Wireless speaker company Sonos recently debuted voice support in two forms: pairing their speakers with an Amazon Alexa-enabled device like an Echo or Dot, and with Sonos’s first voice-enabled speaker, the Sonos One. We put the new speaker through its paces.
5 Great iPhone Task Management Apps
Jeff Butts walks you through these awesome alternatives, helping you to figure out which one is right for you.
Here's How to Convert Your Blu-ray or DVD Movies to iTunes the Right Way
This quick tip can save you either dozens of hours of computer processing time, or hundreds of dollars in buying digital copies of your favorite films.
Sylvania Announces Apple HomeKit Smartbulbs and Flexstrip
Sylvania announced two lighting products for Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem. The Sylvania Smart+ A19 Soft White LED Bulb puts out 800 lumens, the equivalent of a 60 watt incandescent lightbulb. It’s dimmable, and joins the full color A19 already on the market. The Sylvania Smart+ Full Color LED Flex Strip supports both full color and dimming. It puts out 400 lumens, or roughly the equivalent of a 30 watt incandescent bulb. Neither light requires a hub for on-off functionality, but work in Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem with hubs like an Apple TV, HomePod, or an iPad. Using a hub, users can automate the lights and access them remotely. I’m stoked to see new HomeKit products hit the market, and these ship on October 23rd. They’re on Amazon now, listed as out-of-stock. The Smart+ A19 Soft White LED Bulb is $25.99, while the Smart+ Full Color LED Flex Strip is $59.99.
You Should Know: An Apple ID Phishing Scam is Going Around
Apple IDs don’t expire. Even if you forgot your username and password, your Apple ID is still floating around in the ether. Apple doesn’t shut down IDs after a certain period of inactivity.
iOS 11: Share Wi-Fi Passwords More Easily With This New Feature
Some requirements: you and your friends will need to have iOS 11, and be in each other’s contacts.
Benchmarking High Sierra on Older Macs, Who's to Blame for iPhone Addition - TMO Daily Observations 2017-10-17
John Martellaro and Jeff Butts join guest-host Bryan Chaffin to examine benchmarks showing that High Sierra is faster on older Macs than Sierra. They also talk about the issue of smartphone addiction, who’s to blame, and whether or not it’s a problem for Apple.
Kaspersky Lab Finds Adobe Flash Bug in the Wild from BlackOasis Group
As of yesterday, Adobe has already identified the bug (CVE-2017-11292) and released a security patch for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS.
Yes, High Sierra on Older Macs Really Does Boost Performance
While Jeff Butts doesn’t use his mid-2010 Mac Mini as often as his other Mac, it’s definitely worth noting that the elderly computer performs so well with the newer version of the operating system.
3D Printed Moon Light Lamp Looks Like the Moon
I’m newly obsessed with the Moon Light. It’s a 3D printed lamp that looks like the Moon when it’s lit up. Interestingly, it doesn’t look much like the Moon when it’s not lit. There are tons of videos on YouTube from folks, and those videos look pretty much like the company’s promotion pics. It has a warm light and cool light mode, and you can the light and intensity with a touch. It recharges via a USB port, too. It comes in multiple sizes, with the smallest—3.5-inches—coming with a ceramic hand for a base. The larger sizes, up to 7.3-inches in diameter, come on a wooden base. That largest model is $79.99 on TheApolloBox, but I found it on Amazon for $45.99. The 5.7-inch model is $29.99 on Amazon. It’s pretty cool!
Greenpeace Says Samsung Should Copy Apple's Environmental Initiatives
The report simultaneously praises Apple’s efforts on green energy (which it graded an A), while shaming Samsung for its dismal efforts to be environmentally responsible.
DASH A - World's Flattest Bluetooth Speaker for $59.99
We have a deal on the DASH A, which the company says is the world’s flattest Bluetooth speaker. It offers 10 hours of playback and has an audio port-in, too. It’s $59.99 through us.
How to Use One-Handed Zoom in iOS 11's Maps
There’ll be no more endlessly double-tapping on your screen, folks, and that’s a very good thing.
Quick Tips, Cool Stuff Found, High Sierra, and KRACK – Mac Geek Gab 679
Quick Tips, Cool Stuff Found, High Sierra, and KRACK are the topics today, but that means you’re in for a real treat. The goal is for everyone to learn at least four (4!) new things, but today you’re guaranteed to learn a whole lot more. Download, press play, and enjoy!
Wi-Fi Calling Not Working on Your New iPhone? It May Need to be Re-enabled
If you update to a new iPhone and WiFi calling seems to stop working, there’s a good explanation for that: Your call settings may not have carried over from your previous phone.
TMO Background Mode Encore Interview with TMO Contributor Kelly Guimont
Kelly Guimont does TextExpander technical support for Smile Software. She’s also a podcaster and a TMO Contributor. And she joins the TMO Daily Observations (TDO) Podcast with me on most Wednesdays. On a recent TDO episode, Kelly revealed that she holds her iPhone in a very special way with one hand. Just how she operates the iPhone in that mode and how she manages her apps created a very interesting follow-up discussion in this podcast. Kelly also shared her thoughts on the latest iTunes, version 12.7., that eliminated app support. (Apple has since mildly reversed course.) Kelly and I really let loose here, so don’t miss the fun!