Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss the possiblity of Marzipan updates to iTunes, and the future of macOS.
Nintendo Labo: Getting Physical With VR
Gaming is one of the most exciting, and tangible, applications of VR. Wired spoke Tsubasa Sakaguchi, who leads software development for Nintendo Labo, the company’s DIY VR kit. He revealed that Nintendo focused on the physical sensations associated with VR, not the screen.
Though Labo is designed primarily for entertainment, says Sakaguchi, he notes that this creative element and the company’s focus on involving young children has led to the game being introduced in schools and museums. “It’s a joy for us,” he says, “but we secretly expected it.” Sakaguchi hopes that Labo will provide players with a compelling introduction to VR.
Cars With Dashboard Screens are the Next Frontier for Ads
Paywalled article from the Wall Street Journal. If advertisers could beam ads directly into our brains so there was zero chance of escaping them, they would absolutely do it. We don’t have that capability yet, so meanwhile dashboard screens in your car are the next frontier.
On future screens, local restaurants, doctors’ offices and other services could target ads based on typical driving routes. An insurance company could offer lower rates for cautious drivers, while car makers could use system data to offer service on an aging part before it blows. Some envision a world where users could start watching a TV show at home, then with a voice command continue watching the same program in the car. Others are working on allowing users to order and pay for gasoline and coffee on their screens.
Amazon's HR Chief - the Most Influential Person in Tech You've Never Heard of
Beth Galetti is not one of the most famous names in tech. But she’s one of the most influential. Fast Company‘s Harry McCraken spoke to Amazon’s HR chief, the only woman in Amazon’s Senior Team, on her role and the firm’s massive recruitment drive.
Like most–okay, all–HR executives, the 46-year-old Galetti isn’t exactly famous. But in her nearly six years at Amazon, three as a division leader, she has quietly become one of its most influential figures. Galetti is the highest-ranking woman at the company, and the only woman on the 18-person “S-Team” (short for “Senior Team”) that reports directly to founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. And she has presided over a hiring spree of historic proportions.
This Concept Video Reimagines the macOS Desktop
German video editor Thomas Weinreich created a concept video that gets rid of the desktop metaphor on macOS. Replacing it is a user interface similar to what we get with the iPad. Windowed apps are replaced by full screen apps that can be displayed into multi-window Split Views. Like Ben Lovejoy said, it seems like maybe it could be similar to what Apple is thinking of. However, I personally don’t believe the rumors of a macOS/iOS hybrid. Additionally, this concept paradigm doesn’t make sense on Macs that don’t have touchscreens. The macOS desktop metaphor might be aged, but I think it makes sense for devices that use a mouse or trackpad. What do you think?
Camera+ 2 Gets a 2.0 Update With a New Design
Camera+ 2 has been recently updated to 2.0. The main focus is the camera itself. In the new design, the app is divided into three categories: Presets, Shutter modes, and Settings. Presets give you instant access to specific shooting modes, like Action Mode, Slow Shutter, and Macro. Shutter modes define how you want to shoot, with a timer, stabilizer, and Smile. Settings give you preferences like showing the grid and horizon level. Besides the new updates, Camera+ 2 offers RAW capture and editing, manual controls, depth capture and editing, and integration with your photo library. You can read more about it on the company’s blog. App Store: US$2.99
AirPods 2 Get a Zero out of Ten for Repairability
iFixit is back, this time doing a teardown of the AirPods 2. They remain “disappointingly disposable” and get a 0/10 for repairability.
That said, the construction isn’t entirely unimproved—this set might survive an extra trip through the washing machine. It’s just, we know Apple can do better.
Not really a surprise here.
MacX DVD Ripper Pro Lifetime License: $14.99
We have a deal on MacX DVD Ripper Pro, software that can convert your DVDs into digital video files for your media library. It supports batch converting for multiple videos at once, can extract audio, and more. The deal listing has more information, and a lifetime license for MacX DVD Ripper Pro is $14.99 through our deal.
Ready? Google Planning Ads in Maps - Think $$
Bloomberg’s Gerrit De Vynck writes:
Service was mostly ad-free for years. That’s changing now.
Company looks beyond ‘utility’ navigation for new ad revenue.
He concludes:
Suddenly charging for something free — or slipping ads into formerly uncluttered services — are rare and risky steps for Google. But parent Alphabet Inc. has shareholders to please and revenue growth targets to hit. Maps is the next, big service the company is leaning on to achieve those goals.
Thank goodness for Apple Maps.
Urban Armor Gear Launches a 2018 MacBook Air Case
I’ve long been a fan of Urban Armor Gear (UAG). They have great cases and it’s the company I recommend for rugged cases. They’re launching a slim, rugged case for the 2018 13-inch MacBook Air. It has an armor shell and impact resistant soft core, dual lock secure screen closure, cooling vents for air flow, tactile grip, easy to access ports, and it meets military drop standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6). It’s compatible with only the MacBook Air 13-inch (2018) Model Number: A1932, and not with the MacBook Air 13-inch (2010-2017) Model Numbers: A1369 & A1466. You can pick one up for US$79.95, with free shipping and a one year warranty.
