MacVoices #24305: Live! - Gronk’s Apple Investment, Apple Card and Interest Rates In an investment-focused episode, Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Ben Roethig, Jim Rea, and Mark Fuccio discuss how football star Rob Gronkowski (Gronk) made an Apple investment we all wish we had, and the surprising source of the advice. The discussion then turns to the Apple Card, Apple Savings Account, how the interest rates stack up against the competition, and whether the ease and speed of access constitute a competitive advantage. 

MacVoices 24303: Live! - Social Media Ages, Recall, Bitcoin, and Winterfest The MacVoices Live! Holiday Party rolls on with discussions about an Australian age limit for social media, the return of a controversial Microsoft feature, a big benchmark for Bitcoin, and a software sale of note that runs well into the New Year. The panel of Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flaningan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Web Bixby, and Jim Rea (and Brittany Smith, who couldn’t stay for this part) wish you and yours the very best of holidays! 

MacVoices #24302: Live! - Apple Vision Pro Award and Challengers, Apple Store Winners Our MacVoices Live! holiday party features discussions on the Silo two-season renewal, AirTags and travel, and Apple Vision Pro as “Innovation of the Year” award from Popular Mechanics. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flaningan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Web Bixby, Brittany Smith, and Jim Rea also look at the Apple Store winners as well as user privacy issues.

MacVoices #24301: Kirk McElhearn Takes Control of Apple Media Apps (2) Our conversation with Kirk McElhearn, the author of the new Take Control of Apple Media Apps, continues with explorations of Apple’s Books and Music apps from an audiobook perspective. The advantage of using Audible’s app are covers, particularly if using the Apple Watch. Kirk also discusses the Apple Music Classical app, Siri’s limitations with music command, and more. (Part 2) 

MacVoices #24300: Kirk McElhearn Takes Control of Apple Media Apps (1) The latest Take Control Books release comes from Kirk McElhearn. Take Control of Apple Media Apps covers Apple Music and Podcasts as well as The Apple TV and Books apps. Kirk talks about the evolution of this book and how an understanding of their similarities and the near-complete feature parity can help you get more out of them. Usability, rather than continuous feature introduction, has resulted in mature (in a good way) apps that let you use their content intuitively. The Apple TV app gets special attention in the discussion. (Part 1) 

MacVoices #24299: Live! - The DOJ and Google, Buying Tracking Data, Hardware Subscriptions The Department of Justice’s proposal for Google to divest Chrome generates a debate on the pros, cons, and likelihood of that ever happening between Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Marty Jencius, Jeff Gamet, Web Bixby, and Jim Rea. The panel contrasts the implications for America’s tech leadership and navigates the nuances of monopoly versus competition. Finally, Microsoft has a new small computer that looks suspiciously like one of our Apple favorites…but charges a subscription to make to work. Worth the money? What do you think? 

MacVoices #24298: Live! - A Dot-com Monopoly and Coca-Cola’s AI Holiday Ads David Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Marty Jencius, Jeff Gamet, Web Bixby, and Jim Rea debate a U.S. senator’s most recent tech assault, this time on the entity that controls the dot-com domains. Then, we get in the holiday spirit (or not) by discussing the furor over Coca-Cola’s AI-generated holiday ads, whether it is justified, and the factors driving the controversy. 

MacVoices Live #24297: Live! - Copying Tim Cook, Drake’s Accusations, and MacBook Pro Speaker Repairs The MacVoices Live! panel of David Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Marty Jencius, Jeff Gamet, Web Bixby, and Jim Rea praise Tim Cook’s political acumen and discuss how other CEOs are trying to copy it. The discussion turns to Drake’s allegations of favoritism and why they seem unlikely, and then to an update on MacBook Pro speaker repairs and what you need to know. 

MacVoices #24292: Live! - Bluesky Grows, TikTok and Trump, Apple TV+ News Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Jeff Gamet, Marty Jencius, Jim Rea, and Web Bixby consider Bluesky’s growth in the reported exodus from X and what it says about how people are using social media at this point in time. The panel also discuss at the possibilities for TikTok under the incoming Trump administration, and look at what Sam Bankman-Fried and Godzilla have in common. 

MacVoices #24291: Live - M4s and Virtualization, Investigating Microsoft, MDM The MacVoices Live! panel looks at who the reports of the M4 chip’s problems with virtualization affect and why. Microsoft is in the crosshairs of a new FTC look into Microsoft’s business practices, and Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Jeff Gamet, Marty Jencius, Jim Rea, and Web Bixby share some of their experiences with products that are the focus of the investigation. Then we transition into a discussion of Mobile Device Management by both Apple and Microsoft and what they mean if you are using a machine owned by your employer. 

MacVoices #24290: Live! - iPhone Reboots, Apple Gives, Apple Takes Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Jeff Gamet, Marty Jencius, Jim Rea, and Web Bixby look at the unannounced feature that reboots iPhones after an extended period of inactivity, how they view it, and how law enforcement is seeing it. In the same vein, we look at what Apple is giving in the form of an also-unannounced improvement to their laptop screens, the new version of Final Cut, and new games for Apple Arcade. Apple is also taking away some features from  and what Apple is taking away some legacy machines in terms of support and repair options. The panel digs through all of that and more. 

MacVoices #24287: The First 10 Things You Should Do With Your Apple Vision Pro (2) This two-part Vision Pro Focus looks at more of the first things you should do with your new Apple Vision Pro. Some highlights of the discussion with Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, and Chuck Joiner include an immersive meditation app, virtual travel using the AVP, and some favorite games. Video editing options, a “social virtual card game” and immersive sports content round out the list. 

MacVoices #24286: The First 10 Things You Should Do With Your Apple Vision Pro (1) This episode of Vision Pro Focus, our project in conjunction with Vision Pro Files, features a discussion of “The First 10 Things You Should Do With Your Apple Vision Pro.” Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, and MacVoices host Chuck Joiner start off with some of the basics and why they are so influential to future AVP experiences both recreational and productive. Then we dig into some of those options in both categories that should among your first explorations. (Part 1) 

MacVoices #24285: MacVoices Update 2024-11 The November 2024 MacVoices Update arrives a day late due to the holidays, and covers a variety of topics. Chuck talks about a new feature being tried out on the MacVoices web site, the many different ways to access the annual MacVoices Holiday Gift Guide picks, and an explanation of some schedule juggling. We wrap with a reminder about MacVoices Magazine, the Support Report, and why we structure the name recognition of our Patrons the way we do. 

MacVoices #24284: 2024 Holiday Gift Guide #3 (2) The second half of the 2024 MacVoices Holiday Gift Guide #3 got a little crazy as  Rosemary Orchard and Jeff Gamet took off on a side discussion about various options for one of Jeff’s picks, while David Ginsburg and Chuck Joiner stuck with the regular format. All told, a good time was had with a whole lot of laughs and great gift picks. (Part 2)