MacStories Unwind
MacStories Unwind is a fun exploration of media and more.
Inside OpenAI's Builder Conference
This week on MacStories Unwind, John takes an inside look at OpenAI's DevDay developer conference and how it compares to WWDC.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
John Attended OpenAI's DevDay
OpenAI DevDay 2026OpenAI DevDay 2026OpenAI’s Dots: A First LookConference Swag and HardwareModRetro ChromaticChromatic Gets OpenAI Codex Support for Creating Game Boy Color GamesMedia MentionedZelda: Soccerina of Time Mod Turns Hyrule Into a Football League With Clubs Like Kokiri FCTed LassoLeave Feedback for John and Federico
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Will Shortcuts Survive the Agents Era?
This week on MacStories Unwind, John and Federico have new Apple Watches, John wonders where Shortcuts is heading, Federico has a prediction, and they both share an update on the TV and games they're enjoying.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
Agents Replacing Automation
Codex (OpenAI)Hermes Agent (Nous Research)Hermes Agent (GitHub)Grok Bot (SpaceXAI)Meta debuts Muse, its long-planned personal AI agent (Axios)Meta debuts its Muse AI agent. Will consumers trust it? (TechCrunch)Siri AI and Shortcuts
Apple introduces Siri AI, a profoundly more...Surviving Review Crunch Week
This week on MacStories Unwind, a very tired Federico and John debate the merits of review crunch week and preview what's coming for readers next week. Plus, John recommends The Invite, a newly rentable movie starring Seth Rogan, Olivia Wilde, Ed Norton, and Penelope Cruz.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
Review Crunch Time
A preview of Federico and John's annual OS reviewsPicks
John’s Pick:The InviteUnwind Deal
The Good Place: The Complete Series is just $19.99 in the TV app.Leave Fe...
A Man with a Gun
This week on MacStories Unwind, John is paid an unexpected visit, Federico tries a new show on Netflix, and John shares an album of the year contender.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes:
A Man with a Gun
Picks
Federico’s Pick:Dead to Me on NetflixJohn’s Pick:Lost Weekend by Phoebe BridgersUnwind Deal
Melrose Place, the Complete series for $14.99Leave Feedback for John and Federico
MacStories Unwind Feedback FormFo...
White Gravy, Cape Fear, and Chrome Chaos
This week on MacStories Unwind, John returns from the beach with tales of cargo ships, beaches, and gravy, while Federico encourages a return to Wilmington for a One Tree Hill event and badly messes up Google Chrome.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes Beaches and Gravy Southport, NC Oak Island Beaches White Sausage Gravy Wilmington, NC One Tree Hill Event The Things John Puts Up With Federico and Google Chrome's experimental GPU flag Leave Feedback for John and Federico MacStories Unwind Feedback Form Follow us on Mastodon MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Follow...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 here.
Links and Show Notes AI Assisted Ports and Homebrew Drama PC ports of old console games are the new AI vibe coding battleground (PC Gamer) AI-Coded Slop, No Thanks: Animal Crossing's Native PC Port Was Made Using Claude Code (Time Extension) A Hollow Victory: 100% AI-Generated Smash Bros. PC Port Comes Under Fire (Time Extension) Pokém...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 here.
Links and Show Notes Networking Projects John's existing setup TP-Link Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 BE22000 Whole Home Mesh System Added 2 TP-Link Deco 7 Pro BE63 Tri-Band WiFi 7 BE10000 routers Federico's Beelink SER9 Pro mini PC More of our networking and other gear is on MacStories Setups Picks John's Pick: Lucky on Apple TV Unwind Deal Meet the Parents Triple Feature starring Ben Stiller and...A Long Journey Home
This week on MacStories Unwind, app launchers, universal truths about ISPs, and an epic movie.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes Unplugged Segment TinyStart Rocket Raycast Alfred LaunchBar Picks John's Pick: The Odyssey Unwind Deal Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 9-Movie Collection - All 9 movies for $69.99 Leave Feedback for John and Federico MacStories Unwind Feedback Form Follow us on Mastodon MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Follow us on Bluesky MacStories Unwind MacStories Federico Viticci John VoorheesAffiliate Linking Policy
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 here.
Links and Show Notes Live Music Bruno Mars tour dates My Chemical Romance tour dates Phoebe Bridgers tour dates A Summer Blockbuster The Odyssey Text Editor Experiments Bear Lettera Ulysses MWeb Leave Feedback for John and Federico MacStories Unwind Feedback Form Follow us on Mastodon MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Follow us on Bluesky MacStories Unwind MacStories Federico Viticci John VoorheesAffiliate Linking Policy<...
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 here.
Links and Show Notes Out in the Boonies Boone, NC The Boonies (or Boondocks) Gaeta, Italy Picks Federico's Pick The Bear on Hulu John's Pick Enola Holmes 3 on Netflix Leave Feedback for John and Federico MacStories Unwind Feedback Form Follow us on Mastodon MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Follow us on Bluesky MacStories Unwind MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees...
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 here.
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. Statement on the US government directive to suspend access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 Trump Administration Allows Anthropic to Release Mythos to Select US Organizations Redeploying Claude Fable 5...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 here.
Links and Show Notes Amazon Prime Finds John Anker Portable Power Station SOLIX C300 - to power my fiber router and Wi-Fi in power outages XTEINK X3 eBook Reader (Developer Edition) Razer Wolverine V3 Pro Wireless Gaming Controller Federico Aqara Roller Shade Driver E1 Aqara M3 Smart Home Hub UGREEN USB-C to USB-C 240W Fast Charging Cable with Digital Display Picks Federico's Picks: 007 First Light (Steam, PS5...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 here.
Links and Show Notes Philadelphia The Best Cheese Steaks in Philly PicksFederico's Pick:
Federico needs your help with sitcom and romcom picks.John's Pick:
you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love by Olivia Rodrigo Phoebe Bridgers Tour Dates in the U.S. and Europe Apple: The First 50 Years (Audiobook version) Widow's Bay on...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 here.
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 Widow's Bay Your Friends and Neighbors Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth 007 First Light Gaming RG Rotate Legion Go 2 Switch 2 Unwind Deal Ferris Bueller's Day Off: The classic 80s comedy...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 here.
Links and Show Notes WWDC 2026 Travel Gear AirPods Pro AirPods Max Beats Studio Pro iPad Pro MacBook Pro AYN Thor Nintendo Switch 2 Federico's Games The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Picks John: Dust Bunny Federico: Running Point Hacks Your Friends and Neighbors For All Mankind Unwind Deal 🤫👂🎬 A Quiet Place Part II is jus...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 here.
Sponsored by:
Zero Duplicates — 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 an...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 here.
Links and Show Notes The Italian Dubbing of The Devil Wears Prada 2 Has Stirred Up a Surprising Controversy Cheerwine Festival Is It the Shoes? Nike Commercial Avelo running shoes Picks John's Pick: Every Good Story by Triples Unwind Deal Parks and Recreation is down to $29.99 in the TV app Leave Feedback for John and Federico MacStories Unwind Feedback Form...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 here.
Links and Show Notes It's Springtime and the Animals Are Back North Carolina wildlife update The woodchuck (groundhog) is a relatively recent addition to North Carolina and is considered a squirrel. Dealing with black vultures John took the right approach Apparently there are two approaches to dealing with coyotes in North Carolina Scare them away Bare-handed combat Peacocks invade Punta...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 here.
Links and Show Notes Unplugged Segment Holiday bridging Liberation Day — Festa della Liberazione (Italy) International Workers' Day — May 1 Dog Friendly Beaches in Italy Wilmington and Beaches One Tree Hill John's Pick: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Unwind Deal Godzilla x Kong: 5 Film Bundle for $19.99 in the TV app Leave...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 here.
Links and Show Notes BBQ School Eastern versus Western, NC BBQ Lexington BBQ in Lexington, NC PicksJohn's Pick:
Margo's Got Money Troubles Nick Offerman at the show's premiere Joy Next Door by The MaineFederico's Pick:
The Pitt, Season 1 Hacks, Season 5 Lose Your Self by Enter Shikari Unwind Deal A movie ahead of its time...Hue and Heist
This week on MacStories Unwind, pets, pints, Hue smart plugs, and a heist TV show.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes Unplugged Old English Sheepdog West Highland White Terrier Primal Brewing PicksJohn's Pick:
Hue Smart PlugsFederico's Pick:
Your Friends and Neighbors, Season 2 on Apple TV Unwind Deal No Country for Old Men is just $4.99 in the TV app right now. Leave Feedback for John and Federico MacStories Unwind Feedback Form Follow us on Mastodon MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Follow us on Bluesky MacStories Unwind MacStories Federico...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 here.
Links and Show Notes Apple Frames 4 stay tuned to MacStories next week for the Apple Frames 4 shortcut and CLI PicksFederico's Pick:
ShrinkingJohn's Pick:
Drops of God on Apple TV Unwind Deal In Anora, 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...Moonshots, Time Machines, and Workflows
This week on MacStories Unwind, space exploration, workflow shakeups, a buddy movie, and more.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes Artemis II NASA Artemis II Mission Workflows and Tools Claude FFmpeg Todoist Obsidian Notion Drafts Shortcuts Things iA Writer Picks Federico For All Mankind (Apple TV) John Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie Unwind Deal The Naked Gun Trilogy for $14.99 in the TV app Leave Feedback for John and Federico MacStories Unwind Feedback Form Follow us on Mastodon MacStories Federico Viticci John Voorhees Follow us on Bluesky MacStories Unwind MacStories Federico Viticci...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 here.
Links and Show Notes MacStories Setups Update MacStories Setups: Refining and Simplifying Our Setups PicksFederico's Pick:
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomJohn's Pick:
Anna and the Apocalypse Unwind Deal The Nice Guys. A funny private investigator buddy movie starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe is $9.99 in the TV app...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 here.
Links and Show Notes Xcode on Mobile First Look: Hands-On with Claude Code's New Telegram and Discord Integrations PicksFederico's Pick:
MCON by OhSnap Currently $50 offJohn's Pick:
The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins on NBC/Peacock Trailer Also available as a Season Pass on Apple...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 here.
Links and Show Notes Federico's First Days with the MacBook Neo MacBook Neo Review Roundup John Wonders About Shortcuts in an AI Coded World Tools mentioned Defuddle Superpowers 5 Kokoro TTS: Advanced AI Text-to-Speech A look at John's listen later podcast feed app PicksFederico's Pick:
Resident Evil RequiemJohn's...
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 here.
Links and Show Notes
A Look at John's Apple Event Press Release ToolPicks
Federico's Pick: Emily in Paris, Season 5 John's Pick: Pokémon PokopiaUnwind Deal
The Godfather Trilogy is just $19.99 in the TV app.Leave Feedback for John and Federico
MacStories Unwind Feedback FormFollow us on Mastodon
MacStories Federico Vi...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 here.
Links and Show Notes
Digital Versus Physical Media Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version are now available Pokémon FireRed Pokémon LeafGreen Italian Dubbing of Hollywood Movies It's better in Italian. An American perspective on the Italian industry of dubbing The Rise of the Italian Dubbing Industry Emily in Paris, Season 2Unwind Deal
Dr. Strangelove, Stanley Kubrick's darkly hilarious classic about nuclear madness is a...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 here.
Links and Show Notes
Unplugged Segment
The Apple Vision Pro is getting foveated streaming One More Spitball Idea for Apple's March 4 Media Event 'Experience': Immersive F1 on Vision Pro?Picks
Federico's Pick: Emily in Paris on Netflix John's Pick: Sinners "Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Jordan) return to their hometown to start...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 here.
Links and Show Notes
Super Bowl LX High Potential 'High Potential' Season 2 Ratings Hit Their Highest Level So Far Shrinking on Apple TVUnwind 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: https://apple.co/4kE9Gyb
...
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 here.
Links and Show Notes
Bomb Cyclones A Roman Parking Wars Parcheggiatore abusivo John's Pick: Culinary Class Wars on NetflixUnwind Deal
🏎️ The Fast and the Furious: 10 Movie Bundle is just $49.99 in the TV app.
Get the complete 10 movie collection for high octan...
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 here.
Links and Show Notes
Club MacStories is Now on MacStories.net
Welcome to the New, Unified MacStories and Club MacStories The New Club MacStories: Re-Subscribing to Your RSS Feeds and What's Coming NextPicks
Federico's Pick: High Potential John's Pick: Hijack on Apple TV Brendon Bigley's Impromptu Pick Culinary Class Wars on Netflix...
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 here.
Links and Show Notes
Snowmageddon
Ice threat continues to grow as weekend winter storm nears Carolinas When was the last time Charlotte had a significant ice storm?Picks
Federico's Pick: A Man on the Inside on Netflix A Man on the Inside Season 2 Cast. Plot, Release Date: Meet the Stars Joining Ted Danson, First Look Photos John's Pick: Licorice...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 here.
Links and Show Notes
Unplugged Segment
Clawdbot ClawdHub Peter Steinberger on BlueskyPicks
Federico's Pick: Family Plan 2 on Apple TV John's Pick: Animal Crossing New HorizonsUnwind Deal
Licorice Pizza: 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...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 here.
Links and Show Notes
CES Weirdness
My Favorite Gear From CES 2026 – and Some Weird and Wonderful Gadgets, TooPicks
Federico's Pick: Avatar: Fire and Ash Add to your Apple TV Watch List John's Pick: Parks and Recreation: The Complete SeriesUnwind Deal
Th...The Best Music of 2025
This week, Federico and John close out the year by sharing their favorite music of 2025.
The Best Albums of 2025
Federico's Picks Forgiving Spree by Slowly Slowly Idols by Youngblud NSFW by The Paradox Better Days by Yellowcard Qualifying Miles by We Are Scientists Album of the Year: Pruning of the Limbs by Moving Mountains John's Picks (my world is an) oyster by Chloe Moriando Modern Romance by Chloe Qisha Ego Death at the Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams Cosmic Selector Vol. 1 by Lord Huron Tunnel Vision by Beach Bunny Album of the Year: Living While Dying...Best Videogames of 2025
This week, Federico and John share their favorite videogames of 2025.
Also available on YouTube here.
This episode is sponsored by:
Sequel – Track Now. Enjoy Later.Links and Show Notes
2025's Best Videogames
Federico's Backlog: Ghost of Yōtei Hades II Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Hollow Knight: Silksong Despelote Shinobi: Art of Vengeance FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles John's Backlog: Metroid Prime 4 Hades II Dispatch Ghost of Yōtei Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Unbeatable Federico's Top Games: Mario Kart World Megabonk Ball x Pit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Donkey Kong Bananza Federi...The Best TV Shows and Movies of 2025
This week, Federico and John share their favorite TV shows and movies of 2025.
Also available on YouTube here.
This episode is sponsored by:
Sequel – Track Now. Enjoy Later.Links and Show Notes
2025's Best Movies and TV Shows
John's Movie Pick: Fantastic Four: First Steps Thunderbolts Alien Romulus Federico's Picks: Pre–2025 Shows: Friends The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 2025 Releases: Running Point Nobody Wants This Severance on Apple TV Hacks John's TV Picks: Task Slow Horses on Apple TV Say Nothing The book The audiobookUnwind Deal
Today's Apple's Holi...
Turkey Trots, TV Affiliates, and Holiday Watch Plans
This week, the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, Federico is curious about American TV and has a TV pick, while John follows up on a couple of TV shows and other media he's looking forward to in the coming weeks.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
U.S. TV Affiliate System
WikipediaPicks
Federico's Pick: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel John's Follow Up Picks and Upcoming Media Plans: The Last Frontier and Loot - both on Apple TV Stranger Things Brooklyn Nine-Nine rewatch Metroid Prime 4Unwind Deal
Star...Tech Nostalgia
This week, Federico and John explore tech nostalgia and the importance of tech history before picking a new TV series and music artist.
Also available on YouTube here.
Links and Show Notes
Tech Nostalgia Versus Tech History
NPC: Next Portable Console, GameCube To GoPicks
John's Pick: Down Cemetery Road on Apple TV Federico's Pick: American Motor Sports (420 CC Edition) by BilmuriUnwind Deal
John's Favorite Christmas Movies (It's early, I know, but there are some great deals right now.) Classics White Christmas It's A Wonderful Life Comedy...