This week, John shares how he plans weekend activities with Instagram and Apple Maps, Federico tests dictation apps, and both share their first impressions of the new Apple TV show Pluribus.

Also available on YouTube here.

Links and Show Notes

John's Weekend Excursion Workflow

• Instagram + Apple Maps Guides and the beta Places You've Been feature

Federico's Dictation App Experiments

• Drafts
• Wispr Flow
• Raycast for iOS

Joint Pick

• Pluribus on Apple TV

Unwind Deal

• Dunkirk is just $7.99 in the TV app

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This week, Ticci Ticci jump scare videos, a seafood feast and Federico's latest fixation: X Factor Italy 2025. Plus, the return of a favorite Netflix rom-com series and an Apple TV comedy, and, of course, a special show-notes-only Unwind deal.

Also available on YouTube here.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged Segment

• X-Factor Italy
• Piercesare Fagioli | 'Die with a smile' | Esibizione Bootcamp | X Factor 2025
• Piercesare Fagioli canta "Chandelier" di SIA | X Factor 2025 Audizioni 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm_W4N0npo0&list=RDqm_W4N0npo0&start_radio=1

Picks

• Federico's Pick:
• Nobody Wants This, Season 2 on Netflix
• John's Pick:
• Loot, Season 3 on Apple TV

Unwind Deals

With Vince Gilligan's Pluribus debuting on Apple TV this week, Apple has great deals on two of his other shows:

• Breaking Bad: The Complete Season is just $29.99 in the TV app
• Better Call Saul is on sale for $29.99 in the TV app, too.

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This week, John explains why Notion is finally working for him, after which he and Federico share new Apple TV series and videogame picks. Plus, two Unwind deal picks.

Also available on YouTube here.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged Segment

Picks

• Federico's Pick:
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A
• Available from:
• Nintendo
• Amazon
• John's Pick:
• The Last Frontier on Apple TV

Unwind Deal

• The Big Lebowski is just $4.99.
• 🎳🥛🕶️ A laid-back slacker gets dragged into a chaotic kidnapping caper after a case of mistaken identity.
• The Northman is $9.99 in the TV app.
• ⚔️🩸🌋 A Viking prince pursues a savage blood oath through myth and fire.

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Links and Show Notes

Notion Daily Notes

• Notion

AI Browsers

• OpenAI Atlas
• Perplexity Comet
• Dia
• Deta Surf
• Microsoft Edge
• Strawberry
• Also mentioned
• Helium
• Vivaldi

Picks

• No picks this week. We'll have a couple for everyone next week.

Unwind Deal

• Blair Witch Project is $4.99 in the TV app
• 20 Days Later is $7.99 in the TV app

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• MacStories Unwind Feedback Form

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This week, weekend outings and the chores we wish robots could do for us, plus Federico shares an anti-pick, and John is hooked on a gritty crime drama.

Also available on YouTube here.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged Segment

• Greenville, South Carolina Fall Festival
• Narwhal Freo X10 Pro robot mop and vaccuum

Picks

• Federico's Anti-Pick:
• The Residence on Netflix
• John's Pick:
• Task on HBO Max

Unwind Deal

• Looper, a time-jumping mob movie, is just $4.99 in the TV app

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• MacStories Unwind Feedback Form

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This week, John stumbles upon a restaurant with a thing for the Italian navy, Federico explores the Final Fantasy Tactics remake, and John has a movie pick.

Also available on YouTube here.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged Segment

John visits Florence, which is decorated with the

Picks

• Federico's Pick:
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
• John's Pick:
• The Lost Bus on Apple TV+

Unwind Deal

In honor of the release of Tron Ares…

• Tron
• Tron Legacy

…both just $4.99 in the TV app

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• MacStories Unwind Feedback Form

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This week, Federico tries to recover from a rough week, John brings some Southern cooking to the show, Federico has a long backlog of videogames to attend to, and John has an Apple TV+ show and an album to share.

Also available on YouTube here.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged

• Southern Cooking
• Pecan Pie
• Pimento Cheese Dip
• Fried Okra

Picks

• Federico's Pick:
• Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
• Triple Click Tactics episode
• Hades II
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A
• Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart
• Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo
• Despelote
• Mika and the Witch's Mountain
• John's Pick:
• Slow Horses, Season 5 on Apple TV+
• Michigander by Michigander

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This week, John visits Mike the shipping guy, Federico's philosophy on hardware takes a turn, John declares Apple Watch charging in the shower a myth, and we share videogame and TV picks, plus a deal.

Also available on YouTube here.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged

• Big Mike's Shipping Shoppe
• Charging the Apple Watch While Showering

Picks

• Federico's Pick:
• Portal RTX
• Portal with RTX Update Adds NVIDIA DLSS 3.5 With Ray Reconstruction, RTX IO & New Content
• RTX Remix
• John's Pick:
• Alien Earth on Hulu

Unwind Deal

• Snowpiercer TV Series, Complete Boxed Set in TV app for $11.99 for 4 seasons/40 episodes.

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This week Federico and John reflect on the toll of the review process and the annual recovery process before Federico follows up on a TV series and John recommends a pair of albums. Plus, we have a great Marvel movie bundle deal for listeners.

Also available on YouTube here.

Links and Show Notes

The Aftermath of Review Season

• iOS and iPadOS 26: The MacStories Review
• macOS 26 Tahoe: The MacStories Review
• CarPlay in iOS 26: The MacStories Review
• visionOS 26: The MacStories Review
• watchOS 26: The MacStories Review

Picks

• Federico's Pick:
• Hacks, Seasons 1–4 on HBO Max
• John's Picks:
• Tunnel Vision by Beach Bunny
• I Quit by HAIM

Unwind Deal

🔨 Thor – 3-Movie Bundle for $19.99

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This week, John explains the art of the Southern storytelling with an example, reminding Federico to touch grass before sharing a classic movie deal and previewing some of the perks coming next week with his iOS and iPadOS 26 review.

Also available on YouTube here.

Links and Show Notes

Two Beady Eyes Staring At Me

• Skunks

Unwind Deal

• The Prestige for $4.99 in Apple's TV app.

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