MacVoices
The MacVoices Live! panel explores Meta’s push to dominate AI with its new “super intelligence” team, raising privacy concerns and skepticism over its motives. WhatsApp’s move to introduce ads prompts worries about user data and ad targeting is discussed, by Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Marty Jencius, along with the bizarre launch of a Trump-branded smartphone and its questionable specs and capabilities. Today's MacVoices is supported by Bzigo. Don’t wait until the next bite—protect your home with...
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The June 2025 MacVoices Update looks back on a packed month of content, including The Road to MacStock and NAB wrap-ups. Some format changes to make episodes more approachable, resources like the weekly Dispatch newsletter and Flipboard magazine, and the Support Report complete this week’s comments. Show Notes: Support: Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with Connect: Web: Twitter: ...
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The MacVoices Live! panel takes a closer look at Amazon’s Alexa+, its unusual rollout, and user experiences that raise questions about its current readiness. The panel compares AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, especially in corporate environments, highlighting their strengths and limitations. The conversation shifts to a Reuters study showing social media has overtaken traditional outlets as the leading news source in the U.S., prompting concerns over misinformation, curated content, and the erosion of journalistic standards. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Web Bixby,...
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The panel explores Apple’s innovative use of haptics in its new F1 movie trailer and how it adds to the experience (or not). They discuss the delayed rollout of personalized Siri, developer challenges with AI integration, and why Apple may have backtracked on earlier plans. A CNET survey sparks a broader conversation with Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Marty Jencius about how little weight AI features carry for smartphone buyers today, despite media and industry hype. Today’s MacVoices is supported by CleanMyMac by MacPaw, your ultimate...
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Kelly Guimont returns to The Road to to talk about her session on practical, privacy-conscious home automation. Starting from zero, she will help attendees make informed choices and avoid feeling overwhelmed, with real-life examples and insights drawn from years of experience. She also shares why MacStock remains a favorite event—thanks to its community, connection, and even the karaoke. http://traffic.libsyn.com/maclevelten/MV25179.mp3 Today’s edition of MacVoices is supported by MacVoices Live!, our weekly live panel discussion of what is going in the Apple space as well as the...
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This MacVoices Live! discussion starts off with three essential public service announcements: a major recall of Anker PowerCore batteries, warnings about malicious unsubscribe links in emails, and serious privacy concerns surrounding Meta’s AI assistant. The panel of Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, and Marty Jencius emphasizes the importance of staying alert to avoid real-world risks. Jim Rea then shares a developer-focused perspective on WWDC, highlighting SwiftUI upgrades, AI integration in Xcode, and Apple’s new foundation models. He also...
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The Road to Macstock and takes us to Jill McKinley, who previews her upcoming talk on how Apple’s ecosystem helped her lose weight and build a healthier lifestyle. She will explain how the Apple Watch, Fitness+, and apps like MyNetDiary and Todoist make tracking effortless, with reminders and data centralization driving consistency. In typical Jill fashion, her session will guide attendees through the full range of Apple’s health tools with small, sustainable steps. This edition of MacVoices is supported by . What happens before and after the shows is uncensored, on-topic,...
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The panel digs into the abrupt shutdown of the Arc browser and what it signals about user expectations and innovation fatigue in the browser space. Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Marty Jencius, Web Bixby, Eric Bolden, and Jeff Gamet explore Opera’s foray into agentic AI and how it could redefine how we interact with the web. A deep dive into Getty Images’ aggressive lawsuit against Stability AI sparks a broader conversation about copyright, content ownership, and AI ethics. Meta’s surprising move to open physical retail stores invites skepticism and speculation, while a T-Mobile...
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In a first for both The Road to Macstock and itself, Marty Jencius and his son Will Jencius team up for a father-son presentation on travel tech, inspired by their podcast Gear Up and Go. They share how tech frustrations while traveling sparked the idea, how two generations bring different perspectives to gear choices, and what attendees can expect from their interactive, audience-involving session. MacVoices is supported by : The Answers You Need Now, From Leading Experts. Start your library today. Show Notes: Chapters: 00:09 Introduction to MacVoices 02:22 The Genesis of the Podcast...
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The MacVoices Live! panel discusses Apple’s claims of saving users billions through App Store fraud prevention, questioning the methods and statistics behind the figures. They explore the implications for developers, consumer safety, and legal battles like Epic. Chuck Joiner, Dave Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Marty Jencius, Web Bixby, Eric Bolden, and Jeff Gamet also cover the new self-repair option for iPads, skepticism over third-party repairs, and Apple’s acquisition of the game developer behind Sneaky Sasquatch—hinting at a potential new direction in Apple’s gaming strategy. This...
info_outline<p>Our MacVoices Live! conversation with featured guest <strong>Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus</strong> and panel members <strong>Dave Ginsburg</strong>, <strong>Brittany Smith</strong>, <strong>Frank Petrie</strong>, and <strong>Warren Sklar </strong>continues with more about Bob’s new book, <a href="https://www.workingsmarterformacusers.com/blog/garageband"><strong>GarageBand For Dummies, Second Edition</strong></a>. That part of the discussion includes comparisons of GarageBand and Logic Pro, who each is for, and learning curves. Then, the panel just couldn’t stay away from the Apple/Epic Games battle, but this time we approached it through the copycat version of Apple’s “1984” commercial and director Ridley Scott’s comments about it. (Part 2 of 2)</p>
<p>This edition of MacVoices is sponsored by<strong> <a title="Smile" href="http://www.smilesoftware.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smile</a></strong>, the makers of <a href="http://smilesoftware.com/PDFpen/index.html"><strong>PDFpen</strong> </a>and <a href="http://smilesoftware.com/PDFpenPro/index.html"><strong>PDFpenPro</strong></a>,<strong> <a target="itunes_store" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pdfpen-for-ipad/id490774625?mt=8&uo=4&at=11ldw7">PDFpen for iPad</a></strong>,<strong> <a target="itunes_store" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pdfpen-for-iphone/id557705455?mt=8&uo=4&at=11ldw7">PDFpen for iPhone</a></strong>,<strong> <a target="itunes_store" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pdfpen-scan+-ocr-pdf-text/id685513192?mt=8&uo=4&at=11ldw7">PDFpen Scan+</a></strong>, as well as <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/textexpander-for-mac/id405274824?mt=12&at=11ldw7"><strong>TextExpander for Mac</strong></a> and<strong> <a target="itunes_store" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/textexpander/id326180690?mt=8&uo=4&at=11ldw7">TextExpander for iPhone and iPad</a></strong>, as well as the new <a href="https://smilesoftware.com/textexpander"><strong>TextExpander for Windows</strong></a>. Great software to help you get more done.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.smilesoftware.com" rel="noopener"><img height="73" style="border: 0pt none;" border="0" src="http://www.macvoices.com/ads/SmileLogo2010-Horz-web-500w.jpg" alt="http://SmileSoftware.com" width="303" class="aligncenter" align="middle"/></a></p>
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<h3>Show Notes: </h3>
<p><strong>Guests:</strong></p>
<p><strong>Bob LeVitus</strong>, often referred to as "Dr. Mac," has been considered one of the world's leading authorities on the Macintosh and Mac OS for nearly twenty years. A prolific author, Bob has sold millions of books worldwide in a dozen languages. His recent titles include: <strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1118176790/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=3x87-20&linkCode=am2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1118176790">iPad 2 For Dummies</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0470929790/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=3x87-20&linkCode=am2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470929790">Incredible iPad Apps For Dummies</a></strong>,<strong> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1118036719/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=3x87-20&linkCode=am2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1118036719">iPhone 4S For Dummies</a></strong>, and<strong> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/111802205X/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=3x87-20&linkCode=am2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=111802205X">Mac OS X Lion For Dummies</a></strong>. He's been a tech columnist for the Houston Chronicle since 1996 and writes regularly for <strong><a title="The Mac Observer" href="http://www.macobserver.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mac Observer</a></strong> web site. His hobbies include playing guitar with the infamous Macworld All-Star Band, engineering audio recordings (mostly of classic rock songs), and budget video-making. Bob also has a <a title="Dr. Mac Consulting" href="http://www.boblevitus.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Macintosh computing consultancy</strong></a> that offers expert technical help, training, and pre-purchase advice to Mac users via phone, e-mail, and/or Internet-enabled remote control software. You can find him on<strong> <a title="Bob LeVitus on Twitter" href="https://twitter.com/#!/LeVitus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> </strong>and see his latest project at <strong><a href="https://www.workingsmarterformacusers.com">WorkingSmarterForMacUsers.com</a>.</strong></p>
<p><strong>David Ginsburg</strong> is the President of the<strong> <a href="http://nwou.com">Suburban Chicago Apple Users Group</a></strong>, and is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users. Find and follow him on Twitter as <a href="http://twitter.com/daveg65"><strong>@daveg65</strong></a>. You can also hear him share his knowledge on his podcast, <a href="http://intouchwithios.com/"><strong>In Touch With iOS</strong></a>.</p>
<p><strong>Brittany Smith</strong> is a cognitive neuroscientist who provides a variety of consulting services through her business, <strong><a href="http://conquer.consulting/">Devise and Conquer</a></strong> that includes ADD/ADHD coaching, technology coaching, productivity consulting, and more. She is a self-designated “well-rounded geek”, and holds a M.S. degree in Cognitive Neuroscience. She can be found on Twitter as<strong> <a href="http://twitter.com/addliverator">@addliberator</a></strong>. </p>
<p><strong>Frank Petrie</strong> is an author and contributor to <a href="https://screencastsonline.com/magazine/"><strong>ScreenCastsOnline Magazine</strong></a>. Follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/fpetrie"><strong>Twitter</strong></a> and check out his web site, <strong><a href="http://ympnow.com">ympnow.com</a></strong>.</p>
<p><strong>Warren Sklar</strong> helps host the <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/mactothefuture/">Mac to The Future Group</a> </strong>on Facebook, and is the co-host of <a href="http://intouchwithios.com/"><strong>In Touch With iOS</strong></a> with <strong>David Ginsburg</strong>.<br/><br/></p>
<p><strong>Links:</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.workingsmarterformacusers.com/blog/garageband"><strong>Bonus Content for GarageBand For Dummies, including <i>House of the Rising Sun files</i></strong></a></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/721688/ridley-scott-1984-ad-epic-games-apple-parody/">Director of Apple’s classic 1984 ad is unimpressed with Epic Games’ parody</a> </strong>on Cult of Mac</p>
<p><strong>Support:</strong></p>
<p> Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon<br/> <a href="http://macvoices.com">http://patreon.com/macvoices</a></p>
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<p><strong>Connect:</strong></p>
<p> Web:<br/> <a href="http://macvoices.com">http://macvoices.com</a></p>
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<p> LinkedIn:<br/> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/</a></p>
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