These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things (2024 Edition)

12/23/24 • 52 min

In this special holiday episode of Basic AF, Jeff Battersby and Tom Anderson share their favorite picks from 2024, blending tech, books, music, and apps. The duo kicks off with lighthearted banter about recording struggles, holiday vibes, and their signature cranky humor before diving into their curated favorites.

Jeff highlights the Beetle X31 SSD, a sleek and reliable portable storage device, and shares his literary recommendations, including If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, and James by Percival Everett, each rich with thematic connections to classic literature. Tom, on the other hand, spotlights Craft 3, an app redefining productivity with database-like collections, the excellent Capital Centre: A Retrospective, and the Anker USB-C Charger, offering versatile charging solutions for multiple devices.

The episode also explores cultural gems like The Mars Volta’s self-titled album, the whimsical Festivitas app, which decks out the Mac menu bar and dock with festive holiday lights, and more!
Links:
Beetle X31 SSD https://ssd.skhynix.com/beetle_x31/

If We Were Villains: A Novel https://www.amazon.com/If-We-Were-Villains-Novel/

Demon Copperhead https://amzn.to/4iuPP2P

James https://amzn.to/3VtSuA2

The Mars Volta https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-mars-volta/1636983430
Craft 3 https://www.craft.do/v3

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.

...

If We Were Villains: A Novel https://www.amazon.com/If-We-Were-Villains-Novel/

Demon Copperhead https://amzn.to/4iuPP2P

James https://amzn.to/3VtSuA2

The Mars Volta https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-mars-volta/1636983430
Craft 3 https://www.craft.do/v3

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

iPhone 16 Photography with Chris Freitag

In our 50th episode, Chris Freitag returns to explore the world of iPhone 16 Pro photography. We discuss the new Camera Control features and usability in real-world scenarios, and how Apple’s new Photographic Styles tools can elevate your mobile photography. The conversation also covers the latest December OS updates, Apple’s acquisition of Pixelmator and its impact on creative workflows, and a closer look at Chris’s favorite gear and techniques for capturing stunning shots.
Links from the show:
A new home for Pixelmator: https://www.pixelmator.com/blog/2024/11/01/a-new-home-for-pixelmator.html

iPhone 17 'Air' Expected to Be ~2mm Thinner Than iPhone 16 Pro: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/12/06/iphone-17-air-2mm-thinner/

Chris Freitag - iPhone 16 Pro from a Fujifilm Perspective: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyCGkREK1BE

Chris's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisFreitag

Other Places to Find Chris:

Website: https://chrisfreitag.com

Glass: https://glass.photo/freitag

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@chrisfreitag

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisfreitag/

Mastodon: https://photog.social/@freitag

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

Grading Apple Intelligence with Adam Jones

In this episode of Basic AF, hosts Tom Anderson and Jeff Battersby welcome back guest Adam Jones to discuss the latest features of Apple Intelligence.
Topics include:
• Privacy Concerns

• Integration of ChatGPT

• Evolving Role of Siri

• Genmojis

• Image Playground

• Summaries in Messages and Mail

• Audio Recording and Transcription in Notes

• Visual Intelligence Features of iPhone 16 Series

• Overall Impressions and Grades of Apple’s Intelligence Features

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