I think it’s good that Google has an app review process—at least it can slow down the wild west of apps on its store. Ratings are always a plus too.

I’ve only tried the Zagg and a Logitech, but there are a few other interesting ones on the list.

In each of these polls, more than 40 percent of the voters said they were not getting an iPad. Five years on, and Apple has sold more than 200 million of them. A simple majority might not be shockingly impressive, but it is absolutely overwhelming when scaled to the global population. Keep that in mind as you check out the next set of polls, which asks readers to chime in on whether or not they’ll be purchasing Apple Watch when it launches at the end of next month.

Abdel Ibrahim nailed this one.

Twitter is cutting off Meerkat’s ability to port people’s social networks over from Twitter to its own service — the so-called social graph. That means when new users come on board, they will no longer be automatically connected to the other people they are already following on Twitter. This comes not long after Twitter purchased a competing live-streaming service, Periscope, and just as the South by Southwest festival is getting underway in Austin.

No surprise.

From Apple’s Apple Watch Apps page, under the tag line “All-new ways to do all kinds of things”:

The more you wear Apple Watch, the more you’ll realize just how personal a device it is. Because with so many different apps available, you can choose the ones that are most relevant to you, and create a customized experience. There are already apps for airlines, department stores, social networks, and more that take advantage of the unique opportunities the wrist brings. And with new apps being built for Apple Watch every day, this is just the beginning.

So far, the page features apps from Target, Starwood Hotels, American Airlines, Nike, Instagram, Major League Baseball, and about 38 more.

This list reminds me of the early days of the App Store, when just building an app got you a mention. Exciting times.

Update: Sorry about that. This page was rolled out with the announcement, I just stumbled on it now. My bad.

CBC News:

Vancouver is the best place to live in North America, according to Mercer’s latest Quality of Living Rankings.

The top ranking for 2015 went to Vienna, followed by Zurich, Auckland and Munich.

Vancouver was followed by Toronto at 15, and Ottawa at 16. The highest ranking U.S. cities trail behind with San Francisco at 27, Boston at 34 and Honolulu coming in at 36.

Vancouver, like most “world class” cities, is insanely expensive to live in, has its own host of big city problems and has difficulties resolving “what it wants to be” but there’s no doubt it deserves inclusion on lists like these. What I found interesting, when you look at the entire list, is how high many European cities rank and how low many other world class cities, like New York and Tokyo are – they didn’t make the top 35.

The New York Times:

On cliffs where even elite climbers employ complicated rope systems, the free-soloist wears only shorts, a T-shirt, a pair of climbing shoes and a bag of gymnast’s chalk to keep the hands dry.

Honnold has free-soloed the longest, most challenging climbs ever, including the 2,500-foot northwest face of Half Dome in Yosemite Valley, where some of the handholds are so small that no average climber could cling for an instant, roped or otherwise. Most peculiar of all, even to elite rock climbers, Honnold does this without apparent fear, as if falling were not possible.

I’ve read a bunch of stories about this guy and watched dozens of videos. He absolutely fascinates me and every time I watch a video, I literally get queasy watching him free solo these mountain faces. He’s truly amazing.

This comment was posted on ParisLemon, way back in 2013:

Your naivety over Nintendo is astounding. They simply will never give up their properties to iOS or any other mobile platform. Sure, the Wii U is failing (and rightly so, it’s a sub par, last gen, slow system), but their DS and 3DS business is doing just fine. I do foresee a future where they focus on portable gaming only, but it’ll be with their own hardware.

That was directed at ParisLemon proprietor M.G. Siegler, who responded:

I’m not saying that Nintendo is going to go out of business anytime soon, I’m saying that they will face some very tough choices sooner than you seem to imagine. At that point, someone — be it new leadership or a buyer — will come in and see the untapped value just sitting on the table with Nintendo’s game IP. I’m not saying that’s necessarily the right thing to do. I’m just saying it will happen. The wheels are already in motion.

I just want to add, damn you John Gruber for so totally nailing the term Claim Chowder. I just cannot come up with a term of my own I like better.

9to5mac:

According to sources, Apple will soon introduce a new recycling and trade-in program that will accept non-Apple smartphones, notably including Android and BlackBerry devices, in exchange for gift cards to be used toward the purchase of new iPhones. In continuing to court Android switchers, Apple will use a similar system to the one it uses to repurchase iPhones, whereby Apple Retail Store employees determine trade-in values for devices by considering their cosmetic and functional condition.

The new program will begin in the coming weeks, following extensive training programs for retail store employees that will begin later this week. Apple employees will be able to transfer address book contacts from the rival smartphones to the iPhones, but other data will have to be moved by customers.

If true, this strikes me as a genius move on Apple’s part. It’s a terrific incentive to reach BlackBerry and Android users on the fence about their next device. But it also throws a little mud on the BlackBerry and Android brands, painting them as second tier devices of the trade-in variety.

Update: I originally encountered this post on the Bloomberg site, but 9to5mac was the first to break it. No surprise there.

Wall Street Journal:

Nintendo Co. dropped its long-standing aversion to mobile gaming, saying Tuesday that it would begin developing games for smartphones based on characters such as Mario the plumber.

The surprising about-face by Nintendo includes a partnership with DeNA Co., a Japanese mobile game provider, under which the companies will exchange ownership stakes and jointly develop “gaming applications” for smartphones and other devices.

And:

Nintendo said it was buying a 10% stake in DeNA for ¥22 billion ($182 million), while DeNA is acquiring a 1.24% stake in Nintendo for the same amount.

And:

The companies said they would develop a new “multi-device membership service for the global market,” to be introduced this autumn. It will be compatible with a variety of devices, including PC’s, smartphones and tablets, as well as Nintendo’s game consoles.

This is pure speculation, but this last bit makes me feel like Nintendo is considering a multi-user service, like Microsoft’s Xbox Live or Sony’s Playstation Network and, perhaps, a massively multiplayer Zelda universe. Conjecture, or merely wishful thinking?

Fast Company published excerpts adapted from the upcoming book (and number one bestseller) Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart Into a Revolutionary Leader. These did nothing but whet my appetite for the book’s release on March 24th, one week from today.

One paragraph in particular really touched me:

Eight weeks after Steve told Cook he was making him CEO, things took a sudden turn for the worse. “I watched a movie with him the Friday before he passed away,” Cook remembers. “We watched Remember the Titans [a sentimental football story about an underdog]. I was so surprised he wanted to watch that movie. I was like, ‘Are you sure?’ Steve was not interested in sports at all. And we watched and we talked about a number of things and I left thinking that he was pretty happy. And then all of a sudden things went to hell that weekend.”

I think this is going to be a hell of a read.

Wall St Journal:

Apple Inc.’s lofty plans to build an online television service are coming into sharper focus.

The technology giant is in talks with programmers to offer a slimmed-down bundle of TV networks this fall, according to people familiar with the matter. The service would have about 25 channels, anchored by broadcasters such as ABC, CBS and Fox, and would be available on Apple devices such as the Apple TV, they said.

For now, the talks don’t involve NBCUniversal, owner of the NBC broadcast network and cable channels like USA and Bravo, because of a falling-out between Apple and NBCUniversal parent company Comcast Corp., the people familiar with the matter said.

Take this news with a lot of salt. The only details come from the always suspicious “people familiar with the matter” and one of the story’s writers is Daisuke Wakabayashi – not exactly an unimpeachable source of accurate Apple news.

As I sat and watched through the keynote video, one thing which became pretty obvious — Apple’s number one focus going forward is China.

China is a huge market for Apple.

Under the new Apple Global Volunteer Program, Apple is offering employees a way to receive training and tools to help them create and publicize local volunteer events to better their communities. The program, currently available in the United States, Sydney, and Cork, also aims to help employees find activities to volunteer for.

It’s nice to see Apple giving back, and helping its employees give back to their communities.

The SecuTABLET, based on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S 10.5 and being presented by BlackBerry unit Secusmart at tech fair CeBIT 2015 in Germany

< Crickets >

I find this stuff fascinating.

Tim Bajarin:

When Apple introduced the Apple Watch last fall, I talked to people in the high-end watch market to get a sense of whether they viewed it as a threat in any way. What I heard was a bit surprising. They said Apple has created a completely new paradigm in watches, which will define what a “watch” will be and can do in the future. Most importantly, these sources told me that even the ultra high-end watchmakers are taking note. But they are struggling with how to respond given that the Apple Watch is not as much a watch as it is a wrist computer that could shift the role a timepiece plays in people’s lives.

Even though the watch may not sell as well as the iPhone, Apple did the same thing in that industry—it made the incumbents nervous because they were offering something completely new and different.

Looking for a special gift for that mega Apple enthusiast in your life? How about the newest edition of an absolutely stunning coffee table book that features lush, beautiful photographs of Apple devices? ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation is Iconic uses vivid color and detail to document Apple’s journey in design, form and function—and looks back at over 35 years of Apple innovation. Four years in the making, the author captured over 150,000 photos of nearly every product Apple has made, including rare prototypes and even packaging. With a foreword from Steve Wozniak and The Loop’s own Jim Dalrymple and hundreds of amazing quotes from other Apple pundits—ICONIC is the ultimate coffee table book for every Apple fan, and the perfect gift for any Apple owner who ever wanted to explore and discover the true roots of their favorite iMac, iPod, iPad, or iPhone. With free global shipping, see the different editions and use the coupon code THELOOP on checkout for 10% discount.

Jim’s Note: In addition to writing the foreword for this book, I also own two and love them!

Outside:

No matter your destination, you will, at some point in your research, visit TripAdvisor. The company, with the humble mantra “real hotel reviews you can trust,” has become—on a rising tide of 200 million user reviews and counting—a travel-industry Goliath, able to turn obscure hotels into sold-out hot spots, carry new flocks of visitors on digital word of mouth to quiet destinations, even rewrite the hospitality standards of entire nations. For travelers the impact has been equally profound.

For all the power of the service, it raises deep questions about travel itself, including, most pressingly, who do we want—who do we trust—to tell us where to go?

I travel a lot less than I used to (hope to do more soon!) but wherever I go, I check TripAdvisor first.

iMore:

Want to be able to unlock your Mac using Touch ID? Now you can. What’s more, it’s free for the next two days.

Beginning March 16th, the MacID iOS app is free, but only for 48 hours. It’s normally $4. It’s an app for your Touch ID-based iOS device, and it works in conjunction with a second app that you install on your Mac. MacID lets you lock your Mac with a swipe of the finger on your Touch ID-equipped iPhone or iPad.

Doesn’t work with my 2011 Macbook Pro but should work on Macs that are capable of using Bluetooth LE.

If you ever have the need to take a screenshot on your Mac, bookmark this guide. It centers around using Grab, the free screenshot utility built into your copy of OS X.

An excellent resource.

Tech design agency Mutual Mobile put together this infographic laying out the process of designing for the Apple Watch.

Also interesting is this set of pro tips:

• There’s a setting to let the user select what is shown on wrist-raise: the watch face or the previously used app. Glances are only accessible from the watch face. If you do select previously used app for wrist raise, your glances will be much less accessible. You’ll have to hit the home button, select the clock app, and then swipe up.
• Apple Watch has a notification center. Swipe down from the top of the screen to access any notifications you may have missed.
• Double tapping the home button in an app will take you to the previously used app. Double tapping again will bring your forward to the app you were just in. Double tapping the home button on the home screen will take you to the clock app, regardless of which app you used previously.
• Worried about your watch battery? There’s a complication you can add to the watch face, and there’s also a glance dedicated to battery.
• Another new glance is similar to control center allows you to put the watch into Do Not Disturb, Mute any sounds, Activate Airplane Mode. Another handy feature will cause the paired phone to emit a distress signal, for the next time you’ve lost it in the couch.
• You can only get notifications while you’re wearing the watch. Otherwise they only go to your phone.

[h/t Dan Murrell]

This is Yahoo’s latest twist on two factor authentication. You log in to your Yahoo account and enable on-demand passwords (described in this Yahoo blog post). You get a verification code via text, enter it, and you are signed up – On-demand passwords are enabled and your device is verified.

Now, the next time you login, you’ll have the option of having a temporary password texted to your verified device.

On the plus side, this is definitely a convenience if you find yourself without your password. Perhaps you are traveling and want to log in on the hotel’s computer and you don’t want to enter your real password. A temporary password is an ideal solution here.

On the down side, I took this system for a test ride and I found the instructions to not match up with reality. As if the Yahoo blogger who wrote out the instructions never thought to try them out in real life. Once I figured out the signup process and worked out how to actually get to that elusive “send me my on-demand password” button, all worked as advertised.

Interesting idea.

[Via The Guardian]

iMore:

I’m grateful to have witnessed changes like Title IX in my lifetime, but it’s not over yet. Today, we have many programs that support girls and women in technology fields, including my own project, App Camp For Girls. People recognize that discrimination in tech exists, and they’re taking action to level the playing field. As with Title IX, they offer support and encouragement specifically to girls and women so they can participate in this field to their fullest potential.

Discrimination still exists in this field, and likely will persist for some time. But I don’t get discouraged by the terrible stories circulating in the news on harassment and workplace discrimination. I don’t get frustrated with well-meaning but clueless commenters who think the status quo reflects innate gender differences. Instead, I’m spurred on to redouble my own efforts to make the future better, not just for myself but for everyone facing challenges at work, whether it’s related to gender, race, or proving age discrimination at work. By addressing these issues head-on, we can create a more inclusive and equitable workplace environment for all.

A good article by Jean MacDonald, formerly of the Mac developer Smile Software and the founder of App Camp for Girls.

Thanks to HelloTalk for sponsoring The Loop this week. Finally, learning and practicing a new language is easier and more intuitive than ever before. Introducing HelloTalk, the language app where your teachers are native language speakers from around the world. You just pick the language you want to learn—there are over 100 from which to select—and almost instantaneously you’ll be in touch with native speakers of that language … and you’ll start learning and practicing immediately.

HelloTalk isn’t a course you strictly follow; rather, you learn and practice at your pace and in the manner that best meets the way you learn. Practice foreign languages with people around the world. Simultaneously speak and type the language you’re learning. Record your voice before speaking to your HelloTalk friends and compare your recording to standard pronunciations. Change your friends’ audio messages to text for better understanding, and receive help to improve your grammar. Easily translate whenever you don’t understand, and so much more.

With HelloTalk, you’ll discover learning a new language is fun … and fast. Download your copy for iPhone or Android today.

Rob Richman, writing for Opinion8td:

Last year when I was in hospital for several months I relied on 3 devices that helped me through the days and nights. My iPad to watch Netflix, my iPhone for speaking/interacting with my family and friends as well as keeping up with what was happening in the world and surprisingly my Pebble. I’m surprised how important the Pebble was to me when I could hardly move and at times breathe while bedridden and almost immobile. The reason the Pebble was so useful to me was that my iPhone was often out of reach or at least difficult to reach without causing a lot of pain. Because for the most part my Pebble was always on my wrist I knew who was trying to contact me and if that notification looked important I could either try and summon the strength to reach out for my iPhone or ask a nurse to pass it to me when they came in.

This spoke volumes to me about one specific benefit of the smart watch: Efficiency/economy of movement. When Henry Ford was first figuring out how to implement his assembly line, he performed a series of time/motion studies, charting all of the individual motions a worker went through to perform a specific task, like mounting a tire or a door on the car. Ford reasoned that he could cut the labor cost by eliminating steps from the process, by finding ways to shave seconds off the amount of time it took to perform each task. Multiply one second saved by the number of parts in a car, and by the number of cars produced in a day, and you’ve accumulated some real cost savings.

This idea applies to the Apple Watch. If you can gain, essentially, the same information by tilting your wrist as you might by digging your phone out of your pocket, and avoid the cost of distraction that comes with pulling out your phone, that is a personal cost saving, and economy of movement.

I am now out of hospital and walking again and the Pebble still is a device I choose to wear. Yes I am a tech nerd, I have no fashion sense and in all honesty don’t care what people think of my appearance. For me function is for the most part more important than form. The Apple Watch is something I will be pre-ordering on April 10th not for style though I think all the models look gorgeous but because it offers more functionality and interaction than my trusted Pebble Watch with my iPhone.

It’s all about the ecosystem.

I’ll be sad to banish my Pebble in my drawer of old wires and adapters as it really has been a useful device for me. I will miss the long battery life but one annoyance I have about the Pebble is never knowing with any accuracy when it’s going to need charging.

That’s interesting. I wonder why Pebble does not put a battery monitor on screen. I don’t own one, so can’t address this, but I wonder if it is purely a hardware limitation. That’s a bit of a hamstring on Pebble’s one advantage, long battery life.

Update: Several Pebble owners pointed out that the Pebble does offer a battery indicator, just not necessarily on the watch face screen. No different than the Apple Watch. If you are interested, Rob added an update to his post clarifying his thoughts on this.

With the price drop to $69, I suspect more and more people are going to give Apple TV a twirl. If you are one of them, give this post a read.

Rene Ritchie, Editor-in-Chief of iMore, takes a walk through the Apple TV remote’s interface, lays out all the button combos that are, if not secret, certainly non-obvious.

If you are not a fan of having to click the next arrow to go from page to page, note the sidebar on the left. I found that made from much more efficient navigation. Even better, you can also click/tap the View All page icon at the top and get it all as one long list.