Fresh off Macstock, you get the full debrief on this year’s gathering before diving into a stacked round of Quick Tips. You’ll learn how to disable Summarize Notification Previews to stop needless battery churn, clear every unread Apple Watch notification in one shot, and weigh whether it’s finally time to move to macOS Tahoe. There’s a heads-up that Mac minis and Mac Studios are back in Apple’s Refurbished Store, a slick Control-Tilde trick to reveal formulas in Excel, Google Sheets, and LibreOffice, the case for a USB-only cable when you’re heading into DFU recovery mode, and clever moves like stretching a Kindle book loan with an old iPad, building reusable packing-list templates, and scheduling an automatic weekly reboot to keep your Macs running clean.
Then you tackle your questions: setting the default audio app on your iPhone, when prepaid mobile data might be the smarter play (and when it’s not!), and a big Don’t Get Caught warning that macOS 28 is dropping support for encrypted HFS+ drives, so decrypt or reformat those external volumes before you upgrade next year. You’ll also hear how Claude Code can become your new macOS troubleshooting partner, including some honest thoughts on leaning on AI to fix your machine.
Cool Stuff Found rounds it out with UDM14 for Google results minus the AI summaries, Backdrop for live macOS wallpaper, Clock Rings for tracking time in decimal, and a cheap camera lens cover that works across your MacBook, iPad, and iPhone. As always, come learn at least five new things.
- 00:00:00 Mac Geek Gab 1151 for Monday, July 20th, 2026
- 00:02:00 Macstock Debrief
- Some new-for-the-first-time attendees
- David Pogue
- Ken Case
- Ken Ray
- Paul Conaway
- Quick Tips
- 00:00:01 DLH-QT-Disable Summarize Notification Previews to save battery churn
- 00:06:16 Pilot Pete-QT How to clear all your unread Apple Watch notifications
- 00:08:34 Is it time to update to Tahoe?
- 00:09:25 Mac minis and Mac Studios available again in Apple’s Refurb Store
- 00:12:31 Companies safeguarding your data
- 00:16:46 Marina-QT-Control-Tilde shows the formulas in Excel (and Google Sheets, and LibreOffice, but not Numbers)
- 00:20:03 Tony-QT-Use a USB-only cable for DFU Recovery Mode
- 00:21:49 Harvey-QT-Use your old iPad to extend your Kindle Book loan period
- 00:24:40 Todd-QT-1150-Create Packing List Templates and Sections
- 00:27:50 Don-QT-Schedule a weekly reboot for your Macs
- sudo pmset repeat restart U 05:00:00
- 00:33:40 Pilot Pete-QT-Green light Means the Camera is On
- Sponsors
- 00:36:56 SPONSOR: Coveron. One scam can cost you everything – use code “macgeekgab” for up to 76% off at https://coveron.com/macgeekgab to safeguard your identity.
- 00:38:10 SPONSOR: Shopify. If you’re ready to stop putting off your business and start selling, sign up for your free trial and start selling today at https://Shopify.com/MGG
- Your Questions Answered and Tips Shared!
- 00:39:33 Dave-How can I set the default audio app on my iPhone?
- 00:45:30 Doug-Why go prepaid for mobile data?
- 00:53:10 Gary-DGC-macOS 28 to drop support for encrypted HFS+ drives
- 00:58:10 Dave-QT-Use Claude Code for macOS troubleshooting
- 01:03:57 Some thoughts on Troubleshooting with AI
- Cool Stuff Found
- 01:05:35 Mike-CSF-UDM14 to get Google results sans AI summaries
- 01:09:34 Javier-CSF-1128–Backdrop – Live MacOS Wallpaper
- 01:11:34 -n-Eric-CSM-Clock Rings to track time in decimal
- 01:15:39 Pilot Pete-CSF-Camera Lens Cover Macbook, iPad, iPhone
- 01:18:48 MGG 1151 Outtro
Dave Hamilton, a seasoned tech enthusiast, podcaster, and publisher, has dedicated the past three decades to aiding computer users globally. Known for his insightful advice and valuable product recommendations on the Mac Geek Gab podcast, Dave also enjoys an esteemed reputation as the founder of BackBeat Media, a network of fiercely independent publishers. His online publishing journey took off with The Mac Observer, an acclaimed Apple news site he co-founded in 1998 and led to its successful acquisition in 2021.
Beyond his tech-savvy persona, Dave embraces a vibrant life filled with music and family in the New Hampshire seacoast. He passionately performs with bands Bitter Pill and Fling, among other musical projects, creating a harmonic balance between his love for technology and music. Alongside his wife, Lisa, he raised their two children amidst this symphony of innovation, passion, and independent spirit, showcasing the power of embracing one's interests and using them to make a meaningful impact in the world.
