The Surprising Longevity of the M1
...
Podcast Rewind: Running Out of RAM, Tech Confessions, and Italian Movie Dubs
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
NPC: Next Portable Console
This week, Brendon, Federico, and John tackle the RAM shortage and its effect on the handheld industry before digging into Cocoon 2.0, an excellent Android front-end for your emulators.
Then on NPC XL, Federico brings an Android emulation surprise to the show.
Comfort Zone
Chris has a Mac-related confession to make, Matt has to admit something about his Apple Watch, and Niléane is like, “Boys, I don’t think you can even handle taking your phones off silent.” (She was not wrong.)
On Cozy Zone, we roast home screens again, and this time there aren’t any hidden codes… we think.
MacStories Unwind
This week, John and Federico debate physical versus digital media and the Italian art of dubbing movies.
Podcast Rewind: A Handheld Heavyweight, a Creative Studio Challenge, and Foveated F1
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
NPC: Next Portable Console
This week, Brendon, Federico, and John cover a raft of new budget handhelds, a new OLED tablet from Lenovo, TrimUI leaks, and more.
On NPC XL, John and Brendon share their experiments with the MagicX Zero 40 and Anbernic RG DS.
Comfort Zone
Chris wants to know what the heck is going on with Discord. Niléane has a massive backlog of things to talk about now that she’s back. And everybody does their best with Apple’s Creator Studio.
On Cozy Zone, the gang discusses what they’d do if they couldn’t use Apple products anymore. We are releasing this just days after ATP did the exact same thing, but we swear we recorded this a couple weeks ago!
MacStories Unwind
This week, John has an F1 racing theory about the Vision Pro and shares a vampire movie, while Federico has been binging a popular Netflix series.
Podcast Rewind: Handheld Gaming Truths, Just a Little Formula 1, and a Hulu Hack
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
NPC: Next Portable Console
This week, a quick tour of Nintendo’s latest Direct, more details emerge about the Virtual Boy Switch 2 accessory, the Steam Machine and other hardware is delayed, Anbernic goes out on a limb, AYANEO steps on a rake, and the Odin 2 rides off into the sunset.
On NPC XL, Federico is choosing between Switch 2 controllers, and Brendon receives an unexpected gift.
Comfort Zone
Matt wants to do an AI check-in, Chris serves a master class on getting started with 3D printing, and Niléane is away, so the dads talk a little Formula 1… just a little.
On Cozy Zone, Chris gets a brand glow up!
MacStories Unwind
This week, Super Bowl traditions, Federico’s very hungry plumber, some High Potential follow-up, and the latest season of Shrinking.
Google Releases YouTube App for Apple Vision Pro
Today, Google released the official YouTube app for visionOS. The app allows users to sign in to view their subscriptions, watch later queues, and playlists, and it supports native playback of regular videos, shorts, and spatial formats including 3D, 180-degree, and 360-degree. On the M5 Vision Pro, the app supports playback of 8K videos as well.
The Vision Pro launched two years ago without an official way to watch YouTube. Third-party options like Tubular Pro and the now-defunct Juno filled the gap well, and users have always been able to watch YouTube in a browser on visionOS. (Apple even made improvements to web video playback in visionOS 2 to make using sites like YouTube and Netflix more seamless.) But the lack of a native app from Google has been seen as a mark against visionOS up to this point.
Whether you’re a Vision Pro user who spends a lot of time watching YouTube or just someone who wants to see the platform thrive, having an official solution is a win. One of the device’s most compelling use cases is watching video, and now, there’s a great way to do so directly from Google. It’s always seemed inevitable to me that YouTube would come to the platform at some point, and as visionOS continues its slow burn toward maturity while awaiting hardware that can run it with more mass market appeal, it’s good to have YouTube onboard.
Now, it’s Netflix’s turn.
Podcast Rewind: Weird Nintendo Nostalgia, Reviving Old Tech, and Parking in Rome
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
NPC: Next Portable Console
This week, Federico, Brendon, and John tackle a load of weird news from playing Game Boy games on e-readers and ordering pizza from a Wii in 2026 to the upcoming Virtual Boy Switch 2 accessory.
On NPC XL, the guys chat about whether we’re approaching the endgame for handheld consoles and wonder why no one has made much of a move to adapt their handhelds for the living room.
Comfort Zone
Matt wants to talk about his (quick) notes, Niléane brings 3(!) topics, and everyone brings old(?) tech back from the dead.
On Cozy Zone, we tier listed Star Wars. All of it. Yes, even that one. If there was ever a time to give Cozy Zone a shot, it’s now.
MacStories Unwind
This week, 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.
The Joy of App Discovery
...
Podcast Rewind: An AYANEO Avalanche, Minecraft Houses, and Brendon Crashes Unwind
Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:
NPC: Next Portable Console
This week, Federico and John go it alone without Brendon to cover Game Pass on ARM, an avalanche of AYANEO announcements, and why the TrimUI Brick Pro has shot up their most-anticipated handheld list for 2026.
On NPC XL, Federico shows off the Ayn Odin 3 and reports the results of his efforts to brute force his way to what he’s using like a Steam Deck mini.
Comfort Zone
Chris has a Creator Studio, Matt has a less official Creator Studio, and the whole gang shows off their Minecraft houses.
On Cozy Zone, we tier list iPads. Chris has never been more in his element than in this one!
MacStories Unwind
This week, John escapes the big freeze and the Club comes home to MacStories – plus, TV picks and Brendon Bigley drops in to say “hi” and share a pick.
Immersive Dog Show Series ‘Top Dogs’ Premieres on Apple Vision Pro
Pet lovers, rejoice! After debuting immersive series and specials on subjects ranging from nature and travel to music and sports on the Vision Pro over the past couple of years, Apple is now inviting viewers into the world of competitive dog showing with Top Dogs. Available now, the two-part docuseries offers a one-of-a-kind perspective on Crufts, the world’s biggest dog show, following competitors and their owners as they give their all in hopes of winning the coveted Best in Show trophy.
Let me tell you: having had a chance to see the docuseries, these are some very good dogs. Throughout the roughly 30 minutes of video, I got the chance to see tons of adorable and prim canines, some from breeds I’d never heard of before. Crufts attracts nearly 20,000 competitors each year, so there were plenty of great dogs to meet. It’s worth watching the show just for the shots of the cute pups alone.
But Top Dogs is about more than just making new canine friends. The series offers a great overview of the dog show itself, including some behind-the-scenes footage of the lower-level competitions I wasn’t familiar with from my casual viewings of dog shows in the past. The series also employs the best use of graphics I’ve seen so far in Apple Immersive Video, explaining the dog show’s various rounds with expansive 3D charts. It includes an excellent opening title sequence, too, something I didn’t realize I was missing in these immersive series up until now.