MacVoices

MacVoices Live! previews MacPaw’s WWDC “Flip the Script” developer event, then examines the growing backlash against school-issued screens in classrooms. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jeff Gamet, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jim Rea, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, and Web Bixby weigh digital skills, socialization, parental responsibility, accessibility, school support, and workforce readiness. They also c...

On the show floor at NAB in Las Vegas, Jim Tierney of Digital Anarchy discusses ShotNotes, a Premiere Pro panel that keeps project notes, time codes, links, timers, and collaboration details inside the edit instead of scattered across documents or sticky notes. He also previews Beauty Box Video AI development and explains where generative AI can help video pros, where traditional AI still shines,...

A wide range of tech stories get the MacVoices treatment, starting with the quick sellout of the Steve Jobs commemorative coin and what strong MacBook Neo demand may say about Apple’s pricing, chip planning, and enterprise appeal. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jeff Gamet and Mark Fuccio also discuss Apple updates unexpectedly changing settings, a...

On the Road to Macstock, Jill McKinley previews her third year’s presentation, focused on making Apple devices support daily habits through Focus modes, shortcuts, customized screens, and intentional setup. She explains how iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch can work together to reduce distractions, surface useful tools, and help users shape technology around real life instead of default settings....

The MacVoices Live! panel examines backlash around Apple rumor reporting, especially Vision Pro speculation and the impact of click-driven headlines on developers and readers. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Marty Jencius, Eric Bolden, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Jeff Gamet and Mark Fuccio then turn to Bartender’s return after past trust concerns, alternatives for menu bar management, and whether [&#823...

At NAB 2026, Russell Pompea, Account Executive from Topaz Labs, discusses major advances in Topaz Video, including Starlight Precise 2.5 for restoring low-quality footage, SDR-to-HDR conversion, and Apple Silicon optimization. The conversation also covers Topaz’s photography tools, model customization, subscription pricing, local vs. cloud processing, and shared responsibility for cloud security. 

MacPaw's Maria Polishchuk, Head of Business Development and  and Product Manager Pavlo Haidamak, discuss Setapp's new expansion beyond its traditional subscription model. They explain new individual app purchases, developer subscription options, AI Gateway integration, app review standards, and support for indie and vibe-coded apps. The discussion covers developer challenges such as discovery, mon...

Charlotte Henry and Chuck Joiner discuss Apple TV’s sports and awards momentum, from Lionel Messi’s expanding U.S. profile and Friday Night Baseball visibility to major BAFTA and Tony recognition. They also examine how awards influence viewer choices, upcoming Apple TV projects with John Travolta and James Marsden, and frustrations with subtitle handling in multilingual shows. 

At NAB in Las Vegas, Chris McNamara, Senior Technical Marketing Specialist for Elgato gave us a tour of their latest tools for creators and broadcasters. That tour included new variations on the super-popular Stream, a new mic and XLR interface, a new touchscreen display, and more. If you’re doing production, you need to be aware of these products.

An online furor over the upcoming Spider-Man movie brings the issue of AI companions to the fore, along with broader concerns about celebrity likenesses, trademarks, and legal protections. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Marty Jencius, and Jeff Gamet examine Discover removing Apple Wallet features, Mac mini pricing and configuration changes tied to […]

The MacVoices Live! panel discuss privacy, AI, and digital trust, comparing Meta’s Instagram encryption rollback with Apple’s RCS encryption in Messages. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Marty Jencius, and Jeff Gamet also examine an AI lawsuit involving a chatbot posing as a doctor, plus AI customer service, Apple Wallet, and user trust in technology. 

In the Riverside booth at NAB in Las Vegas, Danielle Baxter, Business Development Representative, explains how the platform supports podcasting, video interviews, webinars, testimonials, and live streams. She covers options like local recording, separate audio and video tracks, browser-based guest access, built-in editing, branding, captions, producer mode, and flexible plans for solo creators and...

From NAB in Las Vegas, Dan May, President of Blackmagic Design, talks about DaVinci Resolve 21, local AI tools, the new photo page, Blackmagic Cloud collaboration, Fairlight Live, and the free Blackmagic Camera app. The conversation highlights Blackmagic Design's focus on accessible professional tools and creator growth paths. 

The MacVoices Live! panel examine Apple’s quarterly earnings, the continuing importance of Services revenue, and what John Ternus’ presence on Apple’s earnings call may indicate about Apple’s future leadership transition. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Eric Bolden, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Marty Jencius, and Jeff Gamet discuss the Apple Vision Pro and the newest wave of “Vision Pro is doomed” commen...

In the Mapcreator booth at NAB in Las Vegas, Julia Schellekens provides an update on their service that delivers detailed maps for news and other organizations who want to clearly show what is happening where. With a wide array of export and animation capabilities to help drive home the information, it is almost certain that you have seen their product in use no matter where in the world you are. 

Joe Kissell introduces Take Control Live: Taming Big Tech, a four-session interactive course designed to help users understand privacy, security, subscriptions, ads, platform lock-in, and practical alternatives to major tech services. Rather than urging an all-or-nothing break from companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, or Apple, Joe will focus on realistic steps, live demos, Q&A, [&...

The ethics of companies tracking employee keystrokes, mouse movement, and device use to train AI is debated by Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Web Bixby, Guy Serle, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs and Eric Bolden. Issues of  legality, consent, compensation, and workplace power dynamics all factor into the issue. They also examine AI-generated […]

Matthew Collings, Head of Product for Krotos was manning their booth at NAB in Las Vegas, showing off the latest upgrades to their new AI-assisted sound design workflows in Krotos Studio for Adobe Premiere, with support for DaVinci Resolve and other NLEs planned. The system analyzes selected video regions, places synchronized royalty-free sound effects from […]

In the Insta360 boot at NAB 2026, Global PR Manager Poppy Zhang gives us a preview of a new creator-oriented wireless mic system that features not only high-quality recording but also a customizable screen that can display logos, emoji, or brand identities. The unit also features a compact charging case, with pricing to be announced soon. 

On The Road to MacStock, Chris Cooke returns as a speaker  to discuss her upcoming presentation on inspiring others to read and how accessibility, reading technologies, and inclusive design all matter. Drawing from her experience teaching adults with vision loss, she explains how Apple’s accessibility features, Braille support, audiobooks, OCR, and customizable interfaces help people with visual,...

The MacVoices Live! panel reviews the latest on the evolving legal battle between Apple and Masimo, highlighting recent rulings favoring Apple while leaving key issues  like blood oxygen features and damages unresolved. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Web Bixby, Guy Serle, Jim Rea, Jeff Gamet, Marty Jencius, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs and Eric Bolden also explore whether AI-driven […]

At NAB 2026, a conversation with Manny Moreno of SmallRig highlights the company’s evolution from producing simple hardware like screws to becoming a major player in camera accessories, batteries, and lighting. Manny explains how creator feedback drives product innovation, enabling flexible, professional-grade rigs at affordable prices. He also  discusses advancements in tripod heads, V-mount batt...

Joe Kissell continues discussing Take Control of Apple Contacts, focusing on third-party app integration, outdated social media and messaging fields, and security concerns. He explains how apps can access contact data, why the Mac version lags behind iPhone and iPad, and why CardDAV-based syncing lacks true end-to-end encryption.  http://traffic.libsyn.com/maclevelten/MV26134.mp3 MacVoices is supp...

Joe Kissell discusses his brand new book, Take Control of Apple Contacts, explaining why a guide is needed despite the app's app’s limitations. He outlines hidden features, confusing design choices, and workarounds for common frustrations like sharing contacts and managing duplicates. (1) 

The MacVoices Update for April 2026 reviews the week’s activity, including extensive coverage from NAB in Las Vegas and the growing accessibility of professional video tools. Chuck explains the temporary disruptions to live programming due to conflicting travel, outlines improvements to show notes and Patreon benefits, and thanks supporters.