Merge Conflict

This week we look at decision models, which have gone from a novelty to something every AI lab is now building. We start with a practical detour: where do you actually sell a high-end Mac mini these days? We compare local marketplaces and eBay, and the trust tradeoffs that come with each. Then we come back to decision models and explain why Jev got us interested in them again. We cover Microsoft's...

James and Frank explore Apple's next-gen Siri and iOS 27 updates with mixed results—the chatbot fell short of expectations despite hype. They dive into AI agents, smart home automation potential, and why Apple's scattered AI integration lags behind competitors like OpenAI and Microsoft. Plus, practical developer updates on Xcode, .NET, and automating your digital life. Follow Us Frank: Twitter , B...

Discover the emerging classifier revolution with Jev—a radical new take on LLMs that ditches generation for lightning-fast categorization. Plus, deep dives into the latest model releases (Luna, GPT-6 Sol, Claude Opus 5.5), practical strategies for iterative AI development, and why specialized models are reshaping how we work with AI. Follow Us Frank: Twitter , Blog , GitHub James: Twitter , Blog ,...

Apple's new iPhone Duo promises a game-changing foldable experience, but developers face a minefield of technical challenges. James and Frank break down the critical app adaptation work required—from handling multiple screen permutations to managing safe area insets and keyboard behavior—plus why native UI controls matter more than ever.  Follow Us Frank: Twitter , Blog , GitHu...

In this week's episode, James and Frank dive deep into how their approach to working with AI models has fundamentally shifted over the past few months. We explore a game-changing realization: you don't always need the most expensive, powerful model for every task. Instead, they share a strategic two-part workflow—using high-reasoning models for deep research and planning (generating comprehensive...

In Episode 531 James and Frank recount a near‑disastrous data loss when local recordings died seven minutes in, forcing them to rely on Zencastr's cloud-recovery button and a hopeful rescue email. They walk through the panic and the clever fix—using GitHub Copilot CLI/Baby Luna, FFmpeg and AI-assisted workflows to rebuild a muxed video, repair audio‑video drift, and underscore lessons about testin...

This episode kicks off with WinUI’s shift to open‑source‑first—what the GitHub‑centric workflow means for Windows devs—and James and Frank’s hands‑on tales modernizing apps, CI/CD, and the surprisingly smooth Microsoft Store pipeline. They then deep‑dive into Apple: M6 Mac mini and Mac Studio upgrades for local AI, Rosetta’s sunset and Intel‑Mac worries, foldable iPhone rumors, and possible Apple...

In this update-packed episode James and Frank dive into developer tooling: the VS Code Mobile Canvas that embeds emulators into your editor, MAUI DevFlow’s rewrite enabling plain .NET/native (and desktop AppKit) support, and the growing MCP/agent ecosystem that ties editors, the Copilot app and CLI together. They share practical takeaways—Mobile Canvas works across frameworks, DevFlow supports non...

In episode 528 James and Frank riff on software updates, AI-powered documentation and rapid app-building—covering a WebAssembly Oh My Posh demo, a LocalMorph/FFmpeg bridge, and MAUI-native builds—showing how AI can speed onboarding, re-theme UIs and generate CI/CD pipelines. They close with a lively debate on distribution—Homebrew vs app stores—sharing practical guidance on when to use package man...

AI agents are revolutionizing mobile development! James and Frank explore GitHub's new Mobile Canvas extension that lets AI agents see and interact with iOS and Android apps in real-time, no matter what framework you're using. They discuss how this tool finally closes the feedback loop for native developers and break down the emerging plugin standard reshaping AI-assisted coding. Link: https://git...

In this episode, James and Frank dive deep into GitHub's biggest release in years: Stacked Pull Requests. Learn how this long-awaited feature finally solves the challenge of managing massive, complex code changes by breaking them into smaller, independently reviewable chunks while maintaining dependencies—plus discover how Merge Queues work alongside this innovation to streamline workflows in high...

In this episode, James and Frank explore the bittersweet reality of experiencing cinema in 2026, starting with Frank's disappointing discovery that Seattle's Pacific Science Center—home to a true IMAX theater—has ditched its iconic 70mm film projection for digital laser technology. Despite Christopher Nolan's passionate advocacy for shooting on IMAX film, fewer theaters worldwide can actually deli...

On episode 524 James and Frank dive into the new .NET MAUI developer stack—covering the MAUI CLI/Maui Doctor that auto-provisions SDKs and emulators, the Maui Sherpa GUI for device/Xcode/provisioning management, and DevFlow's MCP server that lets AI agents inspect, interact with and automatically test apps (closing the loop). They also highlight the VS Code MAUI agent/skills, profiling tools, and...

Frank releases UI.md, a practical markdown guide distilled from 25 years of software development that captures essential UI/UX principles to help AI (and developers) build better interfaces. The hosts dive deep into why users expect consistency, how small details create polish, and why understanding your users' mental models beats flashy design every time—with real-world examples from their own ap...

James and Frank dig into Slate’s modular electric pickup — a $24,950, 205‑mile, no-frills truck you can customize later — and unpack how factory vs dealer options, aftermarket mods and build quality will make or break the idea. They also cover real-world charging (level 1/2/3), fleet and daily-use practicality, and why a DIY, upgradeable EV could reshape affordable vehicle ownership. Follow Us Fra...

Episode 521 James and Frank obsess over “polish”: the tiny design and packaging details that make apps feel finished. They start with impeccable.style, product.md and design.md (and why agents.md and readme aren’t enough), then dig into UI fit‑and‑finish — tray/menu UIs, icon choice, grouping settings and why AI agents still struggle with layout and whitespace. The conversation then moves deep int...

This episode dives into the new GitHub Copilot app — a hub for agent sessions, multi‑repo orchestration, PR‑first workflows, automations and the new canvas metaphor for triage and planning. James and Frank unpack how sessions can spawn and coordinate across repositories, agent‑aware merges that respect CI and code review, support for local models and extensions, and the token tradeoffs to be aware...

James and Frank break down WWDC’s developer-focused news—from Apple’s AI push (local models, a new private cloud for foundation models, and a command‑line API) to Xcode’s new agent integrations, the device hub/simulator overhaul, and macOS/UI polish. If you build apps, pay attention: small developers now get subsidized cloud models, Intel Macs are being sunset, and you’ll need to test many form fa...

Microsoft Build 2026 brought a major shift: homegrown AI models designed for efficiency and real-world developer workflows. From the cost-effective MAI Code 1 Flash to sandboxed code execution and Windows developer tools, discover how Microsoft is making powerful AI accessible without breaking the bank. James shares his hands-on experience proving that you don't need expensive flagship models for...

Episode 517 starts with a light chat about AI avatars and new text‑to‑speech deepfakes before diving into LLM “thinking” modes—what baked‑in planning actually does, why it multiplies token costs, and when it helps or hurts. James and Frank give concrete dev advice: try low‑thinking settings, use big models for creative planning then smaller ones to execute, leverage harnesses/system prompts, and b...

James and Frank unpack AI-driven development shifts—agent SDKs, session management, and the rise of agent-first UIs like Google’s anti-gravity and GitHub Copilot—showing how VS Code’s Agents window, worktrees, sub-sessions and tunnels help manage multi-repo cloud and local workflows. They share practical takeaways—why SDKs are essential, when to stay code-first, how subsessions and remote tunnels...

James and Frank share thrift‑store monitor triumphs (and a retro Wii audio nightmare) before diving into a no‑nonsense guide to buying displays: what ports, VESA mounts, and speakers really matter. They demystify HDR, mini‑LED vs OLED, refresh‑rate math (why 40/120Hz divides matter), and modern upscaling—plus the surprising developer headaches of getting HDR to actually work. Practical tips and ge...

In this episode James and Frank dive into running AI coding models locally versus in the cloud—BYOK/Open Router, VS Code’s chat/agent harness, model runners (Olama, vLLM), and the practicality of 27B models on a 3090 using 4‑bit quantization. They share hands-on takeaways—how recent engineering (MT/MTPLX) boosts inference to usable token rates, when auto model selection makes sense, cost and hardw...

James and Frank explore the future of developer workflows powered by AI agents, revealing how developers are shifting from coders to testers and product strategists. They dive into new research-planning-implementation cycles, GitHub's usage-based pricing changes, and why developers must think strategically about model choices and token costs. Plus, reflections on Apple's leadership transition and...

After a quick round of Apple dev updates, James and Frank dive into Matter — why Frank went from skeptic to devotee and why it’s poised to fix IoT chaos. They break down how Matter (an app-layer protocol running over Wi‑Fi/IPv6) and Thread (an open mesh transport) simplify secure onboarding with QR/Bluetooth, enable true interoperability across Apple/Google/Amazon, and make DIY devices easy to bui...