Apple Bitz XL w/ Brian Tong

It's my first impressions with Apple's new entry-level MacBook Neo that surprises with its $599 price point, and drops to $499 for education. Plus, thoughts on the new M5 MacBook Air, M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro and Studio Display family. And, the new iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air.

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Apple's first event of 2026 is official! We expect to see the new A18 Pro entry-level MacBook and new M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros, but could there be more surprises? Plus, Apple drops the ball...again, with the revamped Siri and Apple Intelligence.

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Apple's first new product of 2026 is the new AirTag 2nd generation. Are the upgrades worth upgrading for? Or getting for the first time? Plus, two new versions of Siri with the Google Gemini-backed Apple Intelligence are coming. And, Apple has crushed its earnings reports with another all-time record.

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After all the rumors, Apple officially says that Google Gemini will be the foundation of the next Siri and Apple Intelligence, with new Apple Intelligence features to come as well. What does it mean for Apple now, what does it mean for you and what does it mean for the future?

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We kick off the new year with Special Guest KTLA's Tech Report Rich DeMuro and our Apple 2026 predicitons. Will the iPhone Fold be their most important product? Can they show us a true inspired version of Apple Intelligence? Do consumers even care about AI? Can Apple finally take a big chunk of the smart home market? It's all that and so much more!

You can help support this show and my independent work at www.patreon.com/briantong THANK YOU!

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Ray Wong, Gizmodo's Senior Editor for Consumer Tech, joins me to talk about all the Good and Bad from Apple in 2025. There are things to like, things to dislike, and things that have implications that will affect Apple in the years to come.

You can help support this show and my independent work at www.patreon.com/briantong THANK YOU!

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Special guest Joel Feder from TheDrive.com joins the podcast to talk about the future of Apple, and its uncertain relationship with the automotive industry. Is it now turning its back on CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra? Is Apple losing traction in another emerging space where cars are now software-defined vehicles more than ever?

GM Bets You’ll Miss CarPlay Less With Built-In Apple Music Support

https://www.thedrive.com/news/gm-bets-youll-miss-carplay-less-with-built-in-apple-music-support

Your Next EV Won’t Be Obsolete: How Rivian Is Designing for the Next Decade

https://www.thedrive.com/news/how-rivian-is-future-proofing-its-evs-7-10-years-out

You can help support this show and my independent work at www.patreon.com/briantong THANK YOU!

Call into the show by recording a Voice Memo and sending it to [email protected]

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Apple releases iOS 26.2 and the latest software updates for its entire lineup. Three new Apple products and a mystery fourth one get leaked by internal code and show us what's coming in 2026. Plus, the major shake-up with leadership and talent leaving Apple puts them at a crossroads. Where do they go from here? Is it a good thing? Or is Apple in trouble?

You can help support this show and my independent work at www.patreon.com/briantong THANK YOU!

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Android and Apple can now seamlessly AirDrop & Quick Share files between devices. Is this a sign of more collaborations to come? iPhone Pocket sold out because they barely made any. What's next for iOS 27? And will the 'iPhone Fold' be too expensive?

You can help support this show and my independent work at www.patreon.com/briantong THANK YOU!

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The Apple November product launch is not what you expected; it's a designer sock for your iPhone. I mean, it's the iPhone Pocket. Plus, Tesla is finally looking to bring CarPlay to its vehicles. Apple is delaying the next iPhone Air release, and a change of guard is happening within Apple management.

You can help support this show and my independent work at www.patreon.com/briantong THANK YOU!

Call into the show by recording a Voice Memo and sending it to [email protected]

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