Time:

Following last year’s Shot on iPhone 6 campaign, Apple is bringing back the concept for the iPhone 6s.

The new ad campaign features 53 images from 41 amateurs and professional photographers from around the world.

While the previous campaign included a variety of photographic subjects – from landscapes to extreme close-ups – this time, Apple has put the focus on portraits, most of them photographed in subtle, everyday moments.

Each photo shot on the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will be featured on billboards across 85 cities in 26 countries starting from Jan. 31.

Fire up your cameras!

Groundhog Day is high on my list of all time favorite movies. Today being Groundhog Day and all, this caught my eye:

One of the central tenets of Buddhism is that we must continue to reincarnate until we find enlightenment. The concept, called samsara, keeps us living out many lives through “various modes of existence” (called gati), some lowly animals and others god-like, as determined by your actions (karma). Once ignorance and ego are destroyed by your actions and awareness, you awaken to the true, interconnected reality, which frees you from the cycle and into heavenly nirvana.

In the film — written by Danny Rubin, a Zen Buddhist, according to Ramis’ DVD commentary of the film — Phil reincarnates each day, but he also transforms his behavior over “time.” He takes self-centered advantage of his unique predicament — robbing bank trucks, stuffing his face with angel food cake, tricking a woman into bed — but eventually perfects the day with creative self-improvement tasks and compassionately helping others. Once he becomes the best possible version of Phil Connors, he is released from his temporal prison, while simultaneously winning the love of his virtuous producer, Rita.

Nice. Happy Groundhog Day everyone.

From Joe Kissell’s TidBITS post:

Have you ever tried to eject a CD, disk image, or network volume, only to see an error message saying the volume is in use? If so, the maddening part can be figuring out which process is using it so you can quit that process. So enter the following, substituting for VolumeName the name of the volume you can’t unmount:

lsof | grep /Volumes/VolumeName

By “enter the following”, Joe means fire up Terminal (Applications > Utilities) and enter that line in Terminal’s command line. You’ll see a list of processes that are using the specified volume. Should be enough of a clue for you to quit the associated application. Or kill the process.

Not sure how to kill a process? Read this post.

Tuck this one away. And read the rest of Joe’s post, too. Useful stuff.

Jean-Louis Gassée, writing for Monday Note:

Thanks to the historic Carterfone decision, an FTC edict that forced AT&T to accept third-party devices on its network, you and I can connect any regulatory-compliant device to a telephone line, whether it’s a handset, a fax machine, a DSL modem.

Last week, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler put forth a proposal, to be heard on February 18th, that would apply this same logic to cable TV set-top boxes. You and I, says the FCC, should be free to pick and choose our set-top box rather than being forced to rent a device from Comcast or Time Warner.

As expected, the carriers voiced strong objections to Chairman Wheeler’s proposal.

And:

If we turn our attention to the complicated world of cellular networks, we see that we can walk into an Apple Store, buy an iPhone, and connect it to most of the world’s cell networks. You can move from Verizon to AT&T or France’s Orange merely by swapping the nano-SIM. If Samsung, Lenovo/Moto, and Apple can build multi-carrier phones, who’s to say that Roku, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple can’t build a set-top box with a decent UI, integrated Wifi, and an App Store full of goods unavailable from cable operators?

And:

The future, as we already see but cannot yet reach, is TV-as-apps, on any screen. The Super Bowl? An app, free because of the ads. Fargo is an app; ad-free (if you pay) or watch-for-free (but with ads). The cable carriers’ mission is exactly the opposite: They need to preserve an increasingly obsolescent money pump that bundles channels and hardware.

And my favorite of all:

We look at a cable operator as the adversary in a sort of cold war, a supplier we have to use but can’t trust.

Imagine if the Apple TV could also act as your set top box, providing channel access and, most importantly, DVR services to supplement their existing on-demand and gaming services. I think that the interface would evolve by leaps and bounds. We’d also have the freedom to choose between an Apple set top box, or one made by Google, or Amazon, or a small garage-based startup.

CNBC:

Google parent Alphabet was set to pass Apple as the most valuable company in the world on Tuesday. At Monday’s after-hours levels (which technically reflect an indication, but not the real-world value), Alphabet’s market cap would roughly be $570 billion, eclipsing Apple’s current market cap of about $535 billion.

The last time Google was more valuable than Apple was in February 2010, when both companies were worth less than $200 billion. At the time, Apple had yet to release its first iPad, the newest iPhone on the market was the 3GS, and the Mac was the company’s biggest product line, accounting for one-third of revenue. Steve Jobs was still at the helm.

If nothing else, historically interesting.

CNET:

At the heart of the film, acclaimed British actor Hardy plays twin brothers Reggie and Ronnie Kray, notorious real-life gangsters who ruled the London underworld in the 1960s by killing and robbing, while also rubbing shoulders with celebrities in the nightclubs they owned. Although the film’s story could be more focused, Hardy is captivating — and justly award-winning — in the twin roles.

“I read the script as if it was going to be two actors playing Reggie and Ronnie,” said Pope. “It came as a huge surprise to me that they had signed Tom Hardy up to play both roles! From being a fairly straightforward narrative, it turned into an extremely technically challenging production.”

I’ve seen this film and the performance by Hardy is made all the more incredible by the visual effects.

Wired:

Reese is just the sixth person to hold a solo record for the famed “Cannonball Run.” Solo, because he did it on a motorcycle, with no one to take the wheel to give him a break or relieve the physical toll of spending serious time on a bike.No one could help him stay awake and upright on the bike, but he did have lots of help. “I don’t think one guy could throw a leg over a motorcycle and do something like this,” Reese says. A dozen groups of safety teams spread out along the route to monitor road conditions, keep him abreast of weather changes, and to look out for cops. That last point is important: Reese averaged 73 mph on the whole trip, and periodically topped 110, so getting pulled over was a constant risk with serious repercussions.

As a motorcyclist, I think this is an amazing if utterly insane thing to do. I once interviewed John Ryan, a well-known long-distance rider, who had ridden solo from the northwestern tip of North America down to the southeastern tip of the continent in only 86 hours and 31 minutes—that’s 5,645 miles in a little over three and a half days. The longest I’ve ever ridden in one day was 800 miles (12 hours in the saddle), and afterward, I thought I’d never want to ride a motorcycle ever again. In roles that require constant vigilance and quick decision-making, proper training cannot be understated. Enrolling in a motorcycle licence course ensures that riders develop the essential skills needed for both safety and endurance on long journeys.

As someone who has worked as a banksman, I can attest to the complexities involved in directing large vehicles and managing site safety. For those interested in this field, a detailed course on banksman and traffic marshal awareness is essential to understand and navigate the challenges of the job.

I love motoring and when I was searching Shoppok’s motorcycles for sale when I found this unique Rokon trail bike. Its two-wheel drive capability and rugged construction make it the ultimate off-road companion. I can’t wait to take it for a spin on my favorite trails.

Vulture:

A joke, as defined by this list, is a discrete moment of comedy, whether from stand-up, a sketch, an album, a movie, or a TV show.

For clarity’s sake, we’ve established certain ground rules for inclusion. First, we decided early on that these jokes needed to be performed and recorded at some point. Second, with apologies to Monty Python, whose influence on contemporary comedy is tremendous and undeniable, we focused only on American humor. Third, we only included one joke per comedian. And fourth, the list doesn’t include comedy that we ultimately felt was bad, harmful, or retrograde.

As with most lists, there will always be disagreements and even with the caveats, this list doesn’t seem as funny as you would have hoped it would be. But there are still some great, and some even could be considered important, moments included.

Native access to cloud storage without sync?

ExpanDrive is a virtual drive that connects to cloud storage services such as Dropbox, Google, Box, OneDrive, Amazon, SFTP and more. Access and manage files within Finder or edit them using your favorite apps like Photoshop or Sublime Text.

Save 20% today using the coupon LOOP20.

Macstories:

If you want to drive an average tech nerd crazy, try to talk about email clients.

Despite its archaic nature and stale protocols, email works – it’s the closest thing to a common standard for digital communication we have. Messaging services may rise and grow and fall and shut down, but email will always be there, humbly humming along, hoarding thousands of unread messages in your inbox. You have to believe that, if this planet were to end tomorrow, cockroaches and IMAP would survive it.

I’ve been trying Airmail for the past couple of months, and it brings some unique features and options to the table, but, as usual, the road ahead is going to be long.

I consider myself an email power user (I get approx 2000 emails/day) and there is no way I would try and deal with that many emails on the iPhone or even an iPad.

Time:

Following last year’s Shot on iPhone 6 campaign, Apple is bringing back the concept for the iPhone 6s.

The new ad campaign features 53 images from 41 amateurs and professional photographers from around the world.

While the previous campaign included a variety of photographic subjects – from landscapes to extreme close-ups – this time, Apple has put the focus on portraits, most of them photographed in subtle, everyday moments.

As someone who teaches beginners how to take better photographs no matter what camera they have, I love this campaign and have used past iterations to show students what kind of amazing images you can create with “just” an iPhone.

Techinsider:

On Monday, the NHL will release NHL.TV, a new app that allows hockey fans to watch live, out-of-market hockey games, keep up with their favorite teams, and more.

NHL.TV was built by MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), major league baseball’s tech division. It’s the same company that handles streaming video for HBO Now, the WWE, the MLB, and many others.

I checked out the app on Monday night. I’m not even a hockey fan, but what immediately piqued my interest was the new mosaic view, which allows you to watch as as many as six HD video feeds at a time. It only works on some games for now, but when it does work, it’s an awesome way to watch a hockey game.

I’ve seen some hockey fans complaining about this app (one of the issues is you can’t watch a replay of a game without seeing highlight descriptions first) but this is certainly the future for sports apps. And for sports information junkies, it’s going to get even better.

TidBITS:

Super Bowl 50 (yes, 50 and not L, because the NFL has switched from Roman to Arabic numerals) will take place 7 February 2016 at 6:30 PM EST. If you want to watch the showdown between the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos, but don’t have traditional TV service, the good news is that CBS will be streaming the game for free to viewers in the United States.

Here’s how to stream the game on any of your Apple devices:

If for some reason you can’t be in front of a TV this coming Sunday, there are still ways for sports fans to see The Big Game.

Reuters:

The comments from Porsche Chief Executive Oliver Blume show that some car makers believe their drivers want to remain firmly in control at the wheel.

“One wants to drive a Porsche by oneself,” Blume said in an interview with regional newspaper Westfalen-Blatt published on Monday.

“An iPhone belongs in your pocket, not on the road,” Blume added, saying that Porsche did not need to team up with any big technology companies.

Even though some Porsches do come equipped with Apple’s CarPlay, it makes corporate sense to take this line. Besides, why would you buy a sports car only to let a computer have all the fun?

Outdoor Hub:

Wildlife experts advise that if you run across a moose on a trail in the winter, it may be prudent to turn around and leave. Just like you, moose would rather walk on trails than sink their legs into deep snow. Whatever else you do, don’t approach the moose or try to push it off the trail. Moose can be aggressive animals, especially when they are already tired. As you can see in the video, this moose decided to speed through a patch of snow rather than confront the skiers.

I’ve encountered a couple of moose in my life and they are gigantic, stupid and therefore terrifying animals. Never get into a confrontation with them. As this video shows, you will lose. I find it safer just to not go into the woods.

Thanks to ExpanDrive for sponsoring The Loop this week.

Native access to cloud storage without sync?

ExpanDrive is a virtual drive that connects to cloud storage services such as Dropbox, Google, Box, OneDrive, Amazon, SFTP and more. Access and manage files within Finder or edit them using your favorite apps like Photoshop or Sublime Text.

Save 20% today using the coupon LOOP20.

iMore:

Tim Cook recently said that 60 percent of customers on an iPhone 5s or earlier have not yet upgraded to an iPhone 6 or later. When we polled our readership late last year, a majority of our readers told us they were happy with the current sizes — almost 58%.

Whether Apple does this in the spring or not, it certainly makes sense for the company to serve the end of the market that doesn’t need or want one of the ginormous iPhone 6 variations.

Bloomberg:

It’s a way of creating a connection, even if it’s superficial. If users click like on a post about the Red Cross’s disaster relief efforts, they feel as if they’ve done something to help. (In January, Sandberg went so far as to suggest that likes could help defeat Islamic State: By posting positive messages on the terror group’s Facebook pages, users could somehow drown out the hate.) Liking someone’s photo is an awkwardness-free way to make contact with someone you haven’t seen in years. Alternatives to like will let Facebook users be a little more thoughtful, or at least seem to be, without having to try very hard.

I think that “without trying too hard” is the sad key to the Like button. Regardless, the article is an interesting look behind the scenes at Facebook and the massive amount of discussion and thought that goes into something seemingly so simple and obvious.

No matter your musical tastes, this is just damn fun. Throw on some headphones before you click the link, but it’s worth it.

Stephen Hackett, writing for 512 Pixels:

With iOS 5, Apple introduced Notification Center, the pull-down shade that houses missed notifications and messages all in one place.

With iOS 7, Apple added Today, a section of Notification Center that users can fill with first- and third-party widgets, as well as Control Center, a quick way to get at commonly-used utilities with a flick up from the bottom of the display.

I don’t think this has aged very well, unfortunately, and it’s mostly Control Center’s fault. In addition to it being confusing to have a hidden panel at the top of the screen, having one at the bottom too is a lot to handle for some users. But there’s a bigger problem in my mind: Control Center just does way too many things.

Read the article for specifics, but I agree 100%. Apple could solve this by giving users the ability to either turn on/off Control Center items or, better yet, completely customize it by dragging items on and off.

Not to be confused with existing wireless charging solutions that depend on contact between a surface of the device and a specialized charging mat, at-a-distance charging means your phone can charge while it is still in your pocket.

According to Bloomberg’s Tim Culpan (video embed in the article), we might see this technology in a product sometime next year. If so, that would be a bit of a game changer.

Never heard of Parse? Not surprising. But no doubt you use it. Parse offers massive database services, making it easy for app developers to collect data while managing many of the details.

As an example, Parse offers tools that handle login registration as well as login verification. You hand your visitors over to Parse code, they login, then Parse gives them back to you, all logged in. You don’t have to store the data locally and you don’t have to reinvent the validation code. Parse handles it all.

But all that is about to end. And all those developers need to find another solution or shut down their apps.

From the Parse blog:

We have a difficult announcement to make. Beginning today we’re winding down the Parse service, and Parse will be fully retired after a year-long period ending on January 28, 2017. We’re proud that we’ve been able to help so many of you build great mobile apps, but we need to focus our resources elsewhere.

Facebook acquired Parse in 2013 and started using it internally. It’s not clear if Facebook will continue to use Parse for its own needs and is purely turning off support for 3rd parties, or if it is abandoning Parse entirely. Given how widely used Parse is, I can’t imagine Facebook wouldn’t sell it if it had no plans of its own. After all, it supposedly paid $85 million for the purchase.

Robin Harris, writing for ZDNet:

With Mac OS 10.3 – El Capitan – Apple has removed the Secure Empty Trash function. Why? Because with solid state drives – SSDs – Apple couldn’t guarantee that a secure erase would actually erase the data.

Thus when you sell a Mac – almost all of which have had SSDs for the last 4 years – using Secure Empty Trash with an older version of OS X, or trusting Empty Trash to nuke your data is asking for trouble. Follow these instructions and your data will be well and truly vaporized.

The article walks you through the process. Tuck this one away, pass it along.

As part of Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, Rick Tetzeli spoke with Angela Ahrendts.

We just ended the year with the highest retention rates we’ve ever had: 81%. And the feedback [from Apple Store employees is that it’s] because they feel connected. They feel like one Apple. They don’t feel like they’re just somebody over here working with customers. I don’t see them as retail employees. I see them as executives in the company who are touching the customers with the products that Jony [Ive] and the team took years to build. Somebody has to deliver it to the customer in a wonderful way.

Short, worth reading.

Agam Shah, writing for Computerworld:

One indicator of healthy mobile device or PC sales is the amount of money a company spends on chips that go into those devices.

So it should come as no surprise that Apple was the world’s second-largest chip buyer last year, spending more than $29 billion, up by 7.1 percent compared to 2014, according to a study released by Gartner on Wednesday.

Apple is now in a position to reclaim its position as the top chip buyer from Samsung, which spent $29.87 billion last year, a 3.6 percent decline.

Doomed.

Popular Mechanics:

It was supposed to be one of the greatest achievements in the history of the United States space program.

A civilian—a schoolteacher, an emissary of the hope for tomorrow—was going to space. Christa McAuliffe, a thirty-seven-year-old mother of two from Concord, New Hampshire, had been selected from eleven thousand entrants to NASA’s Teacher in Space contest. She became a symbol of optimism and progress amid Cold War tension. And the rest of the shuttle crew was itself a representation of the strength of American society: Gregory Jarvis, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Michael Smith, and Commander Dick Scobee. Two women, one of them Jewish. An African- American. An Asian-American. They were the most diverse group of astronauts NASA ever assembled.

On the morning of January 28, 1986, despite concerns within NASA and among others working on the launch that the weather was too cold, the shuttle Challenger blasted off. Seventy-three seconds later, it broke apart in long, grotesque fingers of white smoke in the sky above Cape Canaveral, Florida.

While it was thirty years ago today, I still remember it vividly. I had turned the TV on specifically to watch the launch. I never missed one. I loved watching any kind of NASA launch and had since I was a kid. After Challenger, I never watched another one.

The Atlantic:

“It’s really strange that only humans have chins,” says James Pampush from Duke University. “When we’re looking at things that are uniquely human, we can’t look to big brains or bipedalism because our extinct relatives had those. But they didn’t have chins. That makes this immediately relevant to everyone.”

Indeed, except in rare cases involving birth defects, everyone has chins. Sure, some people have less pronounced ones than others, perhaps because their lower jaws are small or they have more flesh around the area. But if you peeled back that flesh and exposed their jawbones—and maybe don’t do that—you’d still see a chin.

So, why do chins exist?

In the category of “things I wasn’t expecting to think about today”, I would put high on the list, “Why do human beings have chins?” It’s actually a very interesting article and, spoiler alert, scientists really don’t know why.