On Hands-On Tech, Mikah answers Bob's question about finding a way to have their emails dictated to them from their phone.

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Host: Mikah Sargent

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Emily Forlini of PCMag joins Mikah Sargent this week! A look into Synchron's headquarters, Beeper relaunches its messaging services after being acquired by Automattic, OpenAI releases its new agentic AI service, and an AI service company is hosting over 5,000 nonconsensual AI models of real people.

• Emily shares her time checking out Synchron, a company developing brain-computer interface implants that is considered a significant competitor to Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk.
• Mikah talks about Beeper's relaunch of its messaging app, which runs on devices and offers premium services such as access to more accounts and power-user-type features.
• OpenAI launched its new agentic AI service, ChatGPT Agent, on Thursday morning. This service can complete work for you on your computer and perform a variety of tasks for you.
• And Emanuel Maiberg of 404 Media shares his reporting into Hugging Face and how it is hosting over 5,000 AI models of real people, without consent, following another company, Civitai, which previously banned these models.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Emily Forlini

Guest: Emanuel Maiberg

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Unlock the potential of your AirPods with these game-changing settings that most users never experiment with! Mikah Sargent plugs into the comprehensive settings menu for Apple's audio devices, revealing advanced features that can transform your listening experience from basic to spellbinding.

• Battery monitoring and case connectivity - How to check AirPods and case battery levels, plus troubleshooting charging animations and Bluetooth connection issues
• Device naming and identification - Customizing your AirPods name to distinguish between multiple pairs and ensure you're connecting to the right device
• Noise control modes - Deep dive into Transparency, Adaptive, and Noise Cancellation modes, including how each works differently and when to use them
• Adaptive audio intelligence - How this feature automatically switches between noise cancellation and transparency based on your environment and conversations
• Hearing health features - Comprehensive look at hearing protection, loud sound reduction, and the 85-decibel safety threshold
• Ear tip fit testing - Using built-in tools to ensure you're using the correct size ear tips for optimal performance and comfort
• Hearing assistance - How AirPods Pro can function as hearing aids and perform actual hearing tests to customize audio
• Customizing press and hold controls - Programming left and right AirPods for different functions like noise control or voice assistant activation
• Call management features - Setting up tap controls for answering, muting, and ending calls with simple gestures
• Personalized volume and conversation awareness - Auto-adjusting volume based on environment and automatically pausing media during conversations
• Connection preferences - Solving the common annoyance of AirPods connecting to the wrong device by adjusting automatic connection settings
• Spatial audio and personalization - Understanding 3D audio features and how they adapt to your specific ear shape and hearing pattern
• Microphone selection and head gestures - Choosing which AirPod serves as your microphone and using head nods/shakes to control calls
• Advanced features - Charging case sounds, optimized battery charging, Find My integration, and accessibility options
• Troubleshooting tips - Using disconnect and forget options to resolve connection issues across all your Apple devices

Host: Mikah Sargent

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This episode explores the comprehensive Screen Time system in iOS, covering everything from basic usage tracking to advanced restrictions and parental controls. The hosts also tackle a unique automation challenge involving motorcycles and garage doors, while sharing their latest app and gadget discoveries.

• Screen Time Overview - Introduction to iOS's built-in digital wellness system that tracks usage across all Apple devices and syncs settings when enabled
• Screen Distance Feature - New safety feature that alerts users when holding their iPhone or iPad too close to their face, helping prevent eye strain and myopia
• App and Website Activity - Detailed tracking system that provides weekly reports and insights about screen usage patterns across all connected devices
• Downtime Scheduling - Feature that restricts device access to only approved apps and phone calls during specified hours, perfect for sleep schedules
• App Limits - Granular controls allowing users to set daily time limits for specific apps or entire categories like games or social media
• Always Allowed Apps - Designated apps that remain accessible even during downtime, including emergency contacts and essential utilities
• Communication Controls - Settings that manage who can contact the user during screen time restrictions and downtime periods
• Communication Safety - Apple's new feature that automatically detects and warns about potentially inappropriate images before they're viewed
• Content and Privacy Restrictions - Comprehensive parental controls covering app installations, purchases, web content, and various iOS features

Feedback

• Motorcycle Garage Door Automation - Mike seeks help creating a shortcut to automatically open his garage door when arriving home on his motorcycle

App Caps

• DailyArt App - Mikah recommends an award-winning app that showcases a different piece of artwork each day with detailed historical context and artist information
• 8BitDo Micro Controller - Rosemary features a tiny Bluetooth game controller that works with multiple devices and can be reprogrammed for various uses, including Procreate shortcuts

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at iOSToday@twit.tv.

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In this episode of Hands-On Tech, Mikah Sargent helps Rick create a bootable installer for macOS.

Submit your questions to be answered on the show to Mikah at hot@twit.tv!

Host: Mikah Sargent

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Dan Moren joins us this week! Rumors are circulating about an A18 MacBook Pro and iPhone 17 Air from Apple, Samsung just held its Galaxy Unpacked event this month and unveiled updates to some of its products, AI bots are scraping obituaries for profit, and a new browser war is emerging between two AI companies.

• Dan Moren talks about the rumored A18 MacBook Pro and iPhone 17 Air that Apple could announce this year as ways to appeal to broader consumer markets.
• Mikah Sargent shares the Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy Z Fold7, and the Galaxy Watch8 that Samsung unveiled at its recently held Galaxy Unpacked July 2025 event.
• Joe Supan of CNET joins the show to talk with Mikah about how AI is starting to scrape obituaries shared on social media networks like Facebook, and is being monetized for profit.
• And Mikah discusses an upcoming AI-powered browser war that looks to challenge Google Chrome, with companies like Perplexity launching Comet and OpenAI soon to launch its own web browser.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren

Guest: Joe Supan

Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly.

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Your 2015 Honda Civic doesn't have CarPlay, but that doesn't mean you're stuck without it! Mikah Sargent drives into the world of aftermarket CarPlay solutions, from portable units to full head unit replacements, helping you bring modern connectivity to your older ride without breaking the bank.

• Mikah's Personal CarPlay Experience - Mikah shares his own journey installing wireless CarPlay using an aftermarket head unit through Crutchfield, highlighting the convenience of automatic phone connection
• Crutchfield Integration Benefits - How Crutchfield provides vehicle-specific wiring harnesses and installation instructions, plus the advantages of full integration like steering wheel controls and built-in microphone support
• Car and Driver IntelliDash Pro X10 - A $180 wireless CarPlay unit featuring a 10-inch touchscreen, cigarette lighter power, and crucial auxiliary audio output for car speaker connection
• Eonon 10.26-inch Unit - A less expensive alternative that includes backup camera connectivity and built-in front-facing camera for insurance purposes
• Budget CarPlay Warning - Why you should avoid cheap $20-50 CarPlay units!

Car and Driver Intellidash Pro X10 (affiliate) - https://amzn.to/4nSwJqi

Eonon 10.26 Inch Wireless Apple CarPlay (affiliate) - https://amzn.to/3GrIaV0

Crutchfield - https://www.crutchfield.com/

Host: Mikah Sargent

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Social media chaos got you jumping between apps like a caffeinated squirrel? Mikah and Rosemary explore the fragmented world of post-Twitter social media and reveal the apps that can help you reclaim your sanity and streamline your online presence. The hosts also reflect on how X/Twitter's changes scattered users across platforms, creating fatigue and missed connections.

• Ivory for Mastodon - Tapbots' premium Mastodon client offers customizable navigation, multiple account support, and elegant design for $14.99-24.99/year, depending on platform coverage
• Tapestry by Iconfactory - Unifies social media feeds, RSS blogs, and podcasts into one timeline supporting Mastodon, Tumblr, YouTube, Blue Sky, and Reddit for $1.99/month or $79.99 lifetime
• Croissant by Innoveghtive - Cleverly named tool lets you post to multiple social networks simultaneously (Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky) with alt-text support for $2.99/month or $59.99 lifetime
• Buffer for business users - Professional scheduling platform supports Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, and more with calendar view and automation integrations

News

• Four new games launching August 7th - Play-Doh World (creative open-world), Worms Across Worlds (strategic combat), Let's Go MightyCat (tower defense), and Everybody Shogi (board game variant)
• Apple Arcade pricing reminder - $6.99/month standalone or included in Apple One bundles starting at $19.95

Shortcuts Corner

• Jack's nonprofit photography challenge - Needs to sort 300+ mixed portrait/landscape photos and videos from iPhone events for marketing purposes

App Caps

• Mikah's pick: Knots 3D ($5.99) - Comprehensive knot-tying reference with 3D animations across categories like scouting, climbing, boating, and military applications
• Rosemary's pick: Capsule medication tracker - Her team's newly released app for tracking medications with scheduling, notifications, and family sharing for $12.99/year (launching price)

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard

Contact iOS Today at iOSToday@twit.tv.

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On Hands-On Tech, Mikah Sargent helps JP with solutions for continuing to use his professional photography equipment if he upgrades his older Mac running macOS Mojave to a newer Mac that doesn't support the older software needed to use the equipment.

Submit your questions to be answered on the show to Mikah at hot@twit.tv!

Host: Mikah Sargent

Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech

Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord.