Media

Rumored Mac product line name changes

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Hartley Charlton, MacRumors:

While multiple reports indicate that Apple is working on a direct successor to 2020’s ‌MacBook Air‌, a recent rumor from the leaker known as “Dylandkt” claimed that this new model may not be branded as the “‌MacBook Air‌.” Instead, it would simply be the “MacBook.”

And:

In recent years, Apple has sold two main ‌iMac‌ models: a 21.5-inch model and a more powerful 27-inch model. Earlier this year, the 21.5-inch model was replaced with an all-new 24-inch model with the M1 chip. The 27-inch model has yet to receive a redesign or an update with Apple silicon, but another rumor from Dylandkt claims that the new model could actually be called the “‌iMac‌ Pro.”

I love the simplification here, hope this rumor turns out to be true. If so, we’d have MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, and Mac Pro.

This simplification concept reminds me strongly of the simple product matrix Steve Jobs rolled out in 1998, best described by Steve himself. Watch the video below for the explanation (the entire video is worth watching, but jump to 9 minutes in if time is short).

Using Siri to control a VCR?

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More from the excellent WILL IT WORK? YouTube channel. Maybe my favorite video in the entire series.

Hands on with iOS 15 SharePlay

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Juli Clover, MacRumors:

With the iOS 15.1 update that launched in late October, Apple added SharePlay, a feature that’s designed to let you do more over FaceTime. Using SharePlay, you can watch movies, listen to music, and use apps with friends and family, and we thought we’d give it a try to see how it works.

If you’ve wondered about SharePlay but never quite got around to it, take the time to watch this walkthrough. Don’t miss the FaceTime call screen sharing bit about 2:48 in.

New AirPods ad, more silhouettes

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Saw this ad on TV over the weekend, video still not showing up on Apple’s YouTube channel. An old ad? New? Well, it’s new to me.

There’s this AirPods silhouettes ad from about a month ago, similar style, but definitely different. It’s on Apple’s channel. Guessing the ad below will pop up soon.

I do like the series, definitely reminds me of those original Apple iPod ads (like these), where the white EarPods stood out in stark relief, really popping.

How to use Assistive Touch gestures on Apple Watch

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Another terrific video from Apple Support. This one tells you how to enable Assistive Touch, shows the blue ring that indicates that Assistive Touch is enabled, and walks through gestures like the double-fist-clench, pinch, and double-pinch.

I love knowing this exists, excellent work by the Assistive Touch, Apple Watch, and Apple Support teams.

Apple’s latest annual holiday commercial, “Saving Simon”

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Before you watch the video (embedded below), take a moment to watch my personal favorite Apple holiday ad, Misunderstood. Hard to top that one.

Below the new ad, there’s a “making of” ad, starring father and son Oscar-nominated (for Up in the Air) directors Jason and Ivan Reitman. I loved this video, especially when you watch it right after watching the ad. That giant snowman!

Apple, Facebook, and the Metaverse

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Mark Gurman, Bloomberg:

For the past decade or so, Apple Inc.’s chief rival was considered to be Google. The two have gone toe-to-toe in smartphones, mobile operating systems, web services and home devices.

The next decade, however, could be defined by Apple’s rivalry with another Silicon Valley giant: Meta Platforms Inc.—the company known to everyone other than its own brand consultants as Facebook.

And:

The real fight will be over virtual and augmented reality headsets, smartwatches, smart home devices and digital services, as well as their own respective definitions of the “metaverse.”

From the Metaverse Wikipedia page:

The metaverse (a portmanteau of “meta-” and “universe”) is a hypothesized iteration of the internet, supporting persistent online 3-D virtual environments[1][2] through conventional personal computing, as well as virtual and augmented reality headsets.

As Mark says in his post, the Metaverse is the next big battleground, not yet here, but definitely coming in the next few years, much as 5G loomed big, was massively hyped, and is now baked in, expected.

To get a sense of the current state-of-the-metaverse, watch the video embedded below, as Joanna Stern straps on a headset and dives in deep. It’s obviously early days still, but I found this a great intro into what the fuss is all about.

And don’t worry about the lack of legs. They’ll be here soon enough.

Apple Korea’s Apple TV+ ad

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Usually, but not always, when Apple drops an ad outside the US, it mirrors a US ad, typically adding subtitles. It’s the Apple ads unique to other countries that I look for, enjoy.

I’ve been enjoying the Apple TV+ show Dr. Brain, which was made in South Korea. The Apple Korea ad below highlights Apple TV+ programming and, as you’d expect, prominently features Dr. Brain.

If your country has a unique Apple-related ad, please tweet me a link. I’ll watch every one of ’em.

Apple’s iPhone 13 Everyday Experiments: Hollywood at Home

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This was a lot of fun to watch. As I made my way through the beginning, the RC cars/trucks just looked very toy-like, hard to fool my brain. But jump to about 1:41 in, after shooting in 4K60, rolling it into iMovie, slowing the footage by 1/3 and applying the Blockbuster filter, and those shots start to look a lot more real.

Joanna Stern: 2021 MacBook Pro review

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Follow the headline link for Joanna Stern’s enthusiastic take on the new MacBook Pros. But watch the video below for Joanna’s real-life battery testing.

At about 3:54 in, Joanna tries to duplicate Apple’s battery claims for the new devices. Worth watching to get a sense of what you can expect if you buy one of the new MacBook Pros.

Apple Support: How to use Slide Over on your iPad

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Another great video from the Apple Support video team. This is so clearly presented, does a great job explaining both the value of Slide Over and the mechanics.

I wish there was a set of videos like this built right into iPad, like the mini-videos that appear on your Mac in System Preferences > Trackpad, as you scroll over the various gestures.

Springboard: Documentary about the “first real smartphone”

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The Verge:

A decade before Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, a tiny team of renegades imagined and tried to build the modern smartphone. Nearly forgotten by history, a little startup called Handspring tried to make the future before it was ready. In Springboard: the secret history of the first real smartphone, The Verge’s Dieter Bohn talks to the visionaries at Handspring and dives into their early successes and eventual failures.

This documentary grabbed me. I remember the heady days of the Apple Newton, followed by Palm and PalmPilot. Handspring was founded by the Palm founders, with the goal of building a better mousetrap. That road ultimately yielded what is billed as the “first real smartphone”. See the trailer below.

The documentary is about 30 minutes long and (to me) worth the watch. To watch it on Apple TV, go the the Apple TV App Store and search for “Verge”. Download the app, launch it, and watch the documentary.

Three former Apple engineers helped us tear down Apple Watch Series 7

Written by

iFixit:

Inside we found some surprising display technology that was probably a huge pain to manufacture at scale, likely causing a cascade of delays. When Apple finally unveiled it last month, the watch had no firm release date, a red flag that usually signals production trouble. (If you’re wondering how a bunch of ex-Apple engineers occupy their time nowadays, read on—this is exactly the kind of expensive manufacturing snafu they’ve banded together to solve.)

Follow the headline link for an interesting read, or just watch the teardown below. Both are full of closeup images and insights. My kind of fun.

World’s longest Lightning EarPods

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More from the Apple hackery “Will It Work?” channel, on a mission to create the longest Lightning EarPods possible using only the iPhone’s battery power.

Real world Twitch streamers stunt for Apple TV+ Invasion

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Apple:

Watch Twitch streamers BoxBox, xChocoBars, 72hrs, Joe Sugg, Emiru and more as their live feeds got invaded by aliens. What started with a sudden nosebleed, quickly got even weirder when eerie distortions began to take over. The day after it was revealed that it was a stunt for a new Apple TV+ series, Invasion.

Smart marketing stunt for the team behind the coming Apple TV+ sci-fi series, Invasion. The first episode drops this Friday.

All the videos from yesterday’s Apple Event

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First off is “Start Up”, a song made by A. G. Cook from 45 years of Mac startup sounds. It played at the open of yesterday’s Apple Event, and really set the stage for what was coming later in the show.

Here are the sounds used in the video:

iMac G3 Startup, MacBook Pro Startup, AirPods Case Closing, iOS Alert, HomePod Minimum Volume, iPod Click Wheel, Note Alert, Email Whoosh, MagSafe Charger, Night Owl Ringtone, HomePod Nope, HomePod PingPong, Mac 2020 Alert, Empty Trash, Message Sent, Message Received, HomePod Device Identify, iPhone Keyboard, Airdrop Invite, Mac Sosumi, Apple Pay

Next up is “Pro Apps. Pushed to the Max”. I love the complexity of the elements throughout this video. I’ve watched it a few times, just to home in on specific scenes and the powerful special effects I assume are all done on one of the new MacBook Pros. Pay special attention from. about 1:19 to 1:50. Look at all those elements and transitions. Amazing stuff.

Next up is the HomePod mini intro, with those vibrant new colors, the new AirPods video, and the real star of the show, the video showcasing the brand new MacBook Pros. And last up is the event itself, if you did not get a chance to watch it, or want to watch it again.

Comparing photos from modern iPhone with photos from the original iPhone

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I’m new to this YouTube channel, but they have some very interesting videos. This one explores the evolution in iPhone photography, from steady camera hardware/sensor changes to a focus on software, with the rise of computational photography.

Don’t be put off by all the fooling around in the video. There’s a lot of interesting stuff here. A few highlights, if your time is limited:

  • At about 3:30: iPhone life with that original interface, before the App Store existed. Only one page.
  • At about 4:27: All about “rolling shutter”
  • And, at about 12:18: The core of this video, comparing the old and the new

I enjoyed the whole thing. Obviously, you’ll want to watch this in 4K for maximum effect.

MKBHD on the Apple Watch Series 7

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MKBHD starts the video by calling the Apple Watch Series 7 a Series 6S, meaning it’s a minor update.

But keep watching. He really dives deep into all the things that distinguish the Series 7 from its predecessor. This is my kind of review, highlighting the subtle details in a way that really makes it easy to see what I’m missing with my Series 6, easy to decide whether those details matter enough to upgrade.

Apple Support: How to multitask with Split View on iPad

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Two audiences for this video:

If you are new to iPad multitasking, or if you’ve been confused by the interface, or support someone in one of these categories, the video below is a brilliant explainer.

If you are a regular user of the three dots Split View interface, the first half of the video will be old hat to you. But watch the video anyway, stick around for the second half. It dives a little deeper, into the subtlety of opening (in this case), multiple notes at once, organizing the notes you have open.

Another well done video from the Apple Support team.

Apple TV+ drops trailer for “The Shrink Next Door”

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Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Kathryn Hahn and Casey Wilson. Script by Georgia Pritchett (“Succession”). Directed by Michael Showalter (“The Big Sick”).

Watch the trailer. I’m in. First three episodes drop Friday, November 12.

DPReview review of the iPhone 13 Pro, shot on the iPhone 13 Pro

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Detailed video, filled with great looking shots of all the various lenses and modes, giving you a sense of what you might produce if you have an iPhone 13 Pro (or iPhone 13 Pro Max).

One of the many highlights in this video is at about 36 seconds in. Check out the sharpness on the jacket pocket seams, then look at the background. There’s a subtle sharpness adjustment as he moves, Cinematic Mode at work. It wasn’t so long ago that Portrait Mode and bokeh were brand new concepts. Apple’s iPhone camera team continues to push the ball forward.

The embedded video is 4K. If you have the ability to watch in higher resolution, here’s a link to an HDR version of the same video.

Apple TV+ teaser for The Afterparty

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Apple:

Apple TV+ today debuted the teaser trailer for the new highly anticipated murder-mystery comedy series, “The Afterparty” from Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe Award winners Chris Miller and Phil Lord (“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” “The Lego Movie,” “21 Jump Street”). The eight-episode series will premiere globally in January 2022 on Apple TV+.

Watch the trailer below. If the sense of humor woven into Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Lego Movie worked for you, make a note to watch for the Afterparty Apple TV+ premiere in January.

50 iOS 15 tips and tricks you probably don’t know!

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Compelling headline. I was skeptical. But it didn’t take long for me to be glad I dug in. This is a rich collection, efficiently presented, worth your time.

To name just a few, be sure to check out:

  • Customize your Safari Start Page
  • Custom Text Size per app
  • Drag apps from Spotlight search to Home Screen

Great work, Dan!

Intel’s terrible Apple-bashing ad

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Start by watching the ad (embedded below).

This from the headline-linked post:

I know that when it comes to tech news, there can be somewhat of a bubble, with writers and readers thinking that certain things are more well-known to the general public than they are. But really, if you’ve walked into Best Buy’s laptop section at some point in the past decade, you probably would’ve seen some of the things the people in the ad are shell-shocked by: two-in-one laptops that fold to become a tablet have been popular since the early 2010s, Intel’s been pushing laptops with two screens since 2018, and PC gaming was a thing before the original IBM Personal Computer that popularized the term “PC.”

Exactly.

The ad has the potential to make a point about expandability and repairability. Fair issues to raise, if you indeed have a better solution. But it insults (badly) the very people it hopes to sway.

Yeesh.

Siri, as it looked before Apple bought the company

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The first video shows a demo of Siri before Apple bought the company and integrated the technology throughout the ecosystem.

Below that, there’s an interview with Susan Bennett, the original voice of Siri.

A few things about Siri:

  • Siri was officially rolled out by Apple 10 years ago yesterday as part of the iPhone 4S release.
  • Siri was spun out from an SRI (née, Stanford Research Institute) internal project.
  • You might think the name Siri was derived from SRI, but from a keynote by Siri co-creator Dag Kittlaus:

So Siri means in Norwegian, “beautiful woman who leads you to victory”.

I worked with a lady named Siri in Norway and wanted to name my daughter Siri and the domain was available. And also consumer companies need to focus on the fact that the name is easy to spell, is easy to say…

Clincher had to be, “the domain was available”.

Out of heartbreak comes Apple Original Films’ animated “Blush”

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From this Variety review of Blush at the Tribeca Film Festival back in June:

At Disney Animation, where he worked for 25 years, rising to head of story on “Big Hero 6,” Mateo started out as a clean-up artist and 2D animator.

And:

“Blush” is inspired by Mateo’s wife, Mary Ann, who lost an eight-year battle against breast cancer in 2017.

And:

After I lost Mary Ann, I suddenly couldn’t breathe, it was a scary moment. I had to call a friend who is a doctor and ask him: ‘What is going on with me?’ He said: ‘Joe, you are having a panic attack. I realized that Mary Ann was my air. I was struggling to breathe because I lost my air.

With that in mind, watch the trailer embedded below. Blush (an animated short) goes live on Apple TV+ on Friday.