One of the complaints from developers is that there’s just no there there. In other words, there’s just not enough to the Apple TV to make developing for it worth the effort, particularly for smaller developers working on iOS.
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An Apple Music plea
News came today that Apple is planning a major revamp of Apple Music at its Worldwide Developer Conference in June. This is welcome news for sure. While the service has improved considerably since its introduction, there are still some things that need to addressed—hopefully, this is it.
However, there are some lessons I hope Apple learned from last year’s introduction.
So Apple:
Things every designer needs to know about Accessibility
Accessibility enables people with disabilities to perceive, understand, navigate, interact with, and contribute to the web. Imagine a world where developers know everything there is to know about accessibility. You design it and they build it… perfectly. In this world, only the design itself can cause people with disabilities to have trouble using a product.
App Store educational “discounts”
How the hell can this be possible?
Apple hires former Nest, Google executive
Apple has hired famed robotics expert Yoky Matsuoka, one of the co-founders of Google’s X lab and former head of technology at Nest, to work on the iPhone maker’s health projects.
Her credentials are outstanding.
Macworld’s MacScan 3 review
But malware attacks are on the rise and OS X is no longer immune to such threats. According to a study from Bit9 and Carbon Black, 2015 was a banner year for malware on the Mac, with more than 1,400 unique samples collected and analyzed, a whopping five-fold increase over the previous five years combined.
I have MacScan on my system and it works great.
Universal Audio releases the Fender ’55 Tweed Deluxe Plug-In
One of Leo Fender’s first and finest amp designs, the Fender Deluxe was introduced in 1946. After various circuit tweaks, Fender eventually landed on the now historic “wide-panel” 5E3 Deluxe in 1955. This amplifier’s touch-sensitivity has a dynamic range from clean and sweet, to overdriven raunch that’s made it a go-to recording amp for the likes of Larry Carlton, Neil Young, Mike Campbell, Daniel Lanois, and Billy Gibbons.
I have never been so excited to try out a plug-in. It took Universal Audio two years to complete this single plug-in.
What Jony Ive said at the Met Fashion Gala
Sir Jony Ive, chief design officer of Apple was one of the four co-hosts of Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala alongside Anna Wintour of Vogue, singer Taylor Swift and actor Idris Elba. Apple, was an underwriter of an event widely known as “Oscars of the East Coast.” Here is a text of his speech at the event.
Photographer shatters reality with this mind-bending image
This kind of photo-illustration just melts my brain. I can’t even conceive of the concept let alone have the incredible skills this guy has, both in the camera and on the computer.
The 50 most influential gadgets of all time
These lists are always fun/interesting and congratulations to Apple for having the iPhone named as #1 but, is it just me or does anyone think of the iPhone as most certainly not a “gadget”?
iPhone warning signs
There is a lot of justifiable doom and gloom surrounding Apple in general and the iPhone in particular so far this year. A lot of it is incomprehensible to those of us who use and enjoy the products the company makes. Personally, I don’t think there’s any need to push a panic button but the company does have some serious challenges ahead for the rest of the year and into 2017.
6 reasons you should be printing your photos
I’m a big fan of printing off some of your photos. Along with the reasons included in this post, there’s just a certain “something” about holding your photos in your hand in a tangible, physical form and a sense of pride to be able to take your own work and hang it on your wall or to give to a friend.
Apple’s plan for refurbished iPhones is rejected in india
This might be a serious blow to Apple’s plans in India. The Indian consumer is much more price conscious and less concerned with brand image than China and Apple was counting on refurbs to help them get a foot in the door.
I fly 747s for a living. Here are the amazing things I see every day.
Like most people, I hate flying but I love the view of our world from a plane’s window.
Transcript of Tim Cook’s interview on CNBC
Here is a transcript from Tim Cook’s interview on CNBC this afternoon. I think Tim did a great job explaining the latest quarter’s numbers. He really put things in perspective. […]
Canon’s new entry-level DSLR is good enough for its target audience
If you or someone you know is in the market for an entry level DSLR, you can’t go too far wrong with the Canon Rebel line. At the “DSLR for Beginners” photography classes I teach, well over 75% of the students use some variation of the Rebel.
Tim Cook to appear on CNBC tonight
Jim Cramer tweeted today that Tim will join him on the show tonight. It’s always good hearing from Tim.
Watch a master glassblower form a Venetian wine glass
I have no interest in actually doing it but watching glass being blown has always fascinated me.
Take a tour of Tokyo’s crazy Akihabara Electric Town and massive Yodobashi Camera
I remember being in Akihabara during the last Macworld Expo Toyko. Utterly mind blowing space. At 6’3″ tall, I felt like Godzilla wandering through the cramped electronics aisle and being overwhelmed by the amazing variety of everything electronic you could imagine. If you’re an electronics or gadget fan, you owe it to yourself to visit.
Soundcloud and podcasts
Jason Snell:
In any event, I don’t recommend that podcasters use SoundCloud. There are better options, including Libsyn and Podbean, that do the job much better than the podcasting features that are grafted onto SoundCloud.
That’s just awful. I use Libsyn for The Dalrymple Report and have never had a problem.
Google’s 2015 Webspam Report
Below are some of the webspam insights we gathered in 2015, including trends we’ve seen, what we’re doing to fight spam and protect against those trends, and how we’re working with you to make the web better.
Some interesting information in here.
Jony Ive previews The Met’s ‘Manus x Machina’
“Our goal has always been to try to create objects as beautiful as they are functional,” Ive told a group of assembled journalists. Ive is one of the Apple-sponsored fundraiser’s four hosts, along with Vogue’s Anna Wintour, pop megastar Taylor Swift, and actor Idris Elba.
This is why Apple designs are so good—beauty and function take equal parts in their products.
Brazilian judge orders carriers to block WhatsApp
A Brazilian judge ordered wireless phone carriers to block access to Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp for 72 hours throughout Latin America’s largest country starting Monday afternoon, the second such incident against the popular messaging application in five months.
The decision by the judge in the northeastern state of Sergipe applies to the five main wireless operators in Brazil. The reason for the order is not known due to legal secrecy in an ongoing case in the Sergipe state court.
May sponsorships on The Loop
We have sponsorships available in May on The Loop. If you want to get your product or service in front of the fine readers of The Loop, get in touch and let’s work it out.
India uses 3D drawings to slow down drivers
Innovative solution, but it must freak you out when you’re driving.
Bing app lets you search by using an image on your iPhone
I haven’t tried this yet, but it sure sounds cool.
Apple’s Mother’s Day ad
Love you, Mom.
Apple Support
A well done new support site from Apple for its products.
Who knew RC helicopter stunts could be so cool?
Oh man. Now I want an RC helicopter.
The original dungeon masters
Many of us have a soft spot for Dungeons and Dragons, even if we don’t play it anymore and I always like reading stories about how it came to be. FYI, I was a 200lbs Dwarven Fighter-Thief with a drinking problem and a hatred of any humans over 6ft tall. Caused all kinds of problems. I still have my D&D dice.