Back from CES, your two favorite geeks have some fun stuff to report about and all of your questions to answer. The latter include things like fixing Mail.app’s CPU-hogging, which hibernatemode to use for your MacBook, and much, much more. Press play and enjoy!
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A TMO Giveaway: Win a Copy of the Roddenberry Vault on Blu-ray
Rod Roddenberry, as part of his Background Mode interview with The Mac Observer, has generously provided us with three copies of The Roddenberry Vault on Blu-ray. We’re going to give away these amazing multi-disc packages to three lucky winners. Read on to see how you can win one for your Star Trek library.
CES 2017 Wrap-up: Ellipse Bike Lock Is Smart and Solar Powered
LAS VEGAS – Lattis unveiled the Ellipse Smart Bike Lock at CES last week. In addition to being app-controlled and having a programmable combination lock, this bike lock is solar powered. That makes batteries a non-issue as long as the device sees at least one hour of sunlight per week of usage. It has a built-in accelerometer which the app harnesses for crash alerts with HPS coordinates it can send out to a designated contact. The accelerometer is also used for theft detection alerts. Another nifty feature is the ability to give a friend access through a one-time code you can send out from the app. The shackle is made from chromoly steel, and the lock is substantial. I liked the fit and finish, and the “smart” functions seem to be smart, rather than an attempt to merely bolt an app onto a lock. The device is priced at US$199, and it’s available now.
TMO Background Mode: Interview with Producer Rod Roddenberry
Rod Roddenberry is a media producer. The son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, he’s following in his father’s footsteps. It all started when Steve Jobs gave Gene Roddenberry an original Macintosh in 1984, and the young Rod started experimenting with MacPaint. Ever since then, Rod has been an Apple enthusiast. Today, Rod is carrying on his father’s work as a producer, the chief executive of Roddenberry Entertainment and the founder of the Roddenberry Foundation. And he’s currently working with the CBS All Access Star Trek: Discovery. Rod’s foundation funds small grants focused on early-stage unconventional ideas that can disrupt and serve the greater good for mankind. Rod and I chatted about all this plus his passion for preserving the Earth’s oceans. We covered a lot of ground in this fascinating interview. You won’t want to miss it.
KlikR Universal Remote Control: $19.99
The folks at Stack Commerce have brought back our deal on the KlickR. This device serves as a go-between for your iPhone and any device with an infrared receiver. Put it onto or next to the receiver and you’ll be able to control it from the companion app on your iPhone or Android device. You can also use voice controls, designate rooms and multiple devices (if you have multiple KlikRs), and more. It’s the kind of device that helps bridge legacy electronics with the Internet of Things, and we have a deal on KlikR for $19.99.
CES 2017 Wrap Up - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-09
With CES 2017 behind us, Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to talk about what stood out for them. They look at health and fitness, televisions, and more.
Sharp Planning OLED Production in Foxconn Factory for iPhone Displays
Apple’s next iPhone will reportedly sport an OLED display, and now insider sources are saying Sharp ramping up to be a supplier in a Foxconn factory. Sharp is investing about US$864 million in the production line at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou City facility in northern China to make OLED displays, presumably all for Apple.
Kensington Thunderbolt 3 Dock at CES 2017
LAS VEGAS – Kensington is stepping up to the plate with their new Thunderbolt 3 dock for the Touch Bar MacBook Pro. Louie Yao shows its features to Jeff Gamet at CES 2017.
myCharge Gets its USB-C Portable Charger Game On at CES 2017
LAS VEGAS – myCharge is well known for their portable batteries for recharging our smartphones and more, and now they’re making sure even the USB-C MacBook and MacBook Pro are covered, too. The company’s RazorPlatinum can juice up your laptop, iPhone, or iPad for US$99.99. The RazorUltra is coming soon and handles your smartphone and tablet for about $60, plus both have USB-A ports for everything else you need to power up. It’s great seeing USB-C batteries hitting the market because we’re going to see the connector showing up even more places—something that’s very clear at this year’s CES.
Elgato's Thunderbolt 3 Dock Close Up at CES 2017
LAS VEGAS – Elgato’s new Thunderbolt 3 dock loads up your Touch Bar MacBook Pro with all the ports you need. Tim Böth highlights the features for Jeff Gamet at CES 2017.
Garmin fenix 5 Watches at CES 2017
LAS VEGAS – Garmin wants to keep you looking fashionable when you’re exploring outdoors or just around town with its fenix 5 watches. Cesar Palacios shows Jeff Gamet what you can do with Garmin’s latest smartwatches at CES 2017.
iOS 10: Selectively Control Read Receipts For iMessage
If you’ve been using Apple products, you’re most likely familiar with iMessage read receipts. You probably also know you can turn this feature on and off. But did you know you can fine-tune it? Note that it only works for iMessage and not SMS. Sorry green bubbles!
CES 2017 Wireless Earpods and Drone Blocking - TMO Daily Observations 2017-01-06
ShowStoppers at CES 2017 had loads of cool tech, which means there’s more for Dave Hamilton, Bryan Chaffin, and John F. Braun to share with Jeff Gamet. They look at wireless earpods, drone and cellphone blocking, and smart lights.
How to Connect Your 2016 MacBook Pro to a mini DisplayPort Monitor
Want to connect your old Apple Cinema Display or another mini DisplayPort monitor to your new 2016 MacBook Pro? It’s possible, but not via the method you might think. Before you rush to pick up an adapter, be sure to check out these compatibility restrictions.
Apple Schedules 2017 Shareholders Meeting, Reveals Executive Pay Cut
Apple has scheduled its annual shareholders meeting for February 28, 2017 and in so doing revealed that the company’s top executives saw a pay cut in 2016 thanks to Apple’s first year-over-year sales decline in 15 years.
T-Mobile Moves Exclusively to Unlimited Data Plans
T-Mobile used CES to shake things up once again by announcing that it’s only going to offer a single $70-per-month unlimited data plan with no hidden fees or charges. It’s a great deal, but only if you can get decent cellular coverage.
This Dual-Battery Wireless Backlit Keyboard for Mac Has It All
We like backlit keyboards. We also like wireless keyboards. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many options that feature both, especially when it comes to Mac-specific models. But accessory firm Matias is looking to change that with the CES announcement of the Wireless Aluminum Keyboard with Backlight. It’s a sleek Apple-style Bluetooth keyboard with support for up to four devices and, here’s the kicker, separate batteries for the keyboard and the backlight. That means when your energy-hogging backlight goes out, you can keep on typing without skipping a beat. The keyboard ships in June in Silver and Space Gray color options, but you can pre-order now for $139.
iPod-based iPhone Prototype Revealed in Leaked Video
An early iPhone prototype based on the iPod interface has been revealed in a leaked video, providing a glimpse at what could have been.
iOS 10 Adoption Hits 76% After 4 Months, Slightly Outpacing iOS 9
iOS 10 is now installed on 76 percent of active iOS devices, according to new data released this week by Apple. This puts it slightly ahead of iOS 9’s install share during the same period last year.
Steel HR Combines Elegance of Analog Watch with Sophistication of Digital
LAS VEGAS — Withings (a Nokia company) was showing Steel HR, a watch that combines the elegance of an analog watch with the features of a smart watch, at CES Unveiled 2017. Rob Le Bras-Brown, Chief Marketing Officer, gave John F. Braun the scoop.
TrackR Delivers New pixel, wallet 2.0, atlas Products, and Alexa Integration
LAS VEGAS — At CES Unveiled 2017, TrackR demonstrated several new products in their line of personal item management devices. In other words, they help you find not only your stuff, but stuff that other people have misplaced. Mia Costa, Vice President of Marketing, gave John F. Braun an overview.
Blue Microphones Launches Sadie Headphones, Ella Headphones with Planar Speakers
LAS VEGAS – Blue Microphones announced two new high-end headphones at CES, Sadie and Ella. Sadie is essentially the next iteration of the company’s Mo-Fi headphones that I like so much. Sadie dumps the tension controls in the top band to make them lighter, and the company lightened and tightened other physical elements of the design, too. The company told me the sound profile has been tweaked, too, but until I can test them out, I won’t offer any judgement. Sadie is priced at $399.99. Ella features planar magnetic speakers, but Blue says they’ve been tuned to deliver both the detail inherent to planar magnetic speakers and the kind of impact you get from dynamic drivers. Ella also features the swing arm and hinged band that makes the Mo-Fi (and Sadie) headphones such a pleasure to wear. Ella is priced at $699.99. I’ll be covering these headphones in more detail when I review them. In the photo below, Ella is in the foreground, while Sadie is in the background.
Speck's Presidio CLEAR for MacBook Pro Has 4-Feet Drop Protection
LAS VEGAS – Speck announced a new case for MacBook Pro (13-inch) that features 4-feet drop protection. Considering the lack of a MagSafe connector for charging on Apple’s new MacBook Pro models, drop protection may be on the minds of lots of folks. Speck said the case is made from its Impactium Clear material originally used for iPhone cases. As the name suggests, Presidio CLEAR is see-through, and it has a “no-slip grip” feel to it. It ships in later in the first quarter of 2017 and is priced at US$99.95—it hasn’t yet been added to the Speck website. I’ve never been a fan of cases on MacBooks, but drop protection? Come on, that’s cool.
Robo's R2 and C2 Printers are Easy to Use Out of the Box at CES 2017
LAS VEGAS – Robo thinks 3D printers should be more than just functional, so Coby Kabili tells Jeff Gamet how the R2 and C2 printers are a great experience right out of the box at CES 2017.