The panel explores whether platforms like Discord, Reddit, Mastodon, or Blue Sky could realistically replace Facebook’s role in community groups. They weigh generational challenges, user adoption barriers, and compare these shifts to Zoom’s rapid rise during the pandemic. The discussion closes with predictions for Apple’s upcoming September event and reflections on privacy, usability, and platform loyalty.
Mike Potter details the MacStock IX Digital Pass—three days of workshops and sessions captured with upgraded production, complete with slides and bonus moments. An early audio issue was fixed in post, and all content streams online for on-demand viewing. Attendees already have access; others can purchase the pass, download the schedule, and start watching. Plus: a teaser for MacStock X, July 10–12, 2026.
The U.S. government’s $8.9 billion stake in Intel sparks debate over national security, bailouts, and political precedent. The panel also explores Intel’s struggles, the CHIPS Act, and global competition. In a separate discussion, Blue Sky’s decision to leave Mississippi highlights the growing clash between privacy concerns and strict age-verification laws in social media.
Apple’s rumored partnership with Google’s Gemini AI to enhance Siri sparks debate over privacy, antitrust issues, and big tech alliances. The panel also examines the FTC’s encryption warnings, Y Combinator’s support of Epic in its App Store fight, and Meta’s alleged privacy violations, highlighting the complex challenges of balancing innovation, trust, and accountability.
This episode dives into Elon Musk’s XAI lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI, challenging App Store rankings and Siri partnerships. The panel debates whether Grok is being unfairly excluded and how app charts really work. Later, the discussion shifts to Apple Watch secrets allegedly stolen by an employee for Oppo, raising questions of corporate espionage and Apple’s ability to safeguard innovation.
Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jeff Butts, Marty Jencius, Ben Roethig, Web Bixby, and Eric Bolden look at the new model of Beats earphones and what they have that AirPods don’t (yet) and a surprise announcement that you can now combine your Apple accounts albeit with a number of requirements. Just for fun, the panel also considers a report that it is increasingly popular for some users to wear their Apple Watch on their ankle, and why one would want to.
Robotics are becoming both more accepted and advanced in a variety of areas, especially companionship for all ages. At CES in Las Vegas, Lisha Qui, Head of International Marketing for Elephant Robotics, showed off some of their robotic pets. metaCat, metaDog, and metaPanda were all on display and the crowed was interacting with the just like real pets. Lisha explains how their deep learning AI training creates realistic head and tail movements, its use of USB charging vs. batteries, and their choice of pet models.
The Super Bowl as the topic of discussion for the MacVoices Live! panel of Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jeff Butts, Marty Jencius, Ben Roethig, Web Bixby, and Eric Bolden…but not for the football. How successful the streaming distribution part was will affect the streaming landscape, which ads worked and which didn’t, and thoughts on the Apple-supported halftime show were on the panel’s minds.
In a very orange booth at CES in Las Vegas, Brandon Thweatt, Systems Analyst for j5create, shows us off their video switcher devices that let you create sophisticated video streams for your show, game, or whatever you want to show off on the internet. Brandon talks about the two models, one with a screen, one without.
Our conversation with Joe Kissell about his new Take Control book Mac Basics continues with comments on what versions of macOS are addressed and how Joe approached the daunting task of covering all the system features. We also talk about the importance of a basics book and shares some valuable Mac tips that you may not know.
Joe Kissell is back with a new Take Control title that is just a little different. Mac Basics. Joe starts out by discussing why this book is needed, and some of the challenges of creating a basic book on such a mature and complex topic. Starting out with the physical characteristics, then going through what the user sees first, Joe discusses how he tries to touch on everything without the details becoming burdensome. (Part 1)
A new social media app has been launched by the Twitterific team. Tapestry combines Blue Sky, Mastodon, RSS, and YouTube feeds on your iOS device. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, Guy Serle, Jim Rea, and Web Bixby discuss the implications of this app given its pedigree. We also look at an Office 365 price increase at the same time it drops a free VPN service, and its subscription model. Microsoft is also bringing DeepSeek to its Copilot service while, at the same time, DeepSeek was dropped from the Italian App Store.
In Eureka Park at CES in Las Vegas we talked to Lea Milovich, CEO and Co-Founder of Flowbeams, a Dutch start-up that has developed a needle-free injection technology. Lea talked about the incredible number of needles in use each day and how their option could reduce or eliminate that waste, not to mention improving the experience for everything from vaccines to tattoos. If you hate needles, you need to see this interview.
Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, Guy Serle, Jim Rea, and Web Bixby re-look at bootable backups because one cloning software developer says the new version of the macOS has fixed a bug and that they work…sort of. The panel looks at a change in purchasing AppleCare that you need to be aware of, and how Apple TV+ and Godzilla got some respect at a recent awards event.
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