Latest posts.

Today's episode is all about tier listing the contenders to be the new Euro banknotes. What will these Americans think of Europe's next top currency?

This week's Cozy Zone is a very fun "name that app" game as Matt trots out some of the really weird apps from his Mac's Applications folder.

Want more from the gang? Cozy Zone is our member's only show and is $5/month https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138191 or $50/year https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138195. Bonus episodes for you,

Feedback? Questions? Let us know https://giant-smash-219.notion.site/2d235e3fe8d880129f22fb81cdd47acc!

Things discussed

• Proposed new € banknotes https://www.ecb.europa.eu/euro/banknotes/future_banknotes/html/design-proposals.en.html

Follow the Hosts

• Chris on YouTube
• Matt on Birchtree https://birchtree.me
• Niléane on Mastodon https://nileane.fr/@nileane
• Comfort Zone on Mastodon https://mastodon.macstories.net/@comfortzone
• Comfort Zone on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/comfortzone.macstories.net

We have a guest! D. Griffin Jones is here to show the gang technology they could only dream of: the MessagePad. After that, we look at the brand new Pastebot 3, the surprisingly useful Clop, and close it out by trying to sell Niléane on a 3D printer.

This week's Cozy Zone was all about the games we've been enjoying lately.

Want more from the gang? Cozy Zone is a bonus podcast every Monday where we let loose on all sorts of fun topics. You can get cozy with the Comfort Zone crew for just $5/month https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138191 or $50/year https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138195, which not only makes the bonus episodes possible, but supports Comfort Zone, too.

How would you have done our challenges? How would you answer the question at the end of the show? Let us know https://giant-smash-219.notion.site/2d235e3fe8d880129f22fb81cdd47acc!

Things discussed

• Griffin's blog https://dgriffinjones.com
• Apple MessagePad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MessagePad
• Pastebot 3 https://tapbots.com/pastebot/
• Clop https://lowtechguys.com/clop/
• Omori on Nintendo Store https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/omori-switch/
• Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/xenoblade-chronicles-definitive-edition-nintendo-switch-2-edition-switch-2/

Follow the Hosts

• Chris on YouTube
• Matt on Birchtree https://birchtree.me
• Niléane on Mastodon https://nileane.fr/@nileane
• Comfort Zone on Mastodon https://mastodon.macstories.net/@comfortzone
• Comfort Zone on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/comfortzone.macstories.net

Niléane brings her newest fan (literally), Chris just assumed his co-hosts have installed the betas (they have), and they all tell each other how their respective apps could start earning millions.

This week's Cozy Zone was a complete, and authoritative, tier listing of every Men's World Cup logo ever.

Want more from the gang? Cozy Zone is a bonus podcast every Monday where we let loose on all sorts of fun topics. You can get cozy with the Comfort Zone crew for just $5/month https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138191 or $50/year https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138195, which not only makes the bonus episodes possible, but supports Comfort Zone, too.

How would you have done our challenges? How would you answer the question at the end of the show? Let us know https://giant-smash-219.notion.site/2d235e3fe8d880129f22fb81cdd47acc!

Things discussed

• Classy filing https://www.brt.fyi/posts/mac-book-filing/
• Horror show filing https://kentwalters.com/posts/corners/
• Vivaldi is trying to bring Blink to iOS https://social.vivaldi.net/@brucelawson/116929696932400176
• Niléane's fan https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0F66GBPYC?th=1
• Tiny Start https://tinystart.app/
• Parchment https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parchment-agenda-daily-note/id6779987526
• Quick Reads https://quickreads.app
• Quick Reviews https://apps.apple.com/us/app/quick-reviews/id6740369719

Follow the Hosts

• Chris on YouTube
• Matt on Birchtree https://birchtree.me
• Niléane on Mastodon https://nileane.fr/@nileane
• Comfort Zone on Mastodon https://mastodon.macstories.net/@comfortzone
• Comfort Zone on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/comfortzone.macstories.net

Matt has been doing tons with Quick Reads, Chris has all the small things, and everyone create Shortcuts WITH THEIR VOICE.

This week's Cozy Zone has the boys competing in Niléane's Great Star Wars Quotes Quiz and it goes…let's just say good and bad.

Want more from the gang? Cozy Zone is a bonus podcast every Monday where we let loose on all sorts of fun topics. You can get cozy with the Comfort Zone crew for just $5/month https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138191 or $50/year https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138195, which not only makes the bonus episodes possible, but supports Comfort Zone, too.

How would you have done our challenges? How would you answer the question at the end of the show? Let us know https://giant-smash-219.notion.site/2d235e3fe8d880129f22fb81cdd47acc!

Things discussed

• Parchment on the App Store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parchment-agenda-daily-note/id6779987526
• Atlas is dead https://9to5mac.com/2026/07/09/openai-is-discontinuing-chatgpt-atlas-its-standalone-desktop-browser/
• Quick Reads https://quickreads.app/
• Final Cut Pro update https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/06/apple-creator-studio-gets-smarter-faster-and-more-connected/
• GPT 5.6 https://openai.com/index/gpt-5-6/
• Open Knowledge https://openknowledge.ai/

Follow the Hosts

• Chris on YouTube
• Matt on Birchtree https://birchtree.me
• Niléane on Mastodon https://nileane.fr/@nileane
• Comfort Zone on Mastodon https://mastodon.macstories.net/@comfortzone
• Comfort Zone on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/comfortzone.macstories.net

Chris explains how he's using Parchment, Matt gets all in your face about calendars, and everyone competes to see who can handle using Snick for the longest.

This week's Cozy Zone has the gang sharing their development tips and setups.

Want more from the gang? Cozy Zone is a bonus podcast every Monday where we let loose on all sorts of fun topics. You can get cozy with the Comfort Zone crew for just $5/month https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138191 or $50/year https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138195, which not only makes the bonus episodes possible, but supports Comfort Zone, too.

How would you have done our challenges? How would you answer the question at the end of the show? Let us know https://giant-smash-219.notion.site/2d235e3fe8d880129f22fb81cdd47acc!

Things discussed

• Star Fox for Switch 2 https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/star-fox-switch-2/
• Tangerine Neue https://github.com/mattbirchler/Tangerine-Neue-for-Mastodon
• In Your Face https://www.inyourface.app/
• Inspired by this post https://birchtree.me/blog/micro-app-17-next-up/
• Næste https://apps.apple.com/us/app/n%C3%A6ste-menu-bar-calendar/id6504735260?mt=12
• Snick https://snick.vercel.app/

Follow the Hosts

• Chris on YouTube
• Matt on Birchtree https://birchtree.me
• Niléane on Mastodon https://nileane.fr/@nileane
• Comfort Zone on Mastodon https://mastodon.macstories.net/@comfortzone
• Comfort Zone on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/comfortzone.macstories.net

Niléane invested in a fast-appreciating asset (air conditioner), CHRIS MADE AN APP, and everyone surprises everyone else with their favorite challenges.

This week's Cozy Zone, we tier listed the biggest iPhone features over the year.

Want more from the gang? Cozy Zone is a bonus podcast every Monday where we let loose on all sorts of fun topics. You can get cozy with the Comfort Zone crew for just $5/month https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138191 or $50/year https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138195, which not only makes the bonus episodes possible, but supports Comfort Zone, too.

How would you have done our challenges? How would you answer the question at the end of the show? Let us know https://giant-smash-219.notion.site/2d235e3fe8d880129f22fb81cdd47acc!

Things discussed

• Chris was in The Verge's Installer https://www.theverge.com/tech/958127/google-home-speaker-star-fox-installer
• Jet Lag The Game on Nebula https://nebula.tv/jetlag and YouTube
• Midea PortaSplit https://www.midea.com/global/heating-cooling/porta-split-ac
• Cotopaxi Allpa 28L https://www.cotopaxi.com/products/allpa-28l-travel-pack-2?variant=41266075598909
• Plexamp https://www.cotopaxi.com/products/allpa-28l-travel-pack-2?variant=41266075598909
• Snick https://snick.vercel.app/

Follow the Hosts

• Chris on YouTube
• Matt on Birchtree https://birchtree.me
• Niléane on Mastodon https://nileane.fr/@nileane
• Comfort Zone on Mastodon https://mastodon.macstories.net/@comfortzone
• Comfort Zone on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/comfortzone.macstories.net

The gang's back together! Niléane has a new window management system, Matt wonders if Thunderbolt is too fast, and everyone recovers from letting AI take the wheel for the week.

This week's Cozy Zone, Niléane has a new place and it only seemed proper to roast her new setup.

Want more from the gang? Cozy Zone is a bonus podcast every Monday where we let loose on all sorts of fun topics. You can get cozy with the Comfort Zone crew for just $5/month https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138191 or $50/year https://macstories.memberful.com/checkout?plan=138195, which not only makes the bonus episodes possible, but supports Comfort Zone, too.

How would you have done our challenges? How would you answer the question at the end of the show? Let us know https://giant-smash-219.notion.site/2d235e3fe8d880129f22fb81cdd47acc!

Things discussed

• Chris's Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/Lawley
• Neuecast https://neuecast.app/
• Jet Lag The Game (Nebula https://nebula.tv/jetlag or YouTube
• Microsoft is the savior we were waiting for https://clubigen.fr/igen/156627
• Goodbye, Tangerine UI https://nileane.fr/@TangerineUI/116776620945959421
• Keychron 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Dock https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-thunderbolt-5-dock-14-in-1
• Matt's full review on Birchtree https://birchtree.me/blog/keychron-thunderbolt-5-dock-a-good-dock-at-a-good-price-that-is-probably-overkill-for-most-people/
• OCW's $329 dock https://www.owc.com/solutions/thunderbolt-5-dock (3 USB-C)
• OWC's $499 dock https://www.owc.com/solutions/thunderbolt-5-dual-10gbe-network-dock (4 USB-C)
• CalDigit TS5 https://us.caldigit.com/products/ts5 (6 USB-C)
• CalDigit TS5 Plus https://us.caldigit.com/products/ts5-plus (7 USB-C)
• My old TB4 OWC dock https://www.owc.com/solutions/thunderbolt-dock (3 USB-C)
• MYGGSPRAY https://www.ikea.com/fr/fr/p/myggspray-detecteur-de-mouvement-sans-fil-connecte-70604186/

Follow the Hosts

• Chris on YouTube
• Matt on Birchtree https://birchtree.me
• Niléane on Mastodon https://nileane.fr/@nileane
• Comfort Zone on Mastodon https://mastodon.macstories.net/@comfortzone
• Comfort Zone on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/comfortzone.macstories.net