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Aug 2026

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Podcast from two blokes mostly talking apple

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September 9, 2026Episode 24154 min

Episode 241: 2026 iPhone Event

This week Chris and Rod go through the Sept 26 iPhone and Watch event

September 1, 2026

Episode 240: 240: Just Give the Thirteen a Tickle

Follow Up Apple & EU app store dispute: Apple's long-running app store battle with the EU appears to finally be over Apple Maps advertisements: Apple Maps launches ads on iPhone; here is what is new ( YouTube ) Pebble Time 2 review: Engadget reviews the Pebble Time 2 as the perfect smartwatch for a select group of people Plug-in solar in the UK: The UK legalises plug-in solar, though experts advise not rushing to buy a kit just yet News Framework Laptop spec bump: Framework's cheapest laptop just received a major spec bump AI chip taxation plans: AI industry leaders argue Trump plans to tax chips in the single dumbest way imaginable Apple Vision team layoffs: Apple reportedly lays off 60 Vision employees amid shifting priorities New Twitter launch: A new platform launches under the Twitter name, taking advantage after Musk's X gave up the trademark Nokia 300 Charge: The feature phone doubles as a 10W portable powerbank Media BlackBerry: Drama recounting the rise and fall of the revolutionary smartphone ( Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic ) Small Prophets: Apple TV acquires the breakout British hit comedy for global streaming Lanterns: Upcoming DC Universe series following Green Lanterns investigating an Earth-bound mystery ( Rotten Tomatoes ) Toy Story 5: Pixar's upcoming fifth installment in the animated franchise ( Rotten Tomatoes ) Minions and Monsters: Illumination's upcoming animated spinoff feature ( Rotten Tomatoes ) Games Cleared Hot: Top-down helicopter action game with physics-based combat on Steam Star Wars: Zero Company: Tactical turn-based strategy game set in the Star Wars universe ( Steam | Metacritic ) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4: Hands-on impressions from the Public Beta Main Show New Mac Mini Announcements: Apple announces a redesigned Mac Mini powered by M6 and M5 Pro chips ( Apple UK ) Pricing & Accessories: Breaking down configurations and pricing for new Mac Minis and Mac Studios , along with a quiet refresh of Magic Keyboards and a $10 cheaper Apple Polishing Cloth Apple Event Predictions: Teasing the upcoming Apple Event: Surprise and Shine ( MacRumors ) with predictions for iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Max, Apple Watch, and new Apple Home hardware App of the Week CachyOS: Arch Linux-based distribution optimized for performance and high-frequency workloads ( CachyOS ) Thing of the Week Dual Monitor Stand Riser: Heavy-duty desk organizer stand for dual monitors ( Amazon UK ) Contact Mastodon: @g5maniac@mastodon.scot Mastodon: @_cjp@mastodon.social YouTube: Visit us at wakefromsleep.com and click the YouTube link Email: wakefromsleep@protonmail.com

August 25, 2026Episode 23940 min

Episode 239: Scratch an Itch

Main Show - Releasing an App App Idea: A simple letter-merging iPhone game built around swipe controls Vibe Coding & Tools: Moving from AI skepticism to coding with Claude AI and Xcode ; using Claude Code (requires a subscription ) Testing & Hardware: Spending the majority of time testing, refining mechanics, and iterating alongside Claude AI on an iPhone 12 Style & Artwork: Crafting assets with Pixelmator Pro and Apple's Icon Composer External Testing: Distributing builds and gathering initial feedback using TestFlight Monetisation & Web: Setting up ad integration via Google AdMob and building a supporting website on 4b.studio with BBEdit App Store Submission: Navigating Apple Developer Portal review rounds—resolving rejection feedback for missing video demonstrations and synchronous In-App Purchase submissions App Store Approval: Successfully published and available on the App Store Future Revisions: Planning GameKit integration and an iPad version featuring physical keyboard support Current Status & Marketing: Gaining initial App Store impressions, receiving positive user feedback, expanding product landing pages, refining App Store copy, reviewing ad policies, and exploring promo submissions Other Projects Built: Getting carried away with new app ideas including Supersonic (MP3 manager), Lumen (movie collection manager), Hercule (media tracker), Builds (Xcode feature tracker), Delve (Wikipedia reader/cache), Done (task manager), and Mono (black & white camera app) Discussion Points: Declarations of using LLMs to write code, and marketing across social platforms like X, Bluesky, Instagram, and Reddit Contact Mastodon: @g5maniac@mastodon.scot Mastodon: @_cjp@mastodon.social YouTube: Visit us at wakefromsleep.com and click the YouTube link Email: wakefromsleep@protonmail.com

August 18, 2026Episode 23854 min

Episode 238: Bear of a Rewatch

Follow Up Tim Cook on his Apple legacy: Tim Cook shares his hopes for how he will be remembered: "I hope people say I was a good and decent man" OpenAI keylogging: OpenAI pivots away from Recall-style screenshot surveillance in favour of friendly keylogging Apple & Epic settlement talks: Apple seeks settlement talks with Epic Games in a new court filing US App Store commissions: Apple proposes commissions of up to 15% for off-App Store purchases in the US News Private security hacking: Private security firms will soon be allowed to hack overseas cybercriminals Unforgetful for Apple Reminders: Marco Arment releases Unforgetful , enhancing Apple Reminders Mac zero-day vulnerability: Security alert as a vulnerability giving attackers full control of Macs is under active exploitation Camera-Equipped AirPods: Apple's camera-equipped AirPods are confirmed; see them in action Media Changing Lanes The Running Man Working Girl Clarkson's Farm Games Defender of the Crown: Amiga strategy classic Defender of the Crown is back with both old and fresh graphics, and an all-new roguelite mode Main Show Google Pixel Event: Everything announced at Made by Google 2026: Pixel 11, Pixel Watch 5, Pixel Tag, & more Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold hands-on: stagnating instead of innovating App of the Week Blueferry: iMessage and SMS over Bluetooth to Linux with no cloud or proxy ( GitHub ) Thing of the Week The Bear (Season 1 & Season 2): High-intensity drama series following Carmy Berzatto's chaotic culinary journey in Chicago ( Rotten Tomatoes ) Contact Mastodon: @g5maniac@mastodon.scot Mastodon: @_cjp@mastodon.social YouTube: Visit us at wakefromsleep.com and click the YouTube link Email: wakefromsleep@protonmail.com

August 11, 2026

Episode 237: Doom and Gloom Podcast

Follow Up BBC Summer 2026 coverage: BBC News RAM manufacturers sell out 2027 output as price crisis looms: Rock Paper Shotgun UK charities impacted by Beacon CRM cyberattack: The Register OpenAI and Anthropic models tested on hacking spree by UK AI institute: Engadget News Meta introduces Muse Code and Muse Spark 1.2: Meta AI Research Apple's inconsistent App Store enforcement on Telegram vs X: The Verge AI systems generating novel biological virus designs: Engadget Project Nomad offers offline education and mapping platforms: Project Nomad Linus Torvalds discusses AI integration in Linux kernel development: The Register Car Corner BMW pushes Spider-Man ad directly to in-car dashboard screens: Engadget Media Spider-Man: Brand New Day: Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic Games Quake receives free original chapter update for 30th anniversary: Rock Paper Shotgun Main Show: Intel Matches Apple Silicon Intel's latest architecture generation makes massive efficiency leaps in the new Dell XPS 13, bringing x86 laptops directly into competition with Apple Silicon's power-to-performance ratio. Engadget Dell XPS 13: Dell Video Deep Dive: YouTube App & Thing of the Week App: Forel – Open-source utility software. Thing: BBEdit – The classic macOS professional text and code editor. Feature Comparison Contact Mastodon: @g5maniac@mastodon.scot | @_cjp@mastodon.social YouTube: Visit us at wakefromsleep.com and click the YouTube link Email: wakefromsleep@protonmail.com

August 4, 2026

Episode 236: Censor Myself

Follow Up MacBook Air shortages continue across global retail: MacRumors | Apple UK Elon Musk's X ad boycott lawsuit ends without convictions: Ars Technica Apple Upgrade device subscription service announced: Engadget Starlink granted FCC exemption from foreign-made router ban: Ars Technica US charges citizen for wiping phone at border under duress: The Verge DuckDuckGo anti-AI glasses feature zero cameras or screens: 9to5Mac News Anthropic reveals AI models autonomously hacked three organisations: Engadget Elon Musk officially launches X Money payment system: Ars Technica Word worm vulnerability infects Microsoft Copilot: The Register Prototype smart ring achieves non-invasive blood sugar tracking: 9to5Mac Apple posts record Q3 financial results: Six Colors App Store regulations begin impacting Apple Services growth: 9to5Mac Media HBO Max: HBO Max UK Netflix edges past BBC in latest Ofcom UK audience survey: Engadget Games Dreamcast homebrew scene receives new physical releases 25 years on: Engadget Xbox hardware prices increase by up to £170 in Europe: The Verge Main Show Project Hail Mary: Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic The Odyssey: Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic The Odyssey discussion & culture war backlash: A deep dive into Christopher Nolan's blockbuster epic, examining the casting choices, Americanisation of the dialogue, sound design, editing pace, and the broader online backlash surrounding its themes. Wired App & Thing of the Week App: AeroSpace – An i3-like tiling window manager for macOS. Thing: Murdoku – A murder mystery puzzle book combining logic grids and deduction. Contact Mastodon: @g5maniac@mastodon.scot | @_cjp@mastodon.social YouTube: Visit us at wakefromsleep.com and click the YouTube link Email: wakefromsleep@protonmail.com

July 28, 2026

Episode 235: Console Tierlist

Links Atari VCS (2600): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_2600 Atari Jaguar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Jaguar Atari VCS (2021): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_VCS_(2021_console Sega Master System: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_System Sega Mega Drive / Genesis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Genesis Sega Saturn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Saturn Sega Dreamcast: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamcast Nintendo (NES): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Entertainment_System Super Nintendo (SNES): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System Nintendo 64: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64 Nintendo GameCube: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameCube Nintendo Wii: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii Nintendo Wii U: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii_U Nintendo Switch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Switch Nintendo Switch 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Switch_2 Sony PlayStation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_(console Sony PlayStation 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_2 Sony PlayStation 3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3 Sony PlayStation 4: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_4 Sony PlayStation 5: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_5 Microsoft Xbox: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_(console Microsoft Xbox 360: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360 Microsoft Xbox One: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_One Commodore 64: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64 Amiga: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiga ZX Spectrum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Spectrum Contact Mastodon: @_cjp@mastodon.social Mastodon: @g5maniac@mastodon.scot YouTube: Visit us at wakefromsleep.com and click the youtube link Email: wakefromsleep@protonmail.com

July 22, 2026

Episode 234: The Luddites

Follow Up Open-source AI models prove competitive against proprietary rivals: The Register Apple patches Hide My Email vulnerability: Engadget UK set to legalise plug-in solar systems in August: Engadget Tech giants accumulate $1.65tn in hidden debt for AI funding: Nikkei Asia OnePlus officially pulls out of US and European markets: The Verge News OpenAI admits responsibility for agent swarm attack on Hugging Face: The Register Airbus begins migration away from AWS cloud infrastructure: The Register Apple rumoured to launch lease-to-own hardware upgrade programme: The Verge LG monitors use Windows 11 feature to inject adware: The Register Apple hikes subscription prices for Apple Music and Apple One: 9to5Mac Car Corner Exposing hidden cybersecurity attack surfaces on CCS2 EV chargers: SaiFlow Machine learning and new regulations hit Formula 1 in Belgium: Ars Technica Media Amazon developing RoboCop TV series with Lodge 49 showrunner: Engadget The Americans: Rotten Tomatoes Main Show When connected cars outlive their cloud backends: Exploring the fallout when car manufacturers abandon server infrastructure and turn smart vehicles into bricks. Ars Technica Travelling with Linux: Navigating the advantages, headaches, and essential hardware setups when taking a Linux laptop on the road. App & Thing of the Week App: Steam Deck HQ – The ultimate resource for game settings, performance tweaks, and news for handheld gaming. Thing: Clicks Keyboard – A tactile physical keyboard case for smartphones. Contact Mastodon: @g5maniac@mastodon.scot | @_cjp@mastodon.social YouTube: Visit us at wakefromsleep.com and click the YouTube link Email: wakefromsleep@protonmail.com

July 14, 2026

Episode 233: The AI Show

Follow Up MPs warn NHS to prepare for Palantir exit before 2027: The Register Apple loses EU appeal over App Store gatekeeper status: MacRumors Microsoft warns AI will lead to heavier patch cycles: The Register Meta backtracks on smart glasses recording feature over privacy backlash: BBC News | Mashable News Irish data centres now consume 23% of national electricity: The Register Apple sues OpenAI over corporate espionage and hardware trade secret theft: 9to5Mac Techmeme AI agent automates job hunting and resume polishing: The Register Remembering Psion founder David Potter who logged off at 82: The Register Media BBC and Channel 4 hold fresh talks for combined UK streaming platform: Engadget Engadget Apple's Widow's Bay dominates Emmy nominations: Engadget | Emmys The Pitt: Rotten Tomatoes Games Microsoft layoffs reportedly hit Bethesda and id Software hard: Ars Technica Main Show UK streaming prominence rules target algorithmic feeds: A look at the UK's legislative framework aiming to enforce visibility for public broadcasters on algorithmic platforms like YouTube and TikTok to manage online misinformation. The Guardian UniFi Travel Router drops iPhone configurations: Breaking down a strange bug where syncing up with the new UniFi travel hardware causes iPhones to completely clear out their saved home Wi-Fi credentials. Reddit App & Thing of the Week App: What Cable – A straightforward web tool to instantly identify exactly what connector or connection type you are looking at. Thing: Top Gear Magazine – Celebrating classic automotive print journalism in a digital-heavy world. Contact Mastodon: @g5maniac@mastodon.scot | @_cjp@mastodon.social YouTube: Visit us at wakefromsleep.com and click the YouTube link Email: wakefromsleep@protonmail.com

July 7, 2026

Episode 232: Muggy x 3

Follow Up Google loses long-running appeal over record $4.7bn EU fine: Ars Technica UK regulator pushes for developers to bypass App Store fees: The Register News Medtronic warns patient health data swiped by cybercrooks: The Register Apple's Hide My Email feature faces security scrutiny: Engadget Study explores if the iPhone acted as birth control: NBER Working Paper Chinese developers file antitrust complaint over App Store fees: 9to5Mac Car Corner Tesla sales increase by 25% in Q2 2026: Ars Technica Media Star City: Rotten Tomatoes Local Hero: Rotten Tomatoes Games Sony announces end of physical PlayStation discs by 2028: Ars Technica Main Show: Rod's New Mac Setup Rod walks through his step-by-step methodology for setting up a brand-new Mac from scratch, keeping things local and avoiding as many cloud account traps as possible. The Initial Config: Proceeded entirely without a network connection or iCloud account login, authenticated directly onto Eduroam, and immediately disabled Safari’s native password and username autofill in favour of Proton Pass. Desktop Ergonomics: Relocated the dock to the left side of the screen, shrunk its default size down significantly, and stripped out all the default program shortcuts. The Homebrew Spree: Installed the Homebrew package manager via Terminal and deployed a vast stack of local tools, dependencies, and office suites: Security & Work: brew install viscosity (for work VPN), alongside Microsoft's Windows App to bridge remote work connections. Communication: Added Zoom, Teams, Slack, and Google Chrome, followed by a trip to system settings to manually grant Screen and System Audio Recording privileges. Productivity & Layout: Installed LibreOffice, Scribus for desktop publishing, Zotero for reference management, Notion, and Apple’s SF Symbols toolkit. System & Dev: Deployed openjdk (manually symlinked to /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/ so extensions would work), the high-performance Zed code editor, Ollama for running local LLMs, and Stats for menu-bar system monitoring. The Rest of the Stack: Pulled down the standalone Tailscale installer directly from their site (triggering an unfamiliar MDM device management warning screen), installed OneDrive and Outlook from the Mac App Store, and used Homebrew to configure Syncthing, Netbird, Shottr, and Keka. Beta Bugs: A late warning that the latest iOS 27 and macOS developer betas have completely broken clipboard syncing and search indexing in Spotlight, requiring a quick deployment of maccy to handle clipboard management duties. App & Thing of the Week App: The boys highlight a few standout utilities from Rod's clean install list, including the Zed editor and Maccy. Thing: Chris Harris and Francis Bourgeois go train-spotting in a modified BMW. YouTube Contact Mastodon: @g5maniac@mastodon.scot | @_cjp@mastodon.social YouTube: Visit us at wakefromsleep.com and click the YouTube link Email: wakefromsleep@protonmail.com