This week, Cajun cooking, behind-the-scenes of the launch of NPC XL, another great British spy drama, and a classic sci-fi deal.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged Segment

John Cooks Red Beans and Rice

• Recipe
• Crock Pot Slow Cookers

Introducing NPC XL - More NPC, Every Week

• NPC: Next Portable Console is now weekly for everyone. Enjoy a new episode packed with handheld gaming news and other topics every Tuesday.
• NPC has a new YouTube Channel. Please subscribe.
• We introduced NPC XL, a brand-new, members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon at $5/month.
• NPC has joined the TWG Discord server with a dedicated channel for community feedback and participation.

Picks

• John’s Pick:
• Day of the Jackal on Peacock

Unwind Deals

• Alien Romulus ($19.99 -> $9.99)
• 2-movie bundle: Alien Romulus and Alien for $11.99

Follow us on Mastodon

• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Bluesky

• MacStories Unwind
• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Affiliate Linking Policy

This week, Federico questions John’s character before discovering the joy of audiobooks, while John has been listening to more podcasts and has a question for listeners about which TV show he should watch next.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged Segment

• Federico digs into John’s history as a sports fan.

Picks

• Federico’s Pick:
• Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick
• Audiobook version
• Audiobook on Audible
• Apple Books
• Digital
• Kindle
• Apple Books
• Print
• John’s Pick:
• Channels with Peter Kafka
• Which should I watch:
• Day of the Jackal
• Apple Cider Vinegar

Unwind Deal

Follow us on Mastodon

• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Bluesky

• MacStories Unwind
• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Affiliate Linking Policy

This week on Unwind, Federico and John offer a peek behind what it’s like to wait for an Apple press release to drop, Federico critiques an Italian’s recommendations of what to buy at Costco and shares a videogame pick, and John has a new movie for listeners.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged

• Apple Reveals New iPhone 16e with Face ID and 48MP Camera
• Costco recommendations from an Italian 👍👎?
• The Italian Products You Should (and Shouldn’t) Buy at Costco, According to an Italian

Picks

• John’s Pick:
• The Gorge on Apple TV+
• Federico’s Pick:
• Avowed
• Amazon
• Steam

Follow us on Mastodon

• MacStories 
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Bluesky

• MacStories Unwind
• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/

This week, John takes listeners back to the animal kingdom, before he and Federico share a couple of TV recommendations. Plus, John shows off a recent dream device acquisition.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged

• Armadillos in the North Carolina mountains
• Armadillos are expanding in North Carolina. What to know
• How Armadillos Can Spread Leprosy

Picks

• Federico’s Pick:
• Severance, Season 2
• John’s Pick:
• Mythic Quest, Season 4
• John’s Surprise
• Transparent Sony PSP

Follow us on Mastodon

• MacStories 
• Federico Viticci 

- John Voorhees

Follow us on Bluesky

• MacStories Unwind
• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Affiliate Linking Policy

This week on Unwind, John makes a Kuzu discovery that may amuse Italian listeners, we explore bars and aperitivo, and we share a music and TV show pick, along with a great deal.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged Segment

• Follow-Up:
• Kuzu vs. Kudzu
• Bars, Coffee Shops, and Bottle Shops
• Understanding Italian Coffee Culture
• Aperitivo A Beginner’s Guide to a Italian Tradition Tuscany Now & More
• Classic Aperol Spritz Recipe
• A decent definition of a bottle shop

Picks

• Federico’s Pick:
• Forgiving Spree by Slowly Slowly
• John’s Pick:
• Prime Target on Apple TV+
• Prime Target review – this stylish thriller is like Good Will Hunting meets The Bourne Identity

Unwind Deal

• Jack Ryan

Follow us on Mastodon

• MacStories 
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Bluesky

• MacStories Unwind
• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/

This week, Federico and John do some regional grocery shopping, Federico pursues pasta perfection, plus a documentary and podcast recommendation.

Show Notes

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged

• Shop the Pig: Grocery Store Names
• Regional Grocery Stores
• Piggly Wiggly
• Food Lion
• Harris Teeter
• Publix
• Perfect Handmade High Hydration Pizza e Mortazza Recipe
• NaturaSi
• Cacio e Pepe e Corn Starch – Pixel Envy
• The Perfect Cacio e Pepe Recipe, According to Science
• Kuzu
• Kuzu Root Starch

Picks

• John’s Pick:
• An Update on Our Family on Max
• Federico’s Pick:
• Into the Aether
• The ITA Patreon

Follow us on Mastodon

• MacStories 
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Bluesky

•  MacStories Unwind
• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/

This week, a neighborhood explosion, oats, root vegetables, and coffee, plus a classic sitcom, a unique videogame, and an action-packed movie.

Links and Show Notes

MacStories Uncooked

• Coffee Overnight Oats
• Easy Overnight Oats

Picks

• Federico’s Picks:
• Friends
• Stream
• Buy
• 1000xRESIST
• John’s Pick:
• Alien Romulus on Hulu

Follow us on Mastodon

• MacStories 
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Bluesky

• MacStories Unwind
• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/

This week, John judges Southerners’ handling of snow, Federico is a game streaming convert, and John has a new favorite series about the Troubles in Ireland. Plus, we found a great deal on a favorite sitcom.

Links and Show Notes

Unplugged Segment

• The South and snow
• This video captures it well

Picks

• Federico’s Pick:
• GeForce NOW
• John’s Pick: 
• Say Nothing
  • Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
• Trailer
• The book
• MacStories Unwind Deal of the Week
• How I Met Your Mother TV series bundle

Follow us on Mastodon

• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Bluesky

• MacStories Unwind
• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Affiliate Linking Policy: https://www.macstories.net/privacy-policy/

This week, John fills in Federico about pod people, creepy robots, light masks, AI BBQ, and other weird and wonderful sights from CES 2025.

Links and Show Notes

Weird CES

• Cute and Creepy Robots
• Mirumi
• Ropet
• Mirokaï
• Pod People
• Infrared saunas
• Full-body massage chairs
• Light Mask and Facial Recognition Mask
• Light Mask
• Facial Recognition Mask
• AI BBQ
• Holograms
• Example

Follow Us In…

• MacStories
• Club MacStories
• AppStories
• NPC: Next Portable Console
• Plus, Federico is a co-host on Connected on Relay FM, John a co-host on MacStories’ Ruminate, and you can find us on social media as ‘viticci’ and ‘johnvoorhees’

Affiliate Linking Policy

This week, Federico and John share their favorite videogames of 2024.

Links and Show Notes

• The NPC: Next Portable Console Videogame News list on Bluesky
• NPC on Bluesky

Picks

• Federico’s Picks:
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
• Learn More
• Buy
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• Learn More
• Buy
• Dragon’s Dogma II
• Learn More
• Buy
• Astro Bot
• Learn More
• Buy
• Game of the Other Years:GOTOYs:
• Dragon Quest XI
• Also mentioned
• GameCube To Go episode of NPC
• Into the Aether
• John’s Picks:
• Balatro
• Learn More
• Buy
• Animal Well
• Learn More
• Buy
• Peglin
• Learn More
• Buy
• Dragon’s Dogma II
• Learn More
• Buy
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• Learn More
• Buy
• Astro Bot
• Learn More
• Buy
• GOTOY:
• The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap

Follow us on Mastodon

• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Bluesky

• MacStories Unwind
• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Threads

• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Follow us on Instagram

• MacStories
• Federico Viticci
• John Voorhees

Affiliate Linking Policy