Michael Potuck, 9to5Mac:
It’s great to see Apple’s Pro Display XDR on the market but it’s likely not the best fit for the majority of users with a starting price of $5,000 without a stand. Let’s take a look at some of the best USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 displays available for MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iPad Pro in the $400-$1,300 range.
Thinking about buying a display for your Mac? This review is worth a look.
Apple posted two white papers, technology overviews of the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR:
Easy reads, lots of great detail and images.
Netflix blog:
Whether you love books, music, films or TV, top 10 lists are a great way to find out what’s popular. So today we’re rolling out a new Top 10 feature on Netflix.
This new row – complete with its own special design – will enable you to see what is most popular on Netflix in your country. It will be updated every day and the position of the row will vary depending on how relevant the shows and films are to you.
Couple of things leap to mind here. First, there’s that headline. One Netflix row that’s been around a long, long time is called Popular on Netflix. So no, that headline is just plain wrong.
But that aside, this new top 10 list strikes me as yet another slice through Netflix that is more adding to the mess than useful. How about making all these rows optional so I can limit what shows up to the rows that I find useful.
And how about adding IMDb ratings (or your rating system of choice) to the mix? And maybe give me some sorting options so I can look at movies sorted by said ratings, perhaps with a subsort by year?
Lastly, it’ll be interesting when a top 10 list makes sense for Apple TV+.
[VIDEO] Another in the WILL IT WORK series. Might be my favorite one. If nothing else, be sure to jump to about :24 and see what Siri thinks about all this. Heh.
Can this possibly succeed? Video embedded in main Loop post.
Imagine a heads up display on the windscreen of your car, one that alerted you to pedestrians on the periphery of your vision.
Watch the video embedded here:
https://twitter.com/perceptive_auto/status/1227611099186581506
I get that this is about software for self-driving cars, but I’d love to benefit from a display like this, especially at night.
Alison Herman, The Ringer:
Apple TV+ was always bound to be a fraught enterprise, bringing a computer manufacturer into an industry outside its core skill set and awash with other well-funded bids for viewers’ attention. Its history to date has borne that difficulty out, culminating in the recently reported suspension of sprawling page-to-screen project Shantaram. This is a guide to Apple’s bumps in the road, which began well before TV+ actually made it to our living rooms.
This is not an article trolling Apple TV+ shows. Instead, it’s a look at some of the setbacks Apple has faced rolling into this new market.
Is this sort of thing par-for-the-course in the TV/movie/streaming industry? Typical for a rookie in this space? Or has Apple had it rougher than most?
[VIDEO] Apple:
See how iPhone 11 Pro captured the otherworldly 4K video using the Ultra Wide camera in this deep dive into the Valley of Fire.
Truly beautiful footage (embedded in main Loop post), showing off the iPhone 11 Pro’s Ultra Wide camera. But because of licensing issues, you won’t see this footage in 4K in macOS Safari. For that, you’ll need to fire up Google Chrome.
This is not new. But it is strange, having to turn to Google to show off an Apple feature.
Tim Hardwick, MacRumors:
In a bid to harmonize standards, the EC negotiated a 2009 Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by 14 tech companies including Apple, Samsung, Nokia, and other prominent smartphone manufacturers.
And:
However, the wording of the MoU offered Apple a loophole: For those phones that did not have a USB micro-B interface, an adapter was allowed under the agreed terms. And that’s exactly what Apple did. In 2012, Apple introduced the iPhone 5 with a new Lightning proprietary connector to replace its 30-pin connector, and additionally offered a separate Lightning to micro USB adapter to comply with the 2009 EU agreement.
And:
By 2016, the Commission acknowledged that micro-USB had become dated and that USB-C had become the de facto standard across most devices. The Commission was advised by MoU facilitators that all manufacturers were ready to sign a new agreement in line with different approaches but keeping the solution of using solely USB-C connectors – except Apple.
At least part of Apple’s argument against an on-device USB-C port is that adding USB-C would make the phone thicker. They also argue that a dictated standard would hurt innovation.
Personally, the variety of ports out there, and the differing cables and dongles I’ve got to keep around, especially when I travel, is painful. I just came back from a trip where I rented a car equipped with a USB-A port. I realized that all the bricks I’d brought with me were USB-C bricks, leaving me with only Lightning to USB-C cables. Annoying.
The linked article is a well-written take on the current situation with the EU and Apple’s position in opposition.
The title of the linked Cult of Mac post is (as of this writing), “Tim Cook’s alleged stalker tried to give Apple CEO flowers, champagne”.
But check this tweet, which appears to be from a police report, and contains a quote from the alleged stalker, “I don’t use ammunition, but I know people who do.”
That’s a pretty stark contrast from champagne and flowers. Stay safe, Tim.
Ben Lovejoy, 9to5Mac:
The Streisand Effect has predictably kicked in after Apple attempted to prevent the distribution of a new Apple book written by former German App Store manager Tom Sadowski. App Store Confidential is now number two on Amazon’s bestseller list in Germany, and the book is into its second print run.
You can read a summary of some of the book’s main points in this blog post. From what I’ve seen, nothing alarming, nothing that leaps out as exposing real secrets.
As Ben Lovejoy points out above, Apple’s ban has likely given the book a real shot up the bestseller list. Question is, will legal costs make that success more costly than the success was worth.
Mark Gurman, Bloomberg:
Apple Inc. is considering giving rival apps more prominence on iPhones and iPads and opening its HomePod speaker to third-party music services after criticism the company provides an unfair advantage to its in-house products.
The technology giant is discussing whether to let users choose third-party web browser and mail applications as their default options on Apple’s mobile devices, replacing the company’s Safari browser and Mail app, according to people familiar with the matter.
And:
Last year, Stockholm-based Spotify submitted an antitrust complaint to the European Union, saying Apple squeezes rival services by imposing a 30% cut for subscriptions made via the App Store. Apple responded that Spotify wants the benefits of the App Store without paying for them. As part of its complaint, Spotify singled out the inability to run on the HomePod and become the default music player in Siri, Apple’s voice-activated digital assistant.
How about reminder, calendar, and shopping list replacements? This part of the thinking?
[VIDEO] First things first, I appreciate this video (embedded in main Loop post) bringing me up close and personal with the new Z Flip foldable phone.
But jump to 2:16 into the video and check out the scratch resistance test. Fascinating.
From the looks of things, the cost of foldability is screen durability. The reviewer casts doubt on Samsung’s claims that the screen is a glass screen, showing that it scratches like a plastic screen. Watch, judge for yourself.
Wesley Hilliard, AppleInsider:
Apple Maps and Google Maps have both recently undergone major updates. AppleInsider takes a look at both, and examines which changes might shift which platform you want to use.
Terrific side-by-side comparison. The one thing that keeps me using Google Maps is its crowd-sourced reviews, vs Apple Maps’ Yelp tie-in. Other than that, Apple Maps is my go to, at least in the US.
Alex Kantrowitz, Buzzfeed:
Ali Alzabarah was panicked. His heart raced as he drove home from Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters in the early evening on Dec. 2, 2015. He needed to leave the country — quickly.
Earlier that day, Twitter’s management accused the unassuming 32-year-old of accessing thousands of user profiles without authorization to pass their identifying information — including phone numbers and IP addresses — reportedly to Bader al-Asaker, the head of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s charity and private office. When the conversation concluded, management seized Alzabarah’s laptop, put him on administrative leave, and escorted him out of the building.
This is a sensational story, just begging to be made into a movie.
MacRumors:
As discovered in the first beta of iOS 13.4, Apple is working on a new “CarKey” feature that will allow an iPhone or an Apple Watch to unlock, lock, and start NFC-compatible vehicles.
Very excited about this feature. Use my AppleWatch to unlock and start my car? Sold. But there’s more.
CarKey “keys” live in the Wallet app and as we found in the first beta, can be shared with other people so you can allow others temporary access to your car. In the second beta of iOS 13.4, there’s updated wording concerning sharing, which makes it clear that digital car keys will be able to be sent to people using the Messages app.
So I can Message my key to someone granting them temporary access to my car (think a valet or loaning the car to a friend without having to hand them my physical keys).
Not clear if and when this will roll out in a public release, but I do like the concept.
[VIDEO] The video embedded in the main Loop post addresses two issues. It shows how easy Amazon’s #1 best selling lockbox product is to break into (really, really easy).
But more importantly, it shows that the $20 product comes with a $10 Amazon gift card, which you can only use if you leave a five-star review.
And written on the back of the gift card:
Please DO NOT talk or post images about this rebate activity in your review content, otherwise it is invalid.
Assuming this video is accurate, is Amazon aware of this practice? Is this condoned?
Microsoft:
A few months ago, we introduced a new mobile app called Office—a whole new experience designed to be your go-to app for getting work done on a mobile device. It combines Word, Excel, and PowerPoint into a single app and introduces new capabilities that enable you to create content and accomplish tasks in uniquely mobile ways to help you achieve more. Today, we’re proud to announce the Office app is out of public preview and now generally available worldwide for anyone on Android and iOS phones.
If you use Office, follow the headline link for the details on what’s new.
Interesting to see how the market has shifted. It used to be all about the Mac versus Windows, with Mac Office lagging behind new Office releases. But with iOS gaining such prominence, the new release story is much more about iOS and Android, with both getting simultaneous releases.
UPDATE: According to a few folks weighing on in Twitter, and verified here, there’s no native iPad support for the new Office app. Rather, the optimized for iPad experience is more a zoomed in iPhone app. Not the same thing.
Malcolm Owen, AppleInsider:
Apple is taking legal action against former german App Store manager Tom Sadowski and publisher Murmann Verlag to stop circulation of a book about his work, under allegations it reveals confidential “business secrets” that the author wasn’t allowed to disclose.
And:
Released on Tuesday in Germany, the book “App Store Confidential” by Sadowski is said to be a behind-the-scenes view of how the App Store works from the former manager’s viewpoint. The book details Sadowski’s journey into Apple, his personal experiences in working inside the App Store, and his meetings with Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Is it possible the author did their work for Apple without signing an NDA? If there was an NDA, was the publisher aware of it? Can’t speak to German publishing contracts but, in the US, every publishing agreement I’ve ever signed included a clause that made me responsible for ensuring that I had the right to publicize the contents of the published work.
I’ve got a feeling this is not going to end well for the author or the publisher.
But the book has shipped, the toothpaste is out of the tube, no putting it back. Best Apple can do is limit the spread.
Can’t speak to the correctness of this data, but the site is definitely a fascinating rabbit hole.
Follow the headline link, which should center you at Apple Park (if not, you can easily pinch in, slide over, or just reload the page).
Make your way around the world (pinch in and out, slide around) and you’ll see a bunch of locations marked on the map. Tap/click on a location, you’ll see a location number. Tap the number, you’ll go to a page for that location, which gives you a name and company details.
Not saying this is useful. Just interesting, at least to me.
Ryan Christoffel, MacStories:
Apple Music has debuted a small, but valuable new feature that makes it easier to find the exact album version you’re looking for. As discovered by our Federico Viticci, when alternate album versions are available, they’re now listed in a dedicated Other Versions section underneath an album’s track list.
Follow the headline link for the details. Nice add, Apple Music.
Keoni Everington, Taiwan News:
Apple has begun to move the production of a number of its top gadgets set to launch in the first half of 2020, according to a report by am730, which cited DigiTimes. The products listed in the report to be shifted to Taiwan include AirPods Pro Lite, iPads, and Apple Watches.
Taking this with a grain of salt. First, the Taiwan News headline did not have the word “some”. Subtle point but, to me, that original implied that all production was moving.
Add to that that the source of this is several sites removed, not direct reporting. Did a little digging, found this article on DigiTimes from a week ago, with this quote:
Apple is mulling shifting more assembly orders for its new models slated for launch in the first half of 2020 to factories in Taiwan mainly to diversify production risks associated with the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, according to industry sources.
Not clear if there’s a newer article (please ping me if you know of a newer, more definitive article). The DigiTimes article uses the word “reportedly”.
Interesting that the list specifically includes the unannounced “Airpods Pro Lite”.
New York Times:
Employees at the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter voted on Tuesday to unionize, the first well-known technology company to take the step toward being represented by organized labor.
And:
Kickstarter’s employees will be affiliated with the Office and Professional Employees International Union and begin negotiating a contract with management over equal pay and inclusive hiring practices.
And:
Its employees’ unionization drive began in earnest last year, after Kickstarter found itself embroiled in a debate over whether to cancel a fund-raising effort on its site for a comic book that included images of people punching Nazis. Workers pushed the company to allow the project to continue, which it did. The episode sparked discussions among employees about formalizing their voice in the workplace.
Is this a one-off? Or a crack in the foundation, a movement that will see unionization spread to other tech companies?
Kickstarter is relatively small, 145 employees, but has a big, recognizable brand. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out, both for Kickstarter’s financial stability, and for the impact it has on other unionization efforts.
[VIDEO] Steven Spielberg is a great storyteller. Think of all the iconic stories he’s laid at our feet, from the varied adventures of Indiana Jones, to ET, from Back to the Future to Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List. There are some clunkers, for sure, but Spielberg is a master of visually laying out a ripping yarn.
Set your reminder for March 6th, when the first episode of Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories reboot drops. The Amazing Stories trailer is embedded in the main Loop post.
Slowly but surely, Apple’s catalog is growing. I am bullish on Apple TV+. All Apple needs here is time.
This reminds me of the rollout of Samsung’s Galaxy Fold.
Early days still, but I’ll go out on a limb and say Samsung has learned some hard lessons from that release and, I suspect, the Galaxy Z Flip will fare better than the Fold. Making a foldable phone is no easy thing, and Samsung is mastering (presumably) a technology that will give them an edge on newcomers to the market.
Two things:
If the answer to the first question is yes, then I’d wager that Apple knows this and is quietly developing foldable expertise in a lab somewhere, choosing not to reveal their mistakes and strategy in public.
Steve Streza:
Over the years, Apple has built up a portfolio of services and add-ons that you pay for. Starting with AppleCare extended warranties and iCloud data subscriptions, they expanded to Apple Music a few years ago, only to dramatically ramp up their offerings last year with TV+, News+, Arcade, and Card. Their services business, taken as a whole, is quickly becoming massive; Apple reported $12.7 billion in Q1 2020 alone, nearly a sixth of its already gigantic quarterly revenue.
All that money comes from the wallets of 480 million subscribers, and their goal is to grow that number to 600 million this year. But to do that, Apple has resorted to insidious tactics to get those people: ads. Lots and lots of ads, on devices that you pay for.
We’ve all seen the wave of ads, seemingly everywhere you turn. Especially if you have not subscribed to a particular service.
Follow the headline link to Steve’s post, scan through the images. You’ve no doubt encountered ads like these, especially if you’re using social media.
I get it. Apple’s market is maturing, and shareholders demand growth. Apple has turned to services for that growth and these ads are a necessary evil. To me, the fault lies in the mechanisms of capitalism, in the self-defeating motivations placed on any publicly traded company.
Bradley Chambers, 9to5Mac:
Over the years, I’ve dabbled with using Spotify instead of Apple Music. Both platforms offer users access to millions of songs and offer a wealth of personalization options. The one thing that has always kept me coming back and sticking with Apple Music is iCloud Music Library. iCloud Music Library is a feature that allows you to upload your own music and have it live right alongside your Apple Music content. It’s a feature that I use frequently, and it’s something Spotify can’t match.
And:
A perfect example of the usefulness of iCloud Music Library is when artists hold new albums off streaming platforms for a few weeks/months after the release. Recent examples were Taylor Swift’s Reputation album and Adele’s 25 album. Both of these albums were massively popular, but neither were available on Spotify or Apple Music for months. Apple Music users could buy it from iTunes or Amazon MP3, add it to iCloud Music Library, and it would appear with their existing albums. Spotify users were out of luck getting it imported into their Spotify library on mobile.
With so much music available on both sides, features are what distinguish one service from the other. This one is a clear win for Apple Music.
Now if only I could get Apple to stop replacing the version of a song I added to my library with a version they have in theirs.
Leo Kelion, BBC News:
I submitted a subject data access request, asking Amazon to disclose everything it knows about me
Scanning through the hundreds of files I received in response, the level of detail is, in some cases, mind-bending.
One database contains transcriptions of all 31,082 interactions my family has had with the virtual assistant Alexa. Audio clips of the recordings are also provided.
And:
Clicking on another file reveals 2,670 product searches I had carried out within its store since 2017. There are more than 60 supplementary columns for each one, containing information such as what device I’d been using, how many items I subsequently clicked on, and a string of numbers that hint at my location.
One spreadsheet actually triggers a warning message saying it is too big for my software to handle. It contains details of the 83,657 Kindle interactions I’ve had since 2018, including the exact time of day for each tap.
This great read is the story of how this all evolved. Chock full of detail, chock full of links. Well done Leo.
Ron McElfresh, Mac360 founder:
A few years ago I came down with an odd neuromuscular disorder that has slowly become debilitating. After 18 months of tests with a dozen different doctors I was referred to Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. More doctors and extensive tests confirmed a preliminary diagnosis of ALS. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Think of it as a slow-motion death sentence where muscles begin to waste away and tasks as simple as tying shoelaces or buttoning a shirt or standing become major accomplishments.
And:
My spirits are high (most of the time). I’ve led a good life, worked hard, and appreciate the loving support from family and friends, but I know– and feel– the end is near.
That means I can no longer continue to run Mac360 and the Apple Villagers websites as they are today.
Damn.
Here’s a link to a GoFundMe to help defray Ron’s medical expenses.
[VIDEO] Many reasons to watch this (video embedded in main Loop post). First, check out how much work goes into editing a podcast. I’d wager few podcasts get this much attention, this much love. This is amazing work.
Next, check out the design of Ferrite Recording Studio. The details are wonderful. And watching Jason work with Ferrite is like watching a master craft with beautifully well-designed tools.
To me, this is an app that raises the value of iPad, just as page-layout tools and LaserWriter raised the value of Mac, back in the day.
At first blush, I liked this purely for the chance to see all the artwork in one place.
But then I started thinking about the questions Stephen Hackett posed in the text. Pretty, pretty good.
If the Hunting workout icon is standing in a cloud, who are they shooting at?