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Mac Geek Gab — Apple Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

Mac Geek Gab — Apple Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

By: Dave Hamilton Pilot Pete & Adam Christianson
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 Get answers to your Apple tech questions every week! Dave Hamilton, Adam Christianson, and Pilot Pete share tips, tricks, and troubleshooting advice for your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and more — all delivered in a fun, friendly way that helps geeks and everyday users alike. Don’t Get Caught without your tech working right!The Mac Observer, Inc. 2026 Politics & Government
Episodes
  • When the Internet Spits You Out

    When the Internet Spits You Out
    Mar 30 2026
    You’re about to spend an hour geeking out about the moments when your tech life goes sideways and how to keep it all under control. You’ll hit World Backup Day prep, tame your email with smart rules and categories, turn your AirPods into stealth earplugs, and learn Mac power tricks like killing stubborn processes and using Reminders so your birthday rewards never slip by. Along the way, you’ll hear from listeners about pre-emptively swapping NAS drives, upsizing your Synology, and the best way to get your movie library playing cleanly on your iPad. Then you’ll dive into the fun stuff that happens when the internet spits you out in the wrong place, from working around VPN restrictions to making sure you Don’t Get Caught when networks get weird. You’ll remember John Martellaro and his dents in the universe, plus load up on Cool Stuff Found like AirTag sleeves for your Apple TV remote, faster AirDrop-style sharing with Blip and LocalSend, and even AI that can drive your car with Comma 4. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1135 for Monday, March 30th, 2026 March 30th: National Pencil DayPentel Twist EraseMGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba! 00:05:05 World Backup Day is tomorrow! Fastmail backs up your email! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Bill-QT-1134-Set macOS to always open new documents in tabs00:09:09 P2-QT-use noise cancellation with AirPod in one ear Using AirPods as earplugsComply Foam Tips for AirPods 00:14:00 SXSW: Shokz OpenDots One Shokz OpenFit Pro 00:18:46 David-QT-Host your own cloud mail rules Spark MailSaneBoxClaude CoWork and Dispatch 00:24:48 n-Ben-QT-1131–Train Apple’s Mail Categories for your own emails00:26:17 John-QT-Use killall -9 if you really need to kill a process killall -9 “[process name]”killall -KILL “[process name]”Check Activity Monitor’s View menu 00:37:17 Tim-QT-Use Reminders to remember your birthday rewards Sponsors 00:38:30 SPONSOR: BBEdit, the power tool for text from Bare Bones Software; now with integrated Notebooks and extended language support.00:39:41 SPONSOR: Stamps.com With Stamps.com you can send from your computer or phone 24/7. No long lines, no low supplies, open any time. Go to stamps.com and use code mgg to get sixty days risk-free! Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:41:01 JP-Should I Replace Drives Pre-emptively in my NAS? Synology Monthly Disk Health ReportSynology Hot Spare 00:47:14 How about adding larger drives to your NAS?00:51:06 Roger-What’s a better way to display and play movies on my iPad? VLCInfusePlex 00:55:42 Mark-How can I use a VPN and bypass VPN restrictions01:00:02 CSF-GoodReader for playing movies01:00:43 GW-Glowing MacBook Apple Logo01:03:00 Remembering John Martellaro and the dents he put in the universe Finding John Martellaro’s Space Shuttle Lander Simulator for Apple ][ Cool Stuff Found 01:08:04 James-CSF-Elago AirTag sleeve for AppleTV 4K remote01:09:45 -n-Ahkeens-CSF-1132-Blip is reliable, AirDrop-style replacement Allison-CSF-Blip to give a better AirDrop-like experienceLocalSend 01:11:53 Greg-CSF-Comma 4 uses AI to drive your car 01:18:05 MGG 1135 Outtro MGG Monthly GiveawayBandwidth Provided by CacheFlyMore shows Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts)The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast!Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available!Mac Geek Gab iOS appMac Geek Gab YouTube PageMac Geek Gab Live CalendarThis Week’s MGG Premium ContributorsMGG Apple Podcasts Reviewsfeedback@macgeekgab.com224-888-GEEKActive MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes ListBackBeat Media Podcast Network
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • Siri Power Moves, CarPlay Smarts, and Phil Schiller's SXSW Stories

    Siri Power Moves, CarPlay Smarts, and Phil Schiller's SXSW Stories
    Mar 23 2026
    You’ll come away from this episode with a faster, smarter iPhone and Mac workflow dialed in. You learn how to boss Siri around for brightness, Dark Mode, CarPlay directions, and per‑source audio levels, so your phone actually behaves in the car and on the couch. You tap into power‑user gestures like two‑finger‑tap to open links in a new Safari tab, Quick Actions to spin anything into a PDF, and Option‑click display rotation on the Mac. You even get sneaky with ad‑supported games by flipping Airplane Mode, and peek at where on‑device AI is heading with tools like Locally AI from the SXSW “more personal computer” session. Then you shift into solving real listener problems so your Apple gear finally stays in sync with you. You clean up contact groups, fix that iPad Mail inbox that doesn’t match your other devices, and fight back against toll‑free robocalls. You hear which iPhone cases and glass protectors the geeks actually trust, plus protection options like Verizon Home Protect and automation tools like Crank to trigger actions based on what you’re doing. The whole way through, you’re reminded of the Mac Geek Gab mantra: Don’t Get Caught missing the tweaks, tricks, and Cool Stuff Found that make your Apple life smoother. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1134 for Monday, March 23rd, 2026 March 23rd: World Math DayMGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba!Congrats to February’s winners!The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Ian-QT-Hey Siri, turn up the brightness00:03:50 Scott-QT-1133-Tell Siri to toggle Dark Mode00:10:08 Vira-CSF-Locally AI – run models on your iPhone locally SXSW: A More Personal Computer: How AI is Transforming Desktops 00:11:58 Bill-QT-Spoken Directions in CarPlay Adjusting the volume of the different sources on your iPhone (Siri, Music, Maps, more)“Hey Siri, speak louder” 00:17:06 Henry-QT-Two-finger-tap to open links in a new Mobile Safari tab00:18:03 ETC-QT-Use Quick Actions to create a PDF00:22:44 Mickey-QT-Hold Option to get Display Rotation options in System Settings00:23:40 Adam’s wife-Stop Ads with Airplane Mode in ad-supported games Sponsors 00:28:37 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at gusto.com/MGG00:29:53 SPONSOR: Pocket Hose. For a limited time, you can get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Just text MGG to 64000.00:31:23 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/MGG 00:32:49 SXSW: Phil Schiller & David Pogue Fireside Chat David Pogue Apple: The First 50 Years Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:43:49 Joe-Question about Contact groups00:48:32 Bill-How come my iPad shows different Mail than everything else?00:54:45 Craig-Robo Calls showing up from Toll Free Numbers00:59:52 Scott-What iPhone cases does everyone use? OpenCaseMujjo Leather CaseTempered Glass Screen Protectors Cool Stuff Found 01:14:02 Steve-CSF-Verizon Home Protect for $25/month is a great AppleCare+ alternative01:16:35 Joe-CSF-1133-Crank can launch actions based upon user-configurable criteria 01:19:23 MGG 1134 Outtro MGG Monthly GiveawayBandwidth Provided by CacheFlyPilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts)The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast!Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) PodcastsMGG Merch is Available!Mac Geek Gab iOS appMac Geek Gab YouTube PageMac Geek Gab Live CalendarThis Week’s MGG Premium ContributorsMGG Apple Podcasts Reviewsfeedback@macgeekgab.com224-888-GEEKActive MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes ListBackBeat Media Podcast Network
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Geek Therapy

    Geek Therapy
    Mar 16 2026
    You get dropped right into geek therapy this week as you bounce from cult-favorite movies to Pixar shorts, then straight into practical Mac and iOS wins. You learn how to use the twenty-minute rule to bail on bad movies guilt-free, long-press your iPhone’s brightness to reveal Dark Mode and other hidden controls, and turn Live Listen into your stealth superpower for staying connected in noisy rooms. You also tighten up your iOS workflow by wrangling multiple photos, files, and links at once, and even rethink how often you actually need to say “Hey” to your devices. Don’t Get Caught missing the little system tweaks that make your Apple gear feel brand new again. From there, you dig into real-world listener problems and come away with a cleaner network, a smarter Mac, and a more resilient data setup. You troubleshoot eerie eero behavior and learn how to coax stubborn 2.4 GHz-only devices onto your Wi-Fi, then set your Mac to auto-launch apps on wake with tools like Keyboard Maestro and Advanced SleepWatcher. You untangle VPN weirdness, then go full NAS-ty with guidance on migrating to a new Synology and choosing the right model using MGG’s comparison as your roadmap. You wrap it all with Cool Stuff Found: Setapp’s new plans, rock-solid MailBackupX, US Mobile for nerdy cellular control, ForeverNotes for wrangling your brain, Titanium Software utilities, AppleCare+ plus Apple One savings, and TP-Link’s Wi-Fi Toolkit turning your iPhone or iPad into a pocket network analyzer. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1133 for Monday, March 16th, 2026 March 16th: Robert Goddard DayMGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a copy of SoundSource from Rogue Amoeba!Congrats to February’s winners!The MGG Merch Store is Live! 00:03:39 Movie Reviews and Ratings RocketMan with Harland WilliamsHoppers from PixarTwenty Minute Rule for MoviesProject Hail Mary Lego Quick Tips 00:00:01 Si-QT-Long press brightness to toggle Dark Mode and more00:09:17 Joel-QT-Use Live Listen to stay in touch00:11:25 Pilot Pete-QT-Multiple Photos, Files, Links handling in iOS00:15:55 Do you still say Hey? Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:19:30 Larry-Eerie things going on with the Eero00:29:04 Setting up eero for 2.4GHz devices00:31:32 Father John-How can I launch an app when my Mac wakes up? Desktop Icon Manager Advanced SleepWatcher for macOS00:38:04 Michael-Why US VPN issues?00:41:05 Revelations During Geek Therapy Sponsors 00:47:38 SPONSOR: Pocket Hose. For a limited time, you can get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Just text MGG to 64000.00:49:10 SPONSOR: Sundays for Dogs. Every bite of Sundays is clean and made from real meat, fruits, and veggies, with no kibble. Stanley loves it! Go right now to sundaysfordogs.com/MGG50 and get 50% off your first order. Or, you can use code MGG50 at checkout.00:50:43 SPONSOR: Tempo. For a limited time, Tempo is offering my listeners SIXTY PERCENT OFF your first box! Go to TempoMeals.com/MGG. Gettin’ NAS-ty 00:51:58 Patrick-How do I migrate my data to a new Synology?01:00:47 Mike-Which Synology NAS should I buy? Comparing MGG-focused Synology NAS Cool Stuff Found 01:09:35 CSEvolved-Setapp adds new single-app purchase and subscription plans01:12:07 Mark-CSF-MailBackupX to backup your Mail01:13:01 Tony-CSF-US Mobile is built for nerds (Tony’s Referral Code: 6B9EAD23)01:14:32 bbwerner on Threads-CSF-ForeverNotes for getting your notes in order01:15:28 Niceville Steve-CSF-Titanium Software Utilities other than OnyX01:16:41 Use AppleCare+ with Apple One to get bulk savings on AppleCare+01:20:21 CSF-Wi-Fi Toolkit from TP-Link for iPhone and iPad 01:21:24 MGG 1133 Outtro MGG Monthly GiveawayBandwidth Provided by CacheFlyPilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts)The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast!Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) PodcastsMGG Merch is Available!Mac Geek Gab iOS appMac Geek Gab YouTube PageMac Geek Gab Live CalendarThis Week’s MGG Premium ContributorsMGG Apple Podcasts Reviewsfeedback@macgeekgab.com224-888-GEEKActive MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes ListBackBeat Media Podcast Network
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    1 hr and 22 mins
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