Apple CEO Tim Cook announced Wednesday that his company was creating a US$1 billion investment fund for advanced manufacturing. Mr. Cook made the announcement during an interview with Jim Cramer on CNBC’s Mad Money. Bryan Chaffin says: think robots.
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
Apple Opens up App Store Referral Data to Developers
Apple announced Wednesday that developers would have access to AppStore “Sources and Referral Data.” In more direct terms, Apple is making it easier to find out where their customers are coming from. This will help them market their apps and acquire new users.
Dr. Mac on Procrastinating, Touch-Screen Macs, and Siri at Home - ACM 409
Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus joins Bryan and Jeff to talk about his new book, Working Smarter for Mac Users. It’s all about beating procrastination. They also talk about Apple, toasterfridges, and touch-screen Macs, and whether Apple would compete with Amazon’s Alexa in the home.
Powerbulb Charging Lightbulb: $29.99
We have a deal on something I’ve never seen before, the Powerbulb Charging Lightbulb. It’s an LED lightbulb with two built-in 2.4 amp charging USB ports. You can get one through us for $29.99.
![Apple Reports $52.9B in Revenues, Expands Shareholder Capital Return to $300B [Update]](https://www.macobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/aapl-stock-graph-wide.webp)
Apple Reports $52.9B in Revenues, Expands Shareholder Capital Return to $300B [Update]
Apple reported US$52.9 billion in revenues during the March quarter on Tuesday. That’s up year over year from $50.6 billion. Earnings clocked in at $11 billion, or $2.10 in earnings-per-share, up year-over-year from $1.90. The company announced a boost in its shareholder capital return program from $200 billion to $300 billion.
Tim Cook Charity Auction with Lunch at Apple Park, Price Quickly Jumps to $65,000
Apple CEO Tim Cook is once again auctioning off a lunch date for charity, but this time that lunch will take place at Apple Park. While the auction closes on May 16th, 2017, it quickly jumped to $65,000 with six bids from four different rich bidders.
u-Jays Wireless On-Ear Headphones: $169.95
We have a deal on u-Jays Wireless on-Ear headphones. These Swedish-designed headphones have on-board controls and a mic, and the battery lasts up to 25 hours of playback. There’s a DigitalTrends video review of these headphones on the deal listing. They’re $169.95
Apple Seeds 5th Developer Preview of macOS Sierra 10.12.5
Apple released the 5th developer preview of macOS Sierra 10.12.5 on Monday. The patch notes say nothing besides the boilerplate note that the release. “improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac.”
G-DROP Submersible Bluetooth Speaker: $46.99
We have a deal on the G-DROP Submersible Bluetooth speaker. It features an IPX7 waterproof rating and is fully submersible for up to 30 minutes under up to 3 feet of water. It also has a built-in microphone. It’s $46.99 through us.
Will Apple Compete with Alexa and the Qualcomm Royalty Battle - TMO Daily Observations 2017-04-28
Will Apple release an Alexa-like device as a Siri-powered hub? Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Dave Hamilton to discuss how wrong the latter two are. They also chew over Apple’s escalating royalty battle with Qualcomm.
Apple Escalates Royalty Battle with Qualcomm, Suspends Payments
The royalty fight between Apple and Qualcomm got real Friday after Apple suspended supplier payments ultimately destined for the chip maker. Apple said it was suspending payments until the courts decide how much Apple owes.
Apple's Using a Lexus for Self-Driving Car Tests
Bloomberg got pictures of a Lexus that reportedly belongs to Apple. An unnamed source gave the news outlet photos of the Lexus and claimed it emerged from an Apple facility known to be part of Project Titan. That’s Apple’s self-driving car project. The car is a Lexus RX450h SUV, and it has a sporty, “top-of-the-range 64-channel LIDAR, at least two radar and a series of cameras.” One must extend a measure of trust to the unnamed source, but it seems reasonable to imagine this is an Apple vehicle. If not, it’s going to be very like the kind of system Apple would be using to develop its self-driving technology. Apple veteran (legend) Bob Mansfield has refocused and pared down the Project Titan team. Its exclusive focus as of now is thought to be developing a self-driving system before moving on to an actual car. The long and the short of this story, however, is that people care what Apple is doing, even if it’s just testing technology using off-the-shelf components and a nice SUV. Bloomberg has more pics and a GIF of the car.
Pinpoint X-Spring Precision Stylus and Pen: $14.95
We have a deal on the Pinpoint X-Spring Precision Stylus and Pen. It features a ballpoint pen on one end and a stylus on the other, and a cap that fits on either. It’s $14.95 through us.
Laurene Powell Jobs Will Speak at Code Conference
Laurene Powell Jobs will be appearing on stage at Code Conference, the conference run by Re/code. The widow of Steve Jobs will be appearing on stage with Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA). The two will be talking about philanthropy, including Silicon Valley’s efforts in that realm. According to Re/code, Ms. Powell Jobs will, “talk about her approach to philanthropy and investing, why she’s interested in working with ‘social entrepreneurs’ – and what she thinks other people can do with their time and money to help tackle big systemic problems.” In other words, it’s some big picture stuff, which what some people do when they’re worth an estimated US$20 billion. Code takes place from May 30th to June 1st, 2017, in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
Jimmy Iovine Wants Apple Music to Be a Movement in Pop Culture
Music legend and Apple executive Jimmy Iovine wants nothing less than for Apple Music to be, “an overall movement in popular culture.” Apple Music is Apple’s streaming music service, but the company has been running original video content, too. Not so much as, say, Amazon or Netflix, but Bloomberg said its an experiment that could get bigger.
Have United Miles, But Don't Want to Fly the (Un)Friendly Skies? Buy Apple Gear Instead
Do you have United frequent flyer miles, but don’t want to risk being dragged bloody and battered from a United flight? It turns out you can buy Apple gear with your United miles. United’s MileagePlus program has an entire Apple Store that allows you to trade your miles for iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, Apple TVs, and even accessories. For instance, a 32GB iPad Pro (9.7-inch) Wi-Fi model is currently 79,900 miles. An aluminum Apple Watch with a Sport Band is 53,200 miles. AirPods are 21,200 miles, while MacBook Pros start at 173,200 miles. The store shops like Apple’s own, allowing you to choose options and configure your device as you want it. Plus, you won’t get thrown off a flight, thrown to the floor, or dragged out by your feet, which counts as a big win in my book. [Update: @markelp noted that Mileage Plus members with “status” get better deals on this gear. He noted, for instance, that the same Apple Watch I mentioned is 49,900 miles.]
Apple Wireless Charging and Mixing Hollywood into Apple Music - TMO Daily Observations 2017-04-27
Apple has a new patent application dealing with wireless charging, and Jeff Butts and Bryan Chaffin join guest-host Dave Hamilton to discuss what that might mean. They also talk about Apple executive Jimmy Iovine’s efforts to bring Hollywood into Apple Music.
MarginNote Pro for Mac: $24.99
We have a deal on a Mac app called MarginNote Pro. It’s a, “reading tool for students, teachers, researchers, lawyers, or just the naturally curious.” It allows users to take notes, make mind maps, review flashcards, and more. Check the deal listing for more. It’s $24.99 through us.
Epic Facebook Rant, CAPTCHA Complaints, and Apple Store Hangouts - ACM 408
Bryan and Jeff go on an epic rant about Facebook and its attitude about humanity and our very lives. They also talk about problems they’ve been seeing with CAPTCHA systems, and ask whether or not Apple can make its retail locations places where people hang out.
BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter: $34.99
We have a deal on the BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter. It’s a power strip that comes with adapters for EU, UK, US, and AU outlets, and it has USB ports, too. Amazon has it for $42.99, but our deal is even better: $34.99.
Macintosh Original Andy Hertzfeld to Keynote Vintage Computer Festival April 29th
Andy Hertzfeld from Steve Jobs’s original Macintosh team will be presenting a keynote address at Vintage Computer Festival Southeast 5.0 in Roswell, Georgia. The event takes place on April 29th and 30th, and Mr. Hertzfeld will be speaking on April 29th. This event is dedicated to vintage computers and includes booths, consignments, hands-on activities, exhibits, concessions, and speakers. In addition to Mr. Hertzfeld, Tandy executive Don French will be offering his own keynote presentation. Andy Hertzfeld left Apple in 1984, and in the years since he cofounded Radius (1986), General Magic (1990) and Eazel (via Wikipedia). He also took a lead role in the creation of Google+. Admission for the event is $10 for one day and $15 for two days. Kids 17 and under get in free with a parent or guardian, and students get in free with an ID. The pic below is of Steve Wozniak and Andy Hertzfeld from back in the day.
Alphabet's Waymo Offers 'Early Riders' Driverless Rides in Phoenix
Alphabet’s driverless car company—Waymo—announced an “Early Rider” program for its driverless cars. The company has invited the general public to apply to be part of the program, saying “We’re searching for early riders in parts of the Phoenix metropolitan area, including Chandler, Tempe, Mesa and Gilbert. Come join us in making it safer and easier for everyone to get around!” The feel-good video below features a family that participated in small-scale tests, and Waymo said it would accept a “limited number” of additional participants in the expanded program. Alphabet CEO Larry Page has been an enthusiastic pursuer of driverless car technology since before Google, and Waymo’s goal is to launch a ride-hailing service based on its driverless platform. Apple, Didi, Uber, and a variety of other tech companies are all invested in a similar vision. Waymo’s testing in Arizona is a sharp reminder that a driverless future is marching inexorably closer. You can apply at Waymo’s site.
1 Year Subscription to Instaread: $24.99
We have a deal on a 1-year subscription to Instaread. This service offers condensed digests of books on The New York Times Best Seller List. It’s half off through our deal, $24.99.
Apple Snags Another AR/VR Expert, this Time from NASA
Apple has hired another expert in the fields of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Bloomberg reported that Apple has hired Jeff Norris, an 18-year veteran of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
