WEBVTT 00:00.031 --> 00:02.954 [SPEAKER_01]: a factual data creation facility production. 00:13.687 --> 00:21.096 [SPEAKER_01]: Recorded in front of a live audience of one, it's the OF anti-podcast for the last time in 2025. 00:21.917 --> 00:25.161 [SPEAKER_01]: Here's your host, Jim Shafer. 00:25.917 --> 00:32.446 [SPEAKER_02]: Welcome to the OFNT podcast episode 301, which I'm calling, yearly wrap-up. 00:33.287 --> 00:34.910 [SPEAKER_02]: I hope you had a great Christmas holiday. 00:34.930 --> 00:38.755 [SPEAKER_02]: I had a nice quiet one, which is exactly how I like it. 00:39.856 --> 00:42.120 [SPEAKER_02]: The gifts were fuel, but very much appreciated. 00:42.160 --> 00:44.142 [SPEAKER_02]: The food was delicious as usual. 00:44.203 --> 00:46.766 [SPEAKER_02]: And of course, the company was great. 00:47.447 --> 00:50.071 [SPEAKER_02]: My company, I mean my lovely wife and my son. 00:50.131 --> 00:52.414 [SPEAKER_02]: Now it's on the New Year's! 00:53.103 --> 00:54.947 [SPEAKER_02]: Well, I guess I'll start this. 00:55.007 --> 01:15.567 [SPEAKER_02]: The last episode of 2020-25 right now. 01:18.533 --> 01:19.254 [SPEAKER_02]: tech news. 01:20.236 --> 01:22.579 [SPEAKER_02]: Of course this was a very slow week for tech news. 01:23.561 --> 01:28.488 [SPEAKER_02]: Most of the stories were actually written a while ago and say for dropping during Christmas in New Year's week. 01:29.590 --> 01:32.715 [SPEAKER_02]: Now come to the slow wind up towards the spring tech season. 01:32.775 --> 01:38.844 [SPEAKER_02]: From what I've been seeing on my news feeds, expect to be paying more for tech this coming year. 01:38.865 --> 01:46.937 [SPEAKER_02]: As memory and manufacturing 01:47.221 --> 01:47.641 [SPEAKER_02]: You know? 01:47.681 --> 01:50.024 [SPEAKER_02]: I'm doing well as far as tech goes. 01:50.845 --> 01:54.289 [SPEAKER_02]: Then again, maybe I should have upgraded to a new Mac mini. 01:55.610 --> 02:02.137 [SPEAKER_02]: To late now, if you are a fan of the still new iPhone Air, well I've got some good news for you. 02:02.177 --> 02:03.198 [SPEAKER_02]: Maybe. 02:03.218 --> 02:14.410 [SPEAKER_02]: According to an article on nine to five Mac.com, a leaker who haunts a Chinese social media 02:14.474 --> 02:19.681 [SPEAKER_02]: This claiming that Apple will debut a second generation of its thinnest in iPhone next September. 02:19.741 --> 02:27.111 [SPEAKER_02]: Of course this contradicts early reports that either the iPhone Air has been completely dropped from the iPhone lineup. 02:27.933 --> 02:31.918 [SPEAKER_02]: Or that it will be two years until a redesigned dual camera version is released. 02:32.659 --> 02:39.148 [SPEAKER_02]: Fixed Focus Digital also predicted that the second generation Air will in fact be getting that other camera. 02:39.871 --> 02:47.321 [SPEAKER_02]: Meanwhile, supply chain analyst outfit, the information, says that Apple will be also lowering the price of the iPhone Air. 02:47.602 --> 02:50.245 [SPEAKER_01]: I was with you until the price lowering prediction. 02:50.766 --> 02:59.598 [SPEAKER_01]: With memory and manufacturing costs, steeply rising next year, as you pointed out in the introduction, how can this prediction be considered valid? 03:00.199 --> 03:01.340 [SPEAKER_02]: You know, that's a good point. 03:01.881 --> 03:09.051 [SPEAKER_02]: Perhaps Apple will construct this new iPhone Air using plastic instead of metal. 03:09.335 --> 03:10.076 [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, I am. 03:10.997 --> 03:14.482 [SPEAKER_02]: Could you imagine a phoneist in a ziPhone Air made from plastic? 03:15.803 --> 03:16.064 [UNKNOWN]: I don't know. 03:16.084 --> 03:16.424 [SPEAKER_02]: No. 03:16.905 --> 03:26.057 [SPEAKER_02]: Both fixed-focus digital and the information agree that the iPhone 17E has entered mass production and will be introduced in a spring launch event. 03:27.278 --> 03:37.992 [SPEAKER_02]: The information also predicts that the iPhone 17E will be a small upgrade from the 16E, gaining a C1x modem and mags 03:38.275 --> 03:44.883 [SPEAKER_02]: No dynamic island, no promotion display, and probably no center stage selfie camera either. 03:44.943 --> 03:48.647 [SPEAKER_02]: Disappointing sure, but you got to remember. 03:48.687 --> 03:53.353 [SPEAKER_02]: The E-Series of iPhones are a replacement for the SE Series of iPhones. 03:54.374 --> 04:02.123 [SPEAKER_02]: The mission for the SE in, now the E-Series phones, is to bring a no-frills iPhone at a reasonable price to market. 04:02.272 --> 04:16.911 [SPEAKER_02]: This model serves as an affordable entry point into Apple's ecosystem for young consumers, not so well off consumers, consumers who want a good basic iPhone, and old-forks like myself who, unlike me, aren't nerds. 04:18.012 --> 04:26.203 [SPEAKER_02]: Though many would disagree with me, especially those who work for the tech press, I think the E series hits that mark and hits it quite well. 04:27.078 --> 04:35.230 [SPEAKER_02]: Being that I'm an old-school nerd, I would need a 120Hz refresh rate in the Dynamic Island before I'd consider an E-series for myself. 04:36.532 --> 04:38.014 [SPEAKER_02]: I don't think I'll have long to wait though. 04:38.054 --> 04:44.243 [SPEAKER_02]: Probably within, I don't know, about three years the iPhone E-series will have all those features. 04:44.898 --> 04:52.588 [SPEAKER_02]: Tim Cook's top priority product could finally take shape next year is the headline of an article from nine to five Mac.com. 04:53.009 --> 04:56.233 [SPEAKER_01]: What is Tim Apple's top priority product? 04:56.774 --> 04:57.936 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm asking for a friend. 04:58.516 --> 05:01.380 [SPEAKER_02]: Well, that would be augmented reality glasses. 05:02.342 --> 05:14.398 [SPEAKER_02]: The article quotes Bloomberg.com and Bloomberg's Leaker DeJure Mark German as predicting that we'll be seeing these spectacles come sometime in 2027. 05:16.117 --> 05:24.225 [SPEAKER_02]: According to German, Apple will be releasing a version of these glasses in 2020-6, but they won't have augmented reality functionality. 05:24.265 --> 05:31.012 [SPEAKER_02]: No, they'll just be a stop-cap product that will feature Siri and function as an iPhone accessory. 05:31.773 --> 05:33.615 [SPEAKER_02]: Much like the Apple Watch does now. 05:33.995 --> 05:37.118 [SPEAKER_01]: Apple must be feeling the heat from meta and Samsung. 05:37.719 --> 05:38.379 [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, they are. 05:38.419 --> 05:44.065 [SPEAKER_02]: The giant fruit company doesn't want to fall behind like they did with AI. 05:44.669 --> 05:50.403 [SPEAKER_02]: These Siri-based glasses will also serve as a basis for the future augmented reality overlay version. 05:50.443 --> 05:57.661 [SPEAKER_02]: This is all well and good, but I doubt we'll be seeing the augmented reality version until 2028 or beyond. 05:57.701 --> 06:01.530 [SPEAKER_02]: Samsung will likely beat Apple to the punch here. 06:02.388 --> 06:07.113 [SPEAKER_02]: Being a prescription lens glasses wearer myself, I am interested in this product. 06:08.075 --> 06:11.759 [SPEAKER_02]: But I fear it'll come too late to market for me to even consider bothering with it. 06:13.060 --> 06:18.006 [SPEAKER_02]: Now what would be an end of the year episode without an in-memorium section? 06:18.927 --> 06:25.915 [SPEAKER_02]: Instead of people, MacRoovers.com, but together a list of devices that Apple discontinued in 2025. 06:26.688 --> 06:29.532 [SPEAKER_02]: And most were replaced by new models, while some weren't. 06:30.914 --> 06:38.364 [SPEAKER_02]: For iPhones we said goodbye to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which was succeeded by the iPhone 17 Pro Max. 06:39.386 --> 06:56.610 [SPEAKER_02]: The 16 Pro, which was succeeded by the 17 Pro, the iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15, the iPhone 14 Plus, the iPhone 14, 06:57.350 --> 07:12.742 [SPEAKER_02]: My fans and Apple watches were all replaced with updated models, but the M2 chip 13-inch MacBook Air, which hung around longer than expected, was discontinued, probably to be replaced by that A series-chipped Powered MacBook. 07:12.762 --> 07:13.924 [SPEAKER_02]: I guess. 07:14.174 --> 07:23.850 [SPEAKER_02]: I think the M1 13-inch MacBook Air is still available at Walmart, but when the A-Series chip so-called a cheap MacBook Rives, that M1 Air will be discontinued. 07:23.870 --> 07:26.514 [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, unless I forget. 07:26.554 --> 07:34.427 [SPEAKER_02]: The old Lightning cable disappeared completely in 2025, and favor of the now widely adopted USB-C cable. 07:35.420 --> 07:43.331 [SPEAKER_02]: Popular YouTube channel, Jerry Rig Everything, managed to get a hold of an example of the new Samsung Galaxy Z tri-fold phone. 07:44.092 --> 07:44.293 [SPEAKER_02]: Wow! 07:44.313 --> 07:48.018 [SPEAKER_02]: The channel puts phones through torture tests to see how durable they really are. 07:48.038 --> 07:55.108 [SPEAKER_02]: Unfortunately for the Galaxy Z tri-fold, it didn't fare as well as the previous Z-fold models. 07:56.049 --> 08:05.022 [SPEAKER_02]: The tri-fold phone did well during the heat and scratch tests, but the foldable screen material is still soft like its predecessors. 08:05.137 --> 08:06.879 [SPEAKER_02]: Ah, that's to be expected. 08:06.940 --> 08:10.585 [SPEAKER_02]: The big problems were with the dirt and bend tests. 08:11.586 --> 08:17.394 [SPEAKER_02]: It appears that the tri-fold phone isn't very resistant to pocket-lint, a sand, or dirt in general. 08:18.135 --> 08:22.922 [SPEAKER_02]: You could hear a grinding sound from the hinges, which is an important part of the Galaxy Z tri-fold. 08:22.982 --> 08:28.410 [SPEAKER_02]: This dirt problem can contribute to premature failure of those hinges. 08:29.318 --> 08:31.121 [SPEAKER_02]: The bend test was a disaster. 08:32.002 --> 08:35.947 [SPEAKER_02]: As one bend of the screens in the wrong direction causes the display to go dark. 08:36.789 --> 08:46.903 [SPEAKER_02]: As I've, in many have long suspected, foldable phones are much more delicate than non-foldable types, and the more folds are are, while the more delicate the phone is. 08:47.985 --> 08:54.634 [SPEAKER_02]: The current state of foldable phones, especially these new trifold types, make them a bad investment in my opinion. 08:55.508 --> 08:59.713 [SPEAKER_02]: Until technology catches up, I wouldn't consider purchasing one of these. 09:02.636 --> 09:10.824 [SPEAKER_02]: According to an article on 925 google.com, the big G is going to let you do something with your Gmail account that could save you some hassle. 09:11.045 --> 09:14.388 [SPEAKER_01]: You mean like stopping them from scraping data from your mailboxes? 09:15.089 --> 09:18.072 [SPEAKER_02]: Unfortunately, no, but that would be nice, wouldn't it? 09:19.133 --> 09:23.558 [SPEAKER_02]: What Google is going to let you do is change the username on your Gmail account. 09:24.500 --> 09:31.280 [SPEAKER_02]: Currently, to accomplish this, you have to create a new Gmail account and transfer everything over to the newly created account. 09:32.363 --> 09:35.291 [SPEAKER_02]: This can be quite the task, depending on how much email you receive. 09:36.675 --> 09:38.982 [SPEAKER_02]: This also benefits Google itself. 09:39.080 --> 09:48.910 [SPEAKER_02]: While allowing users to change their user names, they'll be less new accounts being created, and this will make deleting old unused accounts easier to accomplish. 09:49.790 --> 09:57.037 [SPEAKER_02]: However, this new feature is based on a recently updated Google support page in Hindi, and that's the only place that appears at so far. 09:57.077 --> 10:01.322 [SPEAKER_02]: I do feel Google will implement this feature Gmail wide though. 10:02.182 --> 10:04.885 [SPEAKER_02]: That's because it's a true win-win situation. 10:05.708 --> 10:07.030 [SPEAKER_02]: to bed it comes late for me. 10:07.050 --> 10:10.577 [SPEAKER_02]: I currently have two Gmail accounts that I actually use. 10:11.238 --> 10:14.724 [SPEAKER_02]: When it's for this podcast and the other is for a semi-personal use. 10:15.847 --> 10:19.072 [SPEAKER_02]: All other Gmail accounts I've created over the years are dormant. 10:20.315 --> 10:25.023 [SPEAKER_02]: I've migrated my mission essentially email to other supposedly more secure services. 10:25.063 --> 10:29.792 [SPEAKER_02]: As far as I know, the secure email services don't scrape my data. 10:30.633 --> 10:38.964 [SPEAKER_02]: According to the Google Hindi support document, the ability to change your Gmail accounts username will be rolling out to user slowly. 10:39.004 --> 10:42.629 [SPEAKER_02]: There are some restrictions to this new policy though. 10:42.689 --> 10:50.659 [SPEAKER_02]: The main limitation is that if you do change your username, you won't be able to create a new Gmail account for 12 months. 10:51.840 --> 10:56.927 [SPEAKER_02]: You can read about the other restrictions on nine to five google.com at your leisure. 10:57.295 --> 11:00.582 [SPEAKER_02]: Well, that's the last text story I'm going to report on until next year. 11:00.642 --> 11:02.005 [SPEAKER_02]: That old gag. 11:07.117 --> 11:08.039 [SPEAKER_02]: Check I'm using. 11:08.119 --> 11:11.727 [SPEAKER_02]: So what new text did I get for Christmas? 11:12.112 --> 11:13.033 [SPEAKER_02]: Not much, really. 11:13.915 --> 11:18.181 [SPEAKER_02]: I got a pair of the third generation of AirPods Pro, and a case for them. 11:18.983 --> 11:20.285 [SPEAKER_02]: But for my lovely wife. 11:20.885 --> 11:22.388 [SPEAKER_02]: Wink, wink. 11:22.408 --> 11:25.873 [SPEAKER_02]: From my son, my gun electric razor for shaving my head. 11:26.454 --> 11:28.397 [SPEAKER_01]: Can that really be considered tech, though? 11:28.417 --> 11:30.981 [SPEAKER_02]: Well, close enough. 11:31.518 --> 11:33.821 [SPEAKER_02]: Hey, see what I did there, you know, razor-close? 11:34.702 --> 11:35.503 [SPEAKER_02]: I have to get about it. 11:36.365 --> 11:43.394 [SPEAKER_02]: This Phillips head shaver replaces a cheap barbersoll branded one that I bought for about 10 bucks at a local discount outlet last year. 11:43.414 --> 11:49.943 [SPEAKER_02]: I used barbersoll razors for shaving my face and used to use them for shaving my head as well. 11:50.343 --> 11:53.448 [SPEAKER_01]: So you're going for that Mr. Clean look, are you? 11:54.169 --> 11:58.875 [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I was looking up to every taint, most of my hair until my late 40s. 11:59.412 --> 12:01.596 [SPEAKER_02]: Once it started going though, it went fast. 12:02.397 --> 12:08.448 [SPEAKER_02]: The problem was my male patterned baldness looked uneven and stupid, so I decided to just shave all my hair off. 12:09.569 --> 12:19.767 [SPEAKER_02]: Speaking of barbersaw, the company has just withdrawn from the razor cartridge market, and starting next week, they will only be selling shaving cream products and disposable razors. 12:20.725 --> 12:23.309 [SPEAKER_02]: I guess that's why that electric head shaver was so cheap. 12:24.431 --> 12:26.775 [SPEAKER_02]: I'm only going to miss those razor blade quarters as though. 12:27.396 --> 12:30.782 [SPEAKER_01]: Um, maybe you should start a new section dedicated to grooming. 12:31.744 --> 12:33.306 [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, I get what you're saying. 12:34.408 --> 12:40.759 [SPEAKER_02]: I bought my wife, a 13 inch iPad Air, along with a simple case for it for Christmas. 12:40.958 --> 12:48.527 [SPEAKER_02]: My son uses my old second generation 13-inch iPad Pro, and of course I have an M4 chip 13-inch iPad Pro. 12:49.508 --> 12:52.892 [SPEAKER_02]: A poor wife was using an 11-inch bass model iPad from 2023. 12:53.552 --> 12:59.159 [SPEAKER_02]: He probably uses her iPad more than my son and I use our iPads combined. 12:59.219 --> 13:02.983 [SPEAKER_02]: The iPad is her main computing device. 13:03.031 --> 13:04.993 [SPEAKER_02]: So a bigger screen would be better for her. 13:06.155 --> 13:11.321 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll be getting her a Bluetooth keyboard case to go along with her new iPad for her upcoming birthday. 13:12.283 --> 13:17.850 [SPEAKER_02]: I haven't yet decided on whether to get her Apple's keyboard case or going with a third party solution. 13:17.870 --> 13:26.220 [SPEAKER_02]: I got my son, a Samsung two-terabyte internal SSD for his gaming rig, along with an electric toothbrush, 13:26.993 --> 13:31.079 [SPEAKER_02]: As a bonus for my wife, she inherits my second generation's AirPods Pro. 13:31.720 --> 13:34.123 [SPEAKER_02]: Being I now have the third generation pros. 13:35.145 --> 13:38.369 [SPEAKER_02]: These were replaced her first generation AirPods Pro she was using. 13:38.389 --> 13:48.083 [SPEAKER_02]: I spent much of Christmas morning setting up first my new AirPods, then my wife's hand me down AirPods, and finally her new iPad Air. 13:49.065 --> 13:53.091 [SPEAKER_02]: Of course my son didn't require any assistance for installing his new SSD. 13:53.371 --> 13:54.132 [SPEAKER_00]: No. 13:54.297 --> 14:03.086 [SPEAKER_02]: As when I was setting up my own iPad Pro back in October, I couldn't use my wife's old iPad in order to transfer the data over to the new one. 14:03.146 --> 14:08.071 [SPEAKER_02]: Instead, I was forced to use a backup of her older iPad to do so. 14:08.111 --> 14:16.720 [SPEAKER_02]: I knew iPhones were able to use our older iPhones to set up the new one, so I don't know what the problem is with using the same method for iPads. 14:17.061 --> 14:19.343 [SPEAKER_02]: It's most likely a U problem. 14:19.660 --> 14:28.560 [SPEAKER_02]: It probably is while setting up the new iPad Air, I immediately saw how much better its screen is in comparison to a world-based model. 14:29.302 --> 14:30.585 [SPEAKER_02]: The sound is much better too. 14:30.625 --> 14:38.563 [SPEAKER_02]: The AirPods were simple to set up, both my new third generation and my wife's second generation hand me downs. 14:38.746 --> 14:45.379 [SPEAKER_02]: Speaking of my third generation AirPods, Apple has finally provided rubber tips that actually fit my ears. 14:46.101 --> 14:51.752 [SPEAKER_02]: In the past, I had to resort to buying third party tips in order to get a good seal for my AirPods. 14:51.772 --> 14:55.620 [SPEAKER_02]: Of course, I've compared my second and third generation AirPods to each other. 14:56.081 --> 14:59.488 [SPEAKER_02]: There is a slight improvement in sound and noise cancellation. 14:59.857 --> 15:10.222 [SPEAKER_02]: The third generation pods have reduced some of the muddiness of the second generations, but I still prefer the sound of my old beatfit pearls that I use while exercising. 15:10.242 --> 15:16.617 [SPEAKER_02]: I really have been messed around with my new AirPods yet, so I'll update you when I get the chance. 15:17.137 --> 15:21.162 [SPEAKER_02]: The headshaver my son gave me is a huge step up from what I had been using. 15:21.202 --> 15:25.667 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll no longer require the use of razor blade for shaving my head. 15:26.388 --> 15:35.679 [SPEAKER_02]: In fact, I'm so impressed with the Philips headshaver that I'm considering ditching my Panasonic Arc4 in favor of a Philips i9000 razor. 15:36.660 --> 15:41.946 [SPEAKER_02]: That electric razor works as well as the headshaver, I might become razor blade free. 15:42.348 --> 15:47.235 [SPEAKER_02]: So last Wednesday I did a live Peloton Ride reserve for champion members. 15:47.615 --> 15:47.916 [SPEAKER_02]: Really? 15:47.996 --> 15:49.819 [SPEAKER_02]: And what are you a champion of? 15:50.339 --> 15:51.401 [SPEAKER_02]: Well, let me explain. 15:52.402 --> 15:57.650 [SPEAKER_02]: Peloton has instituted different levels as you earn points performing various workouts and tasks. 15:58.591 --> 16:00.754 [SPEAKER_02]: Levels range from bronze to legend. 16:01.936 --> 16:03.678 [SPEAKER_02]: Champion is one level below legend. 16:04.639 --> 16:10.768 [SPEAKER_02]: The idea is that you get rewards for the different levels. 16:11.390 --> 16:14.973 [SPEAKER_02]: One of the awards is access to live rides exclusively for your level. 16:15.934 --> 16:20.479 [SPEAKER_02]: Last week, Peloton had a ride for legend members, and this week, a champion members. 16:21.399 --> 16:28.426 [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know if the other levels will get their own rides or not, but if they do, well, that kinda defeats the purpose of the whole reward system. 16:28.626 --> 16:29.247 [SPEAKER_02]: Don't you think? 16:29.547 --> 16:29.887 [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. 16:30.448 --> 16:41.278 [SPEAKER_02]: Supposedly in the future there will be different types of rewards, but I can't imagine what they'll be. 16:41.512 --> 16:46.741 [SPEAKER_02]: Not my favorite instructor or music genre, but Cody was on good behavior for once. 16:47.683 --> 16:51.990 [SPEAKER_02]: That's probably because he only had one last class until he went on his holiday break. 16:52.912 --> 16:56.438 [SPEAKER_02]: It wasn't the best live ride I've taken, but it wasn't the worst I've had either. 16:56.498 --> 17:06.996 [SPEAKER_02]: This level in reward thing was launched at the same time, Peloton police their new lineup of AI enhanced hardware called a cross-training with Peloton IQ. 17:07.415 --> 17:15.630 [SPEAKER_02]: A ton IQ is just a camera mounted on the bikes display, based on an older now discontinued product, which I don't recall the name of right now. 17:16.391 --> 17:22.402 [SPEAKER_02]: I've heard that this new hardware line is in selling well, which explains why Platon is offering steep discounts on them. 17:23.063 --> 17:29.254 [SPEAKER_02]: For about 600 bucks more than I paid for my regular original bike, I could get a cross-training bike plus. 17:29.234 --> 17:38.887 [SPEAKER_02]: Besides the Pelotoniq module, which I wouldn't be using much, I'd gain a larger monitor that can tilt, and auto-resistance setting. 17:39.968 --> 17:41.050 [SPEAKER_02]: Either would be worth it to me. 17:41.811 --> 17:45.937 [SPEAKER_02]: Now, if Peloton offered some sort of trade-in, well, then I'd consider upgrading. 17:45.997 --> 17:54.448 [SPEAKER_02]: Well, as the year 2025 winds down on some expected products from Apple and others did make an appearance. 17:54.428 --> 18:02.526 [SPEAKER_02]: The updated Apple TV streaming box, which was rumored to have a camera or at least the ability to connect to an external camera was a no-show. 18:02.566 --> 18:06.435 [SPEAKER_02]: That was the only product that would have been an instant purchase for me. 18:07.597 --> 18:10.564 [SPEAKER_02]: Apple's Echo Show competitors to remain a rumor. 18:10.831 --> 18:14.616 [SPEAKER_02]: probably due to the updated digital assistance theory not being ready yet. 18:15.357 --> 18:17.680 [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not really interested in this product anyway. 18:17.700 --> 18:23.988 [SPEAKER_02]: The mock-ups of it resemble a full-size Apple HomePod with an iPad mini attached to it. 18:24.769 --> 18:28.073 [SPEAKER_02]: It looks as if Dr. Frankenstein himself had designed it. 18:29.034 --> 18:31.337 [SPEAKER_02]: The price for this thing will be too high also. 18:32.178 --> 18:34.742 [SPEAKER_02]: The HIP-based MacBook hasn't yet made it to market. 18:35.282 --> 18:42.432 [SPEAKER_02]: Again, I have no interest in this product for myself, but I do have six grandsons that I would consider buying one for when they come of age. 18:43.574 --> 18:51.705 [SPEAKER_02]: Updated AirPods Max are long overdue, but then again, I don't think the market for these over the year headphones is large enough for Apple to pay much attention to. 18:52.445 --> 19:00.816 [SPEAKER_02]: Outside of the giant fruit company, the one product that I was anticipating and would have certainly purchased was the Tesla self-driving car. 19:01.657 --> 19:08.626 [SPEAKER_02]: In late spring, Elon Musk announced that Tesla was going to produce a true self-driving car that would come in at a price of $25,000. 19:08.787 --> 19:13.693 [SPEAKER_02]: It would be released before the end of 2025. 19:14.163 --> 19:15.064 [SPEAKER_02]: Well it didn't happen. 19:15.104 --> 19:15.164 [SPEAKER_02]: No. 19:16.866 --> 19:19.769 [SPEAKER_02]: This automobile would have solved a couple of problems for me. 19:19.789 --> 19:24.034 [SPEAKER_02]: Like fewer trips to Walmart with the one who must be obeyed. 19:24.074 --> 19:30.081 [SPEAKER_02]: That would have been the major problem solved along with saving wear and terror my primary vehicle. 19:30.141 --> 19:35.327 [SPEAKER_02]: I guess the Tesla self-driving car is what we used to call vaporware. 19:35.627 --> 19:36.508 [SPEAKER_02]: Yes. 19:36.623 --> 19:45.851 [SPEAKER_02]: Tech products I'm considering for purchase in 2026 are new over the year headphones for editing episodes of my podcast, and that's about it. 19:46.772 --> 19:50.755 [SPEAKER_02]: Now maybe a better soundbar from my home entertainment system eventually. 19:50.815 --> 19:56.420 [SPEAKER_02]: My next iPhone will probably be the 20th anniversary model that's due in 2027. 19:57.521 --> 20:00.503 [SPEAKER_02]: Hopefully my Mac mini should last me until at least 2028. 20:00.543 --> 20:05.888 [SPEAKER_02]: Though I'd like a new display for it, but that's not a priority right now for me. 20:06.205 --> 20:07.767 [SPEAKER_02]: What tech are you considering for 2026? 20:07.888 --> 20:24.793 [SPEAKER_01]: Entertainment News During the downtime of the holiday season, you're retired. 20:25.213 --> 20:27.657 [SPEAKER_01]: Your whole life has become downtime. 20:27.890 --> 20:37.472 [SPEAKER_02]: that sort of true, but because of the lack of stuff to get together for the podcast and not having to worry about shopping for presents and things, I had a little more time on my hands. 20:38.414 --> 20:46.152 [SPEAKER_02]: Anyway, I've been using that time perusing my paid subscription services in search of something to watch, specifically a movie. 20:46.604 --> 20:48.526 [SPEAKER_02]: Needless to say, I've been disappointed. 20:48.546 --> 20:56.356 [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know if that's because I'm out of touch with modern trends or the industry is just isn't producing movies that I would like to see. 20:56.396 --> 20:58.318 [SPEAKER_02]: Perhaps it's a bit of both. 20:59.360 --> 21:02.864 [SPEAKER_02]: Thank goodness there are plenty of good and great television series being made. 21:02.884 --> 21:09.832 [SPEAKER_02]: I've got a few that I'm watching in season, and a few I'll catch up on while my lovely wife is away. 21:09.872 --> 21:14.518 [SPEAKER_02]: She's leaving early next month for her annual trip to the old country. 21:14.853 --> 21:20.183 [SPEAKER_02]: Let's hope that 206 brings a rebirth of well-written and entertaining movies back. 21:21.105 --> 21:25.633 [SPEAKER_02]: I'm up for a gritty private detective movie that doesn't take place in Los Angeles. 21:26.395 --> 21:28.038 [SPEAKER_02]: Is that too much to ask? 21:28.058 --> 21:29.340 [SPEAKER_02]: Here's looking at you, kid. 21:30.102 --> 21:31.765 [SPEAKER_02]: No one will get that reference. 21:32.586 --> 21:33.047 [SPEAKER_02]: No one. 21:37.010 --> 21:38.051 [SPEAKER_02]: podcast news. 21:39.013 --> 21:51.250 [SPEAKER_02]: As I reported on previously, iOS 26.2 brought with it a welcome change city Apple podcast listening app automatically generated chapters in podcast links are now live. 21:52.172 --> 21:56.919 [SPEAKER_02]: The podcast links are generated by the host mentioning the shows during the podcast. 21:57.900 --> 22:04.249 [SPEAKER_02]: The chapters are obvious, but the podcast links are not 22:04.837 --> 22:09.621 [SPEAKER_02]: Instead, they're right under the show notes if there are any in their own separate section. 22:09.681 --> 22:14.125 [SPEAKER_02]: It takes a while for the transcript chapters and links to appear, though. 22:15.046 --> 22:16.888 [SPEAKER_02]: The view them you'll just have to be patient. 22:17.508 --> 22:23.934 [SPEAKER_02]: Regardless, these updates are a solid and greatly improved the once-inemic Apple Podcasts list in the app. 22:23.954 --> 22:34.624 [SPEAKER_02]: If Apple ever decides to add live streaming with notifications, well, it would become my main podcast listing app. 22:35.228 --> 22:38.791 [SPEAKER_02]: I do most of my podcasts listening while driving somewhere in my car. 22:39.972 --> 22:46.558 [SPEAKER_02]: Not much else is happening in podcasting right now, so I'll give you my year-end state-of-the podcast report. 22:47.019 --> 22:50.221 [SPEAKER_01]: Is it going to include things about audio interfaces? 22:50.842 --> 22:54.225 [SPEAKER_02]: While audio interfaces will be mentioned, I won't go into detail. 22:55.106 --> 22:56.347 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll save that for next year. 22:56.387 --> 23:03.193 [SPEAKER_02]: Over the year, I've unfortunately lost more listeners, not many, but I wish I had gained listeners instead. 23:03.933 --> 23:07.159 [SPEAKER_02]: In order to do so, I've upgraded my audio interface twice. 23:08.281 --> 23:13.810 [SPEAKER_02]: First with a Personus ES2, which sounded better than when I had been using, but required more work. 23:14.952 --> 23:19.360 [SPEAKER_02]: In October, I took advantage of a sale on Amazon and bought a road roadcaster duo. 23:19.400 --> 23:25.992 [SPEAKER_02]: The duo is a very capable device, but ease of use is not in its product description. 23:26.933 --> 23:34.205 [SPEAKER_02]: It does have microphone presets that are supposed to make all processing settings for you, but I didn't find any of them suitable for my uses. 23:35.487 --> 23:39.053 [SPEAKER_02]: I always come off sounding bass heavy and muddy when I use those presets. 23:40.395 --> 23:44.822 [SPEAKER_02]: Information on how to use the settings manually is not readily available even on YouTube. 23:45.964 --> 23:52.435 [SPEAKER_02]: I think I have my audio sound to where I like it now, so it's on to learning the other 23:53.140 --> 23:57.386 [SPEAKER_02]: I may miss him around with other interfaces, but the roadcaster duo is what I'm sticking with. 23:57.446 --> 24:07.460 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll be trying out new things during next year, rolling them out slowly instead of changing everything at once, might even start up the old fringe dispatches show again. 24:07.500 --> 24:14.209 [SPEAKER_02]: If I do, I don't know how long it will last, because I get frustrated reporting on political things. 24:14.710 --> 24:21.139 [SPEAKER_01]: So why would you dip your toes back into politics again? 24:21.473 --> 24:22.774 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll give it one more try. 24:22.794 --> 24:27.500 [SPEAKER_02]: The format will be revamped from what it was in previous iterations. 24:28.240 --> 24:33.606 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll let you know when fringe dispatches, relances if I do decide to relance it that is. 24:33.626 --> 24:38.892 [SPEAKER_02]: I would like to have guests and do some remote reporting on the OFNT podcast in the future. 24:39.132 --> 24:40.173 [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm working on that. 24:40.233 --> 24:43.877 [SPEAKER_02]: I have all the equipment I need, so that's not a concern. 24:44.999 --> 24:48.983 [SPEAKER_02]: I'm open to suggestions on how to improve the OFNT podcast. 24:49.064 --> 24:50.666 [SPEAKER_02]: Do you have any recommendations for me? 24:51.187 --> 24:54.492 [SPEAKER_02]: Email me at ofntpodcast at gmail.com. 24:54.913 --> 24:56.054 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll give you a shout-out. 24:57.356 --> 25:02.063 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll wrap this all up by giving you a list of my favorite podcasts from 2025. 25:02.103 --> 25:07.351 [SPEAKER_02]: The podcast I most listened to was the No Agenda podcast. 25:08.292 --> 25:14.481 [SPEAKER_02]: Adam Curry and John C. Devorek host this show and have been doing so since 2007. 25:16.132 --> 25:19.175 [SPEAKER_02]: Their specialty is deconstructing the news media. 25:19.215 --> 25:23.240 [SPEAKER_02]: For new stories, I listen to the Daily Tea Podcast. 25:24.081 --> 25:26.643 [SPEAKER_02]: Those stories mostly concern happening in the UK. 25:26.703 --> 25:29.386 [SPEAKER_02]: They do cover items from all around the globe. 25:30.427 --> 25:39.237 [SPEAKER_02]: The Daily Tea Podcast is from the Daily Telegraph News Organization and they produce a stable, a very informative shows, while at least in my opinion. 25:39.723 --> 25:43.850 [SPEAKER_02]: For news about Apple, I listen to the Mac Roomer Show podcast. 25:44.512 --> 25:46.716 [SPEAKER_02]: It's one of the few that doesn't get political. 25:47.878 --> 25:59.418 [SPEAKER_02]: But news about the podcasting industry, specifically about the podcast index and podcasting 2.0, I listen to the aptly named podcasting 2.0 podcast. 26:00.280 --> 26:04.347 [SPEAKER_02]: It's hosted by Adam Curry and his both informative and entertaining. 26:05.052 --> 26:11.799 [SPEAKER_02]: Most podcasts I listen to these days are audio dramas, either they're about a dystopian future or horror. 26:12.760 --> 26:15.002 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll just list their names without a description. 26:16.644 --> 26:35.042 [SPEAKER_02]: The no sleep podcast, which is the granddaddy of them all, the strata, the gentleman from hell, ominous thrill, haunted the audio drama, conversations with ghosts, the anti-query 26:35.815 --> 26:36.997 [SPEAKER_02]: the sleep wake cycle. 26:38.219 --> 26:41.705 [SPEAKER_02]: Well these are the podcasts that I listen to the most, check them out. 26:42.386 --> 26:44.350 [SPEAKER_02]: Most are independently produced. 26:45.512 --> 26:50.500 [SPEAKER_02]: If you have any recommendations for me, just try me an email and I'll check out your recommendation. 27:01.060 --> 27:11.038 [SPEAKER_02]: The music is playing this episode 3-0-1 of the OFN-T podcast, and it's the last episode of 2025, begins its ending. 27:11.058 --> 27:15.767 [SPEAKER_02]: I hope you enjoyed this episode, and enjoyed making it for you. 27:16.628 --> 27:21.898 [SPEAKER_02]: To like what you heard, well you can make a donation use the link in the show notes. 27:21.918 --> 27:24.823 [SPEAKER_02]: Any and old donations will be greatly appreciated. 27:26.356 --> 27:32.506 [SPEAKER_02]: You can always reach me at ofntpodcast at gmail.com, and that's only if you're so inclined. 27:34.028 --> 27:35.230 [SPEAKER_02]: I didn't join here in front of you. 27:38.015 --> 27:40.599 [SPEAKER_02]: Remember, don't listen to what they say. 27:42.201 --> 27:43.243 [SPEAKER_02]: Watch what they do. 27:45.386 --> 27:50.835 [SPEAKER_02]: Well, I'm telling you for the last time this year, get off my lawn. 27:50.855 --> 27:52.077 [SPEAKER_02]: Stay skeptical. 27:54.385 --> 27:59.531 [SPEAKER_02]: I'll be before I go! 27:59.551 --> 28:04.937 [SPEAKER_02]: I'd like to wish you a happy and prosperous New Year! 28:06.238 --> 28:07.279 [SPEAKER_02]: See you next year! 28:07.299 --> 28:07.419 [SPEAKER_02]: Don't! 28:11.063 --> 28:12.045 [SPEAKER_00]: Happy New Year! 28:12.745 --> 28:14.347 [SPEAKER_00]: Happy New Year! 28:14.407 --> 28:16.950 [SPEAKER_00]: Happy New Year, y'all! 29:28.160 --> 29:29.402 [SPEAKER_00]: Happy New Year! 29:29.462 --> 29:37.176 [SPEAKER_00]: Okay, British AI guy, do your thing for the last time this year. 29:37.256 --> 29:47.755 [SPEAKER_00]: And that folks is the end of the show.