Episode Summary
Executive Summary: The episode centers on Apple Watch purchase decisions, Apple’s anti-competitive App Store battles, the coming Apple Silicon Mac event, and a surprisingly durable iPhone recovered after 26 hours underwater. The hosts also discuss replacing Dropbox with a lighter open-source client, explain why progress bars are so hard to do well, and answer listener questions about car blogs, old hardware maintenance, and winter hats.
Main Topics: Apple Watch buying choices and design preferences: The hosts compare which Apple Watch models and finishes they ordered, why one resisted buying immediately, and how materials, colors, contrast, and band choices affect decisions. They also discuss how Apple’s rollout made comparison shopping difficult. Apple policy, regulation, and fragmented app ecosystems: The discussion covers the Dutch watchdog ruling against Apple’s App Store payment rules, plus Microsoft’s move toward allowing third-party app stores. The hosts argue that Apple’s resistance to reform is accelerating fragmented regulation and that more middlemen generally worsen the user experience. Apple Silicon event speculation and laptop priorities: They analyze Apple’s 'Unleashed' event teaser and debate whether the new chips will be M1X or M2-derived, what RAM and I/O limits might remain, and whether the new MacBook Pros will preserve battery life, ports, and the 'great normal laptop' feel. iPhone 13 Pro survives 26 hours underwater: A listener story about losing a brand-new iPhone while tubing turns into a feel-good durability anecdote. The phone was recovered by a YouTube diver, remained powered on, and mostly worked after drying, illustrating the usefulness of IP68-rated hardware. Replacing Dropbox with a lighter open-source client: Marco describes switching from Dropbox’s heavy Electron-based, Rosetta-running client to Maestro/Maestral, an open-source Dropbox client for macOS and Linux. He praises lower RAM and disk use, fewer creepy behaviors, and easier syncing, while noting some feature limitations and event-watching complexity. Why progress bars are so hard: In Ask ATP, the hosts explain that progress bars are difficult because software often cannot know the work ahead of time, network conditions fluctuate, and preflight counting can be more expensive than doing the task itself. They favor delayed, contextual progress UI rather than always showing a bar. Listener Q&A and personal miscellany: The episode also answers questions about car blogs, old hardware in the attic, and a very thick winter hat that John wants to replace but cannot find in modern stores. These segments are light but reveal the hosts’ practical tastes and habits.
Key Arguments: Apple’s current Watch purchasing flow and color lineup are awkward enough that even eager buyers can hesitate until they can see the products in person. App-store restrictions are increasingly unsustainable; if Apple keeps forcing governments to intervene, it will end up with a fragmented, country-by-country set of rules that is worse for everyone. Microsoft’s openness to third-party app stores is presented as a response to Apple and Google, but the hosts argue that stacking stores inside stores creates user burden and more background software. The best computer chip/laptop outcome would be one that preserves battery life, restores useful ports, and feels like a normal high-quality Mac rather than a compromise. Apple Silicon’s next step is likely a larger, more capable chip family, but the hosts disagree on whether it should be branded as M1X or M2. A good progress bar often requires more expensive prediction than the task itself; in many cases, the right answer is to avoid showing one until a task actually becomes long enough to justify it. Lightweight, open-source tooling can be preferable to vendor clients when it reduces overhead and creepy system behavior, as shown by the Dropbox replacement. Modern water resistance is real and meaningful, but still best treated as a backup rather than an excuse for risky behavior like tubing with a phone in your pocket.
Data Points: Apple Watch stainless steel model availability: day one availability - Marco says his stainless steel Watch was available on launch day, which surprised him. Apple Watch discount: $500 - A DTK-related discount reduced Tina’s Watch purchase price substantially. Watch shipping estimate: mid-November to end of November - Tina’s Watch order was delayed because shipping dates were poor. iPhone underwater duration: 26 hours - Thomas Q. Brady’s iPhone 13 Pro was underwater for 26 hours before recovery. Recovered iPhone battery level: 20% - The phone still had battery remaining when it was found. iPhone protection rating: IP68 - The hosts discuss the iPhone 13 Pro’s dust and water resistance rating. Dropbox RAM usage: 740 MB - Marco reports the native Dropbox app consuming 740 MB of RAM. Maestral RAM usage: 118 MB - Marco reports the open-source Dropbox client using 118 MB of RAM. Dropbox app size: 421 MB - Marco compares the on-disk size of Dropbox’s client to Maestral. Maestral app size: 45 MB - Marco notes the lighter footprint of Maestral on disk. Marco’s Dropbox library: ~7 GB / 13,000 items - He describes using Dropbox for his blog CMS and related assets. Listener question on Mac hardware: 20-25 years old - John estimates the age of his winter hat and acknowledges old gear in the attic. MacBook Air battery life claim: a week or more on occasional use - Marco describes how long he can go without charging his M1 MacBook Air on trips. Apple Watch market observation: black is most common / silver standard in different observers' experience - The speakers compare anecdotal observations of the most common Watch finish.
Pivotal Quotes: "I am not closing the door on it happening sometime between now and the next watch." — Casey: He explains that he resisted ordering immediately but may still buy one later. "I really think that time is coming." — John: On Apple needing to reform App Store policies before governments impose more fragmentation. "What I don't like is having increasing amounts of middle people in the way." — Marco: He criticizes multiple app stores and layers of updaters/DRM on desktop platforms.
Implications: Apple’s platform control is facing mounting external pressure, while users increasingly value lighter, simpler software and better hardware defaults. The next Mac lineup may define whether Apple Silicon feels transformative or merely incremental.