Using Pages, Apple’s document-creation program, you can export your documents to PDF, Word, plain text, and even ePub formats to send to other people. Sharing is the name of the game in this Quick Tip!
Tweetbot's Twitter Timeline Filters Get Even Smarter
Last week Tapbots added Timeline Filters to their Tweetbot Twitter client for iOS, allowing you to control what you see — and what you don’t see — in your Twitter timeline. Today they enhanced those filters even more with the ability to use “OR” and quotes. This means you can Filter out “holy war” OR emacs to be sure not to unintentionally boil your blood while otherwise enjoying Twitter (I’m assuming we’re all vim users here, right?!?). You can download Tweetbot from the App Store.
Kindle Page Flip Comes to iPad and iPhone
Version 5.0 of Amazon’s Kindle App for iPad and iPhone adds Page Flip, a new and natural way to navigate through books without losing your place. If you’ve ever been frustrated having to flip to see a map or something on another page, Page Flip solves that problem. Just tap in the middle of your screen to activate Page Flip and skim around until you find what you want. When you’re finished looking, tap again and Page Flip will offer to return you to your original spot. Even better, Page Flip remembers the locations you have flipped to, allowing for easy bouncing around. The updated Kindle App is available for free in the App Store.
ACM 366: App Store Surveillance, Google's Phone, and Bryan's Rant
In this episode of The Apple Context Machine, Bryan and Jeff discuss new regulations in China that could make Apple part of that country’s surveillance and censorship apparatus. They also talk about Google’s plans to make its own Android devices, and Amazon offering a discount on two Android phones that display Amazon ads on the lock screen. Bryan somehow manages to ties that into an epic rant about Angry Birds 2.
Why I'll be Buying a New iPhone 7
Some say, the iPhone 7 will be a yawner. What’s forgotten is that our appetite for new (useful) toys and being state-of-the art always outweighs the cynicism of skeptics and critics. John’s going to have a new iPhone 7, and states why you should think seriously about one too. Ignore the voices that seek control.
Dr. Mac's High Points from Apple's WWDC
New Regulations Could Make Apple Part of China's Surveillance and Censorship Machine
China rolled out new (and somewhat expected) regulations Tuesday governing app stores for mobile devices. Those regulations could have the direct effect of conscripting Apple and other app store providers into China’s surveillance and censorship machine.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Available for iPhone, iPad
LEGO and Star Wars are a match made in heaven, which makes it pretty awesome that LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is available for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. You can play as Poe Dameron, Rey, Finn, BB-8, Han Solo, Kylo Ren, and more in adventures on Jakku, D’Qar, Takodana, the Millenium Falcon, and Starkiller Base. There are puzzles to solve, space ships to fly, battles to fight, and plenty of things to build. The game includes the first chapter for free, and additional levels and character packs are available as in-app purchases. Clear your afternoon, and may the Force be with you.
TaskPaper Text Editor for Mac: $12.95
We have a deal for you today on TaskPaper, a text editor for the Mac designed to help you keep track of what you’ve done. It will also auto-format projects, tasks, notes, and tags. While a Mac app, it uses a file format that is supported by some third party editors on iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, and three other Mac editors, too.
TMO Daily Observations 2016-06-29: Apple's Camera Blocking Patent, iPhone Design Lawsuit
Apple patented a way to block our smartphone cameras from recording. Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on the patent and its potential for abuse. They also look at a lawsuit alleging Apple stole the idea for the iPhone.
Apple Patent Blocks Smartphone Recording, and it's Creepy
Musicians and other live performers could have a new way to stop attendees from using their smartphones to record video, photos, and audio at events thanks to a new patent from Apple. The iPhone and iPad maker was awarded a patent this week for a system that remotely disables recording with infrared signals. The system could be used in other ways, too, like blocking recording in secure facilities, or by governments to prevent free speech.
OS X: Safari's "Close Other Tabs" Option
Today’s Quick Tip is about a nifty little Safari feature that’ll let you close all of the tabs you’re not using, in a flash! We’ve got the details on the different ways you can do this, so come read all about it.
Apple Hit with $13B Lawsuit for Stealing the iPhone Concept
Thomas Ross says he invented and patented the idea of the iPhone in the early 1990s, so he’s suing to the tune of US$13 billion Apple for stealing his intellectual property. Never mind the fact that his patent was declared abandoned in 1995, he didn’t go after Apple when the MessagePad was a thing, and he isn’t suing other smartphone makers.
A Primer: LCDs, OLEDs, Quantum Dots and MicroLEDs
Flat panel display technology continues to evolve. A decade ago, we had Plasma and LCD TV sets. LCDs were adopted for use in iPhones and iPads, but they require backlighting. Then we had OLEDs (used in the Apple Watch). Now there’s Quantum Dots and microLEDs. John provides a primer.
Virtual Reality Box Headset: $18.99
We have a deal for you today on VR Box, a virtual reality viewer compatible with iOS and Android devices with 4.7-inch to 6-inch displays. It has an optical axis slider for controlling distance and a T-shaped strap designed to fit a wide variety of head shapes and sizes. This device is $18.99 through our deal.
Cozmo Robot from Anki Emotes, Learns, Plays
Check out Cozmo, a robot from Anki, the folks who made their name with the race cars you control with your iPhone. Cozmo “talks” using sounds that remind me a little of R2D2—but only in spirit—and it has a display for a face that emotes. Anki says Cozmo was designed with hundreds of emotions, and he is designed to play with you, or with his “Power Block” accessories. In the video, the designers and engineers talk about how sound is a huge part of how the device interacts with the world, including a bit where he snores while charging. Speaking of which, he’s self-charging. That’s just awesome. Setup and control (when Cozmo isn’t acting autonomously) is handled through an iOS or Android devices, and Cozmo ships in October of 2016. Retail is set at US$179.99. but Anki has a pre-order price of $159.99.
TMO Daily Observations 2016-06-28: iPhone Audio Ports, Facebook is Creepy
Speculation about the audio ports on the next iPhone are still going strong. Today Dave Hamilton joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the potentially missing headphone jack on the new iPhone, digital to analog converters, and how we listen to our music. They also get a little creeped out over Facebook’s location-based friend suggestions.
AAPL Third Quarter Earnings Report set for July 26
Google Brings Higher Resolution Satellite Imagery to Google Earth and Maps
Google announced Monday the rollout of new imagery for Google Earth, and by extension Google Maps. The company said it was incorporating a new cloud-free mosaic of Earth in Google Earth utilizing higher-resolution images from Landsat 8, a satellite deployed by the USGS and NASA in 2013.
Google Bloks Will Offer Kids Hands-On, Collaborative Programming Concepts
Google announced a new “research project” called Bloks, a wonderful concept that brings programming to very young kids with real-world block-like components. It’s an ongoing project that Google is opening up to the world, but the company is starting with electronic boards and programmable pucks. Brain Boards are built from Raspberry Pi Zero boards and can be used to power anything you could power from that device, like robots or switches for real-world devices. The pucks are essentially instructions, including on-off switches, directions, or volume controls. When used in sequence, they can send instructions to the Brain Boards. And it’s all hands-on for young kids. They can collaborate in ways they never could with any programming thing based on a screen and/or keyboard. I love it. It’s an entirely different approach from Apple’s Swift Playground, and I think they’re very complementary.
