Still using a Galaxy Note 7? Verizon is getting agressive about trying to stop you. Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on Verizon intercepting Galaxy Note 7 calls, plus they look at AT&T shutting down their 2G wireless network.
The Mac Observer Show
The Mac Observer Show is coming your way! Hosted by Ken Ray, it’s a different thing than we’ve done before. Not day-to-day news this time. The Mac Observer Show looks at a range of topics with a range of guests. Silicon Valley insiders, experts in various parts of Apple’s business, people knowledgable in other parts of tech… We’re talking AI and foldable iPhones and accessibility and Apple Retail and Apple Vision Pro and so much more.
The Mac Observer Show – every Friday on YouTube, wherever you get podcasts and of course – MacObserver.com.
Episodes
Vine's Demise, Avoiding Weak Passwords - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-17
The video sharing social network Vine shut down today, and is being reborn as a Twitter feature. Bryan Chaffin and the Maccast’s Adam Christianson join Jeff Gamet to look at the state of social networks, plus they dive into the importance of strong passwords.
Listener Comments on Consumer Reports, Apple Music Goes Pop Culture - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-16
TDO listeners have plenty to say about how Consumer Reports rates laptops, so today dive into their comments. Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to respond to listener comments, plus they share their thoughts on Apple Music becoming a pop culture nexus.
Consumer Reports Loves the Mac Again, Bigger Apple TV Apps - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-13
Consumer Reports changed its tune and now recommends Apple’s new Touch Bar MacBook Pro. John Martellaro joins Jeff Gamet to debate whether or not we should trust Consumer Reports computer reviews, plus they share their thoughts on the big app size increase for Apple TV.
Apple's TV Series Hunt, Pennies in Macs - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-12
Apple is out shopping for original TV shows for Apple Music, so John Martellaro joins Jeff Gamet to talk about what impact that’s going to have on the company. They also talk about the future of Apple TV, mysterious coins showing up inside some Macs.
Apple Loses More Key Employees, Killing Unlimited Data Plans - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-11
Apple keeps losing key people to other companies, most recently Tesla. Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to look at whether or not Apple’s employees leaving is a sign the company has lost focus, plus they have some thoughts on AT&T and Verizon pushing more customers out of unlimited data plans.
CES 2017 Smart Home, IoT, More - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-10
Dave Hamilton joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the smart home and IoT gear they saw at CES 2017. They also dive into storage and smart fitness tech, too.
CES 2017 Wrap Up - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-09
With CES 2017 behind us, Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to talk about what stood out for them. They look at health and fitness, televisions, and more.
CES 2017 Wireless Earpods and Drone Blocking - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-06
ShowStoppers at CES 2017 had loads of cool tech, which means there’s more for Dave Hamilton, Bryan Chaffin, and John F. Braun to share with Jeff Gamet. They look at wireless earpods, drone and cellphone blocking, and smart lights.
CES 2017 Wireless Charging, Sober Sensors, and More - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-05
Pepcom at CES 2017 was packed with cool tech gear, so Dave Hamilton, Bryan Chaffin, and John F. Braun join Jeff Gamet look at some of the products they liked. There’s an Apple Watch band that knows if you’re drunk, ubiquitous wireless charging, and more.
CES 2017 Smart Remotes, Mesh Networks, and More - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-04
CES 2017’s Unveiled event was last night and we saw loads of interesting new products. Dave Hamilton, Bryan Chaffin, and John F. Braun join Jeff Gamet share some of the cool tech gear they found ranging from smart remotes for home entertainment systems to new wireless mesh network basestations.
CES 2017 Expectations and Predictions- TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-03
CES 2017 is kicking off, so today Kelly Guimont joins Jeff Gamet talk about what they expect to be the big product categories at this year’s events. Be sure to follow along all week for The Mac Observer’s on-location coverage.
Apple's Unused Patent Lawsuit, Twitter Features We Want - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-30
Apple has a patent for blocking iPhone features while driving, but isn’t using it. Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet look at how that landed Apple in a lawsuit related to a tragic car wreck, plus they share their most wanted Twitter feature.
5.8-inch iPhones, Apple's Original Crew - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-29
We’re seeing more reports about a new iPhone screen size for 2017, so Bryan Chaffin and Mac Geek Gab’s John F. Braun join Jeff Gamet weigh in on what may be coming next year. They also look back on Apple’s first ten employees, and note the update of death for Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 smartphone-of-fire.
Amazon Echo, Police, and Privacy - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-28
With police getting search warrants for Amazon Echo recordings questions about personal privacy are on the rise. Dave Hamilton and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to look at what Amazon’s Echo hears and records, what our other smarthome devices may be logging, and what that means for our privacy and police investigations.
Apple's AirTunes Trademark, AI White Paper - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-27
Apple is reviving its AirTunes trademark, which has some thinking there’s a new product in the works. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to share what they think is in store for the AirTunes name, plus they look at Apple’s first artificial intelligence white paper.
Uber Location Privacy, AirPods Followup - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-23
Uber is in the spotlight again over privacy concerns. Bryan Chaffin and the Maccast’s Adam Christianson join Jeff Gamet to look at how Uber is collecting location data and how we can block that, plus Adam shares his AirPods experience.
Spam Call Blockers, USB-C iPhone - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-22
AT&T is getting in on spam call blocking, so Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to look at how their system works and talk about other spam call blockers, too. They also discuss why replacing the Lightning connector on the iPhone with USB-C might not be a bad thing.
Apple's Mixed Mac Message, Favorite Holiday Movies - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-21
Apple seems to be sending mixed messages about its commitment to the Mac platform. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to discuss where the Mac is today and what may be in store for it over the next couple years. They also share some of their favorite holiday movies.
AirPods Review with Michael Johnston - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-20
Michael Johnston from The iOS Show joins Jeff Gamet to review Apple’s just released AirPods wireless earpods. They dive into the setup, performance, sound quality, fit, and more to help you decide if they’re worth the $159 price tag.
AirPods Alternatives, Plastic OLED - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-19
Apple’s AirPods are in the company’s retail stores, but that doesn’t mean you can buy them. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to look at the limited availability for AirPods, and offer up some alternative wireless earbud options. They also look at Plastic OLED and explain what that means for future iPhone models.
Super Mario Run, Astra for iPhone - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-16
Super Mario Run hit Apple’s App Store yesterday, so today Bryan Chaffin joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the game and whether or not it’s worth the US$9.99 in-app purchase. They also talk about why Astra is an awesome iPhone app for Amazon Echo and Echo Dot owners.
Yahoo's Data Breach, Mac Laptop Battery Time Estimates - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-15
Yahoo! lost over a billion user’s account information in a data breach. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to talk about what happened, and share some tips for protecting your accounts and data from hackers. They also look at some apps for showing the battery time remaining estimate on your Mac laptop.
Apple's Big Data Storage Deficit - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-14
Our iPhones, iPads, and Macs can store more and more, but Apple isn’t doing much to address our data storage and backup needs outside of those devices. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to look at the issue and talk about what Apple could do to help ensure we have the storage and backup services we need.