The MacRumors Show: Thomas Frank Talks iPad and Mac Productivity

Productivity guru Thomas Frank joins us on The MacRumors Show podcast this week to evaluate the state of the iPad Pro and Mac as productivity tools.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos

Thomas is a YouTuber, podcaster, and content creator best known for his personal development video essays, Notion tutorials and templates, and Skillshare courses. We discuss the ‌iPad Pro‌'s hardware and form factor, the advancements and limitations of iPadOS 16, and accessories like the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard.

We explore the M2 MacBook Air, share some productivity tips, and weigh up the upsides and downsides of Apple's platforms for getting things done. We also touch on some of our favorite third-party apps like Things 3, Obsidian, Craft, and Notion. See more of Thomas's work on his YouTube channel or his website.

Listen to The MacRumors Show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or subscribe by copying our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. You can also watch a video version of the podcast on our YouTube channel. If you haven't already listened to the last episode of The MacRumors Show, be sure to catch up for an in-depth chat about Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone following the launch of Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Flip and Z Fold devices.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for more episodes, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by exciting guests like Jonathan Morrison, iJustine, Ross Young, Sam Kohl, Ian Zelbo, Jon Rettinger, Rene Ritchie, Andru Edwards, Jon Prosser, and Mark Gurman. Remember to rate and review the show, and let us know what subjects you would like the podcast to cover going forward.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
maxresdefault

These 5 Features Will Make the iPhone 17 the Biggest Update in Years

Monday July 22, 2024 4:02 pm PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 16 models that we're expecting to see in September are going to be quite similar to the iPhone 15 models, but rumors suggest that Apple is making big changes in 2025. We've been hearing hints of an all-new device in the iPhone lineup, and it may be the most expensive iPhone Apple has offered to date. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. New 'Slim'...
iOS 18 on iPhone Feature

Everything New in iOS 18 Beta 4

Tuesday July 23, 2024 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 18 today, introducing small changes to a number of features throughout the operating system. There are no big additions in this beta, but Apple is continuing to refine existing settings and design choices. Apple plans to continue updating iOS 18 over the next few months, with the update set to be released this fall. We've rounded up all of the changes...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Launch Early Next Year With OLED Display, 48MP Camera, and More

Monday July 22, 2024 7:22 am PDT by
The fourth-generation iPhone SE will offer a series of major upgrades over the current model, the leaker known as "Ice Universe" claims. The information was listed in a post on Weibo, which also detailed the specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup. As previously rumored, the fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to feature Face ID and USB-C, marking a major upgrade from current and previous ...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...

Top Rated Comments

BootsWalking Avatar
25 months ago
Those must be some major productivity tips to warrant watching a 67 minute video.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ackmondual Avatar
25 months ago

Those must be some major productivity tips to warrant watching a 67 minute video.
I skimmed through that video. No screenshots, nor videos of workflows in action. Just talking. This makes it great if you want to turn it into a podcast (ie, at the gym, driving, daily commute), but as person who doesn't use MacOS, and not iOS for gaming, I was kind of hoping for video clips of such productivity (to get some specifics as to why creative people prefer MacOS). Oh well. That's something that's been on the back of my mind. I'll put in a mental to do list item to seek other videos. I do know one guy who's a solid Apple user (IIRC, he has about $13K of Mac OS equipment alone), so I'll ask him next time I run into him.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dan Barbera Avatar
25 months ago

I skimmed through that video. No screenshots, nor videos of workflows in action. Just talking. This makes it great if you want to turn it into a podcast (ie, at the gym, driving, daily commute), but as person who doesn't use MacOS, and not iOS for gaming, I was kind of hoping for video clips of such productivity (to get some specifics as to why creative people prefer MacOS). Oh well. That's something that's been on the back of my mind. I'll put in a mental to do list item to seek other videos. I do know one guy who's a solid Apple user (IIRC, he has about $13K of Mac OS equipment alone), so I'll ask him next time I run into him.
This IS a podcast lol
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topdrawer Avatar
25 months ago
watching youtube is not productive to me.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Starscape Avatar
25 months ago
So iPadOS’s limitations are a good thing, because it means less distractions.


Alrighty.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
imnotthewalrus Avatar
25 months ago
Sorry, MR but as a video - no. Just my opinion. Nothing more, nothing less. I didn't even make it to the halfway point.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)