Apple’s encryption debate isn’t over yet. Several days ago, a man assassinated the Russian ambassador to Turkey before turning the gun on himself. Now, Russian and Turkish authorities have asked Apple to unlock the shooter’s iPhone 4s.
iPhone
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.
AT&T Launches Spam Call Blocking with Call Protect for iPhone
AT&T launched a new spam call blocking service this week called Call Protect. The service blocks calls before they reach your iPhone, but it comes with some big limitations.
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.
Here's Why a Plastic OLED Display iPhone Is a Good Thing
A new report claims Apple’s next iPhone will replace the glass LED display with curved Plastic OLED. On the surface that sounds like a bad idea because plastic, after all, scratches much easier than glass—but in this case, “Plastic OLED” doesn’t mean “plastic display.”
What You Get for Super Mario Run's $10 In-app Purchase
Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad is free to play, but that’s a little misleading. Without making the US$9.99 in-app purchase to unlock all of the game’s levels, there isn’t much you can do. Read on to see what your ten dollars gets you.
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.
Turn Your iPhone into an Amazon Echo with Astra
Amazon’s Echo and Echo Dot are pretty cool, but what if you don’t have one yet—or aren’t home to use yours? That’s where Astra comes in. It’s an iPhone app that links to your Amazon account so you talk talk to Alexa just as if you’re right in front of your own Echo. The app lets you do pretty much everything your Echo or Echo Dot can handle, except for music playback or reading audio books. You can also remotely control your Echo-aware smarthome devices with your voice, which is worth the app’s US$0.99 price tag all by itself. You can get Astra at Apple’s App Store.
Super Mario Run Available for iPhone and iPad
As promised, Super Mario Run for the iPhone and iPad launched on Apple’s App Store on Thursday. The game marks Mario’s first official appearance on Apple’s mobile devices and was first teased this fall, and if the hype is any indication productivity is going to take a serious hit for the rest of today.
2017 iPhone Rumor Roundup
iPhone 7 is still wet behind the ears, but Rumors are already flying over 2017 iPhone. It will be the iPhone’s tenth anniversary, and expectations are high for Apple’s next model. It’s still early in the rumor cycle, but here are some of the highest-profile rumors and supposed leaks so far, as well as what they might really mean.
Apple Watch: Editing Your Workout Screen
Today’s Quick Tip is about working out with your Apple Watch. You can make your workout view look any way you’d like, so whether you’re a statistics person or a “one thing at a time” type, you’ll get what you want. We’ll also show you how to customize each kind of workout!
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!
UK Police Circumvent iOS Encryption By Snatching iPhone Out of Suspect's Hands
Forget backdoors and lawsuits. Police in the UK have come up with an interesting solution to Apple’s strong iOS encryption: they simply waited for the suspect to unlock his device and then snatched it right out of his hands.
UK Study Finds 99% of Fake iPhone Chargers Fail Safety Test
Sure, that counterfeit iPhone charger on Amazon is less than half the price of a real one, but according to a recent UK study, it may also kill you. When it comes to electricity, you probably shouldn’t be too frugal.
Apple Adds Online Form for Checking iPhone 6s Battery Replacement Eligibility
Apple added an online form for checking your iPhone 6s eligibility for a battery replacement program. The program itself was announced in November, but it was initially up to customers to figure out if their serial number was eligible. The form allows owners to simply enter that serial number and be told if it’s eligible.
How to Check if Your iPhone 6s is Eligible for Apple's Free Battery Service Program
Is your iPhone 6s unexpectedly shutting down, even when you have plenty of battery charge left? If so, your device may be suffering from a known battery issue, and Apple is now willing to repair affected devices for free. Here’s how to check if your iPhone 6s is eligible.
Next iPhone to Sport Wireless Charging Like Apple Watch
2017 is the year the iPhone finally gets wireless charging. That’s the word, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who says Apple plans to bring inductive charging to the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models with next fall’s refresh.
Next iPhone May Sport 3D Camera
Apple’s 2017 iPhone refresh may sport dual-camera 3D photo support based on LG Innotek camera technology. That sounds pretty cool and could be a sign Apple is ready to add adjustable depth of field and 3D image support to the iPhone lineup.
iOS and watchOS: Seeing Historical Heart Rate Data
Today’s Quick Tip is all about using the iPhone’s Health app to view collected heart rate data from your Apple Watch. If you’ve never looked through that info, then boy, are you gonna be surprised at how much you can see! It’s a little nuts, to be honest.
Apple Launches Multi-Touch Repair Program for iPhone 6 Plus
Apple has launched a repair program for iPhone 6 Plus devices that suffer a flickering display or Multi-Touch issues. The program’s description specifies devices that experience these troubles “after being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device.”
iOS 10: Deleting Previous Handwritten Messages
If you haven’t tried out iOS 10’s new handwriting mode in Messages, you’re gonna want to check out today’s Quick Tip. We’ll cover not only how to use this feature but how to erase the (potentially embarrassing) things you’ve drawn!
Apple Offers Refurb iPhone 6s/Plus on Apple Store Starting at $449
Apple began offering refurbished iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus devices on the Apple Store Tuesday. Refurbished iPhone 6s models start at US$449 with 16GB of storage, while 16GB iPhone 6s Plus models start at $529. 64GB iPhone 6s Plus are currently priced at $589.
iOS 10: Airplane Mode Doesn't Turn Off All Radios (GPS, NFC)
With iOS 8.2 and earlier, Airplane mode in iOS would turn off all four radios in an iPhone: Bluetooth, Cellular, GPS and Wi-Fi. Starting in iOS 8.3, that changed with GPS. Plus, starting with iPhone 6, NFC is not disabled either.
