PODCAST · technology
Mac Power Users
by Relay
Learn about getting the most from your Apple technology with focused topics and workflow guests. Creating Mac Power Users since 2009, one conversation at a time. Hosted by David Sparks and Stephen Robles.
Episodes
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871: AI Can't Fake Taste with Emmy-Winning Composer Michael Whalen
Emmy-winning composer Michael Whalen returns to talk about his Mac Studio, Logic Pro, and the move from making music to directing AI-assisted films. David and Stephen also discuss Apple's new home devices and the apps Michael uses every day.
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870: The Full Sparky
David is READY, launcher follow-up, Stephen tries Tailscale, new iOS 27 Shortcuts Actions, David's new gadget, and listener feedback!
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869: It Was Basically a Wash
David and Stephen compare the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Series 12, discuss David's move to an M6 Mac mini for local AI and server work, and test Siri AI on everyday tasks.
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868: Tyler Stalman Reviews iPhone 18 Pro Camera
Photographer and filmmaker Tyler Stalman joins us to go in-depth on iPhone 18 Pro camera, including the faster main lens, variable aperture, and the new Pro Controls, and why they matter more than the marketing suggests.
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867: Deep Dive on macOS 27 and Siri AI
David and Stephen compare iOS 27 and macOS 27 after a summer of daily use, covering Liquid Glass, Safari extensions, Spotlight, Siri AI, HomeKit, AppleCare One Family, Apple Watch improvements, and the apps adopting Apple's new tools.
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866: The Ternus Doctrine
The torch is passed to John Ternus who beings his first Apple event as CEO, espousing a new doctrine of the "intelligent personal hub." Then we dive into all the hardware announcements, iPhone Duo, Apple Watch Series 12, and more.
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865: Harvard Professor Teddy Svoronos on AI in the Classroom
Teddy Svoronos returns to the Mac Power Users. Teddy explains how he uses tech to teach at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and the challenges of teaching in the age of A.I.
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864: Marked Safe from Buying M5 Ultra
Apple announced a brand new M6 chip, their first with 2nm process, plus upgraded Mac Studio. Does David regret his recent MacBook Pro purchase? Then we launch into listener feedback, Stephen's second new app, Raycast v2, and more.
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863: 20 Years of Things with Werner Jainek
Werner Jainek of Cultured Code on nearly 20 years of Things: implementing Siri AI, building a custom sync engine, and staying independent and unfunded since 2007.
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862: Mac Launcher Showdown
We put Spotlight, Raycast, and Alfred head-to-head to find the best launcher on Mac!
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861: Stephen Builds a New Task App
In search of the perfect kanban-style project management app, Stephen couldn't find what he was looking for. So, he built his own! We discuss the current landscape of tasks apps, where Kan Do differs, and how it was built.
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860: The Friday Incident with Merlin Mann
Merlin Mann returns to Mac Power Users 16 years after being our very first guest to break down the AI system he's built — Codex, "triangulation," 31 cross-indexed data sources, and the infamous "Friday Incident."
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859: Tangential Gadgets
David and Stephen turn the show on themselves: bags, chargers, MagSafe batteries, and fitness trackers. No tangential gadget is left behind.
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858: Making Educational Videos for 17 Years with Ian Byrd
Teacher of teachers Ian Byrd returns to share how he's created thousands of videos using an unlikely stack: Keynote for visuals, Descript for editing, and iPad Pro for using AI remotely.
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857: Sparmerica
A stacked feedback mailbag: Siri AI's per-device indexing, a Gmail-to-Siri trick, iOS 27's Extend and Reframe photo tools, subscription fatigue, Wispr Flow dictation, and an automated email robot that resolves Circle support tickets on its own.
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856: iOS 27 Beta Features and Siri AI
David bought his MacBook Pro at the *perfect* time, then we discuss Siri AI, iOS 27 beta, and the cultural reception of AI.
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855: Federico Viticci Reverse Engineered Shortcuts
Federico Viticci breaks down iOS 27's Shortcuts updates: Describe a Shortcut, Else If, new automation triggers, and built-in data storage. Plus his coder era, Shortcuts Playground 2.0, and training a local model to build shortcuts.
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854: Obscure (and Excellent) Mac Apps
Lesser-known Mac apps that deserve way more attention: from AI typing assistants, to hacky Stream Decks, note-taking apps, helpful utilities, and beautiful desktop enhancements.
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853: Siri AI and WWDC 2026
Stephen reports live from Apple Park on WWDC 2026: the post-keynote tech talk, Gemini partnership explained, and Siri AI that finally works. Plus shortcuts, photos AI, and more.
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852: Designed in California and WWDC Wishlist with Myke Hurley
Myke Hurley joins us to discuss the launch of Designed in California, a new Apple history podcast with Jason Snell. Then we share our hopes for WWDC, what AI features we may see, and more!
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851: I Have Contraband
David and Stephen answer listener feedback: rebuilding Apple Home with Aqara power-over-Ethernet cameras, smart scales, raw photo editing, connecting AI to email, off-site backups, the new TRMNL X display, and DEVONthink's MCP server.
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850: Overcast Transcripts and 48 Mac minis with Marco Arment
Marco Arment joins us to dive deeper on Overcast transcripts, the 48 Mac mini server powering it all, how AI is changing app development, restaurant tech, and more!
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849: Surviving Your Camera Roll
David and Stephen take on the wide, messy world of Apple photo management, from pruning fifty-thousand-photo libraries to backing up iCloud Photos. They cover Shared Library trade-offs, the cleanup apps worth installing, and more.
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848: eReaders and Workflows with Jason Snell
Jason Snell joins the show to discuss the state of e-readers, why dedicated reading devices still beat the iPad, Kindle vs Kobo, plus libraries, physical books, note-taking devices, and color e-ink.
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847: Actually Useful AI Tools
David and Stephen take stock of where AI is actually useful right now. They cover dictation, browsers, agentic workflows, MCP, and Apple Intelligence, plus the real projects each runs today, including email triage and a customer-service robot.
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846: State of Apple Watch 2026
After brief thoughts on John Ternus becoming Apple's next CEO, we dive into the current state of Apple Watch. We explore our setups, faces, complications, apps, and what we hope to see improve.
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845: Intentional Technology with Patrick Rhone
Patrick Rhone returns. The gang discusses Apple Silicon rewriting the Mac upgrade cycle, the Apple Refurb Store, and minimalist phones.
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844: Building the Ideal Apple Smart Home
A comprehensive look at the state of Apple Smart Home in 2026. David and Stephen share their setups, cover the latest standards, new devices of interest, helpful automations, and how to get started with Apple Home.
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843: Bear and Glass Teaches Keyboard Control
Brett Terpstra and Christopher Gamblée-Wallendjack introduce Bear & Glass, their human-focused Mac automation consultancy. Brett shares his ultimate keyboard-driven workflow, previews Marked 3 and BlogBook. Then the gang geeks out on keyboard utilities.
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842: Bribing the Fiber Guy
Stephen and David dig into listener feedback on iCloud security, Dropbox alternatives, AI robot assistants, Apple Intelligence Shortcuts, Claude computer control, and more!
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841: The Robot Assistant Field Guide
David walks through the AI robot assistant he built with Claude Cowork, from file management and email to invoicing and podcast production. Plus, why managed AI agents finally solve the memory and access problems that held chatbots back.
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840: Finder is More Powerful Than You Think
We break down Finder workflows, Hazel automations, Alfred shortcuts, and the systems that keep us organized on macOS.
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839: Fifty Years of Apple with David Pogue
Author and broadcaster David Pogue joins the Mac Power Users to talk about his new book, 50 Years of Apple, and his tech stack.
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838: iPhone Setup Showdown
We break down our entire iPhone setups including Home Screens, widgets, Focus Modes, Control Center, Action Button, and more! Stephen *may* have inspired David on this one.
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837: Menu Bar Mayhem
David and Stephen go deep on the Mac menu bar, comparing their contrasting philosophies and walk through their favorites. They also explore how macOS 26's multiple Control Centers are changing the game.
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836: Welcome, Stephen
David officially welcomes Stephen as co-host, exploring his background in music, podcasting, and his Mac setup. Then, rapid-fire questions, putting Stephen on the spot for some Apple hot takes!
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835: Farewell, Stephen
David and Stephen celebrate the last seven years of Mac Power Users, reflecting on the topics, episodes, and community that make MPU so special. Then, Stephen Robles joins to accept the baton before his first episode as David's new cohost.
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834: I Am The Tardis
Stephen starts the episode with an announcement, then he and David revisit writing workflows, Keyboard Maestro, notifications, and more. At the end, the guys attempt to answer some questions as quickly as possible... something they aren't great at doing.
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833: Chris Bailey and His Battle-Scarred M1
Chris Bailey shares his unconventional tech stack: TextEdit for writing, SimpleNote for tasks, and printing research on paper. He also tried using an iPad mini as his phone to create friction with distraction.
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832: All About Apple Weather
After talking through the new Apple Creator Studio bundle, Stephen shares his notes with David after switching to the Apple Weather app for a month.
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831: Revisiting Our Writing Workflows
From fancy pens to blank screens with a blinking cursor, there are more ways to write than ever. This week, the guys discuss several of them, weighing their pros and cons, and share how they get the words out.
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830: iOS 26: Focus Modes & Notifications
Our phones are constantly vying for our attention. This week, David and Stephen discuss strategies for managing notifications and regaining control.
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829: Tech That Worked in 2025
With the year winding down, Stephen and David reflect on what went well in their tech stacks, touching on Apple silicon, the company's default apps, AI tools, home automation, and networking.
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828: Revisiting Keyboard Maestro
David and Stephen talk through their uses of Keyboard Maestro, diving deep into automation, text expansion, and more.
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827: Every Two Months or So
On this feedback episode, the guys revisit the smart home, iPadOS 26, the lack of a big iMac, charging stations, and much more.
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826: 2025 State of the Platforms (Part 2)
The guys wrap up their review of Apple's 2025 with a look at the iPhone, Apple TV, iCloud, and Apple's other services. They then zoom out and look at the overall ecosystem.
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825: 2025 State of the Platforms (Part 1)
This week, Stephen and David start their annual tour of Apple's products, beginning with the Mac, then they consider the Apple Watch, the Vision Pro, and the company's lineup of audio products.
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824: Life After iPadOS 26
iPadOS 26 introduced a new windowing system, improved audio recording, and more robust background tasks, making the iPad feel more Mac-like than ever. This week, David and Stephen discuss a range of workflows that benefit from these changes.
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823: The 2025 Holiday Gift Guide
The end of the year is nearly upon us, so the guys are back to share their gift ideas. Stephen then goes on to share a new life philosophy, only to learn that David is already a master of it.
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822: iPhone 17 Photography with Tyler Stalman
Tyler Stalman returns to the show to discuss the camera gains Apple has made with the iPhone 17 line. The guys also talk about the limitations of the iPhone Air and some of the apps Tyler uses to edit his images and videos.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Learn about getting the most from your Apple technology with focused topics and workflow guests. Creating Mac Power Users since 2009, one conversation at a time. Hosted by David Sparks and Stephen Robles.
HOSTED BY
Relay
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Mac Power Users have?
Mac Power Users currently has 870 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Mac Power Users about?
Learn about getting the most from your Apple technology with focused topics and workflow guests. Creating Mac Power Users since 2009, one conversation at a time. Hosted by David Sparks and Stephen Robles.
How often does Mac Power Users release new episodes?
Mac Power Users releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 870 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Mac Power Users?
You can listen to Mac Power Users on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Mac Power Users?
Mac Power Users is created and hosted by Relay.
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