Episode Summary:

We kick off with an impressive AI-generated intro from Suno's newly released V5 model, showcasing how far AI music creation has come. The conversation quickly shifts to hands-on hardware reviews, with Will sharing his one-week impressions of the iPhone 17 Pro Max (in orange) and both of us discussing the new AirPods Pro 3. From iOS 26 performance quirks to the practical realities of running beta software on production devices, we cover the full spectrum of Apple's latest releases. The episode wraps with an extended discussion on electric vehicle charging strategies, vehicle-to-grid technology, and why Brandt might finally be warming up to those Rivian headlights.

Discussions Include:

• Suno's V5 model release and whether the $20/month subscription is worth it for better AI music generation
• Real-world impressions of iPhone 17 Pro Max and iOS 26 after a week of daily use
• AirPods Pro 3 features, including hearing aid functionality and adaptive transparency mode
• Electric vehicle charging economics and the future of vehicle-to-grid technology

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):

• "You handed a caveman a flame- and then took it away from him." - Will Curran
• "I noticed that iOS 26 just runs better on it. This is what I'm noticing- with my being in the iPhone upgrade program is that I'll do the beta, I run it on my 16 Pro or Pro Max, whatever it is, and I notice slight performance issues." - Will Curran
• "Every time [a Rivian] drives by me and I'm like, well, it's actually not that bad looking. It's like, it's wearing me down... I can't get past the headlights. Weeelllll, I might be able to get past the headlights." - Brandt Krueger
• "So the guy basically insinuates 'I'm on the employer's dime. I'm going to be charging my car and then I'll just go back and sell it back to the grid and make a profit,' heheh..." - Will Curran

Episode Summary:
Brandt and Will kick things off with more AI-generated podcast music experiments, comparing Suno and Eleven Labs for creating that perfect intro sound. The conversation shifts to Meta's latest copyright controversies involving torrented content, then lands squarely in Apple territory as Will unboxes his brand new iPhone Pro Max live on the podcast. Between discussions of Colorware customization options for black AirPods, and iOS 26 installation regrets, we explore the tension between AI creativity and copyright protection, all while celebrating (and occasionally lamenting) our gadget obsessions.

Discussions Include:

• The challenges of getting AI music generators to understand style without naming specific artists
• Meta's latest copyright troubles and what they might mean for AI training on music
• Will's live unboxing of the new AirPods Pro 3 in orange, complete with first impressions
• Colorware customization pricing and the eternal quest for black AirPods
• Why you shouldn't install iOS 26 on production devices (Will learned this the hard way)

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):
"I love music and all of this kind of stuff. And I get it, right? We don't want to be able to just type in, make a Fatboy Slim song... But I'm just trying to say, I like the style of Fatboy Slim. I'm not trying to pass anything off as being a Fatboy Slim song." - Brandt Krueger

"It is crazy how smart the AI is getting now though, if you ask it to describe the music, it pulls out specific instruments and notes and stuff like that." - Will Curran

"Do not install it on your production machines. I made a really dumb decision." - Will Curran (regarding MacOX Tahoe)

"I've never liked the [AirPod] design with that stick sticking out. Like as dorky as my Bose look... I mean, on the plus side, you can see it sticking out of a tech's ear from 20 feet away." - Brandt Krueger

Episode Summary:
Brandt Krueger and Will Curran break down Apple's latest iPhone 17, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and AirPods Pro 3 announcements, finding the keynote more ordinary than expected after two years of blockbuster reveals. The conversation explores whether Apple's product lines are converging toward price point differentiation rather than feature distinction, examines the surprisingly pro-level camera capabilities that could replace traditional rigs, and debates the durability of the impossibly thin iPhone Air. Along the way, they discuss vapor cooling, the "plateau" (not a camera bump), concert etiquette, and why Brandt still refuses to wear white electric toothbrush heads in his ears.

Discussions Include:

• The iPhone 17 Pro's cinema-grade camera features like GenLock and multi-camera sync that are targeting professional videographers and content creators, potentially replacing traditional camera rigs in tight spaces
• Whether the ultra-thin iPhone Air can survive "BendGate 2.0" and if sacrificing camera capability for sleekness makes sense when you'll just throw a case on it anyway
• Apple's product differentiation strategy shifting from features to price points, with specs becoming more similar across the lineup except for camera count and storage tiers
• The AirPods Pro 3's heart rate sensing feature raising questions about redundancy in the Apple ecosystem when most users already have an Apple Watch for fitness tracking

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):
"It's not a camera bump, ladies and gentlemen. It's a plateau." - Brandt Krueger

"I am not going to stick an electric toothbrush head in my ear. Just not. I'm just not." - Brandt Krueger (on AirPods)

"I started thinking to myself, I'm looking at my studio and I'm going like, maybe I just put up iPhones. Like- in the end they all wirelessly communicate to my Mac." - Will Curran

"They said something that really made me sad and I hope to God it's not right. They said 'This feature is great for concerts where you can record your reaction and the stage' and I go no no no no no." - Will Curran

"It felt kind of ordinary, to be perfectly honest." - Brandt Krueger (on the overall keynote)