Primary Technology
Stephen Robles and Jason Aten
With over 30 years of combined experience in technology journalism, Stephen Robles and Jason Aten highlight the most important tech news every week and why it matters.
- 1 hour 27 minutesMacBook Neo Review, Studio Display XDR Hands-On, Ticketmaster is the Worst
Our MacBook Neo review, an existential crises on Stephen’s Studio Display XDR, Sonos launches new speakers, Anthropic continues to fight the Depatment of Defense, Meta’s new scam safeguards, Grammarly’s AI mess, Ticketmaster is the mafia, and Stephen has an existential crises over an OLED TV.
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Creative Effort - Jason's Podcast
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
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Sponsors:
- CleanMyMac - Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use my code PRIMARYTECH for 20% off at clnmy.com/PRIMARYTECH
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Links from the show
- Jason's MacBook Neo Reviwew
- i tried editing 4K video on the $599 MacBook Neo - YouTube
- Stephen's XDR Unboxing and Set Up - YouTube
- Jason on Grammarly Debacle
- RAM® Mounts
- MacBook Neo Review - YouTube
- M5 Max MacBook Pro + XDR Display: Worth the upgrade? - YouTube
- Why the iPhone 17e is Genius. - YouTube
- MKBHD's Galaxy S26 Review - YouTube
- Anthropic Sues Department of Defense Over Supply-Chain-Risk Designation | WIRED
- Grammarly is turning off the expert review AI feature that stole our identities | The Verge
- Sonos just launched Play, a new $299 portable speaker | The Verge
- Meta acquires Moltbook, the Reddit-like network for AI agents | The Verge
- Meta rolls out new scam detection tools to Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger | TechCrunch
- Google’s Gemini AI is getting a bigger role across Docs, Sheets, and Slides | The Verge
- Live Nation settles government antitrust suit — and dodges a breakup | The Verge
- Ticketmaster Call from The Verge - Instagram
- Taylor Swift fans sue Ticketmaster after Eras Tour ticket sales: NPR
- Bluesky CEO Jay Graber Is Stepping Down | WIRED
- Apple's Smart Home Hub Won't Launch Until September as Siri Remains Unfinished - MacRumors
- 2025 LG 77" G5 4K OLED evo TV unboxing and wall mounting - YouTube
12 March 2026, 4:37 pm - 1 hour 29 minutesWho MacBook Neo is For, Studio Display XDR, Anthropic, Nothing, and More!
Everything Apple announced this week including the new M5 lineup, Studio Displays, compare the MacBook Neo vs Air, answer if Apple really did raise prices, plus Anthropic’s tense Pentagon negotiations, Netflix is out of the Warner Bros. deal, and Jason finally tries Claude.
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Creative Effort - Jason's Podcast
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
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Sponsors:
- Claude AI: Sign up for Claude Pro today at: claude.ai/primary
- Quo: Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to: Quo.com/primary
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Links from the show- Everything Apple Released This Week: M5 Lineup, Displays, iPad Air - YouTube
- Apple gives in to temptation and renames its CPU cores - Six Colors
- Displays - Apple
- BenQ Computer Monitor 27"
- MacBook Neo vs MacBook Air: Every Difference Explained - YouTube
- The MacBook Neo May Be Apple’s Most Consequential New Product in a Decade - Inc.com
- Everyone Expected Apple to Raise Prices on Its New Macs. What It Did Instead Was Much Smarter - Inc.com
- Nothing is finally covering up with the slim, metal Phone 4A Pro | The Verge
- Nothing Headphone A review: something worth considering | The Verge
- Headphone (a) | Nothing
- Anthropic makes last-ditch effort to salvage deal with Pentagon after blowup | The Verge
- OpenAI releases GPT-5.3 Instant update to make ChatGPT less 'cringe' - 9to5Mac
- HBO Max-Paramount+ to Combine Streaming Services
- Watch Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars - Apple TV
- AI-generated art can’t be copyrighted after Supreme Court declines to review the rule | The Verge
- Tim Sweeney signed away his right to criticize Google until 2032 | The Verge
- Stephen Robles: Gemini is like the eager assistant - Mastodon
5 March 2026, 5:30 pm - 1 hour 10 minutesAnthropic vs the Pentagon, Galaxy S26 Ultra, Mac Backup Strategy
Samsung Galaxy S26 event with new Privacy Display features on the Ultra, will AI finally be able to order DoorDash, Anthropic's Pentagon negotiations, Perplexity Computer announces, Sonos trying to fix its app, and our MAc backup “strategies.”
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Creative Effort - Jason's Podcast
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
------------------------------
Sponsors:
- Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at: shopify.com/primary
- 1Password: Secure your small business with 1Password. Learn more at: 1password.com/primarytech
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Links from the show- Toyota Customer Service
- Apple rolls out age-verification tools worldwide to comply with growing web of child safety laws | TechCrunch
- Samsung Galaxy S26/Ultra Impressions: 1 Crazy Display Feature! - YouTube
- Google Gemini can book an Uber or order food for you with new agentic AI features | The Verge
- Acme Weather
- Inside Anthropic’s existential negotiations with the Pentagon | The Verge
- When Perplexity's Comet AI browser will come to iPhone
- Perplexity may have built a better OpenClaw | The Deep View
- Apple Can’t Ignore This Anymore - YouTube
- YouTube beefs up its $7.99/month Lite subscription with offline downloads and background play | TechCrunch
- 1Password is going up in price | The Verge
- DJI sues over the FCC’s decision to block new drone imports | The Verge
- Sonos plans to fix its biggest iOS hurdle with a new Live Activities feature - 9to5Mac
- Parachute Backup– Backup Utility for iCloud Drive and iCloud Photos
26 February 2026, 5:26 pm - 55 minutes 56 secondsMaking the Best iPhone Camera App with Ben Sandofsky from Halide
Get an exclusive look at the new Halide Mark III app with developer Ben Sandofsky from Lux.camera! Plus, we discuss AI in photography, C2PA, and the camera used on the moon.
Links from the show- Inside Looks: A Mark III Preview
- Jason’s Article About this Interview
- Reality is losing the deepfake war | The Verge
- What is HDR, anyway?
- Most memorable images from D-Day
- Jacques Carelman's Impossible Objects bought to life in all their irrational glory
- Nomad Photo Expeditions
- Leica Content Credentials in the M11-P | Leica Camera US
23 February 2026, 1:00 pm - 1 hour 31 minutesApple Podcasts Video is Complicated, iOS 26.4 Big Changes, Ring is Manifesting Minority Report
New Apple hardware coming at March 4 “experience,” Apple Podcasts adding video in iOS 26.4 is more complicated then you think, Google I/O announced, RAM is becoming a real problem, and Amazon Ring may track more than just lost dogs.
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Creative Effort - Jason's Podcast
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
------------------------------
Sponsors:
- Transistor.fm: The best podcast host, get 20% OFF your first year of hosting at: transistor.fm/beardfm
- Framer: Start creating for free at framer.com/primary and get 30% OFF an annual Pro plan
- 1Password: Secure your small business with 1Password. Learn more at: 1password.com/primarytech
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Links from the show
- Stephen's Video on Apple Podcasts iOS 26.4 Video
- Apple Event on March 4: Here's What to Expect - MacRumors
- Apple Music in iOS 26.4: Five new features coming to iPhone - 9to5Mac
- iOS 26.4 Brings CarPlay Support for ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini - MacRumors
- tvOS 26.4 adds new 'Continuous Audio Connection' on Apple TV - 9to5Mac
- Apple starts testing end-to-end encrypted RCS messages on iPhone | The Verge
- Apple introduces a new video podcast experience on Apple Podcasts - Apple
- How to publish video on Apple Podcasts - Apple Podcasts for Creators
- Podcast hosting providers - Apple Podcasts for Creators
- Google I/O 2026 set for May 19-20
- Google’s AI music maker is coming to the Gemini app | The Verge
- Google Pixel 10A Impressions: (Never) Seen This Before - YouTube
- Exclusive: OpenAI Has Poached Instagram’s Celebrity Whisperer | Vanity Fair
- OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger is joining OpenAI | The Verge
- The RAM shortage is coming for everything you care about | The Verge
- Ring cancels Flock deal after dystopian Super Bowl ad prompts mass outrage - Ars Technica
- Ring’s AI-powered Search Party won’t stop at finding lost dogs, leaked email shows | The Verge
- Warner Bros. Discovery Sets Special Meeting Date of March 20, 2026, and Unanimously Recommends Shareholders Vote FOR Netflix Merger; Warner Bros. Discovery to Initiate Discussions with Paramount Skydance for Their Best and Final Offer
- UniFi Travel Router - Ubiquiti Store
- Stephen Colbert says CBS banned him from airing this James Talarico interview | The Verge
- Airport Codes: The Accidental System - YouTube
- Rep. James Talarico On Confronting Christian Nationalism, And Strange Days In The Texas Legislature - YouTube
19 February 2026, 5:16 pm - 1 hour 7 minutesHow Long is Siri Delayed?? AI Ads Are Out of Control, Jony Ive Designed a Ferrari
Super Bowl AI ads are probably why RAM is so expensive, ChatGPT ads are here, Apple’s Siri update with Gemini is delayed “again,” Ferrari’s first EV with Jony Ive-designed interior, and a wild Vision Pro experiment.
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Creative Effort - Jason's Podcast
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
------------------------------
Sponsors:
- Claude AI - Ready to tackle bigger problems? Sign up for Claude today and get 50% off Claude Pro, which includes access to Claude Code at: claude.ai/primary
- CleanMyMac - Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use my code PRIMARYTECH for 20% off at clnmy.com/PRIMARYTECH
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Links from the show
- Stephen's Vision Pro Experiment - YouTube
- An app developer is suing Apple for Sherlocking it with Continuity Camera | The Verge
- Ben Affleck & Jennifer Aniston Star In 'Good Will Dunkin’ Super Bowl Ad - YouTube
- Jurassic Park... Works | Big Game Commercial 2026 | Xfinity - YouTube
- Artlist’s Official Big Game Commercial 2026 - YouTube
- YouTube TV Gets Cheaper Sports, News, and Entertainment Bundles - MacRumors
- ChatGPT’s cheapest options now show you ads | The Verge
- Here are the brands bringing ads to ChatGPT | The Verge
- iOS 26.3 has fixes for 35+ security issues on iPhone, details here - 9to5Mac
- Apple’s iOS 26.4 Siri Update Runs Into Snags in Internal Testing; iOS 26.5, 27 - Bloomberg
- Daring Fireball: Apple Is Delaying the ‘More Personalized Siri’ Apple Intelligence Features
- Apple picks Google's Gemini to run AI-powered Siri coming this year
- BlastDoor for Messages and IDS - Apple Support
- Apple Acquires 'Severance', Eyes Season 3 Start and Season 4 (Exclusive)
- Ferrari’s first EV will have an interior designed by Jony Ive | The Verge
- Google Photos brings 'Create with AI' templates to iPhone
- OpenAI's Jony Ive-Designed Device Delayed to 2027 - MacRumors
- AirDrop-Quick Share Interoperability Expanding to More Android Phones - MacRumors
- Meta launches AI algorithm personalization feature for Threads
- TikTok launches an opt-in Local Feed in the US leveraging users' precise location | TechCrunch
- Coinbase rolls out AI tool to 'give any agent a wallet' | The Block
12 February 2026, 5:02 pm - 1 hour 16 minutesOpenClaw’s Dangerous Promise, Apple Teases “New” Innovations, Social Network for AI Agents
Apple shatters revenue records, Tim Cook teases new innovations coming this year, Walmart hits $1T market cap, everyone’s still pouring money into AI, and OpenClaw’s “skills” have serious security concerns.
- Stephen's Newsletter Signup
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
————————
Sponsors
- Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at: shopify.com/primary
- Quo: Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to Quo.com/primary
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Links from the show- Mac Power Users - Relay
- Apple announces all-time record in revenue, iPhone sales – Six Colors
- While Everyone Else Tries to Replace the iPhone, Apple Just Had Its Best Quarter Ever
- New Mac configurator may point to separate CPU and GPU options - 9to5Mac
- Tim Cook hints at ‘never been seen’ innovations coming this year - 9to5Mac
- Meta (META) Q4 2025 earnings
- 185 Billion Reasons Google Isn’t Worried AI Will Kill Search
- Google's subscriptions rise in Q4 as YouTube pulls $60B in yearly revenue | TechCrunch
- It Took 64 Years to Build Walmart. It Took 3 Years to Turn It Into a $1 Trillion Tech Company
- Xcode moves into agentic coding with deeper OpenAI and Anthropic integrations | TechCrunch
- OpenClaw’s AI ‘skill’ extensions are a security nightmare | The Verge
- Humans are infiltrating the social network for AI bots | The Verge
- Anthropic's 'Dishonest' Ads Clearly Struck a Nerve With Sam Altman
- Expect more upsells and subscription bundles from Apple, Creator Studio was just the start - 9to5Mac
- Now anyone can tap Ring doorbells to search for lost dogs | The Verge
- AirTag 2 Has Wild Range! #tech #airtag - YouTube
- Google announces Pixel 10a with completely flat camera
- Alexa Plus is now available to everyone in the US | The Verge
- Apple Sports for iPhone updated with PGA, LPGA, and more - 9to5Mac
- The SpaceX-xAI Merger Isn't About Data Centers in Space. It's About Bailing Out Musk's Biggest Gamble
- Shortcuts Team Lead Hiring
- Gemini Mac App Tweet
5 February 2026, 5:41 pm - 1 hour 24 minutesApple Creator Studio Review, Is TikTok Dying? Gemini Keeps Winning
Creator Studio is out and the rollout was rough. We review it, plus AirTag 2 launch, Tesla ends production of Model S and X, Gemini keeps beating ChatGPT, Sonos finally released new hardware, Apple Invites might be bad, and is TikTok dying?
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
------------------------------
Sponsors:
- Framer - Start creating for free at framer.com/primary and get 30% OFF an annual plan!
- Copilot Money - Limited-time get 2 months FREE when you sign up at: try.copilot.money/primary
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Links from the show- I Tested Apple’s New Creator Studio for 2 Weeks - YouTube
- Apple’s Rumored AI Pin Forces a Simple Question: What Do People Actually Want?
- Apple’s Creator Studio Isn’t an Adobe Killer. It’s Something Else Entirely
- Apple introduces new AirTag with expanded range and improved findability - Apple
- A brief note about one more AirTag 2 difference - 9to5Mac
- Sebastiaan de With on Bluesky
- @stroughtonsmith - Mastodon
- Tesla Finally Announced the End of an Era
- I Bought an 11-Year-Old Tesla in 2024 — Worth It? - YouTube
- Apple Signs Deal for Brandon Sanderson's 'Cosmere' Universe Movies and TV Shows - MacRumors
- Google adds Gemini AI-powered ‘auto browse’ to Chrome | The Verge
- Moltbot (Formerly Clawdbot) Showed Me What the Future of Personal AI Assistants Looks Like - MacStories
- Sonos unveils its first new hardware product in over a year - 9to5Mac
- OpenAI is working out how much to charge for ChatGPT ads | The Verge
- TikTok Faces Outage and Censorship Concerns Days After U.S. Ownership Deal Closes - MacRumors
- Disgruntled TikTok Users Turn To UpScrolled—Which Outranks TikTok On App Store
29 January 2026, 5:58 pm - 1 hour 15 minutesiOS 27 Siri Chatbot, Will Apple Make an AI Pin, YouTube Shorts Are Getting Worse
Apple is rumored to overhaul Siri with a chatbot in iOS 27, and they’re working on an AI Pin, OpenAI said a hardware unveiling should happen this year, YouTubers will be able to create Shorts using AI-generated versions of themselves, and Stephen finally figured out Claude Code.
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
------------------------------
Sponsors:- Antigravity A1 - Get the world’s first 8K 360 drone! Free launch pad when you buy here!
- Copilot Money - Limited-time: Get 26% off your first year and a FREE month when you sign up at: try.copilot.money/primary
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Links from the show- Stephen's Shortcut Community
- Jason's Creative Effort Newsletter
- Morning Routine Shortcut Mentioned
- Apple reportedly replacing Siri interface with actual chatbot experience for iOS 27 - 9to5Mac
- iOS 27: Apple (AAPL) to Revamp Siri as Built-In iPhone, Mac Chatbot - Bloomberg
- Apple Spent Years Downplaying AI Chatbots. Now Siri Is Becoming One
- Apple Explores Using Google Gemini AI to Power Revamped Siri - Bloomberg
- Google X Apple Gemini Statement
- Apple Developing AirTag-Sized AI Pin With Dual Cameras - MacRumors
- OpenAI aims to debut first device in 2026, exec tells Axios
- Apple AI Pin Joke Announcement
- Samsung Galaxy S26 battery pack leak points to Qi2 charging support | The Verge
- YouTube CEO Neal Mohan Addresses AI Slop in 2026 Letter to Creators
- YouTubers will be able to make Shorts with their own AI likenesses | The Verge
- Cover your eyes: Netflix vertical video is coming this year - 9to5Mac
- Netflix revises Warner Bros. bid to an all-cash offer | The Verge
- Threads overtakes X on mobile, but still lags far behind | The Verge
- Threads rolls out ads to all users worldwide | TechCrunch
- Sony’s TV business is being taken over by TCL | The Verge
- How ChatGPT Became My Most Useful Creative Tool
22 January 2026, 5:18 pm - 1 hour 12 minutesIs Apple Creator Studio a Good Deal? Gemini to Power Siri, ChatGPT Health Launches
Google’s Gemini will officially power Apple Intelligence features, Apple Creator Studio adds new subscription pricing for Apple’s Pro Apps and iWork suite, ChatGPT integrating with Apple Health, and Digg is back!
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
------------------------------
Sponsors:
- Antigravity A1: Get the world’s first 8K 360 drone! Free launch pad when you buy here!
- 1Password: Secure your small business with 1Password. Learn more at: 1password.com/primarytech
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Links from the show
- Creative Effort - Podcast - Apple Podcasts
- Apple picks Google's Gemini to run AI-powered Siri coming this year
- With Its Google Gemini Deal, Apple Just Made Its Most Intelligent Move Yet
- Apple will pay billions for Gemini after OpenAI declined
- What Will Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Be? Our Roundup of Best Guesses - Business Insider
- Gemini's new Personal Intelligence will look through your emails and photos - if you let it | ZDNET
- Apple Health integration launches in new ‘ChatGPT Health’ feature - 9to5Mac
- ChatGPT Translate
- Introducing Apple Creator Studio, an inspiring collection of creative apps - Apple
- Some Apple Apps Will No Longer Receive Every New Feature Without a Subscription - MacRumors
- Verizon outage: With service restored, here's everything that's happened so far | TechRadar
- 2026 May Be the Year of the Mega I.P.O. - The New York Times
- Verizon to stop automatic unlocking of phones as FCC ends 60-day unlock rule - Ars Technica
- X claims it has stopped Grok from undressing people, but of course it hasn’t | The Verge
- TSMC extends record quarter, profit jumps 35% on robust AI chip demand
- Alphabet hits $4 trillion market capitalization
- Digg launches its new Reddit rival to the public | TechCrunch
- Shortcuts Community | Digg | Digg
- Netflix’s first original podcasts star Pete Davidson and Michael Irvin | The Verge
- Nissan is among the first to offer magnetic phone chargers in the US | The Verge
- CARROT Weather for iOS and Android
- Apple: You (Still) Don’t Understand the Vision Pro – Stratechery by Ben Thompson
15 January 2026, 5:59 pm - 53 minutes 9 secondsCES 2026 Highlights: LEGO Smart Brick, Humanoid Robots, What is AI Doing?
In-person recording from MGM Grand, we share the highlights from CES including LEGO Smart bricks, multiple humanoid robots, the latest smart home gear, and what exactly is AI doing in everything?
Watch our LIVE from the show floor special episode here!
- Ad-Free + Bonus Episodes
- Show Notes via Email
- Watch on YouTube!
- Join the Community
- Email Us: [email protected]
- @stephenrobles on Threads
- @jasonaten on Threads
------------------------------
Sponsors:
- Antigravity A1 - Get the world’s first 8K 360 drone! Free launch pad when you buy here!
- CleanMyMac - Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use my code PRIMARYTECH for 20% off at: clnmy.com/PRIMARYTECH
------------------------------
Links from the show
- LIVE from the CES 2026 Show Floor! - YouTube
- CES 2026 Day 1: Smart LEGO Bricks, AI Robots, and Smart Home - YouTube
- The State of Smart Home at CES - YouTube
- LEGO Just Announced Its Biggest Innovation Since the Minifig
- The Most Revealing Thing About Nvidia’s New Chip Comes Down to the Name
8 January 2026, 11:45 am - More Episodes? Get the App