AppStories
Federico Viticci, John Voorhees
AppStories is a weekly exploration of the world of apps by MacStories' Federico Viticci and John Voorhees. Each week, they discuss the best new apps, the impact of apps on our culture, and cover the stories behind popular apps. Hosted by Federico Viticci and John Voorhees.
- 30 minutes 55 secondsOne Notion: Two Approaches
This week on AppStories, John and Federico share the very different ways they use Notion.
On AppStories+, we follow up on OpenClaw security concerns and explore the ways Federico is using it.
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Links and Show Notes
How We Use Notion
- Notion
- Notion Web Clipper
- Notion AI
- Notion API
- Other apps and services mentioned:
- Drafts
- Raycast
- Todoist
- [Parallel](https://parallel.ai
- Wispr Flow
AppStories+ Post-Show
- OpenClaw Update:
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Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
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Join Now9 February 2026, 12:04 pm - Notion
- 37 minutes 58 secondsThe Future of Apps in an AI-Coded World
This week, Federico and John update listeners on the ClawdBot-MoltBot-OpenClaw saga before digging into how AI will affect apps and app developers.
On AppStories+, John covers why Creator Studio is such a fundamental shift in Apple’s approach to ‘Pro’ apps.
[We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers]https://www.macstories.net/appstories-plans/) with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
Links and Show Notes
Follow Up
- AI and App Store
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Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now2 February 2026, 12:53 pm - 43 minutes 26 secondsTerminal Tips and Claude Code Workflows
This week, Federico and John share their workflows and tips on how they use Claud Code and Codex to build automations.
On AppStories+, John and Federico explore the Apple and Google Gemini deal and the end of Shortcuts as we know it.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
This episode is sponsored by:
- HTTPBot: A powerful API client and debugger for Apple platforms. Get a 7-day trial and 25% off your subscription.
Links and Show Notes
Our Claude Code and Codex Workflows
- Federico’s Setup
- John’s Setup
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Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now25 January 2026, 5:59 pm - 42 minutes 35 secondsA Very ‘Just Build It’ Holiday
This week, Federico and John complete their tour of holiday projects with a look at the tools both of them built with the help of Claude Code, Codex, and other tools.
On AppStories+, John pushes Claude Code by building a Safari web extension that integrates with Notion.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
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Links and Show Notes
Holiday Coding Projects Continued
Federico’s Projects:
- HTML tools collection (12+ tools) inspired by Simon Willison’s approach
- MacStories Markdown Preview tool
- MarkdownFixer (Python in browser via Pyodide)
- Custom MCP servers for: Feedbin, Readwise Reader, YouTube Transcript, and Raindrop
- Home automation tools: NAS Control, Roon Visualizer, Custom TV Remote (LG webOS + Philips Hue Sync Box)
- Notion tools: DailyNote Append, DailyNote Viewer, Notion Clippings web app, YouTube Watch Queue
- Liquid Glass CSS design guide for web apps
- Using Claude Code vs OpenAI Codex comparison
- Remote coding workflow with Termius and Pushover notifications
John’s Projects:
- MacStories Common (shared code library)
- Podcast production tools (loudness matching, transcription improvements)
- Obsidian plugins for sending to Matter and Readwise Reader
- Article Highlights tool
- Notion OAuth integration
- Reviving Blink app (Objective C to Swift/SwiftUI conversion)
-
Other Tools and Services Mentioned
Leave Feedback for John and Federico
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Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now18 January 2026, 4:20 pm - 47 minutes 53 secondsA Very Nerdy Holiday Break
This week, Federico and John are back from their holiday break, included so many hardware and automation projects that this is part one of a two-part episode regarding Federico’s networked music automation setup and John’s new research tool.
On AppStories+, Federico shares his foldable phone experiments.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
This episode is sponsored by:
- Copilot Money – Your money, beautifully organized.
Links and Show Notes
Presenting Our Nerdy Holiday Projects
- John’s Research PWA
- Parallel.ai
- Firecrawl
- Example Club MacStories article by John where he used his research tool
- Tools John used:
- Federico’s Networked Music Library
- Roon
- ROCK (Roon server)
- Qobuz
- M4 Mac mini (Refurbished)
- Terramaster F8SSD+ NAS
- FiiO R9
- FiiO M17 DAP
- FiiO FT1 headphones
- John got a FiiO Snowsky Echo Mini DAP
Leave Feedback for John and Federico
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Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now11 January 2026, 2:04 pm - 28 minutes 22 secondsWhat’s Next for Apps in 2026
This week, Federico and John look ahead to 2026 and what it will mean for apps, smarter Siri, and more.
On AppStories+, Federico and John update listeners on their latest app experiments and holiday hardware projects.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
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Links and Show Notes
App and Apple Preditions and Trends for 2026
Vibe Coding & AI Development Trends for 2026
- Mentioned:
- Google AI Studio
- [Swift Playground](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/swift-playground/id908519492
- Manus AI
- Wabi
- Claude Code
- Codex
- The junior bet has gotten better
iPhone Opening Up to Wireless Wearables
Android AI Agents & Computer Use
Research Apps & NotebookLM Alternatives
Siri with App Intents & Apple Intelligence
MCP on Mobile
Leave Feedback for John and Federico
Follow us on Mastodon
Follow us on Bluesky
Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now21 December 2025, 5:55 pm - Mentioned:
- 57 minutes 26 secondsThe 2025 MacStories Selects Awards
This week, Federico and John reveal the winners of the 2025 MacStories Selects Awards, which celebrate the exceptional design, innovation, and creativity of apps across the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.
On AppStories+, John has some Apple Music discovery tips for Federico, and they reveal the iPhone features they don’t use.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
This episode is sponsored by:
- RevenueCat – It’s the easiest way to add in-app subscriptions and native paywalls into your mobile apps, and getting started is free.
Links and Show Notes
MacStories Selects 2025
- Read More on MacStories here:
- The winners:
- Best New App: Quick Reviews
- Runner-up: Wispr Flow
- Runner-up: Activas AI
- Best Mac App: Bloom
- Runner-up: Supercharge
- Best Watch App: Athlytic
- Runner-up: µBrowser
- Best New Feature: Matter’s TTS voices
- Runner-up: Bridges
- Runner-up: Longplay MCP
- Best Design: Sequel 2.6
- Runner-up: Not Boring Camera
- Readers’ Choice Award: Alfred
- App of the Year: Drafts
- Runner-up: Athlytic
- Best New App: Quick Reviews
The MacStories Selects 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award
- Read more on MacStories:
- The winner:
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Unread
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Unread
Leave Feedback for John and Federico
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Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now16 December 2025, 4:56 pm - 39 minutes 51 secondsVibe Coding Your Own Productivity Tools
This week, Federico and John explain how they go about creating personal productivity tools with the assistance of AI and walk through some of what they have created.
On AppStories+, we talk about our Black Friday tech purchases.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
Links and Show Notes
Vibe Coding Personal Productivity Tools
- Simon Willison’s blog
- Harper Reed
- Vibe coding apps and startups:
Leave Feedback for John and Federico
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Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now7 December 2025, 4:29 pm - 26 minutes 28 secondsDesigning for Liquid Glass: Outstanding Indie Apps
This week, Federico and John dig into some of their favorite apps that have adopted Apple’s Liquid Glass design language.
On AppStories+, it’s John’s 10th anniversary at MacStories, so he and Federico look back at the last decade.
Also available on YouTube here.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
Links and Show Notes
Liquid Glass Apps
- Denim
- Locally AI
- Longplay
- Matter
- Gentler Streak
- Unread
- Todoist
- Also Mentioned: Manus AI
Leave Feedback for John and Federico
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Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now30 November 2025, 3:54 pm - 32 minutes 35 secondsThe Ever-Changing App Store
This week, Federico and John explore current changes to the world of apps through the lens of its past evolution.
On AppStories+, we build “money’s no object” holiday wish lists for ourselves.
Also available on YouTube here.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
Links and Show Notes
The Evolving App Store
- Some of our 2025 coverage about the changing app environment:
- Apple Recreated the App Store on the Web with No Way to Download or Buy Apps
- Apple Removes ICEBlock and Similar Apps From the App Store Under Pressure From the DOJ
- EU Sets DMA Compliance Deadline in App Store Anti-Steering Dispute
- Developers and Platforms React as App Store Rules Change in the U.S.
- A Breach of Trust Apple Held in Contempt Over App Store Rules
Leave Feedback for John and Federico
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Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now23 November 2025, 5:02 pm - Some of our 2025 coverage about the changing app environment:
- 38 minutes 52 secondsOur Latest App and Automation Experiments
This week, Federico and John kick off their holiday app and automation experimentation season a little earlier than usual with a mix of apps, automations, and services.
On AppStories+, Federico and John look ahead, considering the future of Shortcuts and automation.
We deliver AppStories+ to subscribers with bonus content, ad-free, and at a high bitrate early every week.
To learn more about an AppStories+ subscription, visit our Plans page, or read the AppStories+ FAQ.
Links and Show Notes
App and Automation Experiments
- Follow Up
- Federico’s Ongoing AI Testing
- John’s App Experiments
- Federico’s Service Experiments
- John’s Claude Code - Python - Notion Experiments
- Federico’s Drafts and Readwise Reader workflow
Leave Feedback for John and Federico
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Access Extra Content and Perks
Founded in 2015, Club MacStories has delivered exclusive content every week for nearly a decade.
What started with weekly and monthly email newsletters has blossomed into a family of memberships designed for every MacStories fan.
Club MacStories: Weekly and monthly newsletters via email and the web that are brimming with apps, tips, automation workflows, longform writing, early access to the MacStories Unwind podcast, periodic giveaways, and more;
Club MacStories+: Everything that Club MacStories offers, plus an active Discord community, advanced search and custom RSS features for exploring the Club’s entire back catalog, bonus columns, and dozens of app discounts;
Club Premier: All of the above and AppStories+, an extended version of our flagship podcast that’s delivered early, ad-free, and in high-bitrate audio.
Learn more here and from our Club FAQs.
Join Now16 November 2025, 4:53 pm - More Episodes? Get the App