I love today’s deal, which is for Air Vinyl Design’s ZenPod. This is a leather AirPods case with finger pads and bearings that turn it into a fidget spinner. In other words, it’s two things I personally love, a fidget spinner and a leather AirPods case. I have two ZenPods myself, and I think they’re great. You can get a ZenPod through our deal for $24.99, 16% off retail, and it fits all AirPods case models. Check out the video below for a closer look.
2.7 Million Americans Still Get Netflix DVDs in the Mail
Not everyone has the luxury of broadband access capable of streaming Netflix. For these 2.7 million Americans, Netflix DVDs are a savior. But it’s not just rural folks.
“People assume that our customers must either be super seniors or folks that live in the boonies with no internet access,” [Netflix spokeswoman Annie Jung] says. “Actually, our biggest hot spots are the coasts, like the Bay Area and New York.”
”Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway.” Andrew S. Tanenbaum
Apple Music vs Spotify, AI and Special Projects – TMO Daily Observations 2019-04-05
Andrew Orr and Charlotte Henry join host Kelly Guimont to discuss Apple Music/Spotify subscriptions, and new hires in Special Projects.
Apple Music Paid Subscribers Surpass Spotify in U.S.
The number of Apple Music paid subscribers have overtaken Spotify in the United States, with the former reaching 28 million.
Apple Reveals UK Gender Pay Gap
Apple’s median hourly gender pay gap in the UK is now 15% in favor of men, an improvement from last year’s figures.
New Shot on iPhone XS Film Explores Cuban Surfing
Apple released a new ‘Shot on iPhone XS’ film to share experiences from the Cuban surfing community. Called “Ola Cubana” it was shot by professional surf photographer Zak Noyle using the iPhone XS Max with a Freefly Novi Cinema Robot stabilizer, FILMic Pro app, AxisGO waterproof container, and BeastGrip universal lens adapter and rigging system. The video was directed by Nick Woytuk, and there is also a shorter behind the scenes video. Surfing in Cuba can be a challenge, because the materials to make the surfboards are hard to find.
Apple Music Subscription Prices Cut in India
Apple cut the cost of all tiers of Apple Music in India, following the arrival of Spotify and YouTube Music in the country.
Customers Are Buying-In To Digital Fashion
Digital fashion is a real and growing business. Vogue Business reported on the growing popularity of digital clothing lines, which are powered by 3D modeling. Scandinavian retailer Carlings released its first digital clothing collection in November 2018. It included 19 limited-edition genderless, sizeless pieces that cost between €10 and €30. It sold out in a week.
The concept might seem outlandish, but gamers have been spending real money on digital fashion items for years. Glu Mobile’s Covet Fashion game lets players style models with digitally rendered designer clothing and accessories. It brought in $53.4 million in sales last year (a portion of which is from advertising)…But as people live and display more of their lives online — coupled with growing concerns about sustainability — digital clothing has the potential to expand well beyond gaming.
Indie Games Developers Raise Apple Arcade Concerns
Users are excited about Apple Arcade – the company’s forthcoming games subscription service. While some indie game developers are excited at the prospect of being part of the service, Fast Company reported others had serious concerns. Either way, Apple Arcade’s launch is going to be a critical moment for indie games makers.
But not everyone’s convinced that subscription services will be a boon for developers. If these services become the predominant way that people play games, some independent creators say the result will be a new race to the bottom, in which game makers compete for a shrinking pool of revenue. “With a whole new model of selling video games like this, it comes with a whole bunch of potential ways that it can be bad for smaller developers and independent developers,” says Mike Rose, the founder of the independent game publisher No More Robots.
Did Apple Hire Ian Goodfellow for Self-Driving Technology?
Apple has recently hired Ian Goodfellow, a well-known expert in the machine learning community. Mr. Goodfellow used to work at Google.