Over the past week or so, a wave of spam calendar invites has been hitting many iCloud calendar users.
Rene Ritchie, iMore, posted this official Apple message:
We are sorry that some of our users are receiving spam calendar invitations. We are actively working to address this issue by identifying and blocking suspicious senders and spam in the invites being sent.
The same article also offers a workaround to the problem.
[VIDEO] I’m a sucker for great design and clever marketing. Back in December of 2013, Coca Cola experimented with a so-called gift bottle. Every winter since, Coke brings back the gift bottles and slowly expands the market in which they are found.
Have you encountered any of these bottles in your neck of the woods? Keep an eye out.
In the meantime, enjoy the original ribbon bottle video, in the main Loop post.
Jean-Louis Gassée, Monday Note:
There’s more to the Mac’s future than its current good numbers. After enjoying a good time in the sun, the Mac is on the same downward slope as the rest of the PC market.
What do you do when your business is part of a declining world? Do you decrease prices to gain market share? Bad idea, this is the PC clone makers’ race to the bottom, a game in which everyone loses as products become commoditized, undifferentiated, and, ultimately, worthless.
Jean-Louis explores the possibility of a last Mac, as the market abandons the PC and settles for good on touch screen phones and tablets. I’m a hardcore Mac user, and i don’t see such a product (even enhanced by 3rd party add-ons) that would provide an experience superior to my Mac.
That said, I would not bet against such a product eventually arriving. If I had an iOS device that had the right keyboard and pointing device (so I could keep my hands on the keyboard, with a touchpad in thumb or finger’s reach), one that ran all my biggest apps and fully supported software development, a device that allowed me to extend my desktop with add-on displays that allowed for big code listings and image editing views, that’s something that would definitely offer me a reason to make the switch.
Adam Geitgey:
I’m not here to change your mind about the MacBook Pro. Yes, it’s probably too expensive and more RAM is better than less RAM. But everyone posting complaints without actually using a MBP for a few weeks is missing out on all the clever things you can do because it is built on USB-C. Over the past week or two with a new MacBook Pro (15in, 2.9ghz, TouchBar), I’ve been constantly surprised with how USB-C makes new things possible. It’s a kind of a hacker’s dream.
Great article. Part of it focuses on the fact that the author’s phone is a Google Pixel and has a USB-C port, so he can use a single charger to charge his phone and his Mac. But there’s more to the piece than that.
For example:
If you get any of the new USB-C compatible monitors (pretty much every vendor has at least one now), you only need to plug one single cable into your MBP.
You can then plug all your other devices into your monitor and everything flows over one USB-C to your laptop — power, video, data and even sound. Your monitor is now your docking station and breakout box!
I’m wondering if USB-C to lightning cable will be all you need to plug your phone and your Mac into the same charger. Next best thing to a USB-C port on your iPhone.
This is a pretty solid article. Some excellent holiday gift ideas for the techie on your list.
Personally, I swear by this iFixit Tool kit. I’ve owned it for years, done tons of Mac/iPhone and non-Apple repairs with it and it’s never let me down.
Benjamin Mayo, 9to5mac:
Apple is ramping for its biggest iPhone sales success ever next year, according to KGI. Its estimates suggest that the new iPhones in 2017, expected to comprise three new models, will empower Apple growth with ‘unprecedented’ demand. KGI expects the new phones may sell between 120-150 million units in the second half of next year, eclipsing the previous sales record set by iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
The new form-factor premium OLED iPhone will likely encourage high-end customers to upgrade their device and the low-end new 4.7-inch iPhone model (with wireless charging and a glass chassis) will be attractive to the lower-end of the smartphone market.
Doomed.
[VIDEO]: Interesting that this ad was not put out by Apple. Does this qualify as the very first Apple TV ad?
This has been out for quite a while, but new to me, thought you’d enjoy it. Might want to turn down your volume first.
[VIDEO]: First things first, as you can see from the video (via 9to5mac), things are getting close to completion. In a month or so, we’ll start to see employees moving into this space.
Interestingly, this video was posted by Sexton Videography, unlike all the previous flyovers we’ve been posting, which were by Matthew Roberts. Could be Matthew Roberts posting under a new name, but the feel, especially of the titles, makes me think this is a competing effort. Add in the fact that Matthew typically posts on the first of each month and this popped up a few days ago.
The more the merrier?
From Joe Steel’s review of Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 2:
Amazon currently has the 2nd generation Fire TV Stick on sale for $29.99, that’s $10 off the normal price, and an unbeatable bargain.
Read the main Loop post to learn more and see why this is a real hole in the Apple TV product line.
San Francisco Examiner:
Computer systems at San Francisco’s transit system, Muni, have been restored following a malware attack on Friday afternoon.
Payment systems across the agency’s subways read “OUT OF ORDER” in large red digital letters at Powell Station, Embarcadero Station and other stations across The City following the attack.
On Friday and Saturday, computers in station agents’ booths across the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency displayed “You Hacked, ALL Data Encrypted. Contact For Key([email protected])ID:681 ,Enter.”
Sidebar: We are on the cusp of quantum computing, which will potentially make computers capable of easily solving sophisticated problems used as the basis of today’s encryption. And that will mean more hacking, but could also mean sophisticated tools to break ransomware. Depends who gets there first.
I’ve long been a fan of Marcus Conge’s work. Now he’s embedded some of his best stuff in a web site. Check it out.
And if you’ve got the need, he’s currently taking on work (see the Hire Me section at the bottom left).
Great review of CarPlay from John Vorhees, writing for MacStories. Good and the bad. Interesting that this is one of the few cases where Apple is forced to build a software experience on someone else’s hardware.
[VIDEO] Interesting how distinctive voices can be. The minute Frankie’s groaning singing voice kicked in, I was pretty sure who it was. Great job with the makeup. Wasn’t certain until I verified it with a quick Google search.
From Apple’s Black Friday teaser page:
Friday can’t come soon enough.
Our one-day shopping event will be here before you know it. Come back this Friday to check everyone off your list.
Free two day shipping on all in-stock items ordered by 5p. No mention of time zone there. Fair to assume it’s 5p local time?
Check back Friday morning to see what’s on sale. I’m hoping for a discount on the new Apple Watch.
Craig Federighi’s response to an email from a 9to5mac reader concerned about the elimination of Sal Soghoian’s position at Apple:
We have every intent to continue our support for the great automation technologies in macOS!
Thanks for being an Apple customer!
— craig
That should alleviate some concerns in the AppleScript and Automator communities.
Some terrific, vibrant pictures.
Kirk McElhearn, Macworld:
I was chagrined to learn that Sal Soghoian, who was Apple’s Product Manager of Automation Technologies, was let go for “business reasons.” Mr. Soghoian had been with Apple for nearly 20 years, and was the keeper of the flame for technologies such as AppleScript, Automator, and more.
And:
It’s not clear whether the termination of Mr. Soghoian means the demise of AppleScript altogether, and particularly in iTunes, but many developers, iTunes users, and others are concerned by this decision.
You see, it’s all about freedom. Freedom to do things we want that Apple doesn’t think we need to be able to do. Freedom to explore. Freedom to discover new ways to link applications, to interact with files, to create our own solutions. We can’t expect apps to cater to all our whims, and tools like AppleScript and Automator allow us to go a step further and discover ways to do things that Apple never even considered.
Nice job by Kirk, passionately capturing the essence of the value of AppleScript and Automator. Technologies like AppleScript and Automator expose just enough of the wiring to allow pros and hobbyists alike to build out their own infrastructure, make their Apple products more powerful than they were when they came out of their boxes.
Apple’s official support page with details on what Macs are compatible with 4K displays, 5K displays, and Ultra HD TVs, the cables required, and a variety of warnings that are well worth reading.
Bookmark and pass this along.
Peter Cohen takes a look back at the origins of the hard drive. Pretty incredible how far we’ve come. Oh, and never, never, never read the bio at the bottom of the page.
Jump to the main post for embed of the new Drake ad and link to the ad that it’s a callback to.
Mark Gurman, Bloomberg:
Apple hasn’t refreshed its routers since 2013 following years of frequent updates to match new standards from the wireless industry. The decision to disband the team indicates the company isn’t currently pushing forward with new versions of its routers. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on the company’s plans.
And:
Exiting the router business could make Apple’s product ecosystem less sticky. Some features of the AirPort routers, including wireless music playback, require an Apple device like an iPhone or Mac computer. If the company no longer sells wireless routers, some may have a reason to use other phones and PCs.
Not sure I agree with that last point. Somehow I don’t see someone switching out of the Apple ecosystem because of their router.
Combine this program cancellation with the news about Sal Soghoian’s position being eliminated, and it sounds like Apple is doing some beginning of the fiscal year house cleaning.
Jump to the main Loop post for descriptions and links to official Apple support pages for these two new programs.
Interesting story, via the Dan’s Deals site. In a nutshell, people in the forum started reporting that they had lost access to their gmail accounts, the accounts suspended due to terms of service violation.
From the article:
It turns out the common denominator is that they had all bought Google Pixel phones and shipped them to a phone dealer in New Hampshire who paid them a profit on each phone. There is no sales tax in New Hampshire and the phones are then resold to others.
The problem is that many of them didn’t read the terms that they agreed to when buying the phone from the Google store. Those state “You may only purchase Devices for your personal use. You may not commercially resell any Device, but you may give the Device as a gift.”
If true, this seems an overreach on Google’s part, suspending access to someone’s email for this sort of violation, rather than simply voiding the sale.
If you love music, this 8-part series from PBS is for you. I’ve made it through parts 1 and 2 so far, and they are both fascinating and riveting. The list of artists involved in this project is astonishing. Starting with George Martin and the Beatles, it’s a real who’s who of modern music, a true insider’s view.
Episode One is embedded in the main Loop post.
Here’s a link to the main site.
And here’s a link to the PBS site hosting other episodes.
Dan DeSilva, 9to5mac:
Tucked in Amazon’s big Black Friday news this morning was the announcement of a handy Package X-Ray feature for its iPhone shopping app. The app can now leverage your iPhone’s camera to reveal the contents of an Amazon delivery without having to actually open up the package or hunt down tracking numbers.
And:
It will only work on packages tied to your Amazon account so you don’t have to worry about your kids or spouse ruining any surprises (as long as you don’t share an account, that is).
Great idea.
Anshel Sag, writing for Forbes:
It’s been a month since I got the Apple iPhone 7 Plus. Full disclosure, I have never owned an Apple product in my life. Okay, I had an iPod shuffle for about a week or two and ended up returning it. I had experiences with Apple computers as a child in a suburban elementary school but never owned an iPhone, iPad, MacBook or anything of the sort. I have been a lifetime Google Android user, and before that a Microsoft Windows Mobile user (yeah, I know). So, my first experience with an Apple product that I bought and used has been extremely interesting. That includes the utter shock and awe that came out of people’s mouths after I told them that I got an iPhone. I feel like a lot of the reasons why I never switched to Apple have gone away while others remain.
I love stories like this, because it reflects an objective, outsider view that is rare inside the Apple bubble.
Josh Centers, writing for TidBITS:
Telecom giant AT&T is seeking to purchase content giant Time Warner (which is no longer affiliated with Time Warner Cable, see “AT&T Aims to Buy Time Warner for $84.5 Billion,” 24 October 2016). However, the deal could run into regulatory obstacles, with politicians on both sides of the aisle questioning the merger. It also doesn’t help that the Department of Justice is suing AT&T subsidiary DirecTV.
And:
Goldman Sachs is reportedly pushing Apple to make a competing bid for Time Warner, but Apple is resisting. However, I think Apple should consider the possibility. Here are four reasons why.
This is a great, thoughtful read. Should Apple spend the cash to instantly acquire one of the biggest, highest quality content libraries on the planet? Would they burn bridges in doing so, alienate players they are trying to bring to the table?
I find this all a fascinating business.
New York Times:
The messaging app Snapchat allows motorists to post photos that record the speed of the vehicle. The navigation app Waze rewards drivers with points when they report traffic jams and accidents. Even the game Pokémon Go has drivers searching for virtual creatures on the nation’s highways.
And:
After steady declines over the last four decades, highway fatalities last year recorded the largest annual percentage increase in 50 years. And the numbers so far this year are even worse. In the first six months of 2016, highway deaths jumped 10.4 percent, to 17,775, from the comparable period of 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
I don’t see this as alarmist. Clearly, there are more apps each year that are useful and usable while driving. Will we address this before we ultimately make the move to autonomous vehicles? Is there an obligation on Apple and Google’s part to do something about this?
Yesterday, Bloomberg reported that Apple cut video subscription fees to all partners from 30% to 15%:
Apple’s hefty cut of sales made via its App Store has long angered partners, some of whom have accused the technology giant of anti-competitive behavior. The concessions speak to the growing importance of video to Apple, which next month will introduce a new app devoted to TV shows and movies.
And:
Some video partners have already been paying 15 percent of monthly subscription fees to Apple. The company is now extending the rate to all subscription video services as long as they are integrated with Apple’s new TV app, said the people who asked not to be identified because the changes aren’t public. To compensate for the fee, some providers increased the price of their services sold through the App Store to equal the revenue generated on other distribution channels.
The Apple TV is not the walled garden of iOS. While iOS uses services like Apple Music and blue Message bubbles to keep you inside, you can easily switch inputs on your TV to accommodate game consoles and other inputs, including… [click main post to read the rest]
Watch the Tesla Model S as a tester stands in the road, walks into the road, etc. Fascinating.