The Mac Observer's Daily Observations Podcast

Good luck walking into a store tomorrow and buying a new iPhone 7 or 7 Plus because they’re already pretty much completely sold out. John Martellaro joins Jeff Gamet to talk about Apple product launch strategies and controlling inventory to drive up hype. They also share some watchOS 3 standout features—both good and annoying.

With iOS 10 out and on people’s iPhones and iPads it’s time to dive into some features. Kelly Guimont joins Jeff Gamet to look at Messages and Sticker Packs, and to talk about why Jeff decided to make his own. They also talk about wireless earbuds and Apple dropping the headphone jack from the iPhone 7.

It’s iOS 10 launch day and there’s plenty to talk about in Apple’s newest iPhone and iPad operating system. Dave Hamilton and TekRevue’s Jim Tanous join Jeff Gamet to talk about iOS 10’s new features and what they’re finding handy, plus they look at the different options for financing a new iPhone 7.

Apple seems to be shaking up its secret car project, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to discuss what the reported car project layoffs likely mean, plus John explains why the media loves spinning Apple in a negative light.

Benchmark tests show the Apple’s brand new iPhone 7 Plus A10 processer is faster than the 2016 MacBook. Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit join Jeff Gamet to look at what those performance tests mean, why it’s a big deal that an iPhone can be faster than a MacBook, and what would happen if Apple put its own processors in the Mac lineup.

TMO’s Bryan Chaffin was at the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2 launch event yesterday and got to get his hands on both devices as well as the AirPods. Bryan, along with John Martellaro joins Jeff Gamet to talk about Apple Watch Series 2 and how AirPods sound and work. Jeff also settles Bryan and John’s Apple Watch bet.

Apple’s “See you on the 7th” media event just wrapped up, and there were plenty of big announcements. Dave Hamilton joins Jeff Gamet to talk about what stood out to them, like the new wireless AirPods, the A10 quad-core processor in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and the Apple Watch Series 2.

The New York Times says Apple age discriminates against potential retail store employees. Dave Hamilton joins Jeff Gamet to discuss what they think may have really happened with the former Apple engineer who applied for a Genius Bar job, plus they look at Apple Music’s new discount annual price deal.

Apple’s slow Mac refresh cycle is HP’s opportunity. John Martellaro and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to talk about how HP is taking advantage of the ongoing lack of new Mac hardware, plus they share their thoughts on Apple’s plan to clean house at the App Store.

FBI Director James Comey isn’t ready to give up the fight to punch a hole through our encryption and privacy. Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to discuss the FBI’s stance on mandated back doors into encryption and the Director Comey’s need to save face in this argument.

Monster’s Noel Lee is having a pretty bad day because his lawsuit against Beats fell apart. Kelly Guimont joins Jeff Gamet to look at Mr. Lee’s claims he was duped to cut him out of the deal where Apple bought Beats. They also talk about the why Dropbox’s 2012 data breach is news again, and get a little excited about Stranger Things season 2.

The European Union says Ireland’s tax laws aren’t legal, so Apple owes an extra €13 billion in back taxes. Bryan Chaffin joins Jeff Gamet to look at the ruling, how it impacts Apple, Ireland’s response, and more. They also offer up their quick predictions for Apple’s September 7th Media Event.

New photos show what looks like the battery for the Apple Watch 2, and it seems to support John Martellaro’s premise that the next model won’t be any thinner. Today John and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet for a little gloating at Bryan’s expense because he’s been championing a thinner Apple Watch 2. They also look at Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro 4 ad and dive into why slamming the MacBook Air was a smart move.

This week TMO’s Daily Observations turns to the musical side of the Apple community. Today Dave Hamilton from Fling and Mac Geek Gab joins Jeff Gamet to talk about his musical life outside of the podcasting world, recording and producing Fling’s Bovine Abduction, the tools he uses for recording and mixing, and more.

This week TMO’s Daily Observations turns to the musical side of the Apple community. Today Jean MacDonald from Ruby Calling and App Camp for Girls joins Jeff Gamet to share how she became a musician, how music inspired App Camp for Girls, and more.

This week TMO’s Daily Observations turns to the musical side of the Apple community. Today Andrew Tokuda, also known as Digital Droo joins Jeff Gamet to talk about creating his own music, working with MacAddict, and his own musical past, and his most popular song.

This week TMO’s Daily Observations turns to the musical side of the Apple community. Today jazz musician and podcaster Victor Cajiao joins Jeff Gamet to talk about his new album with Joe Christina, Surrender, his experience producing and mastering the album, working with musical legends, and more.

This week TMO’s Daily Observations turns to the musical side of the Apple community. Today Airplane Mode’s Dave Wiskus joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the band, his musical journey, and finding success as an indie band.

The FCC wants to stop spam robocalls, and now it has a strike force to help make that happen. Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to examine the FCC’s plan and share their thoughts on trying to stop unsolicited marketing calls. They also take a first look at Microsoft’s new Evernote to OneNote importer for the Mac.

Apple has a lot of money outside the United States, and not everyone is pleased with that. Bryan Chaffin joins Jeff Gamet to talk about Apple’s tax minimization strategy, and whether or not that has ethical implications. They also have some thoughts on Target’s claim that declining Apple product sales negatively impacted its revenue.

John Martellaro has been hosting some great interviews on TMO’s Background Mode podcast, so today Jeff Gamet turns the tables and interviews John. They go behind the scenes to learn learn how John makes his interviews happen, and to look at some of the high points from the show so far.

Apple plans to open a research and development center in China before the end of the year. Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to explore why Apple is opening the center and how that fits into the company’s plans in the country. They also look at Microsoft’s clever iPad Pro slam.

Contactless mobile payment platforms are pretty much a mess right now. John Martellaro and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to look at the state of Apple Pay and its competitors, and who may be the real winner in the contactless payment game. They also look at Apple’s push into augmented reality.

Microsoft’s private encryption key for validating Windows software was accidentally leaked, so that’s a problem. Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to explore the issues Microsoft is facing, and how the problem validates concerns over giving governments back door access into our personal data. They also explain why internet speed test results can vary so widely.