Beyond Devices Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 26 – Pixel C Reviews, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Apple Shelving TV Plans Dec 10, 2015

Show notes

Our first topic this week is the reviews for Google's new Pixel C tablet, and what they signify about the state of Android. We also talk about the overall state of the tablet market and (the lack of) tablet-optimized operating systems. Our second topic is the decision by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan to give the bulk of their wealth to causes they care about, which is the subject of our Question of the Week, "Is the Zuckerberg announcement really philanthropic?" We tap into Aaron's expertise in the field of philanthropy and non-profit work to discuss the basics of various organizational structures and their tax implications, the pros and cons of the LLC structure the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has adopted, and whether the gift is likely to be beneficial to society. Our last topic is the reporting in the last 24 hours or so before we recorded to the effect that Apple may be shelving its TV service plans for the time being. As usual, we wrap up with our Weekly Pick, which this week is a game recommendation from Aaron. As ever, you'll find links to things we discussed in this episode as well as other formats for the podcast itself on the website at podcast.beyonddevic.es.

Episode 25 – Clayton Christensen, Apple Resellers, Samsung Mobile Dec 03, 2015

Show notes

We kick off the discussion this week with a conversation about Clayton Christensen and his theory of disruptive innovation. Specifically, we talk about the recent controversy about whether his theory has a monopoly on the use and definition of the term disruption and its application in the technology market, and whether it even works and applies in the consumer technology market specifically. Our second topic is our Question of the Week, in which we discuss Apple's changing relationship with its resellers. Specifically, Aaron runs us through some of the differences this Thanksgiving shopping season compared with last year. The final topic is the change in leadership at Samsung's mobile division this past week, and what it might signify for the future of the business. As ever, we finish with our Weekly Pick, which this week is a handful of applications for the new Apple TV. As ever, relevant links and other information can be found on our website at podcast.beyonddevic.es.

Episode 24 – Mac App Store, Facebook's Meta OS, Apple Watch Dock Nov 19, 2015

Show notes

This week, we kick off our discussion with a review of what's happened over the last week or so with the Mac App Store, which suffered from a certificate-related bug that broke a number of apps previously downloaded from the store. We also use this as a jumping-off point for a broader discussion about the Mac App Store and the various other issues developers have been complaining about for some time now. Our second topic is our Question of the Week, which is about why Facebook has so many apps beyond the main Facebook app. This ties into a post Jan wrote on Techpinions last week (link in the show notes). Our third topic is the new dock Apple has just released for the Apple Watch in somewhat under-the-radar fashion, and again we broaden the discussion to cover Apple's strange history with docks for its products.

Episode 23 – iPad Pro Reviews, Apple Watch vs. Apple TV, Cord-Cutting Nov 12, 2015

Show notes

We kick off this week's episode with a discussion of the iPad Pro reviews that came out on Wednesday. We talk through the common themes – both the consistent gripes and the things that were consistently praised – as well as some of the unique things particular reviews picked up on. Our second topic is our Question of the Week, in which we pick up on a conversation we started last week around the Apple Watch and Apple TV and the prospects for these two devices. In particular, we talk about the total addressable market, the developer-related challenges each device faces, and the other constraints holding each device back, as well as the ultimate potential of each device. Lastly, we discuss cord-cutting, in the light of a post Jan wrote this week, and whether it's likely to accelerate. We also talk some more about Apple's potential TV service and how that might factor into all this.

Episode 22 – Apple TV, Payments Primer, Twitter Faves Nov 05, 2015

Show notes

On this week's episode, we kick off the discussion with Jan's thoughts on the new Apple TV, which he's been using for five days now, and broaden the conversation into a review of where it might go from here. Our second topic (starting at 25:35) is our Question of the Week, which is all about how the payments industry works, who the players are, where the money goes, and how new players such as Square, Apple, Google, and Samsung fit in. And our final topic (starting at 47:00) is Twitter's change this week to its Favorites feature, and what it says about Twitter's broader challenge of attracting new users while retain its existing ones. As usual, we wrap up with our Weekly Pick, which this week is a movie recommendation from Jan.

Episode 21 – Apple September Quarter Earnings, Mashable Article/Interview Oct 28, 2015

Show notes

This episode is devoted almost entirely to Apple's September quarter earnings (Apple's Fiscal 2015 fourth quarter, and calendar quarter Q3 2015). Following up on last week's preview episode, we discuss the guidance for next quarter and what it signifies, but also individual results for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch (such as we can glean them), and so on. We also discuss Tim Cook's remarks on China and Apple's rapidly-growing enterprise business. We wrap up the episode with a discussion of Mashable's excellent article on Apple's design process, based on interviews with Phil Schiller and VP of Mac and iPad engineering John Ternus. And of course there's our Weekly Pick as usual, with Jan recommending an album he's discovered recently. As ever, all the related links are on the website at podcast.beyonddevic.es.

Episode 20 – New iMacs and Peripherals, Apple Earnings Preview, Surface Book Reviews Oct 22, 2015

Show notes

This week, we kick things off with a discussion of Apple's new iMacs and associated peripherals – Aaron has been using the new Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad and talks about his experience with them. We also discuss the surprisingly basic hard drives which ship with the new iMacs, and what this signifies about Apple's strategy for its lowest-tier products. Our Question of the Week is, "What should we be expecting from Apple's earnings next week?" and we discuss expectations for the iPhone, Apple Watch and other products, and what Tim Cook is likely to say about China. And our final topic is a quick run-through of the reviews of the new Microsoft Surface Book, which we discussed in some depth two weeks ago in Episode 18. As usual, we wrap up with our Weekly Pick, in which Aaron recommends a Bluetooth speakerphone he uses with his iPhone for conference calls.

Episode 19 – Music Survey Results, Elon Musk and Foxconn, Overcast and iOS Business Models Oct 15, 2015

Show notes

Our Question of the Week this week concerns Elon Musk's recent comments on Apple's car efforts. In an interview with a German newspaper, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said (among other things), "You can't just go to a supplier like Foxconn and say: Build me a car." Our Question of the Week is to what extent Elon Musk's comment was justified. Around that middle topic, we have two others: we kick of the episode with a review of some of the findings of Jan's recent music consumption surveys and what they tell us about Apple Music usage and subscribership. And our third and final topic is Marco Arment's new Overcast app and its unique patronage-based business model, the controversy it's caused, and what it says about the state of the iOS app market. And we wrap up, as always, with our Weekly Pick.

Episode 18 – Microsoft event, US wireless market, Steve Jobs Oct 08, 2015

Show notes

This week, we follow up last week's coverage of Google's event with discussion of Microsoft's big Windows 10 event, which had a very different feel to it. We evaluate the big announcements, but we also talk about the presentations and demos and the overall tone of the event, which felt much more energetic and compelling than previous Microsoft events. Our Question of the Week this week is "What's going on in the US wireless market, and who's winning?" Jan provides some context by discussing each of the major US wireless providers and their background, and then talks through some different definitions for measuring which of them is "winning". We also talk about what's next for the US wireless market. Our final topic is Steve Jobs – both the man and the movie that's coming out soon, along with the controversy over the movie, and the reaction from both Steve Jobs' widow and from Apple executives. And Aaron has our Weekly Pick for this episode, which is a book recommendation. As ever, there are quite a few links to blog posts and other things we discussed in the episode on our website at podcast.beyonddevic.es.

Episode 17 – Google Event, A Series Chips, iPhone and Apple Music Impressions Oct 01, 2015

Show notes

We kick off this week's episode with a discussion of Google's event on Tuesday. We discuss the new Nexus phones and the history of Google's Nexus programs, the new Chromecast devices, and Google's strategy for the TV. Our Question of the Week is about Apple's A-Series Chips, and Aaron's been doing some research into how Apple has managed both to make such rapid advances and to compete so effectively against other approaches. Aaron explains the differences and relationships between fabless manufacturers, foundries, and Integrated Device Manufacturers, the role of Apple's PA Semi acquisition, the importance of the ARM architecture, and more. Our final topic is a discussion of our personal experiences with Apple's new iPhones, as well as our conflicting responses to Apple Music (Jan has just allowed his trial to roll over into a paid subscription, while Aaron has cancelled). And Jan's Weekly Pick is the Launch Center Pro app, which in its latest version makes interesting use of Apple's new 3D Touch Quick Actions. Relevant links and more are on the website at podcast.beyonddevic.es.

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