Merge Conflict

Latest Episodes:

527: AI Agents Meet Mobile: GitHub Copilot Canvas Revolution Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

AI agents are revolutionizing mobile development! James and Frank explore GitHub's new Mobile Canvas extension that lets AI agents see and interact with iOS and Android apps in real-time, no matter what framework you're using. They discuss how this tool finally closes the feedback loop for native developers and break down the emerging plugin standard reshaping AI-assisted coding.

Link: https://github.com/Redth/mobile-canvas-ghcp

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord
Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

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Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

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526: GitHub Stacked PRs: Managing Complex Code Changes Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, James and Frank dive deep into GitHub's biggest release in years: Stacked Pull Requests. Learn how this long-awaited feature finally solves the challenge of managing massive, complex code changes by breaking them into smaller, independently reviewable chunks while maintaining dependencies—plus discover how Merge Queues work alongside this innovation to streamline workflows in high-velocity projects.

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord
Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

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Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

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Links:

Stacked PRs Announcement

525: Why Christopher Nolan's IMAX Vision is Fading Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, James and Frank explore the bittersweet reality of experiencing cinema in 2026, starting with Frank's disappointing discovery that Seattle's Pacific Science Center—home to a true IMAX theater—has ditched its iconic 70mm film projection for digital laser technology. Despite Christopher Nolan's passionate advocacy for shooting on IMAX film, fewer theaters worldwide can actually deliver his intended experience, raising questions about whether premium cinema experiences are disappearing. The hosts dive deep into what made true IMAX special and the broader trend of losing analog, artisanal technologies in favor of digital convenience.

Beyond cinema, the conversation spans the future of media itself: Xbox bringing 25-year-old original Xbox games to PC through emulation, the resurgence of physical media as streaming services become unreliable, and whether digital downloads or physical discs make sense anymore. Frank also showcases an incredibly impressive technical achievement—iCircuit's new Python programming support, which layers a Raspberry Pi Pico emulator atop a circuit simulator, all running in C# on your phone. It's a fascinating look at how we're preserving experiences, accessing the past, and building for the future across gaming, entertainment, and development.

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord
Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

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Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

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524: A .NET MAUI AI Revolution Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

On episode 524 James and Frank dive into the new .NET MAUI developer stack—covering the MAUI CLI/Maui Doctor that auto-provisions SDKs and emulators, the Maui Sherpa GUI for device/Xcode/provisioning management, and DevFlow's MCP server that lets AI agents inspect, interact with and automatically test apps (closing the loop). They also highlight the VS Code MAUI agent/skills, profiling tools, and the shift to core CLR in .NET 11 with performance tradeoffs to watch.

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord
Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

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Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

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523: UI.md - Opinionated design rules for coding agents Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

Frank releases UI.md, a practical markdown guide distilled from 25 years of software development that captures essential UI/UX principles to help AI (and developers) build better interfaces. The hosts dive deep into why users expect consistency, how small details create polish, and why understanding your users' mental models beats flashy design every time—with real-world examples from their own apps.

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord
Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

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Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

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Links:

UI.md

522: Our Thoughts on Slate: The $25K Modular Pickup Changing EVs Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

James and Frank dig into Slate’s modular electric pickup — a $24,950, 205‑mile, no-frills truck you can customize later — and unpack how factory vs dealer options, aftermarket mods and build quality will make or break the idea. They also cover real-world charging (level 1/2/3), fleet and daily-use practicality, and why a DIY, upgradeable EV could reshape affordable vehicle ownership.

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord
Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

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Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

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521: Polish Matters: UI, Icons, and AI Design Fails Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

Episode 521 James and Frank obsess over “polish”: the tiny design and packaging details that make apps feel finished. They start with impeccable.style, product.md and design.md (and why agents.md and readme aren’t enough), then dig into UI fit‑and‑finish — tray/menu UIs, icon choice, grouping settings and why AI agents still struggle with layout and whitespace. The conversation then moves deep into Windows packaging: WinApp SDK versions, trimming woes with WinRT, ready‑to‑run vs. single‑file self‑contained builds, MSIX tradeoffs, and strange cases where builds bloat with unwanted packages. Key takeaways: give agents the right metadata, expect to hand‑tune UI polish, split architectures, disable R2R for size savings, exclude unnecessary SDK assets, and use Windows Sandbox/WSD for testing. A practical, nitty‑gritty episode for devs who care about the final mile.

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord
Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

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Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

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520: Inside the New GitHub Copilot App: Sessions, Canvases, Automations Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

This episode dives into the new GitHub Copilot app — a hub for agent sessions, multi‑repo orchestration, PR‑first workflows, automations and the new canvas metaphor for triage and planning. James and Frank unpack how sessions can spawn and coordinate across repositories, agent‑aware merges that respect CI and code review, support for local models and extensions, and the token tradeoffs to be aware of. The canvas demos (swipe‑to‑triage, Kanban agent assignment) show how Copilot is trying to move beyond chat windows into real UX for developer workflows.

They also tour Windows dev work: embracing WinUI for native apps, using a Windows developer setup script, packaging and Winget publishing, and the power of Visual Studio 2026 for debugging, profiling and live XAML edits. If you ship apps or want agent-driven workflows, this episode is full of practical tips and honest caveats.

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord
Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

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Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

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Links:

519: WWDC Deep Dive: Apple’s New AI for Developers Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

James and Frank break down WWDC’s developer-focused news—from Apple’s AI push (local models, a new private cloud for foundation models, and a command‑line API) to Xcode’s new agent integrations, the device hub/simulator overhaul, and macOS/UI polish. If you build apps, pay attention: small developers now get subsidized cloud models, Intel Macs are being sunset, and you’ll need to test many form factors and new Swift/AI APIs.

Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub
Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord
Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface

⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐

Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

Support Merge Conflict

518: Windows is Back! New Microsoft AI Coding Models Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Microsoft Build 2026 brought a major shift: homegrown AI models designed for efficiency and real-world developer workflows. From the cost-effective MAI Code 1 Flash to sandboxed code execution and Windows developer tools, discover how Microsoft is making powerful AI accessible without breaking the bank. James shares his hands-on experience proving that you don't need expensive flagship models for most agentic coding tasks.

Windows: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dev-tools
Microsoft AI: https://microsoft.ai/news/building-a-hillclimbing-machine-launching-seven-new-mai-models/