HANDS-ON APPLE

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Hands-On Apple (Audio)

TWiT
  • 4.2 (17)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hands-On Apple explores and explains the Mac — and beyond! From clever Terminal commands to little-known iOS settings, Mikah Sargent shares all the best tips and tricks for your Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch. You'll get all the details on Apple's apps and the best apps in the App Store, you'll learn about awesome accessories for your Apple devices, and you'll explore updates to Apple's operating systems — including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Hands-On Apple is your one-stop shop for Apple know-how. You can join Club TWiT for $10 per month and get ad-free audio and video feeds for all our shows plus everything else the club offers...or get just this podcast ad-free for $5 per month. New episodes every Thursday.

  1. 3D AGO

    Activity Monitor

    Learn why Activity Monitor is the macOS tool experienced users trust first to diagnose hidden memory drains, runaway CPU usage, and behind-the-scenes energy hogs. Mastering a single built-in tool can put real-time answers and expert-level control right at your fingertips. Quick Access Methods: Spotlight, Finder, and Utilities Folder Five Main Tabs: CPU, Memory, Energy, Disk, and Network Explained Sorting and Identifying Resource-Heavy Processes in CPU Tab Understanding Percent CPU, Multi-Core Macs, and High Usage Scenarios Spotting and Managing Frozen or Runaway Apps via Activity Monitor The Importance of the Kind Column: Rosetta Support and Apple Silicon Transition Using Memory Tab and Pressure Graph to Gauge RAM Health Sorting by Memory to Find Leaky or Misbehaving Apps Energy Tab Insights: Finding Battery-Draining and Power-Hungry Apps Disk Tab: Diagnosing Read/Write Issues and Competing Background Tasks Network Tab: Tracking Data-Heavy Apps and Monitoring for Security Live Dock Icon Graphs for CPU, Network, and Disk Usage How to Force Quit or Inspect Troubled Processes in Activity Monitor Homework: Add Activity Monitor to Dock and Monitor Rosetta Apps Before Support Ends Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Apple at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-apple Want access to the ad-free audio and video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: outsystems.com/twit

    32 min

  2. 3D AGO ·  BONUS

    You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast

    Introducing The Co-Founders of Claude AI Tell Oprah About the Impact Artificial Intelligence Has on Your Life from The Oprah Podcast. Follow the show: The Oprah Podcast The siblings and co-founders of Claude AI, the CEO, Dario Amodei, and the President, Daniela Amodei, sit down with Oprah for an in-depth discussion on Artificial Intelligence and its profound impact on all of us. Anthropic is one of the largest tech companies leading AI development including their enormously popular chatbot assistant Claude. Dario and Daniela discuss the ethical responsibility and moral questions that come with creating advanced A.I., their new model Mythos and share their thoughts around government regulation. They talk about the potential risks and benefits of A.I. in everyday lives, the impact on jobs and how it will affect children. The Amodei siblings also explain their headline-making refusal of the Pentagon’s request to remove guardrails from Claude and the behind-the-scenes discussions that helped shape their decision. 00:00:00 - Welcome Daniela and Dario Amodei, founders of Anthropic 00:01:47 - Dario on human extinction 00:04:40 - What is the AI race 00:08:00 - Athropic’s safety concerns 00:09:26 - Why they are a public benefit corporation 00:11:20 - How the siblings formed Anthropic 00:13:00 - Can AI be created responsibly 00:14:12 - Benefits and the harms 00:18:52 - People falling in love with AI 00:20:30 - Claude and underage users 00:22:18 - How Claude does not incentivize users 00:28:33 - Anthropic’s refusal to remove guardrails 00:35:10 - Hard decisions they have had to make 00;38:35 - What regulation should look like 00:40:45 - Should people view AI negatively? 00:43:00 - The AI problem to solve 00:48:20 - Men use AI more than women 00:49:30 - What is Mythos 00:53:20 - Does this keep them up at night? 00:54:15 - What keeps ego in check 00:58:20 - Will they get this right? 00:59:15 - Are there others doing this responsibly? 01:03:25 - What is the meaning of a well-lived life? Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. MAY 14

    Using Playlist Playground

    Apple Music's Playlist Playground does more than just pick songs; it curates playlists that actually flow together, tailored to your mood or activity. Mikah shows how to craft and customize dynamic playlists with minimal effort. How Playlist Playground differs from classic playlist and Siri options Step-by-step demo: Creating playlists with plain language prompts Editing and customizing AI-generated playlists, adjusting song choices Adding, removing, and refreshing songs within Playlist Playground Changing playlist artwork and privacy sharing options Organizing Playlist Playground creations for easy access Playlist flow and song order improvements with AI Age, subscription, and device requirements Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Apple at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-apple Want access to the ad-free audio and video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: Melissa.com/twit

    16 min

  4. MAY 7

    TextEdit on macOS

    TextEdit has quietly been on your Mac for years, but most users overlook its power as the fastest way to capture, clean up, and organize daily notes. See why switching your workflow to this "basic" app might be the biggest upgrade you make this year. Rich text versus plain text explained and compared Setting TextEdit defaults for efficient daily use Benefits of plain text: notes, code, and stripping formatting Practical TextEdit workflows for editing and organizing notes Key TextEdit settings for customization and accessibility Spellcheck, grammar, and formatting options demystified Detailed walkthrough of Find, Replace, and regex search Using version history and document recovery in TextEdit Speech tool for proofreading and accessibility highlighted When (and when not) to use TextEdit versus other apps Integrating TextEdit into workflow Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Apple at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-apple Want access to the ad-free audio and video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: outsystems.com/twit

    31 min

  5. APR 30

    Sign in with Apple: Pros & Cons

    Sign in with Apple feels effortless, but is that convenience worth putting all your digital eggs in one basket? Get the practical advice you need to balance seamless logins with long-term account access. How Sign In With Apple works across devices and platforms Demonstrating account creation and login using Hide My Email Managing, editing, and removing Sign In With Apple logins Risks of account loss if Apple ID becomes unavailable Tips for safely using Sign In With Apple for critical accounts Benefits and limitations of federated logins like Apple, Google, Facebook Key privacy advantages: no tracking, Hide My Email, and two-factor authentication Recommended management routines and account recovery precautions Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Apple at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-apple Want access to the ad-free audio and video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

    17 min

  6. APR 23

    Focus Modes Pt. 3

    Focus modes on your Apple devices can be transformative, but they're also plagued by clunky settings and sync headaches. Mikah Sargent gets real about the practical benefits, dealbreakers, and smart workarounds. Why most users ignore or misuse Focus modes Building a useful "Work" focus mode step-by-step Setting up allowed contacts, apps, and focus filters for work Automating work focus mode with schedules and location triggers Customizing visuals and widgets for work focus on Mac, iPhone, and iPad Creating a "Wind Down" focus for evening transitions Limiting urgency, contacts, and app notifications during Wind Down Adjusting visuals and automations for a restful device experience Designing a "Weekend" focus to reduce work-related interruptions Silencing work contacts and apps; surfacing personal calendars and profiles Scheduling weekend focus mode for Fridays through Sundays Honest breakdown: Focus sync glitches, app limitations, confusing notification behavior, and abuse of "time sensitive" alerts Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Apple at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-apple Want access to the ad-free audio and video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: threatlocker.com/twit

    29 min

  7. APR 16

    Focus Modes Pt. 2

    Find out how Apple's Focus filters quietly transform your entire digital environment, switching not just alerts but the apps, screens, and even info you see the moment you switch context. Mikah Sargent shows how to turn your Apple setup into a tailored workday powerhouse or a distraction-free oasis with just a tap. Customizing app content and behavior with focus filters Built-in focus filters for Mail, Calendar, Messages, Safari, and system settings Third-party apps and the slow adoption of focus filter support Lock screen and home screen pairing with focus modes Crafting lock screens for work, mindfulness, and other custom focus modes Environmental and contextual device changes triggered by focus modes Combining notification rules, filters, and screen pairing for a unified experience Real-world work and personal scenarios made easier with focus modes Hands-on homework: setting up focus filters, screen pairings, and Safari tab groups Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Apple at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-apple Want access to the ad-free audio and video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.

    22 min

  8. APR 9

    Focus Modes Pt. 1

    Most users barely scratch the surface of Apple's Focus presets and triggers. Find out how customizing these settings can turn your device into a smart assistant that truly gets your day-to-day routine. These overlooked Focus features can let you shape your own digital boundaries. Differences Between Focus Modes and Classic Do Not Disturb Overview of Built-In Focus Presets and Customization Options Manual Activation and Scheduling of Focus Modes on Devices Focus Automation: Timed, Location-Based, App-Based, and Smart Activation Controlling Who and What Gets Through During a Focus Allow Lists vs Block Lists for Contacts and Apps Creating a Custom "Heads Down" Focus Mode Step-by-Step Deep Work Focus: Customizing Allowed Notifications and Triggers Homework Challenge: Set Up and Live With a Focus Mode Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Apple at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-apple Want access to the ad-free audio and video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: Melissa.com/twit

    21 min
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Trailers

Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Hands-On Apple explores and explains the Mac — and beyond! From clever Terminal commands to little-known iOS settings, Mikah Sargent shares all the best tips and tricks for your Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch. You'll get all the details on Apple's apps and the best apps in the App Store, you'll learn about awesome accessories for your Apple devices, and you'll explore updates to Apple's operating systems — including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Hands-On Apple is your one-stop shop for Apple know-how. You can join Club TWiT for $10 per month and get ad-free audio and video feeds for all our shows plus everything else the club offers...or get just this podcast ad-free for $5 per month. New episodes every Thursday.

Information

  • Creator
    TWiT
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    173
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License - Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
  • Show Website
    Hands-On Apple (Audio)
  • Provider
    TWiT, LLC

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