Best MacStories Podcasts (2025)

1
Big Mike and the Extended Shower Lifestyle 15:32

Play Pause

2h ago15:32

15:32

This week, John visits Mike the shipping guy, Federico’s philosophy on hardware takes a turn, John declares Apple Watch charging in the shower a myth, and we share videogame and TV picks, plus a deal. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes Unplugged Big Mike’s Shipping Shoppe Charging the Apple Watch While Showering Picks Federico’s P…

1
iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 26: The MacStories Reviews 52:54

9d ago52:54

52:54

This week, Federico and John discuss their annual OS reviews. Federico digs into the details of iOS and iPadOS 26, while John considers what macOS 26 Tahoe means for users. On AppStories+, John updates listeners on what he bought after last week’s Apple event and why. Subscribe here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free…

1
Virtual Boy's Cardboard Comeback 52:23

17h ago52:23

52:23

This week, gamers bring Xbox mode to the MSI Claw and other Windows handhelds, the DualSense controller gets multi-pairing, AYN shows off the Thor in action, and Nintendo gets even weirder with a Virtual Boy comeback, plus John reviews the Steam Deck Folio cover and the crew discusses the gaming updates to Apple’s Vision Pro. Also available on YouT…

1
Fall Hardware: First Impressions 30:47

4d ago30:47

30:47

This week, Federico and John shared their first impressions of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and AirPods Pro 3. On AppStories+, Federico asks John about his plans to unwind now that his macOS review is out. Subscribe here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every …

1
The Aftermath of Review Season: Recovery and Reflection 20:18

7d ago20:18

20:18

This week Federico and John reflect on the toll of the review process and the annual recovery process before Federico follows up on a TV series and John recommends a pair of albums. Plus, we have a great Marvel movie bundle deal for listeners. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Aftermath of Review Season iOS and iPadOS 26: The…

1
Steam Emulation on Android Gets Real 41:38

8d ago41:38

41:38

This week, Brendon emerges from a Silksong fog, Genki settles a lawsuit and sends Federico accessories for the Switch, and Federico and John try emulating Windows on Android handhelds. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Nintendo Switch 2 Genki Lawsuit Settlement Genki Attack Vector Genki Energy Pack…

1
Two Beady Eyes Staring At Me 20:00

12d ago20:00

20:00

This week, John explains the art of the Southern storytelling with an example, reminding Federico to touch grass before sharing a classic movie deal and previewing some of the perks coming next week with his iOS and iPadOS 26 review. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes Two Beady Eyes Staring At Me Skunks Unwind Deal The Prestige fo…

1
New Handhelds, Old Problems: Legion Go 2 and Odin 3 Arrive 49:29

15d ago49:29

49:29

This week, Brendon and John examine the latest handheld announcements Lenovo and AYN that both come with impressive specs and some age-old frustrations. Plus, a new chip is coming to Anbernic’s lineup, and Brendon shares his first impressions of Dbrand’s Nintendo Switch 2 killswitch case. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Lat…

1
Apple Event Vibe Check 41:40

17d ago41:40

41:40

This week, Federico and John do their annual pre-Apple event “vibe check,” discussing what they expect and hope to see at the upcoming September Apple event. They explore the rumored iPhone 17 lineup, AirPods Pro 3, and debate the Apple Watch Ultra. Plus, they share thoughts on the prospect of an Apple TV with Apple Intelligence capabilities, HomeP…

1
Coyote Fall 19:08

21d ago19:08

19:08

This week, the weather has begun to change, coyotes are on the loose, and John shares his running tech. Plus Federico has a TV comedy for listeners, and John has a superhero movie pick. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes John’s Running Kit Apple Watch Ultra 1 Beats Fit Pro Picks Federico’s Pick: Hacks Stream on HBO Max Buy John’s …

1
Microsoft's Stepping Stone: Xbox Comes to the Ally X 48:13

22d ago48:13

48:13

Returning from summer break, the NPC crew discusses Microsoft and ASUS’s Xbox handheld announcement at Gamescom. They also cover the upcoming release of Silk Song, Nintendo Direct rumors, and growing concerns about Switch 2’s strategy, particularly the lack of third-party dev kits and exclusive titles. The episode closes with an exploration of wild…

1
Back From Break: Automation, AI, and IKEA 47:48

26d ago47:48

47:48

This week, AppStories returns with details on the projects Federico and John worked on during their breaks. On AppStories+, the importance of breaks and finding ways to unwind. Subscribe here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week. To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, v…

1
Sports Comedies and the Return of MacStories Deals 14:17

27d ago14:17

14:17

This week, John and Federico return from break to chat about how they spent their time off, the new MacStories Deals social accounts, two sports-related comedies, and a great deal on a favorite TV series. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes Summer Break and MacStories Deals MacStories Deals returns after seven years Follow it on Ma…

1
Nintendo Faces Tariffs, But Keeps Switch 2 Pricing Steady 34:11

1M ago34:11

34:11

This week, Brendon and John mind the show while Federico is on vacation, covering Nintendo’s pricing changes, the latest on Retroid’s second screen accessory, the TrinketOS Android front end, Manic EMU for iOS, and more. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Wavelengths 2.0 A Podcast and a Patreon Swit…

1
Building a Better AI App 36:27

2M ago36:27

36:27

This week, Federico and John pick and choose their favorite AI app features to imagine a better AI app future, critiquing the leading LLM apps along the way. And, as a bonus, John explains why read-later apps should support Shortcuts and other automation schemes. On AppStories+, the critique continues with a look at how Todoist could be improved. S…

1
Workout Buddies, Comedies, Videogame Podcasts, and Godzilla 21:48

2M ago21:48

21:48

This week, John is joined by Jonathan Reed to recap the watchOS 26 public beta, and share a trio of comedies old an new, along with Brendon Bigley’s new project and a classic monster movie deal. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes A watchOS 26 Preview watchOS 26 The MacStories Public Beta Preview Picks Jonathan’s Picks: The Naked G…

1
Brendon's Bad Fur Day 29:39

2M ago29:39

29:39

This week, Brendon KONKRs AYANEO’s two-day announcement-fest and is joined by John and Federico for diversions into 3DS repairs, the GPD Win 5, Gamescom, and more. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News US Tariff Exemptions are Ending All of your international packages are about to get more expensive Th…

1
The iPadOS and macOS 26 Public Betas 34:57

2M ago34:57

34:57

This week, Federico and John share their experiences with iPadOS and macOS 26, which are now available as part of Apple’s public beta program. On AppStories+, Federico and John discuss the state of engagement bait posting about Apple and how it’s affecting the discourse about the company and its products. Subscribe here. We deliver AppStories+ to s…

1
Oasis and Superheroes 22:06

2M ago22:06

22:06

This week, Federico recounts his trip to London to see Oasis play Wembley Stadium, and John recommends the new Fantastic Four movie plus a great deal on a classic comedy. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes Unplugged Segment Picks Federico’s Pick: Oasis Live at Wembley Stadium John’s Pick: Fantastic Four: First Steps Unwind Deal Wa…

1
The Multitool of Handhelds 43:47

2M ago43:47

43:47

This week, Brendon and John cover the ONEXSUGAR Sugar 1 dual-screen handheld, Sony’s power-saving and controller updates, and the latest ES-DE update for Android. Then John reports back on the MagicX Zero 40 homework that Brendon gave him last week. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News ONEXSUGAR Sugar…

1
Gaming Sidekicks: Videogame Companion Apps with Brendon Bigley 43:13

2M ago43:13

43:13

This week, John is joined by Brendon Bigley to explore the wide world of videogame companion apps from media trackers to game specific companion apps. On AppStories+, John and Brendon dig into 16 years of App Store history to compile a list of games that have defined gaming on the iPhone. Also available on YouTube here. Subscribe here. We deliver A…

1
Banana! 22:47

2M ago22:47

22:47

This week, John struggles to update an old Apple TV and two HomePod minis, Federico sets up OTA TV, and they both go bananas over Donkey Kong Bananza. Also available on YouTube here. This episode is sponsored by: Hello Weather: The Exceptionally Useful Weather App for iOS, Totally Redesigned for 2025 Links and Show Notes Unplugged Topics John strug…

1
Hello from 1998: Revisiting Past Handhelds 45:33

2M ago45:33

45:33

This week, John kicks off NPC with a return to 1998, before the crew digs into 8BitDo’s new Pro 3 controller, Thunderbolt 5 eGPU enclosures and docks, TrimUI’s ponderous Smart Pro Mini, and Federico and John’s first impressions of the MagicX Zero 40. Then, Brendon, John, and Federico bring a handheld they haven’t used in a while back to the show, a…

1
A Secondary Device Check-In 28:13

2M ago28:13

28:13

This week, Federico and John explain how they use their secondary systems, which for John is the iPad and for Federico, the Mac. On AppStories+, Federico asks whether technologies like web-based MCP render Apple’s native App Intents irrelevant? Also available on YouTube here. Subscribe here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content,…

1
Shifting Workflows and a Dark Comedy 21:57

2M ago21:57

21:57

This week, Federico’s return to Apple system apps has ended and new workflow experiments have begun. Plus, John shares a dark comedy, and Federico has an anti-pick. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes Federico’s Evolving Workflow: MCP and More Mentioned: HyperContext Longplay Longplay for Mac Launches with Powerful AI and Shortcuts…

1
Joy-Lock™: Dbrand Trademarks Its Do-Over 44:55

2M ago44:55

44:55

This week on NPC, lots of follow up about microSD Express cards, the Switch 2 Dock, XR glasses and the dbrand Killswitch, plus Retroid’s second screen accessory, Windows handhelds, a new eGPU, and more. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Follow Up Follow up on microSD Express cards 1TB microSD Expre…

1
Imagining Apple’s Next Big Thing 37:31

3M ago37:31

37:31

This week, Federico and John share a grab bag of projects we'd like to see Apple pursue from software, to hardware and corporate acquisitions. On AppStories+, Federico and John take their wish list further with a bunch of gadgets they’d like to see Apple make. Subscribe here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at…

1
Our Updated Gear Setups 18:47

3M ago18:47

18:47

This week, Federico and John discuss the updates to their work and play tech gear setups. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes Our Gear Setups Federico’s Pick: ASUS ROG PG27UCDM monitor with built-in KVM Nintendo Switch 2 Mac Studio Coiled USB-C to USB-C Cable Razer Wolverine V3 Pro Controller Viture Pro XR glasses Viture Mobile doc…

1
Inside our Summertime Review Toolkits 27:36

3M ago27:36

27:36

This week, Federico and John reflect on their preparations for the fall review season, how dealing with design changes is different than new features, and explain some of the tools their using for research and writing this year. On AppStories+, John answers the question “What if the Stream Deck was $20 and fit in the palm of your hand.” Subscribe h…

1
Switch 2 Dock Mysteries 45:09

3M ago45:09

45:09

This week, Federico, John, and Brendon cover REDMAGIC’s Android tablet, rumors of an Ayn Odin 3, and other news before digging into the mysteries surrounding Nintendo’s Switch 2 dock. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes The Latest Portable Gaming News Here’s a 1TB MicroSD Express card for Switch 2 REDMAGIC Astra Gaming Tablet has a…