Tim Cook met the head of China’s market regulator following controversy over the removal of an app used by protestors in Hong Kong.
Google to Fix HEIC Photo Backup 'Bug'
Redditor u/stephenvsawyer found that HEIC photos were given unlimited backups to Google Photos because they are smaller than JPGs. If Google tried to compress them the files would actually get bigger, which would be a waste of storage space. But Google calls it a bug and says it will fix it.
However, what that means remains unclear. Would Google start charging for HEIC images stored in Photos, even if they’re small and don’t take up much space? Would it forcibly re-convert those pics to compressed JPEG, or compress them further under the HEIC format? And will the fix apply to all HEIC images or just iPhones?
I’m not sure how Google will fix it unless they just check if the file extension is .HEIC and arbitrarily limit these files (arbitrary since converting them would increase their size).
macOS Catalina and iOS 13 Tips and Troubleshooting – Mac Geek Gab 785
macOS Catalina and iOS 13 have been out for a few weeks now, and your tips and questions have been coming in. Plus, Dave learned a few things at MacTech last week to add. Mix in some Cool Stuff Found, a few Quick Tips, and some follow-ups from last week and we’ll all learn at least five new things!
MacGeneration Finds Icon of 16-inch MacBook Pro in macOS 10.15.1 Beta
French website MacGeneration (via MacRumors) has found references to and an image of a 16-inch MacBook Pro in the beta of macOS 10.15.1. Looking similar to the current 15-inch MacBook Pro, the not-yet-announced device has a thinner bezel. Cool, yeah? Here’s a snippet from the Google Translate version of the article, but read the full thing for more images and info.
macOS 10.15.1 contains references to a MacBook Pro 16″, which accredit the many rumors about this new model.In the code of the first two beta of this version of Catalina, we found with the help of a reader, Maxime, the mention “MacBookPro16,1” which designates a new laptop of 16 “. Better than that, there are even the icons of the machine!
Chinese Publication Says 'AirPods Pro' Coming by End of October
There’s a fun new leak coming out of China saying that Apple will release “AirPods Pro” by the end of October.
A Humorous Take on macOS: Like Linux of Old
It’s hard to have a sense of humor about a macOS affair that causes great grief. It requires a unique perspective to look at the lighter side. Here’s one.
Apple's Rapid iOS Releases, macOS Upgrade Warning and Prep - TMO Daily Observations 2019-10-18
Charlotte Henry and John Martellaro are back with guest-host Bryan Chaffin to discuss the seemingly dizzying array of iOS updates Apple has released in the last few weeks. They also talk about the special case needs of macOS Catalina and whether Apple could do more to proactively warn users of everything they might face with their Mac systems.
Database App for Mac that Helps You Organize: $24.99
We have a deal on Tap Forms 5, a database creation tool for macOS. It features built-in design tools to help you create forms to efficiently track, manage and maintain your data. It also includes a Bento library importer, relational capabilities, 5 different views of your data including list, multi-column, map, calendar, and photo grid. This database tool for the Mac is $24.99 through our deal.
PAC-MAN And Three Other New Games Added to Apple Arcade, Total up to 84
PAC-MAN Party Royale and three other new games arrived on Apple Arcade, bringing the total now available to 84.
Here's How To Wear Your Apple Watch
Ever had some weird readings from your Apple Watch, or even wondered if you’re wearing right? Well, don’t worry, AppleInsider found information from Apple on exactly how it wants you to wear the device.
While much of the Apple Watch’s fitness capabilities comes through having internals such as an accelerometer to measure movement or provide fall detection, it also has an array of sensors on the back. If you’ve ever seen someone wearing an Apple Watch too loosely, you’ve seen a bright green light coming from the back. This is the optical heart sensor, which uses photoplethysmography to calculate your heart rate. That back of the Watch, though, must be kept in contact with your skin for that optical and an electrical heart rate sensor to work. The Taptic Engine expects you to be wearing it snugly, and the Wrist Detect feature has to have that skin contact. Apple even provides a diagram recommending the right fit.
The Numbers Behind Apple's Controversial Approach to China
Apple’s approach to China has stoked a lot of controversy in recent days. Wired looked at the numbers that may be driving the company’s policy. You may agree with the conclusions. You may disagree. But the article provides some important context to what is going on.
Last week, China temporarily suspended ties with the NBA after Daryl Morey, the general manager of the Houston Rockets, tweeted – and quickly deleted – his support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protesters, forcing the NBA to publicly apologise for the move. That same week, Blizzard controversially banned a Hearthstone tournament player after he made a political statement in support of Hong Kong protesters during a post-tournament interview. But more significant are the actions of Apple. The company has removed two apps from its App Store after receiving widespread criticism from Chinese state media. One of these was the app for news website Quartz, which has extensively covered the Hong Kong protests; the other was the HKmap.live app after authorities claimed that protesters were using the app to target and attack the police. These moves by Apple are part of a wider pattern of behaviour by the company to appease China, which has become one of its most important markets. And a closer look at the numbers reveals just how important China has become to the Cupertino-based firm – and how far it’s willing to go to keep the world’s most-populous onside.
iOS 13 on Over Half of All iPhone Models Released in Last Four Years
Fifty-five per cent of iPhones released in the last four years now have iOS 13 installed, according to new data from Apple.
Dickinson Premieres in New York Ahead of Arrival on Apple TV+
Apple hosted a star-studded event for one of its forthcoming Apple TV+ shows, Dickinson, in Brooklyn on Thursday.
Apple Posts New 'Dickinson' Trailer
Apple has a new trailer up for Dickinson, the Apple Original about poet Emily Dickinson starring Hailee Steinfeld. Called Immortality, the trailer focuses on Ms. Dickinson’s obsession with living, or dying, a common theme of the Victorian era.
Samsung Galaxy S10's Finger Print Sensor Easily Bypassed
So it turns out the fingerprint sensor on the Samsung Galaxy S10 can be circumvented by a $3.47 screen protector. The BBC had that report, but it was John Gruber’s commentary I thought was spot on:
When the iPhone 5S debuted with Touch ID, we were inundated with news stories about “easy” ways to spoof it that were, in fact, not easy at all. Now we learn that Samsung’s flagship phone’s fingerprint sensor can in fact be spoofed trivially — and… crickets.
In a word, yup.
Apple Releases macOS Catalina 10.15.1 Developer Beta 2
No major new features have been uncovered in Catalina 10.15.1, but Apple is adding support for AMD Navi RDNA video cards for eGPUs.
Google Maps Adds Ability to Report Accidents on iPhone
Google announced Thursday that iPhone owners will be able to report accidents directly in Google Maps, plus new types of incidents, too.
French Zoo Shows 'Blob,' with No Brain, 720 Sexes, and Super Fast Healing
Check out this insanely cool story about a…living thing? Yeah, I don’t how to better word that. It’s been dubbed the “blob,” based on the classic horror film, because it moves without feet, appears to be able to learn—even though it doesn’t have a brain—and it has 720 sexes. What? Seriously? Oh, and it can heal itself if cut in half in less than three minutes, and it can communicate what it has learned to other blobs when they’re brought together. So that’s cool and not at all frightening as all get out. Reuters has the story, including a video showing some time lapses of the blob doing its blobby thing, and some other information. It’s very interesting.
FitBit's Health Play, EU's Weird Apple Play Probe - TMO Daily Observations 2019-10-17
Charlotte Henry and John Martellaro join guest-host Bryan Chaffin to discuss FitBit’s efforts to claw back some space from Apple Watch with a heart-monitoring feature. They also discuss the EU’s weird antitrust concern about Apple Pay.
Rabbit Charger with Retractable Cable, Swappable Charging Tips, and More: $45.95
We have a deal on the Rabbit charger, an interesting wall-mounted charging station for your mobile devices. It features a built-in, retractable cable, and that cable has two charging plugs you can use at the same time. Plus, the charging tips are swappable, and it comes with two USB-C tips and two Lightning tips, all of which fit over micro USB tips built-in to the cable. Lastly, it also has a built-in AC outlet so that it still leaves you with a standard plug. This device is $45.95 through our deal.
Fitbit to Take on Apple Watch in Healthcare Market And Detect Irregular Heart Rhythms
Fitbit is partnering with Bristol-Myers Squibb-Pfizer Alliance to develop a method to detect irregular heart rhythm.
Apple Could Still Learn From Google, Even if The Pixel 4 Event Was Terrible
Google launched its latest smartphones, the Pixel 4, the other day. Its event did not quite capture the imagination in the way Apple’s iPhone events do. However, argues Rene Ritchie at iMore, Apple could still learn a thing or two from Google.
It was like watching Game of Thrones Season 8, offering them more episodes, begging them for more episodes, and just watching them mic drop and end it.. like that. Anyway. The products and technology that did manage to somehow sneak out on stage was so good, that it almost makes up for the obvious lack of planning and organization that went into the event, and the extreme disrespect shown the audience, both live and streaming. Almost.
For All Mankind Stars Given New iPhone 11s
It seems that being in “a billion pockets,” as Oprah put it, is not the only perk of media stars working with Apple. The stars of For All Mankind were all given iPhone 11s ahead of the premiere, Variety reported.
Apple’s clean-cut aesthetics for the big premiere weren’t surprising for the multinational company and perhaps even less surprising was how generous the company has been with granting the cast and crew access to their latest technology. The entire cast even received new iPhone 11s from Apple ahead of the premiere. “[Apple has] been so supportive. They come and do set visits and they’re excited to see us. They gave us all free iPhones. That is a perk,” star Krys Marshall told Variety on the carpet. “We all got the 11 yesterday. It’s nice. But aside from the free phones, they have just been fabulous, really encouraging. They believe in us.”
UK Drops Plans for Controversial 'Porn Blocker'
The UK Government has dropped controversial plans for a ‘porn blocker’ law, BBC News reported. It was going to introduce stringent age verification checks intended to stop under-18s viewing porn online.
It said the policy, which was initially set to launch in April 2018, would “not be commencing” after repeated delays, and fears it would not work. The so-called porn blocker would have forced commercial porn providers to verify users’ ages, or face a UK ban. Digital Secretary Nicky Morgan said other measures would be deployed to achieve the same objectives. The government first mooted the idea of a porn blocker in 2015, with the aim of stopping youngsters “stumbling across” inappropriate content.