
Mac Geek Gab — Your Questions Answered, Tips Shared, Troubleshooting Assistance
Answers to your tech questions for your Apple devices and beyond. Dave Hamilton, Adam Christianson, and Pilot Pete come together weekly to answer your questions and discuss things of interest to Apple and Mac geeks, presenting them in ways that are both entertaining and informative for the average listener.
Latest episodes

27 snips
Feb 10, 2025 • 1h 20min
From Garage Lights to Geeky Delights
Unlock iPhone hacks with a three-finger swipe to undo actions, transforming how you interact with your device! Dive into the world of AI-generated music, exploring its potential while sharing listener success stories. Stay secure online with tips to dodge phishing scams and manage your social media presence. Enhance your tech experience with innovative gadgets like motion-sensing garage lights and engage with challenging puzzle games. Plus, discover the creative synergy of AI tools for productivity and collaborative work!

Feb 4, 2025 • 1h 22min
Time To Get Past 300 Baud – Mac Geek Gab 1075
Discover how to keep your smart home running smoothly even when the internet goes down! The hosts share essential tips on local control with Home Assistant and managing DNS settings. Learn about AirPods features, battery management for MacBooks, and clever uses for AirTags. Enjoy quick tips for managing Finder tabs and hear amusing parenting tales intertwined with tech challenges. Plus, don’t miss out on travel battery management hacks and a fun giveaway announcement!

5 snips
Jan 27, 2025 • 1h 19min
Battery Battles, Font Fun, and Ad Blockers...Oh My!
Are you tired of struggling with password management and battery life on your Mac? This week’s Mac Geek Gab has you covered!
Discover how to streamline your password management experience by using the escape key to dismiss Apple’s autofill dialog and access your preferred password manager. Learn about the debate between Apple’s built-in password management and third-party options like 1Password. The hosts also dive into battery management techniques, discussing the pros and cons of apps like Al Dente versus Apple’s native battery health features.
But that’s not all! Get Quick Tips on using the terminal command “last reboot” to view your Mac’s shutdown history, and learn how to remove unwanted fonts using Font Book. In Cool Stuff Found, explore new AirTag accessories for pet tracking and check out the Insta360 Link webcam for improved video quality. Don’t get caught without these valuable insights – tune in to Mac Geek Gab for all this and more!
Ready to supercharge your Mac knowledge? Listen now and discover at least five new things in this episode of Mac Geek Gab!
00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1074 for Monday, January 27th, 2025
January 27th: Bubblewrap Appreciation Day
Police Code 10-74 – How do you copy / Smoke report / “Mental Person” You Decide! NF-Listener
MGG Monthly Giveaway – Win an MGG Hat from our new merch store!
Quick Tips
00:00:01 JMM-QT-Long Press Files App Icon to Pull Up Scan Menu Option
00:04:14 Kirschen-QT-Type `last reboot` and it’ll show you all recent shutdowns and reboots
00:05:40 Adam-QT-If you’re using Apple Passwords and 1Password, ‘escape’ is your friend
00:10:02 Keep a photo of your license and passport on your phone
00:12:43 StephenA-QT-Fool Websites that ‘block’ Pasting data such as Passwords
00:16:36 Gary-QT-Wow Apple Watch Camera App
00:18:55 JEhndal-QT-Use a cable for software updates on iOS/iPadOS devices if space is a problem
Use encrypted backups to backup your iPhone’s health data
00:22:11 Scott-QT-Create a Silence Unknown Callers shortcut
00:23:27 Ferrers (and everyone in the chat)-QT-Shift-and-scroll to change your mouse to sideways
00:26:30 Mental Triggers for The Virtual Rolodex
Sponsor
00:31:48 SPONSOR: OWC’s new Thunderbolt 5 hub is available and is compatible with Macs, PCs, and iPads Pro.
Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared!
00:33:17 Andrew-What’s the best way to manage my MacBook’s battery?
AlDente for Mac
00:44:21 Valentine-Best Thunderbolt Dock Rec?
OWC ClingOn USB-C Securing Device
00:52:49 Phil-Which Ad Blocker to replace Vinegar?
uBlock Origin
1Blocker
Ghostery
01:01:23 David-How do I remove fonts from my Mac?
01:06:37 Font Tips: Use the My Fonts tab to see which ones you installed, and create your own Font Collections
Cool Stuff Found
01:08:40 CSF-Sonos now supports Lossless Apple Music Quality
01:11:54 MySpoonIsTooBig-CSF Elevation Lab AirTag Dog Collar Mount
01:14:14 Shannon-CSF-Insta360 Link Webcam
01:17:17 MGG 1074 Outtro
MGG Monthly Giveaway – Win an MGG Hat from our new merch store!
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 YouTube Page
Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar
This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors
MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews
feedback@macgeekgab.com
224-888-GEEK
The Mac Geek Gab iPhone app
Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List
BackBeat Media Podcast Network

Jan 20, 2025 • 1h 19min
Keyboard Kung Fu & Wi-Fi Wonders
Are you struggling to manage your digital photo collection? Don’t get caught with disorganized memories!
In this episode of Mac Geek Gab, Adam, Pete, and Dave dive into the world of photo organization and archiving. They discuss strategies for managing large photo libraries, including creating separate libraries for different life stages and using external storage solutions. You’ll learn about the pros and cons of various backup methods and how to balance cloud storage with local options.
The episode also covers a range of Quick Tips, including adjusting screen brightness in smaller increments and scanning text directly into Apple Notes. Plus, discover Cool Stuff Found like the INET network scanner for identifying devices on your home network. The geeks share their experiences with hotel Wi-Fi woes and offer advice on troubleshooting connectivity issues while traveling.
Ready to take control of your digital memories and boost your tech savvy? Listen to this episode of Mac Geek Gab for expert insights and practical tips to enhance your Mac experience.
00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1073 for Monday, January 20th, 2025
January 20th: National Camcorder Day
Police Code 10-73 – How do you copy / Smoke report / “Mental Person” You Decide! NF-Listener
MGG Monthly Giveaway – Win an MGG Hat from our new merch store!
Quick Tips
00:00:01 Chris-QT-Shift+Option allows for granular brightness and volume adjustments
Shift+Volume silences the tick sounds
Option+Volume (or Brightness) launches the Settings pane for that
00:05:26 Tony-QT-Delete and ReImport Keyboard Shortcuts by making local pList file.
00:07:14 Alex-QT-Scan Text into Notes Directly!
Compressification of the workflow
00:09:36 Searching in Photos will find based upon text in photos
00:10:01 QT-Swipe left towards center of Dynamic Island on iPhone to get the original menu bar back
BitterPillBand.com
00:13:31 John-QT-Silence Unknown Callers is a setting
00:14:31 Gary-QT-Scroll down then swipe up iPadOS Screenshot
Don’t Get Caught
00:19:45 Harvey-DGC-Apps hidden with FaceID don’t work in CarPlay
Sponsors
00:24:33 SPONSOR: Coda, the one Doc to rule them all. Bring your text and tables together! Sign up at Coda.io/mgg for FREE.
00:25:49 SPONSOR: Indochino. For all your 2025 plans, look your best in INDOCHINO. Visit Indochino.com and use code MGG to get 20% off any purchase of $499 or more.
00:27:12 SPONSOR: BBEdit, the power tool for text from Bare Bones Software; now with integrated Notebooks and extended language support.
Show Business
00:28:46 MGG Premium Listener Contribution Appreciation Moment
Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared!
00:31:15 Allison-Why do some Mail messages on my iPhone swipe right to delete, others archive?
00:35:38 How do you archive your email each year?
MailSteward
Spark Mail on iPhone
Stream Deck for managing email shortcuts
00:48:19 SaneBox is key to managing email
00:50:45 Jedd-Q-Why don’t notes sync ALL the time?
00:55:06 Ken-What’s the best way to incorporate newly-scanned photos into my existing library?
iDrive
Carbonite
CCC Backup
PowerPhotos
01:03:59 Jeff-How can I record MS Teams calls?
Piezo (or Audio Hijack)
Cool Stuff Found
01:08:29 Todd-CSF-iNet Network Scanner to show you what’s on your local network
01:09:32 WiFi Explorer helped diagnose the problems with hotel Wi-Fi
01:17:02 MGG 1073 Outtro
MGG Monthly Giveaway – Win an MGG Hat from our new merch store!
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 YouTube Page
Mac Geek Gab Live Calendar
This Week’s MGG Premium Contributors
MGG Apple Podcasts Reviews
feedback@macgeekgab.com
224-888-GEEK
The Mac Geek Gab iPhone app
Active MGG Sponsors and Coupon Codes List
BackBeat Media Podcast Network

Jan 13, 2025 • 1h 4min
Circling the Wi-Fi Drain at CES 2025
Dive into the amazing world of CES 2025! Discover the ViewSonic 5K Thunderbolt display, redefining visual quality at an incredible price. Uncover smart swim goggles and AR glasses that bring innovation to personal tech. The cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 travel router ensures you stay connected on the go. Marvel at robot vacuums sorting clutter and audio gear delivering powerful sound, including open-ear headphones with active noise cancellation. Tune in for all the must-have gadgets and tech insights!

17 snips
Jan 6, 2025 • 1h 23min
They Dissolve Like You’re Thanos
Kick off 2025 with a tech-packed discussion featuring innovative audio products from CES, like the 1MORE S70 earbuds. Discover quick JavaScript tips to enhance your Google searches and learn how to manage your Photos library on external drives. The hosts tackle Wi-Fi interference, syncing issues, and practical advice for Apple Home setups. Check out cool tools like Obsidian for Markdown and Elevation Lab’s AirTag Battery Case. With humor and actionable insights, get ready to conquer your tech challenges!

9 snips
Dec 30, 2024 • 1h 19min
Resolve to Trim Your Fat (Binaries)
Learn how to keep your Mac powered during moves with insights on battery packs and inverters. Quick tips include using ChatGPT for screenshots, rotating images in Preview, and troubleshooting AirPods Pro. Hear about unique concert experiences with ear protection and the benefits of using AirPods in hearing aid mode. Get advice on Wi-Fi naming conventions and managing connectivity problems on macOS. Plus, discover portable power solutions for iMacs and Mac Minis, including top battery products and listener feedback!

Dec 23, 2024 • 1h 14min
Geeks, Gear, and Grievances
Dive into a world of tech tips and tricks! Discover how to take efficient screenshots of your Applications folder and unlock the magic of markdown for writing. Learn to manage holiday music with finesse and why external DACs elevate your Mac's sound quality. Unpack the intricacies of migrating settings to a new Mac and the peculiar quirks of Siri that need addressing. Plus, practical advice on winter wear and the benefits of NFC technology await. Don't miss these insights to enhance your tech game!

Dec 16, 2024 • 1h 18min
A Flotilla of Tips...and More!
Uncover a clever Google search trick to dive straight into specific websites without the hassle. Learn quick tips for refreshing app updates on Apple devices and explore RAM disks for performance boosts. Discover smart home solutions with Yeelight Cubes and the benefits of Channels DVR for cord-cutters. From managing storage on your Mac to creating booklets for church services, there's a wealth of tech wisdom packed in. Plus, enjoy a humorous blend of parenting stories and tech troubleshooting for all users!

21 snips
Dec 9, 2024 • 1h 21min
Nothing Can Go Wrong.
Uncover how a sneaky iPhone setting could be munching on your battery life. Dive into tech tips like optimizing your device and mastering Siri shortcuts on Macs. Join a nostalgic chat about beloved old iPods and their surprising modern uses. Learn how to tackle email syncing issues and discover cool new apps to boost your tech experience. With engaging banter and practical advice, there's something for everyone, whether you're a rookie or a tech whiz!
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