Writing for ZDNet, Chris Matyszczyk thinks Apple’s latest privacy ad is a joke. He was expecting a serious message about privacy and thinks the video was too superficial.
We’re offered scenes from everyday life, in which people assert their need not to have their conversations overheard, yet they’re played for comedy. There are times when you need to lock strangers — or teachers or even members of your family — out of your personal life.
In my opinion, that’s exactly why I think the ad was great. Most non-tech people don’t want or don’t understand conversations about encryption, open-source, VPNs, etc. Non-tech people are still using Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram despite the awful things Facebook does. Non-tech people are who Apple makes products for.
Security expert Maik Morgenstern talks about iPhones and viruses and how in theory an iPhone could get one.
“In theory, yes,” Maik Morgenstern, chief technology officer for AV-Test, told Digital Trends. “However, the practical hurdles are quite high, and it is unlikely for a normal user to get affected. But vulnerabilities exist that can be exploited by attackers.”
LONDON – For most people, having their iPhone crushed is the ultimate nightmare. Not for scientists at the University of Plymouth, Cult of Mac reported. The UK university put an iPhone into a high-powered blender to discover what chemical elements a handset is made up of. There’s a video too, if does cause you too much pain to watch.
The video does a good job of breaking down the precise quantities of elements which go into a smartphone. Where it gets particularly interesting, however, is looking at this figure in the context of the 1.4 billion mobile phones produced each year, Among other astonishing figures, that includes 52 tons of gold, 131 tons of silver, and a mind-boggling 10.2 kilotons of chromium. Unfortunately, a large number of these handsets are made using conflict minerals from various parts of the world.
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Apple doesn’t make it easy, for some crazy reason, to go into iOS Settings and look up the version and generation of an iPad or iPhone. For example, is that an iPad mini 3 or mini 4 on your desk? Apple’s update cycles can be so long, we sometimes forget! iPhone Life writes:
“The first piece of information you’ll need to help discover which iPad version you own is to find your iPad’s model number. Once you’ve found the model number on your iPad, you can learn which type and generation of iPad you own…” [by going to the handy tables provided.]
The tables in this article are very handy, worthy of a bookmark.
Ever taken a lovely portrait, only for it to be ruined by someone lurking in the background? Apple feels you. Ever had a nice snap of your partner, but their friend or colleague features in it accidentally? Again, Apple feels you. That’s why it introduced depth control to iOS- the ability to adjust the depth of field before or after a picture is taken. As a new video released Sunday shows, the depth control tool can also help defuse an awkward conversation with your partner!
Where is Apple going with its content drive? Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest-host Charlotte Henry to dive deep into original shows, services, publishing, news, and Apple’s other content ambitions. They also talk about the promise (and potential drawbacks) of Marzipan, and what Apple’s recent executive shuffling might portend.
It’s time to break down Apple’s earnings, and Bryan Chaffin is joined by guest-host Jeff Gamet to do just that. They also discuss the ins and outs, ups and downs, and even some sideways aspects of Apple’s iPhone strategy. They cap the show with a look at Apple’s one weird trick of goosing Mac sales, which is to release new Macs.
Apple relies on China for a huge part of its manufacturing needs. But why can’t the company bring it back to the United States? Custom screws.
The challenges in Texas illustrate problems that Apple would face if it tried to move a significant amount of manufacturing out of China. Apple has found that no country — and certainly not the United States — can match China’s combination of scale, skills, infrastructure and cost.
Manufacturing and cheap labor are the reasons why Apple and other companies go to China. The GOP can talk about bringing jobs like that back, but it’s not an easy problem to solve.
9to5Mac writes: “Apple has been granted a patent today which illustrates how future products such as iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch could have built-in sensors to detect harmful, poisonous gasses, such as CO…” [and others.] Now we’re getting into Star Trek’sTricorder territory. I expect these kind of technical advances to continue. Early earthquake warnings?
Bryan Chaffin is joined by Andrew Orr to talk about social media and photography. They also talk about where AR can go and what the killer app of this emerging technology could be. Still donning their futurist hats, they look at what iPhone might in 10, 20, and even 50 years.
In this episode, Bob LeVitus tells Bryan Chaffin all about the Cricut. This thing can cut 150 different substances, draw, write, and like I said, even sew. And you can control it from your Mac, iPhone, or iPad. They also discuss Rocket Book, which is part reusable paper (you can erase it!) and part app-based service that will scan what you write and draw and convert text with OCR. They cap the show with a look at Setapp and why they think this multi-app service for the Mac is great.
Operations are supposed to be what Tim Cook does best. Under Steve Jobs he was the Chief Operating Officer at Apple. And while he may have done a great job there, he is a failure at it as CEO.
Mophie announced Juice Pack Access, a new line of wireless-charging battery cases for iPhone X/XS, XS Max, XR, The “Access” in the name refers to access to the Lightning port on your iPhone (for headphones). The case includes a 2,200mAh chargeable battery, and you can QuickCharge the case, too, making the whole thing wireless if you so wish. Combined with your iPhone’s internal battery, the company says you can get up to 25 hours of charge time on the smaller iPhone models, and 31 hours of charge on iPhone XS Max. That’s with a relatively slim footprint, too. It’s priced at $119 and scheduled to ship later in the 1st quarter of 2019.
I heart this so much. There aren’t enough emojis in the world to describe how much I love Apple’s giant message to CES: “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone.” It’s on a massive outdoor sign hanging on the side of a ::checks notes:: Marriott…wait, is Apple trolling Marriott, too? Fitting, ifso. Whatever, the target is ostensibly Google, Facebook, Amazon, Android, and the myriad of companies whose customers are the product. And that message is being delivered to CES in Las Vegas, a show Apple doesn’t bother to attend. Chris Velazco of Engadget tweeted the first image I could find (below), and Mashable‘s Adam Rosenberg pitched it as, “Apple spent money to publicly troll everyone else’s privacy issues at CES.” Again with the feels, Apple. Thanks for brightening my day.
Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit chew on Apple’s rare guidance warning like the mangy junk yard dogs that they are. They also discuss innovation, scale, how a giant Apple should be structured, and what a Macintosh, Inc. spinoff might look like. It’s a rollicking episode, and you’re cordially invited to listen in!
