TMO Background Mode Special Interview with Former Apple Executive and Tech Analyst Michael Gartenberg

Michael Gartenberg is a former Apple Senior Director of Product Marketing and reported directly to Phil Schiller. Currently, he’s a technology analyst and has also been a frequent guest on Background Mode. In this special edition, I asked Michael about his thoughts on his new iPhone X. We covered all the bases: pricing, build quality, Face ID setup and use, the camera, the super-retina AMOLED display, inductive charging, the feel in the hand and balance, the new uses for the side button and battery life. If you’ve been on the fence about this new iPhone X from Apple, you’ll want to hear Michael’s thoughts about Apple’s thinking and his own experiences with the “most impressive product Apple has ever done.”

TMO Background Mode Interview With Mac Observer's Editor-in-Chief Bryan Chaffin

Bryan Chaffin is the Editor-in-Chief of The Mac Observer. He was born and raised in Texas, and it was in Austin where he met Dave Hamilton. In 1997, Bryan was writing for a website named Webintosh. Later, Bryan bought a half-intest in the publication. Soon he realized he needed someone to run the business side of the website, so he sold his half to Dave Hamilton and they rebranded it as The Mac Observer, launching on December 28, 1998. We reminisced about how an invitation from Bryan led to my first article at the Mac Observer in October, 1999. In the second segment, we chatted about two of Bryan’s notable, recent articles, iPhone encryption and Apple’s tax situation. We finished with a discussion of Bryan’s books, both technical and science fiction. Great stuff.

Encryption Debate, Apple's Paradise Papers, iPhone X - ACM 436

The false dichotomy that we must choose between privacy and safety when it comes to encryption has once again reared its ugly head, and Bryan and Jeff discuss why that’s so dangerous. They also look at how Apple was affected by the so-called Paradise Papers, and discuss Jeff’s initial impressions of the iPhone X. For added fun, Jeff mocks Bryan for not having his iPhone X yet.

Fighting The Machine & Saying the S-Word – Mac Geek Gab 682

iOS 11 brought battery life issues for many – but not all – users, and Dave and John have a few solutions for those affected. But that’s not all you get, of course. Many tips, questions answered, and Cool Stuff Found round out the episode, including cable modem picks, iPhone X discussion, wireless charging devices, and an interesting backup analysis from a listener. Download, press play, and enjoy!

TMO Background Mode Interview with Tidbits Managing Editor Josh Centers

Josh Centers is the Managing Editor of Tidbits.com. He was born and raised in Tennessee except for college years in Kentucky. He always thought he’d leave Tennessee someday and move to California, but it turned out that the people he ended up working with had come from California, so he stayed. Josh grew up loving Macworld, MacWeek and Macaddict, but his favorite was TheNet. Early on, he developed a sense that he’d someday write about tech for a living. In the second segment, we talked about some of the popular Apple topics, ordering an iPhone X at 0200 in the morning, the Mac mini, ARM processors for Macs, the coming Mac Pro, MacBook Pro keyboards, the Apple TV struggles, the Amazon Firestick and Kodi. We had a heck of a good time.