Basic AF: a (mostly) tech podcast

If you’re an Apple Notes user who’s feeling buried in folders, tags, or forgotten ideas — and you’ve struggled to bring order to your notes — this episode is for you.

We dive deep into the Forever * Notes system with its creator, Matthias Hilse, and explore how it brings clarity, structure, and intentionality to even the messiest note collections.

You’ll hear:

• How to set up a central Home note
• The power of hubs, collections, and simplified tagging
• How Forever * Notes scales beautifully — even with thousands of notes

Plus:

• The features Matthias wishes Apple would add
• How this system completely changed Jeff’s Notes experience
• And why weekly notes are surprisingly complicated

Resources & Links

• Forever * Notes Official Site
• Forever * Notes YouTube Channel
• Forever * Notes Workshop
• Join the community: Forever * Notes Forum

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

If you’re wondering whether it’s finally safe (or fun) to jump into the Apple public betas, this episode is for you. From iPadOS 26’s dramatic windowing overhaul to macOS Tahoe’s subtle UI tweaks — plus new features in iOS 26 and watchOS 26 — we’ve lived with them all and have thoughts.

You’ll hear why the new iPad multitasking feels like macOS (in a good way), how Liquid Glass adds personality, and where the Mac beta stumbles hard (spoiler: Tom's disk filled up fast). We also dive into CarPlay changes, and watchOS 26.

Find out what works, what’s still rough, and which betas are actually changing how we use our Apple gear — including a full week of iPad-as-primary-computer testing.

And yes, Jeff crashed out over creatine. Hit play and stick around.

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

What happens when hip-hop meets theater, satire, and sibling bond? In this episode, we meet Jacob Battersby — artist, MC, and the man behind Celsius 7 — as he joins his brother Jeff and Tom for a funny and sometimes unfiltered journey through decades of DIY artistry. From early freestyle circles and cassette-tape beats to the lyrical power of Psychokinetics and the wild, lounge-rap theatrics of Kalri$$ian, Jacob reflects on how music became both an identity and a lifeline.

Links:

Celsius 7 - Apple Music / Spotify

Kalri$$ian - Apple Music / Spotify

Psychokinetics - Apple Music / Spotify

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

If you’re itching to try iPadOS 26, or just curious how far AI has crept into everyday life, this episode is for you.

Tom and Jeff share how well (or not) AI played doctor, deliver a first look at the iPadOS 26 developer beta, and break down how to beta test like a pro (without nuking your device).

You’ll get honest impressions of the new floating windows, updated UI, Preview on iPad, the surprise “Games” app—and what it all feels like in day-to-day use. Plus: how Jeff tested it, what crashed, and what delighted.

Will Tom install the beta? What did his doctor say when he quoted ChatGPT? And what’s the one thing you should do before installing any beta? It’s all here in a fast, fun 35 minutes.

Links:

Apple Public Beta

Apple Beta FAQ

iPadOS 26

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

We’re in between WWDC and the Public Betas, and it’s the perfect time for a summer vibe check!

Tom and Jeff break down what they’re reading, watching, listening to, and playing with this summer. Books, newsletters, podcasts, the new Reply All Time and Top Songs playlists in Apple Music, and more. Additionally, Tom gets nerdy with Claude, Readwise, and MCP, while Jeff plans to dabble in sketching and watercolors. 

Links:

White Noise – Don DeLillo

Crudo – Olivia Laing

Wellness – Nathan Hill

The Hidden Girl and Other Stories – Ken Liu

Throughline – NPR Podcast

Seeing White (Scene on Radio) – Listen to Episode 1

The Mars Volta – Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacío (Filthy Lucre; The Eyes of the Void)

Pink Elephant – Arcade Fire

Jeff’s Playlist – Trying Not to Cry

Lost in Play – Apple Arcade

Sahil Bloom

James Clear – Atomic Habits

Unreasonable Hospitality

Lean Learning

Vanessa Lau on YouTube

Modern Wisdom Podcast

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

Tom and Jeff dive into three fun segments: Tom’s updated Mac recommendations for students, Jeff's update on his Forever Notes system using Apple Notes, and how both hosts are using health tracking apps to better understand their stress and recovery. Tom unpacks how Athlytic and Apple Watch are helping him recognize stress and reduce habitual tension, while Jeff shares how Gentler Streak has helped him optimize sleep and workouts. It’s a mix of tech tips, personal stories, and wellness insights—plus a few keg-lifting jokes.

Links from the show:

Best Mac for College – Tom Anderson

My Forever Notes

Gentler App

Athlytic App

Episode 55 - Who Pays for Calendar Apps & Next-Level Notes with Bill McLean

Episode 58 - WWDC Announced, Gentler Streak Workout Tracker, and "The Cybernetic Teammate" by Ethan Mollick

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

Tom Anderson and Jeff Battersby are joined by returning guest Joe Moyer for a comprehensive breakdown of Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote:

• Exploration of the new "Liquid Glass" design language unifying all Apple platforms
• New Apple Intelligence features
• Analysis of simplified version numbering (everything is now version 26)
• iPadOS 26's new windowing system and advanced features
• iOS 26's customizable interface and enhanced CarPlay features
• macOS Tahoe's powerful Spotlight improvements and Journal app expansion
• Vision Pro's enterprise push and quality-of-life improvements across the ecosystem

Where to find Joe:

Threads - https://www.threads.net/@thejournalingguide
The Journaling Guide - https://www.24letters.net/thejournalingguide
24Letters - https://www.24letters.net

Links from the show:

Apple elevates the iPhone experience with iOS 26

watchOS 26 delivers more personalized ways to stay active and connected

Apple TV brings a beautiful redesign and enhanced home entertainment experience

macOS Tahoe 26 makes the Mac more capable, productive, and intelligent than ever

visionOS 26 introduces powerful new spatial experiences for Apple Vision Pro

iPadOS 26 introduces powerful new features that push iPad even further

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

Riley Hill returns to the show to join Jeff and Tom for a preview of WWDC 2025. What's coming from Apple? What kind of AI company should Apple be? And is there less hype than normal for this year's event?

The guys also throw around some thoughts on the big announcement that Jony Ive and OpenAI are working on a new type of AI-centered device. It doesn't sound like it's a phone or glasses, so what might it be? Is there a market for a new type of device?

Also, they sprinkle in some highlights from Google's IO event last week.

Where to Find Riley:

Riley Hill on YouTube

Riley Hill Website

Riley Hill on Threads

Links from the show:

9to5Mac on Instagram: “Just 18 days until WWDC 2025! While last-minute leaks are likely, here’s what we expect Apple to announce so far”

WWDC 2025: Everything We Know | MacRumors

OpenAI is buying iPhone designer Jony Ive’s AI devices startup for $6.4 billion

Exclusive | What Sam Altman Told OpenAI About the Secret Device He’s Making With Jony Ive

The 15 biggest announcements at Google I/O 2025

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

Tom’s queued up an AI podcast app experiment, and Jeff’s wondering if it’s really worth the $85 price tag. This week, the guys dive into Snipd’s AI-powered podcast magic, how it pairs with Readwise for smart highlights and spaced repetition, and Tom’s sneaky new trick for “listening” to podcasts while he sleeps. 

Plus, they talk about the Siri lawsuit that might earn you a few bucks, Apple’s App Store rule changes, and why longtime fans (and cranky nerds) are raising eyebrows at Apple’s recent stumbles. Is it time for new leadership?

Links from the show:

Snipd - The Most Powerful Podcast App

How to Start Journaling Today — 24 Letters

If you used Siri between 2014 and 2024, you may have a claim against Apple

Epic Games Submits Fortnite to U.S. App Store

Apple’s Phil Schiller Initially Opposed 27% App Store Fee on External Purchases

Apple Turnover

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

It’s easy to lose track of subscriptions, and Tom and Jeff are feeling it too. In this episode, they unpack the apps, services, and streaming platforms they’re paying for — the good, the bad, and the ones they forgot they even had. They swap stories about accidental renewals (looking at you, $250 “oops”), spotlight useful apps, and talk through a few tricks for managing subscriptions smarter. It’s a fun and slightly painful look at modern digital life.

Links from the show:

Setapp

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Support the show

Contact Us

• Drop us a line at [email protected]
• You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
• Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
• Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
• Tom has a new YouTube channel
• Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

• Review on Apple Podcasts
• Rate on Spotify
• Recommend in Overcast

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

• Apple Music
• Spotify

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.