer frustration over losing convenience and the rise of tech-based add-ons. More privacy concerns from the UK’s renewed backdoor encryption request link to a discussion about broader issues of digital trust and data security that include a leak of iPhone schematics.
[MacVoices #25258: Live - Remembering Steve Jobs, Venmo and PayPal Scam Alert] The MacVoices Live! panel marks the anniversary of Steve Jobs’ passing with memories, reflections, and some personal encounters on his impact. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Web Bixby, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, and Jim Rea talk about a recent warning about PayPal/Venmo scams after account linking, with debate over protections, Apple Pay safety, Zelle pitfalls, and practical tips include using secondary accounts and caution with subscriptions.
MacVoices #25257: Live! - Macs in Enterprise AI, An FCC Leak, and Xiaomi Copycats The panel explores how M-series Macs—with huge unified memory and efficient silicon—are gaining traction for AI inference and on-device privacy, citing MacStadium use cases and enterprise angles like Copilot adoption. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Guy Serle, Web Bixby, Jeff Gamet, Jim Rea, and Mark Fuccio contrast training vs. inference, discuss small language models, and corporate data policies. The session wraps up with the alleged FCC leak of iPhone 16e schematics, and Xiaomi’s unabashed Apple cloning—plus a quick note on viral AI fakes.
MacVoices #25256: Live! - Electronic Arts Goes Private; What Makes A Good Game?Electronic Arts’ $55 billion privatization sparks debate over the state of gaming. The panel examines EA’s financial struggles, originality fatigue, and cinematic excess in modern titles. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Guy Serle, Web Bixby, Jeff Gamet, Jim Rea and Mark Fuccio explore Saudi investment motives, shareholder pressures, and what defines real playability—fun, challenge, and creativity over graphics and spectacle.
MacVoices #25255: Live! - Tillie Norwood, AI, and Hollywood Collide The panel examines the controversy over “Tilly Norwood,” an AI-generated actress, and what it means for Hollywood’s future. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Guy Serle, Web Bixby, Jeff Gamet, Jim Rea debate whether artificial performers threaten human creativity, explore ethical uses of AI to augment actors, and consider the limits of synthetic art versus human expression as technology blurs artistic boundaries.
MacVoices #25254: Live! - Discussing Bad Bunny As Apple’s Super Bowl Half Time Show Bad Bunny has been announced as the headliner for Apple’s Super Bowl Half Time Show, but the choice isn’t without controversy. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Guy Serle, Web Bixby, Jeff Gamet, Jim Rea, and Mark Fuccio share both thoughts and predictions, debate the evolution of half-time acts, and Apple’s influence.
MacVoices #25253: Live! - Battery Pack PSA, AirPods, Bending iPhones, A Free VPN, Dating With AI The panel covers Anchor’s power bank recall over fire risks, debates iPhone durability and repairability, and reviews ExpressVPN’s ad-supported “EventVPN.” Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius Jim Rea, and Web Bixby also share travel safety tips for lithium-ion batteries, discuss Apple’s design shift toward easier repairs, and joke about Facebook’s new AI-powered dating feature before wrapping up with their latest Apple tech experiences and projects.
MacVoices #25252: Live! - AirPods Everywhere, New Gear Reactions, Store Lines The MacVoices Live! panel talks brand genericization (“AirPods” for all earbuds), a quirky AirPods Max fix, and first-week impressions of new Apple gear. Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Ben Roethig, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Jim Rea, and Web Bixby relate stories of iPhone 17 setup, camera zoom and landscape selfie tricks, store launch crowds, cases and scratch concerns, Liquid Glass readability, Apple Watch Ultra 3, AirPods Pro 3 translation limits, and an M3 iPad Air upgrade with education-store trade-in twists.
MacVoices #25251: Live! - How The MacVoices Live! Panel Uses Tech…And What For The panel of Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Ben Roethig, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden,Marty Jencius Jim Rea, and Web Bixby share how they use technology across personal and professional projects — from AI tools like Teams Copilot and MacWhisper to collaborative Google Slides and automation. One panel member discusses managing a massive listserv and combating spam research posts, while others highlight advances in Apple silicon and side ventures like an eclectic food pursuit. The group shares evolving workflows, collaboration, and unexpected tech support moments.
MacVoices #25250: Joe Kissell Takes Control of Tahoe and Mac Basics (3) Joe Kissell wraps up our conversation about Take Control of Tahoe and Mac Basics (2nd Edition) with comments on Apple’s growing bundle of system apps, arguing choice is good but overload hurts usability, citing legacy tools like Stickies. He highlights Tahoe’s automation boosts—Shortcuts that auto-run on triggers—and new passkey import/export for cross-manager use.
MacVoices #25249: Joe Kissell Takes Control of Tahoe and Mac Basics (2) In Part 2 of our discussion, Joe Kissell, author of Take Control of Tahoe and Mac Basics (2nd Edition), dives into Tahoe’s practical upgrades. Joe talks about the fully customizable Control Center and menu bar, quick access to Reduce Transparency, and deeper iPhone integration including the Phone app on Mac with call screening, hold assist, and live translation. He critiques Spotlight’s overhaul while noting new “actions” and clipboard history and loos at. new system apps Apps, Games, Journal and Magnifier.
MacVoices #25248: Joe Kissell Takes Control of Tahoe and Mac Basics (1) Joe Kissel takes on Apple’s latest macOS in both Take Control of Tahoe and Mac Basics (2nd Edition), exploring the challenges of updating books for the sweeping design change introduced by Liquid Glass. They examine new apps, evolving features, and Apple’s visual overhaul, debating form versus function and how users adapt to change over time. (Part 1)
MacVoices #25246 Live! - Lossless Music, AI Data and Spotify, Vimeo’s New Owner The MacVoices Live! panel reacts to Spotify’s long-promised “lossless music” option, noting it trails Apple Music and Tidal, but may be “good enough” for phone/Bluetooth listeners. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencuis, Web Bixby, Jim Rea, Eric Bolden, Jeff Gamet, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Norbert Frassa compare discovery and playlist culture (Spotify vs Apple; shout-out to Pandora), look at app quirks and OS updates, and discuss reports of users selling Spotify’s Wrapped data for AI. The discussion wraps up with Bending Spoons’ plan to buy Vimeo and what its Evernote/FiLMiC history could mean for creators.
MacVoices #25245: Live! - iPhone 17 Ripoff, Testing iPhone Air’s Popularity The panel debates Xiaomi’s iPhone-inspired 17 Pro design featuring a rear display, questioning its practicality compared to foldables and Apple’s existing solutions like the Apple Watch and Dynamic Island. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencuis, Web Bixby, Jim Rea, Eric Bolden, Jeff Gamet, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Norbert Frassa examine the new iPhone Air, discussing preorders, in-store impact, battery trade-offs, and its potential similarity to the MacBook Air’s evolution.
MacVoices #25244: Live! - Plex Breach Warnings, Apple Watch Health Win, and TikTok Uncertainty The panel covers multiple tech updates, starting with another Plex data breach and the importance of password hygiene, passkeys, and MFA. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencuis, Web Bixby, Jim Rea, Eric Bolden, Jeff Gamet, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Norbert Frassa discuss FDA clearance for Apple Watch hypertension detection and its impact on health monitoring. The group reviews the latest Apple Sports app improvements, including CarPlay integration and live updates. The show wraps with analysis of TikTok’s uncertain U.S. future and broader concerns over social media algorithms.