Subscription Madness!

04/28/25 • 54 min

It’s easy to lose track of subscriptions, and Tom and Jeff are feeling it too. In this episode, they unpack the apps, services, and streaming platforms they’re paying for — the good, the bad, and the ones they forgot they even had. They swap stories about accidental renewals (looking at you, $250 “oops”), spotlight useful apps, and talk through a few tricks for managing subscriptions smarter. It’s a fun and slightly painful look at modern digital life.

Links from the show:

Setapp

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Contact Us

Drop us a line at [email protected]
You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
Tom has a new YouTube channel
Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

...

Links from the show:

Setapp

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Contact Us

Drop us a line at [email protected]
You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
Tom has a new YouTube channel
Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

...

Previous Episode

Beyond Features and Functions: Is Technology Missing What Humans Really Need? with Leah Reich

We sit down with writer and user researcher Leah Reich to explore the complex relationship between technology and the humans who use it. Leah shares insights from her newsletter and writing career before diving into the evolving landscape of user research in tech companies, including her time at Slack, Spotify, and Meta/Instagram.

We discuss the delicate balance between serving user needs and business goals, and examine the concerning industry shift away from comprehensive user research. Leah offers her personal perspective on the Apple Watch experience and we explore the broader implications of gamification in our digital lives—questioning whether turning everything into a game truly serves our wellbeing.

Links from the show:

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Contact Us

Drop us a line at [email protected]
You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
Tom has a new YouTube channel
Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

...

Next Episode

Tom Gets Snipd, Siri Lawsuit Settlement, and More Bruises on Apple

Tom’s queued up an AI podcast app experiment, and Jeff’s wondering if it’s really worth the $85 price tag. This week, the guys dive into Snipd’s AI-powered podcast magic, how it pairs with Readwise for smart highlights and spaced repetition, and Tom’s sneaky new trick for “listening” to podcasts while he sleeps.

Plus, they talk about the Siri lawsuit that might earn you a few bucks, Apple’s App Store rule changes, and why longtime fans (and cranky nerds) are raising eyebrows at Apple’s recent stumbles. Is it time for new leadership?

Links from the show:

Snipd - The Most Powerful Podcast App

How to Start Journaling Today — 24 Letters

If you used Siri between 2014 and 2024, you may have a claim against Apple

Epic Games Submits Fortnite to U.S. App Store

Apple’s Phil Schiller Initially Opposed 27% App Store Fee on External Purchases

Apple Turnover

Question or Comment? Send us a Text Message!

Contact Us

Drop us a line at [email protected]
You’ll find Jeff at @reyespoint on Threads and reyespoint.bsky.social on Bluesky
Find Tom at @tomanderson on Threads
Join Tom’s newsletter, Apple Talk, for more Apple coverage and tips & tricks.
Tom has a new YouTube channel
Show artwork by the great Randall Martin Design

Enjoy Basic AF? Leave a review or rating!

Intro Music: Psychokinetics - The Chosen

Transcripts and some images are AI generated and may contain errors and general silliness.

...

Basic AF: a (mostly) tech podcast - Subscription Madness!

Transcript

Intro

Jeff Battersby (0s)

The stupid tax I paid was $250, Tom.

Tom Anderson (0s)

Nice. Good job.

Tom Anderson (0s)

Hello everybody and welcome to a brand new episode of Basic AF. Tom Anderson, as always joined by Jeff Battersby. Hello, Jeff. I'm doing great. How are you, sir?

Jeff Battersby (20s)

Good morning, Tom Anderson. How are you?

Jeff Batters