646: An Email Job

Summary

Clockwise Episode 646: "An Email Job"

Date: March 4, 2026
Hosts: Dan Moren, Mikah Sargent
Guests: Amanda Silberling (TechCrunch), Stephen Robles (Primary Technology Podcast, Mac Power Users)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into a range of current technology topics in Clockwise's signature rapid-fire style. The panel discusses their relationships with The Sims and simulation games, the impact of hardware colorways on purchasing choices, Apple’s new pricing strategies with the budget-friendly MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e, the value proposition of the Studio Display XDR, and local spots to check out in their cities. The conversation is lively with plenty of nostalgia, personal anecdotes, pop culture references, and some humorous moments about tech temptations.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Sims and Simulation Games

(Starts ~01:57)

• Micah kicks off by revealing he’s surprised to find The Sims went free-to-play and wonders about the panel's history with the game and replay interest.
• Amanda Silberling (02:22):
  • Played Sims and similar games mainly as a kid to imitate her older sibling.
  • Preferred "infinite money" modes for creative roleplay, not management.
  • Now relates more to the finance aspect, muses about retrying.
  • Shares a funny aside about friends reacting to her "Sims-like" behaviors with digital stickers:

    "Whenever I say something that they don't like, I get the minus signs. And then I'm like, wow, I really messed up here." (03:21)

• Dan Moren (03:28):
  • Never played The Sims; more into narrative-driven games (e.g., original SimCity, SimAnt).
  • Simulation games didn’t hold his interest — too open-ended.
  • Jokes about returning to SimCity for nostalgic cheat codes.
• Stephen Robles (04:40):
  • Was a SimCity fan; never played The Sims.
  • Prefers mobile games with easy in-out gameplay (e.g., Alto’s Adventure, Jetpack Joyride).
• Micah Sargent (05:12):
  • Enjoys The Sims, admits using cheats for convenience.
  • Loves the instant gratification the game allows (e.g., summoning a toaster).

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2. How Hardware Colors Influence Buying Decisions

(Starts ~05:46)

• Amanda brings up her temptation to buy the newly announced MacBook Neo, admitting:

  "In my heart of hearts, this really is just because it's pink." (05:46)

• Dan (06:15):
  • Sees color as a fun tiebreaker, not main reason to buy.
  • Bought his iPhone 17 Pro in "cosmic orange" purely for the color.
  • Reminisces about Apple’s colorful past (clamshell iBooks, blue-and-white G3 tower).
  • Wishes Apple would bring fun colors to its pro hardware lines.
  • Keeps using older Apple hardware for color (e.g., blue Apple Watch).
• Stephen (07:57):
  • Mostly ends up with "pro" colors (silver, black).
  • Enjoys collecting colorful Apple Watch straps, especially Solo Loops.
  • Bought the MacBook Neo in indigo, jokes about picking "the second least fun color."
  • Shares a grievance:

    "There's a new guava color which looks amazing, but they did not make a solo loop of that color...I feel like that's a personal affront." (08:51)

• Micah (09:18):
  • Color sways his excitement (especially anything green).
  • Jokes about being memeified for his reaction to the green iPhone.
  • Color helps build anticipation but isn't always a dealbreaker.
• Amanda closes the loop (10:29):
  • Seriously debates buying a $600 pink MacBook Neo purely for the color.
  • Admits:

    "If there wasn't the pink colorway, I don't think I would even be considering this. And maybe is that a sign that I don't actually need this?" (10:43)

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3. Apple’s Budget Hardware Strategy—Who’s It For?

(Starts ~13:24)

• Dan introduces the topic of Apple’s expanding lower-priced product line:

  "Is this a strategy that you think will work for them...or do you think this is all just about the upsell?" (13:24)

• Stephen (13:57):
  • Skeptical about the lower-cost iPhones (e.g., "16E bombed"), points to status and camera needs.
  • Expects MacBook Neo to do very well, especially in education.
  • Predicts big discounts (even for non-education customers).
• Micah (14:50):
  • Agrees phones are “status symbol” while laptops aren’t as much.
  • Nostalgic about early “Mac carts” in schools—hopes for a return of Macs in education, especially if they keep colorful options.
• Amanda (15:38):
  • Sees logic in the Neo for students, “email jobs,” or those who don't need MacBook Air/Pro power.
  • Shares:

    "If I lost the MacBook Pro through work, I don't think a Neo would necessarily fit all of my needs. But maybe I'm wrong. I have yet to use it, but we'll see." (16:55)

• Dan (16:55):
  • Highlights that most buyers of both laptops and phones don’t need the high-end models but are swayed by status (especially in phones).
  • Shares a real-life anecdote about recommending a "17E" to his literary agent:

    “I was having lunch with my literary agent...he got dragged kicking and screaming into the smartphone era...this, the 17E, is probably the phone for you." (17:10)

  • Concludes that Apple benefits by having an attractive low-end option while clearly upselling to higher-margin products.

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4. Studio Display XDR: Worth It or Overkill?

(Starts ~19:08)

• Stephen asks if buying the new (pricy) Apple Studio Display XDR is a bad call, and about current monitor setups.

• Micah (19:18):

  • Admits he’d buy two if price/space were no object, but notes better “value” options elsewhere.
  • Owns one original Studio Display, paired with a Dell.
  • Says:

    "Is it necessary? No. But if I were to...see that you had studio display xdrs, I would not look down upon you. I would probably high five you." (20:33)

• Amanda (20:40):

  • Sees studio/cinema displays as “not for me” and recalls seeing them only in high-end school labs.
  • Uses a Samsung M8 monitor at home (affordable Apple aesthetic dupe); webcam is bad, but it “gets the job done.”

• Dan (22:16):

  • Bought an original Studio Display for modularity and longevity (vs. integrated iMac).
  • Studio Display XDR hits a good niche between the studio display and the ultra-premium pro display.
  • Noted improvement: standard height-adjustable stand.
  • Ultimately happy with his current setup, thinks the XDR model is only worth it for certain high-end use cases.
  • Notes:

    "Apple's displays are expensive a lot like a lot of their products, but they're premium. And I will say they're really nice. I love my studio display. It's gorgeous." (23:29)

• Stephen (24:06):

  • Owned a Studio Display on VESA mount; just bought the XDR (admitting with a chuckle he bought it before recording).
  • Explains technical reasons: true 5K/27”/120Hz options are rare, especially high quality.
  • Music/audio matters to him—appreciates speaker upgrades.

    "It's actually kind of hard to find a 5K 27 inch 120Hz monitor...Plus the six speaker design...I use my studio display speakers all the time." (24:16)

  • Complains VESA-mount option isn’t cheaper, simply includes "less aluminum in the box."

• HomePod Mini/Studio Display aside:

  • Both Dan and Stephen say they use the Studio Display speakers over HomePods, as audio improvement is minimal and HomePods lack convenient wired input.

  "All [my HomePods] do is I say hey, dingus, I'm done working. And it turns off all my studio. That's it." – Stephen (25:48)

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5. Bonus Topic: Local Must-Sees

(Starts ~26:18)

• Amanda: Philadelphia Museum of Art—“kind of like a mini Met.” Jokes about the new “fart” abbreviation.
• Dan: Museum of Science (Boston/Cambridge) or a baseball game at Fenway Park.
• Stephen: Oxford Exchange in Tampa—combo coffee shop, tea spot, restaurant, bookstore, candle shop, podcast studio, “just a really fun place to go.”
• Micah: Pittock Mansion and Powell’s Books in Portland—bookstore is a “requirement” for all visitors.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Amanda:

  "I feel like I don't need a new laptop, but for work, my corporate issued laptop is... one of the massive 16 inch MacBook Pros...Also I could spend $600 and get a shiny new thing that's pink. But then I think to myself, I'm like, if there wasn't the pink colorway, I don't think I would even be considering this." (10:29)

• Stephen:

  "There's a new guava color [for iPhone cases] which looks amazing, but they did not make a solo loop of that color. ...I feel like that's a personal affront." (08:51)

• Dan:

  "It helps dispel some of the long held like belief that it's like, oh, their products are just too expensive. Again, many people are more than happy to pay for phones, just like to complain about with computers." (18:08)

• Micah, on monitor envy:

  "If I were to...see that you had studio display xdrs, I would not look down upon you. I would probably high five you." (20:33)

• Stephen’s “confession”:

  “You bought it while we were sitting here, didn't you?” – Dan
  “I did in fact buy it before we recorded.” – Stephen (24:09)

• Amanda, full circle tech temptation:

  "Unfortunately, now I'm like, there is a pink iMac, which is a thing I need even less than I need a MacBook...I think I need to not buy something just because it's pink." (25:59)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02: Podcast intro
• 01:57: The Sims reminiscing & gaming habits
• 05:46: Do hardware colors actually affect buying habits?
• 13:24: Apple's lower-priced products—successful strategy or just upsell?
• 19:08: Studio Display XDR—worth it or not?
• 26:18: Bonus: Favorite local visitor spots

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Tone & Style

• Friendly, sometimes self-deprecating.
• Tech-savvy but accessible; lots of pop culture references.
• Mixes serious insight with humor and “confessions” about tech buying impulses.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode of Clockwise explores nostalgia and practicality in tech, from childhood simulation games to adult purchasing rituals. The panelists candidly share why colors, status, and features drive their choices—sometimes against their better judgment. Despite their expertise, they wrestle with the same temptations and rationalizations as any tech enthusiast. Apple's pricing and product strategy gets a detailed, nuanced look that recognizes both buyer psychology and institutional shifts. If you love quick, thoughtful takes on the week in gadgets and tech culture, this lively half-hour is a must-listen.

Transcript

[A]

Here it's Time for episode 646 of the Clockwise podcast from Relay, recorded Wednesday, March 4, 2026, clockwise, four people, four tech topics, 30 minutes.

[B]

Welcome back to Clockwise the Tech Podcast, where we're coming in like a lamb and going out like a slightly louder lamb. I am one of your hosts, Micah Sargent, and I am joined across the Internet by my good pal, my dear friend. You know him, it's Dan the Man Morin. How you doing, Dan?

[A]

I knew this was a bad idea, Micah.

[B]

I love it, as you can tell. That was a great one. But.

[A]

Well, all right, we should end the show then. It doesn't get any better than that.

[B]

Yeah, we should be. We were good. No, we do. We did invite guests, and so we should be thanking them for being here. To my left, senior culture writer at TechCrunch and awarded most likely to post inflammatory Facebook status in college, it's Amanda Silberling. Welcome back to the show, Amanda.

[C]

Hello. I think the first time I was on Clockwise, the other person had, like, a superlative that they won in high school or college or something. So I put that in, and then now every time I come back, that's still, like, on the spreadsheet and sometimes I delete it. But this time I was like, you know what? Why not?

[B]

Why not?

[C]

I. I need to own who I am.

[A]

Exactly. Embrace it. Also embracing their identity. To my left this week, it's co host of the Primary Technology Podcast and co host of Mac Power Users. Right here on Relay, it's Stephen Robles. Welcome back, Stephen.

[D]

He's beginning to believe. Sorry, I had to do a matrix quote with the new MacBook Neo.

[B]

Oh, clever, clever.

[D]

Deep cut.

[B]

Well, you all know how this works. We've got four topics, 30 minutes. Mine for you all is this. It's been a while since I've played the Sims, and I didn't realize that back a few years ago it went free to play. I'm just kind of curious, have you ever played the Sims and just tell us about your experience and would you consider checking it out again if you don't play it now? Amanda, we'll start with you.

[C]

I played as a kid a little bit, but I wasn't super into it. But I think a lot of those sorts of games I played maybe before I was intellectually ready for them because I have an older sibling, so I just kind of was doing whatever he was doing. But so when I played the Sims and Rollercoaster, Tycoon and all those games, I always did like the Infinite Money modes so that I could just have fun with the roleplaying aspect and not worried about the financial aspect. And now I'm kind of like, I don't know, maybe. Maybe now that I'm managing finances in real life, I can manage finances for my Sims or also, like, roller coaster theme parks. My main engagement with the Sims now is that one of my friends has a sticker. Like, you know, like the iPhone stickers, or you can, like, react with them. That's like the. The minus sign of, like. So whenever I say something that they don't like, I get the minus signs. And then I'm like, wow, I really. I really messed up here.

[B]

That's fantastic.

[A]

I've never played the Sims ever. I think I was in the wrong age range, maybe. I don't know. I. And it's a type of game that I feel like I struggle with. I liked when I was a kid. I loved the original SimCity. I played Sim Earth, I played Sim Ant, and I loved all those games, although I found that I didn't really have. I didn't get so into them that I, you know, really spent a lot of time playing them. In part, I think, because for me, I really like games with narratives and the having to sort of do that heavy lifting on your own. Like, and not only that, there's no. There's no real end. It felt like, you know, in a lot of those games, right, like, your city might get destroyed, but you could just rebuild it, you know, it's kind of the same way I feel about stuff like Animal Crossing, where it's like the. It holds me for a little while, but then I'm just like, oh, my God, why am I just doing this with all my time instead of doing something else? So, yeah, so the Sims was never really my jam, though. I do kind of. I'm, you know, I was like, I do kind of want to go find a classic. A classic SimCity emulator there, the 2D. Come on, let's not. None of this 3D nonsense. Let's go back. I got my cheat codes for that one too. All ready to go. Stephen, what about you?

[D]

You stole my answer. I was going to say Sim City was my thing back in the day. I've never played the Sims, but I remember the emotional trauma of that tornado ripping through my Sim City, and it was horrible. But I would just say on, like, mobile stuff, the only games I've played just quasi recently has been, like, the Alto's adventure games. I've played every one of those and accomplished all those objectives and those were super fun. But I need games that I can like pop in and out of on my iPhone and things like that. And the other one is Jetpack Joyride. I really enjoyed on iPhone and so I played that one. But. But no me.

[B]

Well, I quite like the Sims. I will say that regardless of my ability to manage finances now, I am not shy to throw in a few more dollars in in. Well, I guess it's simoleons. Throw in a few more simoleons in in game currency by way of the cheats. Because it is nice when you need a toaster in the game just to be able to have a toaster. So I, yeah, I was curious to hear and I'm, I appreciate your answers to that topic. Uh, let's move along to our next one, which comes from Amanda.

[C]

Apple unveiled its new chromebook competitor, the MacBook Neo today, which starts at $599. Um, there's a lot more to get into there, which I believe we will. In Dan's question, however, what I want to talk about here is that I find myself tempted to buy it. And in my heart of hearts, this really is just because it's pink. How often do the colorways of new hardware sway your choices to buy something?

[A]

This is a good question. I think it is a, it's certainly a tipping factor. I don't go in thinking I need this because it's a certain color. Though I agree with you. There is a more visceral level of like, ooh, that looks nice. And I will say most recently, I mean, I've got an iPhone 17 Pro in that cosmic orange. It's a great color. I love it. It certainly, you know, was a no brainer for me. When I went to buy it, I was like, I'm getting the orange one. It looks cool. And I, you know, I missed the, the ibook era, the original colorful Apple laptop era because I was 20 something who was too cool for school and was like, I'm gonna get a black PowerBook G3. I do have a classic. I still have my classic blue and white G3 tower, which I do. You know, I do like that colorful era of. But you know, I'm glad to see Apple embracing this a little bit more. But I'd like to see them, you know, realize that pros like to have fun too. We can have, we can have more expensive laptops that come in fun colors too. I bought, when I bought my M4 MacBook Air last year, I bought the midnight one because of them. I Think that's the most fun. It's not that fun. It's like a dark blue, almost black, but it's. It's different than silver or space gray, which was every laptop I've had from them in the past decade. Um, so I think color is a big thing. I mean, I still have also, I will say the other one that I've got going for me here is I've still rocking my Series 7 Apple Watch that is blue because they don't make really good colors for the Apple watch anymore either. So I'm hoping. I'm hoping this and that. That base level iPad and the imac and the iPhones, like, I'm hoping this is all presaging a new era of color at Apple. I'm probably due to be disappointed, but you know what? I can dream, Steven.

[D]

So, I mean, I've been in the world of all the pro devices, so you have silver and black, and that's all I've ever gotten. I did get the Sky Blue MacBook Air, which is like the. I don't even know. It's barely blue. Should have been the name. But I will say the one place I do love getting colors is Apple watch straps. And so I prefer the solo loops with my Apple Watch where there's no clasp. You have to get it sized properly. But I find them to be the most comfortable and in all scenarios. And so I'm all about the solo loops and the braided solo loops. I have many different colors of those and it's where I really like to do the colors. I did get a MacBook Neo. Of course I got the indigo, which maybe is the least fun of the colors, but I wasn't sure where it was going to go after I used it. I should have gotten the citrus or something.

[C]

The silver is the least fun of the colors.

[D]

Okay, good, good.

[C]

I think you have the second least fun color, which is also the third most fun color.

[D]

Oh, thank you. Thank you for that. I do want to submit one complaint to Apple though, is they refreshed their colors for iPhone cases and sport loops just earlier this week, Monday, when they announced the 17e. There's a new guava color which looks amazing, but they did not make a solo loop of that color. They updated the sport loop, but not the solo loop. And so I feel like that's a personal affront.

[B]

Colors do matter for me in terms of. You know what? I am excited about what I'm going to get anytime there's something green. I mean, this morning when I looked at the MacBook Neo. I was like, do I maybe possibly need the green one? And I don't and I have no reason to have it. But did my mind go, you probably need that one? Yeah, it did. I think colorways are fun and I think that any time that Apple is making that choice is some is a time that I'm going to celebrate because I want more of that. The green iPhone. Oh, that was a day I, I think people have made memes out of me reacting to that green iPhone. And so yeah, I think it's great, but it's not a matter currently of oh, if there's a product and it has a color, which in my case would be green, that I immediately am like, well, that's something I will be owning, thank goodness. Because otherwise again, I would have a MacBook Neo on the way. And I have no reason to have a MacBook Neo on the way. Amanda, why don't you read this out here?

[C]

Yeah, I just, I've been thinking about this because I feel like I don't need a new laptop, but for work, my corporate issued laptop is like one of the massive 16 inch MacBook Pros.

[B]

Oh yeah.

[C]

And then I honestly, I just use my work laptop for literally everything. One day, surely that will bite me in the back. But the other laptop I have is a 2020 MacBook Air and I'm like, it works. But also I could spend $600 and get a shiny new thing that's pink. But then I think to myself, I'm like, if there wasn't the pink colorway, I don't think I would even be considering this. And maybe is that a sign that I don't actually need this?

[B]

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[A]

Indeed it is. Apple has started playing more for price with offerings like the iPhone 17e and last year 16e, as well as the new previously mentioned MacBook Neo, which starts at just 599. But if you're an education customer, 499, it's almost the cheapest Mac that Apple has ever made. Is this a strategy that you think will work for them? Is this something that they're really feeling like there's an opportunity here? Or do you think this is all just about the upsell? Hey, you spend $200 more, $300 more, you can get this way better thing. Steven, where do you think this pricing strategy is going?

[D]

The 17E is such a weird place because the 16E bombed. And I don't think it was because of MagSafe. I think it was just because when it comes to the phone, it's a status symbol. It's also everybody's camera. And even the air, you know, didn't sell as good as the pro. So I feel like in some categories, like the phone, people are still going to go for the more expensive the Nicer ones. But the MacBook Neo 100%. I think that one's going to sell like crazy. I'm curious if there are any school districts out there that will go to the Neo instead of the Chromebook. Obviously the Neo is still more expensive, probably by several hundred dollars, but I think it's a great deal. And so I think for the Mac side, I think they are going towards the price on Amazon. There's probably going to be crazy sales on this Neo where you can get it for $500 even without an education discount, especially by the holidays. So I think on the Mac side they're definitely trying to push down into the pricing, but I feel like with phones, the expensive ones are still the most popular. I don't. The 17e feels like a weird thing this year.

[B]

I think Steven said how I feel. Yeah, the phone is, it's fine. But I do think that people will just be more interested in more. And as far as the Mac goes, yeah, let's make that more available. And I can remember, I think middle school would have been the first time that I started to see these. But those Mac carts and they were so fancy and had like the charger situation all built right in. And I think that with these colorful options, although will they offer colors in the, in the schools? I don't know. It just is. Is ripe for, you know, making a place once again perhaps where Chromebooks have taken over. Amanda, what are your thoughts?

[C]

I feel similarly that I think the 16e and the 17e is a little like, I don't know who this is for exactly, but the Neo there does feel like there is a clear customer, I think especially just whenever I write these sort of here's the new Apple product posts. It's like every year they're like our new M5 chip can do things at a billion times faster than you ever imagined. And the on device AI and blah, blah, blah. And like a lot of this is just far beyond what the average person needs. And I think that if you're someone who is a student or someone who has like an email job where they don't need to like edit video or whatever, like you don't really need the amount of power that's in a MacBook Air. I mean that's kind of what makes it tempting for me. But also, then again, I do podcasts and things and sometimes photography and sometimes video things and I have a MacBook Pro through work and if I lost the MacBook Pro through work, I don't think a Neo would necessarily fit all of my needs. But maybe I'm wrong. I have yet to use it, but we'll see.

[A]

I'm really intrigued by the distinction you're all making between the phones and the Mac line. In particular, what Amanda just said. Because I would argue the same holds true of the phone as the computer there. Most people don't need an iPhone Pro, right?

[B]

Yeah, the.

[A]

It's very capable. But to Steven's point, you know, there is a status symbol aspect to it in a way that I don't think we see as much with laptops these days, in part because laptops have become commoditized and they've been around so long and they, you know, tend to be things you keep longer, they tend to be associated with work, etc. Etc. So I think it's interesting to, to like draw that line there because it does point to a certain degree of unsurprisingly human, human irrationality when it comes to these kinds of buying choice. Like, you know, a lot of people would probably be fine with the 17E. It's a very capable phone. I actually just sent it to my like a few weeks ago. I was having, having lunch with my literary agent and he's like, I need to replace my old, you know, terrible phone. That's just a cheap phone. And he doesn't, you know, he, he got dragged kicking and screaming into the smartphone era. And I was like, well, this, the 17E is supposed to be coming out in a few weeks and that's probably the phone for you. And I just sent it to him this morning and he's like, did you bill him?

[B]

Perfect for consulting.

[A]

I should bill him. I should. Yeah, we'll just. And I'll take 15% of his purchase. I think it's interesting to see how that, that sort of lines up there. I think Apple is very smart to have devices in that line that are both. If it can hold this, these two truths in its head, right? One is let's sell a device at a price point where we're still making a profit on it, but let's also position it so that if people want to give us more, they can give us more. But like having that flag in the sand where it's like our iPhone starts at 599 or our, you know, Mac starts at 599 is good, right? It looks good. It helps dispel some of the long held like belief that it's like, oh, their products are just too expensive. Again, money people are more than happy to pay for phones, just like to complain about with computers. So it's an interesting situation we're in. Thank you for your thoughts on that. Let's go to our final topic, which comes from Steven. All right.

[D]

Is the studio display XDR a bad deal? What monitors do you guys use right now? And I don't know, am I crazy that I actually want this thing?

[B]

Listen, I respect your desire to want the thing. If I had unlimited power and otherwise unlimited funds, I would have two studio display XDRs. But I think they are a little ridiculous. I'm rocking on one side a Dell ultrasharp 27 inch monitor and on the other side a Gen1 studio display non xdr. I like my studio display, I do. But for the price that it was, even then it was kind of silly. And then I, I think it was in just last episode I said I wanted to see how Apple is going to differentiate with this next model and I'm thoroughly underwhelmed. Overall, I think that there are better deals found elsewhere and a lot of people have found those better deals. So is it necessary? No. But if I were to like be invited to your home and see that you had studio display xdrs, I would not look down upon you. I would probably high five you and say nice. And that's, that's pretty much how I feel about it.

[A]

This is a very weird hypothetical situation, Mike.

[D]

Weird.

[B]

Okay. Yeah. Amanda, what are your thoughts?

[C]

I think the, the whole studio display line, I've always sort of felt like that's just not for me. It reminds me of like in college they had something, I think it like, I don't know, did they have studio displays then?

[B]

But they were called something else. But yeah.

[C]

Yeah, Cinema displays monitor that was like extraordinarily fancy and the color was like calibrated within like an inch of perfection. And they had those in the like photography studios with like the, the hoods around them so that God forbid, like another color entered your eyesight. Everything was perfect and it just felt excessive. But also. Yeah, similar to what Maiko was saying, they're like, it's cool. Like obviously, like I want the cool new shiny thing, but I just don't know if I need it in my life. But I currently, in addition to my corporate issued MacBook Pro, I have the non corporate issued Samsung M8 monitor, which it's almost like a dupe. It kind of has the sleekness that Apple products have, but obviously it's like, like I think I got it for like $400. Like it's like not that degree of fit.

[B]

And finish.

[C]

Yeah, it's just kind of like this is a big monitor that looks nice on my desk and it gets the job done. And it has a built in webcam that absolutely sucks. And I still haven't figured out the best way to navigate around that besides opening my laptop in front of the monitor, which is what I'm doing right now.

[A]

I've got the original studio display here and I was a little worried when they came out a new one because I bought this a few years back when I switched from having an imac on my desk to a Mac mini. And my thinking at the time was, well, this will be, you know, I put it on a vase amount so it's adjustable and everything, but you know, it'll be something that lasts me a while. I can always swap out the mini and put in a new computer because that was my frustration with the imac. I had a gorgeous one of those retina imacs and when it was done, the screen worked fine, but you couldn't do anything with it. You had to recycle the whole darn thing, which was a real bummer. So this way at least there's some modularity to it. And it's like, it's expensive, but it felt like a good investment. And so, you know, I'm always wary of like, oh no, they'll come out with a new one and I'll feel like, do I need to upgrade to that one? And then I looked at the specs for the new studio display and they're exactly the same. So I don't. So as far as the XDR model goes, it's certainly a nicer model. It's positioned kind of, I think, well between the studio display and the old pro display xdr, which was ridiculously expensive. Honestly, a lot of the benefit you get is just having that height adjustable stand included. I think that which normally costs you another couple hundred bucks through 400, I don't even remember. It's a lot. You know, Apple's displays are expensive a lot like a lot of their products, but they're premium. And I will say they're really nice. I love my studio display. It's gorgeous. It's, you know, it's not like a most advanced panel you can find, you know, higher resolution. You can find stuff with hdr, whatever. I don't find this, any of this to be an impediment to me getting my stuff done because I'm not working with graphics or anything like that. So I think it looks great. The studio display XBR it's pricey. I don't think I would ever buy it because I think it's more display than I need. But for people, you know, who want it, I get that. I understand it. You may still need to buy an external webcam because who knows if it's any good or not. Yeah.

[D]

All right, well, here's the thing. MacOS.

[A]

You bought it while we were sitting here, didn't you?

[D]

I did in fact buy it before we recorded.

[B]

But anyway, here's the thing.

[D]

I have the original Studio display on a VESA mount and it's been great. I could never swallow a Pro display XDR price point. And if you look for 5K monitors, there's actually not a ton out there. And 5K at 27 inches where macOS looks normal. Otherwise you get weird scaling stuff. And 6K at 32 inch, although there's no larger size. So it's actually kind of hard to find a 5K 27 inch 120Hz monitor. That is also nice hardware. Samsung supposedly had some that were coming out. They showed them at Cesar. They're not available yet. I didn't see any pricing. So while surely Apple's gonna have a premium price tag, it actually is slightly unique. Plus the six speaker design. I probably, to my detriment, I edit videos and I just have the audio playing out of my studio display. I don't have any.

[A]

Speakers are good. They are good.

[D]

They're really good. And this new model actually has improved speakers and so I'm actually looking forward to that and better bass. So because I use my studio display speakers all the time, it is my main monitor. Yeah, I got the studio display xdr. It's probably more expensive than it should be, but I think I'm going to enjoy it. The one thing that was really frustrating is because I have a VESA mount. I was like, maybe by chance the Vesa mount model will be cheaper. No, I just get less aluminum in the box. But I still have to pay the same price.

[A]

Yeah, I will say I have a pair of stereo homepods next to my Mac and I never use them.

[D]

Same with this. I have a pair of HomePod 2 sitting right here on my desk and all they do is I switch to

[A]

them and it's like, you know what, it's only like 10% better than the Studio display speakers.

[D]

Yeah. If they had a headphone input. If they just had an 8th inch jack input, I would 100% use the HomePods as my main speakers. But literally all they do is I say hey, dingus, I'm done working. And it turns off all my studio. That's it.

[C]

Unfortunately, now I'm like, there is a pink imac, which, which is a thing I need even less than I need a MacBook. I just, I mean, it is full circle because my first Apple product I ever owned was an ipod mini that was pink. But I think I need to not buy something just because it's pink.

[A]

Step away.

[B]

Step away from the computer. Everything's okay, folks. That just about brings us to the end of this episode of Clockwise. But we've got enough time for a bonus topic. I'd like to know what's something in your city that you like to take visitors to see or experience? Amanda, we'll start with you.

[C]

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, which also has been rebranded to the Art Museum or the Philadelphia Art Museum, which then can be abbreviated to fart. So there's been a lot of discourse around that. But name aside, I think people are attracted to it because the Rocky steps and there's like the Rocky statue, but it's like an amazing art museum. It's kind of like I'll go out on a limb and say it's like a mini Met. And by that I mean they have like contemporary art, they have rotating exhibitions. They also have like suits of armor and like weird stuff from all eras of history. And I've been there like a bajillion times. And then whenever I go, I'm still like, hey, I never noticed that they have a bunch of chain mail before. That's fun.

[A]

I. I really like the, the Museum of Science down here that we have, which is straddles the river between Cambridge and Boston, is just super fun. And I don't only say that because I bring my child there like once a week. But yeah, there's lots of great stuff. And I would say down if it's summer and it's nice. Baseball game at Family Park. It's a great time, it's a great afternoon.

[D]

I bring people. I'm near Tampa and there's a place in Tampa called the Oxford Exchange, which is like multiple things in one. There's like a Buddy Brew coffee place. There's like a bespoke tea place. There's a really nice restaurant. There's also a candle making, a bookstore. There's a new podcast studio on the second floor. There used to be a Warby Parker. It's like, but it's this mid century modern designed building and it feels very like swanky and like it's just a really fun place to go. Everybody can get what they want. You can eat. There's. There's also like this gift shop with like really weird trinkets and these obscure books. And it's just fun to kind of walk around and just be there in that environment. Get a coffee, get a tea, and it's fun to hang out in. So the Oxford Exchange in Tampa.

[B]

I would take people to Pittock Mansion here in Portland. It's like a huge house museum that is just fun to walk through and think about the way we used to live. And then also of course, Powell's Books, which is the big popular bookstore here in Portland. I don't think I've ever had someone come visit without a making a Powell's run. So it's just a requirement if you're visiting Portland, I think. Thank you all for your answers on that. If you can believe it, we have reached the end of this episode of Clockwise, which means all that's left is to remind you that if you'd like to get ad free episodes of an extra unwound episode every week, you could become a member of Clockwise. Go to Relay FM clockwise. Sign up $7 a month, $70 a year to help support the show. Amanda Silberling, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to be with us today.

[C]

I'm happy to be here and thanks for helping me through not buying something just because it's pink.

[A]

And Stephen Robles, thank you so much for joining us and buying something.

[D]

Your mind makes it real.

[A]

Neo and Michael will be back next week, but until then, we remind everyone listening out there watch what you say

[B]

and and keep watching the clock.

[A]

Bye everybody.