Chuck — MacVoices

MacVoices #25183: Live! – Meta’s AI Power Play, WhatsApp Ad Fallout, and Trump Mobile???

Jul 1, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

The MacVoices Live! panel explores Meta’s push to dominate AI with its new “super intelligence” team, raising privacy concerns and skepticism over its motives. WhatsApp’s move to introduce ads prompts worries about user data and ad targeting is discussed, by Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Marty Jencius, along with the bizarre launch of a Trump-branded smartphone and its questionable specs and capabilities.

MacVoices #25182: MacVoices Update – 2025-06

Jun 30, 2025 | Updates

The June 2025 MacVoices Update looks back on a packed month of content, including The Road to MacStock and NAB wrap-ups. Some format changes to make episodes more approachable, resources like the weekly Dispatch newsletter and Flipboard magazine, and the Support Report complete this week’s comments.

MacVoices #25181: Live! – Alexa+, AI Power Plays, and the Rise of Social Media News

Jun 27, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

The MacVoices Live! panel takes a closer look at Amazon’s Alexa+, its unusual rollout, and user experiences that raise questions about its current readiness. The panel compares AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, especially in corporate environments, highlighting their strengths and limitations. The conversation shifts to a Reuters study showing social media has overtaken traditional outlets as the leading news source in the U.S., prompting concerns over misinformation, curated content, and the erosion of journalistic standards. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Marty Jencius also share personal insights on AI adoption, media literacy, and the changing landscape of how we consume news.

MacVoices #25180: Live! – Haptics, Siri Setbacks, and Why AI Isn’t Selling Phones

Jun 26, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

The panel explores Apple’s innovative use of haptics in its new F1 movie trailer and how it adds to the experience (or not). They discuss the delayed rollout of personalized Siri, developer challenges with AI integration, and why Apple may have backtracked on earlier plans. A CNET survey sparks a broader conversation with Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Marty Jencius about how little weight AI features carry for smartphone buyers today, despite media and industry hype.

MacVoices #25179: Road to Macstock – Kelly Guimont

Jun 25, 2025 | Events

Kelly Guimont returns to The Road to Macstock Conference and Expo to talk about her session on practical, privacy-conscious home automation. Starting from zero, she will help attendees make informed choices and avoid feeling overwhelmed, with real-life examples and insights drawn from years of experience. She also shares why MacStock remains a favorite event—thanks to its community, connection, and even the karaoke.

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MacVoices #24305: Live! – Gronk’s Apple Investment, Apple Card and Interest Rates

Dec 27, 2024 | MacVoices Live!

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 #24304: Live! – Getting Around GM On CarPlay, Holiday Purchases

Dec 26, 2024 | MacVoices Live!

The MacVoices Live! panel of Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Ben Roethig, Jim Rea, and Mark Fuccio look at a new option that may get around GM’s anti-CarPlay stance, and what it means for customers, then share some of the items that were on the “buy” list for the Black Friday schedule.

MacVoices #24303: Live! – Social Media Ages, Recall, Bitcoin, and Winterfest

Dec 24, 2024 | MacVoices Live!

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

Dec 23, 2024 | MacVoices Live!

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)

Dec 20, 2024 | Take Control

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)

Dec 19, 2024 | Take Control

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

Dec 18, 2024 | MacVoices Live!

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

Dec 17, 2024 | MacVoices Live!

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

Dec 16, 2024 | MacVoices Live!

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.

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