In this engaging chat, headphone expert Merri Hackett dives into the new Powerbeats Pro 2. With a keen focus on fitness enthusiasts, she highlights design enhancements and impressive features like heart rate monitoring. Merri also sheds light on the headphones' compatibility with Android devices, making them more versatile than ever. Listeners will appreciate her insights on overcoming common usability challenges in the ever-evolving landscape of personal audio.
The hosts celebrate the arrival of Mike and Adina's newborn, reflecting their long friendship and joyful support for the Hurley family.
Discussions highlight Apple's transition towards in-house modems, emphasizing their goal to reduce dependency on Qualcomm and enhance hardware capabilities.
Federico's upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 illustrates significant improvements in streaming and connectivity, showcasing advancements in home networking technology.
Deep dives
Celebrating New Beginnings
The podcast begins with hosts Federico and Stephen celebrating the arrival of Mike and Adina's new baby, Sophia. They reflect on their long friendship and express their joy for the Hurley family as they embark on this new chapter of parenthood. Stephen shares his excitement about the baby's arrival and confirms the family is doing well. The hosts playfully speculate on how soon they can start making light-hearted parenting jokes about Mike.
Apple's New C1 Modem Insights
A segment discusses Apple's latest C1 modem, which was confirmed not to be the reason for the iPhone 6C's lack of MagSafe charging. The hosts speculate about Apple's transition towards in-house modems, aiming to reduce reliance on Qualcomm. They highlight new reporting that indicates future iPhones, including the anticipated iPhone 17, will likely feature Apple-built modems. The conversation underscores Apple's commitment to expanding its hardware capabilities and decreasing dependencies on external suppliers.
Understanding Sales Tax Dynamics
The hosts delve into the complexities of sales tax in the United States, using Stephen's experience in Tennessee as a case study. He explains the nuances and implications of high sales tax rates in his area compared to states without income tax. The discussion reflects on how taxation structures influence purchasing decisions and consumer behavior, highlighting that many Americans mentally account for sales tax in their buying processes. This insight gives listeners a deeper understanding of the financial factors impacting technology purchases.
The Future of Wi-Fi: Upgrading to Wi-Fi 7
Federico shares his experience upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 after facing issues with his previous Wi-Fi 6E setup. He emphasizes improved performance and reliability, particularly in device streaming and connection stability. The hosts discuss key features of Wi-Fi 7, like multi-link operation, which combine different frequency bands to enhance bandwidth and connectivity range. This upgrade represents a significant advancement in home networking, resolving many common latency issues faced by users.
Exploring the Power Beats Pro 2
The episode features a review of the new Power Beats Pro 2, emphasizing their improvements over the original model. The hosts discuss the new functionality of heart rate tracking and enhanced noise cancellation, noting the headphones' capabilities for both Apple and Android users. They highlight the importance of these features for fitness enthusiasts and casual listeners alike. Their analysis reflects the strides Beats has made in expanding its market presence and enhancing user experience.
Myke is away, so Stephen and Federico are relaunching every shirt from the show's archives. Then, the guys talk through iOS 18.4 and Ticci's new WiFi. Lastly, Stephen chats with Connected headphone expert Merri about her new Powerbeats Pro 2.
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