Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode mainly revisits listener feedback and a long, detailed review of the 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro, arguing that Apple’s current laptops are powerful but compromised by keyboard design, port removal, dongle fragility, and overreliance on minimalism. The hosts also discuss backup strategy nuances, USB-C inconsistency, video podcast infrastructure, encryption concerns, and end with a chaotic bee/wasp infestation update.
Main Topics: Tesla and car-control design follow-up: The hosts respond to listener correction about Model 3 cruise-control mapping and use it to argue that some functions—especially sunroof and other commonly used controls—should remain physical rather than being hidden behind touchscreens or awkward remaps. MacBook Pro 13-inch review and ergonomics: A detailed review of the 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro covers performance, thermals, battery life, keyboard feel, Touch ID, touch bar annoyance, and physical comfort issues like vent edges and the removal of charging LEDs/cable wings. USB-C, dongles, and Apple port philosophy: The conversation repeatedly criticizes Apple’s port strategy and the unreliability of USB-C accessories, while arguing that low-end and pro users both benefit from more versatile machines with legacy ports or at least SD slots. Backups, retention windows, and NAS workarounds: Listeners write in with backup advice, especially the difference between Backblaze and CrashPlan retention, plus a workaround for backing up a NAS by mounting it outside /Volumes so Backblaze will include it. Mac software miscellany and obscure features: The hosts discuss obscure Mac features such as option-clicking the Buy Book button for production PDFs, Dock auto-hide timing tweaks, and potential feature removals like Dashboard, Remote Disk, DVD Player, OpenGL, Chess, and Grapher. Cloud encryption and data safety: A listener asks whether cloud-encrypted backups can really remain secure long-term; the hosts explain that cryptographic breaks are possible, but practical threats are usually social engineering, malware, or human error, not brute-force decryption. Bee/wasp home invasion update: The episode closes with a lively personal aside about sealing bee or wasp hives in house walls using foam and tape, treating the house as an insect tomb while debating whether the insects are bees, yellow jackets, or wasps.
Key Arguments: Some controls should remain physical because high-frequency actions like volume, temperature, windows, and sunroof are faster and more intuitive with tactile access. Apple’s pursuit of minimalism often reduces usability; removing buttons, ports, and cable conveniences makes expensive products feel more compromised, not more premium. The 13-inch 2018 MacBook Pro is a strong balance of portability and performance, but the keyboard layout, thin margins, and heat management still create real usability issues. USB-C is promising in theory, but current docks and adapters are unreliable, inconsistent, and confusing enough that they undermine the “one cable” vision. Backups should be judged by retention depth, not just whether backups exist; a 30-day restore window can be insufficient when corruption is discovered months later. For many users, especially low-end buyers, legacy ports like USB-A and SD are still practical necessities rather than obsolete indulgences. Video podcasts did not become decentralized like audio because video is much larger, harder to host, needs multiple transcodes, and naturally funnels users into platform ecosystems like YouTube. Practical data security is usually limited more by operational mistakes than by theoretical cryptographic weakness; choosing strong encryption is important, but it is not the main failure mode. Some macOS features persist largely because Apple forgets or neglects them rather than because they are actively maintained or valued. The bee problem is being handled personally and aggressively; the goal is to seal the insects inside the wall rather than call a professional.
Data Points: MacBook Pro price: just under $3,000 - 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro with top CPU, 16 GB RAM, and 1 TB SSD RAM: 16 GB - Configured in the reviewed 13-inch MacBook Pro SSD capacity: 1 TB - Configured in the reviewed 13-inch MacBook Pro Battery life range: 3 to 7 hours - Observed battery life during use; typical Xcode work averaged roughly 4 to 6 hours Performance drop with Turbo Boost disabled: about one third - TurboBoost Switcher Pro reduced heat significantly at the cost of performance Retina laptop weight: 3 pounds - Used to emphasize how portable the 13-inch MacBook Pro feels Backblaze retention: 30 days - Backblaze only retains changes/deletes for 30 days, unlike CrashPlan’s longer retention CrashPlan retention: essentially forever - Listener reported CrashPlan can recover older revisions after long delays Office deployment count: over 35 - Listener says more than 35 StarTech docks are in daily use at their office Dock power delivery limit: 60 watts - StarTech USB-C dock pass-through power rating mentioned as a downside but likely sufficient MacBook Pro port count: 4 USB-C ports - A benefit of the Touch Bar MacBook Pro over the MacBook Escape mentioned by Marco Backup review window: 6 months later - Example of discovering photo corruption too late for a 30-day backup window USB-C charger behavior: 3rd USB-A port affects USB-C output - One Anker charger’s USB-C port stops supplying power if a cable is plugged into the third USB-A port Bee control timing: 15 to 20 minutes - John waited between tape applications to avoid re-triggering the insects Bugged sleep/wake behavior: about 10% - Estimated frequency of wake failures from sleep on the reviewed MacBook Pro
Pivotal Quotes: "sunroofs need always available physical controls" — Marco: Argument that frequently used car features should not be hidden behind a touchscreen "It’s kind of shocking and disappointing and reduces my confidence in their design sensibilities" — Marco: Reaction to the Model 3’s missing/awkward cruise and sunroof control choices "I really like this laptop overall" — Marco: Bottom-line assessment after two weeks of full-time use of the 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro
Implications: Listeners should expect Apple’s laptop direction to keep balancing performance against usability tradeoffs. For buyers, the episode suggests prioritizing ports, keyboard reliability, and real-world workflow needs over minimalism, while treating USB-C and cloud backups as useful but imperfect tools.