This week on Helical Brew, Mike Ouren takes the mic solo for a deep dive into Apple — from the early PowerBook days to today’s M4 Macs, iPhone evolution, and the massive shift coming with iPadOS 26.
From the “every-year iPhone upgrader” cycle to the future of Mac silicon and the return of Apple’s glassy aesthetic, Mike breaks down how Apple got here, what they’re getting right, and what’s around the corner.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• The PowerBook G3 era and why buying “the last model” is a risk• OS X’s glassy origins and why Apple brought that look back in 2026
• What the 20-year anniversary iPhone means for Apple’s roadmap• Mike’s upgrade confession — why every-other-year just works
• How the M4 changed everything for Macs, especially the Mac Mini• Apple Silicon, yield strategy, and why Intel Macs are effectively done
• Why the M1 MacBook Air at $599 is still a powerhouse
• GPU changes in M4 and whether Apple will ever get AAA games
• iPadOS 26 and the biggest UI change since the original iPad
• Why MacRumors is still Mike’s go-to for buying decisions• The real economics of a 5–6 year Mac ownership cycle
• SLAS 2026 preview and what’s next for Helical Brew
If you're deep into the Apple ecosystem — or just trying to figure out when the right time is to upgrade your gear — this is the episode for you.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Cold Open
00:05 Welcome to Helical Brew
00:25 MotorWeek & John Davis Tribute
03:30 Mike’s First Mac (1998)
06:00 Jobs-Era PowerBook & Early OS X
08:20 iPhone’s Upcoming 20-Year Anniversary
09:35 Breaking the Yearly iPhone Upgrade Cycle
11:05 Mac Announcements & the M4 Jump
12:00 Leaving the iMac Behind
12:45 Dual-Monitor Setup (240 Hz + 60 Hz)
13:20 The Mac Mini M4 is Incredible
14:20 Apple Silicon Evolution (M1 → M4)
16:10 End of Intel Macs16:45 $599 M1 MacBook Air
17:40 Memory, Neural Engine & Local AI
18:50 GPU Jump in M4 & Gaming Reality Check
20:35 iPadOS 26: Windowed Apps & Liquid Glass UI
22:25 Why Mike Uses an iPad for Work & Travel
23:15 MacRumors: Best Place to Compare M-Chips
24:30 The 5–6 Year Mac Ownership Strategy
25:05 Wrapping Up Apple Talk25:25 SLAS 2026 Preview
26:40 Where to Find Helical Brew
27:10 Final Sign-Off
Helical Brew Website: https://helicalbrew.com
Helical Brew Spotify: https://open.spotify.com
Helical Brew Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com
SLAS 2026 Information: https://slas.org
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