Basic AF: a (mostly) tech podcast A Budget MacBook, iPad Updates & Going Analog with Field Notes
6 snips
Mar 2, 2026 They unpack rumors of a budget MacBook, possible M5 MacBook Pro upgrades, and iPad and iPhone 'e' refreshes. They celebrate the Mac Mini and muse about display and chip tradeoffs. The conversation shifts to pocket-sized Field Notes notebooks and why going analog can help. They also compare two weather apps, Acme and Carrot, and which features stand out.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Budget MacBook Aims At Chromebook Replacement
- Apple is rumored to launch a budget MacBook around $600–$700 using an A18 Pro-class chip rather than an M-series to hit that price.
- Tom and Jeff think it targets K–12 or budget buyers as a step up from Chromebooks but may be too low-spec for heavy student workloads.
iPhone 16e Brings Dynamic Island To Budget Model
- The iPhone 16e/17e is expected to keep a ~$600 entry price while gaining Dynamic Island, better front camera, and improved wireless hardware.
- Jeff and Tom note Dynamic Island adds useful glanceable info like live scores, making that feature valuable across the lineup.
Low End iPad Gets Apple Intelligence Ready
- Base iPad is expected to receive a chip bump and RAM increase (to ~8GB) to enable Apple Intelligence features.
- Tom says this makes the low-end iPad more capable for students while keeping the existing design.
