Apple’s WWDC keynote address was one that we hoped for, dreamed about but never thought would actually happen.
Analysis
Apple’s Rumored Siri Speaker Targets Sonos, Too
The Siri Speaker may be more of a living room device than a kitchen device.
Here’s What Kik Users Need to Know About Kin Cryptocurrency
You’ll be able to earn and spend Kin within the Kik app, which will have an integrated wallet.
Apple Music Is Turning Apple into a Media Giant
No longer just the firm that makes the best looking hardware, Apple is competing with the world’s media giants.
Apple Plans to Change Scrolling in Safari
Over the weekend, an article from The Register laid out complaints of Google AMP and how it negatively impacts the web. Then, John Gruber of Daring Fireball linked to the article and added his own comments, such as how AMP pages scroll differently than the rest of Safari. Andrew Orr finds out the differences between scrolling on iOS.
Thoughts On The Apple Mothership: Celebration of the Employee
Steven Levy has written a stellar article at Wired about his tour of the new Apple campus, Apple Park, aka The Mothership. The focus is on the design details inspired by Steve Jobs and the building as “Steve’s gift.” John read the article and has some follow-on thoughts to offer.
Could Alexa and Siri Prevent or Report Child Abuse?
With connected devices and voice assistants becoming more common in our households, children are seeing them as friends. Sometimes, they might even see the device as a trusted confidant. Could that encourage legislators to make the devices report child abuse? Jeff Butts has been thinking hard about that, and suggests it might not be a terrible idea.
MP3 Wasn't Killed, it was Set Free
MP3 is dead and our music libraries are about to stop working! Or, at least that’s what the internet will have you believe since the Fraunhofer Institute announced it isn’t licensing its MP3 patents any more. Here’s the deal: MP3 isn’t dead, all your songs will still play, and you can keep buying MP3 tracks from music services.
Don't Count on AirPods in iPhone 8 Box
Apple may bundle AirPods with this fall’s iPhone 8, according to an analyst report from JPMorgan. As great as that would be, at least for some iPhone fans, it’s not going to happen.
Senator Feinstein Revives Encryption Back Door Bill with FBI Support
Senator Dianne Feinstein is dusting off her bill aimed at forcing technology companies to give the U.S. government access to the encrypted data on our smartphones, tablets, and computers. FBI Director James Comey is on board with her plan saying the inability to access our encrypted data is a major security threat to the country.
Imagine What Mac Sales Would Do If Apple Did Something Crazy Like Update All the Macs
During the second quarter of 2017, Apple saw Mac unit sales increase by a modest four percent. Jeff Butts, ever the dreamer, imagines what would happen if Apple gave us new Macs across all the various form factor categories, from the Mac Mini to the Mac Pro.
Apple's Wireless Charging Could Use Your Wi-Fi Router in a New Way
We’ve thought for a while that Apple was working on wireless charging for the next iPhone, and a recent patent filing reinforces that. What’s surprising is that the filing suggests the possibility of using a Wi-Fi router to transmit the power, but Apple’s not in that business anymore. Or are they? Jeff Butts thinks it might be too early to sound the death knell for the Airport router, and wireless charging might be the defibrillator needed to bring the device back to life.
A Tor Browser Might Not Be Your Best Solution for Internet Privacy
You’re becoming more privacy-minded, so you might be tempted to start using a Tor browser on your iPhone. Is that really the right move to make, though? Jeff Butts has tried out some of the best Tor-enabled browsers available, and has an interesting answer to that burning question.
Apple Runs Up Against State Censorship in China, Again
Apple is once again running into issues with state censorship in China. Chinese newspaper Xinhua reported Thursday that two different agencies will call Apple into their offices to demand Apple tighten up controls over streaming apps available in the App Store.
Why Apple Will Be Using Xeon CPUs in This Fall's "Pro" iMac
Recently, we learned that Apple may be seriously considering the use of a Xeon CPU in its so-called “server-grade” iMac planned for later this year. There are good technical reasons why the use of the Xeon has entered the discussion in what has traditionally been considered a consumer iMac—in contrast to the Mac Pro which has had Xeons all along. John explains.
APFS in iOS Isn't Any Faster Than on the Mac
After analyzing the new file system under macOS, Jeff Butts and Dave Hamilton decided to test APFS in iOS. What they discovered is both surprising and disheartening. Read on to get the full details.
APFS Performance Lags HFS+, for Now
Apple is looking to replace HFS+ with a new file system, but is APFS really ready for prime time? Jeff Butts and Dave Hamilton have put the new file system through some tests, and report in on their findings.
Which Is Better to Secure Email, Apple Mail or GPG Suite?
Secure email is a pretty big deal. While knowing how to encrypt your email is great, you first have to decide which security method to use. You can go with Apple Mail’s built-in S/MIME support or OpenPGP. Which is better? Let’s look at them side by side and try to find an answer to that question.
Capital One Launched A Natural Language Chatbot Named Eno
Capital One announced Friday an SMS chatbot for customers called Eno. The company claimed Eno is the first natural language SMS chatbot from a U.S. bank, allowing customers to ask questions using natural language. The ability to interact with artificial intelligences using natural language processing is something big companies like Apple, Amazon and Google are working on with their own virtual assistants.
Encrypting Email on the Mac Is Surprisingly Easy
Now that we’re thinking about privacy and the security of our computers and mobile devices again, we’re worried about encrypting email. Jeff Butts is here to set your mind at ease that email encryption is alive and well, and surprisingly easy to do on the Mac.
Perspectives on Blancco's State of Mobile Device Report (iOS & Android)
Recently, Blancco published a report on the performance and health of iPhones and Android smartphones. A key finding was that iPhones are less reliable than Android devices. It created quite a stir, and the report intrigued John, so he asked for a copy of the report and looked into the findings. Here’s what he found.
Apple Dropping iPhone Lightning Port for USB-C? I Don't Think So
Hold on to your cables, kids, because Apple is ditching the Lightning port on the iPhone 8. A new report claims Apple is replacing the Lightning connector with USB-C on the new model, but I’m not convinced.
iPhone 8 and 3D: It's About Facial Recognition, not AR
There’s plenty of speculation about what new technology will come with the iPhone 8. Do recent trademark filings mean it will use an iris scanner instead of Touch ID? What about augmented reality; will that be the hottest new feature to arrive in Apple’s mobile phone? Or are all of these rumors completely off base, and the plan is actually for the iPhone 8 to unlock your phone based on how well it can recognize your face? Jeff Butts digs deep into the science and the rumors, and offers his take on the matter.
Apple Cash Hoard Tops $246 Billion, Enough to Buy 4.9 Billion Amazon Echo Dots
Apple’s cash hoard swelled to a staggering $246.09 billion in the December quarter, an increase of $8.49 billion. This, despite returning some $15 billion to shareholders in the form of stock buybacks and dividends. It’s an unprecedented concentration of corporate wealth that would let Apple buy more than 4.9 billion Amazon Echo Dots if it wanted.