In the early days of UHD/4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR), it appeared that HDR10 would be more ubiquitous and that Dolby Vison would, while superior, remain rare. That has all changed.
Columns & Opinions
Screen Latency Through the Ages: Computers Have Gotten Slower Since the Apple IIe
Thanks to some painstaking tests by engineer and super nerd* Dan Luu, we now know of one area where computers have gotten slower: “the latency between a keypress and the display of a character in a terminal.”
T-Mobile Offers Free Netflix. But What's Really Going on?
T-Mobile recently announced that, with some restrictions, it will pay for your basic HD Netflix account. Why?
Panorama X: Innovative Database Software with Really Innovative Pricing
Dr. Mac says that Panorama X is an innovative database that’s wicked fast…but its biggest innovation may be its surprising new pricing model.
The Mac Observer Spin The Mac Observer Spin is how we show you what our authors think about a news story at quick glance. Read More →
Apple Blows Security
John Kheit thinks that Apple is mismanaging security, and that its quality assurance and attention to detail have gone to hell.
Making Sense of Bitcoin’s Price Increase and Rollercoaster Ride
No one knows exactly why Bitcoin’s price is so crazy right now, but Bryan Chaffin examines what we do know so we can keep things in perspective.
Dr. Mac's Gift Guide for Geeks Part I
Dr. Mac’s 2017 gift guide for geeks includes something for every tech aficionado, with most at reasonable prices.
The Reality of Apple's macOS Security Snafu. It's About Trust
John has been taking his time to further ponder Apple’s High Sierra root access debacle and now shares his thoughts.
Apple Admits Video Platform Defeat to YouTube
By launching another YouTube channel, Apple is admitting it is still behind in the video game.
Photos and Thoughts from Opening Day at Apple Park Visitor Center
Bryan Chaffin stopped by the Apple Park Visitor Center, took some pics, bought a shirt, and talked to folks on opening day. Here are some of those photos and thoughts on this delightful place.
Tim Berners-Lee Wants Your Help in Protecting Net Neutrality from Ajit Pai's FCC
Internet-inventor Tim Berners-Lee has written an editorial for USA Today asking Americans to help save the Internet from an irresponsible vote on Net Neutrality expected from the FCC.
Use Reminders on Macs, iPhones, and iPads to Remember Anything
When Dr. Mac needs to remember something, he merely asks Siri (on his Mac, iPhone, or Apple Watch) to remind him of that thing at a specific time and date or place. He says he rarely forgets stuff anymore with this almost foolproof system.
Apple Park Architect Credits Jony Ive's Design Team as Cocreators of Steve Jobs Theater
Stefan Behling, a Foster + Partners partner and one of the lead architects on Apple Park, told Wallpaper, a design magazine, that the Steve Jobs Theater was the product of a deep collaboration between Foster + Partners and sir Jony’s team.
Comparing HEVC Versus H.264 Video File Sizes
Jeff Butts gets down and dirty, digging into file size comparisons between the two video standards.
Sketchy Report Says Apple is Working on an iPhone Stylus
A report says Apple has an iPhone stylus in the works and we’ll see it in 2019. I don’t think so.
macOS High Sierra: The Good Things in Life Are Free (Part II)
Dr. Mac offers you a peek at some of macOS 10.13 High Sierra’s more interesting new features, including his favorites from Photos, Safari, Spotlight, and more.
Apple Music with Sonos, Alexa, and AirPlay 2
Sonos’s new Alexa support doesn’t offer full control for Apple Music, but next year’s AirPlay 2 integration might just provide Apple Music subscribers full voice-control of their Sonos sytems.
What You Need to Know About 2K Movies on iTunes Upscaled and Labelled as 4K
The demand for 4K movies has brought about the business of upscaling 2K movies to 4K and marketing them as 4K. Should we care?
keychainStealer is Real, but Shouldn't Stop You from Upgrading to macOS High Sierra
A new Mac security threat called keychainStealer could expose your Keychain passwords, but it isn’t limited to High Sierra, and isn’t a reason to not upgrade.
You Have Me to Blame for the iTunes 12.7 Fiasco...
Last year Dr. Mac lobbied to get Apple to streamline iTunes, and now that they did he isn’t happy. Check out why he says Apple’s changes didn’t turn out the way he hoped.
HEIF: Here's What You Need to Know About iOS 11's JPEG Replacement
iOS 11 has some big changes for iPhone and iPad users, one of which involves the photos we take thanks to HEIF—an image format supported by both iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra.
Google's Differential Privacy May be Better Than Apple's
Apple, as companies get hacked left and right, it’s time to reassure users as well as security experts that you really do have our backs.
Apple TV 4K Didn't Do Much to Fix Awful Siri Remote
Apple had an opportunity for a fresh start with the Apple TV 4K’s Siri remote and flubbed it.
Hey Apple, I Liked Browsing for iPhone Apps on My Mac
Taking away the ability to browse iOS apps on Macs and PCs is a step backward for users, and those backward steps are annoying as @&#%!