Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode covers personal updates, then dives into Apple’s likely breakup of iTunes and what that means for Mac software quality. The main segment analyzes backup options after CrashPlan’s consumer shutdown, comparing CrashPlan Small Business, Backblaze, B2, ARC, NAS/iSCSI setups, and direct-attached Mac storage. The show closes with a discussion of Nest home security cameras, where Marco is disappointed by their false positives and UI, while John finds the face recognition useful in a narrower use case.
Main Topics: Pregnancy and office move: The hosts open with a personal update: one host’s spouse is pregnant, prompting an office move within the house to make room for a baby and causing some temporary audio/echo concerns. Apple’s future without iTunes: Marco argues that moving iTunes U into Apple Podcasts is another sign Apple is preparing to kill or split up iTunes into separate apps for music, TV, podcasts, etc., and debates whether Apple can still make great Mac apps. CrashPlan shutdown and backup strategy: The hosts analyze the end of CrashPlan’s consumer service and compare alternatives for backing up large local and network-based storage, including CrashPlan Small Business, Backblaze, B2, and ARC. NAS, iSCSI, and direct-attached storage: A deep technical discussion of Synology NAS devices, iSCSI as a workaround to make network storage look local, the downsides of that approach, and the alternative of using a Mac mini or direct-attached disks with software RAID. Home security camera reality vs marketing: Marco reviews Nest cameras and finds their AI motion/person detection and UI much worse than advertised, while John says the system works adequately for a narrow use case like monitoring a dog or package deliveries. Consumer tech buying and resale habits: The hosts revisit how Marco sells used gear quickly via Twitter at attractive prices and discuss third-party buyback options for those without a large audience.
Key Arguments: Apple’s move of iTunes U into Apple Podcasts is a strong signal that iTunes is being phased out or split into separate apps. Apple may be good at platforms and frameworks, but its recent first-party Mac apps have not felt truly great; the redesigns often simplify too much and lose polish. CrashPlan’s consumer shutdown is annoying, but its Small Business plan remains a strong value for users who need unlimited backup including network shares. For large local media collections, users should question whether they really need to keep and back up everything, especially replaceable ripped movies. iSCSI works, but it is fragile and wastes the capabilities of a NAS; if starting fresh, a direct-attached Mac with external drives and software RAID may be better. Backblaze B2 is flexible and inexpensive relative to cloud object storage, but it is not as cheap or simple as flat-rate consumer backup for very large datasets. Nest camera AI is advertised as smart but can produce too many false positives, especially when pointed outdoors or through windows. The camera system is still useful for basic peace-of-mind tasks like checking on pets, deliveries, or whether the house is on fire or flooded.
Data Points: CrashPlan Small Business apology pricing: $2.50/month for one year - Discount offered to current CrashPlan users migrating away from the consumer product CrashPlan Small Business standard price: $10/month per device - Ongoing price after the one-year apology period Backblaze B2 storage price: $0.005 per GB per month - Used as an alternative storage backend for ARC or Synology backups Backblaze B2 download price: $0.02 per GB - Charge applied when downloading data from B2 Hover first-purchase discount: 10% off - Sponsor promotion code ATP Aftershokz Trex Titanium price through ATP: $100 - Sponsored offer via atp.aftershokz.com, down from retail price Aftershokz Trex Titanium retail price: $130 - Mentioned in sponsor read Betterment offer: Up to one year managed free - Sponsor promotion for ATP listeners Follow-up listener count reference: 100,000 Twitter followers - Used in discussion of how Marco sells used gear quickly CrashPlan/B2 comparison: Unlimited backup with network volumes - Core requirement driving the backup decision NAS storage size examples: 8 TB and 10 TB hard drives - Used to compare current drive sizes and costs
Pivotal Quotes: "I think iTunes is finally being relegated to the dustbin of history, as it should have been a very long time ago." — Marco: During the discussion of Apple moving iTunes U into Apple Podcasts "I now apologize to Apple for ever insulting their efforts because, my God, the rest of the industry is no better." — Marco: After criticizing Nest camera AI detection accuracy "You should be backing up your photos way more carefully than you're backing up like your ripped movies and stuff like that." — Marco: While debating how much storage and backup effort to spend on media collections
Implications: Listeners should expect Apple to continue breaking apart iTunes, and users with large backup needs may need to trade simplicity, cost, and flexibility among CrashPlan, Backblaze, B2, ARC, and NAS-based setups. The camera segment is a caution that “smart” home security still requires realistic expectations.