Apple released the first public beta of iOS 11 on Monday, following through on its promise to give users a taste of the next major iPhone and iPad operating system.
U.S. Supercomputers, Death of FireWire and iMac Pro Hardware
U.S. Supercomputers falling behind, the story of the slow death of FireWire, and some very special hardware in the coming iMac Pro.
Nintendo Bringing Back Retro Games with Mini SNES Classic
Nostalgic gamers rejoice, for Nintendo is bringing back its classic console as the mini Super NES Classic console system. It will come with 21 games like Super Mario World, F-ZERO, Final Fantasy III, Earthbound, Super Mario Kart, and Star Fox 2, which was previously unreleased. Nintendo will launch the mini SNES Classic Edition on September 29th for US$79.99. Just like the NES Classic, it will have an HDMI port so you can hook it up directly to your TV. Hopefully Nintendo learned its lesson when it released the NES Classic, which was hard to come by because of limited stock and was discontinued earlier this year. When September finally comes around, it wouldn’t be surprising if the SNES Classic is quickly sold out.
TMO Background Mode Interview with TekRevue Founder Jim Tanous
Jim Tanous is the founder of the TekRevue website. That’s where you’ll find a wealth of technical articles and reviews for Apple, PC and Linux products. He’s also a regular contributor and editor here at The Mac Observer. Jim was always interested in computer technology, even from age seven. There was no computer at home when he was growing up, but his elementary school had Apple IIs, and he learned the BASIC language. However, Jim’s father was an attorney, and Jim thought, all the way into his second year of law school, that he would become an attorney also. Then one day, he realized that he wasn’t enjoying himself. That, in turn led, by his account, to becoming an Apple Genius. Tune in to find out how he made that grand leap.
[Background Mode will return on July 10.]
Powrtabs Disposable Battery Chargers: $19.99
A battery backup is practically essential for iPhone owners on the go, but what happens if your portable charger is drained? The Powrtabs Disposable Battery Charger aims to fix that problem with, well, disposable battery charger packs. Each pack is rated at 1,000 mAh so you’ll get about a four hour boost off one. They’re made from recycled materials and designed to be thrown away once they’re used. You can pick up a five pack for Lightning connector iPhones for US$19.99 with TMO’s deal—that’s 19% off the recular $24.95 price.
Apple Releases Update for iOS 11 Developer Beta 2
If you have an older iPhone or iPad running iOS 11 Developer Beta 2 there’s a good chance you’re seeing an update today.
Google to End Gmail Scanning, Nike's AR Shoe Promotion - TMO Daily Observations 2017-06-26
Jeff Butts and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet sort out exactly what Google’s plan to stop scanning our Gmail accounts really means, plus they take a look at Nike’s new augmented reality shoe promotion scheme.
Nike, SNKRS Team Up for Augmented Reality Shoe Promotions on Your iPhone
Nike is going all in with augmented reality on the iPhone for its latest shoe promotions.
Pearl Automation Reportedly Shutting Down After Poor Sales of $500 RearVision Backup Camera
The company, founded by three former Apple engineers, released the RearVision, its first product, just a year ago.
Former Apple Execs Discuss the Origins of the iPhone
As part of the iPhone’s 10th Anniversary this month, The Wall Street Journal has published a short video which looks at how this revolutionary device came to be. How the iPhone Was Born: Inside Stories of Missteps and Triumphs features interviews with three Apple employees key to the device’s development: Tony Fadell, Greg Christie, and Scott Forstall. Topics include how Apple originally envisioned the iPhone, the range of initial prototype designs, and what it was like to work under pressure from Steve Jobs.
