Rene Ritchie put together a Q&A for last week’s ransomware attack.
Uncategorized
MP3 is dead, long live AAC
Interesting development. I still use MP3 for all my audio needs.
Blue’s Satellite wireless noise-cancelling headphones
Satellite is all about bringing no-compromise audiophile sound to your daily life. Whether listening to streaming audio or digital remasters on your commute and at the office, or enjoying vinyl box sets at home, Satellite delivers iconic Blue studio sound wherever you go.
These over-the-ear headphones were released this week and they are great. I’ve been using them for a couple of weeks and will have a more detailed write-up coming out shortly.
Massive ransomware attack hits UK hospitals, Spanish banks
A large number of hospitals, GPs, and walk-in clinics across England have been locked down by a ransomware attack, reports suggest. There are also some reports of a ransomware attack hitting institutions in Portugal and Spain, with telecoms provider Telefonica apparently hit hard. Further attacks have been reported in Russia, Ukraine, and Taiwan. Batten down the hatches: we might be in the middle of a global ransomware attack.
30 hours of Doctor Who audio dramas now free to stream online
I’ve never been a big Doctor Who fan but I am a fan of audio dramas. I’ll check these out this weekend.
Helicopter crew’s shark warning to paddle-boarders
“Exit the water in a calm manner…”
iPhone 7 top selling smartphone model in Q1 2017
Apple’s iPhone 7 is the top selling smartphone model in Q1 2017, according to a new research report from Strategy Analytics released this week. When is it okay to be No. 2? When you’re also No. 1—the second top selling smartphone model is the iPhone 7 Plus, according to the report. […]
Jamf Now: Set up and protect your Apple devices
Thanks to Jamf Now for sponsoring The Loop this week. Jamf Now is an on-demand mobile device management solution for the iPads, iPhones and Macs in your workplace. We make device management simple and affordable for everyone, so businesses can support their users; no IT required. Manage your first three devices for free and add more for just $2 per device per month. Get started for free today!
Apple doesn’t ‘need’ to buy anything
Many of the companies pundits think Apple should buy are patently ridiculous choices.
How to shoot on iPhone 7
Apple posted a new Web page showing you how to shoot a picture in different situations using the iPhone 7. This is a page I will definitely use.
Amazon Prime Video could be coming to Apple TV at WWDC
John Paczkowski writing for BuzzFeed:
Sources in position to know tell BuzzFeed News that Amazon’s Prime video app — long absent from Apple TV — is indeed headed to Apple’s diminutive set-top box. Apple plans to announce Amazon Prime video’s impending arrive to the Apple TV App Store during the keynote at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 5 in San Jose, CA. A source familiar with the companies’ thinking say the app is expected to go live this summer, but cautioned that the hard launch date might change. Amazon had previously declined to even submit a Prime Video app for inclusion in Apple’s Apple TV App Store.
John certainly knows his stuff and this has been rumored before. It would be great if Amazon and Apple could get things worked out, release a video app, and get the Apple TV back in the Amazon store again.
New York will allow self-driving vehicle testing
“We are taking a careful yet balanced approach to incorporating autonomous vehicles on our roads to reduce dangerous driving habits, decrease the number of accidents and save lives on New York roadways,” Cuomo said in a statement.
Says a lot about the driving habits of many on the roads today.
Companies in New York must have a $5 million insurance policy, submit reports to the state, be overseen by the state police and pay the state police for supervising each test.
Testing also cannot take place in construction or school zones – which take up huge swaths of land in New York City – and must adhere to a predesignated route shared in advance with the state.
No doubt there will be challenges or suggestions from the companies developing the technology.
History of the entire world, I guess
Settle in for 20 minutes of a pretty good round up of world history. CAUTION: there’s some NSFW language in the video.
Apple’s iTunes is coming to the Windows Store
It will be interesting to see how well (or how poorly) iTunes will be received on the Windows Store.
Keeping Apple history alive at MacPaw
As sad as I was to hear of Tekserve’s closing, I’m glad to see their wonderful collection of Apple computers has gone to a good home.
Everything Microsoft announced at its Build conference
Axios provided a list of highlights from the conference.
The narrator of HGTV’s “House Hunters” is ready to step out from the shadows
Want to talk about guilty pleasures of trash tv watching? This is mine. I watch every episode of House Hunters International (yes, I know the show is staged), although not such a fan of the other shows.
Photosweeper 3 review: Sorts out the image duplicates in your Mac’s media libraries and folders
I’ve used Photosweeper 3 to organize and/or delete thousands of photos. Well worth the $10.
Can you read people’s emotions? A quiz.
This quiz from a few years ago has been making the rounds. In a nutshell, take a look at these cropped faces, try to identify the emotion shown. It’s all multiple choice, 36 in all, goes pretty quickly.
I generally found that if a particular face brought up an instinct, that first instinct was the correct answer. Enjoy.
UPDATE: Not sure why, but it appears the quiz comes up fine on the Mac, but not on my iPhone. If you get a broken link on your phone, try it on your computer.
Apple announces WWDC Keynote
Let the Zaprudering of the invitation begin.
Apple’s Home app and Siri empowers people with disabilities
This is one of the most incredible stories I’ve read in quite some time.
20,000-year-old artifacts, 21st century technology
I’ve always thought museums would be perfect places for this kind of technology but only the most well-funded ones can take advantage of it.
Jamf Now: Set up and protect your Apple devices [Sponsor]
Jamf Now is an on-demand mobile device management solution for the iPads, iPhones and Macs in your workplace. We make device management simple and affordable for everyone, so businesses can support their users; no IT required. Manage your first three devices for free and add more for just $2 per device per month. Get started for free today!
Apple nears $800 billion valuation
Apple’s stock is currently trading above the $150 mark for the first time ever, after factoring in a 7-for-1 split in 2014, giving the company a record-high market cap of nearly $790 billion. That means Apple is just over $200 billion away from becoming the world’s first trillion dollar company.
It’s mind boggling to think of that much money.
John Oliver sounds the warning siren on net neutrality
Yeah, he’s done it before but the issue has raised its ugly head once again.
Apple clarifies affiliate program changes affect in-app purchases only
Great news for sites and people that use the program.
16 famous first photographs in history: from the oldest photo ever to the world’s first Instagram
Without looking, guess who the subject of the “First Digital Photo of a President” was. I bet you’ll be surprised.
Video converter Handbrake compromised by malware
If you didn’t download it during the above times, you have nothing to worry about.
Phil Schiller on App Store upgrade pricing, Amazon Echo-like devices, Swift, and more
Always fun to read the tea leaves when Apple executives speak.
8,400 new Android malware apps found every day
The Android operating system clearly dominates the mobile market, with a share of around 72 percent. In Germany alone, around 67 percent of smartphone owners use a device with an Android operating system (source: Statcounter). G DATA security experts discovered over 750,000 new Android malware apps in the first quarter of 2017. That represents almost 8,400 new malware instances every day.
This is an absolutely staggering number. I don’t know how anyone using an Android device feels the least bit safe.
A comprehensive security solution is becoming more and more important for smartphones and tablets.
Yes, I agree. It’s called an iPhone and iOS.