#macstories — Public Fediverse posts

At the end of the day, this is the biggest personal issue I have with #Macstories now: they’re irrelevant to me. I genuinely believe they should have spun off a side project about AI rather than run it under the Macstories brand.

They’re now writing mostly about how to use a Mac to use AI, not how to integrate AI into your Apple device workflow. The difference is subtle, but at the end of the day, if you’re not an AI booster, there’s vanishingly little for you on a weekly basis at Macstories.

Times change, and though I personally feel they’re building a house on sand – the AI industry has little long-term economic viability in its current state – it’s their right to chase whatever they want to. Just a little sad to say goodbye (for now?) to a mainstay in my computing life for so long.

P.S. If y'all are wondering just how messed up the #MacStories saga has been, this is a great article about it by @WarnerCrocker. I wasn't even aware of the other writers who have walked from the publication as well. Sad indeed.

edit: forgot to include the link!
https://warnercrocker.com/2026/08/21/macstories-trouble-in-apple-pundit-land/

edit edit: lol, I'd botched the mention up there as well. Hi Warner! 🫣

RE: https://techhub.social/@sizemo/117124141529125273

Good points on the #macstories saga.

We have a word for people who criticise those who disassociate from folks who choose to go patronise the Nazi Bar.

That word is "Nazi".

#MacStories

"We had to supply poison gas to the Death Camp, because the Death Camp is the only customer buying poison gas. If we didn't supply poison gas to the Death Camp, our poison gas company would have to close."

#MacStories

Lots of spilled ink on #Macstories and the return to X. I've been following the fine folks over there for over a decade and been a club member on and off for much of that time as well. At the end of the day, I think it's a mistake to return to X because you cannot engage with that platform without engaging with its politics, it's too in the limelight, and to choose to be present says something.

More importantly, though, I think it's also reflective that their content is struggling to gain traction in non-X environments. Personally, I've been disengaging with MS slowly simply because the content is increasingly irrelevant to me; so much of AI-driven content is about automation which now goes into development and coding. I'm not really interested in maintaining a software stack to write blog posts, I just want reliable tools that are pleasant to use or understanding the devices I use better.

There was a hard shift last year and there's been less and less of that over time.

MacStories: Trouble In Apple Pundit Land

Changing, challenging, and sad times.
#Apple #Tech #SocialMedia #MacStories

https://warnercrocker.com/2026/08/21/macstories-trouble-in-apple-pundit-land/

MacStories: Trouble In Apple Pundit Land

There’s no question that many of us are facing challenging times these days. On so many fronts. Given how nothing that once seemed remotely stable feels anywhere close to that anymore, I find myself alternating between being angry, sad, and numb with an increasing frequency that tends toward the numb end of the scale.

However, there’s disconcerting news in Apple pundit land that leaves me more sad than numb or angry. MacStories, an Apple-centric blog I’ve followed and subscribed to for a long time is undergoing some changes that rub me the wrong way.

From what I’ve been able to gather from social media, and in a belated explanation post from the blog’s founder, Federico Viticci, several of the team’s members have quit over a recent decision by the organization to resurface the MacStories presence on Elon Musk’s X, which used to be Twitter, and remains nothing short of cesspool of depravity.

To give you an idea of the turmoil this is causing internally for the site that belated explanation post doesn’t appear on MacStories as of this writing, but on Viticci’s own blog. MacStories also didn’t put out its regular end of the week newsletter and several of its podcasts are on hiatus.

I’ll share some links from some of the employees leaving MacStories.

A blog post from Devon Dundee. 

A Mastodon post from Jonathan Reed.

A Mastodon post from Niléane.

From the sound of things it sounds like the MacStories decision was made without consulting other team members. That’s never a fun time. I know. I’ve experienced it myself. From both sides of the table.

I can’t and don’t pretend to speak to any more than what I’ve shared above regarding the decision making and the internal machinations. I can say that one of the reasons I’m saddened is that it points to puzzling moment for website that also hosts and generates several podcasts in which its talent feels free to judge and criticize corporate and tech screwups, with at times gleeful abandon. To my mind, this feels like one of those screwups, but who knows?

If I wanted to I guess I could gather some AI generated transcripts from past podcasts and offer some pretty damning quotes about Elon Musk and other tech titans as examples, but I won’t.

I guess this decision proves just how difficult it is to learn from the oft-repeated mistakes of others. At least I hope that’s what it means. Otherwise it borders on hypocrisy.

Perhaps this turnabout shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise. In the early days of this AI boom, MacStories was at the forefront of calling out how the industry was built on the outright theft of intellectual property. Going so far as to writing a letter to U.S. Senators saying that AI needed to be regulated.

MacStories was also quite vocal when it chose to leave Twitter and later Meta. Those choices fit well with the ethos Viticci and his co-editor John Voorhees had established in their writings and podcasts on their way to becoming legitimate superstars in the Apple pundit community. I eagerly anticipated their annual reviews of Apple operating systems, adventures with Shortcuts, coverage of apps that I might find of interest, and their news coverage.

But since those early days of AI skepticism, MacStories has become increasingly known for a site where Viticci and Voorhees have immersed themselves deeply in AI. To say they’re pushing the cutting edge would be accurate, and the website, and some of their other content has increasingly become more about those adventures.

More power to them if that’s where they want to take their endeavors. It’s their website and business. I will say though that this shift for MacStories feels as abrupt and expedient as how the tech bro community switched horses from essentially supporting the Democrats in the U.S to kneeling to Trump before and after his second election.

That said, I’ll admit I do enjoy reading about and listening to their recent AI exploits, even though I’m not directly interested in participating in the way I did with some of their pre-AI days.

I mean, I hate to say it, but this AI-shit on is on us, whether we like it or not, and my interest in listening is that I’d rather understand what it is I don’t like about it than not.

But the sadness I feel about this moment (and I think it will come to be seen as a defining moment in Apple punditry), has to do more with a bigger picture than just a potential shift in Apple tech coverage.

These mid-2020’s going into the 2030’s are going to be defined by and large by the tech oligarch takeover. We can yell all we want to about how corrupt, evil, and incompetent our politicians are, but what I think we’re just coming to realize is that in the end the politicians don’t matter. These new age robber barons have bought all the government(s) they need to essentially do whatever they want. Elon Musk in my view is the worst of the worst. I don’t support anything that supports anything he touches.

I’ve been saddened by watching more than I thought possible migrate back to X-Twitter after the great migration away from it.  I think I’ve been successful in unsubscribing from most publications that still use that platform to promote their material. I’m not going to spend my money for a subscription that will put more pennies into the pocket of a man who thinks allowing the creation of nonconsensual child and other pornography on his website is free speech and not a crime, much less one who revels in the power to destroy anything and everything his drug addled brain takes a fancy to.

I’ve made business decisions in my life I’m not proud of and lived to regret them. We all have choices to make and we’re defined by them. I’d like to say that I try not to judge a person or a business for making one they feel they need to even when those decisions disappoint me. That’s not always true. When a decision is made or being planned under what feels like the cover of darkness, it feels like all that’s being hidden might be their own sadness and guilt. At least I hope so.

So, I’m sad to dissociate myself with MacStories. I wish them well. I also wish good things in the future for those who obviously made the tough decisions to leave the publication in the midst of all of this. I wish more of us had that kind of courage.

All things must pass.

Thanks for reading. You can subscribe to this blog if you care to. You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above. This site does not use affilate links.

MacStories used to be a shining example of the best part of the old web: an independent website writing about a niche topic in a thoughtful and unique way.
Now, after a pivot to Al and a return of the proprietors to Twitter after a big exit from the platform over three years ago, I'm ready to write the site's obituary. https://sizemo.net/post/macstories #Apple #MacStories #indieweb

Well, THIS is surprising to see @nileane via @macstories ha!

A friend of mine caught it & sent it to me!

#macstories #tech #technology

✨💻 "Last Year on My Mac" gives a riveting account of staring in awe at Mac interface tweaks 🍏, while conveniently sidestepping any global calamities. Who needs current events when you can marvel at the transformation of a shiny screen? 🌍🙈
https://eclecticlight.co/2025/12/28/last-year-on-my-mac-look-back-in-disbelief/ #MacStories #TechNostalgia #InterfaceDesign #Apple #HackerNews #HackerNews #ngated

Last Year on My Mac: Look Back in Disbelief

https://eclecticlight.co/2025/12/28/last-year-on-my-mac-look-back-in-disbelief/

#HackerNews #LastYearOnMyMac #LookBack #Disbelief #MacStories #TechReflections

#MacStories の #macOS #Tahoe レビュー記事を見つけた。こっちも後でじっくり読もう :tony_grinning:

macOS 26 Tahoe: The MacStories Review - MacStories
https://www.macstories.net/stories/macos-26-tahoe-the-macstories-review/

Was 'forced' to rely on @macstories articles and podcasts for entertainment while in Manhattan and I'm hooked on RSS.

Praise be to He (‘He' being open protocols’).

#illustration #fountainpen #rss #macstories

Apple Frames Shortcut aktualisiert: Unterstützung für neueste Apple-Geräte
Die beliebte Apple Frames Shortcut, entwickelt von Federico Viticci von MacStories, wurde mit Unterstützung für die neuesten Apple-Geräte aktualisiert. Die Funk
https://www.apfeltalk.de/magazin/news/apple-frames-shortcut-aktualisiert-unterstuetzung-fuer-neueste-apple-geraete/
#iPhone #News #AppleFrames #AppleWatchSeries10 #DisplayP3 #FedericoViticci #IOS18 #IPadProM4 #IPhone16 #MacStories #Screenshots #Shortcut

To reinforce and encourage Mastodon as the go-to place for journalism,
we’re launching a new feature today.
You will notice that underneath some links shared on Mastodon,
the author byline can be clicked to open the author’s associated fediverse account,
right in the app.
This highlights writers and journalists that are active on the fediverse,
and makes it easier than ever to follow them and keep up with their future work
—potentially across different publications.

Writers often work with different publishers over the span of their careers,
but Mastodon is the perfect platform to amass a loyal audience that you, as the author,
truly own, and can take with you across the fediverse.

Some of the first websites adopting this feature are The #Verge, #MacStories, and #MacRumors.
If you have an account on mastodon.social
and use the web version or one of our official mobile apps,
you will see associated fediverse accounts underneath their articles,
no matter who posts them.

Of course, it’s also part of Mastodon’s API,
so we expect to see support among the vast array of third party apps for Mastodon as well.
All Mastodon features are always available to all third-party apps
since the API that powers the web version and the official mobile apps is the exact same for everyone.

https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2024/07/highlighting-journalism-on-mastodon/

Federico's incredible iPad Pro setup is a must read. It's not for everyone but it gets a ton of uniqueness points from me.

#iPad #ipadpro #macstories

https://gurupanguji.com/2024/01/21/federicos-incredible-ipad-pro-setup/

And not having all the shit Meta's been up to (and still is) mean NOTHING.

Threads federating _should_ lead to creators feeling it's _even safer_ to invest in open and ethical platforms.

#MacStories has shown the way, by creating their own instance (https://www.macstories.net/news/macstories-is-on-mastodon-with-its-own-server/) - and I think publications like The Verge should do the same.

You'd think publications have been enough burned by Meta, X and #Google to not want to go straight back into their fold??

(7/12)

Apple’s FineWoven iPhone-Hülle: Großer Misserfolg 2023?
Apple hat vor kurzem ein neues Material namens FineWoven vorgestellt, das als umweltfreundliche Alternative zu Leder beworben wird. Doch das Feedback der ersten Nutzer und Tester ist nicht gerade
https://www.apfeltalk.de/magazin/news/apples-finewoven-iphone-huelle-grosser-misserfolg-2023/
#iPhone #News #Apple #FedericoViticci #FineWoven #IPhone15 #Kratzer #LederAlternative #MacStories #Produktpalette #Umweltfreundlichkeit #USBC

It's #followfriday time !

And, as always boosts are welcome!

#Writer
@carolynaluna
@SJHoodlet

#PublicHealth practitioner
@DocCarms

#FOSS
@array
@theruran
@chrisba
@kidsan
@adam #qmail maintainer

#Web3isgreat creator
@molly0xfff

#Macstories
@viticci

#Rustlang / #Rust
@lodurel
@mo8it

#Julialang
@themantra108

#Infosec
@malwaretech

#Remarkable2 owner
@aeva

#Photography
@mlyon0486
@vanitasvitae

#Actors
@georgetakei

# other people
@PetitCoeur
@astrophoenix
@lapcatsoftware
@mijustin

@club @viticci @macstories Nice! I literally just bought 2 of the 4 apps recently; all are really nice if you’re in the market for any of these types of apps. ClubMacstories always coming through with the benefits! ;-)

#WhatAreYouWaitingFor #macstories #clubmacstories

Found out today that @PleaseDontRain is in the @club MacStories Weekly issue 358. Thank you so much @johnvoorhees for writing about it!

#PleaseDontRain #MacStories

Yay! “#MacStories Is on Mastodon with Its Own Server” https://www.macstories.net/news/macstories-is-on-mastodon-with-its-own-server/

#MacStories Founder @viticci discusses his #TwitterMigration to Mastodon https://www.tiktok.com/@lonelybob7/video/7177344869466164482 from @relayfm - Full episode of Connected available here: https://share.snipd.com/episode/3f791689-ba91-48f9-aaa0-add29126d770 #Snipd #Podcasts