Easy enough to find your local Apple Store link, but seeing all the places and prices together like this was kind of interesting.

I’m struggling to get the placement of the iPad Pro. Certainly, it’s easy to understand what a tremendous boon the iPad Pro/Apple Pencil combination is for artists, graphic designers.

My struggle is in overcoming the notion of the iPad Pro as just a really big iPad. Can an iPad running iOS ever replace a laptop running OS X? Will the iPad ever become my primary device, as opposed to a supplementary portable device?

John Gruber’s thoughtful iPad Pro review helped move that conversation along for me. It did not resolve it, but it helped me see a little bit further down the road.

Some bits from the review:

We’ve now reached an inflection point. The new MacBook is slower, gets worse battery life, and even its cheapest configuration costs $200 more than the top-of-the-line iPad Pro. The iPad Pro is more powerful, cheaper, has a better display, and gets better battery life. It’s not a clear cut-and-dry win — MacBooks still have more RAM (the iPad Pro, in all configurations, has 4 GB of RAM, although Apple still isn’t publishing this information — MacBook Pros have either 8 or 16 GB), are expandable, and offer far more storage. But at a fundamental level — CPU speed, GPU speed, quality of the display, quality of the sound output, and overall responsiveness of interface — the iPad Pro is a better computer than a MacBook or MacBook Air, and a worthy rival to the far more expensive MacBook Pros.

I see this as a check box, a necessary condition for the iPad to replace my laptop. Not a sufficient condition, but a necessary one. The iPad Pro is now powerful enough. The question remains, can the iPad Pro fill the other requirements.

The iPad Pro is “pro” in the way MacBook Pros are. Genuine professionals with a professional need — visual artists in particular — are going to line up for them. But it’s also a perfectly reasonable choice for casual iPad users who just want a bigger display, louder (and now stereo) speakers, and faster performance.

Anyone tying themselves in knots looking for a specific target audience for the iPad Pro is going about it the wrong way. There is no single target audience. Is the iPad Pro meant for office workers in the enterprise? Professional artists creating content? Casual users playing games, watching movies, and reading? The answer is simply “Yes”.

I think this addresses the questions, “Will the iPad Pro succeed, will it sell enough units to earn its place in the Apple ecosystem?” I’m still struggling with the issue of the suitability of the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement.

If you don’t type much, or don’t mind using the on-screen keyboard when you do, you’re probably already sold on the iPad-as-primary-portable-computer lifestyle. If you do type a lot and want a hardware keyboard, the appeal of the iPad Pro is going to largely hinge on your affinity for the Smart Keyboard.

That’s one core issue. If you type a lot (and I do), the question is, “Is the Smart Keyboard good enough, can I get along with it well enough to type at a reasonable speed?”

I’ve written this entire review using it, Federico Viticci-style. I went into it thinking that my biggest complaint would be the keys themselves — I like my keyboards clicky, with a lot of travel. But I adjusted to it pretty quickly, and I kind of like the way it feels, as a tactile surface. It almost feels like canvas.

Excellent!

When the iPad Pro is open with the keyboard attached, holding your arm up to touch the screen for anything longer than a moment or two is ergonomically uncomfortable. Apple has stated for years that this is why they don’t make the displays on MacBooks or iMacs touchscreens (that, combined with the relatively tiny click targets of Mac OS X, which are designed for very precise mice and trackpads, not imprecise finger tips). Scrolling through a long document using the iPad Pro touch screen is uncomfortable when it’s in laptop position. Going through a slew of new emails, likewise. In laptop mode, I want to use the keyboard for these things — and in most cases, because of bugs and/or software limitations, I can’t. That the keyboard falls short in these cases is even worse on iPad than it would be on a MacBook, because a MacBook has a trackpad. The point is, if my fingers are on the keyboard, I don’t want to move my hands. With a trackpad, I don’t have to. With the iPad Pro, I do.

Ah, there it is. John put into words what I struggled to. There’s something about having my laptop anchored with my hands completely free to move between the trackpad/mouse/trackball and the keyboard. That and the ability to effortlessly change the angle of the screen to adjust for glare.

More than anything else, for me the tradeoff is between portability (the grab and go offered by my phone) and ergonomic comfort (like sitting in a well laid out cockpit). This is a second checkbox. For any iPad to replace my laptop, it has to solve that ergonomic issue. I realize that for many people, this is not a necessary condition. For a more casual user, the iPad Pro is likely a home run.

Go read John Gruber’s iPad Pro review. There’s much more to it than these bits I’ve quoted here and the review is well worth your time.

Currently available for delivery on Friday (at least in the U.S.) if you specify next day shipping.

Here’s the link.

From the Apple TV Tech Talk web site:

The new Apple TV is here, bringing incredible and immersive apps and games to the big screen. Get in-depth technical information on building and designing for tvOS, learn refined coding techniques, and obtain valuable development instruction from Apple experts. Register by November 13, 10:00 a.m. PST for an opportunity to attend a Tech Talk in a city near you.

The tours are running in:

• Toronto, December 7, 2015
• Los Angeles, December 10, 2015
• Austin, December 14, 2015
• Seattle, December 16, 2015
• Cupertino, December 17, 2015
• Cupertino, December 18, 2015
• Berlin, January 8, 2016
• London, January 11, 2016
• New York, January 12, 2016
• Tokyo, January 21, 2016
• Sydney, February 3, 2016

The official Google Maps blog:

Roughly 60 percent of the world is without Internet today, and even where online access is available, it can still be spotty. That means that quick and easy access to information is still not possible for a majority of the population. This is a huge problem, especially as people attempt to navigate and explore the world around them, so Google Maps is taking steps to help people across the globe find directions and get where they’re going, even when they don’t have an Internet connection.

Now you can download an area of the world to your phone, and the next time you find there’s no connectivity—whether it’s a country road or an underground parking garage—Google Maps will continue to work seamlessly. Whereas before you could simply view an area of the map offline, now you can get turn-by-turn driving directions, search for specific destinations, and find useful information about places, like hours of operation, contact information or ratings.

This is a huge benefit, especially for folks with limited data plans. By far, the biggest suck on my data plan is map usage when I am on the road. Love this!

Writing for Above Avalon, Neil Cybart first lays out Apple’s recent series of North San Jose land purchases in terrific detail, then presents three theories on why those purchases were made.

I really liked the post, though I think the fact that the land lies immediately next to San Jose International Airport is not a coincidence. It’s a mystery!

If you are curious about the Surface Book, this is a solid, detailed review. As always, there’s a popup menu at the bottom of each page (above the comments) so you can jump to various pages in the review.

In a nutshell, the review is mostly positive, but you’ll still be running a variant of Windows.

The Verge:

A commercial court in Brussels today ruled that Facebook must stop using cookies to track users when they aren’t logged in, reports The Wall Street Journal [PAYWALL]. The social networking company now has 48 hours to comply, or it will face a daily fine of €250,000. However, the company has vowed to appeal the decision on the basis of user security.

“We’ve used the data cookie for more than five years to keep Facebook secure for 1.5 billion people around the world,” a Facebook spokesperson told the Journal. “We will appeal this decision and are working to minimize any disruption to people’s access to Facebook in Belgium.”

Facebook’s argument:

According to the company, cookies allow it to identify computers that would be otherwise be used to hack into users’ accounts. Any data that’s collected is deleted after 10 days.

The use of these cookies to track user behavior undermines that argument:

Today’s decision comes months after the Belgian Privacy Committee released a report showing how Facebook’s tracking cookies identify users clicking Like buttons across the web, even if those users explicitly logged out or deactivated their accounts.

If you are a fan of the Day One journaling app for OS X and iOS, check out this iBook from Shawn Blanc of The Sweet Setup. The book is well written and does a great job digging into the details of getting the most out of Day One. But the book is also beautifully laid out. Props to the team that pulled this design together.

Day One in Depth is $7.99, and you can read it on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Tim Cook is in London to promote the pending release of the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. In addition to coverage by The Guardian (see this post about the UK surveillance bill), we’re also taking a look at coverage by the Telegraph.

From The Telegraph:

“I think if you’re looking at a PC, why would you buy a PC anymore? No really, why would you buy one?”, asks Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, who has just flown into Britain for the launch of the iPad Pro.

And:

“Yes, the iPad Pro is a replacement for a notebook or a desktop for many, many people. They will start using it and conclude they no longer need to use anything else, other than their phones,” Cook argues in his distinctly Southern accent (he was born in Alabama). He highlights two other markets for his 12.9 inch devices, which go on sale online on Wednesday. The first are creatives: “if you sketch then it’s unbelievable..you don’t want to use a pad anymore,” Cook says.

The second is music and movie consumers: the sound system and speakers are so powerful that the iPad appears to pulsate in one’s hands when one plays a video.

Of all those use cases, the most obvious to me is as an art creation tool. From what I’ve seen, the iPad Pro looks to be a world class solution, when paired with the right software.

As to a desktop/laptop replacement, that’s not as obvious to me. The biggest barriers that would keep me from replacing my MacBook Pro with an iPad Pro are the keyboard, the hinge that lets me instantly tilt the screen at any angle, and the availability of software that I use to create content.

I can type really fast on my MacBook Pro keyboard, much slower on any on-screen keyboard. The jury is still out on the usability of the built in keyboard case. At best, I suspect it will slow down my typing just a bit.

The ability to tilt my screen to adjust for glare/lighting is also important to me. If I hold the iPad in my hand, I can get that instant adjustment, but I’ve sacrificed ease of use, the ability to use the case as a keyboard.

Software availability will obviously vary with each user. I do a lot of writing and a smaller amount of graphic design and software development. The biggest issue is software development. A niche case. Until Xcode, or a truly useful alternative, is ported to iOS, there is no way for me to do software development anywhere else but on my Mac.

That said, for the consumption of information (web/email/music/video), the iPad Pro, combined with the Apple Pencil, looks to be an incredibly freeing experience. The display is plenty big (12 x 8.68 inches), and it is incredibly light (about 1.6 pounds, without the Smart Keyboard). If I’m traveling, the iPad Pro looks to be a fantastic solution.

Back to Tim’s Telegraph interview:

“I think if you have the larger phone, you’re less likely to have the iPad mini”, he says, though he insists that the demand won’t fall to zero.

Some consumers use the iPad mini to read in bed, he says, finding it more relaxing than using a phone and the busyness that goes with it. That won’t change, he believes. “But I think it clearly created some cannibalisation – which we knew would occur – but we don’t really spend any time worrying about that, because as long as we cannibalise [ourselves], it’s fine,” Cook laughs.

As I’ve said time and again, it’s all about the ecosystem. As long as people continue to stay within the Apple ecosystem, Apple can adjust the product line, trimming/replacing where necessary to keep their costs in line. Fantastic comment: Why worry about cannibalization? Make the adjustments to keep the ecosystem healthy and all will be fine.

The Guardian:

Apple’s chief executive has sharply criticised surveillance powers proposed by the British government, warning that allowing spies a backdoor route into citizens’ communications could have “very dire consequences”.

“You can just look around and see all the data breaches that are going on. These things are becoming more frequent,” Cook told the Daily Telegraph. “They can not only result in privacy breaches but also security issues. We believe very strongly in end-to-end encryption and no back doors. We don’t think people want us to read their messages. We don’t feel we have the right to read their emails.

“Any back door is a back door for everyone. Everybody wants to crack down on terrorists. Everybody wants to be secure. The question is how. Opening a back door can have very dire consequences.”

The proposed UK law would require ISPs and phone companies to keep records that would track every website visited for a year. The authorities would not need a warrant to access the data.

Fast Company:

At Fast Company’s Innovation Festival in New York, Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president for retail and online stores, discussed the customer experience beyond selling products, uniting Apple’s online and offline stores, and her experience as one of the top executives at the world’s most valuable company.

I love these talks Apple execs give that allow us a little bit of insight into their thinking. And maybe these kinds of events can put to rest the meme that Ahrendts isn’t “involved” or “public” enough.

• 3D Multishape technology
• Fanless air-cooled design
• Single universal zipper port
• Organic HD Twill outer shell
• Go 10 years without a battery charge
• Compatible with large variety of third-party cases
• Unlocked, contract-free
• Preinstalled w/ SleepOS
• Three sizes: 32, 64 or 128 Gigahull capacity

Upgrade Today →

BGR:

Once Tesla rolled out its new Autopilot software a few weeks ago, it wasn’t long before we started seeing videos of Model S owners engaging in some downright foolish and dangerous behavior.

Say what you will about the guy shaving in the Model S while zooming down the Autobahn, at least he had the good sense to stay in the driver’s seat.

This is idiotic – not only on the part of the driver but also on the part of Tesla. It’s completely irresponsible to put this software out in the wild without proper controls in place.

Macworld:

You may not need to read this column for yourself, but read it nonetheless and help those with less wariness take better heed: Don’t download software for OS X from anywhere but the developer’s own website or Apple. Period.

But the experience last week of a user noticing that a download of Skype from MacUpdate was wrapped in an installer that contained adware and trialware reminds me to run the flag up the pole again to remind folks who weren’t aware—and to ask all of you who understand the issue to help your friends, colleagues, and family avoid these risks.

We old-timers remember the days of lots of sites to download software. Sadly, those days are long gone. Tell your friends and family about this article and warn them about downloading software from any place other than the Mac App Store or the developer’s own web site.

From Apple’s official press release:

Apple® today announced iPad Pro™ is available to order online on Wednesday, November 11, from Apple.com and will arrive at Apple’s retail stores, select carriers and Apple Authorized Resellers starting later this week. Apple Pencil™ and Apple’s new Smart Keyboard, also available to order on Wednesday, bring breakthrough levels of precision and utility to iPad Pro.

“The early response to iPad Pro from app developers and our customers has been incredible, and we’re excited to get iPad Pro into the hands of customers around the world this week,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPad Pro is the most powerful iPad we’ve ever made, giving users the ability to be even more creative and more productive with the epic 12.9-inch Retina display, powerful 64-bit A9X chip and groundbreaking Apple Pencil and new Smart Keyboard. We can’t wait to see what they do with iPad Pro.”

The Apple TV went on sale at about 6a PT (9a ET). Wonder if the iPad Pro will follow this timing.

Got an app or product and want coverage in the blogosphere? Allyson Kazmucha pulled together a column telling you what to do and, more importantly, what not to do.

This is a fantastic post, really rings true to me. Pass this along.

Analytics firm comScore just released their latest mobile sector numbers and, in a nutshell, Apple continues eating Samsung’s lunch in terms of market share.

For the three months ending September 15th, share of smartphone subscribers:

• Apple: 43.6%
• Samsung: 27.6%
• LG: 9.4%
• Motorola: 4.8%
• HTC: 3.3%

When organized by platform, Android fares better:

• Android: 52.3%
• Apple: 43.6%
• Microsoft: 2.9%
• BlackBerry: 1.2%
• Symbian: .1%

The bad news for Microsoft? Their numbers have not changed since the last report, meaning their mobile efforts are not gaining traction. It’d be fair to say that Apple’s numbers are about the same, but that’s much easier to take when you have dominant market share.

Natasha Vargas-Cooper did a great job pulling together a Reddit-unearthed MacRumors thread from the day the iPod was released, a video of Steve Jobs pitching the iPod at a music event back in 2001, and the very first iPod commercial.

This is incredibly entertaining. The comments on the MacRumors thread are just awash with prescient comments like:

All that hype for an MP3 player? Break-thru digital device? The Reality Distiortion Field™ is starting to warp Steve’s mind if he thinks for one second that this thing is gonna take off.

Delicious!

The iPod commercial is embedded below. Remarkable how much Apple’s advertising changed. This ad is effective, but it feels almost amateurish when compared to the commercials that would appear once the iPod gained some traction.

Scroll through your Apple Watch notifications. Notice that sometimes the icon attached to each notification is square, sometimes it’s round.

Mac Kungfu explains why:

Round notification icon: If the icon is round then it’s a notification you can action on the phone because you’ve a Watch version of that app installed. For example, if it’s a Mail message then you will be able to tap the notification to reply to the mail there and then.

Square notification icon: If the icon is square then there is no Watch app for that particular notification. Essentially, the notification is being “echoed” from your iPhone, and all you’ll be able to do is tap to dismiss it.

Great tip!

Not sure this is everything Siri can do, but this is a solid list. If you have or plan to buy an Apple TV, scan through the list of examples to get a sense of the types of Apple TV queries Siri supports.

The folks at AfterPad pulled together a solid list of their favorite Apple TV games, along with reviews of each one.

The list is divided into two parts. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. Very helpful.

Every successful company, at some point or another, faces the dreaded moment where their existing business model no longer works, where the world has changed around them and they need to pivot or die.

Jean-Louis Gassée, writing for MondayNote, lays out some notable examples, including DEC, Sun, IBM, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard.

Terrific read, keep Apple in mind as you make your way through it.

Bloomberg:

Apple Inc. persuaded a judge to throw out a lawsuit by employees of the company’s retail stores in California seeking back pay for time spent in “demoralizing” security searches when they left work for the day.

The ruling by a San Francisco federal judge Saturday releases the company from having to compensate as many 12,400 former and current employees from 52 stores throughout the state a few dollars a day for time spent over a six-year period having their bags and Apple devices searched at meal breaks and after their shifts.

I’m sure this is very disappointing to the workers. Having worked in this kind of environment, it is not a fun thing to have to do, especially during a rush. You can waste a lot of time waiting for a security droid to check bags. But the writing was on the wall last year when the Supreme Court ruled against Amazon employees in a similar case.

Cool Material:

Here we are, some 83 years later, and the Zippo brand continues to thrive. Why? Well, there are a number of reasons—a determined founder, some clever ad placements, war—but one that shouldn’t be overlooked is collectibility, which is something Zippo has catered to—both knowingly and unknowingly—since its earliest days.

My father(s) all had Zippos and as a kid, it was a treat to be allowed to light their cigarettes (it was a different time) with one of them. They were Canadian sailors and had Zippos that were custom made with the name and image of their ships on them. I haven’t used a Zippo in a dozen years but I can still hear the click of it opening and closing in my head.