We have a deal on a 2-year subscription to Private Internet Access VPN. You can get it for $59.95 through us.
Bryan Chaffin
Bryan Chaffin is the cofounder of The Mac Observer and currently serves as Afternoon Editor. He has contributed to MacAddict and MacFormat magazines, and co-authored the last two updates of iPad and iPad Pro for Dummies with Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus and Ed Baig. You can find out more about Bryan at his personal site, GeekTells, or find his Twitter link below.
Articles by Bryan Chaffin
This Video Shows You How to Transfer an App from Apple Watch to Atari 2600
You know how you’ve got an Atari app stored on your Apple Watch and you need to get it over to your Atari 2600? Hello? Anyone? OK, fine. No one needs to do this, but YouTuber napabar didn’t let something as petty as need stop him. No, he was motivated by could. Using a Compumate addon, he was able to transfer the apps and run them, because who doesn’t need to guess a number between 1 and a 100 in 8-bit glory…OK, again, need doesn’t apply. Check it out. It’s super geeky cool, and we salute napabar!
Micro Drone 3.0 Combo Pack: $145
We have a deal for you on the Micro Drone 3.0 Combo Pack. It includes a drone, replacement blades, and a remote with a holder for your smartphone. That’s because this drone will stream video to your iPhone. Cool, eh? It’s $145 through us.
Apple Releases iOS 11 Public Beta 5, Speeding Up the Release Cycle
A same-day release of a new public beta shows that Apple is speeding up its release cycle.
Apple Just Built the App Store Icon from Popsicle Sticks
I’m not sure what message Apple wants to deliver with the new App Store icon, but I see popsicle sticks.
Apple Seeds tvOS 11 Developer Beta 6 (15J5360b)
Along with iOS 11 beta 6, macOS High Sierra beta 6, and watchOS 4 beta 6, Apple released tvOS 11 developer beta 6 (15J5360b) on Monday.
Apple Seeds watchOS 4 Developer Beta 6 (15R5357b) to Developers
Apple didn’t include patch notes for the release, but as with other operating systems in Apple’s developer beta program, each seed is a mix of bug fixes, tweaks, and various stages of feature rollouts.
Apple Releases iOS 11 Developer Beta 6 (15A5354b)
The update is available for developers with compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models.
Apple Seeds macOS High Sierra Developer Beta 6 Build (17A344b)
Monday’s release represents an accelerated release cycle, as the last round of developer betas hit just one week ago.
Flip PDF: $19.99
We have a deal on Flip PDF, software that converts static PDFs into flippable magazines, catalogues, brochures, or books for Mac and PC. It’s $19.99 through us.
Check out this Cool AR Portal World Demo Video for iOS 11
It’s an early-stage demo for Genereal, an AR world currently under development.
Kinkoo 40W 6-Port High Speed Charger
Check out the Kinkoo 40W 6-Port High Speed Charger. It’s like a power strip, but with USB charging ports. Each port is smart, too, in that it will send the proper amount of power for the device that’s plugged in. You can get it through us for $29.
Ulysses Writing App Moves to Subscription Model - One Price for All Devices
Coinciding with the release of a new version of the Ulysses app, users will need to pay US$4.99 per month or $39.99 per year to use the software.
Sharkk Twins Bluetooth Speaker Set: $37.99
We have a deal on the Sharkk Twins Bluetooth Speaker Set, a set of two Bluetooth speakers for stereo sound. They’re small enough to be portable, and use Bluetooth 4.2. They’re $37.99 through us.
Patent Threatening Podcasts Invalidated (Again)
A patent that was an existential threat to podcasting was affirmed as invalid by a court in a case brought by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Key claims of the patent had already been invalidated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the EFF’s case was brought to hasten the appeals process. The group announced this week that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled unanimously to uphold that decision. The patent holder—Personal Audio—can still appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. This case hasn’t received a ton of headlines, but whether or not they know it, the millions of people who enjoy podcasts should rejoice.
The Silofication of Movies and TV, LOL Fitbit, and Fooling Self-Driving Cars - ACM 423
Disney said it’s pulling its huge portfolio from Netflix in 2019, and Bryan and Jeff are concerned that the silofication of more and more content will be bad for consumers. They also chat about Fitbit’s plans for a smartwatch…ah, we’re just kidding. LOL Fitbit. Oh, and it turns out it’s pretty easy to fool a self-driving car.
Apple Music Teases Carpool Karaoke Episodes with Metallica and Alicia Keys
Carpool Karaoke is Apple Music’s biggest bet yet on original video content, and it has been met with mixed criticism so far—the trailers, at least, are a lot of fun.
Safari Technology Preview 37: French Apple Pay Expansion, 33 Bug Fixes
This release tests Apple Pay support for Cartes Bancaires, France’s interbank network, as well as 33 different bug fixes.
Learn How to Promote Your Apps with Growth Hacking with Digital Marketing Masterclass: $15
We have a deal on the Growth Hacking with Digital Marketing Masterclass, a training course designed to teach you how to use important digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, MailChimp, AdWords, and much more, It includes 118 lectures and 8 hours of content, and it’s $15 through us.
Photolemur Promises AI-Powered Automated Photo Editing
Check out Photolemur, a newish app for Mac and PC. The developers claim it’s using artificial intelligence/machine learning to do automated photo editing, as demonstrated in the video below. A single user license is $30, and there’s a trial version available, too. Bob LeVitus looked at it back in January, but I thought this new video from the company was compelling.
Instagram Testing Live Stories with Friends
Instagram announced Tuesday that it’s testing the ability to do live Stories with friends. Users who are broadcasting live can tap a button that allows them to invite anyone who is watching to join in on the broadcast. The original Story broadcaster can remove and invite another, too. As shown in the screenshot, the original Story broadcaster is on top of the split screen, while the participant is on the lower half. Instagram said the feature is being tested by a “small percentage of our community,” and will be launched globally in the “next few months.” It’s all part of Facebook/Instagram’s slow, but steady attack on YouTube, as well as SnapChat, and I expect it to be a popular feature. Especially after some split Stories go catastrophically wrong.
Apple Releases macOS High Sierra Public Beta 4
The release comes the day after the company seeded Developer Beta 5, and two weeks after the release of Public Beta 3.
Apple Unleases iOS 11 Public Beta 4
The release comes the day after the company seeded iOS 11 Developer Beta 5 to developers, and two weeks after the release of Public Beta 3.
Get 28 USB Ports with the MondoHub Master USB Hub
Check out the MondoHub Master USB Hub, a beast of a USB hub with 28 USB ports. That includes 4 USB 3.0 and 24 USB 2.0 ports, as well as a 5V / 4A power adapter. You can get it for $54.99 through us.
