MacStories Unwind

MacStories Unwind is a fun exploration of media and more.

Coding Agents Revive Classic Games 08/14/2026

Coding Agents Revive Classic Games This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico returns from the beach, he and John discuss the explosion of classic videogames being ported to the iPhone, iPad, and Android, and they share a couple of Apple TV picks. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes AI Assisted Ports and Homebrew Drama Pokémon Gen 1 Recomp Native iPhone and iPad Ports Handheld Setup and Dual Screen Mods Coding Agents and Models Picks Federico’s Pick: John’s Pick: Unwind Deal for $19.99 in the TV app Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/42441420

Flooding the Wi-Fi Zone 07/31/2026

Flooding the Wi-Fi Zone This week on Unwind, John realizes that too much Wi-Fi is never enough, Federico wonders what he's going to do with a Linux PC, and John recommends Apple TV's Lucky. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Networking Projects John's existing setup Added 2 Federico's More of our networking and other gear is on Picks John’s Pick: on Apple TV Unwind Deal starring Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro is on sale for $17.99 in the TV app. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/42280825

A Long Journey Home 07/24/2026

A Long Journey Home This week on MacStories Unwind, app launchers, universal truths about ISPs, and an epic movie. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Unplugged Segment Picks John’s Pick: Unwind Deal - All 9 movies for $69.99 Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/42208160

Text Editor Experiments 07/18/2026

Text Editor Experiments This week on a special Saturday edition of MacStories Unwind, Federico and John talk live music, blockbuster movies, and their ongoing experiments with Markdown text editors. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Live Music A Summer Blockbuster Text Editor Experiments Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/42138775

Out in the Boonies 07/10/2026

Out in the Boonies This week on MacStories Unwind, John heads to the mountains, while Federico cooks on a beach, the origin of "the boonies," and narrow mountain roads, plus a TV and movie pick. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Out in the Boonies , NC (or Boondocks) , Italy Picks Federico's Pick on Hulu John's Pick on Netflix Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/42039075

Burning Tokens Before the Clock Runs Out 07/03/2026

Burning Tokens Before the Clock Runs Out This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico and John are burning up Claude Fable 5 tokens as fast as they can, while Federico finds the time to try a brand new Switch 2 game. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Fable 5 Anthropic's Fable 5 is only available on Claude subscription plans for one week, so Federico and John are making the most of the time by tuning up ongoing projects. Picks Federico’s Pick: for Switch. Unwind Deal from the BBC is just $24.99 in the TV app Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41956385

Prime Day Deal Hunters 06/26/2026

Prime Day Deal Hunters This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico and John share their Amazon Prime Day finds before Federico recommends a pair of videogames for the weekend. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Amazon Prime Finds John - to power my fiber router and Wi-Fi in power outages Federico Picks Federico’s Picks: 007 First Light (, , ) Remake Unwind Deal is $14.99 in the TV app Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41831075

Please Help, We Need Sitcoms 06/19/2026

Please Help, We Need Sitcoms This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico learns about Philadelphia and college mascots before making a sitcom plea. Meanwhile, John's been listening to Olivia Rodrigo's new album and buying concert tickets. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Philadelphia Picks Federico’s Pick: Federico needs your help with sitcom and romcom picks. John’s Pick: by Tour Dates in the U.S. and Europe (Audiobook version) on Unwind Deal for $14.99 in the TV app Garden State Juno Napoleon Dynamite (500) Days of Summer Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41705050

Apple Park Anticipation 06/05/2026

Apple Park Anticipation This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico and John talk about what makes WWDC special, share some memorable moments from past years, and think about how to spend their in-flight downtime. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Returning to WWDC A look at how the conference has changed, how we spend our days there, and how we plan to spend our long trips to California. Mentioned Gaming Unwind Deal : The classic 80s comedy about a trio of friends ditching high school is just $4.99 in the TV app. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41546265

WWDC Packing Lists and Weekend Watches 05/29/2026

WWDC Packing Lists and Weekend Watches This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico and John share their WWDC gear guides, John recommends a quirky indie movie, and Federico continues to tear his way through a trio of great TV comedies Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes WWDC 2026 Travel Gear Federico's Games Picks John: Federico: Unwind Deal 🤫👂🎬 is just $7.99 in the TV app. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41468015

Files, Folders, and the WWDC Sprint 05/22/2026

Files, Folders, and the WWDC Sprint This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico and John take listeners on a behind-the-scenes tour of how they plan to tackle WWDC and the summertime research and writing season as they look forward to their fall OS reviews. Also available on YouTube . Sponsored by: — Find and remove duplicate files on your Mac, iPhone and iPad in seconds. Unwind listeners can use the code MACSTORIES2026 in the app to get a free first month of Zero Duplicates Premium. Links and Show Notes A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Our Research and Writing Setups for WWDC and Beyond Research and Writing Tools AI Coding Agents AI and Research Technology Unwind Deal 🤝😄🏡 is just $7.99 in the TV app. Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd star in this hilariously awkward comedy about the desperate pursuit of adult friendship. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41398620

Is It the Shoes? 05/15/2026

Is It the Shoes? This week on MacStories Unwind, an Italian movie dubbing controversy, the role of tech in the first-ever sub-two hour marathon, John's high-tech running shoes, and a jangle-pop EP for your listening pleasure. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes running shoes Picks John’s Pick: by Unwind Deal is down to $29.99 in the TV app Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41310995

Screaming Peacocks and Roving Coyotes 05/08/2026

Screaming Peacocks and Roving Coyotes This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico wins the wild kingdom award, John is defending against vultures and has a creepy new show to recommend, and Federico closes with a TV check-in. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes It's Springtime and the Animals Are Back North Carolina wildlife update is a relatively recent addition to North Carolina and is considered a squirrel. John took the right approach Apparently there are two approaches to dealing with coyotes in North Carolina Peacocks invade Punta Marina in Revenna Picks John’s Pick: - Federico’s Pick: Unwind Deal is $9.99 in the TV app. When two business colleagues (Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien) become stranded on a deserted island as the only survivors of a plane crash, they must overcome past grievances and work together to stay alive. But they're not in the office anymore, and an unsettling, wryly humorous battle of wills and wits begins in this original, darkly comedic psychological thriller. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41218225

Bridges, Beaches, and Blockbusters 05/01/2026

Bridges, Beaches, and Blockbusters This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico and John get ready for the summer with a conversation about vacation bridging, bringing your dog to the beach, and cooling off in the mountains. Then John shares a blockbuster movie recommendation and a movie bundle deal. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Unplugged Segment Holiday bridging John’s Pick: Unwind Deal for $19.99 in the TV app Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41120495

Smoked Meats and Weekend Watches 04/24/2026

Smoked Meats and Weekend Watches This week on MacStories Unwind, John schools Federico on the differences between Eastern and Western North Carolina BBQ before they both share several TV show and album picks for the weekend. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes BBQ School in Lexington, NC Picks John’s Pick: at the show's premiere by Federico’s Pick: , Season 1 , Season 5 by Unwind Deal A movie ahead of its time, is on sale in the TV app for $9.99 Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/41006925

Hue and Heist 04/17/2026

Hue and Heist This week on MacStories Unwind, pets, pints, Hue smart plugs, and a heist TV show. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Unplugged Picks John’s Pick: Federico’s Pick: , Season 2 on Unwind Deal is just $4.99 in the TV app right now. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40914590

Frames, Finales, and Foreign Drama 04/10/2026

Frames, Finales, and Foreign Drama This week on Unwind, Federico has a sneak peak at a big update to his Apple Frames shortcut and they both share a couple of favorite Apple TV shows. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Apple Frames 4 stay tuned to MacStories next week for the Apple Frames 4 shortcut and CLI Picks Federico’s Pick: John’s Pick: on Apple TV Unwind Deal In , a rom-com in which a Brooklyn woman's whirlwind marriage to an oligarch's son unravels $4.99 in the TV app (affiliate link) Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40804140

Moonshots, Time Machines, and Workflows 04/03/2026

Moonshots, Time Machines, and Workflows This week on MacStories Unwind, space exploration, workflow shakeups, a buddy movie, and more. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Artemis II Workflows and Tools Picks Federico John Unwind Deal for $14.99 in the TV app Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40725720

Foldables, Hubs, and Weekend Picks 03/27/2026

Foldables, Hubs, and Weekend Picks This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico and John share the highlights of their recent MacStories Setups update. Plus, John has an offbeat movie pick and Federico is revisiting a game that's an old favorite. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes MacStories Setups Update Picks Federico’s Pick: John’s Pick: Unwind Deal . A funny private investigator buddy movie starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe is $9.99 in the TV app. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40646060

Xcode for Mobile: It's Time 03/20/2026

Xcode for Mobile: It's Time This week on MacStories Unwind, John argues that it's time to bring Xcode to the iPad and iPhone before he and Federico share a hardware and TV pick for the weekend. Plus, a quirky movie pick for your weekend unwind. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Xcode on Mobile Picks Federico’s Pick: Currently $50 off John’s Pick: on NBC/Peacock Also available as a Unwind Deal : $9.99 on Apple TV Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40561790

A Brave Neo World 03/13/2026

A Brave Neo World This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico shares his hands-on impressions of the MacBook Neo, John whips up an iPhone app when Shortcuts fails, and they both have media picks and an Unwind deal to start the weekend off right. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Federico's First Days with the MacBook Neo John Wonders About Shortcuts in an AI Coded World Tools mentioned A look at Picks Federico’s Pick: John’s Pick: , Season 2 on Apple TV Unwind Deal for $9.99 Forrest Gump Catch Me If You Can The Terminal Road to Perdition Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40446845

From Press Releases to Pokopia 03/06/2026

From Press Releases to Pokopia This week on MacStories Unwind, John explains the web app he built for covering Apple announcements, plus Emily winds up in Rome while John tends to his Pokémon. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes A Look at John’s Picks Federico’s Pick: , Season 5 John’s Pick: Unwind Deal is just $19.99 in the TV app. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40343845

Cartridges, Vinyl, and Italian Rocky 02/27/2026

Cartridges, Vinyl, and Italian Rocky This week on MacStories Unwind, John and Federico debate physical versus digital media and the Italian art of dubbing movies. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Digital Versus Physical Media Italian Dubbing of Hollywood Movies Unwind Deal , Stanley Kubrick’s darkly hilarious classic about nuclear madness is a must for any classic comedy collection. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40255075

Blues, Bloodsuckers, and Binge-Watching in Paris 02/20/2026

Blues, Bloodsuckers, and Binge-Watching in Paris This week on MacStories Unwind, John has an F1 racing theory about the Vision Pro and shares a vampire movie, while Federico has been binging a popular Netflix series. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Unplugged Segment Picks Federico’s Pick: on Netflix John’s Pick: “Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. “You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.”” Unwind Deal is just $7.99 in the TV app, which is a new low price. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40177570

Pizza, Marmalade Mysteries, and a Hulu Hack 02/13/2026

Pizza, Marmalade Mysteries, and a Hulu Hack This week on MacStories Unwind, Super Bowl traditions, Federico’s very hungry plumber, some High Potential follow-up, and the latest season of Shrinking. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes on Unwind Deal Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is just $4.99 in the TV app. Marvel’s epic martial arts adventure introducing a new hero is a steal. Affiliate link: Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40100935

From Roman Parking Wars to Korean Kitchen Battles 02/06/2026

From Roman Parking Wars to Korean Kitchen Battles This week on MacStories Unwind, John survived a bomb cyclone, Federico explains the fine art of parking in Rome, and John rounds out the episode with a reality TV show from Korea along with an Unwind deal you’ll find in the show notes. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes A Roman Parking Wars John’s Pick: on Netflix Unwind Deal 🏎️ is just $49.99 in the TV app. Get the complete 10 movie collection for high octane action and street racing thrills. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/40021815

Florida or Freeze, the Club Comes Home, and Idris Elba on Rails 01/30/2026

Florida or Freeze, the Club Comes Home, and Idris Elba on Rails This week on MacStories Unwind, John escaped the big freeze, the Club came home to MacStories, plus TV picks, and Brendon Bigley dropped in to say “hi” and share a pick. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Club MacStories is Now on MacStories.net Picks Federico’s Pick: John’s Pick: on Brendon Bigley’s Impromptu Pick on Netflix Unwind Deal 🌊 The Lighthouse is just $4.99 in the TV app. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe star in this acclaimed psychological horror from the director of The Witch. Affiliate link: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-lighthouse/umc.cmc.2gh13feg8tcy7lr2fzv2q09b7?at=1001l3bhP&ct=unwind_deal Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/39937100

Snowmageddon, Billionaire Blackmail, and Water Beds 01/23/2026

Snowmageddon, Billionaire Blackmail, and Water Beds This week on MacStories Unwind, John shrugs off a once-in-a-decade winter storm and watches a great movie, while Federico has a returning comedy series to share. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Snowmageddon Picks Federico’s Pick: on Netflix John’s Pick: Unwind Deal 🍄 is just $9.99 in the TV app. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/39850330

Clawdbot, Animal Crossing, and Mark Wahlberg 01/16/2026

Clawdbot, Animal Crossing, and Mark Wahlberg This week on MacStories Unwind, Federico unpacks Clawdbot, a Claude-based personal assistant and recommends an Apple TV move, while John revisits an old favorite on the Nintendo Switch. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes Unplugged Segment Picks Federico’s Pick: on John’s Pick: Unwind Deal : Paul Thomas Anderson’s critically acclaimed coming-of-age tale follows Alana Kane and Gary Valentine as they navigate love and life in 1973 San Fernando Valley. This Academy Award nominated film features breakout performances and Anderson’s signature nostalgic storytelling style. Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/39763355

The Wonderful Weirdness of CES 01/09/2026

The Wonderful Weirdness of CES This week, Federico and John share how they unwound during their holiday break, John has a report on CES 2026, Federico recommends Avatar Fire and Ash, and John does a Parks and Rec rewatch and has a superhero movie deal for listeners. Also available on YouTube . Links and Show Notes CES Weirdness Picks Federico’s Pick: John’s Pick: Unwind Deal One of John’s 2025 best movies of the year picks Leave Feedback for John and Federico Follow us on Mastodon Follow us on Bluesky /episode/index/show/4a9c6b5a-ec38-4b0d-a27a-8bcc69e44dd7/id/39677790

MacStories Unwind

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