The Context Machine

General Michael Hayden gave an interview on the inevitability of unbreakable encryption, and his message to law enforcement was simple: "Get over it." Bryan and Jeff dig into that and Apple's Siri as compared to Amazon Echo and Microsoft's Cortana. They talk about different ways Apple can use our data to make our services better.

John "The Devil's Advocate" Kheit joins Bryan and Jeff on this special episode of The Apple Context Machine. They discuss John's argument that Apple has failed to scale its product delivery even while it scales its work force. They also argue about whether or not Tim Cook is a compelling speaker (hint, Bryan has the correct opinion).

In this special edition Apple Context Machine, Bryan interviews John Sculley, former CEO of Apple. Topics include his time with Apple, a look at Apple today, walks with Steve Jobs, moonshots, the role of Big Data and Healthcare, and some anecdotes Bryan hadn't heard before.

Bryan and Jeff both have an Apple Pencil now and that makes it a perfect time to dig into everything wonderful about it, as well as a couple of gripes they have. They also talk about Appel's recycling program and all the gold the company has recovered, and briefly dip into whether iPad Pro is a laptop replacement.

Cellebrite's "Textalyzer" technology can supposedly tell if a smartphone was being used "around the time" of an accident. That sends up red flags for Bryan and Jeff, and they dig deep into the issues. They also talk about new information from The Washington Post that claims the FBI paid a gray hat hacker to help it break into the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone 5c, and some of the many ramifications that might have. For fun, they talk about the new Star Wars Rogue One trailer, and explain Chaffin's Razor.

How important is a bag? Bryan and Jeff talk about Apple's efforts to be ever-greener, sparked by the company's decision to move to paper bags in its retail stores. They also gush over Taylor Swift's Apple Music commercial, and dig into Bernie Sanders's recent comments about Apple, manufacturing, and taxes.

Apple continues to grow and diversify, and with that kind of change, we're beginning to see media events that don't appeal to every Apple fan. Bryan and Jeff discuss the implications and discuss what it means. They also look at the newest salvos in the FBI's fight to gain back door access into encrypted communications, and dip into the maelstrom of North Carolina's House Bill 2.

Apple held a media event on Monday, and Bryan and Jeff talk about the products announced and why they warranted an event. They also discuss what kind of message Apple was sending by talking about the environment and its ongoing fight with the FBI. It's also Bryan has a meltdown when it comes to the new iPad Pro (9.7-inch). The two also dig into the newest legal developments in that fight with the FBI.

Apple announced a media event for March 21st, and Bryan and Jeff talk about what they're going to order. They also go over Apple's most recent court filing in its battle with the FBI, and discuss dueling positions from former intelligence professionals on the value of encryption.

Bryan and Jeff think it's important to remember that the ability to surveil almost everything we do is a recent development, and that we shouldn't consider unbreakable iPhones as the precedent, despite claims to the contrary by the FBI. They also dive into something that brought joy and wonder in the middle of this recent spate of heavy news, the Wintergatan steampunk music machine.