It took two hours, but John Martellaro finally got his original Apple Watch upgraded to watchOS 3. Here are some of the things he liked most about this version. Plus, he discovered a nice trick when it comes to changing watch faces with a swipe.
Editorial
Hands-On with iPhone 7 Home Button: Disappointing Haptic Feedback, Increased Functionality
Apple had two major changes in iPhone 7 beyond incremental improvements. The first is the much-talked about lack of an auxiliary port for headphones, but the other will effect the way we do things far longer than the transition to Lightning audio. That’s moving from a physical Home Button to a touch-sensitive, stationary Home Button. Here’s what Bryan Chaffin thought about it during his hands-on session at Apple’s media event.
Hands-On with Apple Watch Series 2: Faster, Better, Prettier
Bryan checked out Apple Watch Series 2 at Apple’s hands-on demo, and was impressed. There’s a lot to like in this second generation device, and he’s gathered my hands-on impressions.
iPhone 7 Now or Updated SE Later? The 4-Inch iPhone Power User’s Dilemma
On March 31 of this year (2016), Apple solved the problem that existed since September of 2014: Power users that wanted an iPhone with the latest CPU but preferred the 4″ form factor could have their cake and eat it, too – again – with the introduction of the iPhone SE. Now, though, that problem starts all over again.
Apple's Instincts About the Watch Buyer Mentality Prove Correct
In May of 2015, when the Apple Watch first shipped, a few observers opined that it would be wise to buy the cheapest possible version, the Sport Watch. That’s because Apple would, they claimed, come out with a new model in 2016 that would callously make the original painfully obsolete. It looks like Apple’s instincts, in contradiction to that notion, have proved correct.
Hands-On with Apple's Impressive AirPods
Bryan Chaffin went into Apple’s hands-on press area a skeptic of the company’s new AirPods wireless headphones. He came out impressed. Here are his immediate impressions.
Even If You Don't Need a New iPhone 7, You Should Still Get One
The art and science of sizing up the new iPhone each year is a formidable one, given the time between the announcement and the window for ordering. Apple provides just enough information to whet the appetite. However, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the state of the art isn’t advancing and decide to save some money, passing on the iPhone 7. That’s probably not a good way to go, given Apple’s track record.
@Apple Comes to Life, Another Tool for Shaping the Apple Narrative
Apple sort of activated its long-held, but dormant Twitter account @Apple. It’s yet another symbol of CEO Tim Cook’s decision to take a more active role in shaping the Apple narrative.
Is There Anything Apple Can't Do? That's Now a Problem
Once upon a time, Apple was famous for saying “no” to harebrained or even some legitimate product ideas. That was an essential strategy for Apple to emerge from its troubles in the 1990s. Now, however, a much larger company is increasing its surface area to the customer. That, combined with Apple’s organizational structure, is creating some problems that we’re seeing today. John explains.
Podcasts
Blood in the Macintosh Water: Apple's Competitors Now Sense Weakness
Apple’s competitors are sensing Macintosh weakness and are making bold moves. The MacBook Air hasn’t been updated since March, 2015. The Mac Pro, MacBook Pro and Mac Mini are very long of tooth. The latest iMac is coming up on a year old, and only the MacBook looks fresh. Soon, there may be much blood in the water.