The old, unconsidered notion about 4K UHD TV is that it’s a gimmick by the TV industry. The assumption has been that 4K resolution can’t be utilized unless one sits really close, and the familiar HDTV is good enough. In fact, the industry is about the business of implementing a gradual, exciting technology roadmap. While this means that 4K UHD TV will be gradually including more advanced technology elements than simple resolution improvement, it also means buyers will have to be careful when and how they migrate away from older equipment. It’s all on Friday’s Particle Debris column, page 2.
The Cellphone That Assembles Itself (Video)
You know that Arthur C. Clarke line about sufficiently advanced technology being indistinguishable from magic? Behold a little wizardry from M.I.T. in the form of a “self-assembling” cellphone. Fast Company did a story on a lab at the university that designed a cellphone with six components. They are designed in such a way that when jostled together in a tumbler, the parts that fit together, stick together, while the parts that don’t, don’t. The possibilities for cheap assembly could be staggering—in this case, it could help put a cellphone into the hands of almost anyone. But the principles are not limited to cellphones. It’s fascinating to watch, and if you find it interesting, check out the full article.
AT&T's New Mobile Share Advantage Plan Costs Compared
On Sunday AT&T rolled out their new Mobile Share Advantage Plans and, along with them, their online comparison tool that shows you just what the new plans will cost you. Digging in this morning it’s pretty evident that only a handful of people currently on Mobile Share Value plans will actually save money with these new plans. Click through to see the math and the details.
TMO Daily Observations 2016-08-22: Interview with Airplane Mode's Dave Wiskus
This week TMO’s Daily Observations turns to the musical side of the Apple community. Today Airplane Mode’s Dave Wiskus joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the band, his musical journey, and finding success as an indie band.
Barbra Streisand Says iOS 10 Will Be Released September 30th
According to Barbra Streisand, Apple will release iOS 10 on September 30th. I know what you’re thinking: what does Barbra Streisand know about Apple’s release dates? Normally, Bryan Chaffin would be the first to say “nothing.” Followed by “Gimme a break.” But she has an interesting story, and it starts with Siri mispronouncing her name.
Renaming Apple Products and Other Deck Chair Shuffles
![[Product]](https://www.macobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/apple-product-name-400x209.jpg)
Since Apple is busy re-arranging deck chairs rather than actually making a new product, the least they can do is fix their wacked-out product naming scheme. John Kheit has some ideas on taming those names and modernizing Apple’s approach.
MGG 619: Security Breach!
Listener Jason had a security breach on his home network. Learn what he did that allowed this to happen, and what you can do to prevent it. Lots of other tips in this episode, too, like removing phantom app storage, enabling iCloud for iBooks after the fact, starting up in Safe Mode with a wireless keyboard, and much more.
Is it Worth it to Switch to AT&T's New Plans? Maybe
AT&T is doing away with its Mobile Share Value plans and introducing Mobile Share Advantage this weekend. The new plans do away with data overage fees in favor of throttling your connection when you use too much, and may save you money. But don’t rush out and change your contract without checking to see if you really are getting a deal because not everyone wins with AT&T’s new pricing.
PSA: New Mac Malware Tries to Trick Less Savvy Users
There’s new Mac malware in the wild aimed at users who may be a bit less savvy on the nerd scale. Discovered by Malwarebytes, this malware uses interface shenanigans to trick users into permitting other malware to be installed.
Apple Intelligently Delves into Machine Intelligence
It’s not surprising that Apple is warming up to the idea of machine intelligence and AI agents with its $200 million purchase of Turi. The company needs to do that to remain competitive with Google and Microsoft. But, over and above that, the beneficial side effects will have even deeper implications for Apple as a company and its future.
ZeroLemon Slim Juicer Battery Case for iPhone 6/6s: $21.99
We have a deal for iPhone warriors, the ZeroLemon Slim Juicer Battery Case for iPhone 6/6s. It has a 3,100mAh battery built into it, and you can charge and sync through the case. You can get this device through our deal for $21.99.
Remember That 360-Degree Swing? Crazy Man Adds Motorized Propeller
A week or so ago I posted YouTuber colinfurze’s 360-degree “backyard” swing. It’s an insane contraption that allows him to swing 360 degree over and over again without any safety gear. Well, that apparently wasn’t crazy enough for Mr. Furze, because the dude decided what it really needed was a paramotor. That’s a motorized propeller for ultralights. You know, to help make the 360-degree swing faster. Man, do I love this guy! Check it out.
TMO Daily Observations 2016-08-19: FCC's Anti-robocall Plans, Moving from Evernote to OneNote
The FCC wants to stop spam robocalls, and now it has a strike force to help make that happen. Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to examine the FCC’s plan and share their thoughts on trying to stop unsolicited marketing calls. They also take a first look at Microsoft’s new Evernote to OneNote importer for the Mac.
Apple, Google, FCC Team up to Stop Spam Robocalls
The Federal Communications Commission is ready to crack down on robocalls, and Apple, Google, and AT&T are on board with the plan. The FCC’s new Robocall Strike Force aims to reduce the number of spam robocalls and unsolicited calls, and it looks like at least 30 companies are ready to join in and help.
Microsoft Releases OneNote Evernote Importer for Mac
When Evernote changed its free service this month to support only two devices, Microsoft OneNote suddenly looked like a great alternative. The problem was getting all of your Evernote content moved into OneNote, at least for Mac users. Microsoft fixed that problem with its new Evernote to OneNote importer for OS X, which is free, just like OneNote. You get access to all of your notes on all of your devices—Macs, iPads, iPhones, and even Apple Watch—without paying for an annual subscription. You can download the Evernote importer at Microsoft’s OneNote website.
Twitter Will Let Users Block @Mentions from Strangers
Twitter announced Thursday a new set of controls that allows users to not see @mentions from strangers. The move is being viewed as a response to Twitter trolls, though it’s more of a mask than a fix. When enabled, incoming mentions from people you don’t follow simply won’t be shown.
watchOS 3: How to Add and Customize Apple Watch Faces
watchOS 3 adds new watch faces so you can customize your Apple Watch to really make it your own. You’ll need to make a trip to the iPhone Watch app included with iOS 10 to manage your watch faces, which is pretty easy to do. Follow along with TMO’s video tip to learn how.
The Star Trek Enterprise Watch
The Roddenberry Shop has something new, the Star Trek Enterprise Watch. It’s a stainless steel watch with a face designed to look like the saucer section of U.S.S. Enterprise, complete with NCC-1701 printed on the crystal. The stripe on the band is modeled after the stripe running the length of the engineering hull. I love Star Trek stuff and thought this was awesome. It’s US$100, and is available now.
Apple Retail Drops 'Store' and I Think I Like It
Apple is in the process of rebranding its fleet of Apple Stores to a fleet of just Apple. The company is removing the word “Store” from those locations, turning them from retail outlets to outposts of the company itself. Bryan Chaffin thinks this is splendid
Add Storage to Your MacBook Air or Pro with Nifty MiniDrive: $33.99
We have a deal for you today on Nifty MiniDrive, a MicroSD card adapter that seamlessly plugs into your MacBook. Using your MicroSD card, you add up to 200GB of storage without having a USB drive sticking out the side. You can get the Nifty MiniDrive for $33.99, and our deal includes models for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
