Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to discuss Amazon’s Photo on Delivery feature and privacy concerns, plus they look at a list of Apple product features that were mocked but later became standards.
Apple Product Lifespan, Better Bluetooth Audio - TMO Daily Observations 2018-03-02
Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on a study showing how long Apple devices stay in use, plus they explain how to get better audio from Bluetooth connections.
How to Spot Apple Phishing Scams, When to Buy a New Apple Watch - TMO Daily Observations 2018-03-01
John Martellaro and the Maccast’s Adam Christianson join Jeff Gamet to look at ways to spot phishing emails, plus they discuss the conundrum of when to buy a new Apple Watch.
Apple Enters Medicine, Vero Viability, Cellebrite Insecurity - ACM 451
Apple is entering into the business of medicine, and Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet explore the ramifications of this momentous development. They also discuss whether or not the Vero social network is viable, as well as Cellebrite’s claim that it can open up most iOS devices.
Apple's Expanding TV Show Lineup, John's Big Screen iPhone Love - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-28
Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on Apple’s original TV show plans, plus John gets all excited about bigger iPhone screens.
TMO Background Mode Interview with VP of Marketing for Mayfield Robotics Chris Matthews
Chris Matthews is the VP of Marketing for Mayfield Robotics. They make the companion robot called Kuri that was recently shown to our Jeff Gamet at CES 2018. Having been a very interested observer of emerging robot technology, I invited Chris to be on the show. We talked about how Mayfield Robotics was formed, the founders, how the company got its name, the human and engineering design principles behind Kuri, what mistakes were avoided, how Kuri protects family privacy and security, the nuances of Kuri’s physical design, how Kuri communicates with the family, its processing power, the price and the shipping status. Kuri is probably going to be my first family robot, so tune-in as Chris explains how Kuri works in fascinating detail. You may want one too.
Apple Uses Google Servers for iCloud Storage, and that's no Big Deal - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-27
Bryan Chaffin, along with Adam Christianson from the Maccast, join Jeff Gamet to talk about Apple using Google’s servers to store our iCloud data, plus the media’s reaction to the years-old news.
Apple Headphones, Samsung's AR Emoji - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-26
Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on a report that Apple is making its own branded over-the-ear headphones, plus they react to Samsung’s AR Emoji feature on the Galaxy S9 smartphone.
It's Easy to Blame Bluetooth and APFS – Mac Geek Gab 698
Having issues with your Apple Watch, your iMac hinge, or your external drive? We summarily blame Bluetooth. And APFS. And we have a solution for that hinge that has nothing to do with radio frequencies. So there. Just press play and enjoy. We promise you’ll learn at least five new things.
How We Use Smart Speakers, the Future of Companion Robots - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-23
Andrew Orr and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to look at a survey showing how consumer use their smart speakers, plus they talk about the future of companion robots.
The Spotify Platform Problem, Tim Cook Insights, and Apple TV Gaming - ACM 450
Bryan and Jeff talk about the Spotify Platform problem and the problems facing any independent music streaming service. They also talk about the things they learned from Tim Cook’s interview with Fast Company, and whether or not Apple is signaling a bigger play in Apple TV gaming.
What You Need to Know About the FCC Anti-Net Neutrality Changes - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-22
John Martellaro joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the state of Net Neutrality now that the FCC’s “Restoring Internet Freedom” is in place, along with what we can expect to happen next.
AirPlay 2 goes MIA, How to Improve macOS Update Notifications - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-21
Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to discuss what may happen next now that AirPlay 2 has been pulled from iOS 11.3 developer beta 3, plus they have some ideas on how to improve Apple’s software update notifications in macOS.
iPhone X Perceived Failure, Siri's Device Delegation - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-20
John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to talk about the perception that iPhone X sales are tanking, plus they explain Siri’s hierarchy in deciding when it should respond from your iPhone, iPad, or HomePod.
Geek Challenges, Voice Assistants, and Cool Stuff Found – Mac Geek Gab Podcast 697
Ever wanted to clear recent locations in your calendar? Or alphabetize LaunchPad? How about finding old computer magazines online? These are just some of the Geek Challenges John and Dave talk through this week. Pepper in some Cool Stuff Found, other questions from fellow listeners, and a discussion about playing podcasts with your voice assistant, and you’ve got this week’s episode! Press play… and enjoy!
TMO Background Mode Interview with Axios Energy & Climate Reporter Amy Harder
Amy Harder covers energy and climate change for Axios. She writes a weekly column called the Harder Line that reports on trends, has exclusive scoops and analyzes the news driving the debate about energy and climate. Her coverage includes congressional legislation, regulations, lobbying, and international policy actions affecting the United States. Amy holds a B.A. in Journalism with honors. In our interview, I asked Amy about some of the most important issues of her coverage: what is “clean coal,” how does global warming affect climate, do all conservatives deny global warming, what is a good website for scientific information, what is her workday like, and what could scientists do to better to communicate with the public? Come meet and listen to the reporter who has a terrific grasp of these important topics.
Goodbye Twitter Mac App, HomePod Blind Sound Test - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-19
Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to look at the options now that Twitter has announced its Mac client is no more. They also offer up their thoughts on David Pogue’s HomePod sound quality blind test.
Mobile Safari Security Tips, HomePod as a HomeKit Hub - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-16
John Martellaro and Andrew Orr join Jeff Gamet to share some tips on improving your online privacy in Mobile Safari, plus they look at HomePod’s place as a HomeKit hub.
iOS 11 Telugu Text Bug, the Mac's Good Old Days of Snow Leopard - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-15
Andrew Orr and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to explain the Telugu text bug in iOS 11, and they also look at what we’d miss out on if Apple took us back to the good old days of OS X Snow Leopard.
Inside Apple's Shareholder Meeting, Profiling Hypocrisy, and HomePod Isn't a Wiretap - ACM 449
Bryan and Jeff go inside Apple’s annual shareholder meeting, and talk about the things that seemed to get Tim Cook excited. A listener also calls them out for being hypocrites on ad profiling, and they talk about how Apple’s new HomePod isn’t a home wiretap.
Skype's Big Security Flaw, Verizon's Locked iPhones - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-14
John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to discuss Microsoft’s decision to not patch a Skype updater security flaw, plus they offer up their thoughts on Verizon stopping unlocked iPhone sales.
HomePod from a Musicians Perspective - TMO Daily Observations 2018-02-13
Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to look at HomePod from a musician’s perspective, discuss how the smart speaker works with Apple TV, and more.
Network Speeds, HomePod, Vectors, and Dead Drives – Mac Geek Gab Podcast 696
It’s always something, isn’t it? The more computers – and devices – we have, the more issues there are. This week, that’s no different, as there are several network-related questions your two favorite geeks tackle “on-air” for you to hear. HomePod arrived, and first experiences with that are discussed. Finally, some Cool Stuff Found to help round out the episode.
TMO Background Mode Interview with Legislative Counsel for the EFF Ernesto Falcon
Ernesto Falcon is Legislative Counsel for the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). His primary focus is on intellectual property and open internet issues. Ernesto and I chatted about the key issues surrounding net neutrality, the stakes for business and consumers, how the FCC’s recent ruling might be combatted, ongoing legal efforts to restore net neutrality, the key players, potential legislation, and what consumers can do to help. But before we got into all that, Ernesto talked about how he became an attorney and his experiences leading up to joining the EFF. For example, during his tenure, Public Knowledge and the EFF scored a major victory for consumers by rallying the Internet community to defeat the SOPA act. Ernesto fills in a lot of important details in the fight for net neutrality that you’ll want to hear.