Apple released only 13 new products in 2016, an embarrassing lack of riches. Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet discuss what this might mean. They also talk about the future of automation on the Mac, as well as the return of Apple’s Black Friday sale. Does Apple feel the need to goose sales for the December quarter?
TMO Daily Observations 2016-11-23: Apple's Automation Plans, Thanksgiving Tech Tips
Apple’s Craig Federighi says the company isn’t abandoning automation tools on the Mac, but the way he said it wasn’t reassuring. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on what’s in store for system-level Mac automation tools, plus Kelly has some tips for helping our less tech-savvy family and friends over the Thanksgiving holiday.
iOS and watchOS: Seeing Historical Heart Rate Data
Today’s Quick Tip is all about using the iPhone’s Health app to view collected heart rate data from your Apple Watch. If you’ve never looked through that info, then boy, are you gonna be surprised at how much you can see! It’s a little nuts, to be honest.
10-Ft MFi-Certified Lightning Cable 3-Pack: $21.99
Hey, grab em while you can ahead of Christmas. It’s a 3-pack of 10-foot MFi-Certified Lightning cables for $21.99. Easy peasy.
Apple's Intent Isn't the Same as Committing to Mac Automation
Last week Sal Soghoian announced his job as Apple’s Manager of Automation Technologies had been eliminated, and this week senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi says Apple intends to continue supporting scripting technologies on the Mac. That’s a little reassuring, although “intending to support” is a far cry from “committed to continue developing.”
PowerTime Apple Watch Charging Dock with 3 USB Ports: $39
Check out the PowerTime Apple Watch Charging Dock with 3 USB Ports. The name is pretty self-explanatory—this is a charging dock for your Apple Watch that includes 3 USB ports for charging your other devices. The surface where you rest your Apple Watch is coated in silicone, and it’s designed to be used with your charging puck. You can get this device for $39 through our deal, a 20% savings.
Glass iPhone Case Designed to Show Off Jet Black Finish
SwitchEasy has a new case for iPhone aimed particularly at Jet Black iPhone 7 owners who want to show off that Jet Black finish and have a case, too. The case is called Glass, and the back is made out of hardened glass (7H on the Mohs’ scale of hardness). The company says it has 90% optical transparency, and it was designed with a 1mm gap between the phone and the back of the Glass. That’s to minimize contact with the case to preserve that Jet Black finish. It has a retail price of $39.99.
TMO Daily Observations 2016-11-22: Listener Comments on Apple's WiFi Plans
Yesterday’s show about Apple dissolving its wireless networking team got lots of comments and questions from listeners, so today Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to offer up their responses to your reactions, and share their thoughts on your questions.
Samsung's New Smartphone Innovation: Jet Black
Samsung has an idea for goosing Galaxy S7 smartphone sales: make a jet black model. The glossy black version is reportedly a move to compete with Apple’s latest iPhone color option, and an effort to boost sales following the Galaxy Note 7 explode-a-phone debacle.
Wi-Fi Mesh Systems Compared: eero, Orbi, AmpliFi
The future of home Wi-Fi is mesh networking, a new approach to consumer wireless networks that includes smart management and multiple radios designed to handle the load of today’s gadgets. If you’ve been fighting with range extenders and other solutions to broaden your Wi-Fi coverage and keep your streams alive, you can now stop all that silliness and blanket your home with Wi-Fi. The future is here, and that future is mesh networking.
