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Microsoft Does Something Unexpected About Privacy

John Martellaro ·

According to engadget, “Microsoft discreetly wiped its massive facial recognition database.”

Microsoft has been vocal about its desire to properly regulate facial recognition technology. The company’s president, Brad Smith, appealed directly to Congress last year to take steps to manage the tech, which he says has “broad societal ramifications and potential for abuse.” Such are the company’s concerns that it even blocked the sales of the tech to California police forces. Now, Microsoft is continuing its crusade by quietly deleting its MS Celeb database, which contains more than 10 million images of some 100,000 people.

These days, it seems everything in tech privacy matters gets continuously worse. Deleting big data sets is hard to do. Good work, Microsoft.

TMO Deals

EvaSMART 2 Smart Personal Air Conditioner: $199

Bryan Chaffin ·

Check out the EvaSMART 2, a personal air conditioner that combines the functionality of a humidifier and air conditioner into a single device. It uses natural evaporative cooling to lower the temperature around you, and filters out dust particles. And, it can be operated via an on-board touch pad, mobile app, or simply your voice. it’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Home. Plus, it consumes just 12.5 W of power. This device is $199 through our deal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90FTZ0Vlgnk

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Apple's Approach to Mouse Support for iPad is Wrong

Charlotte Henry ·

Mouse-support is coming to the iPhone and iPad this fall. This is a feature many users have wanted for a while. However, on Cult of Mac, Killian Bell argues Apple still has the wrong attitude to the issue.

Apple “strongly emphasized this was designed and developed expressly for a certain segment of user.” In other words, Apple wants you to use touch if you can. You shouldn’t be controlling your iPhone or iPad with a mouse unless it’s absolutely necessary. But why is Apple so adamant about that? Why can’t it embrace the fact that some people — mostly those who use an iPad for work — would just prefer to use a mouse? What worries me about Apple’s view is that it will hold back iPad mouse support in the future. It’s almost as if Apple doesn’t want to make mouse support too good, just in case those who can use touch choose to use a mouse instead.

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Developers Concerned As Apple Releases Similar Products to Theirs

Charlotte Henry ·

Apple announced a variety of great products and tools and WWDC 2019. However, not all those in attendance were happy with what they saw from the stage, AppleInsider found. Some of the Apple announcements were variations of these developers’ products. Apple is perfectly entitled to do this, of course, but it makes life harder for the developers.

Apple innovates and Apple introduces new technologies in hardware and software, but it also does its own version of other people’s apps. You might have built a business up and Apple announces it is doing the same thing as you. That happened this year to hardware developers Duet Display and Luna Display, whose products have been providing the features that Apple has now built in under the name Sidecar. And it’s happened to software developer James Thomson, whose PCalc for Apple Watch will have to compete with Apple’s own calculator in watchOS 6.

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22 Years of Apple Website Design History Visualized

Andrew Orr ·

The Version Museum has a visual history of 22 years of Apple website design history, starting in 1994.

Version Museum is devoted to showcasing the visual history of popular websites, games, apps, and operating systems that have shaped our lives.

The biggest change is the evolution of that tab bar at the top of the website, going from light to dark.