A Couple of Podcast Appearances

Over the past week, I've had the privilege of guesting on a couple of my favorite podcasts.

On MacStories Unwind last Friday, I chatted with John Voorhees about media-tracking apps and a few shows that we recommend people check out. Any time I get to talk about Sequel and Mr. Robot is a good time in my book.

And then on yesterday's episode of Vision Pros, Tim Chaten and I dove into my use of the Apple Vision Pro, especially as a device for getting work done. It's the most in-depth conversation I've had about the Vision Pro since it launched, and it was a lot of fun.

Of course, no week would be complete without a regular dose of Magic Rays of Light. It doesn't count as a guest appearance since I'm a regular host, but Sigmund and I released a fun episode that covers Apple Intelligence, Continuity Camera on Apple TV, the latest Apple Original releases, and more.

My thanks to the kind hosts who had me on their shows this week and to everyone who took the time to listen. It truly is an honor to get to share.

iPad Pros 200 →

Tim Chaten kindly had me back on iPad Pros for the show’s 200th episode special, where we turned the tables and I got to interview him! He’s created his own version of the MacPad using a damaged M1 MacBook Air, and I had a lot of questions about it. It was such a fun discussion covering the benefits of a Mac/iPad hybrid, combining the MacPad with Apple Vision Pro, and even using a headless MacBook Air as an affordable Mac Mini replacement. You can listen here.

Next Portable Console and Comfort Zone →

Yesterday, we announced two new podcasts joining the MacStories family. As Federico put it:

I’m incredibly excited to introduce two brand new shows joining the MacStories family of podcasts today: Next Portable Console (or NPC), hosted by me, Brendon Bigley, and John Voorhees, and Comfort Zone, hosted by Niléane Dorffer, Chris Lawley, and Matt Birchler. You can find both shows, along with links to subscribe, on MacStories’ Podcasts hub.

NPC covers the ever-growing world of portable gaming in all its many facets, and Comfort Zone pushes its hosts – and listeners, should they choose to participate – to try new things in their tech setups each week. Both shows sound very entertaining, and I can’t wait to listen in.

As excited as I am for these shows, though, I’m even more excited to welcome my new colleagues into the fold. I have so much respect for the work that Brendon, Chris, and Matt each do, and it’s so cool to now be working on the same team as them.

You can read the full announcement post on MacStories for all the details. The first episode of NPC is out now, with new episodes coming every other Tuesday. Comfort Zone starts its weekly release schedule this Thursday, but you can get a taste of the show by checking out its trailer right now.

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Side note: With these two new shows in the mix, there’s now a new episode of a MacStories podcast out every weekday. I mean, just look at this lineup.

• Monday: AppStories
• Tuesday: Ruminate / NPC (alternating)
• Wednesday: Magic Rays of Light (hosted by yours truly)
• Thursday: Comfort Zone
• Friday: MacStories Unwind

What I'm Watching This Summer

If you’ve been following me on social media or reading this blog for very long, you know that I love consuming media and talking about content that makes me smile. And I watch a lot of stuff. After getting excited for fall premieres and watching regular TV through the spring, I’m usually eager for summer, when I can get a break from the constant barrage of new episodes and slow down for a bit. This summer is no different. But even though most of my TV shows are off the air for now, summer blockbuster season is just getting started, and there are still a few shows releasing new stuff in the summer months. So here’s a selection of the shows and movies I’m watching this summer and why I’m excited to see each of them.

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movies

Baby Driver

This is the first movie that I’ll be going into blind for a very long time. I haven’t seen a trailer for Baby Driver or even really any posters. What little I know about it has come from word-of-mouth, and it’s got me very excited. The film is directed by Edgar Wright, who previously directed Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and spent years developing Ant-Man before leaving the project during production. I’m really excited to see something new from him, and he’s put together an epic cast as well. I guess the movie is about a stunt driver or something? I don’t know. But I trust Wright and look forward to seeing the cast he’s assembled on-screen soon.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Hands-down, Spider-Man is my favorite superhero. I grew up watching Tobey McGuire play Peter Parker, and I related to his story so much. I even stuck through the Andrew Garfield days, when Spider-Man was a skateboarding punk. And now, after years of patience, Spidey fans are finally getting the film adaptation we deserve. We got a taste of Tom Holland’s version of the hero in last year’s Captain America: Civil War, and that preview combined with early reviews of Homecoming indicate that this is going to be the best Spider-Man film to date. I’m really happy that the character is finally under the creative control of Marvel Studios, giving him the ability to interact with the world of the Avengers and his mentor, Tony Stark, who features prominently in the film. Spider-Man: Homecoming releases on July 7, but I’ll already have seen it by then because I’ll definitely be attending a Thursday night premiere.

Despicable Me 3

Summer movies aren’t just for grown-ups. The kids have to get some love, too. And since my nephew is a huge Minions fan, I have an excuse to go see the newest Despicable Me sequel in theaters. The first film was a huge hit, and I thought the follow-up and spin-off were equally entertaining, if not quite as endearing. The threequel is set to feature a look into Gru’s backstory and family dynamics after he finds out about his long-lost twin brother, who happens to be a villain. Will Gru choose to return to his former life of evil, undermining the growth we’ve seen in him over the past two films? Or will he choose to stay true to his newfound family and the sense of fulfillment they give him? Either way, we’re going to see Minions running a prison gang, which on its own makes this movie worth seeing when it comes out this weekend.

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TV

Planet of the Apps

This show is Apple’s first attempt at creating original television content, and it’s only available to Apple Music subscribers. I was already a subscriber to the service for its music streaming services, so I decided to give the show a shot. It’s got a Shark Tank vibe, but with Apple’s own techy spin. I think they’re still trying to nail down exactly what the format will be, but I’m enjoying the show a few episodes in. Some of the featured apps are really compelling, and it’s fun to see the advisors teach app developers how to pitch their products to investors. Plus, the failed pitches can be pretty funny, too. It’s unclear how many episodes Apple plans on releasing this summer, but for now, I’m enjoying my weekly dose of Planet of the Apps on Apple Music.

Suits

Props to USA Network for taking a premise that sounds like it should only last a season or two and making it work year after year. Suits is a drama about a young man who decides to impersonate an attorney at an upscale New York law firm and the complacent, overachieving senior partner who decides to give him a shot. Over the years, Suits has focused a lot more on the relationships between the characters than on the show’s premise, but that central conflict has always weaved its way in and out of the story in creative ways. Season seven premieres July 12, and I’m happy that I don’t have a lot of shows to keep up with this summer so that I can really pay attention to the intricacies of one. It offers enough depth and complexity to keep me occupied all summer long.

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bonus

summer binge: Glee

This show first came out as I was graduating high school, so it has a special place in my heart. I spent my first summer post-high school binging season one and listening to the soundtrack in my car. Even though I didn’t stick with Glee through its initial run, I’ve always meant to go back and experience it start-to-finish, if for no other reason than to see what happened to my favorite characters. I’m almost through season one, and I’ve had a lot of fun re-experiencing the show all these years later. Plus, the music makes for great motivation at the gym. I don’t know that I’ll power through all six seasons this summer, but I’m committed to binging Glee until I finish it this time around.

podcasts

One other medium I’ve recently gotten really into is podcasts. I find the format to be much more intimate than movies or TV shows, and it’s a lot easier to fit into my schedule since I can listen while I’m driving or performing certain tasks at work. I listen to podcasts non-stop, and I’ll continue to do so over the summer. I’m subscribed to so many that, even though a few of my favorites are taking a summer break, I’ll still have plenty to listen to. I’m particularly excited to keep listening to Red Couch from Relevant Magazine and to check out the upcoming collaboration between Microsoft and Gimlet, .future. If you haen’t given podcasts a try, why not do it now, while you’re not totally distracted by new TV shows? Those two podcasts would be a great place to start.

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So that’s what I’m watching (and listening to) this summer. Now I want to hear from you. What’s on your list of things you’re looking forward to seeing this summer? Have any suggestions for podcasts I’m missing out on? I’d love to hear from you. Thanks for reading, friends, and I’ll see you next week!