397 - USB Drives Live On, Vision Pro Evolves, and Plex Locks Down

The latest In Touch With iOS with Dave he is joined by Patrice Brend'amour, Jill McKinley, Jeff Gamet, Marty Jencius, Guy Serle. A post-Thanksgiving Apple tech roundtable: Vision Pro M5 vs M2, spatial video, iOS 26 beta updates, USB drives vs digital media, AirTag travel upgrades, Plex limitations, Spotify price hikes, the $149 iPhone pocket, Peanuts specials on Apple TV+, and plenty of laughs between the full panel. The show notes are at InTouchwithiOS.com Direct Link to Audio Links to our Show Give us a review on Apple Podcasts! CLICK HERE we would really appreciate it! Click this link Buy me a Coffee to support the show we would really appreciate it. intouchwithios.com/coffee Another way to support the show is to become a Patreon member patreon.com/intouchwithios Website: In Touch With iOS YouTube Channel In Touch with iOS Magazine on Flipboard Facebook Page BlueSky Mastodon X Instagram Threads Summary In Episode 397 of In Touch With iOS, Dave is joined by Patrice Brend'amour, Jill McKinley, Marty Jencius, Jeff Gamet, and Guy Serle for a lively post-Thanksgiving discussion covering Vision Pro updates, iOS 26 developments, media format debates, travel tech improvements, and plenty of humor. The panel begins with Apple Vision Pro, diving into the M5 vs. M2 comparison, app support concerns, frozen iPad-based apps, spatial vs. 3D video, and why personas remain one of the Vision Pro's most underrated features. Several panelists challenge a recent critical article about Vision Pro, noting that the platform is still early and evolving. Next, the group covers iOS 26 beta updates and Apple's Invites app, leading to a comedic sidebar about who exactly uses the app — if anyone. This transitions into a deep (and funny) debate over USB thumb drives, CDs/DVDs, Blu-rays, and digital vs. physical media. From enterprise security to indie concert CDs, everyone shares stories illustrating why physical media is "dead"… or maybe not so dead. More news includes AirTag upgrades that help airlines locate lost luggage, Spotify preparing another round of price increases, and Plex restricting free users from sharing library access — which sparked concerns among Plex users on Apple TV. The crew also reacts to Apple's limited-run $149 iPhone "pocket" accessory, Pocket Casts adding smart playlists, and Peanuts holiday specials becoming Apple TV+ exclusives. The episode wraps with chat room highlights and each panelist sharing where they can be found online. Topics and Links In Touch With Vision Pro this week . Vision Pro M5 review: It's time for Apple to make some tough choices TRON Legacy is Finally in 3D on Disney+ for Apple Vision Pro! #applevisionpro #tron #disney Beta this week. iOS 26 Beta 3 continues this week. iOS 26.2 adds convenient new feature designed for Apple's Invites app In Touch With Mac this week 4 storage types I think no longer make sense in 2025 Other Topics AirTag's newest feature could work even better now for many travelers Pocket Casts app introduces smart playlists feature to organize your podcasts Plex's crackdown on free remote streaming is starting with its Roku app News Apple News Loses CNN - MacRumors Spotify planning price increase for US subscribers iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide Want to watch 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving'? You'll need an Apple TV subscription Announcements Macstock 9 has wrapped for 2025. Attendees will receive a link for the session recordings when they're ready in 30-45 days. If you missed Macstock we missed you! Why not purchase a digital pass to relive all the amazing presentations? Click the link below to purchase the digital pass. Macstock X has already been announced July 10,11,12, 2026 hopeful you all can join us. Macstock IX Digital Pass Our Host Dave Ginsburg is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users and shares his wealth of knowledge of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV and related technologies. Visit the YouTube channel https://youtube.com/intouchwithios follow him on Mastodon @daveg65 , , BlueSky @daveg65 and the show @intouchwithios Our Regular Contributors Jeff Gamet is a podcaster, technology blogger, artist, and author. Previously, he was The Mac Observer's managing editor, and Smile's TextExpander Evangelist. You can find him on Mastadon @jgamet Pixelfed @[email protected] and Bluesky @jgamet.bsky.social‬ Podcasts The Context Machine Podcast Retro Rewatch Retro Rewatch His YouTube channel https://youtube.com/jgamet Marty Jencius , Ph.D., is a professor of counselor education at Kent State University, where he researches, writes, and trains about using technology in teaching and mental health practice. His podcasts include Vision Pro Files , The Tech Savvy Professor and Circular Firing Squad Podcast . Find him at [email protected] https://thepodtalk.net Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him by email at [email protected] , on Mastodon at @eabolden@