Mac Geek Gab — Apple Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

You get a rapid-fire run of Mac tips that actually make your daily workflow smoother instead of noisier. From finally being able to change your Gmail address and using Markdown to escape Apple Notes, to smarter ways to attach glass screen protectors, auto-mount network shares, prune that graveyard of old Bluetooth devices, and squeeze better battery life from your iPad Pro, this episode keeps you moving instead of doomscrolling. If you’re shopping monitors for a Mac mini, curious why Find My wants light, or looking to travel with the right iPhone car mount, you’ll walk away with practical, field-tested ideas you can apply immediately. Then you dive into a real-world warning shot: Adobe quietly touching your /etc/hosts file and what that means for taking control back on your own Mac so you Don’t Get Caught. You’ll also hear listener-vetted iPhone cases—from rugged bumpers and leather shells to newer clear cases that don’t yellow—so you can carry your iPhone with confidence and a bit more style. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1136 for Monday, April 6th, 2026 April 6th: New Beer’s Eve MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Plex Pass for a Year Congrats to March’s SoundSource winners: Ian, Robert, and Jeff The MGG Merch Store is Live! 00:03:01 Grappling With The Weather Quick Tips 00:00:01 QT-You can now change your Google/Gmail username 00:04:47 Todd-QT-Use Markdown to migrate from Apple Notes Bear app’s instructions for migrating from Apple Notes 00:06:46 Clif-QT-Install Glass screen protectors in a steamy bathroom 00:09:33 Chris Powers-QT-Connect (more) Reliably to Network Shares on Startup Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:13:38 Greg in NC-How do I bulk-clean-up my Bluetooth devices? ToothFairy for macOS 00:20:17 QT-Bluetooth name changes are saved on the Bluetooth device, not on your iPhone 00:23:57 Randy Walker-How long should my iPad Pro 11″ M2 be able to hold a charge? CoconutBattery Low Power Mode Is it iCloud Syncing? 00:30:02 Larry-Which 5K monitor for my new Mac mini? Refurb LG UltraFine 5K – $799 ViewSonic VP2768-4k – $549 ViewSonic VP2788-5K – $929 Philips 4K UHD 27” – $499 (unavailable) BenQ PD2730S – $1,099 KTC 5K 27” – $549 LG 27UP850K-W 4K – $334 00:46:25 Joe-Why does Find My need light? 00:48:09 Leveraging Claude Code 00:50:08 Uncle Jamie-What iPhone car mount do you travel with? USB A to USB C Adapters iPhone Dash-mount Cradle Sponsors 00:56:39 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG Don’t Get Caught 00:57:59 Adam-DGC-Adobe Messed with My /etc/hosts file…and yours, too! Your Favorite iPhone Cases 01:06:09 Chris-CSF-Incipio Duo iPhone Case 01:07:17 NASANut-CSF-Spigen iPhone cases and screen protectors 01:09:20 Clif-The new, cheap clear cases don’t yellow like they used to 01:10:35 Dan-Wuwedo is a bumper/open case for $13 01:12:40 Thad-CSF-Check out Bullstrap Leather Cases 01:13:43 Todd-CSF-Nomad Leather Case and the case for screen protectors 01:15:26 Tony-CSF-Fierre Shann Leather iPhone Cases 01:17:18 CSF-Mujjo Leather iPhone Case 01:18:36 MGG 1136 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network  

You’re about to spend an hour geeking out about the moments when your tech life goes sideways and how to keep it all under control. You’ll hit World Backup Day prep, tame your email with smart rules and categories, turn your AirPods into stealth earplugs, and learn Mac power tricks like killing stubborn processes and using Reminders so your birthday rewards never slip by. Along the way, you’ll hear from listeners about pre-emptively swapping NAS drives, upsizing your Synology, and the best way to get your movie library playing cleanly on your iPad. Then you’ll dive into the fun stuff that happens when the internet spits you out in the wrong place, from working around VPN restrictions to making sure you Don’t Get Caught when networks get weird. You’ll remember John Martellaro and his dents in the universe, plus load up on Cool Stuff Found like AirTag sleeves for your Apple TV remote, faster AirDrop-style sharing with Blip and LocalSend, and even AI that can drive your car with Comma 4. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1135 for Monday, March 30th, 2026 March 30th: National Pencil Day Pentel Twist Erase MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba! 00:05:05 World Backup Day is tomorrow! Fastmail backs up your email! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Bill-QT-1134-Set macOS to always open new documents in tabs 00:09:09 P2-QT-use noise cancellation with AirPod in one ear Using AirPods as earplugs Comply Foam Tips for AirPods 00:14:00 SXSW: Shokz OpenDots One Shokz OpenFit Pro 00:18:46 David-QT-Host your own cloud mail rules Spark Mail SaneBox Claude CoWork and Dispatch 00:24:48 n-Ben-QT-1131–Train Apple’s Mail Categories for your own emails 00:26:17 John-QT-Use killall -9 if you really need to kill a process killall -9 “[process name]” killall -KILL “[process name]” Check Activity Monitor’s View menu 00:37:17 Tim-QT-Use Reminders to remember your birthday rewards Sponsors 00:38:30 SPONSOR: BBEdit, the power tool for text from Bare Bones Software; now with integrated Notebooks and extended language support. 00:39:41 SPONSOR: Stamps.com With Stamps.com you can send from your computer or phone 24/7. No long lines, no low supplies, open any time. Go to stamps.com and use code mgg to get sixty days risk-free! Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:41:01 JP-Should I Replace Drives Pre-emptively in my NAS? Synology Monthly Disk Health Report Synology Hot Spare 00:47:14 How about adding larger drives to your NAS? 00:51:06 Roger-What’s a better way to display and play movies on my iPad? VLC Infuse Plex 00:55:42 Mark-How can I use a VPN and bypass VPN restrictions 01:00:02 CSF-GoodReader for playing movies 01:00:43 GW-Glowing MacBook Apple Logo 01:03:00 Remembering John Martellaro and the dents he put in the universe Finding John Martellaro’s Space Shuttle Lander Simulator for Apple ][ Cool Stuff Found 01:08:04 James-CSF-Elago AirTag sleeve for AppleTV 4K remote 01:09:45 -n-Ahkeens-CSF-1132-Blip is reliable, AirDrop-style replacement Allison-CSF-Blip to give a better AirDrop-like experience LocalSend 01:11:53 Greg-CSF-Comma 4 uses AI to drive your car 01:18:05 MGG 1135 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly More shows Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You’ll come away from this episode with a faster, smarter iPhone and Mac workflow dialed in. You learn how to boss Siri around for brightness, Dark Mode, CarPlay directions, and per‑source audio levels, so your phone actually behaves in the car and on the couch. You tap into power‑user gestures like two‑finger‑tap to open links in a new Safari tab, Quick Actions to spin anything into a PDF, and Option‑click display rotation on the Mac. You even get sneaky with ad‑supported games by flipping Airplane Mode, and peek at where on‑device AI is heading with tools like Locally AI from the SXSW “more personal computer” session. Then you shift into solving real listener problems so your Apple gear finally stays in sync with you. You clean up contact groups, fix that iPad Mail inbox that doesn’t match your other devices, and fight back against toll‑free robocalls. You hear which iPhone cases and glass protectors the geeks actually trust, plus protection options like Verizon Home Protect and automation tools like Crank to trigger actions based on what you’re doing. The whole way through, you’re reminded of the Mac Geek Gab mantra: Don’t Get Caught missing the tweaks, tricks, and Cool Stuff Found that make your Apple life smoother. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1134 for Monday, March 23rd, 2026 March 23rd: World Math Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba! Congrats to February’s winners! The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Ian-QT-Hey Siri, turn up the brightness 00:03:50 Scott-QT-1133-Tell Siri to toggle Dark Mode 00:10:08 Vira-CSF-Locally AI – run models on your iPhone locally SXSW: A More Personal Computer: How AI is Transforming Desktops 00:11:58 Bill-QT-Spoken Directions in CarPlay Adjusting the volume of the different sources on your iPhone (Siri, Music, Maps, more) “Hey Siri, speak louder” 00:17:06 Henry-QT-Two-finger-tap to open links in a new Mobile Safari tab 00:18:03 ETC-QT-Use Quick Actions to create a PDF 00:22:44 Mickey-QT-Hold Option to get Display Rotation options in System Settings 00:23:40 Adam’s wife-Stop Ads with Airplane Mode in ad-supported games Sponsors 00:28:37 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG 00:29:53 SPONSOR: Pocket Hose. For a limited time, you can get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Just text MGG to 64000. 00:31:23 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/MGG 00:32:49 SXSW: Phil Schiller & David Pogue Fireside Chat David Pogue Apple: The First 50 Years Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:43:49 Joe-Question about Contact groups 00:48:32 Bill-How come my iPad shows different Mail than everything else? 00:54:45 Craig-Robo Calls showing up from Toll Free Numbers 00:59:52 Scott-What iPhone cases does everyone use? OpenCase Mujjo Leather Case Tempered Glass Screen Protectors Cool Stuff Found 01:14:02 Steve-CSF-Verizon Home Protect for $25/month is a great AppleCare+ alternative 01:16:35 Joe-CSF-1133-Crank can launch actions based upon user-configurable criteria 01:19:23 MGG 1134 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You get dropped right into geek therapy this week as you bounce from cult-favorite movies to Pixar shorts, then straight into practical Mac and iOS wins. You learn how to use the twenty-minute rule to bail on bad movies guilt-free, long-press your iPhone’s brightness to reveal Dark Mode and other hidden controls, and turn Live Listen into your stealth superpower for staying connected in noisy rooms. You also tighten up your iOS workflow by wrangling multiple photos, files, and links at once, and even rethink how often you actually need to say “Hey” to your devices. Don’t Get Caught missing the little system tweaks that make your Apple gear feel brand new again. From there, you dig into real-world listener problems and come away with a cleaner network, a smarter Mac, and a more resilient data setup. You troubleshoot eerie eero behavior and learn how to coax stubborn 2.4 GHz-only devices onto your Wi-Fi, then set your Mac to auto-launch apps on wake with tools like Keyboard Maestro and Advanced SleepWatcher. You untangle VPN weirdness, then go full NAS-ty with guidance on migrating to a new Synology and choosing the right model using MGG’s comparison as your roadmap. You wrap it all with Cool Stuff Found: Setapp’s new plans, rock-solid MailBackupX, US Mobile for nerdy cellular control, ForeverNotes for wrangling your brain, Titanium Software utilities, AppleCare+ plus Apple One savings, and TP-Link’s Wi-Fi Toolkit turning your iPhone or iPad into a pocket network analyzer. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1133 for Monday, March 16th, 2026 March 16th: Robert Goddard Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba! Congrats to February’s winners! The MGG Merch Store is Live! 00:03:39 Movie Reviews and Ratings RocketMan with Harland Williams Hoppers from Pixar Twenty Minute Rule for Movies Project Hail Mary Lego Quick Tips 00:00:01 Si-QT-Long press brightness to toggle Dark Mode and more 00:09:17 Joel-QT-Use Live Listen to stay in touch 00:11:25 Pilot Pete-QT-Multiple Photos, Files, Links handling in iOS 00:15:55 Do you still say Hey? Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:19:30 Larry-Eerie things going on with the Eero 00:29:04 Setting up eero for 2.4GHz devices 00:31:32 Father John-How can I launch an app when my Mac wakes up? Desktop Icon Manager Advanced SleepWatcher for macOS 00:38:04 Michael-Why US VPN issues? 00:41:05 Revelations During Geek Therapy Sponsors 00:47:38 SPONSOR: Pocket Hose. For a limited time, you can get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Just text MGG to 64000. 00:49:10 SPONSOR: Sundays for Dogs. Every bite of Sundays is clean and made from real meat, fruits, and veggies, with no kibble. Stanley loves it! Go right now to sundaysfordogs.com/MGG50 and get 50% off your first order. Or, you can use code MGG50 at checkout. 00:50:43 SPONSOR: Tempo. For a limited time, Tempo is offering my listeners SIXTY PERCENT OFF your first box! Go to TempoMeals.com/MGG. Gettin’ NAS-ty 00:51:58 Patrick-How do I migrate my data to a new Synology? 01:00:47 Mike-Which Synology NAS should I buy? Comparing MGG-focused Synology NAS Cool Stuff Found 01:09:35 CSEvolved-Setapp adds new single-app purchase and subscription plans 01:12:07 Mark-CSF-MailBackupX to backup your Mail 01:13:01 Tony-CSF-US Mobile is built for nerds (Tony’s Referral Code: 6B9EAD23) 01:14:32 bbwerner on Threads-CSF-ForeverNotes for getting your notes in order 01:15:28 Niceville Steve-CSF-Titanium Software Utilities other than OnyX 01:16:41 Use AppleCare+ with Apple One to get bulk savings on AppleCare+ 01:20:21 CSF-Wi-Fi Toolkit from TP-Link for iPhone and iPad 01:21:24 MGG 1133 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network  

You start this episode by supercharging your daily Apple workflow with rapid-fire Quick Tips: speaking the time from your wrist, taming screenshot previews, unzooming a stuck iPhone screen, batch‑moving iOS apps, and sharpening Live Text and document photos so you can capture, control, and share exactly what you want without friction. You also learn how to keep Chrome from quietly hijacking your mic levels before Zoom calls, plus clever ways to organize appliance manuals using NotebookLM and Apple’s Books app so that the answers you need are always a quick search away—Don’t Get Caught hunting for docs or fighting your own settings again. From there, you dive into Mac Developer Gab with the MGG iOS app as a living example of how AI‑assisted coding becomes a collaborative partner instead of a replacement, including practical use of Claude Code’s Plan Mode to map changes before writing a line of code. Then you pivot into Apple’s newly “affordable‑first” lineup—MacBook Neo, Air, and Pro, the new Studio Displays, iPhone 17e, and iPad Air M4—breaking down which model actually fits your real‑world use and budget, before wrapping with fixes for flaky AirDrop using the NFC “boop” trick and remote‑controlling Apple TV via hubs so your gear does what you want, when you want it. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1132 for Monday, March 9th, 2026 March 2nd: National Banana Cream Pie Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba! Congrats to February’s winners! The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Dave C-QT-Hold two fingers on your watch screen to speak the time 00:07:16 Todd-QT-Turn Off Full Screen Preview ScreenShot change 00:09:18 Gary-QT-Three-finger triple-tap to unzoom your iPhone 00:15:10 Pilot Pete-QT-Move Multiple iOS Apps at Once! Mac Developer Gab 00:16:57 Updating the Mac Geek Gab iOS app Developing with AI Assisted Coding is a Collaborative Process 00:29:46 Using Claude Code’s Plan Mode Back to Quick Tips 00:31:33 Gene-QT-Live Text Made Better 00:36:14 Pilot Pete-QT-Level Your Phone e.g. for Document Photos 00:37:59 Dave-QT-In Chrome, Disallow WebRTC to adjust the input volume to keep your mic set for Zoom calls 00:40:16 Joe-QTRevisited-1071-Use NotebookLM to store Appliance Manuals 00:43:00 Tony-QT-1131-Put User Manuals in the Books app Sponsors 00:43:58 SPONSOR: Stamps.com With Stamps.com you can send from your computer or phone 24/7. No long lines, no low supplies, open any time. Go to stamps.com and use code mgg to get sixty days risk-free! 00:45:24 SPONSOR: CleanMyMac. Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use our code MACGEEK for 20% off at clnmy.com/MACGEEK 00:46:56 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/MGG Reviews 00:48:29 Happy Camper-MGG Review-It’s what you learn after you know it all 00:49:17 digger4-MGG Review-Excellent show 00:49:29 StillRiverEditions-MGG Review-Makes the Apple universe fun, as it should be. 00:50:11 Neo-Wombat-MGG Review-Five Stars 00:51:25 New Macs and More! Affordability seems to matter to Apple today! Comparing the MacBook Neo, Air, and Pro Where are the updates to the Mac mini and more desktops? MacBook Neo – $599 – This is essentially macOS on an iPad MacBook Air M5 – $1099 MacBook Pro M5 – $1699 27-inch Studio Display and Studio Display XDR – $1599 iPhone 17e – $599 iPad Air M4 – $599 Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 01:07:35 Dan-How to Tame AirDrop Wonkyness Use the iPhone NFC “Booping” Trick 01:15:21 Clif-Can I control my Apple TV remotely? Jubilee Hub Harmony Hub 01:21:45 MGG 1132 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You drop into an iMessage quick tip and quickly branch into a whole toolkit for running your Apple life smarter. You learn faster ways to edit messages, how Slack’s up-arrow muscle memory carries over, and why platforms limit your edit window. From there, the show rolls into clever NFC and QR workflows for appliance manuals, Time Machine fixes over SMB on Synology, and a deep dive on spam and email hygiene: Fastmail’s undelete safety net, SaneBox’s smart filtering, Apple Mail’s categories, plus when to reach for SpamSieve or even your own chatbot to watch junk folders so you Don’t Get Caught losing important mail. The crew also compares real‑world email providers, DNS setups (Cloudflare, Google, Quad9), and router‑level changes that stabilize your network. You get a reality check on legacy cruft—Trip Mode, MacFUSE, ancient launch agents—still loading after years of Migration Assistant, and how tools like Lingon and CleanMyMac help you audit what’s secretly running. On the fun-and-productivity side, you hear honest impressions of Apple Vision Pro: tabletop-style multiplayer games like Demeo, surprisingly usable virtual desktops, the importance of dual straps and decent cases, and when to skip hotel Wi‑Fi in favor of hotspots or a UniFi travel router so your Macs, iPads, and headsets all “think” they’re at home. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1131 for Monday, March 2nd, 2026 March 2nd: National Banana Cream Pie Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba! Congrats to February’s winners! The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Fernando-QT-Command+E lets you edit your most recent iMessage on the Mac 00:07:39 Ian-QT-Put NFC Tags or QR Codes on your tools with links to user manuals iFixIt Repair Guides and Manuals 00:11:03 That’s not Multitasking, That’s Cheating 00:13:16 Ben-QT-Select & Move Junk Mail Without Displaying its Content Private Internet Access hides you from spammers 00:15:03 Ernesto-How do you deal with spam email? SaneBox 00:25:20 Fastmail DOES offer a restore-from-backup option 00:27:13 Build domain-specific rules to filter spam SpamSieve 00:31:34 David-Which email provider do you use? Dave – Fastmail and Gmail Adam – Gmail/Google and iCloud Pete – Bluehost and iCloud 00:34:42 Migrating mail to a new provider Sponsors 00:38:24 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG 00:39:54 SPONSOR: BBEdit, the power tool for text from Bare Bones Software; now with integrated Notebooks and extended language support. Audit your apps, Login Items, and Launch Agents 00:41:22 Pilot Pete-QT-MacOS 26 How I Fixed My Time Machine Backups on Synology after Tahoe 00:44:53 Tanel-DGC-Be aware of what you installed years ago MacFUSE CleanMyMac Lingon 00:54:10 Will-QT-DNS Adjustment fixes Hinky Internet (That’s a Technical Term!) Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 Quad9: 9.9.9.9 OpenDNS What do you use for Wi-Fi in Hotel Rooms? 01:00:13 UniFi Travel Router 01:02:15 Tethering to your iPhone Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 01:06:40 Rob-How do you like your Apple Vision Pro? How do you use it? Demeo on Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest, and more Syntech Apple Vision Pro Case Belkin Case for Apple Vision Pro 01:22:06 MGG 1131 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You start this episode leveling up your daily workflows with fast, memorable tweaks: styling text in Notes with a long press, dropping today’s date into Google Sheets with a quick shortcut, testing your real-world network speed from the Mac, and turning any clipboard grab into a Preview window so you can annotate or export in a flash. You also learn that canceling an in‑app subscription doesn’t instantly nuke Family Sharing, why Safari’s pinned tabs might be quietly chewing resources, and how to right-size your browser use so it serves you instead of hijacking your Mac. From there, you dive into practical tools for real life: apps to tame your family’s book library, a screensaver utility that slows things down, and current router picks spanning UniFi, TP-Link Wi‑Fi 7 options, Eero, and Orbi so your network actually matches your workloads. You hear how to orchestrate multiple AI agents, safely archive and truly back up your mail, and keep your own chatbot from eating your inbox, plus Cool Stuff Found like Omerta, YouTube on Apple Vision Pro, and more—because in the Apple tech world, as in life, Don’t Get Caught without the right tools and backups in place. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1130 for Monday, February 23rd, 2026 February 23rd: Pinocchio Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Copilot Money! Congrats to January’s winner, Amanda Colyer! The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Tom-QT-Long-press Aa in iPhone Notes to choose text styles 00:05:03 Avraham-QT-Use Command-Semicolon to enter current date into Google Sheets 00:06:46 Russell-QT-Use your Mac’s networkQuality to test your speed 00:10:30 Rob-QT-Paste Clipboard into Preview with Command-N 00:11:54 QT-You don’t immediately lose Family Sharing when you cancel an in-app subscription On the subject of browsers… 00:13:28 Allison-1128-Safari’s Pinned Tabs can be resource hogs 00:17:18 How much are you using your browser these days, anyway? Sponsors 00:19:30 SPONSOR: Tempo. For a limited time, Tempo is offering my listeners SIXTY PERCENT OFF your first box! Go to TempoMeals.com/MGG. 00:20:58 SPONSOR: Sundays for Dogs. Every bite of Sundays is clean and made from real meat, fruits, and veggies, with no kibble. Stanley loves it! Go right now to sundaysfordogs.com/MGG50 and get 50% off your first order. Or, you can use code MGG50 at checkout. 00:22:30 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/MGG Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:23:58 Alan-What software exists to catalog my family’s book library? CLZ Books Libib BookBuddy Sofa Tap Forms Pro Goodreads 00:31:22 Ken-How do I slow down my Mac’s screensaver? ArtSaver 00:34:54 Phillip-Which router do you recommend today? UCG Max TP Link Wi-Fi 7 Deco BE67 (or BE68 at Best Buy) TP Link BE63 (also Wi-Fi 7) Eero Pro 7 Orbi Wi-Fi 7 Reviews 00:45:40 Manhattan Glen-MGG Review-Great Show AI Learned Something! …  or … AIn’t It Cool? (Ok, obviously we need a segment name for our AI talk) 00:48:49 William-How do I set up multiple AI agents for my task? 00:55:05 Todd-QT-Use Perplexity’s website to download files it has created 00:57:09 Your mail might not be as backed-up as you think MailSteward 01:06:57 My Chatbot ate my Inbox OpenClaw Cool Stuff Found 01:16:53 ATC-CSF – Omerta – Don’t Get Caught 01:19:42 Eakster-CSF-YouTube for Apple Vision Pro is here! 01:23:18 MGG 1130 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You get a firehose of genuinely useful Apple tips this week, starting with new muscle-memory moves you’ll actually use: cycling app windows with Cmd + `, nodding or shaking to answer AirPods, dragging apps straight from iOS search, and building Focus-specific home screens so the right icons appear at the right time. Edge Light turns your Mac into a cleaner on‑camera rig, Display Buddy tames external monitor brightness, and custom macOS keyboard shortcuts plus Dock CPU meters give you fast, surgical control over your Mac. Then you level up your living room: master the Apple TV remote’s scrub wheel, undo accidental scrubs, jump in precise increments, push video from iPhone to Apple TV, and fling audio to HomePod with a tap. Even Reminders gets a glow‑up so you can punt a pile of alerts in one shot instead of playing whack‑a‑mole. From there, you zoom out to “meta” geekery: backing up critical Notes (or moving to OneNote, Ulysses, or Obsidian), even flirting with a git repo to sync prefs and personal data like a developer. On the road, you learn how to keep CarPlay tappable with gloves, and in the cloud you explore why chatbots forget context, when to bring in tools like Claude, Perplexity’s Comet, Atlas, Gemini, or Claude’s Chrome extension, and how having an always‑on troubleshooting assistant changes how you work. Listener reviews cap it off by framing the show as a kind of PhD in troubleshooting, all so you can experiment, push your tech harder, and, of course, don’t get caught.​ 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1129 for Monday, February 16th, 2026 February 16th: Innovation Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Copilot Money! Congrats to January’s winner, Amanda Colyer! The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Michael Ilin-QT-Press Cmd + ` to cycle all windows of that app 00:03:06 PilotPete-QT-Nod or Shake to answer your AirPods 00:05:49 Clif-QT-Relocate iOS apps by dragging from search results Eufy Smart Scale Withings Sleep Pad 00:07:47 Different home screens for different Focus Modes 00:11:16 QT-Use Edge Light for video calls in macOS 26.2-and-later 00:16:17 Use Display Buddy to control the brightness of your screen 00:18:09 Russell-QT-Map your own keyboard shortcuts in macOS settings Brave Browser’s LEO AI 00:23:03 The value of an always-on troubleshooting assistant Eney 00:26:32 Doug-QT-Set Activity Monitor to show CPU Usage in Dock 00:30:40 Apple TV Remote Quick Tip Masterclass EyeDentify-QT-Undo Accidental Scrubs on Apple TV Using the Apple TV remote’s scroll-wheel emulator to scrub in a fine-tuned way Double-tap scroll wheel edges to jump forwards or backwards Use Siri Commands, too 00:35:16 Dom Bettinelli-QT-Tap iPhone to Apple TV remote to transfer video to Apple TV 00:37:15 Tap your iPhone to your HomePod to transfer audio 00:37:45 Jeepster-QT-Procrastinate Multiple Reminders at Once Sponsors 00:41:17 SPONSOR: CleanMyMac. Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use our code MACGEEK for 20% off at clnmy.com/MACGEEK Don’t Get Caught 00:43:56 Steve-DGC-1128-Duplicate important Notes as backup Microsoft OneNote Ulysses Obsidian 00:54:56 What about a git repo to sync… prefs, notes, whatever? Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:55:53 Steve Hammond-How can I control CarPlay with gloves on? Capacitive Gloves for Screens and Phones 01:00:30 DJ Mac-ChatGPT and others regularly forget what I’ve told them Try claude.ai/giggab for half-price Claude Pro 01:08:16 William-1128-How do I get my browser to surf for me? Perplexity – Comet browser ChatGPT – ChatGPT Atlas browser Gemini – Gemini in Chrome Claude – Claude in Chrome extension Reviews 01:15:08 gdubs-MGG Review-A PhD in troubleshooting 01:16:08 michaefs-MGG Review-A great podcast 01:16:57 d32bus-MGG Review-Excellent show 01:17:39 MGG 1129 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network  

This week on Mac Geek Gab 1128, you dive into a treasure chest of Cool Stuff Found with Pilot Pete, Adam Christianson, and Dave Hamilton. From DockLock Lite keeping your Dock in check to Backdrop 2.0’s animated lock screens and BookMacster’s bookmark magic, you’ll uncover smart Mac tricks you didn’t know you needed. The geeks take a nostalgic tangent into podcasting history before jumping into the now: Agentic browsers like ChatGPT’s Atlas and Perplexity’s Comet that are reshaping how you browse today. Safari killing your Tahoe? Find out why Apple’s AI choices might change how your Mac thinks. Then it’s back to more gems: Bootable clones return with SuperDuper, World Clock Widget makes global time simple, and Fastmail’s new desktop app joins BusyCal and Fantastical in taming your digital life. You’ll also learn how not to get caught with Apple Notes overwriting your data (keep the app open until it syncs!). Wrapping up, apps like Pixeldrop, Shutter Declutter, and Brick help you tidy photos, redact safely, and silence distractions. Plus, creative NFC tag hacks that make your smart home even smarter. As always, the MGG crew makes sure you Don’t Get Caught. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1128 for Monday, February 9th, 2026 February 9th: National Clean Out Your Computer Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Copilot Money! Congrats to January’s winner, Amanda Colyer! The MGG Merch Store is Live! Cool Stuff Found 00:00:01 Bruce-CSF-Neo Network Utility 00:03:30 Oskar-CSM-Backdrop 2.0 adds Custom Live Wallpapers to the macOS Lock Screen 00:04:53 Pensacola Craig-CSF-DockLock Lite to keep your Mac’s Dock from jumping 00:06:11 Jim-CSF-1118–BookMacster by Sheep Systems to edit, sort, and sync bookmarks across browsers 00:08:26 Tangent: A discussion about how podcasting (and Maccast and Mac Geek Gab) got started 00:13:35 PilotPete-CSF-ChatGPT Atlas Browser Comet from Perplexity 00:15:00 Using Agentic Browsers is not the future…it’s the present! 00:26:04 And Safari might be killing your Tahoe 00:28:48 AI integrated into your operating system Apple needs to choose wisely 00:35:47 CSF-Eney Beta from MacPaw Sponsors 00:37:21 SPONSOR: Sundays for Dogs. Every bite of Sundays is clean and made from real meat, fruits, and veggies, with no kibble. Stanley loves it! Go right now to sundaysfordogs.com/MGG50 and get 50% off your first order. Or, you can use code MGG50 at checkout. 00:39:42 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/MGG MOAR Cool Stuff Found 00:41:32 Bruce-CSF-1127–ClipGrab to download YouTube videos (free download) 00:42:54 Kirschen-CSF-KeyClu replaces CheatSheet Use Brew! brew install –cask keyclu 00:45:25 Larry-CSF-SuperDuper WILL do bootable Clones on macOS 26 Using CCC Backup to create legacy bootable copies of macOS Idea: create a bootable external and stop once macOS is installed, leaving it ready for Migration Assistant (or anything else) 00:52:36 Andrew-CSF-World Clock Widget app UTC=Universal Time Coordinated Swatch Internet Time 00:56:33 David-CSF-Fastmail Desktop App for Mac BusyCal Fantastical Spark Mail Cardhop Don’t Get Caught with notes Syncing 01:01:42 DGC-Apple Notes only syncs when the app is open on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. This can lead to sync overwrites if one device makes a change without having the latest copy. Back to Cool Stuff Found 01:04:58 Bob-CSF-1107-Shutter Declutter helps process photos 01:11:00 rnDoug-Mole, a system maintenance tool 01:12:18 DanDXZDB-Pixeldrop for selectively redacting part of a photo Don’t Get Caught with your data buried in PDFs 01:14:20 DGC-Save redacted PDFs as a single layer so people can’t see your layers Back on Track with CSF 01:14:50 CSF-Brick to block distracting apps and notifications on your iPhone 01:19:38 Creatively Using NFC Tags Use NFC Tags with the Home app 01:21:48 QT-Re-use NFC Tags that other people send you! 01:24:04 MGG 1128 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You move fast in this episode, stacking Quick Tips that shave friction off your day almost immediately. You tell Siri to take notes on command, record audio directly inside Notes with native transcripts, and pull off smarter gestures in CarPlay Maps and iOS 26 Safari that feel hidden in plain sight. You tame the Camera side button, rename files faster from Finder and app toolbars, and generally remind yourself that small muscle-memory tweaks compound into real time saved. This is the kind of workflow polish that keeps you ahead instead of catching up. Then the conversation sharpens. You dig into why troubleshooting advice can be too eager to fix the wrong problem, unpack what “absolute mode” thinking really means, and react to Apple’s acquisition moves and fresh AirTag releases. Listener questions take you into practical territory like grabbing a single frame from video, sharing iCloud calendars with Android users, and understanding how features get quietly “nerfed,” leading to Pilot Pete’s perfectly named Newly Effectuated Reduced Functionality. You wrap with Cool Stuff Found that spans Vision Pro accessories, immersive gaming, and travel-ready power. The throughline is clear: know what still works, notice what’s been taken away, and adapt before it costs you time. Don’t Get Caught. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1127 for Monday, February 2nd, 2026 February 2nd: The Record of a Sneeze Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of Copilot Money! The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Gene-QT-Hey Siri, Take a Note 00:03:48 Ian-QT-In Notes, Record Audio and Save the transcript natively! (Use the paper clip icon) 00:06:52 rnDoug-QT-1126-Zoom in CarPlay Maps with a special double-tap (and Peter, too) 00:10:32 Tom-1126-Hold down on URL Bar to close tab (and more) on iOS 26 00:11:13 Bill-QT-1126-Swipe Up on URL bar for All Tabs View on iPhone 00:12:53 Todd-QT-Camera Settings to Get Side Camera Button to do your bidding! 00:17:44 Bill-QT-1126-Rename files in Finder and from apps’ Toolbar Sponsors 00:21:24 SPONSOR: Tempo. For a limited time, Tempo is offering our listeners SIXTY PERCENT OFF your first box! Go to TempoMeals.com/MGG. 00:22:52 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG We Need To Talk 00:24:12 Craig-ChatGPT is too hasty to troubleshoot my tech issues ChatGPT Absolute Mode Hey, Did You Hear? 00:41:23 Apple acquires secretive Q․ai startup for $2 billion 00:45:40 New AirTags from Apple Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:50:21 Rob-How can I copy one frame from a video? yt-dlp (install with ‘brew install yt-dlp’) PullTube and Downie (also available in Setapp) What does NERF stand for when someone kills functionality Newly Effectuated Reduced Functionality 01:03:04 Larry-How can I share my iCloud calendar with an Android user? OneCalendar Sync for iCloud Cool Stuff Found 01:09:04 Adam-CSF-Apple Vision Pro Dual Knit Band Demeo on Vision Pro 01:12:29 DLH-CSF-Anker Prime 25W 3-in-1 Travel charger 01:16:36 MGG 1127 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You start with deceptively simple wins that immediately clean up your digital life. You batch-rename files in Finder, unlock hidden gestures on both Mac and iPhone, and speed yourself up with small but mighty keyboard and touch tricks. Along the way, a nostalgic detour into Lotus 1-2-3 sparks a surprisingly intense discussion about competitive spreadsheeting, airline safety systems, and how that thinking naturally leads to a bigger question: when does “Car as a Service” stop being a punchline and start being reality? Even the travel hacks stay practical, from surviving cruises without surprise data charges to resetting your internal clock before you even land. Then you shift into defense mode. You learn where password chaos actually comes from, why panic-resetting devices is sometimes the worst move, and how to spot bugs masquerading as personal failure. Listener questions take you deep into Lightroom quirks, CarPlay gesture mysteries, app safety checks, and Contacts behaving badly, with calm, methodical ways to unweird your setup instead of burning it down. It’s classic Mac Geek Gab: curiosity, experimentation, and real-world fixes that keep your tech working for you. Stay sharp, stay efficient, and Don’t Get Caught. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1126 for Monday, January 26th, 2026 January 26th: Lotus 1-2-3 Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of Ecamm Live or Carbon Copy Cloner 7! The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Craig-QT-You can batch rename files in Finder 00:05:01 January 26th: Lotus 1-2-3 Day 00:06:40 Competitive Spreadsheeting Full Contact Spreadsheeting TCAS System in airplanes Tangent: Car as a service 00:13:11 When can we move to Car As A Service? MOAR Quick Tips 00:19:30 Steve-You can also three finger pinch on the Mac! 00:22:56 Todd-Pinch iPhone Screen in Safari to reveal the All Tabs display 00:24:16 Time hack: when flying across time zones, start your day on the time zone you will be ending on 00:25:11 Craig-QT-Use Fn to bring up the Mac emoji picker 00:27:48 Jim-QT-For cruisers, disable cellular data on the ship Sponsors 00:30:35 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/MGG 00:31:48 SPONSOR: Copilot Money. Your money, beautifully organized, now across every device. For a limited-time, get 26% off your first year when you sign up at https://try.copilot.money/macgeekgab. Get two months free with code ‘macgeekgab’. 00:33:12 SPONSOR: BBEdit, the power tool for text from Bare Bones Software; now with integrated Notebooks and extended language support. Don’t Get Caught 00:34:24 Michael-DGC-Password Hell is a Real Place Bitwarden Access became Uplock 00:53:17 Larry-DGC-Known Bug in Apple Search in Settings – Don’t Nuke-n-Pave Your iPad just yet Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:54:26 Bob-?-Why Lightroom + DropBox TidBits Article Won’t Let me Put Files in the Trash Bin? 01:00:18 DLH-Where is CarPlay Maps pinch to zoom? Maybe in iOS 26 01:04:49 Eric-Is MacUpdater still safe for now? 01:06:17 Sandy-Contacts is being weird…how do I unweird it? 01:17:55 MGG 1126 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You start with Quick Tips that tighten up your daily Apple workflow fast. You learn how CarPlay scrubbing actually works while driving, how Siri can jump forward or back in precise time chunks, and why Apple’s vision for Siri, Gemini, and personal intelligence matters more than the hype suggests. You unlock practical wins like copying Voice Memos transcripts, using Continuity for clipboard magic across devices, mastering iPhone copy and paste gestures, and understanding when dragging photos quietly converts them to JPEGs. Along the way, you revisit Apple Newton roots, discover why tools like Yoink still matter, and pick up slick tricks for prepping images in Messages and pausing voice recordings mid-thought. Then you move into real-world problem solving. You figure out how to record a selfie video on iPhone while reading a script without breaking your flow, why Sign in With Apple is still worth using, and how to monitor drive health without guessing. You finally get clarity on weird Trash behavior, stop your mouse from waking your Mac, and understand why green bubble RCS and SMS sometimes fail on macOS. The episode wraps with a discussion about Apple Creator Studio tools like Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Compressor, MainStage, and premium content across Apple’s productivity apps. Listen to sharpen your instincts so when it counts, you Don’t Get Caught. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1125 for Monday, January 19th, 2026 January 19th: Brew a Potion Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of Ecamm Live or Carbon Copy Cloner 7! The MGG Merch Store is Live! MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Eero Ecamm for Zoom integration MacPaw CCC Backup Quick Tips 00:00:01 Chris-QT-CarPlay lets you scrub while driving 00:04:01 QT-Use Siri to skip forwards and backwards in specific time increments 00:06:18 The future of Siri, Gemini, and Personal Intelligence 00:14:33 QT-See and copy transcripts from Voice Memos 00:15:44 QT-Continuity works for Clipboard Too 00:18:21 iPhone Copy/Paste Gestures 00:21:55 Doug-QT-Dragging photos on iPhone converts them to JPEG Copying/Pasting on the Apple Newton Yoink 00:27:01 Jeff-QT-Dragging an image into Messages preps it to send 00:28:15 Pete-QT-Pause Voice Recording on iOS 00:29:54 How do I record a selfie video on my iPhone while being able to read a script? Teleprompter for Video for iPhone Also Teleprompter is free with in app purchases 00:34:43 GW-QT-Don’t forget about Sign in With Apple Sponsors 00:38:50 SPONSOR: Tempo. For a limited time, Tempo is offering my listeners SIXTY PERCENT OFF your first box! Go to TempoMeals.com/MGG. 00:40:22 SPONSOR: Stamps.com. Try Stamps dot com risk-free for sixty days at stamps.com and use code mgg! Sixty days gives you plenty of time to see exactly how much time and money you’re saving on every shipment. 00:41:42 SPONSOR: CleanMyMac. Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use our code MACGEEK for 20% off at clnmy.com/MACGEEK Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:43:12 Andy-What should I use to monitor drive health? Disk Drill DriveDx Techtool Pro for repairing APFS volumes 00:48:52 Gary-Why Sometime Trash? Why Sometimes NO Trash? 00:59:37 Andrew-How can I keep my mouse from waking up my Mac? 01:03:25 Caleb-Why can’t I send green bubble RCS/SMS messages from my Mac? Cool Stuff Found 01:07:19 CSF? Apple Creator Studio Logic Pro Pixelmator Pro Final Cut Pro Compressor MainStage Premium content for Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Freeform, Motion and more 01:18:31 MGG 1125 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You walk the CES 2026 floor with Pete and Dave and quickly realize this episode is about practical gear that earns its place in your life. You hear about clever headphones, smarter thermostats, compact travel tech, and simple photo organization that fixes real annoyances without overthinking them. The crew cuts through the hype, calling out what feels thoughtful versus what just looks flashy, so you can spot the difference between tools that solve problems and gadgets that will gather dust. Then things get broader and more futuristic without losing focus. You explore consumer health tech that is finally becoming accessible, modular controllers that rethink how you interact with devices, and open-ear audio that fits real-world use. Robots take over yards and floors, smart calendars and water sensors aim to reduce daily friction, and networking gear shrinks without giving up power. It is a fast tour of ideas that are close enough to touch, if not already shipping, with one consistent reminder guiding the whole conversation: stay curious, stay selective, and Don’t Get Caught chasing shiny things that do not actually improve your day. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1124 for Monday, January 12th, 2026 January 12th: National Curried Chicken Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of Ecamm Live or Carbon Copy Cloner 7! The MGG Merch Store is Live! MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Eero Ecamm for Zoom integration MacPaw CCC Backup Cool Stuff Found at CES 2026 00:03:41 TDM Twist Headphones 00:06:36 Eve Thermostat 00:08:08 FotoStax – $25 for a 10-pack 00:11:09 Targus Voyager EXP – $89.99 00:14:04 NOMATIC Travel Pack 00:15:52 Eloquens Email AI Autoresponder 00:21:25 Consumer-focused Blood Glucose Monitors Abbott Lingo, Stelo by Dexcom, Isaac from PreEvent, Y-Brush Halo, Actxa Core Smart Ring Sponsors 00:27:27 SPONSOR: Copilot Money. Your money, beautifully organized, now across every device. For a limited-time, get 26% off your first year when you sign up at https://try.copilot.money/macgeekgab. Get two months free with code ‘macgeekgab’. 00:28:49 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/MGG 00:30:25 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG MOAR Cool Stuff Found at CES 2026 00:31:33 Modue – Modular controllers for gamers, creators, and more 00:35:00 Shokz OpenFit Pro Earbuds 00:38:58 Robot Lawn Mowers Yarbo M-Series, Segway Navimow, Worx, Lymow 00:43:58 Robot Vacuums Eureka E10 Evo Plus – $299 Eureka Z50 $799 Roborock Saros Rover 00:51:13 Skylight Calendar 2 00:53:28 Droplet Smarthome Water Sensor from Hydrific 00:58:04 TP-Link Aireal Digital in-app assistant 01:00:31 TP-Link BE3600 Wi-Fi 7 Portable Travel Router TL-WR3602BE 01:03:21 CubicScreen.com 01:06:22 MGG 1124 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network The Mac Geek Gab iPhone app Follow us on Mastodon Mac Geek Gab on Mastodon Adam Christianson on Mastodon Dave Hamilton on Mastodon Pilot Pete on Mastodon Mona for Mastodon (for Mac, iPhone, iPad) Adam Christianson on X/Twitter  

You kick off the year by tightening your Apple habits, starting with smart Quick Tips that actually stick. You build year-based music playlists for offline listening, flip on Airplane Mode when you’re out of service to save serious battery, and let the Health app handle reminders for meds and eye drops so nothing slips. You’re reminded of power-user staples like Cmd-Shift-5 for screenshots, learn how Google Sites can double as a surprisingly effective bookmark manager, and get clarity on when and how to disable VPNs properly, including on Apple TV for region-locked content. Along the way, you discover tools that reliably track Apple refurb inventory and dig into the oddly fascinating logic behind Safari’s tab close order. Then it’s time to not get caught. You hear why Time Machine now warns you when your backup drive is too small, why storing Notes “On My Device” can bite you later, and how increasing cloud storage often means increasing local storage, too. Listener questions keep things practical, from tracking a missing Apple TV remote to deciding when an iPad beats a laptop. A deep dive into strange Safari tab behavior brings it all home, followed by Cool Stuff Found that helps you update Macs more intelligently, evaluate startup risks, replicate Mac setups with Ansible, and even capture insights from podcasts using AI. It’s a fast, practical reset that helps you start the year sharper, safer, and a little more in control. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1123 for Monday, January 5th, 2026 January 5th: National Whipped Cream Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of Ecamm Live or Carbon Copy Cloner 7! The MGG Merch Store is Live! MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Eero Ecamm for Zoom integration MacPaw CCC Backup Quick Tips 00:00:01 Joe-QT-Make Year-based Music playlists for offline listening 00:04:44 John-QT-Use Airplane Mode to save your battery when you’re out of service 00:06:53 Steve-QT-Use the iPhone Health app to remind you about medications, eye drops, and more! CES 2026 Sponsor: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! 00:12:26 Avraham-QT-Remember to use Cmd-Shift-5 for Screenshots 00:17:36 Andrew-QT-1115-Use Google Sites as your Bookmarks manager 00:21:32 Jason-QT-1122-Shut off your VPN from within the app, not Settings 00:23:03 Joe-QT-Use AppleTV VPN for region-locked content 00:28:51 Ben-1121-Refurb Tracker reliably tracks Apple refurb inventory 00:30:22 Ben-QT-There’s Logic to Safari Tabs Close Order…right? Don’t Get Caught 00:32:11 Doug-DGC-Time Machine now warns you if your drive is too small CES 2026 Sponsor: CCC Backup CES 2026 Sponsor: MacPaw 00:41:29 Jose-DGC-1104-Be aware if you’re storing Notes On My [Device] 00:43:50 Doug-DGC-Increasing cloud storage means increasing local storage Reviews 00:46:37 Apv9-MGG Review-Absolutely Essential LIstening for Apple Users! Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:47:41 Skylar-Can I track my Apple TV remote? 00:50:17 Which remote control do you use? 00:53:27 Glenn-When do you reach for your iPad vs. your laptop? OmniOutliner 01:02:54 Juergen-Why the crazy tab behavior? 01:09:20 CES 2026 Coverage Sponsors Eero Ecamm for Zoom integration Cool Stuff Found 01:11:39 Steve-CSF-Latest for updating your Mac’s software SwitchGlass 01:13:01 Arvydas-CSF-MacPersistenceChecker to risk-score all your startup items 01:14:17 Alan-CSF-1121-Use Ansible to replicate user preferences between Macs 01:15:16 Dan-CSF-SnipD AI-powered Podcast app for capturing and learning from episodes 01:17:09 MGG 1123 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You dive straight into practical macOS and workflow wins, starting with macOS 26’s new ability to record video by window and moving quickly into keeping your Homebrew setup clean, current, and fast. You learn how simple display resolution tweaks can hide the MacBook notch or eliminate it entirely, and why audio problems like AirPods mic failures often come down to overlooked system behavior. Along the way, you’re reminded to stay alert to sneaky gotchas like expiring Tailscale devices, VPNs that never fully disconnect, and cables that quietly become the weakest link. Don’t Get Caught assuming the obvious is working as expected. Then it’s on to listener questions that hit real-world pain points: avoiding international cell charges even when using an eSIM, understanding why not all MVNOs are equal, and keeping vacation photos manageable by killing duplicates before they pile up. You dig into OS version mismatches, whether AI actually helps tech support when used correctly, and why asking AI to explain the “why” matters. Cool Stuff Found rounds things out with tools for sleep and stress tracking, app update management, USB speed visibility, smarter System Settings navigation, notch-aware utilities, nostalgic screen savers, and shortcut mastery. It’s a fast-moving episode packed with ways to tighten your setup, reduce friction, and stay one step ahead. Happy new year, y’all! See you in 2026! (don’t worry, that’s next week, right on schedule!) 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1122 for Monday, December 29th, 2025 December 29th: Still Need To Do Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of OpenIn! The MGG Merch Store is Live! MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Eero Ecamm MacPaw CCC Backup Quick Tips 00:00:01 Ben-QT-macOS 26 now adds video recording by window 00:04:47 Pilot Pete-QT-Upgrade Your Homebrew Install! brew upgrade brew install topgrade brew install speedtest-cli 00:10:37 Michael-QT-1121-Use a different Display Resolution to hide the notch 00:11:39 Antony-CSF-1121–Say No To Notch to disable your MacBook’s Notch entirely Don’t Get Caught 00:12:23 Andrew-DGC-AirPods Mic Failure 00:18:37 Chris-DGC-Be aware Tailscale device expiration 00:21:02 Tom S-DGC-Your VPN might still be connected! 00:23:48 Pilot Pete=DGC-Really! Try Different Cables Sponsors 00:29:14 SPONSOR: Copilot Money. Your money, beautifully organized, now across every device. For a limited-time, get 26% off your first year when you sign up at https://try.copilot.money/macgeekgab. Get two months free with code ‘macgeekgab’. 00:30:45 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG Reviews 00:31:58 BobCleaver-MGG Review-Thanks for the excellent info Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:32:56 Greg-How to avoid International Charges on Cell Phone while Traveling eSIMdb for finding eSIMs 00:39:42 Not all MVNOs are created equal 00:43:22 Robert-How do you manage your photos on vacation? Remove duplicate photos and videos on Mac 00:49:21 Todd-Any Issues with iOS 26 and Not macOS 26? 00:53:42 Joe-Does AI make tech support’s job easier? Ask the AI to teach you WHY a proposed solution is good Cool Stuff Found 01:01:48 Bob-CSF-AutoSleep for sleep and stress tracking Heart Analyzer 01:04:20 Jeepster 8675309-CSF-Updatest for keeping your Mac’s apps up-to-date MacUpdater 01:08:26 Dan-CSM-USB Connection Information puts USB speeds in your menu bar 01:09:40 Allison-CSM-Mind Map of System Settings 01:11:51 CSF-AirNotch Pro Dual 01:13:55 SccrHallways-CSF-Flying Toasters Screensaver is back! 01:16:28 DJ Mac-CSF-CheatSheet to see all your keyboard shortcuts 01:17:54 MGG 1122 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You dig into the little things macOS quietly does for you, starting with the surprising truth about Clipboard History and why macOS 26 might feel slower than you’d expect. You explore ways to rein things in, from taming runaway apps to making better use of iPhone Mirroring and clever video capture tricks. Along the way, you’re reminded that old hardware still has value if you give it purpose, and that blind trust in AI troubleshooting can lead you astray faster than it helps. This is where staying curious beats staying complacent, and where “Don’t Get Caught” is more than a catchphrase. Then you move into the real-world problem solving that defines Mac Geek Gab: networking quirks that break expectations, WiFi settings that ignore reservations, and router updates that change the rules midstream. You also get clear, practical guidance on buying the right Mac, migrating only what you actually need, hunting down duplicate files, and reclaiming menu bar space from the notch. Even photo libraries get a reality check, helping you decide what truly needs to live inside Photos. It’s a fast-moving episode packed with answers you can use immediately, designed to keep your setup efficient, intentional, and frustration-free. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1121 for Monday, December 22nd, 2025 December 22nd: International Day of Mathematics MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of OpenIn! The MGG Merch Store is Live! MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Eero Ecamm MacPaw CCC Backup Quick Tips 00:00:02 QT-Turns out macOS keeps your Clipboard History? 00:04:59 macOS 26 is slowing down Dave’s Macs App Tamer helps a little bit 00:15:00 Adam-QT-Use your iPhone Mirroring on your Mac 00:17:59 Dale-QT-Video capture your devices’ “I’m Charged” states 00:19:27 Kent-QT-CSF, or One Thing To Do With an Old iPad DAKboard.com Sponsors 00:22:27 SPONSOR: Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/mgg #rulapod 00:23:41 SPONSOR: BBEdit, the power tool for text from Bare Bones Software; now with integrated Notebooks and extended language support Don’t Get Caught 00:24:57 Beware of Troubleshooting with ChatGPT and Gell-mann Amnesia 00:27:59 Pilot Pete-DGC-Private WiFi Address doesn’t honor DHCP Reservation 00:32:36 Craig-DGC-Updated my Orbi and it won’t let me set DHCP Reservations within the Dynamic DHCP Pool IP Range MGG Reviews 00:43:36 NYCkRon-MGG Review-Learn new things 00:44:29 Scotty Southard-MGG Review-Outstanding Mac Tips, New Stuff Found and Great Knowledge Sponsors 00:46:33 SPONSOR: Copilot Money. Your money, beautifully organized, now across every device. For a limited-time, get 26% off your first year when you sign up at https://try.copilot.money/macgeekgab. Get two months free with code ‘macgeekgab’. Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:48:18 Elbert-How much Mac shall I buy? Refurb.me 00:58:40 Jose-Can I migrate just my user settings to a new Mac without migrating an entire account? 01:05:13 Gary-How can I easily find duplicate files on my Mac? MacPaw’s Gemini 2 (it’s in Setapp!) Find Any File Scripts for Duplicate Finding 01:08:04 David-How do I keep Fantastical (or any app) from being hidden by my menu bar notch! Command-Drag that menu bar icon! Set a keyboard shortcut for it 01:13:27 Donald-Do I have to import all my photos into a library? 01:16:58 MGG 1121 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You jump straight into a rapid-fire run of Quick Tips that quietly level up how you use your devices every day. You learn how iOS 26 now shows charging time right on the lock screen, how to build polished collages in Pages or Canva without paying a dime, and how to finally extract and archive your full iMessage history using proper database tools instead of hacks. Along the way, you tweak haptics for better feedback, realize the iOS Stocks app works just fine on a Mac, and discover how a simple Command-Shift-2 move inside ChatGPT can instantly pull screenshots into your workflow. The throughline is efficiency without sloppiness, because convenience is great until it compromises control. Don’t Get Caught. Then things get deeper, and more fun. You wrestle with real-world troubleshooting, from intermittent freezing in Tahoe to why subjective sleep scores still matter if you want to manage what you monitor. Siri’s growing confusion about dates and times turns into a full-blown intercontinental misunderstanding, and the team breaks down the alphabet soup of 5G variants so you know what your phone is actually using. The final stretch becomes a live, unscripted tech support jam session, digging into creative AirTag placement, pasting clipboards as keystrokes, and reorganizing applications with surgical precision. It’s messy, methodical, and exactly how real problem-solving happens when the mics are on and the answers are not obvious. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1120 for Monday, December 15th, 2025 December 15th: International Tea Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of OpenIn! The MGG Merch Store is Live! MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Eero Ecamm MacPaw CCC Backup Quick Tips 00:00:01 QT-iOS 26 lock screen has charging time 00:04:38 Jim-QT-Use Pages to Make a Collage! Don’t Pay! Canva, too. 00:07:37 Chris-QT-Get a useable complete iMessage History DB Browser for SQLite Base for SQLite on Setapp 00:09:33 Robert-CSF-1118–iMessage-Exporter to archive your iMessages 00:12:46 Todd-QT-1119-Increase Haptic Prominence 00:14:15 Bill-QT-Stocks App iOS QT Works on a Mac too! 00:15:52 QT-Command-Shift-2 in ChatGPT immediately adds a screenshot of your most-recent window Shottr A discussion about using ChatGPT, et al, and finding your place on the continuum between privacy and convenience. One year free Perplexity subscription if you have PayPal VS Code CoPilot ChatGPT integration Google Antigravity 00:26:16 QT-ChatGPT, use these screenshots to help me build a formula for Google Sheets Sponsors 00:27:27 SPONSOR: Udacity is an online learning platform with courses in AI and Tech. For 40% off your order, head to Udacity.com/MGG and use code MGG. 00:28:44 SPONSOR: CleanMyMac. Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use our code MACGEEK for 20% off at clnmy.com/MACGEEK Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:29:59 Kirit-Tahoe, freezing from time to time 00:34:19 Bob, MD-1119-If sleep score is so subjective, why use it? That which is monitored is managed 00:41:17 Antony-Does Siri Know What Day It Is? 00:48:19 What’s the difference between 5G, 5G+, 5G UC, and 5G UW? 00:51:48 Time For an Intercontinental Misunderstanding Sponsors 00:53:32 SPONSOR: Aura Frames. Relive your favorite holiday traditions—every day. Visit AuraFrames.com and get $45 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames – named #1 by Wirecutter – by using promo code MGG at checkout. MOAR Quick Tips 00:55:30 Scott-QT-Creative Air Tag Locations 00:57:42 Pilot Pete-QT-Paste Clipboard as Keystrokes – Native to Mac OS 01:09:20 Chris-QT-Add folders to label Applications 01:19:43 MGG 1120 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You dive into a packed Cool Stuff Found episode this week, moving fast from sensor-powered tinkering with phyphox to smarter dictation using Wispr Flow, altitude readouts in CarPlay, and Emby’s upgraded media management. You get practical wins too: safer file sharing with MetaWipe, smoother workflows through PopClip, a road-tested Nomatic backpack, and Picmal for quick local media conversions. Then the conversation flips to your questions: which sleep score app you can trust, how the new Journals app handles multiple journals, and how to make notifications behave when your Apple Watch is on your wrist. Don’t Get Caught missing the deep cuts. You also hear clear guidance on backup safety, with SuperDuper, Carbon Copy Cloner, ChronoSync, and Backblaze each playing a different role depending on how you protect your data. To wrap things up, the crew tackles border ID differences between REAL ID and passports, whether upgrading to macOS Tahoe or Sequoia is the smarter move, and a listener warning about bottom-filled beers that’s both funny and useful. It’s a full tour of tech insight and practical nerd wisdom, delivered at MGG speed. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1119 for Monday, December 8th, 2025 December 8th: Take it in the Ear Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of OpenIn! The MGG Merch Store is Live! MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Eero Ecamm MacPaw CCC Backup Cool Stuff Found 00:00:01 Ian-CSF-phyphox gives you ALL the Sensors on your Phone to play with! 00:07:44 David-CSF-Wispr Flow for Dictation 00:10:02 Bob-CSF-Altimeter & Barometer Pro shows your altitude in a CarPlay widget 00:11:56 P2-CSF-Emby Media Server Emby Metadata Enhanced Plugin Plex 00:16:29 Michael-CSF-1117–MetaWipe to safely send files 00:20:17 Tony-GG-Popclip app is super handy and affordable 00:22:04 Dave-GG-Nomatic Travel Backpack been using all year 00:27:58 Alberto-CSMade-Picmal converts and compresses images, videos, and audio files locally on your Mac Sponsors 00:30:11 SPONSOR: Framer. Ready to design, iterate, and publish all in one tool? Start creating for free at Framer.com/design, and use code MGG for a free month of Framer Pro. 00:31:51 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:33:10 Tony-Which App’s sleep score is best? Sleep++ Withings Sleep Apple Sleep Score 00:48:33 Journals app now supports multiple journals Sponsors 00:49:31 SPONSOR: Superhuman. Get AI that works where you work. Unlock your Superhuman potential. Learn more at Superhuman.com/PODCAST 00:50:54 SPONSOR: AG1. Head to DrinkAG1.com/MGG to get a FREE Welcome Kit with an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3 plus K2, when you first subscribe. MOAR Questions 00:52:23 Brian-How to Get Notifications on my Phone With an Apple Watch on My Wrist 00:59:25 Raptor-Is it OK to run backups in the background on your Mac? SuperDuper! CCC Backup ChronoSync Backblaze 01:03:57 WPooka-MGG Review-Great show Don’t Get Caught 01:08:49 Dave-DGC-Differences between REAL ID and US Passport at Land Borders 01:12:12 SonoMacGuy-DGC-Update Sequoia -v- Upgrade to Tahoe 01:16:20 Gray-DGC-Beware the bottom-filled beers! 01:17:30 MGG 1119 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You kick off this episode with a rapid-fire blast of Quick Tips that sharpen how you use your Mac, iPhone, and apps every day. You learn how to tame iOS typing quirks, get the most out of dictation in ChatGPT’s Mac app, clean up Safari’s sidebar, and jump straight into System Settings with an alphabetical view. Then you dive into the spam-text battlefield, where forwarding to 7726, filtering, and blocking help you stay ahead. And because it’s Mac Geek Gab, you’re reminded: Don’t Get Caught letting your smart TV monitor more than you expect. From there, you get practical answers to real listener questions: backing up external Photos Libraries, deciding whether you trust Tailscale (and your relatives!), keeping network drives mounted in macOS 26, and dealing with the fact that Messages aren’t included in your Apple Data Archive. You round things out with a strong Cool Stuff Found segment covering tools to clean your menu bar, manage your watch history, secure your Mac, replace Bento, and more. It’s a full week of tips that tighten your workflow and expand what your Apple gear can do for you. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1118 for Monday, December 1st, 2025 December 1st: Eat a Red Apple Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of OpenIn! The MGG Merch Store is Live! MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Eero Ecamm MacPaw CCC Backup Quick Tips 00:00:01 Darrin-QT-Set Amazon Auto Buy 00:04:47 Susan-QT-Maybe disable “slide to type” to tame iOS typing? 00:07:09 QTR-Dictating to ChatGPT’s Mac App is really handy 00:07:59 Bruce-QT-1116-Manage Safari’s Sidebar to your liking 00:09:11 Gene-QT-System Settings Alphabetical List 00:13:28 DGC-Dealing with those SPAM Text Messages Forwarding to 7726 Reports SPAM to your carrier Screen, filter, report, and block text messages on iPhone Don’t Get Caught 00:18:09 Todd-DGC-Beware of your TV selling data about you 00:22:45 ATC-DGC-Know about Mouse Keys Sponsors 00:27:02 SPONSOR: Aura Frames. Relive your favorite holiday traditions—every day. Visit AuraFrames.com and get $45 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames – named #1 by Wirecutter – by using promo code MGG at checkout. 00:28:39 SPONSOR: Shopify. For anyone to sell anywhere, sign up for a one-dollar-per month trial period at Shopify.com/MGG and upgrade your selling today! Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:29:48 Larry-How to back-up an external Photos Library? Task Organization – Bombich Software 00:33:25 Allison-How MUCH do you believe in Tailscale…and your relatives? Splashtop 00:37:23 DLH-1117-Messages are not a part of your Apple Data Archive iMazing 00:44:14 Uncle Jamie-Keep Network Drives Mounted on MacOS 26? Automounter for macOS MGG Discord 00:46:45 SccrHallways-CSF-Google Antigravity agentic IDE for coding Sponsors 00:54:32 SPONSOR: Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/mgg #rulapod 00:56:14 SPONSOR: BBEdit, the power tool for text from Bare Bones Software; now with integrated Notebooks and extended language support. Cool Stuff Found 00:57:36 Terry-CSF-Moonlock Security Suite by MacPaw (Setapp) 01:00:43 Allison-CSF-Ice for managing your Mac’s menu bar 01:02:00 n-Greg from LA-CSF-Vanilla to Manage your Mac’s Menubar 01:04:44 TheDaveAbides-CSF-Plex Universal Watchlist and Channels Stream Links Stream Link Manager for Channels 01:06:53 Joe-QT-1115–Trakt only stores your passwords on your local device(s) 01:12:08 Mark M-CSF-1112–Tap Forms Pro as a great Bento/Filemaker replacement AirTable Panorama X 01:14:16 MGG 1118 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

You kick off this week’s episode on D. B. Cooper Day with a rapid-fire mix of fresh iOS 26 tricks and Mac power-moves. You learn how iOS 26’s haptic call alerts work, how Alfred can shut down your Mac faster than any menu, and how Forklift’s sync feature rivals DeltaWalker without any hassle. Shortcuts get smarter with automated sleep tracking, Command-P becomes your instant PDF escape hatch, and you get clarity on when you do and don’t need to hand over your phone as a digital ID. Listener follow-ups keep the energy rolling, including a reminder to rethink long-held holiday assumptions and a shoutout to Tailscale for keeping your tech effortlessly connected. Then it’s time to sharpen your defensive instincts so you Don’t Get Caught. You hear how to avoid being stranded without a wireless charger, why sending photos can leak your location, and what to do when the Mac App Store refuses to update your apps. You dig into undeleting Mail quirks, discover where your iPhone hides space-hogging files, and pick up smart workflows for offloading Messages media with CCC, iMazing, and Apple’s GDPR archive. You close with a simple breakdown of SSH so you can finally understand what’s happening when you open that mysterious Remote Login switch. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1117 for Monday, November 24th, 2025 November 24th: D.B. Cooper Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Your own OpenCase! The MGG Merch Store is Live! 00:11:12 MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Eero Ecamm MacPaw Quick Tips 00:00:01 Alex-QT-iOS 26 adds haptic vibrations for connected and dropped calls 00:05:18 MoeCoffee-1116-Use Alfred to Shut Down your Mac 00:06:30 Forklift has a Sync Function – Much like Delta Walker 00:07:59 Paul-Create a shortcut to automatically Start Sleep Analysis 00:11:32 Todd-QT-Add Command-P to Save as PDF 00:13:52 Pilot Pete-QT-Follow Up – No Need to Hand Over Phone Digital ID Sponsors 00:17:42 SPONSOR: Aura Frames. Relive your favorite holiday traditions—every day. Visit AuraFrames.com and get $45 off Aura’s best-selling Carver Mat frames – named #1 by Wirecutter – by using promo code MGG at checkout. 00:19:44 SPONSOR: Udacity is an online learning platform with courses in AI and Tech. You can try Udacity risk-free for seven days. Head to Udacity.com/MGG and use code MGG for 40% off your order. Follow-ups and Reviews 00:21:10 Paul & Ben-Was the last episode Wednesday or Monday? 00:23:41 MGG Review-T. Hongo-An Apple Geeks home for tips and tricks 00:25:51 Brian-Tell us the story about the Santa mind-shift, Dave! 00:32:22 Joe-Let’s Hear It for Tailscale Don’t Get Caught 00:35:42 ATC-DGC-Without A Wireless Charger 00:43:09 GW-DGC-Sending Photos Sends GeoData! Sponsors 00:47:16 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG 00:48:36 SPONSOR: PAKA makes performance apparel from sustainable alpaca fiber, softer than cashmere, warmer than wool. To grab your PAKA hoodie and free pair of alpaca crew socks, head to PAKAapparel.com/MGG and use code MGG. Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:50:12 Rob-Why doesn’t Mac App Store update all my apps? 00:53:50 ED-Why does mail sometimes undelete my emails? Mail > Mailboxes > Rebuild Mailbox 00:57:58 Steve-How can I clean up my iPhone storage? [home]/Library/Photos/Libraries/Syndication.photoslibrary/ 01:02:48 A solution for offloading your Messages media CCC Backup to sync photos to a new destination iMazing to archive messages Request a data archive from Apple for your data 01:09:49 Steve-What is SSH-ing? System Settings > General > Sharing > Remote Login 01:18:19 MGG 1117 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly MGG’s CES 2026 Sponsors: BusyCal (with code MACGEEK10)! Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network