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MacVoices #25323: Kirk McElhearn Takes Control of Apple Media Apps (2)

Dec 26, 2025 | Take Control

A conversation with Kirk McElhern on the steady maturation of Apple’s media apps—Music, TV, Books, and Podcasts—and why major changes are now rare. They unpack Apple Music’s personalized stations and discovery, the “hits rise to the top” problem, and why many podcast pros still prefer Overcast despite Apple’s transcripts. Plus: how Apple’s services strategy nudges users toward subscriptions, and why managing your own library adds the real complexity.

MacVoices #25322: Kirk McElhearn Takes Control of Apple Media Apps (1)

Dec 24, 2025 | Take Control

Kirk McElhern returns to talk about the newest Take Control of Apple Media Apps and why Apple’s Music/TV/Podcasts/Books apps feel more “mature” than revolutionary. He breaks down the small-but-real updates, critiques the Liquid Glass interface and accessibility tradeoffs, and explains why the Mac still matters for metadata work. Plus: a practical workaround for messy personal video libraries—Plex—and thoughts on playlists, Spotify, and Apple Music personalization.

MacVoices #25321: Live! – Implications of Apple’s AI Talent Losses

Dec 23, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

A frank panel discussion explores Apple’s AI leadership shakeup, delayed Siri features, and whether the company can balance privacy, innovation, and external partnerships in a rapidly accelerating AI landscape.

MacVoices #25317: 2025 MacVoices Holiday Gift Guide #8 (1)

Dec 18, 2025 | Gift Guides

Kelly Guimont, Jim Rea, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Kirk McElhearn and Chuck Joiner wrap up the 2025 MacVoices Holiday Gift Guides wraps up with “best of the rest” episodes, packed with practical picks and plenty of laughs. Highlights include keyboard travel cases, socks, portable power options, dictation software, a motorized TV mount, a light, and compact multi-port chargers. (Part 1)

MacVoices #25315: 2025 MacVoices Holiday Gift Guide #7 (2)

Dec 16, 2025 | Gift Guides

The 2025 MacVoices Holiday Gift Guide continues with Brittany Smith, Mike Potter, and Chuck Joiner making the picks. They include an affordable Bluetooth blood pressure monitor that syncs to Health, a whimsical LEGO gingerbread Star Wars piece, and a double recommendation of an Audible subscription and a book that covers Apple from a different angle. An app pick, a feline-oriented calendar, and a push to learn large language models responsibly finishes off this guide. (Part 2)

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MacVoices #25235: Live! – Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ Event Discussion (Part 2)

Sep 11, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

In part two of the panel’s Apple event coverage, discussion turns to the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra models, highlighting sleep tracking, health features, and impressive battery life. The group also examines the new iPhone Air and Pro lineup, debating design durability, camera advancements, storage options, and real-world usability. Trade-in values and upgrade choices round out the lively conversation.

MacVoices #25234: Live – Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ Event Discussion (Part 1)

Sep 10, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

The panel breaks down Apple’s latest event, highlighting new AirPods with live translation, heart rate monitoring, better noise cancellation, and fitness tracking. They also explore updates to the Apple Watch lineup, including the affordable SE3 and the powerful Ultra 3. With insights on trade-ins, sleep tracking quirks, and upgrade choices, the group weighs which new devices are worth the investment.

MacVoices #25233: Live! – TypePad Departs, MacSurfer Returns

Sep 9, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

A PSA on TypePad’s shutdown leads to a bigger question: does a curated Apple-news hub still matter today? The panel explores MacSurfer’s beta return, comparing classic aggregation with modern RSS workflows (NetNewsWire, Feedly), topic vs site organization, search value, and daily cadence. Nostalgia meets practicality as they assess how curation shapes what we read—and what we might miss.

MacVoices #25229: Live! – Gemini and Siri, The FTC’s Encryption Demands, Y Combinator and Epic

Sep 3, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

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.

MacVoices #25228: Live! – xAI Sues Apple and Apple Watch Secrets Stolen

Sep 2, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

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.

MacVoices #25217: Live! – Apple Succession Challenges and Free Service Upload Cautions

Aug 18, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

The panel explores Tim Cook’s tenure surpassing Steve Jobs, Apple’s leadership future, and the company’s need for reinvention. They debate whether Apple’s next CEO should come from inside or outside, discuss innovation challenges, the Vision Pro, privacy values, and ecosystem strength. Historical CEO missteps highlight the difficulty of succession, while Adobe’s free AI tool sparks concerns about data use and trust.

MacVoices #25216: Live! – Healthcare Digitization, AI Direction, and a 3-Billion iPhone Milestone

Aug 15, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

The panel covers Dropbox ending its password manager, Sengled Alexa support loss, Apple’s role in digitizing healthcare, AI strategy shifts, the 3 billionth iPhone milestone, and Apple’s lawsuit against Apple Cinemas. Discussions balance tech optimism with privacy concerns and industry realities.

MacVoices #25214: Behind The Scenes at ScreenCastsONLINE with Lee Garrett

Aug 13, 2025 | Interview

Lee Garrett, owner of ScreenCastsOnline, shares how he took over from founder Don McAllister, maintained quality, and evolved the platform’s content strategy. From balancing app and OS coverage to expanding on YouTube, Garrett explains his approach, future goals, and dedication to community while keeping the service’s educational mission strong.

MacVoices #25213: Live! – Apple’s AI Talent Drain, Sonos’ New CEO, and the Tea App Breach

Aug 12, 2025 | MacVoices Live!

The panel examines Apple’s AI talent losses and potential strategy changes, Meta’s aggressive recruitment, and Google’s new AI search tool. They also discuss Sonos naming Tom Conrad as CEO, the growing threat from a major SharePoint hack, and the controversy surrounding the Tea app after a massive data exposure led to a class action lawsuit.

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