Mac Power Users

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Our phones are constantly vying for our attention. This week, David and Stephen discuss strategies for managing notifications and regaining control.

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.

David and Stephen talk through their uses of Keyboard Maestro, diving deep into automation, text expansion, and more.

On this feedback episode, the guys revisit the smart home, iPadOS 26, the lack of a big iMac, charging stations, and much more.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Casey Liss, Charlie Chapman, and James Thomson join Stephen and David to discuss the state of software development on Apple's platforms in 2025. Topics include Liquid Glass, SwiftUI, documentation, subscriptions, and Apple Intelligence.

David has published a new course covering Apple Reminders, Calendar, Notes, and more. This week, he and Stephen walk through those apps and how they can be used together. Then, a conversation about the M5 and iOS 26 changes.

The guys discuss a bunch of listener feedback, the return of Slide Over, the state of iCloud Family Sharing, and check in on David's Rivian experience.

Everyone's favorite engineer-turned-blogger returns to the show to discuss the state of iPhone cases, the argument for LLMs, and his go-to automation tools — and why Shortcuts on the Mac isn't one of them.