Give this a try. Type in a location, or zoom and drag as you like.

Once you have the location, pick a map color, then select your phone (iPhone or Android model).

Tap the Generate button, and you’ve got your wallpaper.

[Via iDownloadBlog]

If you are a Star Wars fan, or a Disney fan, bookmark this detailed take on Disney’s multi-billion dollar construction project, bringing the planet Batuu’s Black Spire outpost to life, both in Florida (Disney World) and California (Disneyland).

This is just a wonderful read. Matthew Panzarino really loves both Disney and Star Wars and it shows.

One tiny taste:

“We’re really being very ambitious with what we do with Star Wars,” says Disney Portfolio Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, Scott Trowbridge. “This location is over 14 acres. It is basically a small city in our parks. All the amazing architecture…the ships, the aliens, the droids, the creatures, everything that makes Star Wars Star Wars, all coming together so that our guests can have an opportunity to live that dream of living their Star Wars story.”

At risk of being too susceptible to marketing speak, I’d have to agree with this particular statement. What is being built here has little parallel in terms of immersion and ambition in an amusement park or out. And it’s going to blow Star Wars fans, casual and involved, away.

Can’t wait.

Ad Week:

The Shot on iPhone campaign has long been known for highlighting the surprisingly artistic shots that can be captured by just about any caliber of photographer. Now the outdoor-focused effort is heading onto the ice and behind the scenes of the NHL to give fans a closer look at the game and its star players.

In new ads launching today on arenas across the U.S. and Canada, Apple features photos taken on the iPhone XS by some of today’s top hockey pros and featuring candid moments with their teammates.

These are some great photos. No way a fan photo can match a photo taken on the ice or in the locker room by a player.

This is a brilliant partnership. I hope it spreads to other sports.

Forbes:

The U.S. federal government, from the FBI to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been handing millions to Cellebrite to break into Apple and Google smartphones. Mr. Balaj (Forbes agreed not to publish his first name at his request) and others on eBay are now acquiring and trading Cellebrite systems for between $100 and $1,000 a unit. Comparable, brand-new Cellebrite tools start at $6,000.

More importantly:

Rather than return the UFEDs to Cellebrite so they can be properly decommissioned, it appears police or other individuals who’ve acquired the machines are flogging them and failing to properly wipe them. Cybersecurity researchers are now warning that valuable case data and powerful police hacking tools could have leaked as a result.

This was one of the scenarios that emerged, back in late 2015, during the Congressional hearings that followed the San Bernardino shooting, asking Apple to build a golden key to allow law enforcement to unlock any iPhone on-demand. The concern then was that the golden key might get into the wrong hands, risking the data and privacy of the larger iPhone community.

Apple Watch is maintaining a large lead in a market that is growing more competitive.

To give a sense of this, Samsung and FitBit, fighting for second place, have 13.2% and 12.7% of the 2018Q4 marketshare, compared with Apple’s 50.7%.

It is estimated that Apple shipped more than 22 million Apple Watches last year, compared to FitBit (5.5M) and Samsung (5.3M). That’s some difference.

Paul Kafasis:

A new digital door technology from a company called Cooler Screens is now being tested in Walgreens, and it sounds absolutely awful. Rather than a basic, transparent glass door, coolers and freezers will be sealed by screens that show a sanitized image of the products behind them.

That’s all nice enough, and those mild benefits might even be worth replacing a simple glass pane with a complex TV screen. However, further reading ultimately makes those benefits sound like nothing so much as an after-the-fact justification for the real motives behind this technology.

I promise that any store using this technology will be one I never set foot in.

Sophie Helf:

My legs are fake. One-third of each one, anyways; the lower parts and the feet. If people press me on how I lost my real ones — and they do, especially when I’m waiting in lines for things, for some reason — I’ll usually tell them that “they fell off one night,” or “I ate them,” or “I don’t actually know.” And, truthfully, I don’t — I woke up one morning in a hospital and a doctor told me that they were gone.

I’m still not sure how to relate to my new cyborg body, but my fake legs rule.

What a great story that is unexpected in its normalcy.

Inlander:

It’s, increasingly, become a frustrating irony for journalists. Even as the internet has stripped away our privacy, the rise of the cell phone and the end of the phone book have made what was once one of the easiest pieces of information to find one of the most obscure.

There are stories I haven’t written because I could never find a way to contact a key figure. It’s one thing to say “Harold Sourceman did not return multiple messages asking him to comment on his alleged involvement in the goat catapult scandal.” It’s another thing to say, “we had no idea how to let Sourceman know he was going to be the front page star in a goat-hurling related controversy.”

Definitely an unintended consequence of so many of us no longer having landlines.

Topic Magazine (via Kottke):

Winning the lottery. Having a long-lost relative put you in their will. Selling your TV show. For our Money issue, we interviewed 15 people—and asked writer Ijeoma Oluo to contribute an essay—on the subject of windfalls. How they got their money, and what they did with it, was both as intensely personal, and shaped by cultural expectations, as anything else.

A fascinating set of stories, full of variety.

A few tastes:

There are different tiers to writing television shows: you start as a staff writer, and each time you move up the ladder—to story editor, executive story editor, coproducer, producer, supervision producer, executive producer—you get a minimum payment from the Writers Guild.

When I moved up from staff writer to story editor for Maniac, I got my first script fee, which was around $27,000. For most of my adult life, this was equivalent to an annual salary.

And:

My coach, Erik Seidel, is a legend, and one of the first things he taught me was that if I was going to do this right, I should approach it the way any professional poker player would. The number one rule is good bankroll management: Don’t play in any events that are above what you can afford to lose, and always have a lot of money in advance.

The first time I went out to Las Vegas, Erik wouldn’t let me play in any event that was more than $60, so the first game I won was a daily tournament at Planet Hollywood. I won close to a thousand dollars, and I was absolutely ecstatic.

The way Erik and I approached the project was my winnings would be put back into poker—that would now be my poker bankroll.

These are just tiny bits of much longer stories. The whole thing is a fascinating read.

How much is a life changing amount of money for you? Is it $1,000? $100,000? $1 million? If you got it, what would you do with it?

The USB 3.2 rebranding has caused a lot of confusion. Here’s some language from the source, which hopefully will clarify what’s what here.

From the official USB 3.2 language usage guidelines:

When referring to a product that is based on and compliant with the USB 3.2 specification, it is critical for manufacturers to clearly identify the performance capabilities of that device separately from other product benefits and/or physical characteristics.

This gives us:

• USB 3.2 Gen 1, up to 5 Gbps, AKA SuperSpeed USB
• USB 3.2 Gen 2, up to 10 Gbps, AKA SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps
• USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, up to 20 Gbps, AKA SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps

And:

SuperSpeed Plus, Enhanced SuperSpeed and SuperSpeed+ are defined in the USB specifications however these terms are not intended to be used in product names, messaging, packaging or any other consumer-facing content.

In a nutshell, think of USB 3.2 as SuperSpeed USB, with three flavors, Gen 1, Gen 2, and Gen 2×2, supporting 5, 10, and 20 Gbps respectively. And the 2×2 refers to Gen 2 over two 10 Gbps wires, for a total of 20 Gbps.

iDownloadBlog:

You may already know that you can use your iPhone with the Remote app to control your Apple TV. But did you know you can also use your Apple Watch?

These are convenient options if your Siri remote isn’t nearby, it needs to be charged, or you are having trouble with it. And since you’re already wearing your Apple Watch, you have the handiest remote of all.

Here’s how to use Apple Watch as a remote for Apple TV.

This seems a little silly but I’m going to try it anyway.

National Geographic:

Many have died attempting to ski the world’s second tallest mountain. See how National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Andrzej Bargiel made history.

Last July, after days of climbing, Andrzej Bargiel skied down K2, the world’s second-tallest mountain. K2 is so steep and dangerous that Dave Watson, the only American to attempt skiing K2, explains, “If you fall, you’re going to die.”

Insanity. Thanks to Rich Mogull for the link.

This is a meme, based on this video. But there’s just something about this one. Makes me laugh.

This Reddit thread is provocative, but thoughtful. Rare to see a discussion like this not devolve into opposing, trolling camps.

I value perspective on Steve because he made so many dents in the universe and had such strong vision. Lessons (both positive and negative) worth holding onto.

If you have a Mac with a Touch Bar, take the time to read through this short set of tips. Especially useful for folks new to Touch Bar.

Yup. It’s a list, with all its flaws and omissions.

But one thing I love about this list is all the new music I’ve been listening to the past few days.

As I write this, I am listening to the Super Fly soundtrack, by Curtis Mayfield. And it is damn good.

From Apple’s press release:

iPhone photographers around the world shared their best photos for the Shot on iPhone Challenge, capturing remarkable moments with the world’s most popular camera. The 10 selected winners will be featured on billboards in select cities, in Apple retail stores and online. The winning shots came from a range of models, from iPhone XS Max to iPhone 7, showcasing the quality of cameras across the line.

The top 10 winners came from countries including Singapore, Germany, Belarus, Israel and the US, highlighting the global community of iPhone photographers that participated. These photos capture colorful city scenery, curious animals, creative reflections, the beauty of the ordinary and more.

Our international panel of judges — Pete Souza, Austin Mann, Annet de Graaf, Luísa Dörr, Chen Man, Phil Schiller, Kaiann Drance, Brooks Kraft, Sebastien Marineau-Mes, Jon McCormack and Arem Duplessis — gave some insight on why they loved these shots.

There are some pretty phenomenal shots here. Amazing to me that these were taken by ordinary folks, and also how sophisticated our pocket cameras have become.

Open Culture:

We may not retain all the players’ names or the intricacies of the various plot lines, but the creative punishments the gods—Zeus, in particular—visited upon those who displeased them have provided modern mortals with an enduring shorthand for describing our own woes.

Averaging around five minutes per tale, each episode is packed tight as a snake in a can of mixed nuts. Prepare to be surprised by some of the tidbits that come springing out.

My 13 year old loves Greek mythology so I’m looking forward to watching these with him.

The Verge:

No one tries to comfort her. This is the job she was hired to do. And for the 1,000 people like Chloe moderating content for Facebook at the Phoenix site, and for 15,000 content reviewers around the world, today is just another day at the office.

I interviewed a dozen current and former employees of Cognizant in Phoenix. All had signed non-disclosure agreements with Cognizant in which they pledged not to discuss their work for Facebook — or even acknowledge that Facebook is Cognizant’s client.

The shroud of secrecy is meant to protect employees from users who may be angry about a content moderation decision and seek to resolve it with a known Facebook contractor. The NDAs are also meant to prevent contractors from sharing Facebook users’ personal information with the outside world, at a time of intense scrutiny over data privacy issues

Oh, the irony of that last line.

From this Twitter thread:

There was a geeky holy war on the Maps team. When Lars checked in the code to switch between maps and imagery, he called it “Satellite.” We were quickly informed that a significant % of the images were taken from airplanes — “Aerial Photography.” Our name was factually incorrect.

The story digs into the crazy process Google used to come up with an appropriate alternative to “Satellite” for Google Maps.

Fascinating.

CNBC:

Sometimes people write to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Most don’t get a response.

But they do get passed around the company, and sometimes they inspire real action inside. In particular, they’ve helped guide the company deeper into the health care field.

And not just letters to Tim. There are lots of examples out there of letters that get responses from Craig Federighi, Phil Schiller, Eddy Cue, etc.

Want to save off a tweet, preserve it for posterity? Perhaps one of those tweets that you just know is going to get deleted?

Here’s one way:

• Get the tweet URL (use the share panel, or just copy the URL from Safari)
• Paste this in front of the tweet URL:

web.archive.org/save/

• Be sure to keep the “https://” in front of the original URL, so you might see something like:

web.archive.org/save/https://en.wik
ipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs

• Enter the new long URL into Safari, hit return/go.

That’s it. You’ll be taken to the wayback machine, and you can save off the new URL for safekeeping.

The Times News, covering Jeff Williams speech at Elon University:

The Apple of 1998 was not what it is today.

The company was coming off a series of costly failures and was nearly bankrupt. Co-founder Steve Jobs had just come back as CEO after resigning over a disagreement with John Sculley in 1985. But there was a renewed energy, and Jobs had a plan.

Apple would become “the Sony of the PC industry.” It would make computers fashionable, and it would go after individual consumers rather than big business.

“I thought, ‘This is about the dumbest strategy I have ever heard,’ and that’s one of the reasons I thought it would go belly-up,” Williams said. “I guess you could say [Jobs] may have been right.”

Despite Jobs’ questionable business plan, Williams was charmed by the “contagious, palpable enthusiasm” at Apple, so he listened to his gut and came on board as head of Worldwide Procurement.

Just a reminder. Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997. So Jeff Williams’ timing was perfect, a chance to be part of one of the greatest business renaissances in history, a chance to work closely with Steve, watch all this unfold.

When the first Apple Watch was released, the basic model cost consumers $349 — steep compared to the first Fitbit, which clocked in at $99.95. Though the Apple Watch’s design and abilities differ from those of the Fitbit, another reason for the increased cost is the research that went into developing the product.

Apple wanted to create a wearable activity tracker that didn’t just measure exercise based on arm movement, Williams explained, so the tech giant built a physiology lab, hired 40 nurses and enlisted 10,000 participants to study how best to measure the calories burned during exercise.

And:

Williams did say cost is something they’re working to address.

“It’s something we’re very aware of,” he said. “We do not want to be an elitist company. That’s not — we want to be an egalitarian company, and we’ve got a lot of work going on in developing markets.”

Interesting read.

Digiday:

Monetization on Apple News remains a slog, according to seven publishers interviewed by Digiday. Ad revenue is bogged down by advertisers’ disinterest in the ad inventory that publishers are selling directly, and by remnant ad fill rates that many publishers describe as abysmal, even after a modest improvement to start the year, sources said.

But:

But publishers contacted for this story all reported seeing steady growth in audience over the past year. For three sources, Apple News now drives more referral traffic than Facebook does. Getting featured in the product’s human-curated Top News widget inside Apple News can drive enormous boosts in traffic, sources said. Getting articles into Apple News’s content recirculation widget, which recommends stories for users to read next, can make a story one of the highest-read stories a publisher can share in a month, one source said.

This is an interesting story, worth reading. The original headline focuses on the cons, that of low revenues. Fair to point that out, but it does hide the fact that Apple News is still in its relative infancy and it has the ability to generate tremendous traffic.

Most importantly, at least to me, is Apple’s stance on privacy. Tracking users raises the value of advertising. Easier to make a buck via highly targeted user-tracking sites, since the advertiser’s results can be highly customized. But Apple offers a path that is better for users. Can publishers resist the Google/Facebook siren call?

Joe Rossignol, MacRumors:

Apple plans to close both of its retail stores within the Eastern District of Texas in a few months from now in an effort to protect itself from patent trolls, according to five sources familiar with the matter.

Apple Willow Bend in Plano, Texas and Apple Stonebriar in Frisco, Texas, both located in the northern suburbs of Dallas, are expected to permanently close in mid April. One source said each store’s final day of business will be Friday, April 12. Employees were briefed about the plans earlier this week.

To continue to serve the region, Apple plans to open a new store at the Galleria Dallas shopping mall in Dallas, just south of the Eastern District of Texas border.

And:

The plans are significant, as U.S. law states that patent infringement lawsuits may be filed “where the defendant has committed acts of infringement and has a regular and established place of business.” By closing its stores in Eastern Texas, Apple is ending its established place of business in the district.

Oh do I hate patent trolls. A scourge. Incredible to me that this giant step is necessary. This system is broken.

Ina Fried, Axios:

Although the company has yet to say so publicly, developers and Intel officials have privately told Axios they expect such a move as soon as next year.

This seems inevitable, and tied to Bloomberg’s Marzipan reporting.

From that Bloomberg post:

Later this year, Apple plans to let developers port their iPad apps to Mac computers via a new software development kit that the company will release as early as June at its annual developer conference. Developers will still need to submit separate versions of the app to Apple’s iOS and Mac App Stores, but the new kit will mean they don’t have to write the underlying software code twice, said the people familiar with the plan.

So much to chew on here. One sense I do get is that of a grand master plan unfolding, all of this leading to a new ARM-based, shared code base vision. But a vision that is not quite in focus yet. I’ll be very interested to see if Apple shares the big picture at this summer’s WWDC.