Press Pause with Bill McLean

In season three, episode 5 of Press Pause, we look at the broken state of productivity systems and why I am sticking with Apple Notes over Obsidian. The AI wars are heating up again as we discuss the performance of Claude 4.6 against Google's Gemini 3.1 Pro.
We also break down the latest Apple rumors from Mark Gurman regarding the massive Siri delay. It looks like those highly anticipated features might be pushed back to iOS 26.5 or even iOS 27, proving once again that the tech rumor mill often ruins the fun.
Managing content across YouTube, a podcast, a newsletter, Threads, X, and TikTok is overwhelming. I talk about why having files on your hard drive sounds great in theory, but apps with good user interfaces usually win out for most people.
Notion gets a lot of complaints because of its subscription model, but its AI implementation is currently the most useful one I have tested. We also touch on the recent AI summit and why we need more likable people in charge of these tools.

Kepano: https://stephango.com/about

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Where to find Tom:
Web/newsletter: tomfanderson.com
Threads: threads.com/@tomanderson
Podcast: basicafshow.com
In this episode of Press Pause, I am joined by Tom Anderson from the Basic AF show to discuss the reality of being a tech enthusiast who just cannot stop switching apps. We talk about the "infinite loop" of productivity tools and why the search for the perfect setup never really ends.
Tom shares exactly why he moved his entire workflow into Craft Docs, including how he managed to replace a dedicated task manager like Things 3 to keep his tasks and notes in one place. We also discuss why Apple Notes is fantastic for 90% of people but why it often falls short for power users who need features like nested documents and better export options.
We also dive into the current state of AI and the potential risks of giving "agent" tools like OpenClaw unfiltered access to your computer. We debate whether installing these local bots is a productivity hack or a massive security trap waiting to happen.
Finally, we cover our hardware setups. Tom explains how he uses the 13-inch iPad Pro as his main computer for 75% of his work. We also look at his home screen which reveals a shocking number of unread notification badges that somehow do not stress him out at all.

1Password Article Referenced: https://1password.com/blog/from-magic-to-malware-how-openclaws-agent-skills-become-an-attack-surface

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
02:09 Exploring Notes Apps and Productivity
07:45 Craft vs. Other Notes Apps
12:02 Task Management and Productivity Tools
18:00 The Role of AI in Note-Taking
25:59 The Future of AI and Personal Data Management
35:44 Integrating AI into Everyday Tools
39:08 Specialized AI Applications in Project Management
40:33 The Future of AI and Privacy Concerns
42:50 Exploring Open Source AI Tools
45:07 Navigating AI Usage Limits and Workflows
48:35 The Debate on Upgrading Tech Devices
49:28 Personal Computing Preferences and Experiences
56:18 Notification Management and Personal Preferences
Sign up for my new weekly Newsletter The Digital Pulse!
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✅ My favorite todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jy
Website:www.williabmclean.com
For business inquiries:[email protected]

We spend so much time searching for the perfect notes app that we often forget to actually use the notes and do the work.
In this episode of Press Pause, I’m looking at why I’ve moved away from the complexity of tools like Obsidian and Notion to go back to the most obvious choice: Apple Notes. For a long time, the "graph view" and complex linking were the gold standard, but for most of us, they’ve become more of a distraction than a utility.
Simplicity is winning the personal knowledge management game right now and Apple’s deep integration gives it an edge that third-party apps struggle to match.
We also dive into the current state of AI. While many are looking at Claude and Anthropic as the leaders, there are signs they may have fumbled their chance to unseat Google. I discuss why this might be the year Apple Intelligence changes the landscape and what it means for the future of these AI startups.
Sign up for my new weekly Newsletter The Digital Pulse!https://billmclean.substack.com/
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Website:www.williabmclean.comFor business inquiries:[email protected]

I have spent the last three weeks obsessing over the same decision regarding which notes app is actually right for my workflow. Between Apple Notes, Notion, and a dozen other productivity tools, it feels like a constant cycle of optimizing and then starting over. In this episode, I break down why choosing a notes app is so difficult right now and why the system you use matters far more than the software itself.We also dive into the reality of AI subscription fatigue. After canceling ChatGPT, Claude, and Raycast, I realized that having the latest models doesn't mean much if you can't find your ideas when you need them. I share my experience trying to consolidate everything into a single reliable system and why I keep getting pulled back to the defaults.Finally, we talk about the latest updates from Apple, including the new Creator Studio bundle and their strategic move to use Google's Gemini for Siri. It is a brilliant play that limits their risk while buying time to build something better.I am curious what notes app you are currently using and if you have found a system that sticks. Let me know in the comments.Sign up for my new weekly Newsletter The Digital Pulse!https://billmclean.substack.com/Check me out on Social:https://www.threads.net/@williambmcleanhttps://x.com/wbmcleanMust-have affiliate links:☀️Raycast Pro Free for 14 days: https://raycast.com/?via=william-mclean💻CleanMyMac Free for 7 days: https://macpaw.audw.net/c/6052342/263631/1733🎵 2 Months Free! Music, Footage, and More from Artlist: https://artlist.io/referral/4646734/William☁️ Backblaze computer and NAS backup: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/05ckce✅ My favorite todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jyWebsite:www.williabmclean.comFor business inquiries:[email protected]

Press Pause: Tech Obsession & Remembering the Average User
In this episode, I'm diving into why my latest iPhone video struck such a chord with viewers, Apple's big moves in AI (including that surprising Gemini partnership), and why the AI race might be a solution still searching for problems.

We'll cover:
• Why you probably don't need the Pro iPhone this year
• Apple's new data-sharing requirements for third-party AI
• The Google-Siri deal that changes everything
• AI browsers, agents, and the struggle to find practical use cases
• Updates from Craft, recent bestsellers, and more

Plus, I've rebranded the show to "Press Pause" to better reflect what we're doing here—taking a step back to examine how tech and productivity actually impact our daily lives.
Links mentioned:
Apple Notes Essentials Guide (50% off with code BF25NOTES)
https://billmclean.gumroad.com/l/wdsjz
Ad-free videos on Substack:
billmclean.substack.comFollow me on
Threads for video ideas and tech commentary
https://www.threads.net/@williambmclean
Claude use cases
https://claude.com/resources/use-cases?utm_source=tldrai
Craft updates
https://viktor.craft.me/bdbGJVKw4f2AQ2

If you're tired of tech hype and want honest takes on what actually matters, this one's for you.
Must-have affiliate links:
☀️Raycast Pro Free for 14 days:
https://raycast.com/?via=william-mclean
💻CleanMyMac Free for 7 days: https://macpaw.audw.net/c/6052342/263631/1733
🎵 2 Months Free! Music, Footage, and More from Artlist: https://artlist.io/referral/4646734/William
☁️ Backblaze computer and NAS backup: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/05ckce
✅ My favorite todo app(todoist): https://get.todoist.io/ucypxtigr1jy
Website: www.williabmclean.com
For business inquiries: [email protected]