John Martellaro joins Bryan Chaffin to discuss Apple’s recent roll when it comes to launching new products. They also talk about Apple TV+ and the other streaming video services, which are seeing a bit of a book thanks for shelter-in-place orders—including what it means for the future.
Apple Context Machine Podcast
Apple Context Machine is a weekly in-depth look at Apple and the tech world from Bryan Chaffin, editor-in-chief of The Mac Observer with special guests from the tech world.
Episodes
New iPad Pro, Mac mini, and MacBook Air, the Power of ARM, and Oak Island, with John Kheit - ACM 526
Bryan Chaffin is joined by John Kheit to talk about Apple’s new iPad Pros, MacBook Airs, and Mac mini, plus the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro. They also discuss the potential for the ARM processor in Macs, and all the cursed goodness of the latest episode of Oak Island.
AI vs. Machine Learning, Thoughts on Our New Macs, Oak Island - ACM 525
Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit discuss the difference between artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, including the state of both today. They also talk about their new Macs— John got a new 28-core Mac Pro, while Bryan has a new iMac—and whether or not they like their new purchases. The cap the show by catching up on The Curse of Oak Island TV show on History.
Social Media, Hands On with AirPods Pro, Apple Content Bundles, with John Kheit - ACM 524
John Kheit joins Bryan Chaffin to discuss social media, mob rule, and the 1st Amendment. Yikes! They also talk about their hands-on experience with AirPods Pro and look at Apple’s content pricing and whether or not the company is likely to offer more bundles for its content (spoiler: no!).
The Apple TV+ and Apple Originals Preview Show - ACM 523
Charlotte Henry joins Bryan Chaffin to talk about Apple TV+, Apple Originals, Apple’s role in the industry, the evolution of original streaming content, and a whole lot more—all in preparation for the November 1st launch of Apple TV+.
iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, Apple Watch Series 5, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 522
Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet reunite to discuss Apple’s new product announcements, including iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, Apple Watch Series 5, Apple’s trade-in program, midnight green, glass…it’s Bryan and Jeff, so of course they spin out of control on various and sundry side rails. Buckle up!
Redefining Corporate Responsibility, DMAC and Publisher Immunity, with John Kheit - ACM 521
Bryan Chaffin is joined by John Kheit to talk about the Business Roundtable’s (and Apple’s) proposal to redefine corporate responsibility. They also discuss publisher/platform immunity and the ways in which Big Tech may lose that immunity.
Apple's ASMR Venture, LOL Samsung, AAPL Buybacks with Charlotte Henry - ACM 520
Apple has posted plenty of “Shot on iPhone”: videos, but four new ASMR videos mark the first time where the content is more about the experience than it is about the device that made it. Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest-host Charlotte Henry to discuss it. They also talk about Samsun’s lame decision to pull an old ad from its YouTube channel that mocked an Apple move that Samsung is following today. So lame. They also look at Apple’s gargantuan effort to buy $24 billion of its own stock in just the June quarter.
iOS 13 and iPad OS, Things We Like and Things We Like Less, with Andrew Orr - ACM 519
Bryan Chaffin is joined by Andrew Orr to discuss Apple’s new iOS 13 and iPadOS, both of which are in developer and public beta. They talk about some of the features they really like—and some features they don’t like at all.
Apple without Jony Ive, Services, and Current Macs, with John Kheit - ACM 518
Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit discuss Apple without Sir Jony Ive, why he might have left, and and how it might have gone down. They also discuss the growing role of Apple Services, and the current state of the Mac lineup.
Apple Skates to the Privacy Puck, Disney Plus Spanner, with John Martellaro - ACM 517
Apple has been skating to the privacy puck for years, and Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro argue it’s about time Apple got some credit for it. They also talk about John’s thesis that Disney Plus pricing threw a spanner into Apple’s plans for Apple TV Plus.
Libra: Finally, a Way for Facebook to Control More, with Andrew Orr - ACM 516
Bryan Chaffin and Andrew Orr dig deep into the possibilities—for good and ill (mostly ill)—of Facebook’s new Libra cryptocurrency. They cover how it work, why Facebook went the cryptocurrency route, and what Facebook has to gain from the project. Spoiler, the answer is everything!
Apple's New Mac Pro: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, with John Kheit - ACM 515
Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit dig into Apple’s new Mac Pro, covering the good, the bad, and the ugly. They talk specs, costs, some of the things that came out since the keynote, and weigh the very important question of whether they want one. Spoiler, yes, but John’s actually likely to pull the trigger. Bryan also makes sure to give John plenty of room to take his victory laps for the many things he got right leading up to this long-awaited announcement.
Apple Card vs. All the Cards and What Is Apple Becoming, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 514
Apple Card is coming soon, and Bryan Chaffin and guest-cohost Jeff Gamet compare it to the Amazon Prime card and other credit cards. They also dive into the heady topic of what exactly Apple is in the process of coming. Spoiler, Jeff guesses wrong when he says “a services company.”
Mac Hardware at WWDC, AppKit vs. UIKit, Next-Gen Wi-Fi, with John Kheit - ACM 513
Bryan Chaffin and guest John Kheit start this week’s show off with an immediate siderail about The Curse of Oak Island and Cooper’s Treasure, because that’s what they do. The real topics, however, include what Apple’s MacBook Pro announcement might mean for Mac hardware at WWDC. They also look at the brewing fight between UIKit and AppKit, and what’s coming in the world of Wi-Fi.
Marzipan, iMessage's Social Media Play, WWDC Spoilers, with Andrew Orr - ACM 512
Will Marzipan be locked to the Mac App Store, and what effect will it have on the Mac experience? Bryan Chaffin is joined by Andrew Orr to discuss this, as well as the idea that iMessage is slowly backing its way to being Apple’s first successful social media play. They cap the show with a look at recent WWDC spoilers.
Apple Earns Money, Services vs. Hardware, and AT&T's Fake 5G with Ken Ray - ACM 511
Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest cohost Ken Ray for a spirited look into Apple’s earnings report. The two also weigh the real meaning behind Apple’s outward emphasis on services and what that means for Apple hardware. They cap the show with a rant about AT&T’s fake 5G. Spoiler: AT&T’s claims of a “5G” network are fake.
App Camp for Girls, Samsung Follies, Writing about Apple, with Kelly Guimont - ACM 510
Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest cohost Kelly Guimont to discuss App Camp for Girls, women in tech in both the past and present, and more. They also look at Samsung’s folding problems, and what it means to be writing about Apple today.
Oprah, Prince Harry, and JJ Abrams on Apple TV+, Ming-Chi Kuo's Mac Predictions, with Charlotte Henry - ACM 509
Queen Oprah and the UK’s Prince Harry are doing a docu-series on mental health for Apple TV+, and Bryan Chaffin is joined by Charlotte Henry to talk about what that says about Apple’s video efforts. Charlotte also brings some across-the-pond context about Prince Harry and the royal family and how this news was greeted in England. They also talk about JJ Abrams saying that working on Apple TV+ was like the Wild West. They cap the show by discussing Ming-Chi Kuo’s most recent Mac predictions.
Mac Pro Mockups, State of the CPU, and John's Cable Research, with John Kheit - ACM 508
Some Mac Pro fan mockups have been circulating, and Bryan Chaffin is joined by John Kheit to discuss their pros and cons. And surprise, John Kheit is full of mostly cons, so they also discuss what they think the Mac Pro needs to be awesome. They also discuss the state of the chip industry, Intel’s 56-core Cascade Lake, and Apple’s ARM ambitions for the Mac. They wrap up the show with a look at John’s obsessive research to find the best USB-C cable.
Apple's Slice of Medical Industry, Apple TV Hardware and Competition, with John Martellaro - ACM 507
Apple says that it wants a tiny sliver of the ginormous medical industry, and Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest-cohost John Martellaro to discuss what that might look like. They also discuss Apple TV hardware, what Apple’s new TV+ announcement might mean for its hardware business, and the state of Apple TV’s competition.
Google Stadia and Apple AR Gaming, Good Data Collection, with Andrew Orr - ACM 506
Google Stadia looks likely to shake up the gaming world, but there’s more than one way to skin a gaming cat, and Apple is focused on AR. Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest cohost Andrew Orr to discuss how those different tracts might fare. They also talk about the good sides of corporate data surveillance, and yes, they will both forgive you if you are surprised either would entertain such a notion.
Augmented Reality, Practical Robots, and Modern Cabling, with John Kheit - ACM 505
Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit don their futurist caps and look for the killer app in Augmented Reality. Spoiler: they have different ideas on what form it might take. They also explore the near-term future of practical robots, starting with today’s vacuumbots. They cap the show looking at the slow pace of progress when it comes to modern cabling. Let’s get that Cat 8 and 40 GB/s throughput!
Mac Pricing and Cord Cutting, with Bob LeVitus - ACM 504
In this episode, Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest-cohost Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus to examine the ins and outs of Apple’s Mac pricing. It’s no simple issue, and they dig deep into what appears to be Apple’s strategy. They also talk about the realities of cord cutting today, with Bob’s own situation serving as the example scenario.