AppStories Podcast

18 Nov 2024

For those who are unfamiliar, AppStories is a weekly MacStories podcast about the world of apps hosted by @johnvoorhees.macstories.net and @viticci.macstories.net appstories.net

appstories.netAppStories

share.transistor.fmMeet Dot: OpenAI's Always On AgentMeet Dot: OpenAI's Always On Agent This week on AppStories, John is back from OpenAI DevDay, so he and Federico cover the history of AI agents, the current landscape, and what OpenAI is doing with Dots. On AppStories+, Federico provides a sneak peek at what's in store for his Reminders, Notes, and upcoming CLIs. Also available on YouTube here. Links and Show Notes AI Agents OpenAI Dots and DevDay 2026OpenAI launches Dots, its bubbly agentic avatar (TechCrunch) OpenAI’s Dots: A First Look Self Hosted AgentsOpenClaw OpenClaw on GitHub Hermes Agent OpenAI hires OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger Hosted Agent CompetitorsMeta's Muse becomes App Store's hottest download Grok Bot Grok Bot Brings Always-On AI Agents to macOS and iOS AppStories+ Post-Show: RemCTL: GitHub MacStories: Introducing RemCTL, the Power-User Reminders CLI for macOS and AI Agents NotesCTL: Club MacStories download MacStories: NotesCTL, a Club MacStories Preview of Federico’s Advanced Apple Notes CLI Tool Leave Feedback for John and Federico AppStories Feedback Form Follow us on Social Media Federico is @viticci everywhere John is @johnvoorhees`everywhere Affiliate Linking Policy

A new episode of AppStories is out! Meet Dot: OpenAI's Always On Agent – https://share.transistor.fm/s/3031530c

macstories.netWhat’s New in macOS and watchOS 27This week on AppStories, John shares his favorite parts of macOS and watchOS 27 from his reviews of both. On AppStories+, Federico and John begin revisiting new their long lists of automation projects. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

A new episode of AppStories is out! What's New in macOS and watchOS 27 – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/503/

macstories.netLocal AI Gets Serious on the M5 Ultra Mac StudioThis week on AppStories, John interviews Federico about his review of the M5 Ultra Mac Studio and it local AI capabilities. On AppStories+, Federico takes listeners behind the scenes on how he tested the M5 Ultra Mac Studio. Also available on YouTube here. [[audio_player]] This episode is sponsored by: Astropad Workbench: Remote desktop for AI

21 Sept

A new episode of AppStories is out! Local AI Gets Serious on the M5 Ultra Mac Studio – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories-plus/502/

AppStories Podcast reposted

MacStories

@macstories.net

20 Sept

🚨 Reminder to Club MacStories Premier members and AppStories+ subscribers: AppStories+ won't be published today and instead, will be out tomorrow. See you soon!

macstories.netiOS and iPadOS 27: The MacStories ReviewThis week Federico shares thoughts from his review of iOS and iPadOS 27. Then in the AppStories+ post-show, he explains how he used agents to support the production of the review and Club MacStories extras. Also available on YouTube here. [[audio_player]] This episode is sponsored by: Granola ??? The AI notepad for back-to-back days. Try

14 Sept

A new episode of AppStories is out! iOS and iPadOS 27: The MacStories Review – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories-plus/501/

macstories.netThe Once and Future App StoreThis week on AppStories, we celebrate the 500th episode of the show with a look at the App Store's past, present, and future. On AppStories+, Federico and John pick some of their all-time favorite apps. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early

7 Sept

A new episode of AppStories is out! The Once and Future App Store – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/500/

AppStories Podcast reposted

MacStories

@macstories.net

31 Aug

Inside OpenAI’s Codex with Andrew Ambrosino

macstories.netInside OpenAI’s Codex with Andrew AmbrosinoOn today's episode of AppStories, Federico and I interview Andrew Ambrosino, the project lead for Codex. It's a great conversation that covers a lot of ground, including: the long history and many…

macstories.netInside OpenAI’s Codex With Andrew AmbrosinoThis week on AppStories, Federico and John are joined by Andrew Ambrosino, the Codex team lead at OpenAI, to talk about the evolution of Codex, the unification of ChatGPT and Codex, Computer Use and Computer History, designing for user trust, and more. On AppStories+, Andrew shares some of his favorite Mac apps and his Mac

31 Aug

A new episode of AppStories is out! Inside OpenAI’s Codex With Andrew Ambrosino – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/499/

AppStories Podcast reposted

20 Aug

🏖️ MacStories is heading to the beach for a short break, which means: - No MacStories Weekly or Unwind this Friday, the 21st - No AppStories on Sunday/Monday, the 23rd/24th - No NPC on Tuesday, the 25th

20 Aug

macstories.netHow Should the Siri App Be Graded?This week on AppStories, John and Federico check in on Apple's betas with a close look at the new Siri app and how it compares to past-Siri and other chatbot products. On AppStories+, John and Federico explain how they manage multiple Macs for automation and coding tasks. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+

17 Aug

A new episode of AppStories is out! How Should the Siri App Be Graded? – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/498/

macstories.netFolding the iPhone into the Creator EconomyThis week, on AppStories, John is joined by Christoper Lawley to discuss uses for a folding iPhone and Parchment, Lawley's daily agenda app. On AppStories+, John and Chris dig into audio and video workflows for podcasting and YouTube. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a

10 Aug

A new episode of AppStories is out! Folding the iPhone into the Creator Economy – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/497/

AppStories Podcast reposted

This week on AppStories, Federico and John share their summertime app and automation experiments. 🎧 https://apple.co/45Al5Z1 📺 https://youtu.be/pRS2k3m7li8?si=0TvH75EJCSzCF7uM

macstories.netSummer Projects: Automation, Email, and DictationThis week on AppStories, Federico and John cover the app and agent experiments they're both running. On AppStories+, John explores the sort of rapid workflow iteration enabled by agents. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week. To learn more about

A new episode of AppStories is out! Summer Projects: Automation, Email, and Dictation – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/496/

This week on AppStories, Federico and John share their summertime app and automation experiments. 🎧 https://apple.co/45Al5Z1 📺 https://youtu.be/pRS2k3m7li8?si=0TvH75EJCSzCF7uM

Then for AppStories+ subscribers, John explores the ways agents allow for faster iteration on workflows. Subscribe here: https://www.macstories.net/appstories-plans/

macstories.netOpen Minis Turns iOS into an Agent PlaygroundThis week on AppStories, John and Federico discuss the changing face of the AI-fueled App Store and questionable changes made to TestFlight before going into the nerdiest details of Open Minis, an iOS app that brings desktop-class agents onto the iPhone and iPad. Then on AppStories+, Federico and John explore Cmux, a Mac terminal app

27 July

A new episode of AppStories is out! Open Minis Turns iOS into an Agent Playground – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/495/

20 July

On AppStories oday, Federico and John cover Siri AI - what works, what doesn't, and where it's heading. 🎧 https://apple.co/4wftRaJ 📺 https://youtu.be/ZaFfbQhDOkM And, for AppStories+ subscribers, they goo deeper into the macOS, iOS, and iPadOS 27 betas. https://www.macstories.net/appstories-plans/

macstories.netAll About Siri AIThis week, on AppStories, Federico and John look at what Siri AI is good at, where it needs improvement, and where it might be heading. On AppStories+, the conversation expands to Federico and John's experiences with the betas of macOS Golden Gate, iOS 27, and iPadOS 27. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+

20 July

A new episode of AppStories is out! All About Siri AI – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/494/

macstories.netFable 5 and OpenAI’s Curious ChatGPT UpdateThis week on AppStories, Federico and John look at our experiences with Claude Fable 5 and how they differ from other models and break down the controversial changes made by OpenAI to its Mac's ChatGPT app. Then on AppStories+, John and Federico contrast their experiences with Fable 5 and OpenAI's new family of GPT 5.6

13 July

A new episode of AppStories is out! Fable 5 and OpenAI’s Curious ChatGPT Update – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/493/

macstories.netEmail Survival GuideThis week on AppStories, Federico and John talk about the 10+ email apps they've used over the years and how their strategies for dealing with recent spikes in email volume has caused them to change their approaches. On AppStories+, Federico and John update listeners on their summertime agentic coding projects. Also available on YouTube here.

6 July

A new episode of AppStories is out! Email Survival Guide – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/492/

macstories.netAre AI Aggregators Worth It?This week on AppStories, This week, Federico and John talk about the state of AI aggregator apps and their future prospects before checking in on their current AI app setups for the AppStories+ post-show. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every

29 June

A new episode of AppStories is out! Are AI Aggregators Worth It? – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/491/

AppStories Podcast reposted

22 June

Back home and with time to reflect on WWDC, Federico and I dig deeper into WWDC's announcements on AppStories. Then on AppStories+, we check in on how our research systems held up under stress and have changed. https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories-plus/490/

macstories.netWWDC DebriefThis week on AppStories, John and Federico are back home and reflect on all the WWDC announcements, including Siri AI, Apple Intelligence, design changes, developer tools, and more. On AppStories+, we check in on our research setups and how they fared at WWDC. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus

22 June

A new episode of AppStories is out! WWDC Debrief – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/490/

AppStories Podcast reposted

MacStories

@macstories.net

19 June

🔦 MacStories' Setups Spotlight 🔦 Native Union Weighter Paperweight-like triple-cable accessory John uses to keep charging cables from slipping off his desk. Setups Page Link: https://www.macstories.net/setups/#desktop-setup Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/4oHvg6X

AppStories Podcast reposted

Gentler Streak

@gentler.app

18 June

At #WWDC26 we got the honour to be a back for @appstories.macstories.net with @viticci.macstories.net and @johnvoorhees.macstories.net - we mainly talked about the whys and hows behind Gentler Streak and The Outsiders. Thank you Federico and John for having us! <3 www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzNm...

youtube.comWWDC 2026: The Apple Design Award Interviews | AppStoriesYouTube video by MacStories

AppStories Podcast reposted

Our thanks to Albums, the app that cares about your music library as much as you do, for supporting MacStories' WWDC coverage. Learn more here: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1469948986?pt=120002245&ct=MSWWDC26&mt=8

AppStories Podcast reposted

Our thanks to Sofa, the app to organize everything you watch, read, play, and do, for supporting MacStories' WWDC coverage. Learn more here: https://www.sofahq.com/appstories

It's always a treat to record AppStories at Apple Park and talk to Apple Design Award winners and finalists. There were a lot of great apps this year, and we talked to the developers and publishers of four of them on the latest episode: 🎧 https://apple.co/4ehmBDy 📺 https://youtu.be/zzNmJhvvlis

macstories.netWWDC 2026: The Apple Design Award InterviewsIn a second special WWDC edition of AppStories, Federico and John interview Apple Design Award finalists and winners, including the developers of The Outsiders and Tide Guide and the publishers of Pine Hearts and Ball x Pit. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high

A new episode of AppStories is out! WWDC 2026: The Apple Design Award Interviews – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/489/

Our thanks to Sofa, the app to organize everything you watch, read, play, and do, for supporting MacStories' WWDC coverage. Learn more here: https://www.sofahq.com/appstories

AppStories Podcast reposted

Our thanks to the RevenueCat's Shipaton, the mobile app hackathon that's all about shipping, for supporting MacStories' WWDC coverage. Learn more here: https://shipaton.com

AppStories Podcast reposted

Our thanks to Controller for HomeKit, a third-party Apple Home companion for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, for supporting MacStories' WWDC coverage. Learn more here: https://controllerforhomekit.com/appstories

AppStories Podcast reposted

Our thanks to Dropzone, the essential drag-and-drop productivity enhancer for Mac, for supporting MacStories' WWDC coverage. Learn more here: https://aptonic.com/appstories

Our thanks to the RevenueCat's Shipaton, the mobile app hackathon that's all about shipping, for supporting MacStories' WWDC coverage. Learn more here: https://shipaton.com

Our thanks to Dropzone, the essential drag-and-drop productivity enhancer for Mac, for supporting MacStories' WWDC coverage. Learn more here: https://aptonic.com/appstories

macstories.netWWDC 2026 with Special Guests Myke Hurley and Christopher LawleyFederico and John are joined this week by Myke Hurley and Chris Lawley to share their first impressions of the WWDC keynote and discoveries in the hours following the presentation. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week. To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit

A new episode of AppStories is out! WWDC 2026 with Special Guests Myke Hurley and Christopher Lawley – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/488/

8 June

Happy WWDC Keynote Day! We'll be covering the conference all week, with lots of coverage on the site, special AppStories episodes, and more to bring you the latest news and analysis on what to expect from Apple in the coming months.

8 June

You can follow all of our WWDC coverage through our WWDC 2026 hub (https://www.macstories.net/tag/wwdc26/) or subscribe to the dedicated WWDC 2026 RSS feed (https://www.macstories.net/tag/wwdc26/feed/).

AppStories Podcast reposted

7 June

Hey folks, no AppStories+ today. We'll be back soon, though, with special WWDC coverage so keep a close eye on your podcast player this week.

7 June

Hey folks, no AppStories+ today. We'll be back soon, though, with special WWDC coverage so keep a close eye on your podcast player this week.

AppStories Podcast reposted

1 June

This week we have an AppStories automation classic. Federico and I share our wishes for Siri, Shortcuts, App Intents, and Apple Intelligence in one big episode. Then for subscribers we discuss out research workflow plans for beta season. 🎧 https://apple.co/4nVCSCg 📺 https://youtu.be/mQogvZr_FIE

macstories.netOur WWDC Automation Wish ListThis week on AppStories, Federico and John share their WWDC automation wishes. Then on AppStories+, they share more details on their research setups for the summer. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week. To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription,

1 June

A new episode of AppStories is out! Our WWDC Automation Wish List – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/487/

AppStories Podcast reposted

25 May

Today on AppStories, Federico explains what the Notion Developer Platform is all about before we dive into our macOS 27 wishes. 🎧 https://apple.co/4uqqrkl 📺 https://youtu.be/DOcHF_qANgo

macstories.netOur macOS 27 WishesThis week on AppStories, Federico explains how he's using the recently-released Notion developer platform before he and John share their wishes for macOS 27. On AppStories+, John asks Federico about the technical underpinnings and evolution of the Shortcuts Playground project that he published last week. Also available on YouTube here. We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers

25 May

A new episode of AppStories is out! Our macOS 27 Wishes – https://www.macstories.net/podcasts/appstories/486/

AppStories Podcast reposted

19 May

If you're an indie developer with an app to promote, MacStories' WWDC-week sponsorships are back! Sponsor posts, OS overview callouts, AppStories ads, and news-item callouts at a range of prices. Spots filled fast last year. Want details? Email me at voorhees@macstories.net