Dave Hamilton joins Jeff Gamet from SXSW in Austin to talk about Eddy Cue, Apple’s stance of free speech, music streaming, Elon Musk, and more.
Behold the Mitsubishi Fidget Spinner that Spins for a Record 24 Minutes
OK, confession: I love high-end fidget spinners. I have several, including my most recent, which is made from Tungsten. Fine. I’m a dork. Or an overgrown kid, whatever, I love these beautifully-machined mechanical devices. I got a 10 minute spin out of one of my spinners—once—and I’m giddy when I can get 8 minutes. Well, the folks at automobile, airplane, boat Japanese behemoth Mitsubishi would laugh at that because they made a spinner that claimed the new Guinness record of 24 minutes and 46.34 seconds, according to The Kids Should See This (via Gizmodo). That’s just crazy, and what’s crazier is that they had 50 (well-paid) people spend 6 months making it! Don’t worry, though, because you’ll be able to buy one of these puppies for about US$450. OK, I hear you, sure, that’s, like, a ton of money for a spinner, but I’ve seen vanity spinners that cost way more! One way or another, I think this is way cool, and kudos to the Mitsubishi Suits who held up a spinner with one finger for more than 20 minutes. That’s a long time to hold anything in a stationary position, but they would have gotten better spin times holding it vertical between two fingers, just saying.
The Trailer for 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald' Dropped - Watch It Here
The trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald—the next film from the Harry Potter universe—has dropped. And it looks great! The sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the new film continues the adventures of Newt Scamander, who is in the services of the handsome young Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore (played by Jude Law). This is all happening in the 1920s, remember. The trailer indicates the film will more deeply focus on the anti-fascist themes that have always been part of the Potter universe, and seem all the more relevant today. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is set to debut on November 16th, 2018, and I can’t wait!
The 2018 Mac Essentials Bundle: $19.99 - Includes BusyCal 3
Check out the The 2018 Mac Essentials Bundle, a collection of 10 Mac apps that includes BusyCal 3, a 2 year VPN subscription, RollercoasterTycoon 3 Platinum, uBar 4, Flip PDF for Mac, and more. That’s a solid collection of apps, all for $19.99. Check out the details in the deal listing.
Need an Apple Pencil Case? You Can 3D Print This One
Redditor u/flashnet needed an Apple Pencil case, so they made one themselves using a 3D printer. They tried existing designs but ran into trouble with the magnets it used. So this one—called iCICLE—screws together. There are plenty of Apple Pencil sleeves on the market, including ones that Apple sells. But the cases I’ve seen are bulky, and they would take up a lot of space in your bag. The iCICLE is slim and has a minimal design that Jony Ive would be proud of. In fact, it was inspired by Johnny, the Apple Pencil case on Indiegogo. Unfortunately the product didn’t get fully funded. The iCICLE is a close approximation, and if you happen to have a 3D printer, you can download the files on Thingiverse.
Apple's Texture Purchase, Google's Education Win - TMO Daily Observations 2018-03-13
Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to look at why Apple bought Texture, plus they discuss Google’s rise in education at Apple’s expense.
Google’s Education and Enterprise Efforts Paying Off
Google’s Chromebooks and office G-Suite are doing a good job of luring business and education away from Apple and Microsoft and into their fold. Here’s the analysis from Friday’s Particle Debris page 2.
TMO Background Mode Encore Interview with Tidbits Managing Editor Josh Centers
Josh Centers is the Managing Editor of Tidbits.com and has published several Take Control Books. His latest book is «Take Control of Apple Home Automation.» And so, I invited him to make a return appearance on Background Mode to chat about that very subject. The book is a complete guide and starts from the very beginning of the design and wiring process and the use of various hubs. Josh clearly explained how to use Apple’s HomeKit home automation platform to control smart devices in the home, such as lights, outlets, thermostats, and more. And he’s very frank about various myths surrounding home automation. We also chatted about beginner security concerns as well as the ability to maintain control and terminate any service if necessary. If you have an interest in home automation, this show is must listening.
The Award Winning Speed Reading Bundle - Lifetime License: $15
We have a deal on a lifetime license for the Award Winning Speed Reading Bundle, which includes 7 Speed Reading EX and Spreeder CX. Both apps are designed to help you read faster—they both run on Mac, Windows, and Linux, and 7 Speed Reading EX also runs on iOS. The bundle is $15 through us.
HomePod Ad Focus, and the Crossplatform HomePod Argument - TMO Daily Observations 2018-03-12
John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to to debate the value in Apple’s latest HomePod commercial directed my Spike Jonze along with whether or not HomePod should be opened up to other platforms. They also have a cathartic Daylight Saving Time rant.
