Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and I share our self-imposed tech deadlines for the hardware and software they use.

This episode is sponsored by:

• Memberful – Easy-to-Use Reliable Membership Software

NPC: Next Portable Console

Brendon, Federico, and I are back for another week of handheld news, including a tiny bit of Switch 2 news, an up and down week for Retroid, DS handhelds inch forward, Samsung wonders if thumbholes are the perfect complement to thumbsticks, and AYANEO decides thumbsticks aren’t worth the trouble. Plus, Brendon shares NextUI and the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Controller.

NPC XL

This week, Federico, Brendon, and I take listeners on a tour of our handheld and console gaming histories.

AppStories, Episode 426, ‘Our Self-Imposed Tech Deadlines’ Show Notes

Links and Show Notes

• Introducing NPC XL More NPC, Every Week

Our Tech Deadlines

• Federico
  • Absent significant improvements in iPadOS 19, Federico will add a Mac to his setup.
    • iPad Pro for Everything How I Rethought My Entire Workflow Around the New 11 iPad Pro - MacStories
    • Not an iPad Pro Review Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right
  • Unless ChatGPT starts integrating more tightly with apps, Federico will cancel his subscription.
  • Absent new exclusives, Federico will sell his PS5.
• John
  • Barring substantial iPadOS improvements, John plans to experiment with Android tablets.
    • Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3
  • If Apple’s cellular modems extend the battery life of the iPhone 17 Pro phones, John may drop out of Plus Club.
  • If Apple supports third-party plugins for Final Cut Pro for iPad, John will consider moving more of his video editing to the iPad.

AppStories+ Post-Show

• Federico
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max
  • 27” OLED display
  • Nintendo Switch 2, Retroid Pocket Flip 2, Legion Go 2
• John
  • iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max
  • 14” MacBook Pro
  • Smart Lock
  • Nintendo Switch 2, Retroid Pocket Flip 2, Legion Go 2

Subscribe here.

On AppStories+, Federico and I follow up our tech deadlines with the hardware we expect to add to our setups in 2025.

We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.

To learn more about the benefits included with an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.

NPC, Episode 23, ‘Holey Controller Batman: Samsung’s Prototype Handheld’ Show Notes

The Latest Portable Gaming News

• Switch 2 info from the FCC
  • The Nintendo Switch 2 will have NFC and Wi-Fi 6, FCC filings show The Verge
• Retroid’s mystery background device revealed
  • Retroid Pocket Classic Unveiled A Return to Form - Retro Handhelds
  • Six button version
    • There’s a Six Button Retroid Pocket Classic - Retro Handhelds
  • Retroid Mini Screen Issue
    • It’s Official Retroid Pocket Mini Shader Issue Cannot Be Fixed - Retro Handhelds
• MagicX Targets DS Emulation with Zero 40 Specs Reveal - Retro Handhelds
• RPCS3 for Android Shares First Alpha Build - Retro Handhelds
• Samsung unveiled a prototype foldable handheld
• AYANEO Deletes Sticks & Reveals New $179 Pocket Micro Classic

Topics

• MinUI Next
• 8BitDo Ultimate 2 First Impressions
  • From 8BitDo
  • From Amazon

NPC XL, Meet the Hosts: Our Gaming Origin Stories

NPC XL is a weekly members-only version of NPC with extra content, available exclusively through our new Patreon for $5/month. Each week on NPC XL, Federico, Brendon, and John record a special segment or deep dive about a particular topic that is released alongside the “regular” NPC episodes.

MacStories launched its first podcast in 2017 with AppStories. Since then, the lineup has expanded to include a family of weekly shows that also includes MacStories Unwind, Magic Rays of Light, Ruminate, Comfort Zone, and NPC: Next Portable Console that collectively, cover a broad range of the modern media world from Apple’s streaming service and videogame hardware to apps for a growing audience that appreciates our thoughtful, in-depth approach to media.

If you’re interested in advertising on our shows, you can learn more here or by contacting our Managing Editor, John Voorhees.