Apple has four new commercials for Apple Watch Series 2 (AWS2): Apple Watch Series 2 — Go Play, Apple Watch Series 2 — Go Run, Apple Watch Series 2 – Go Dance, and Apple Watch Series 2 – Go Out (below). Each has a theme of «go» do something, and each features Apple Watch being opened as a present. It’s a sharp, fast, double jab of a message. The ads also feature music with aggressive beats, and they’re probably aimed at a younger audience. Unlike other recent branding spots, these ads feature a lot of shots of AWS2 being used to do something. Play music, buy with Apple Pay, activity tracking, Breathe, receiving iMessages, and more. For those keeping score at home, my favorite song in the four spots is Realligator by MagnusTheMagnus.
Apple Shares AI Research, Listener Comments - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-09
Apple is changing course and letting its engineers publish their research into artificial intelligence. John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on why Apple would do that, plus they respond to a listener comment questioning why Jeff is critical of HomeKit.
Shigeru Miyamoto Playing Super Mario Bros Theme is the Coolest Thing this Week
If you don’t know the Super Mario Bros. theme, odds are you’re in one of those South American tribes that hasn’t ever had contact with modern man, which also means you’re missing out on one of the most awesome thing of this week: Super Mario Bros. creator Shigeru Miyamoto playing the game’s theme song. He teamed up with The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’s band, The Roots, and it’s more fun than a bag full of Koopas. Check it out, and if you aren’t smiling along with Shigeru then you’ll probably fail the Voight-Kampff test, too.
True Key by Intel Security: $15.99
We have a deal for you today on True Key by Intel Security, This software is a password keeper that lets you use unique features, like your face, fingerprint, or devices you’ve approved to unlock apps and websites. You can get one year of access to this software for $15.99 through us. There are also deals for three years and five years available.
Colin Furze Built a Giant Star Wars AT-ACT in His Backyard
YouTuber colinfurze did what any Star Wars fan would do: he built a 5.5 meter (18 feet) high AT-ACT in his back yard. I love all the projects this nut job builds—he’s awesome—and this one is truly spectacular. It’s a scale model of a scale model on the outside, and on the inside it’s a Star Wars fan club house. In the video below he gives us a great tour, and he also has a behind-the-scenes video of how he built it.
Smarthome Automation for the Holidays - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-08
The holidays are a great time for showing off your smarthome skills, so Kelly Guimont and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to share some tips. They talk about Siri, Amazon Echo, IFTTT, and more.
Find Everything You Want to Read on NPR's Book Concierge List
Staying on top of all the great books coming out is pretty hard, which is why we’re glad when NPR’s Book Concierge list comes out each year. The 2016 list is out with more than 300 titles worth checking out. The book suggestions are divided into categories such as Biography & Memoir, Eye-Opening Reads, Kids Books, Funny Stuff, and more. Be sure to check out Staff Picks for a great go-to list of book suggestions. Each title includes iBooks and Amazon, local library, and independent book store links so you don’t have to go hunting. Links to previous Book Concierge lists are there, too, in case you want even more suggestions.
Super Mario Run Demo in Apple's Stores Today
Super Mario Run launches next week on December 15, but you can try it out in Apple’s retail stores now. A demo version is running on iPhones and iPads in the stores starting Thursday morning so you can get a sneak peek before it hits the App Store. Nintendo made the announcement on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and he got to play a level on the show. Super Mario Run is the first mobile game to feature Mario. It’ll cost US$9.99 and you can sign up on the App Store to be notified when it’s available.
SKEYE Nano 2 First-Person View (FPV) Drone: $99
I love drones—we have a deal on a tiny one for you today, the SKEYE Nano 2 First-Person View Drone. It has adjustable gyro sensitivity and 6-axis flight control system, making it easy to control. You can use a controller or your iPhone (or Android device) to control it. It will also record real-time, first-person view video in HD. It’s $99 through our deal. Check out the details on the deal listing.
Living with Apple's Touch Bar, the Reverse Toaster Fridge - ACM 388
Bryan Chaffin quizzes Jeff Gamet about living with Apple’s new TouchBar on his MacBook Pro. They also discuss whether or not the so-called Reverse ToasterFridge could be the future of Apple’s hardware. Listener comments have been pouring in, too.
