Ryot:

The film tells the story of one citizen from Jalouzi, one of the largest slums in Haiti, who is determined to bring color to the impoverished area by helping paint the entire town, literally.

Believing that color has the power to transform his community, he’s helping to paint everywhere – on houses, on buses, and the entire hillside. Armed with brushes of bright blues, pastel pinks, and sunshine yellows, he’s helping to mobilize citizens of all ages, determined to turn the grey town into a rainbow full of color to lead the way to a brighter Haiti.

I don’t care much that it was shot on any particular device. But it is a wonderful film full of hope for the future of one of the most impoverished places in the world.

The Wall Street Journal:

Eyeo GmbH, the company behind popular desktop ad-blocking tool Adblock Plus, now accepts payment from around 70 companies in exchange for letting their ads through its filter. Eyeo stipulates that they must comply with its “acceptable ads” policy, meaning their ads aren’t too disruptive or intrusive to users. In total, ads from some 700 companies meet the acceptable ads policy, an Eyeo spokesman said.

Eyeo is now reaching out to developers of other ad-blocking tools to cut deals that allow certain ads to pass ads through their filters, too, in exchange for payment.

(Dean) Murphy (who created Crystal, an application to help users block ads on Apple Inc.’s mobile devices) said he has taken Eyeo up on its offer, and plans to implement an option within his app whereby “acceptable” ads will be displayed to users. The feature will be switched on by default, Mr. Murphy said, and he will receive a flat monthly fee from Eyeo in return.

This is a predictable situation and it will only get worse or better depending on your point of view.

Pew Research:

Test your knowledge of science facts and applications of scientific principles by taking our short 12-question quiz. Then see how you did in comparison with a nationally representative group of 3,278 randomly selected U.S. adults surveyed online and by mail between Aug. 11 and Sept. 3, 2014 as members of the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel.When you finish, you will be able to compare your scores with the average American and compare responses across demographic groups.

I got 11 out of 12. I should have aced it if I had only thought a little longer about one of the questions. According to Mental Floss, only 6 percent of Americans aced this basic science survey. How did you do?

CBC:

Mounties from the southern Saskatchewan detachment became a viral hit when they got wind of a weekend party involving local youth and posted about it on Facebook.

They warned the students they could face hefty fines if there were any laws broken, such as underage drinking or littering.

They also said officers from the detachment would show up with chips and salsa.

It turns out they weren’t kidding.

Another in a long line of reasons why I love my country.

Jeffrey Zeldman:

Advertisers don’t want to be ignored, and they are drunk on our data, which is what Google and other large networks are really selling. The ads are almost a by-product; what companies really want to know is what antiperspirant a woman of 25–34 is most likely to purchase after watching House of Cards. Which gets us into issues of privacy and spying and government intrusion and don’t ask.

And in this environment of sites so cluttered with misleading ads they are almost unnavigable, Apple looks heroic, riding to the consumer’s rescue by providing all the content from newspapers without the ads, and by blocking ugly advertising on websites. But if they succeed, will media companies and independent sites survive?

This issue is far from over. We have no idea how this is going to shake out, who will adapt and survive and who will fold. I do believe it is an issue ad publishers have largely brought on themselves. But it’s a shame there is and will continue to be a lot of collateral damage in this so-called Apple vs Google War.

Huffington Post:

it really bums me out that The Man In the Machine makes little attempt to portray someone who was, by most accounts, a complex, iconic, but all-too-flawed man who, over the course of his career, could be both inventor and thief, monk and businessman, brat and sage, tyrant and beloved leader, and managed to use those conflicting traits to both change the world and create the most valuable, influential, and admired company on the planet.

Instead, The Man In the Machine is focused largely on the thesis that Jobs was always and only a jerk, that people who enjoy Apple products and admire Jobs are idiots and cult members, and that the computer revolution that was born of Jobs’ vision must inevitably contain the same ugly darkness Gibney feels is Jobs’ defining trait, despite any evidence to the contrary.

This review of the documentary tracks with how I felt about it. Not only was it simply inaccurate in places, it seemed to have its premise in place long before the facts were in evidence. It had Joe Nocera, a journalist who famously wrote “Apple hit pieces” for the New York Times, exclaim he didn’t understand the allure of the iPhone. “It’s just a phone!” That’s like not understanding the sex appeal of a Ferrari because it’s “just” a car. Overall, even though I had high hopes for the movie because of the director’s previous work,I was very disappointed in this documaentary.

The new York Times:

We’ve chosen some of our best works or collections of works that have appeared since we began offering digital subscriptions in 2011.

While certainly not exhaustive, the list demonstrates the breadth, creativity and impact of The Times.

One of the things the NYT does really well is these long-form, investigative articles. “Punched Out: The Life and Death of a Hockey Enforcer” was a heartbreaking look into the life of a hockey player I was a big fan of during his playing days.

Stephen Colbert:

“Siri, put Apple CEO Tim Cook on my calendar for Tuesday, Sept. 15. Oh, and come up with some questions to ask him.”

Looks like I’ll be watching Colbert on Tuesday. I wonder if the bar in the resort I’m staying at in Mexico will carry it?

Fortune:

There are lots of things people wonder about Ahrendts. Why did she, the celebrated architect of Burberry’s turnaround, give up her post as CEO and uproot her family to become, at best, the third or fourth most powerful executive at the $183-billion-in-sales tech giant?

Here’s another: What does Apple think Ahrendts—whom it paid an astounding $73.4 million in stock and cash in her first year—brings to a company that has redefined the technology and retail sectors, one that, at this point, seems not to need a whole lot of anything? And a third: What has she accomplished so far?

A lot of people don’t understand Ahrendts role at Apple, assuming she’d be as high profile at Apple as she was at Burberry. It’s the curse of short term thinking and not realizing that both Ahrendts and Cook are, as usual, playing the Long Game.

ZDNet:

Apple has a new iPhone Upgrade Program that’s worth the look. And it may be even more disruptive than the technologies found in the company’s next iPhones.

At this point, all of the four major U.S. carriers have installment plans available for handsets. Enter the iPhone Upgrade Program.

It’s very similar to what the carriers offer today but it might actually be a bit cheaper.

This has the potential to not only save the average consumer a little bit of money but also to undercut (and possibly upset) the traditional carriers. It will have the added benefit of getting the iPhone into many more hands, not just in the US but around the world.

If you couldn’t watch the event live this morning, Apple has posted the video on Apple.com. Apple hasn’t yet added it to iTunes but it will appear shortly. I think this was one of the strongest product launches in a long time.

Ars Technica:

Apple officially announced iOS 9 at WWDC in June, and adventurous users could start playing with the public beta in July, but today the company announced a public release date for the finished version of the operating system: Wednesday, September 16.

The software update will arrive a couple of days ahead of Apple’s latest iPhones, which was to be expected given Apple’s past behavior. An unexpected benefit of this release is that it won’t drop support for any device currently running iOS 8—iOS 9.0 will run on iPhones as old as 2011’s 4S, iPads as old as 2011’s iPad 2 or 2012’s iPad Mini, and both the fifth- and sixth-generation iPod Touch.

I’m really looking forward to iOS 9 and the new features, especially split screen. Apple also quietly announced the release date for OS X 10.11 El Capitan – September 30th.

Polygon:

In a blog entry posted shortly after today’s event, Activision announced its slate of games headed to Apple TV. Among them are Skylanders SuperChargers, Guitar Hero Live and Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved writes communications manager Scott Lowe.

“We’re continuing to offer new ways to play Skylanders and other games,” Lowe wrote, “whether you’re at home or on the go.” The titles will also be available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices.

We’ll see more and more of these announcements in the coming weeks. It’s an exciting time for gamers, casual and otherwise. Less so for makers of dedicated consoles.

Bloomberg:

Apple has made many things over the years, but its process has remained essentially the same: Find something ugly and complicated and make it prettier and easier. Prettiness, in brushed aluminum, is more or less a permanent state. Ease, however, is constantly evolving, which is why a few days before the geek hootenanny known as Apple’s September Event, Jony Ive’s focus isn’t on a new version of Apple TV or an iPad the size of a doggy door, but on a feature. It’s called 3D Touch, and it makes using an iPhone even easier. “Ultimately, this is our focus,” says Ive, squeezing a new iPhone 6S. “This is what galvanizes our efforts right across the company.” And 3D Touch, he adds with emphasis, “is something we’ve been working on for a long time—multi, multi, multi years.”

Some great insider details in this piece. I know people at Apple who work behind the scenes and they’ve told me the months before an event like this are stressful, nerve-wracking, exciting and exhausting – and they love it.

CNET:

The new Apple TV, which ships in October and costs $149 (32GB) or $199 (64GB), comes with a Siri Remote that doubles as a game controller, with the Touch surface acting as a virtual directional pad.

It also has a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope, much like Nintendo’s motion-sensing Wii remote.

However, Apple says, “For serious gamers, the new Apple TV supports MFi-based controllers that let you run, jump, shoot, kick, throw, punch or just about any other verb you can imagine.” (MFi is Apple’s Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod licensing certification program).

I can’t want to see how game developers take advantage of the ability to use third-party game controllers.

Apple: iPad has always offered a uniquely simple yet immersive experience. And now with its expansive 12.9-inch Retina display, nearly double the CPU performance of iPad Air 2, and refined Multi‑Touch technology, iPad Pro adds another dimension to that experience. … Continued

Apple:

TV is a major part of our lives. We gather together around our big screens to watch big shows and big events. Yet somehow, the overall experience of TV has continued to stagnate. Until now. It all starts by recognizing that apps are the future of television. HBO NOW, WatchESPN, Netflix, Hulu, iTunes — apps are quickly becoming how we watch today. So we built a new foundation around this vision — with a new operating system called tvOS, innovative ways to connect with your screen, and a smart use of Siri to search for something to watch. This is the new Apple TV. This is where television is headed.

As expected, Apple finally gave us a significant upgrade to the Apple TV. While not many will say it’s the end of traditional TV and the ways we view it, I certainly believe this might be a step along that path. And I think most will agree apps and games will be a huge driver for Apple.

Apple:

The moment you use iPhone 6s, you know you’ve never felt anything like it. With just a single press, 3D Touch lets you do more than ever before. Live Photos bring your memories to life in a powerfully vivid way. And that’s just the beginning. Take a deeper look at iPhone 6s, and you’ll find innovation on every level.

The Financial Times asked this morning, before the Apple Event had even started, “Is Apple running out of innovation for the iPhone?” I think that question has been answered. Plus, the new installment plans are going to put iPhones in the hands of even more people.

Polygon:

For many arcades, though, it’s a balancing act between old technology and modern business models. To stay afloat, the money has to come from somewhere, and arcades are adapting in different ways to continue to survive in the ever-changing economic landscape. By looking at four arcades — a traditional arcade, two arcade bars, and a national chain — we were able to see how well that balance is maintained, and how sometimes it isn’t quite balanced at all.

It must be the very definition of “labour of love” to run an arcade in 2015. I spent far too much time in them as a kid and still, when I see one in a mall, I wander in to see and remember.

Little Things:

How to convince eager drivers not to text while driving? Prove it to them in an unexpected way. See how these student drivers react when they’re told they can only pass on one condition.

The only way they’ll earn their license? “You must prove you’re able to use your mobile phone while driving.”

Great video proving to new drivers that they can’t do what they think they can do. As a motorcyclist, I see texting and driving all the time and it literally puts my life in danger. Anything anyone can do to prevent it is generally OK with me. Thanks to my friend Vito Mori for the link

Hodinkee:

This video, Talking Watches with Jean-Claude Biver, not only tells us how he, and other top tier consumers collect (case quality and dial originality are a must!), but also about his early days in the watch industry, which date back to the 1970s. In sum, this 20 minute video is an amazing primer on not only serious watch collecting, but also how the watch industry came to be what it is today

I’ll never be able to afford any of the watches mentioned in this video but I’ve always been fascinated by these timepieces, their construction and what makes them so valuable.

CBC News:

A kayaker had the thrill of a lifetime when a pod of about 30 orcas surrounded her boat near San Juan Island, in Washington State, east of Victoria, B.C.

“We are in whale soup. There’s one coming right under our boat, oh my God!” said Michelle Feis to her guide as a killer whale swam less than a metre from their double kayak.

I’m lucky enough to live in a part of the world where this is a farily common occurrence. They are magnificent animals, even if a little terrifying up close.

TidBITS:

We’re heading into Apple’s annual upgrade season again, with the upcoming releases of OS X 10.11 El Capitan, iOS 9, and watchOS 2, along with innumerable associated apps. Every upgrade is touted as the next best thing, teasing us with hot new features and promising improved performance, reliability, and security.

Unfortunately, these constant upgrades fill many people with dread, or if that’s overstating the case, with weary resignation. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but most changes foisted on us by technology companies are no longer aimed at fixing bugs or making everyday usage easier. Bugs are fixed, certainly, and security vulnerabilities blocked, but those under-the-hood improvements are part and parcel with checklist features from the perky twenty-somethings in Marketing and whatever visual tweaks were deemed trendy by the hipsters in Design.

I know many of you are tempted to scream, “Stop this bus! I want to get off!”

Adam makes some great points. I’ve long since stopped upgrading immediately, simply for the sake of upgrading. I wait to make sure the release, Apple’s or anyone else’s, is stable enough and provides enough value for my liking. Certainly, there are some updates and upgrades you must do right away but, for the most part, I wait until I need to update and know what I’m updating to and for.

Smoky Mountains:

The 2015 Fall Foliage Map is the ultimate visual planning guide to the annual progressive changing of the leaves. While no tool can be 100% accurate, this tool is meant to help travelers better time their trips to have the best opportunity of catching peak color each year.

For those of us lucky enough to live in a region where there are actual colors of fall, this is a great tool (for our US readers) to plan and anticipate when the autumn leaves will be at their peak in your area.

Wired:

When I was kid, I had Star Wars toys—but they weren’t “smart” and most of them weren’t even battery powered. But kids these days have access to awesome toys like this remote controlled BB-8 (by Sphero) from the Star Wars VII movie. It looks pretty cool.But how does it work?

If you prefer to think it works by magic, don’t read this article. But even after reading, the mechanism is still pretty cool.

Polygon:

This $150 toy is what you’re going to want for Christmas.

The $150 BB-8 is a toy. A very advanced toy that does many things, but it’s a toy. The only utility it has is the joy that it’s going to bring you when you play with it.

That’s not to say we’re trying to talk you out of buying one. A review unit arrived this morning, and we’ve been playing with the little droid non-stop ever since. This is a premium product, and even the packaging lets you know that you’re about to experience something special.

The folks at Sphero just made Christmas shopping for your favorite Star Wars fan a hell of a lot easier.

Atlas Obscura:

it’s September, and hurricane season is once again upon us. Since it is an El Niño year with cooler than normal temperatures across the tropical Atlantic, everyone is hoping for a low-drama season.

However, as AccuWeather reports, we may not end up being so lucky. Indeed, it is likely that a few tropical storms will track northerly, and make life a living hell for pleasure boaters and working crews alike.

While you may never set sail on the seven seas, why not watch some terrifying, yet mesmerizing videos of ships stuck in storms from the safety of your computer screen?

As a Nova Scotianer, I love the sea but these videos make even the sailor in me queasy.

Polygraph:

This is a story about proving, with data, that No Diggity by Blackstreet is timeless.

Until recently, it was impossible to measure the popularity of older music. Billboard charts and album sales only tell us about a song’s popularity at the time of its release.

But now we have Spotify, a buffet of all of music, new and old. Tracks with fewer plays are fading into obscurity. And those with more plays are remaining in the cultural ether.

As with all lists like this, we’ll never agree completely on its makeup but it’s still interesting to see which songs are being played and their frequency. Jason Kottke has created a Rdio and Spotify playlist of songs from the article.

CNET:

Ever wonder how the famous museum’s artists manage to create such eerily accurate, life-size celebrity models? We’re here to spill the wax. In fact, it’s pretty friggin’ complicated…and technical.

From initial sitting to press launch, a typical Madame Tussauds figure takes about four months to make, requires a team of around 20 skilled artists, and costs £150,000, or roughly $212,500.

I’ve never understood the attraction some people have for Madame Tussauds but the process of making one of these figures is quite interesting.

Grantland:

As conceived, Beats 1 is the most prefab, retro pitch in Apple’s streaming service portfolio — a radio station, with DJs and songs. Beats 1, of course, has been much more than that, and sometimes a little less. A tastemaker with no genre-bound point of view, a 24-hour channel that is “always on,” and a hub for famous voices to share their loves, the station has become the surprising hallmark of Apple’s streaming bid.

Turns out people still like listening to the radio.

It’s going to be interesting to see if Beats 1 can “make a star” – if, with promotion and air play, Beats 1 can take an unknown artist to global popularity.