MacVoices #24269: Live! - Bluesky’s Growth, Sonos Issues, Squarespace Acquired, The WordPress Soap Opera MacVoices Live! covers several recent shifts in major tech platforms, starting with the mass migration of users from X to Blue Sky and its implications for social media competition. The panel of Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Web Bixby, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, and Eric Bolden discuss the challenges Sonos faces regarding device connectivity and user experience as well as Squarespace’s $7.2 billion acquisition, the  internal turmoil within WordPress under Automatic, and the possible effect on the web site building industry.

MacVoices #24268: Live! - Set Lists in Apple Music, New Beats Pill, Russians Buying More iPhones, and Apple Counterfeit Product Seizure MacVoices Live! panel members Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Web Bixby, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, and Eric Bolden have differing use cases for Apple’s new set list feature in Music, at least a couple of which will surprise you. We also debate the importance of celebrity endorsements through the new Beats Pill, cover the reported increase in iPhone sales in Russia, and an Irish seizure of counterfeit Apple products. 

MacVoices #24267: Live! - ApplePay at 10 and Did Tim Cook Really Call Donald Trump? Apple Pay turned 10 recently and the MacVoices Live! panel discussed its transformation and influence in mobile payments since its launch. Then, Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Martty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Web Bixby, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, and Eric Bolden detour into political territory, examining a political narrative surrounding a rumored phone call between Tim Cook and Donald Trump related to EU regulations. The conversation focused on the need for both skeptical and mixed media coverage.

MacVoices #24265: Live! - Adobe vs. Procreate, Sonos, Locked iPhones, and More The MacVoices panel discusses the changes Adobe made to Fresco, apparently to go after the tablet drawing app market that Procreate dominates. How do the two compare, and how with their respective business models fare? Chuck Joiner, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, David Ginsburg, Ben Roethig, Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, and Web Bixby have thoughts before they report on Sonos’ improvements, and laugh their way through the cell carriers’ assertion that locking phones is good for you.

MacVoices #24264: Live! - M4 iMac, An Apple Card Promotion, Apple TV+ Successes Chuck Joiner, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, David Ginsburg, Ben Roethig, Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, and Web Bixby turn their attention to the newly announced M4 iPad. Who will be buying it, the secondary monitor support, and how it will change as Apple Intelligence rolls out are all considered. The panel also looks at a new Apple Card promotion and whether Apple or Goldman Sachs is funding it, as well as the roll that Apple TV+ seems to be on. 

MacVoices #24263: Live! - The M4 Mac mini and M4 Mac mini Pro During a week of Apple announcements, the MacVoice Live! panel took a look at the first two Mac upgrades. Chuck Joiner, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, David Ginsburg, Ben Roethig, Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, and Web Bixby look at the new Mac Mini with the M4 and M4 Pro chips, and the performance boost they offer in a new, compact form factor. Design quirks, multiple monitor support, and Thunderbolt 5 are part of the discussion, as is the question over whether this should be considered a “prosumer” machine. 

MacVoices #24262: Glenn Fleishman Takes Control of Securing Your Apple Devices, AirTags, and More (3) Our multi-part conversation with Take Control author Glenn Fleishman concludes with discussions of Take Control of Securing Your Apple Devices, Take Control of Find My and AirTags, and Take Control of FaceTime and Messages. Glenn points out some lesser-known features such as Lockdown Mode and Private Wi-Fi Address, talks about using GateKeeper effectively, and explains some new features in FaceTime and Messages that improve the user experience. (Part 3) 

MacVoices #24261: Glenn Fleishman On Keeping Safe Using Mobile Tech (2) Glenn Fleishman goes in depth on the title subject of his Keep Safe Using Mobile Tech. We talk about how to secure Apple devices amid all the changes and updates to operating systems, along with features such as car crash detection, fall detection, emergency SOS, and the Check-In function, Glenn emphasizes the need for individuals to understand and customize their device settings for optimal protection from both misadventure as well as theft. (Part 2) 

MacVoices #24260: Keyboards, Comics, and Taking Control of Your Apple Account with Glenn Fleishman (1) In the first part of a wide-ranging conversation with author Glenn Fleishman, we touch on his participation in the Shift Happens book project, his latest project, How Comics Were Made, and his Take Control of Your Apple Account. Along the way we looked back at the surprising origins of a peripheral we all use, the challenges of the early printing industry, and got some thoughts on what you can and can’t do in your account interactions with Apple.

MacVoices #24258: More Home Organization with Under My Roof (2) Our conversation with Diane Hamilton, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Binary Formations continues with how they are implementing machine learning integration in Under My Roof, particularly object recognition, and the support resources available for users. Diane also shares insights on the transition to a subscription model, data ownership and privacy through iCloud integration. (Part 2)

MacVoices #24257: Diane Hamilton On Organizing Your Home with Under My Roof (1)

Diane Hamilton, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Binary Formations, discusses the evolution of Under My Roof. Originally designed for home inventories, the app has transformed into a comprehensive tool for managing all aspects of homeownership, including maintenance schedules and household supplies. Useful for both day-to-day activities as well as in times of disaster, Under My Roof uses iCloud for secure storage of your data. Diane explains user-friendly mechanisms like receipt uploads and strong syncing capabilities across devices as part of the initial implementation. (Part 1) 

MacVoices #24255: More with Mike Schmitz on LifeHQ (2) We wrap up our conversation with Mike Schmitz about how his latest project, LifeHQ, organizes your projects, to-dos, and your life (hence the name). Mike explains some of the key concepts behind his system, how it integrates with apps that you already are using, and the modularity of his approach. Best of all, you can adopt features as your needs and time dictate, rather than have to learn everything all at once. (Part 2)

MacVoices #24254: Mike Schmitz Launches LifeHQ To Improve Your Productivity (1) Mike Schmitz has been working on his new project, LifeHQ, for a long time. Built on Obsidian, LifeHQ is, “Everything You Need to Run Your Whole Life.” Mike explains his combination of personal knowledge management (PKM) and productivity enhancement and how it turns items like notes and journaling into actionable insights. Inspired by Mike’s productivity projects and studies, LifeHQ brings it all in one place. (Part 1)

MacVoices #24252: TV+ Talk - Apple TV+ On Amazon Prime and A New Vision Pro Movie Charlotte Henry and Chuck Joiner use this edition of TV+ Talk to discuss the surprising agreement between Amazon and Apple that will put Apple TV+ on Amazon Prime Video. Are there winners and losers in this development, and what affect will it have on how you sign up for the service? What are the financial arrangements between the two streaming players? Charlotte and Chuck also talk about the new movie that was shot with the Apple Vision Pro in mind and why one of them isn’t interested in seeing it. 

MacVoices #24250: More With Jason Snell on ‘Take Control of Photos’ (2) Our conversation with  Jason Snell about the 4th edition of Take Control of Photos for Take Control Books wraps up with a look at the power of the Photos app for users of all skill levels. Enhancements such as Photographic styles change the game by providing more post-capture options than ever before. Jason also covers getting more out of our photos by printing or making custom books and projects, and how that has become more of a focus in the latest version of Photos. (Part 2)

MacVoices #24249: Jason Snell Takes Control of Photos (1) Jason Snell has released the 4th edition of Take Control of Photos for Take Control Books to cover the  most recent updates to the Photos app on all of Apple’s operating systems. Jason explains why Photos has undergone more of a redesign than an upgrade, utilizing machine learning to help you do more than ever before with your photos. Also more unified than ever is the interface across Mac, iPhone, and iPad which helps in overcoming the resistance to adopting new features. Jason touches on how the improved search capabilities and  customizable collections enhance the user experience and utilization of photos. 

MacVoices #24248: Golden Hill Software’s John Brayton Brings Unread To The Mac John Brayton of Golden Hill Software has released a Mac version of his popular RSS reader, Unread. Available on iOS and iPad OS already, John explains why he felt it was time to fill out the collection for the desktop, citing the changing ways we work and interact online, the changes in social media and how people get their news, and the thought processes behind his pricing decisions. 

MacVoices #24247: Live! - EU Big Tech Agenda, Ferrari Security Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, and Jeff Gamet  analyze the European Union’s increasing regulatory pressure on major tech firms, especially but not limited to Apple. Their advocacy for a more open iOS seems to be at the expense of users privacy in favor of…what? Fines? To wrap up, we discuss why every Ferrari owner should have at least on e pair of AirPods. 

MacVoices #24246: Live! - Microsoft’s Nuclear Reactor, Sam Altman On The AI Future Microsoft is behind bringing a nuclear reactor in Pennsylvania out of mothballs to help drive their AI initiatives. Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, and Jeff Gamet have conflicting thoughts on the benefits and rationale behind this from a variety of perspectives. Along with that, they also have different opinions on a new essay by Sam Altman of OpenAI on the future of AI and what it can accomplish. 

MacVoices #24245: Live! - iPhone Camera Comes In Fourth, Apple Budgets New Films

Does the fact that a recent evaluation placing the iPhone 16 Pro Max camera in fourth place behind some competitors really matter? Dave Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, and Jeff Gamet talk about having the camera as part of a phone that you want to use. as well as just how close the rankings were. The panel has thoughts on Oprah Winfrey buying back the rights to a documentary about her life and the effect of Apple putting a budget on future movie projects.