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I’m joined by listener-turned-guest Major Dr. Zach Hicks, an Air Force physician living in Japan, to talk  how Apple’s translation tech is making daily life in Tokyo not just possible, but actually kind of magical. We dive into using AirPods for real-time translation, navigating Japan without speaking the language, and why this stuff feels like a genuine sci-fi breakthrough. Along the way, we wander into raising kids overseas, Japanese culture shock, aviation anxiety, flying in military cargo planes, and why understanding how airplanes work might make you more nervous, not less. It’s a classic CultCast off-topic episode: part tech, part travel, part existential aviation dread — and a reminder that some of the best conversations come straight from the listener community.

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With reseller stock drying up, new M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros appear to be RIGHT around the corner!   We’ve also got more intel on Apple’s first OLED MacBook Pro (with a full redesign!). Plus: major new features landing in iOS 26.3 and 26.4, what Apple’s second-largest acquisition reveals about Siri’s future, autonomous AI agents are coming to Xcode, and a disappointing new rumor about the next Studio Display…

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This week’s stories
M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro Launch Imminent as Reseller Stock Dwindles
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/02/03/m5-pro-max-macbook-pro-imminent/
Report: OLED MacBook Pro to Launch This Year
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/02/03/report-oled-macbook-pro-to-launch-this-year/
iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/02/03/ios-26-3-and-ios-26-4-features/
Apple Makes Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/02/03/apple-second-biggest-acquisition/
Xcode 26.3 Lets AI Agents From Anthropic and OpenAI Build Apps Autonomously
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/02/03/xcode-26-3-agentic-coding/
Apple's Studio Display 2 Rumored to Have Up to 90Hz Refresh Rate Instead of 120Hz
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/02/04/apple-studio-display-2-unusual-feature-rumor/

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This week:
A deep dive into Apple’s new Creator Studio and whether it’s actually a good value for creative professionals
Everything you need to know about AirTag 2!
Not one but TWO new MacBook Pros are likely coming this year.
A rundown of 20+ Apple products expected to launch this year, from Macs and iPads to totally new stuff.
Google’s new $7.99 AI Plus plan and what it says about the rapidly heating AI arms race
Revelations from my trip to Stockholm using my $2K mirrorless vs my iPhone 17 Pro camera
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This week's stories
Apple Creator Studio review: Incredible value for most creative pros
https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/01/28/apple-creator-studio-review-incredible-value-for-most-creative-pros
10+ Things to Know About the New AirTag 2
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/26/10-things-to-know-about-the-new-airtag-2/
Apple Reportedly Aiming to Upgrade the MacBook Pro Twice This Year
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/25/macbook-pro-two-upgrades-in-2026-rumor/
Apple to Launch These 20+ Products This Year
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/25/rumored-apple-products/

Google Brings Cheaper $7.99 'AI Plus' Plan to 35 Countries, Including U.S.
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/27/google-ai-plus-plan-expansion/

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Watch this episode on YouTube
This week: Siri’s growing up as a proper chatbot, Apple copies the raging success of the Humane Ai Pin, why your next Mac might cost even more, how you can make your Mac hot, and a truly bizarre prison-inspired user setup.
The new Cult of Mac podcast:
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Apple may reinvent Siri as a conversational AI in iOS 27Forget the old, nearly useless Siri — Apple will reportedly upgrade the iPhone’s voice assistant into an AI-powered chatbot with iOS 27. Users will supposedly be able to converse with the new Siri, not just give it orders.

Apple works on AI wearable with mics, cameras and moreAn AI pin is reportedly on the drawing board at Apple. The hands-free device might may change the future of wearable technology.

Why Apple faces new pressure to raise iPhone and Mac pricesApple is likely to struggle to get a critical component for all its products this year, which might force it raise prices.
MacBook Pros disappear from stores — here’s why

Speed up your Mac workflow with Hot Corners, the feature pro users swear byHot Corners on the Mac work like shortcuts for your mouse. Just throw your mouse cursor to the corner of the screen to trigger a shortcut.

Listener QuestionHands-on with a folding iPhone mock-up: This thing is weird

How these brilliantly lit setups strike a mood for work or gamingProper desk lighting can make or break a Mac setup when it comes to boosting productivity, setting a mood or gaming like you mean it.
RGB hues bathe Beatles-themed retro Apple rig in otherworldly light

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This week on the pod, Apple’s future starts to come into focus — and it’s getting very interesting. John Ternus quietly steps into a major design role as Apple’s long-term CEO chessboard shifts, while a new report says Craig Federighi taking the reins on Apple’s evolving AI strategy. 
We also dig into the biggest Siri shake-up in years: a full-on chatbot experience coming in iOS 27. Plus: five all-new Apple products are expected this year and new details on the upcoming MacBook Pro redesign!
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This week’s stories
Apple's John Ternus Takes Over Design in Latest CEO Succession Move
Report: Apple's New AI Strategy Firms Up Under Craig Federighi
A Siri Chatbot is Coming in iOS 27
Will Apple Charge for Its Siri Chatbot?
Apple Expected to Unveil Five All-New Products This Year
MacBook Pro to Receive Up to Six New Features by Next Year