It was another busy week in the labs.
Below you’ll find the week’s new videos and podcasts, a few of the conversations happening in the member community, and what’s coming next week. Most of those links lead straight into the Labs community on Circle, so they’ll only open if you’re a member. If you’re a Labs member who hasn’t set up your Circle access yet, send me a note and I’ll get you in. For members, this is your week at a glance. If you’re not one yet, it’s a peek at what you’re missing.
The Week’s Releases
Labs November Meetup
Live Session · November 7; podcast released November 9 · Pathfinder & Insider
Our Saturday meetup started with my first week using the iPhone Duo and ended with a long conversation about 3D printing. Along the way, we talked about local AI and putting robots to work on everyday tasks. The recording is now in the private Pathfinder and Insider podcast feeds.
Pathfinder Link | Insider Link
iPhone Duo – Initial Impressions
Written Post · November 9 · all tiers
I’ve been using the Duo every day, and one surprise is how much I like it closed. I share where the smaller screen fits, when I open it up, and why I’m willing to give up some battery life and the telephoto lens.
Pathfinder Link | Insider Link | Member Link
Siri Recap and Live Rewind
Video · November 10 · all tiers
Live Rewind has already helped me catch things I missed. I’m less certain about Siri Recap. This hands-on video covers setting them up and why I still want a full recording and transcript for work conversations.
Pathfinder Link | Insider Link | Member Link
Make Your Keyboard Maestro Macros Findable
Written Post · November 11 · scheduled for Pathfinder & Insider
A shortcut conflict is easier to track down when you can see which macros use which keys. I show how to sort them in Keyboard Maestro and why you need All Macros selected before you start looking.
Pathfinder Link | Insider Link
Friends of Dave – Ward Roef on Voice Capture and AI Triage
Video & Podcast · November 12 · scheduled for Pathfinder & Insider
Ward Roef joins me to show how he turns voice notes into tasks and book notes. We talk about speaking the details his robot needs, catching failures, and listening to meeting preparation on the way to a customer. Both of our voice capture guides are included.
Pathfinder Link | Insider Link
The Lab Report for November 13, 2026
Podcast · November 13
I got hands-on with the new MacBook Pro this week, and I can see the attraction. Alongside the week’s Apple news, I talk about the iPod at 25 and owning your music, then finish with the original Star Wars radio dramas.
Pathfinder Link | Insider Link | Member Link
In the Community
Labs Meetup Followup – Server Power Management (Labs Discussion Board)
The meetup conversation continued with ways to keep a remote Mac reachable. Members shared scheduled restarts, a smart plug as a fallback, and a script for rebooting a Mac on a schedule.
November Labs Meetup Followup #2 (Labs Discussion Board)
A member has Screens and Tailscale working from outside the house and asks what another remote-access app would add. The reply suggests sticking with a setup that meets your needs until you find something it can’t do.
Lost iPad – How worried should I be? (Labs Discussion Board)
Losing an iPad raises questions that don’t end when you turn on Lost Mode. Members are comparing their experiences with Find My, remote erase, and requests to remove Activation Lock, including the frustration of seeing a device’s location without being able to recover it.
If you’re a Labs member and haven’t joined the Circle community yet, let me know and I’ll get you set up.
Coming Up
Next week’s scheduled releases include SideGlass, a written post on screenshots, and AppZapper 3000. Our next live session is the November security Deep Dive.
November Deep Dive – Securing Your Digital Life in 2026 · Thursday, November 19, noon Pacific
Links of Interest
- John Voorhees explains Siri’s schemas, tools, and skills after attending Apple’s online developer lab. It helps explain how developers will make more of their apps available to Siri.
- Jason Kottke points to a collection of American matchbook design. The little printed objects make a good reminder of how much can fit in a very small space.
- For some Star Wars fun, Kottke rounds up a look at the space operas that followed it, including Starcrash and Battle Beyond the Stars. The article links Evan Puschak’s video about the films and their special effects.
Join the Labs
The videos, podcasts, and live sessions above are inside MacSparky Labs. Join at macsparky.com/join.
I write about getting more from your Apple gear. If this was useful, go deeper in the Labs or grab the weekly newsletter.