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Andrew Orr

Since 2015 Andrew has been writing about Apple, privacy, security, and at one point even Android. You can find him most places online under the username @andrewornot.

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Articles by Andrew Orr

Cool Stuff Found

Glenn Fleishmann Introduces Free Book ‘Take Control of Zoom Essentials’

Andrew Orr ·

Glenn Fleishman has released a free version of his book called “Take Control of Zoom Essentials” as well as updated the paid version called “Take Control of Zoom”. Take Control shared the news in a blog post:

Yesterday, we released two Zoom-related books by Glenn Fleishman: a new, free book called Take Control of Zoom Essentials and a gigantic version 1.1 update to the comprehensive Take Control of Zoom. We know a lot of people are using Zoom for work and school, and we hope you find these books helpful.

Zoom usage has skyrocketed now that more people have been working and learning from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Consider these books to know everything you want to know about using the video sharing platform.

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US Teen Wrote 27,000 Wikipedia Entries in Language he Doesn’t Speak

Andrew Orr ·

Consider this filed under “wacky Friday news”. A teenager in the U.S. created or edited 49% of the Scots language Wikipedia, despite having no understanding of the language.

[…] Michael Dempster, the director of the Scots Language Centre based in Perth, takes a more ameliorative approach and says he is now in conversation with the Wikimedia Foundation about the prospect of properly re-editing the teenager’s contributions.

“We know that this kid has put in an incredible amount of work, and he has created an editable infrastructure. It’s a great resource but it needs people who are literate in Scots to edit it now. It has the potential to be a great online focus for the language in the future.”

Cool Stuff Found

AR Game ‘The Witcher: Monster Slayer’ Announced

Andrew Orr ·

An AR game called “The Witcher: Monster Slayer” is coming in the future. Evocative of Pokémon Go, this exploration game challenges you to become an elite monster hunter. See the world around you transformed into the dark fantasy realm of The Witcher, and explore once-familiar locations now infested with dangerous beasts as you start on the path as a professional monster slayer. A release date has not been announced but you can sign up to be notified via email.

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Will we see an Apple Search Engine in the Future?

Andrew Orr ·

Jon Henshaw of Coywolf speculates that we may see an Apple search engine in the future based on several factors.

Apple is investing heavily in search, as shown in their job postings for search engineers. The job listings reveal they incorporate AI, ML, NLP, and more into all of their services and apps.

In July 2020, Apple published a significant update to its About Applebot support page. The additions are very similar to the details Google provides to webmasters and SEOs.

It’s an interesting idea, for sure. It could be an Apple search engine, or Apple adding improvements to Siri.

Twelve South Introduces BookBook iPad Keyboard Case
Cool Stuff Found

Twelve South Introduces BookBook iPad Keyboard Case

Andrew Orr ·

BookBook Cover is a new product from Twelve South that combines its genuine leather case with a keyboard for iPads. BookBook looks like a vintage book. But the big story is the level of protection it delivers. Inside, soft micro-suede protects the iPad surface. Outside, hardback book covers with reinforced corners and a crush-proof spine protect iPad from drops, dings and other hazards. Dual-zippers let you charge iPad while keeping the case closed. As a bonus, BookBook disguises your iPad, keeping it hidden from from itchy fingers even when it’s in plain sight. You can pick one up for US$69.99.

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Pixelmator Pro on Sale After Reaching 10,000 Five Star Reviews

Andrew Orr ·

Pixelmator Pro reached a milestone on Tuesday: It has gained over 10,000 five star reviews in the Mac App Store. To celebrate, the team is offering Pixelmator Pro at 30% off for the next several weeks.

So, after all the hard work that has gone into making Pixelmator Pro the app we knew it could be, this moment is extra sweet. And, of course, we have no plans to stop, another major updates is currently in beta and we’re already working on something extra special for Pixelmator Pro 2.0, which is also be a free update. You’ll love it, we promise.

Cool Stuff Found

Apple Updates iMovie With Comic, Comic Mono, Ink Filters

Andrew Orr ·

Apple released an update for Final Cut Pro X for professional video editors. For the editors that are perhaps more casual, iMovie 2.2.10 was also updated. Give your videos a hand-drawn look with 3 new filters: Comic, Comic Mono and Ink; Choose from 25 new soundtracks — in genres including action, chill, and sentimental — that automatically adjust to match the length of your movie; Addresses an issue that could prevent the viewer from updating after duplicating a photo in the timeline; Improves reliability of Redo when editing a trailer; Includes performance and stability improvements.

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Directors of Apple TV+ ‘Boys State’ Discuss ‘Girls State’ Sequel

Andrew Orr ·

The directors of documentary “Boys State” on Apple TV+, Jesse Moss and Amanda Mcbaine, discuss the film. They also mention they are actively developing a sequel to examine a similar program called “Girls State.”

We’re actively developing what we call a sibling, or sequel, to this film which is a look at a Girls State program.  Had there been, as Steven Garza says early in the film, a “people’s state,” we might have been drawn to an experiment that brings both girls and boys together in the same space. The film we made does provide an unexpected and we think valuable look at masculinity in this moment. It’s hard to know how the dynamics would be different, either within an all female space, or a space in which there was equal representation. It’s something we think about a lot.