Arc’s Sunset, iPhone Duo Issues and Apple’s New Macs

The hosts introduce themselves and joke about their Halloween costumes, including tech-themed and Shrek characters. They explain a mix-up about the costume theme before moving on to the episode’s topics.

The hosts discuss an intermittent problem with YouTube’s publishing controls in Firefox and a possible fix for broken episode chapters involving the timestamp format. They describe the proposed fix as a hypothesis that needs more testing.

The hosts discuss the decision to sunset Arc, earlier assurances that it would remain, and alternatives such as Zen and Dia. They consider Arc’s influence on other browsers and describe developers quickly making or updating apps for the iPhone Duo. One host says he has returned to an iPhone 18 Pro, while describing both the Duo’s appeal and its frustrations.

The hosts review reports of a recurring line across some Duo inner displays and discuss possible hinge and impact-related explanations from teardowns. They relay Apple’s statement that a small number of units are affected, while noting that the cause remains uncertain. The discussion covers replacement support, dust, the display’s outer layer, using two phones, and preferences for telephoto and ultrawide cameras.

The hosts discuss Motion VFX becoming integrated into Final Cut Pro through Apple’s Creator Studio subscription. They consider access for existing customers, whether plugins will remain available through one-time purchases, and the future of plugins for other editing software. They also discuss subscription pricing, student access and the value of the included library.

A host describes a Pro Tools playback feature being available only in the more expensive tier. The group compares this with Dia’s Daily Brief pricing, then discusses No Man’s Sky’s continued updates and its earlier reception before setting up trivia.

The hosts quiz each other about when Chrome OS is scheduled to be phased out. They discuss the distinction between Chromebooks and Google Books and refer to a report about a transition to Google Book OS; the answer is held until later in the episode.

The hosts review the announced iPad mini’s OLED display, A20 Pro chip, storage, 60 Hz refresh rate, Touch ID, acoustic display, IP rating and available configurations. They debate its price, color choices and missing features, and consider its role as a compact tablet alongside the iPhone Duo and larger iPads.

The hosts describe the new M6 iMac and 14-inch MacBook Pro as chip refreshes, noting the iMac’s quoted performance comparison with Intel-based models and the MacBook Pro’s starting price, memory and storage.

The hosts discuss the MacBook Pro with a tandem OLED touchscreen, its display quality, price, thinner bezels and Dynamic Island. They also cover the glowing Apple logo, speaker changes, redesigned cooling and lower weight, alongside configuration and memory options.

The hosts describe the MacBook Pro’s touch gestures and interface adjustments, but report awkwardness when using small on-screen controls. They discuss the lack of Apple Pencil support, the touchscreen as an optional feature, and how the MacBook Pro and iPhone Duo blur boundaries between Apple product categories.

The hosts introduce a trivia question about Warhound, a company described as making dogs, and discuss a distinction in how Palmer Luckey’s role was described: he has said he did not found or invest in the company and is not involved day to day.

Ellis explains that he disconnected his LG TV from the internet and built a browser-based streaming interface using an old Windows computer. The hosts discuss ways people access and customize Samsung and LG TV software, reported tracking and microphone concerns, and the risks of changing system files. They also talk about AI-assisted coding, custom firmware, smart-home control and reverse engineering software and games.

The hosts reveal the answer to their Chrome OS trivia question: June 2034. They compare their guesses and discuss the long advance notice implied by the announced timeline.

The hosts reveal the three traits in the Warhound trivia question: cybernetic augmentations, genetic modification and cloning. They discuss the claims presented in the episode, including that Palmer Luckey is described as a co-creator but not a founder or day-to-day participant, and debate the use of real dogs.