MacVoices #25298: 2025 MacVoices Holiday Gift Guide #4 (1)

Nov 28, 2025

Guest

Mike Schmitz

Join technology commentator Norbert Frassa, automation guru Rosemary Orchard, and content creator Mike Schmitz as they share their top holiday tech picks! Norbert highlights a projection alarm clock that's perfect for both home and travel. Rosemary showcases a festive decorative lights app for year-round themes without the physical clutter. Mike recommends sleep earbuds designed for ultimate comfort and white noise during travel. They also dive into handy gadgets like open-ear headsets and USB-C lanyards, perfect for tech enthusiasts!

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ADVICE

Put Time On The Ceiling

Use a projection alarm clock to see time on the ceiling or wall without sitting up.
It saves fumbling for a nightstand and is especially handy when traveling or in hotels.

ADVICE

Decorate Screens Instead Of Walls

Install Festivitas to add decorative lights and seasonal visuals to macOS and iOS devices.
Customize colors, themes, and icons for year-round fun without physical lights.

ADVICE

Sleep Earbuds For Travel

Try Soundcore Sleep earbuds for travel-friendly white noise and side-sleeper comfort.
Their small, flush fit prevents ear pain and makes them easy to sleep with.

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This 2025 MacVoices Holiday Gift Guide #4 features Norbert Frassa, Rosemary Orchard, Mike Schmitz, and Chuck Joiner sharing thoughtful tech gift ideas that range from a projection alarm clock, device decor, sleep tech, open-ear headsets, and much more. (Part 1)

In the Take Control Books Black Friday sale, you can save 25% on all full-price titles. Or, save 50% on all ebooks, including upgrades, for a full year with a Take Control Premium membership for $14.99. Plus, if your order total including Premium is at least $34.99, you'll get a free ebook of your choice! The sale runs through December 3. For complete details, go to takecontrolbooks.com/blackfriday25.

Show Notes:

Chapters:

[0:00] Holiday Gift Guide #4 introduction and Take Control Books promo [0:41] Format of the gift guides and master pick lists overview [2:07] Panel introductions: Norbert Frossa, Rosemary Orchard, Mike Schmitz [3:06] Norbert's first pick: projection alarm clock with ceiling and wall time [5:34] Why projected time is so useful at home and in hotels [7:17] Rosemary's first pick: Festivitas decorative lights app for Mac and iOS [8:43] Customizing lights, themes, and year-round holiday visuals [9:31] Mike's first pick: Anker Soundcore sleep earbuds for white noise [10:59] Travel use, side sleeping comfort, and noise masking [11:31] Chuck's white noise clock app and sleep sound preferences [13:09] Norbert's second pick: Shokz OpenMeet UC open-ear headset [13:31] Dual-device pairing, work-from-home calls, and battery life [16:22] Rosemary's second pick: Satechi USB-C lanyard and phone anchor [19:32] Security, comfort, and power delivery limits for the lanyard cable [21:06] Mike's second pick: Rodecaster Video S HDMI and audio switcher [23:52] Comparing to the larger Rodecaster Video and 1080p streaming use [25:24] Chuck's pick: OWC Thunderbolt hub and multi-dock setups [27:37] Multiple hubs, workspaces, and the lure of more ports and Stream Decks [29:21] Closing thanks, Patreon, and sponsor acknowledgments

Links:

Norbert Frassa:

Mesqool Projection Alarm Clock https://amzn.to/48D3IJi

Shokz OpenMeet UC https://amzn.to/4pyj47A

Rosemary Orchard:

Festivas App https://mac.festivitas.app

Satechi OntheGo USB-C Lanyard Cable, 60W Fast Charging, 480Mbps Data Transfer, Built-in Crossbody Strap https://amzn.to/48iBcLQ

Mike Schmitz:

Soundcore Sleep A20 by Anker Sleep Earbuds, 30dB High-Frequency Noise Reduction, Small Earplugs for Side Sleepers, 80H Playtime https://amzn.to/4io1GjD

soundcore Sleep A30 by Anker Sleep Earbuds, Smart Active Noise Cancelling Sleep Headphones, Adaptive Snore-Masking System, Ultra-Comfort for Side Sleepers, 45H Playtime https://amzn.to/4okbjB8

RodeVideo S https://rode.com/en-us/products/rodecaster-video-s

Chuck Joiner:

White Noise App (full version) https://www.tmsoft.com/white-noise/

OWC Thunderbolt Hub Docking Station https://amzn.to/4pEl4eQ

Guests:

Norbert Frassa is a technology "man about town". Follow him on Twitter and see what he's up to.

Rosemary Orchard is a nerd, automator, and chocaholic. When she's not making Shortcuts or podcasting about them, you'll frequently find her discussing her love of iPads and other Apple technology on RosemaryOrchard.com, Automators, Nested Folders, The Sweet Setup, and ScreenCastsOnline. She is runs WhenWorks to help you schedule appointments more efficiently. Originally from the UK she now calls Vienna, Austria, home…until she returns to the U.K. Follow her on Twitter.

Mike Schmitz is a nerd and an independent creator who talks about the intersection of faith, productivity, and tech He's a YouTuber, screencaster (ScreenCastsOnline), writer (The Sweet Setup), and co-hosts the Focused, Bookworm, and Intentional Family podcasts. Follow him on Twitter as _MikeSchmitz.

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Connect:

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Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner http://www.twitter.com/macvoices

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