We’re seeing more reports about a new iPhone screen size for 2017, so Bryan Chaffin and Mac Geek Gab’s John F. Braun join Jeff Gamet weigh in on what may be coming next year. They also look back on Apple’s first ten employees, and note the update of death for Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 smartphone-of-fire.
The Mac Observer's Daily Observations Podcast
Join Ken Ray each weekday as he assembles a panel of TMO staffers and contributors to talk through the iPhone and other Apple stories and news of the day. Quick, informative, and entertaining. Make Daily Observations a part of your day!
Episodes
Amazon Echo, Police, and Privacy - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-28
With police getting search warrants for Amazon Echo recordings questions about personal privacy are on the rise. Dave Hamilton and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to look at what Amazon’s Echo hears and records, what our other smarthome devices may be logging, and what that means for our privacy and police investigations.
Apple's AirTunes Trademark, AI White Paper - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-27
Apple is reviving its AirTunes trademark, which has some thinking there’s a new product in the works. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to share what they think is in store for the AirTunes name, plus they look at Apple’s first artificial intelligence white paper.
Uber Location Privacy, AirPods Followup - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-23
Uber is in the spotlight again over privacy concerns. Bryan Chaffin and the Maccast’s Adam Christianson join Jeff Gamet to look at how Uber is collecting location data and how we can block that, plus Adam shares his AirPods experience.
Spam Call Blockers, USB-C iPhone - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-22
AT&T is getting in on spam call blocking, so Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to look at how their system works and talk about other spam call blockers, too. They also discuss why replacing the Lightning connector on the iPhone with USB-C might not be a bad thing.
Apple's Mixed Mac Message, Favorite Holiday Movies - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-21
Apple seems to be sending mixed messages about its commitment to the Mac platform. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to discuss where the Mac is today and what may be in store for it over the next couple years. They also share some of their favorite holiday movies.
AirPods Review with Michael Johnston - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-20
Michael Johnston from The iOS Show joins Jeff Gamet to review Apple’s just released AirPods wireless earpods. They dive into the setup, performance, sound quality, fit, and more to help you decide if they’re worth the $159 price tag.
AirPods Alternatives, Plastic OLED - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-19
Apple’s AirPods are in the company’s retail stores, but that doesn’t mean you can buy them. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to look at the limited availability for AirPods, and offer up some alternative wireless earbud options. They also look at Plastic OLED and explain what that means for future iPhone models.
Super Mario Run, Astra for iPhone - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-16
Super Mario Run hit Apple’s App Store yesterday, so today Bryan Chaffin joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the game and whether or not it’s worth the US$9.99 in-app purchase. They also talk about why Astra is an awesome iPhone app for Amazon Echo and Echo Dot owners.
Yahoo's Data Breach, Mac Laptop Battery Time Estimates - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-15
Yahoo! lost over a billion user’s account information in a data breach. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to talk about what happened, and share some tips for protecting your accounts and data from hackers. They also look at some apps for showing the battery time remaining estimate on your Mac laptop.
Apple's Big Data Storage Deficit - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-14
Our iPhones, iPads, and Macs can store more and more, but Apple isn’t doing much to address our data storage and backup needs outside of those devices. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to look at the issue and talk about what Apple could do to help ensure we have the storage and backup services we need.
The Big TV App Rant - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-13
Apple released tvOS 10.1 and iOS 10.2 yesterday with the new TV app. Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to explain why the app is too hobbled in its current state, and discuss what needs to change before it’s truly useful.
Apple's Ongoing AirPods Delay, Calendar's Spam Fix - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-12
Apple said it would ship its AirPods wireless earbuds in October, but that came and went and we still don’t know when they’ll hit store shelves. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to look at what’s keeping Apple from shipping AirPods, and what needs to happen if they ship in time for Christmas. They also dive into Apple’s first attempt to address spam invitations in the Calendar app.
Apple Shares AI Research, Listener Comments - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-09
Apple is changing course and letting its engineers publish their research into artificial intelligence. John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on why Apple would do that, plus they respond to a listener comment questioning why Jeff is critical of HomeKit.
Smarthome Automation for the Holidays - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-08
The holidays are a great time for showing off your smarthome skills, so Kelly Guimont and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to share some tips. They talk about Siri, Amazon Echo, IFTTT, and more.
MacBook Pro USB-C Donglegate - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-07
People seem pretty uptight about Apple’s transition to dongle adapters for peripherals on our Macs, so Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on whether or not it’s a big deal. Spoiler: They can’t agree.
Amazon Go Shopping, iPhone as a Desktop Computer - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-06
First Amazon wanted to be your go-to online shopping destination, and now the company wants to be your local brick-and-mortar store, too. John Martellaro and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to look at Amazon’s planned cashier-free grocery store, plus they dive into the possibility of our iPhones becoming our only computing device.
Fake News and Snatched iPhones – TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-05
The UK police got unlocked access to a suspect’s iPhone but, unlike the FBI earlier this year, they didn’t have to ask Apple to hack it. Interestingly, though, the FBI did something very similar to the UK police a few years ago. Listen to hear more. Then it’s on to how Apple might just be our last hope to save the integrity of the internet. John Martellaro explains!
Uber Sees You When You're Sleeping…Around – TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-02
“I’ll be watching you” is a line that might make Sting look a lot more prescient after you hear this episode. Uber and Waze want to know where you are even more than they used to, and Apple wants to put drones in the air over your roads and in front of your homes, at least for a little bit. It’s a brave new world. Our advice: don’t go outside without pants on.
Apple's Tribes and Cloud Services – TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-01
There is a long history of tribes discussing, analyzing and, yes, chastising Apple. That’s more true today than it ever has been… or is it? How much of the past reflects in the future? Those very same tribes often talk about Apple’s need to increase the amount of free iCloud storage provided to each user. Are they right? Join TDO today as John Martellaro, Adam Christianson and Dave Hamilton discuss!
TMO Daily Observations 2016-11-30: Offline Netflix and AirPods Alternatives
Netflix is now beginning to allow offline viewing for some content and Tim Cook suggests that he anticipates AirPods will ship in the next few weeks. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Dave Hamilton today to chat through all this… and more, including a few recommendations for AirPods alternatives that you can buy today.
TMO Daily Observations 2016-11-29: Why the iPhone isn't Made in the US
There’s a call for Apple to bring more of its production into the United States, but will that work for the iPhone? John Martellaro and the Maccast’s Adam Christianson join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on what could be keeping iPhone production in China.
TMO Daily Observations 2016-11-28: 2017 iPhone Design Changes, Calendar Invitation Spam
Apple may have some big changes in store for the 2017 iPhone model. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to offer up their thoughts on a 3D camera, thinner display bezel, and removing the Home button, plus Bryan has a tip on dealing with spam invitations in the Calendar app.
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.