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Mac Geek Gab — Apple Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

Dave Hamilton, Pilot Pete & Adam Christianson

Get answers to your Apple tech questions every week! Dave Hamilton, Adam Christianson, and Pilot Pete share tips, tricks, and troubleshooting advice for your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and more — all delivered in a fun, friendly way that helps geeks and everyday users alike. Don’t Get Caught without your tech working right!

  1. There’s No Two Hands About It

    Jun 29 • MGG Premium Early Access

    There’s No Two Hands About It

    Recover deleted iMessages, fix white-on-white text, reclaim Mac storage, and more Quick Tips on Mac Geek Gab 1148.

    1h 20m
  2. One Exclamation Point Short

    2d ago

    One Exclamation Point Short

    Ever triggered a hidden Mac feature by accident? This week you’ll find out why a stray backtick fires up the Magnifier in macOS Preview, and how a single screenshot plus built-in OCR can lift text straight out of an image (even if that Wi-Fi password still refuses to cooperate). You’ll grab the trick for sharing your network as a scannable QR code from the Passwords app, learn why YouTube TV blocks video over screen sharing in Chrome while Safari sidesteps it, and untangle guest-mode quirks on Apple Vision Pro. From Touch ID suddenly demanding your password to a backup SSD that swears it’s still In Use, you’ll walk away with the Terminal commands and fixes to set things right. Then you’ll map your next move off a MacBook Air, weighing an M4 Mac mini against an iMac and stalking the refurb store for the right deal. You’ll set HomeKit lights to fade in with sunrise, audit your Tailscale network for sloppy permissions, breathe easier with a tested air purifier, and give that retired iPad a whole second life. And when something mysteriously stops working, Don’t Get Caught burning two hours blaming software for what turns out to be a cable you quietly swapped out: check your cables first. Hit play, load up on tips, and head into your week a little geekier. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1147 for Monday, June 22nd, 2026 00:03:35 June 22nd: National Onion Ring Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Win a license to SaneBox Quick Tips 00:00:01 Susan-QT-macOS Preview has a magnifier in Tools > Show Magnifier 00:03:53 Use the backtick to invoke Magnifier in Preview 00:06:15 Dave-QT-Take a picture or screenshot to OCR text within an image 00:11:32 YouTube TV doesn’t allow video when the screen is being shared…in Chrome …But Safari might let it (it certainly does with Fubo) 00:13:29 Screen Mirroring vs. Apple Vision Pro 00:15:21 QT-KiwiGraham-Passwords app allows you to show a QR code of current wifi network 00:17:31 Bill-1146-Why not use the Apple TV app’s download abilities? Sponsors 00:19:41 SPONSOR: Even Realities G2. Use promo code MGG at evenrealities.com to get 10% off Even Ring 1 and/or Even Clip when you add them to your Even G2 order. 00:21:49 SPONSOR: Scribe. Don’t get caught being the only person who knows how something works. For a limited time, book a demo at scribe.how/MGG and mention MGG for your first month of Scribe Capture free. 00:23:52 SPONSOR: NordLayer Browser. The business browser built for how modern work actually happens — giving IT the visibility and control to secure SaaS, stop phishing, and prevent data leaks right at the source. Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:24:54 Jim-Moving from a MacBook Air to…what next? Set alerts for refurbs at RefurbMe 00:38:14 Joe-HomeKit Light That Fades In and Out Philips Hue Lights Philips Hue Bridge to use HomeKit LIFX Bulbs 00:43:00 MACGEEKGAB to save $50 at Macstock 00:46:32 Richard Davis-Why does Touch ID tell me I need to type my password? If Touch ID isn’t working on your Mac 00:50:00 Todd-?-How to eject an SSD backup drive that’s mysteriously “In Use” sudo mdutil -i off “/Volumes/[Drive Name]” lsof | grep “[Drive Name]” Cool Stuff Found 00:58:52 CSF-Matt from Midlothian-Quip, the clipboard manager, has Capture Text from Screen as a feature 00:59:39 CSF-Winix 5510 Air Purifier 01:02:44 Alexander-CSM-Reevio takes stills and turns them into morphed videos Examples of Adam, Dave, and Pete 01:07:49 Kent-CSF-DAKBoard–1121-Use for an Old iPad – No Coding Required 01:09:26 Steve-CSF-iFramix – A Frame for your old iPad! 01:11:38 Johannes-CSF-Super Productivity – Free! 01:13:04 Arvy-CSF-Tailsnitch does a security audit on your Tailscale Tailnet Don’t Get Caught 01:14:20 RollingTux-DGC-Cables are often the Culprit! 01:16:20 MGG 1147 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

    1h 18m
  3. WWDC 2026 Reactions, Tailscale Tricks, and Charging Hacks That Work

    Jun 15

    WWDC 2026 Reactions, Tailscale Tricks, and Charging Hacks That Work

    This week on Mac Geek Gab, you’re stacking up power moves from the jump. You’ll learn how to clean up messy lists in your favorite text editor, discover that any USB-C port on your MacBook can charge it, and find out why you should be charging your power bank from random ports instead of your iPhone or Mac. iPhones can now serve as Tailscale exit nodes — and that leads down a tangent where the guys dig deep into subnet routing so you understand exactly what that unlocks. You’ll also pick up how to save PDFs on iPhone when all you see is a print icon, how to use Apple Intelligence in Pages to reformat text as recipes, and how to clean up MacWhisper transcripts before anyone sees the raw chaos. Don’t Get Caught running Plex in Low Power Mode, either — there’s a fix for that. Dave also stumbled into a wild Fable moment when the AI found onto an unpublished API and decided to throttle itself back to Opus. Then the crew pivots to WWDC 2026 reactions, and there’s a lot to unpack. One big theme is refinement and stability: the new Liquid Glass slider is a visual treat, and Dave’s already running the beta without disaster. Apple Intelligence is getting a serious upgrade, with Siri becoming more contextually aware of what’s on your device, though the guys push back on where it still falls short compared to tools like Claude Cowork. Parental controls got a surprisingly large share of the spotlight for a developer conference, signaling Apple wants to own the conversation around kids and screen time — this leads to the interesting question of whether spouses can choose to hold each other accountable. Apple Vision Pro gets a Siri Orb and custom panoramas, and iOS 27 dev beta now includes a Recovery mode. Adam’s live from Nerdtacular 2026, and if you’re heading to Macstock, the discount code MACGEEKGAB saves you fifty bucks! 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1146 for Monday, June 15th, 2026 00:03:35 June 15th: Take Your Cat to Work Day Pete lost his cat and she found her way home! MGG Monthly Giveaway – Win a license to SaneBox Quick Tips 00:00:01 Heidi-QT-Clean up messy lists with your favorite text editor 00:07:13 Dan DXZDB-QT-You can use your MacBook’s USB-C Ports to Charge it, too! AlDente 00:09:23 Chris-QT-1143-Charge your Power bank from random charging ports, not your iPhone or Mac 00:12:34 Dave (accidentally) ran into a Fable overstep! It had to throttle down to Opus after it found a company’s unpublished API 00:15:03 Adam is at Nerdtacular 2026 Use the Mac Geek Gab app for the calendar Macstock MGG Discount Coupon: MACGEEKGAB 00:18:43 Phil-QT-Saving Documents as PDFs on iPhone When You Only See a Print Icon 00:20:42 Donald-QT-1145-iPhones can be used as Tailscale exit nodes 00:26:56 Tailscale Subnet Routing 00:29:19 Dom Bettinelli-QT-Clean Up your MacWhisper transcripts 00:30:44 Clif-QT-Use Apple Intelligence in Pages to Reformat as Recipes 00:31:50 QT-Low Power Mode vs. Plex on macOS Sponsors 00:36:38 SPONSOR: Decagon. Ready to transform your customer support? Decagon helps companies create personalized, concierge-style customer experiences with AI agents across chat, email, voice, and SMS. Go to https://decagon.ai/MGG to get a personalized demo and see what Decagon can do for your team. 00:38:16 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://Shopify.com/MGG 00:39:57 SPONSOR: CleanMyMac. Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use our code MACGEEK for 20% off at https://clnmy.com/MACGEEK WWDC Reactions 00:41:32 Operating Systems are focused on refinement Liquid Glass slider Dave’s running the beta…successfully! 00:48:29 Apple Intelligence and Siri AI and Gemini and all of that “Profoundly more capable Assistant” Siri is aware of what’s on my screen? 01:05:10 Where’s the Siri equivalent of Claude Cowork? AI is Assistive Intelligence 01:13:11 WWDC Features Apple Vision Pro Siri Orb and Custom Panoramas 01:13:32 Parental Controls got a LOT of time…for a developer conference Apple wants to be a market leader here in solving this social problem Dave’s question: Can my wife and I set up one another as accountability partners for screen time? 01:18:53 Richard-CSF-iOS27 Dev Beta has Recovery mode 01:21:00 MGG 1146 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

    1h 24m
  4. Mic-graines and Infotainment!

    Jun 8

    Mic-graines and Infotainment!

    Your iPhone might be running hot and draining fast — and it’s not just you. Dave and Pilot Pete break down the battery chaos introduced by iOS 26.5, which brought overheating, accelerated drain, and even blocked wired charging on iPhone 17 and Air models. The fix that’s working for most people: disable iCloud Keychain first, run Reset All Settings, then carefully re-enable iCloud sync — otherwise you’ll nuke your Wi-Fi passwords across every device. iOS 26.5.1 is out and should help, but until you’ve updated, your electrons deserve better. You’ll also learn why Apple ID passkeys are locked to Apple’s own keychain with no known path to third-party managers like 1Password or Keeper, and why editing a contact on a modern Mac can somehow peg every CPU core — in 2026, no less. From there, Dave and Pete tackle the full listener mailbag: how to rescue missing contact names from Messages, the right way to boot a MacBook with a broken display into clamshell mode so it actually uses the external monitor, and a deep dive on 5K vs. 4K displays where Dave argues your eyes may not care as much as the pixel-per-inch math suggests. You’ll get smart ideas for repurposing a 2015 iPad Pro that can’t run modern apps — including Dave’s Claude Code-built weather dashboard running off a headless iMac as a web interface. A crashing 2021 MacBook Pro turns out to have been felled by a single bad SD card, and the lesson is golden: feed your crash reports to an LLM and let it do the digging. And Don’t Get Caught with outdated OpenAI macOS apps — update ChatGPT, Codex, Atlas, and Codex CLI before June 12th to stay ahead of a code-signing rotation triggered by a compromised open-source library. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1145 for Monday, June 8th, 2026 June 8th: National Best Friends Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Win a license to SaneBox Quick Tips 00:00:01 Dan-QT-Multi-select on iPhone with a quick drag 00:04:31 Tim-QT-Have iOS 26.5 Battery Drain? Reset All Settings, but be careful! 00:13:32 Kent-QT-1144-Collapse stacks by clicking the down-facing carat in the menu 00:14:15 Mark-QT-Match Frame Rate on your Apple TV for smoother experiences 00:17:58 What are the differences between refresh rates and frame rates and…why? 00:21:09 KiwiGraham-QT-Apple Account Passkeys vs. Third Party Password Apps Sponsors 00:23:09 SPONSOR: Keeper. Right now, Keeper is offering our listeners 60% off personal and family plans at https://Keepersecurity.com/MGG. This offer is only for podcast listeners! 00:24:50 SPONSOR: Helix Sleep makes premium mattresses and bedding that are customized to fit your personal needs, and conveniently shipped to your door. Go to https://helixsleep.com/MGG for 20% Off Sitewide. 00:26:23 SPONSOR: NordLayer Browser. The business browser built for how modern work actually happens — giving IT the visibility and control to secure SaaS, stop phishing, and prevent data leaks right at the source. Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:28:09 VaShaun-How can I restore lost Contacts on my Mac? 00:37:36 Si-What to do with an 11-year-old iPad? Claude Code 00:46:40 Michael-Why do we have to pull-to-refresh for updates? 00:50:04 Blake-1144-Damaged displays, external monitors, and MonitorControl 00:55:48 Joe & Michael-CSF-1144–RetinaDesk.com for reviews of 5K and 6K monitors BenQ MA270UP 27” 4K Display Reviews 01:02:50 Hog fan and Cowboy fan-MGG Review–Favorite Tech podcast Don’t Get Caught 01:04:14 Father John-DGC-Investigate those crash reports before you replace your Mac 01:09:26 Update your ChatGPT Apps ChatGPT Desktop Codex App Codex CLI Atlas 01:11:06 Andy-DGC-When Troubleshooting, Don’t Get Caught asking the wrong questions or assuming the wrong facts 01:19:36 MGG 1145 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

    1h 22m
  5. Translate Anything, Tame Your Desktop, and Dodge the Plex Price Hike

    Jun 1

    Translate Anything, Tame Your Desktop, and Dodge the Plex Price Hike

    This week you’ll learn to lean on Apple Intelligence to translate almost any text on the fly, lock down and hide sensitive apps on iOS, and finally tame your Desktop by remembering it’s just part of the Finder: flip on Stacks and/or let Hazel do the sorting for you. You’ll dig into why a 4K monitor looks different on your Mac than it does on Windows or Linux, hear how a BenQ display stacks up against a beloved LG, and grab Mirror Mode and BetterDisplay tricks for when you power down an external screen. Cracked your MacBook screen? Hook up an external display to rescue your data, or give that machine new life as a headless server. You’ll also get Siri reminding you the moment you arrive somewhere, and discover why your robot vacuum deserves an annual reset. Then it’s your questions: whether you actually need a Plex Pass, and how to not get caught off guard when the lifetime price leaps to $749.99 on July 1st! Plus how to wrangle your @mac.com, @me.com, and @icloud.com addresses and confirm a cable is truly PD-qualified before you trust it. Cool Stuff Found rounds things out with a color-screen USB cable tester, single-purpose apps that nail one job, agentic coding adventures, a Logitech Combo Touch case for your iPad Pro, and Mole’s brand-new macOS app. And when your Mac finally screams that it’s out of space? You’ll know exactly what to do. Don’t Get Caught missing it. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1144 for Monday, June 1st, 2026 June 1st: Flip a Coin Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Win a license to SaneBox Quick Tips 00:00:01 Clif-QT-Use Apple Intelligence to translate (almost) any text 00:03:33 Pilot Pete-QT-iOS Secure Apps & Hide Apps iOS Mac Geek Gab YouTube Channel Shorts 00:05:41 Ben-QT-Reminder that the Desktop is part of the Finder 00:06:33 Using Stacks on the Desktop Finder, move to Desktop, then View > Use Stacks Use Hazel to keep your Desktop, Downloads, and more organized 00:12:39 Albert-QT-Why a 4K Monitor is Different on Mac vs. Windows/Linux 00:16:01 BenQ MA270UP 27” 4K Display looks (to Dave) as good as his former LG Display 00:20:04 Drewski-QT-Mirror Mode helps when powering off a connected external monitor BetterDisplay LG 27UP850K-W 27-inch Ultrafine 4K UHD that Adam uses 00:23:55 What to do when your MacBook screen is broken? PrismCast 00:27:11 Pilot Pete-QT-Ask Siri to Remind you to do something when you arrive at a location 00:29:31 Dave-WWDC week vs. a Red Barchetta Nerdtacular 00:32:34 Dave-QT-Reset all your robot vacuum once a year Sponsors 00:35:02 SPONSOR: CarGurus. Buy or sell your next car today with CarGurus. Check it out at https://cargurus.com/ 00:36:44 SPONSOR: NordLayer Browser. The business browser built for how modern work actually happens — giving IT the visibility and control to secure SaaS, stop phishing, and prevent data leaks right at the source. 00:38:06 MGG’s Longest Continually-Running Sponsor: Bare Bones released BBEdit 16! MGG Reviews 00:39:11 Jeff Murphy-MGG Review-Favorite podcast for when I’m mowing the lawn 00:39:45 NYCSteph18-MGG Review-True! At least five new things learned every week Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:40:56 Brian-Do I need a Plex Pass? 00:42:34 Lifetime Plex Pass jumping to $749.99 on July 1st 00:46:19 Kirit-How best to manage @mac.com @me.com and @icloud.com addresses? 00:53:32 Brian-How can I tell if my cable is PD Qualified? Search UL Database Search USB.org certified database Describe what you have and ask your favorite LLM to do the legwork Cool Stuff Found 00:57:57 Tom-CSF-1143-Treedix USB Cable Tester with Color Screen – $49 01:00:27 Dave-CSF-MacPaw one-use-case apps 01:05:33 Agentic Coding with Claude Code and more 01:08:15 Pilot Pete-CSF-Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case for iPad Pro 13-inch (M4, M5) 01:11:49 Dave-CSF-Mole now has a macOS GUI App 01:13:34 I ran out of space on my Mac! 01:14:43 MGG 1144 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

    1h 16m
  6. How Do We Say G?

    May 25

    How Do We Say G?

    Geek Pride Day kicks off an episode packed with the kind of tips you’ll actually use. You’ll learn why Shift+Tab is your fastest escape from a runaway numbered list, how holding the lower-left CarPlay button summons Siri, and why copy/paste (and drag-and-drop) between apps still beats exporting and re-importing every time. You’ll also get the real story on Comcast’s email migration (spoiler: it’s not mandatory), discover why the Screenshot app blows past Command-Shift-5 (and -4), and figure out how to shut down the fake browser notifications hijacking your Mac. Then it’s into the meaty stuff: whether those no-name fast chargers are quietly cooking your devices, and the brands the guys actually trust to plug in without worry. Public charging stations look innocent until they aren’t, so the crew breaks down power-only cables, data blockers, and the chillingly clever O.MG Cable from Hak5: Don’t Get Caught handing a stranger the keys to your iPhone over a free USB port. You’ll get strategies for sharing organized photo libraries with the non-Mac humans in your life, dock recommendations for driving external monitors from your laptop, and a stacked Cool Stuff Found run featuring Gifski for gorgeous animated GIFs, WhatCable.uk for decoding that mystery USB-C cable in your drawer, Talk For Me v3 piping text-to-speech into FaceTime calls, and free GigSky eSIM data for Visa Signature cardholders heading abroad. Press play, take notes, and keep your gear (and your data) yours. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1143 for Monday, May 25th, 2026 May 25th: Geek Pride Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Function101 Apple TV Button Remote The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Ben-QT-Use Shift+Tab to back out of a numbered list 00:03:31 Todd-QT-Hold Lower-Left CarPlay button to invoke Siri 00:04:39 QT-Remember you can copy/paste images between apps Drag-and-Drop often works, too, even while switching apps 00:07:02 Eric-QT-1142-The Comcast Email switch isn’t mandatory Upgrade your comcast.net email experience to Yahoo Mail 00:16:15 J-QT-Use the Screenshot app for more screenshot flexibility Store your screenshots on a shared drive (iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Synology Drive, etc) OnyX Sponsors 00:20:05 SPONSOR: Even Realities G2. Use promo code MGG at evenrealities.com to get 10% off Even Ring 1 and/or Even Clip when you add them to your Even G2 order. 00:22:06 SPONSOR: BBEdit, the power tool for text from Bare Bones Software; now with integrated Notebooks and extended language support. Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:23:37 Rick-How do I stop fraudulent notifications on my Mac? Check your browser’s notifications Check your browser extension 00:30:54 Joe-Are No-Name-Brand Fast Chargers Safe? An incomplete list of brands we trust Anker Chargers Baseus Chargers Ugreen Chargers Satechi Chargers 00:40:15 Adam Savage’s Tested Channel Power Only Cables for “Public Charging Stations” Hak5 – O.MG Cable Data Blocker Pass Through Connectors 00:49:50 Kenneth-Sharing organized photos with all my family, including non-Mac-users Flickr Pro Or your cloud-based USB stick options: Dropbox (for Photo Sharing) Google Drive (for Photo Sharing)  00:57:32 Brent-What docks do you recommend for my laptop with external monitors? Cool Stuff Found 01:03:47 Ben-CSF-Gifski, a free, full-featured Movie-to-Animated GIF converter 01:08:12 Gary-CSF-WhatCable.uk to learn what your USB-C Cables can do 01:09:32 Darrin-CSM-Talk For Me v3.0 allows Text To Speech to be routed into FaceTime and voice calls 01:12:01 J-CSF-Free GigSky eSIM plans with Visa Signature Cards US Mobile’s Unlimited plan comes with an included Apple Watch plan, too! 01:14:04 ATC-Darknet Diaries Podcast EP 161: MG – With the developer of the O.MG Cable from Hak5 01:15:30 MGG 1143 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

    1h 17m
  7. Must-Know AirPods, Screen Sharing & Smart Home Wins for Apple Users

    May 18

    Must-Know AirPods, Screen Sharing & Smart Home Wins for Apple Users

    You’ll sharpen your daily tech game this week: add names directly to Mail recipient fields, kill those sneaky iOS nickname pop-ups before they embarrass you, and stay alert to Low Power Mode. Long-press your steering wheel button to summon Siri faster, welcome ChatGPT and Perplexity to CarPlay, untangle Apple’s App Entitlements, and stream HLS video right inside the updated MGG iOS app. Don’t Get Caught treating your LLM like a glorified search bar—re-task it as a brainstorming partner, let agents check each other’s work, troubleshoot stubborn email issues, and have it build its own skills using Claude Code and CoWork. Your questions and tips drive the back half: disconnect AirPods from your Mac in one tap with ToothFairy or Control Center, dial in rock-solid remote screen sharing using Jump Desktop, Zoom, and Tailscale, stop your iPhone ringer from accidentally flipping, and plan your escape from Comcast email by grabbing a real domain through Cloudflare, Namecheap, or GoDaddy. Then it’s Cool Stuff Found season—Bartender 6 reclaims your menu bar, the Syntech case protects your Apple Vision Pro, and the Mila Air3 and Honeywell HEPA purifiers clean up your air. Plus a heap of love for Eufy lawnmowers, vacuums, and doorbells, all wired together with Homebridge and Home Assistant. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1142 for Monday, May 18th, 2026 May 18th: Send an Electronic Greeting Card Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Function101 Apple TV Button Remote The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Ben-QT-Add a name to the Mail recipient field 00:03:43 Beware of Nicknames showing on iOS You can disable this! 00:08:08 The lessons we learn about our tech when traveling 00:08:49 QT-Be aware of Low Power Mode. Also App Tamer 00:13:56 Larry-QT-Long Press Steering Wheel Voice Command to activate Siri 00:16:14 ChatGPT and Perplexity are allowed to use CarPlay now 00:18:00 Apple’s App Entitlements 00:19:26 Mac Geek Gab iOS App adds HLS video 00:22:35 David-QT-Use an LLM to troubleshoot your email 00:24:33 Re-assign your LLM, re-task it. Treat your LLM like a brainstorming assistant. Claude CoWork (and Claude Code) 00:29:45 Let your agents check one another 00:33:16 Have your LLM create skills for you Reviews 00:36:26 Jamcycler-MGG Review-My Favorite Podcast Sponsors 00:38:02 SPONSOR: Keeper. Right now, Keeper is offering our listeners 60% off personal and family plans at https://Keepersecurity.com/MGG. This offer is only for podcast listeners! 00:39:41 SPONSOR: Shopify. In 2026, stop waiting and start selling with Shopify. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://Shopify.com/MGG 00:41:28 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at https://gusto.com/MGG Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:43:07 Gino CO-How can I easily disconnect my AirPods from my Mac? ToothFairy Or Control Center Or Sound Menu Opt-plus-Mute/Volume keys will bring you to System Settings Sound Pane 00:49:09 Paul-Best Method for Screen Sharing? Jump Desktop Tailscale 00:55:04 Barb-How can I stop from accidentally toggling my iPhone ringer on and off? 00:57:13 Roger-What to do about Comcast email going away? Cloudflare Registrar Namecheap GoDaddy Cool Stuff Found 01:02:21 DLH-CSF-Bartender 6 / Pro / Mega 01:04:53 ATC/PP-CSF-Syntech Apple Vision Pro Case 01:09:25 CSF-Mila Air3 Purifier 01:11:37 n-Greg-CSF-Honeywell Allergen Plus HEPA Large Room Air Purifier 01:12:41 Some love for Eufy Eufy Lawnmower Eufy Vacuums Eufy Doorbells Homebridge Home Assistant 01:24:36 MGG 1142 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

    1h 26m
  8. The eSIM Showdown, Sync Mysteries, and Must-Know Mac Tricks

    May 11

    The eSIM Showdown, Sync Mysteries, and Must-Know Mac Tricks

    Buckle up, geeks! This week’s Quick Tips have you refreshing the App Store like a pro, turning Finder’s Quick Actions into a PDF-combining powerhouse, swiping that iOS cut/copy/paste bar like a power user, and finally taming horizontal scrolling on your non-Apple mouse. Then it’s tales from the road: Adam wrestles eSIMs into submission with a Starlink cameo, Linda accidentally invents her own ISP, Mint Mobile’s tablet plan steps into the spotlight, and Dave shares what he learned from TP-Link about the FCC saga you’ll want in your ears before your next router purchase. Your questions get the full treatment, too. VaShaun learns how to keep his SSID intact when switching providers (including travel router magic!), Jim battles a stubborn Trash with rm, lsof, and fuser so you Don’t Get Caught staring at undeletable files, and GW finally gets a straight answer on why sync is so hard. Cool Stuff Found rounds it out with WhiteScreen.Online turning your devices into panel lights, Zenringer landing at half price, the Basic Bookmark Checker tidying your digital life, the Flipper Zero cloning whatever’s clonable, and the OBDEleven gen 3 unlocking your car’s hidden settings. Hit play and geek out. 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1141 for Monday, May 11th, 2026 May 11th: National Technology Day MGG Monthly Giveaway – Enter to win a Function101 Apple TV Button Remote The MGG Merch Store is Live! Quick Tips 00:00:01 Michael-QTR-Refresh Appstore Update 00:03:00 Bill-QT-Making a PDF with “Quick Actions” Menu in Finder Apple Support Combine PDFs 00:05:30 Lucas from Chicago-QT-Swipe the bar/menu of cut/copy/paste options on iOS 00:07:16 ACTUALLY combining PDFs on the Mac in the Finder Combine files into a PDF on Mac (in Finder) 00:09:12 David-QT-Horizontal Scrolling with a Non-Apple Mouse! Stories from Travels 00:11:43 Adam and The eSIM Starlink Internet eSIMDB US Mobile 00:21:51 LindaNET (because Linda had a DSL line and resold her high speed internet) 00:22:32 Mint Mobile Tablet Plan 00:26:04 Dave vs. TP-Link and The FCC Sponsors 00:28:00 SPONSOR: CarGurus. Meet CarGurus Discover, a new search feature where you can look for vehicles based on the way you think—using your own words. No more being boxed in by filters. Check it out at https://cargurus.com/ 00:29:11 SPONSOR: NordLayer Browser. The business browser built for how modern work actually happens — giving IT the visibility and control to secure SaaS, stop phishing, and prevent data leaks right at the source. 00:30:08 SPONSOR: CleanMyMac. Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use our code MACGEEK for 20% off at clnmy.com/MACGEEK Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared! 00:31:30 VaShaun-Can I Keep my SSID when I get a new provider? Use your home’s same SSID/password on your travel router so everything connects all the time 00:39:01 Jim-How do I empty a stubborn Trash on my Mac? rm vs. rmdir vs. rm -rf sudo lsof +D /path/to/folder sudo fuser -v /path/to/folder Command-Shift-Period in Finder shows hidden files 00:50:27 GW-Why is Sync “Hard?” Cool Stuff Found 00:58:11 Stephen-CSF-WhiteScreen.Online turns your device into a panel light 01:01:12 Michael-CSM-Zenringer (link gets you half price for MGG listeners) 01:02:16 Donald-CSM-1128-Basic Bookmark Checker to clean things up! 01:03:13 Rob in STL-CSF-Flipper Zero for cloning (your?) badges and more 01:06:34 Richard-CSF-1111-ODBEleven gen 3 for tweaking your car’s settings 01:09:11 MGG 1141 Outtro MGG Monthly Giveaway Bandwidth Provided by CacheFly Pilot Pete’s Aviation Podcast: So There I Was (for Aviation Enthusiasts) The Debut Film Podcast – Adam’s new podcast! Dave’s Business Brain (for Entrepreneurs) and Gig Gab (for Working Musicians) Podcasts MGG Merch is Available! Mac Geek Gab iOS app Mac Geek Gab YouTube Page Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews feedback@macgeekgab.com 224-888-GEEK Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List BackBeat Media Podcast Network

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Get answers to your Apple tech questions every week! Dave Hamilton, Adam Christianson, and Pilot Pete share tips, tricks, and troubleshooting advice for your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and more — all delivered in a fun, friendly way that helps geeks and everyday users alike. Don’t Get Caught without your tech working right!

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