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 #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 #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. 

MacVoices #25243: Live! - The MacVoices Live! Pane’ls New Hardware Choices and Order Stories The MacVoices Live! panel of Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencuis, Web Bixby, Jim Rea, Eric Bolden, Jeff Gamet, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Norbert Frassa compares hardware picks and preorder adventures after Apple’s event. Hosts share iPhone 17 choices, Apple Watch and AirPods buys, cases and colors, and delivery vs. in-store pickup. A sponsor spot highlights Insta360 Go Ultra. One panel member recounts a financing snarl with Citizens and shifting to Apple Card, sparking a broader chat on carriers, trade-ins, and payment options. 

MacVoices #25242: Apple In The Enterprise with David Ginsburg (2) David Ginsburg continues the conversation on Apple in the enterprise, focusing on iPads as primary work devices, the balance between cost and usability, and how apps like Teams and Zoom perform. He compares iPads, Surfaces, and Chromebooks, noting Apple’s growing presence in education and business. The discussion also touches on BYOD challenges, iCloud’s consumer focus, and the future impact of M-series chips, AI, and Vision Pro. (Part 2) 

MacVoices #25241: Apple In The Enterprise with David Ginsburg (1) David Ginsburg breaks down how Apple fits in large organizations: growing Mac adoption, why proper MDM makes them as secure as PCs, and how Jamf, Intune, and Azure work together. He explains Apple Business Manager and zero-touch enrollment, device lifecycle/ROI, and cloud trade-offs. They compare M-series longevity to PCs, when iPads make business sense, and why web apps and Microsoft 365 shape today’s enterprise choices. 

MacVoices #25240: Jeff Carlson Takes Control of Your Digital Storage (2) Our discussion with Jeff Carlson about his newest release, Take Control of Your Digital Storage, to discuss network-attached storage, memory cards as storage options, and the evolving challenges of digital storage. He explains practical trade-offs between direct-connect drives, NAS, and portable media, highlighting security and performance considerations. Jeff also shares his new role at CNET, where he covers mobile tech and photography, including hands-on testing of the Pixel 10 Pro XL.

MacVoices #25239: Jeff Carlson Takes Control of Your Digital Storage Jeff Carlson takes on the latest information in the newly updated Take Control of Your Digital Storage. Topics include choosing SSD vs HDD and NVMe, when Thunderbolt 5 matters, APFS basics, and why cables and enclosures affect speed and reliability. They cover backup strategies, OWC DIY builds, iOS/iPadOS Files support for external drives, NAS pros/cons, and even using SD cards—when it’s smart, and when it’s not.  

MacVoices #25238: Live! - Google Avoids Disaster, Apple’s Benefit; An AI Assistant On Your TV? A major antitrust ruling leaves Google with Chrome intact but requires limited data sharing with competitors, while Apple continues to benefit from billions in Google search placement payments. The panel of Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, Marty Jencius, and Mark Fuccio debates whether remedies punish innovation, investor reactions to the news, and privacy issues around smart TVs with AI assistants. They close with lighter takes on Clippy’s unlikely return as a protest symbol. 

MacVoices #25237: TV+ Talk - Most Watched Apple TV+ Content Charlotte Henry and Chuck Joiner dig into JustWatch data on August’s most-watched Apple TV+ series (Chief of War, Foundation, Invasion) and films (The Gorge, Killers of the Flower Moon). They compare Apple TV+ value vs. Netflix, bundles, and “background TV.” The conversation includes Apple funding riskier originals (Spike Lee/Denzel), box-office vs. streaming strategy, and a new James Corden/Ruth Jones comedy deal. 

MacVoices #25236: Live! - Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ Event Discussion (Part 3) The panel wraps Apple’s “Awe Dropping” coverage by debating iPhone 17 hardware: new vapor-chamber cooling, bigger batteries, a widened camera “deck,” triple 48MP sensors, square-format capture, brighter 3,000-nit displays, and up to 2TB storage. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Eric Bolden, and Mark Fuccio contrast AirPods’ translation “wow” with phones’ incremental gains, weigh real-world benefits for creators, and critique Apple’s moodier event production and revived case materials. 

MacVoices #25235: Live! - Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ Event Discussion (Part 2) The panel continues its discussion of Apple’s latest announcements from the “Awe Dropping” event, focusing on the Apple Watch Series 11, new health and sleep tracking features, and the Ultra’s extended battery life. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Eric Bolden, and Mark Fuccio switch to the iPhone lineup, with debate over the new iPhone Air, Pro, and Pro Max models, camera improvements, storage options, and durability upgrades. The group weighs trade-in values, upgrade decisions, and how new features fit real-world use. 

MacVoices #25234: Live - Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ Event Discussion (Part 1) The first part of the MacVoices Live! panel’s discussions about   Apple’s latest event, dives into new AirPods with translation, heart rate monitoring, enhanced noise cancellation, and fitness tracking. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Eric Bolden, and Mark Fuccio also cover Apple Watch updates, including the SE3’s expanded health features and the Ultra’s larger display. Along the way, they share trade-in tips and sleep tracking issues, all while weighing upgrade decisions.

MacVoices #25233: Live! - TypePad Departs, MacSurfer Returns TypePad’s shutdown prompts a PSA on exporting old blogs, while the panel welcomes the nostalgic return of MacSurfer—an Apple-news aggregator reborn in beta. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, Marty Jencius, Mark Fuccio weigh whether curated headlines still matter in an RSS world, discuss topic vs site organization, search usefulness, and daily cadence. Along the way are comments about decluttering, fiber-speed brags, and how aggregation style shapes what we read. 

MacVoices #25232: Live! - Replacing Facebook The MacVoices panel of Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Ben Roethig, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, Web Bixby, and Jim Rea debates whether alternatives like Discord, Reddit, Mastodon, or Blue Sky could replace Facebook for groups and community interaction. They discuss ease of adoption, generational barriers, and what it takes for platforms to go mainstream, comparing them to Zoom’s rise during the pandemic. The conversation wraps with thoughts on Apple’s upcoming September event and closing connections.

MacVoices #25231: The Macstock IX Digital Pass with Mike Potter Mike Potter returns to unveil the MacStock Confere IX Digital Pass, three days of workshops and sessions in upgraded quality thanks to new gear and live switching. The talks are available as streams on the Macstock site, along with with slides and bonus moments. Those who were there in person already have access; others can purchase the pass to learn at their own pace. The discussion includes pricing, session counts, a downloadable schedule, and a tease for MacStock X in July 2026.  

MacVoices #25230: Live! - Intel Investment Debate and Bluesky’s Mississippi Exit The panel examines the U.S. government’s $8.9 billion investment in Intel, debating whether it strengthens national security or sets a risky precedent for government ownership in private companies. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Ben Roethig, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, Web Bixby, and Jim Rea discuss Intel’s challenges, the role of the CHIPS Act, and political optics. The session also examined Bluesky’s withdrawal from Mississippi over strict age-verification laws, and the implications for other states and services.

MacVoices #25230: Live! - Intel Investment Debate and Bluesky’s Mississippi Exit The panel examines the U.S. government’s $8.9 billion investment in Intel, debating whether it strengthens national security or sets a risky precedent for government ownership in private companies. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Ben Roethig, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, Web Bixby, and Jim Rea discuss Intel’s challenges, the role of the CHIPS Act, and political optics. The session also examined Bluesky’s withdrawal from Mississippi over strict age-verification laws, and the implications for other states and services.

MacVoices #25228: Live! - xAI Sues Apple and Apple Watch Secrets Stolen Elon Musk’s xAI launches a lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI over app chart favoritism, sparking debate on App Store algorithms and competition. The panel digs into whether Grok is being unfairly excluded and how rankings work. Then, Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Ben Roethig, Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, Web Bixby, and Jim Ray turn to alleged Apple Watch trade secret theft linked to Oppo, raising questions about corporate espionage and its impact. 

MacVoices #25227: TV+ Talk - Son Heung-min Sells Shirts as Apple TV+ Prices Rise Chuck and Charlotte explore the soaring success of soccer in the U.S. through Apple’s MLS deal, highlighted by Son Heung-min’s arrival and his record jersey sales. They examine the blockbuster run of Apple’s F1 movie, questions around Apple’s MLB streaming future, and the latest Apple TV+ price hike. Wrapping up, they preview fall programming including The Morning Show and Slow Horses, underscoring TV+’s growing library and value.

MacVoices #25225: Live! - Adobe’s PDF AI, Dia Browser Costs, and A Foldable Phone TestAdobe has opened a new door on their AI strategy, unveiling a new AI service for PDFs. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Marty Jencius. Jeff Gamet, Eric Bolden, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, and Norbert Frassa weigh its usefulness against privacy risks and academic research tools. They discuss the Dia browser’s pricey subscription model, compare trends in $20–$25 monthly services, and question long-term sustainability. Finally, just for fun, the panel has thoughts on a foldable phone durability test and how it compares to probable real world use.