Press Pause with Bill McLean

I've been thinking about all the years I financed tech and all of the stupid money decisions I've made along the way.I recently ranked the 18 phones that I have had over the last 16 years and it had me thinking about the role media and marketing plays when it comes to the yearly upgrade cycles.

This is Press Pause Season 3, Episode 10!

More deep dives on apps, tech and life lessons in my Newsletter!

newsletter.williambmclean.com

The Essential Apple Notes Guidehttps://billmclean.gumroad.com/l/wdsjz

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Get 1 Month free: https://link.snipd.com/Cx7S/mclean

Are you tired of hearing brilliant insights on podcasts only to forget them by the time you reach your desk?

Today, I sit down with Kevin Smith, co-founder of Snipd, an AI-powered podcast player that completely fixes this problem. We discuss how a 3-person team built the ultimate audio note-taking tool, the future of AI agents managing your second brain, and why we are currently living in the "AI slop" era.

Snipd allows you to save podcast highlights with a tap of your headphones and syncs them directly to Obsidian, Notion, or Readwise.

Plus, Kevin gives us a sneak peek into the next iteration of their AI DJ feature.

The Essential Apple Notes Guidehttps://billmclean.gumroad.com/l/wdsjzMore deep dives on apps, tech and life lessons in my Newsletter The Digital Pulse and Perspective Shifts!https://billmclean.substack.com/Connect with me on Social:https://www.threads.net/@williambmclean

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✅ My favorite cross-platform todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jy

YouTube Gear(Affiliate Links)

Best bang for buck camera bodies!

Sony FX30: https://amzn.to/3IXxGxV

Sony ZV-E1: https://amzn.to/4qda4pK

Reasonably Priced Lenses with Professional Quality!

Sigma 24-70mm: https://amzn.to/3W7P6uK

Sigma 24mm: https://amzn.to/4o09NFi

Sigma 16-28mm: https://amzn.to/47f9uz9

My Audio Gear Picks!

Sennheiser MKE600: https://amzn.to/47mFUc9

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (4th gen): https://amzn.to/3LcRPR5

Sony MDR-M1 Headphones: https://amzn.to/46Xyn2Q

DJI Mic 3: https://amzn.to/4s6KhQ3

Shure SM7db: https://amzn.to/46reGAr

Samsung T9 SSD: https://amzn.to/4kSM9tk

Website:

www.williabmclean.com

For business inquiries:

[email protected]

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https://blacktwist.app?aff=9mjXLl

Discover the unfiltered reality of indie app development and how to drive real audience growth on Meta's Threads. When Twitter (X) completely shifted its platform and skyrocketed API pricing to $42,000 a month, independent developers Luca and Mattia watched their profitable SaaS side projects get wiped out almost overnight. Instead of walking away from software development, they pivoted and built Black Twist, a premier scheduling, analytics, and community growth platform engineered specifically for Meta's Threads. Whether you are trying to understand the Threads algorithm, build a SaaS product, or simply grow your personal brand online, this conversation breaks down the exact strategies working right now.

In this episode, we dig into the raw truth of building a tech startup while balancing a demanding 9-to-5 job, family commitments, and avoiding burnout. We discuss the massive organic reach discrepancy between X and Threads—including how the exact same content got 100 views on Twitter but exploded to 200,000 views on Threads. We also get honest about the psychological toll of dealing with app copycats and how to build a moat around your business using community.

Finally, we pull back the curtain on the exact productivity and tech stacks we use to ship products and content fast. From managing ideas in Obsidian and Apple Notes to coding web apps with AI using Claude Code and Cursor, you will get a behind-the-scenes look at the tools powering modern creators and developers.

Chapters

00:00 - Intro & Welcome

08:32 - Leaving X and the $42k API Shock

18:19 - The 200k View Secret on Threads

26:36 - The Brutal Reality of the 9-to-5 Juggle

42:23 - How to Handle App Copycats

48:29 - The Threads 100 Challenge

52:13 - Our Indie Dev Tech & Productivity Stack

01:02:41 - Coding with AI & Markdown Files

Follow Luca on Threads:

https://www.threads.com/@luca.restagno.dev

Follow Mattia on Threads:

https://www.threads.com/@heymattiarighetti

The Essential Apple Notes Guidehttps:

billmclean.gumroad.com/l/wdsjz

More deep dives on apps, tech and life lessons in my Newsletter The Digital Pulse and Perspective Shifts!

https://billmclean.substack.com/

Connect with me on Social:

https://www.threads.net/@williambmclean

https://x.com/wbmclean

https://www.tiktok.com/@williambmclean?_t=ZT-8zridiJJmIP&_r=1

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☁️ Backblaze computer and NAS backup: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/05ckce

✅ My favorite cross-platform todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jy

Website:

www.williabmclean.com

For business inquiries:

[email protected]

In this episode, we cover the latest Apple news including hands on thoughts with the new blush MacBook Neo. We also discuss why the AirPods Max 2 feel like a disappointing upgrade. Then we dive into the current state of AI in note taking apps. We compare Obsidian, Notion AI, and Apple Notes to find the best productivity workflow. Plus, we discuss the tech community's growing frustration with AI products that fail to deliver real consumer value.

Here is a breakdown of what we talk about this week:

- We discuss The Verge's critical coverage of the AI bubble. I share why regular consumers are not adopting these expensive new tools.

- I detail my ongoing 30 day experiment using Obsidian with Claude Code. We also cover the headaches of relying on community plugins and unreliable sync.

- We review why the new AirPods Max 2 missed the mark. Apple kept the same heavy design and controversial charging case.

- I give my first impressions of the highly anticipated MacBook Neo in blush. We talk about its compact footprint and the return to a traditional clicking trackpad.

- We look at rumors surrounding a new premium MacBook. I also explain my internal debate about consolidating my Mac Studio and MacBook Pro into one expensive machine.

- We cover what to expect in the iOS 26.4 release. This includes crucial keyboard fixes and testing for end to end encryption for RCS messages.

- I highlight recent app updates from Notion like custom AI skills and dashboard views. We also take a quick look at Craft's new focus on performance and reliability.

If you want more context and extra articles, you can find my weekly newsletter on Substack at billmclean.substack.com.

You can also find the link in the video description.

Chapters

00:00 - Start

00:32 - The Verge Hates Tech?

07:17 - Obsidian (again)

15:53 - Airpods Max 2 - more of the same

17:38 - Macbook Neo

20:24 - My nex Mac is…

22:34 - A Gemini Mac App(finally)

23:00 - iOS26.4

24:20 - PKM App

UpdatesThe Essential Apple Notes Guidehttps://billmclean.gumroad.com/l/wdsjz

More deep dives on apps, tech and life lessons in my Newsletter The Digital Pulse and Perspective Shifts!

https://billmclean.substack.com/

Connect with me on Social:

https://www.threads.net/@williambmclean

https://x.com/wbmclean

https://www.tiktok.com/@williambmclean?_t=ZT-8zridiJJmIP&_r=1

https://www.instagram.com/williambmclean/

Must-have affiliate links:

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☁️ Backblaze computer and NAS backup: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/05ckce

✅ My favorite cross-platform todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jyY

Apple just dropped a massive wave of new hardware, and we need to talk about it. The star of the show is definitely the new MacBook Neo, bringing the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone to a laptop starting at just $599. But there is a lot more to cover.

In this episode, I break down the entire release schedule. We start with the M4 iPad Air, which gets a bump to 12GB of base memory and Wi-Fi 7.

We also look at the new iPhone 17E, which finally ditches the 128GB storage tier, adds MagSafe charging, and features a 48-megapixel fusion camera.

For your desk setup, Apple refreshed the standard Studio Display with Thunderbolt 5. They also introduced the 27-inch Studio Display XDR, which features a mini-LED panel, a 120-hertz refresh rate, and HDR brightness capabilities.

Finally, we cover the quiet spec bumps to the M5 MacBook Pro and M5 MacBook Air , before diving into why the new MacBook Neo might be the most popular laptop Apple has made in years.

Chapters:

00:00 - Start

00:41 - iPad Air

04:55 - iPhone 17e

07:30 - Studio Displays

14:17 - M5 Pro and Max Chips

14:32 - MacBook Pro

15:15 - MacBook Air

16:01 - Macbook Neo

The Essential Apple Notes Guide

https://billmclean.gumroad.com/l/wdsjz

More deep dives on apps, tech and life lessons in my Newsletter The Digital Pulse and Perspective Shifts!

https://billmclean.substack.com/

Connect with me on Social:

https://www.threads.net/@williambmclean

https://x.com/wbmclean

https://www.tiktok.com/@williambmclean?_t=ZT-8zridiJJmIP&_r=1

https://www.instagram.com/williambmclean/

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☁️ Backblaze computer and NAS backup: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/05ckce

✅ My favorite cross-platform todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jy

Website:

www.williabmclean.com

For business inquiries:

[email protected]

In season three, episode 5 of Press Pause, we look at the broken state of productivity systems and why I am sticking with Apple Notes over Obsidian. The AI wars are heating up again as we discuss the performance of Claude 4.6 against Google's Gemini 3.1 Pro.

We also break down the latest Apple rumors from Mark Gurman regarding the massive Siri delay. It looks like those highly anticipated features might be pushed back to iOS 26.5 or even iOS 27, proving once again that the tech rumor mill often ruins the fun.

Managing content across YouTube, a podcast, a newsletter, Threads, X, and TikTok is overwhelming. I talk about why having files on your hard drive sounds great in theory, but apps with good user interfaces usually win out for most people.

Notion gets a lot of complaints because of its subscription model, but its AI implementation is currently the most useful one I have tested. We also touch on the recent AI summit and why we need more likable people in charge of these tools.

Kepano: https://stephango.com/about

Sign up for my new weekly Newsletter The Digital Pulse!

https://billmclean.substack.com/

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✅ My favorite todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jy

Website:

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For business inquiries:

[email protected]

Where to find Tom:

Web/newsletter: tomfanderson.com

Threads: threads.com/@tomanderson

Podcast: basicafshow.com

In this episode of Press Pause, I am joined by Tom Anderson from the Basic AF show to discuss the reality of being a tech enthusiast who just cannot stop switching apps. We talk about the "infinite loop" of productivity tools and why the search for the perfect setup never really ends.

Tom shares exactly why he moved his entire workflow into Craft Docs, including how he managed to replace a dedicated task manager like Things 3 to keep his tasks and notes in one place. We also discuss why Apple Notes is fantastic for 90% of people but why it often falls short for power users who need features like nested documents and better export options.

We also dive into the current state of AI and the potential risks of giving "agent" tools like OpenClaw unfiltered access to your computer. We debate whether installing these local bots is a productivity hack or a massive security trap waiting to happen.

Finally, we cover our hardware setups. Tom explains how he uses the 13-inch iPad Pro as his main computer for 75% of his work. We also look at his home screen which reveals a shocking number of unread notification badges that somehow do not stress him out at all.

1Password Article Referenced: https://1password.com/blog/from-magic-to-malware-how-openclaws-agent-skills-become-an-attack-surface

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

02:09 Exploring Notes Apps and Productivity

07:45 Craft vs. Other Notes Apps

12:02 Task Management and Productivity Tools

18:00 The Role of AI in Note-Taking

25:59 The Future of AI and Personal Data Management

35:44 Integrating AI into Everyday Tools

39:08 Specialized AI Applications in Project Management

40:33 The Future of AI and Privacy Concerns

42:50 Exploring Open Source AI Tools

45:07 Navigating AI Usage Limits and Workflows

48:35 The Debate on Upgrading Tech Devices

49:28 Personal Computing Preferences and Experiences

56:18 Notification Management and Personal Preferences

Sign up for my new weekly Newsletter The Digital Pulse!

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☁️ Backblaze computer and NAS backup: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/05ckce

✅ My favorite todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jy

Website:www.williabmclean.com

For business inquiries:[email protected]

We spend so much time searching for the perfect notes app that we often forget to actually use the notes and do the work.

In this episode of Press Pause, I’m looking at why I’ve moved away from the complexity of tools like Obsidian and Notion to go back to the most obvious choice: Apple Notes. For a long time, the "graph view" and complex linking were the gold standard, but for most of us, they’ve become more of a distraction than a utility.

Simplicity is winning the personal knowledge management game right now and Apple’s deep integration gives it an edge that third-party apps struggle to match.

We also dive into the current state of AI. While many are looking at Claude and Anthropic as the leaders, there are signs they may have fumbled their chance to unseat Google. I discuss why this might be the year Apple Intelligence changes the landscape and what it means for the future of these AI startups.

Sign up for my new weekly Newsletter The Digital Pulse!https://billmclean.substack.com/

Check me out on Social:https://www.threads.net/@williambmcleanhttps://x.com/wbmclean

Must-have affiliate links:☀️Raycast Pro Free for 14 days: https://raycast.com/?via=william-mclean💻CleanMyMac Free for 7 days: https://macpaw.audw.net/c/6052342/263631/1733🎵 2 Months Free! Music, Footage, and More from Artlist: https://artlist.io/referral/4646734/William☁️ Backblaze computer and NAS backup: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/05ckce✅ My favorite todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jy

Website:www.williabmclean.comFor business inquiries:[email protected]

I have spent the last three weeks obsessing over the same decision regarding which notes app is actually right for my workflow. Between Apple Notes, Notion, and a dozen other productivity tools, it feels like a constant cycle of optimizing and then starting over. In this episode, I break down why choosing a notes app is so difficult right now and why the system you use matters far more than the software itself.We also dive into the reality of AI subscription fatigue. After canceling ChatGPT, Claude, and Raycast, I realized that having the latest models doesn't mean much if you can't find your ideas when you need them. I share my experience trying to consolidate everything into a single reliable system and why I keep getting pulled back to the defaults.Finally, we talk about the latest updates from Apple, including the new Creator Studio bundle and their strategic move to use Google's Gemini for Siri. It is a brilliant play that limits their risk while buying time to build something better.I am curious what notes app you are currently using and if you have found a system that sticks. Let me know in the comments.Sign up for my new weekly Newsletter The Digital Pulse!https://billmclean.substack.com/Check me out on Social:https://www.threads.net/@williambmcleanhttps://x.com/wbmcleanMust-have affiliate links:☀️Raycast Pro Free for 14 days: https://raycast.com/?via=william-mclean💻CleanMyMac Free for 7 days: https://macpaw.audw.net/c/6052342/263631/1733🎵 2 Months Free! Music, Footage, and More from Artlist: https://artlist.io/referral/4646734/William☁️ Backblaze computer and NAS backup: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/05ckce✅ My favorite todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jyWebsite:www.williabmclean.comFor business inquiries:[email protected]

Press Pause: Tech Obsession & Remembering the Average User

In this episode, I'm diving into why my latest iPhone video struck such a chord with viewers, Apple's big moves in AI (including that surprising Gemini partnership), and why the AI race might be a solution still searching for problems.

We'll cover:

• Why you probably don't need the Pro iPhone this year

• Apple's new data-sharing requirements for third-party AI

• The Google-Siri deal that changes everything

• AI browsers, agents, and the struggle to find practical use cases

• Updates from Craft, recent bestsellers, and more

Plus, I've rebranded the show to "Press Pause" to better reflect what we're doing here—taking a step back to examine how tech and productivity actually impact our daily lives.

Links mentioned:

Apple Notes Essentials Guide (50% off with code BF25NOTES)

https://billmclean.gumroad.com/l/wdsjz

Ad-free videos on Substack:

billmclean.substack.comFollow me on

Threads for video ideas and tech commentary

https://www.threads.net/@williambmclean

Claude use cases

https://claude.com/resources/use-cases?utm_source=tldrai

Craft updates

https://viktor.craft.me/bdbGJVKw4f2AQ2

If you're tired of tech hype and want honest takes on what actually matters, this one's for you.

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🎵 2 Months Free! Music, Footage, and More from Artlist: https://artlist.io/referral/4646734/William

☁️ Backblaze computer and NAS backup: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/05ckce

✅ My favorite todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jy

Website: www.williabmclean.com

For business inquiries: [email protected]