Apple has been skating to the privacy puck for years, and Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro argue it’s about time Apple got some credit for it. They also talk about John’s thesis that Disney Plus pricing threw a spanner into Apple’s plans for Apple TV Plus.
Bryan Chaffin
Bryan Chaffin is the cofounder of The Mac Observer and currently serves as Afternoon Editor. He has contributed to MacAddict and MacFormat magazines, and co-authored the last two updates of iPad and iPad Pro for Dummies with Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus and Ed Baig. You can find out more about Bryan at his personal site, GeekTells, or find his Twitter link below.
Articles by Bryan Chaffin
Get the Perfect Filming Angle with This Ultra-Secure, Heavy Duty Claw Mount: $39.99
We have a deal on the myGEKOgear MagiClaw smartphone and camera mount. This claw-grip mount features a ball head that can rotate 360 degrees to get the perfect viewing angle. Plus, the phone mount stretches up to 3.35 inches so you can use it with smartphones and action cams alike. It’s $39.99 through our deal, 20% off retail.
SwiftUI: Build Beautiful, Robust Apps: $10.99
We have a deal on a tutorial for SwiftUI, Apple’s newest programming toolkit for developers. Access 37 lectures and 4 hours of content, learn how to create stunning user interfaces across all Apple platforms with Swift 5, explore APIs, data, and SwiftUI, and learn about animation and drawing. This tutorial is just $10.99 through our deal.
AirZeus 3-in-1 Fast Wireless Charging Pad:$44.99
We have a deal on the AirZeus 3-in-1 Fast Wireless Charging Pad. This device allows you to wirelessly charge your Qi-compatible iPhone, Apple Watch, and earbuds at the same time. It’s $44.99 through our deal.
Take 400 Pre-Loaded Classic 8-Bit Games Wherever You Go with This Retro-Inspired Handheld: $29.99
We have a deal on the GameBud, a retro-inspired handheld gaming device with 400 pre-loaded classic 8-bit games. You can play up to three hours on a single charge, and you can play games on your own TV via the TV-out port and included AV cable. The GameBud if $29.99 through our deal.
Mondly Lifetime Subscription Price Drop to $59.99
We have a deal on a lifetime subscription to Mondly, the language-learning platform. Mondly uses speech recognition and only gives positive feedback if you speak clearly and correctly. You can choose 5 of 33 languages to learn in your own native tongue. Stack Commerce has negotiated a price drop down to $59.99 for TMO readers (and listeners!).
Libra: Finally, a Way for Facebook to Control More, with Andrew Orr - ACM 516
Bryan Chaffin and Andrew Orr dig deep into the possibilities—for good and ill (mostly ill)—of Facebook’s new Libra cryptocurrency. They cover how it work, why Facebook went the cryptocurrency route, and what Facebook has to gain from the project. Spoiler, the answer is everything!
Sinji Over-the-Ear Bluetooth Headphones: $25.99
We have a deal on a pair of Sinji over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones. Offering a simple, no-frills design and Bluetooth 4.1, these headphones offer an inexpensive entry to over-the-ear listening. They are rechargeable, with up to 12 hours of playback time. They’re $25.99 through our deal, 67% off the retail price.
The Sexy, Minimal StandONE iPhone X Stand: $22.99
Check out the StandONE iPhone X Stand we have for a deal today. I think it looks sexy, a lovely exercise in minimalism. It’s made of uni-body stainless steel with a high-reflective, mirror-polished finish. It’s $22.99 through our deal.
QiStone2 Wireless Portable Charger: $59.99
We have a deal on the QiStone2 Wireless Portable Charger. This device has an 8,000mAh battery, a USB-C charging port, and a standard USB charging port—in addition to its Qi wireless charging ability. It’s $59.99 through our deal.
Portable 10,000mAh Power Bank: $15
We have a dal on a very inexpensive 10,000mAh portable power bank. This orange and white device has two USB ports for charging two devices at the same time—and both ports push 2.4 amps. This device is just $15 through our deal.
ProBASE C Aluminum Monitor Stand with Built-in USB Hub: $119.99
We have a deal on the ProBASE C Aluminum Monitor Stand. Made from aluminum and designed to match the styling of your iMac 5K, this device has a built-in USB hub with three USB Type-A ports (USB 3.0) and one USB Type-C port. It also features a concealed drawer to store flash drives, external HDDs, memory cards, stationery, pens, etc. This stand is $119.99 through our deal.
PaMu Scroll True Wireless Earbuds: $69.99
We have a deal on a pair of PaMu Scroll True Wireless Earbuds with a charging case. These earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.0, touch controls, and allow you to connect to Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant. There are four colors to choose from, and their $69.9 through our deal, a 53% discount off retail.
Apple's New Mac Pro: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, with John Kheit - ACM 515
Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit dig into Apple’s new Mac Pro, covering the good, the bad, and the ugly. They talk specs, costs, some of the things that came out since the keynote, and weigh the very important question of whether they want one. Spoiler, yes, but John’s actually likely to pull the trigger. Bryan also makes sure to give John plenty of room to take his victory laps for the many things he got right leading up to this long-awaited announcement.
AirDock 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station:
We have a deal on the AirDock 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station, which allows you to charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods at the same time. There’s a Qi charger for your iPhone, an Apple Watch wireless charger, and cradle with a Lightning port for your AirPods case. This device is $34.99 through our deal.
EvaSMART 2 Smart Personal Air Conditioner: $199
Check out the EvaSMART 2, a personal air conditioner that combines the functionality of a humidifier and air conditioner into a single device. It uses natural evaporative cooling to lower the temperature around you, and filters out dust particles. And, it can be operated via an on-board touch pad, mobile app, or simply your voice. it’s also compatible with Alexa and Google Home. Plus, it consumes just 12.5 W of power. This device is $199 through our deal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90FTZ0Vlgnk
Stabilize Your Phone, Switch Shooting Positions and More with This Innovative Gimbal: $99
Check out our deal on the VILTA-SE (Special Edition) 3-Axis Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer. As the name says, it’s a 3-axis, handheld gimbal for stabilizing your iPhone (and Android device) videos. This model allows you to seamlessly switch your phone between landscape and portrait modes, adjust your shot’s focus manually via the built-in focus wheel, and stow/transport it with a magnetic locking mechanism. It’s $99 through our deal. The promo video below shows the device in action.
Apple Card vs. All the Cards and What Is Apple Becoming, with Jeff Gamet - ACM 514
Apple Card is coming soon, and Bryan Chaffin and guest-cohost Jeff Gamet compare it to the Amazon Prime card and other credit cards. They also dive into the heady topic of what exactly Apple is in the process of coming. Spoiler, Jeff guesses wrong when he says “a services company.”
Monitor the Quality and Safety of the Air You Breathe Wherever You Go with AtmoTube Plus: $79.99
We have a deal on a device called AtmoTube Plus that monitors the quality and safety of the air—and it’s small enough to clip on to your belt or purse. It measures real-time air pollution caused by harmful gases and a wide range of Volatile Organic compounds (VOCs) like acetone, methanol, benzene, ethanol, toluene, xylene, and formaldehyde. It also measures atmospheric pressure, temperature, and humidity. It communicates with your iPhone (or Android device) via Bluetooth 5.0. You can get this device through our deal for $79.99.
25% Discounts on Private Internet Access VPN Subscriptions - 1 Year, 2 Year, 3 Year
We have a 25% discount on 1, 2, and 3-year subscriptions to Private Internet Access VPN, a VPN service for Mac, iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux. Private Internet Access VPN uses Blowfish CBC encryption to keep your data under lock and key, and the company maintains a no-logging policy. I’m linking to a deal on a 1-year subscription, but you can also choose 2 and 3-year options. Coupon code WEEKEND25 will take another 25% off at checkout, meaning 1 year starts at $37.49.
Happy Memorial Day!
In honor of Memorial Day, a U.S. holiday, the staff of The Mac Observer will be taking the day off. We will resume our regular coverage of the Apple Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch world on Tuesday, May 28th, as we lead up to Apple’s 2019 Worldwide Developer Conference.
Mac Hardware at WWDC, AppKit vs. UIKit, Next-Gen Wi-Fi, with John Kheit - ACM 513
Bryan Chaffin and guest John Kheit start this week’s show off with an immediate siderail about The Curse of Oak Island and Cooper’s Treasure, because that’s what they do. The real topics, however, include what Apple’s MacBook Pro announcement might mean for Mac hardware at WWDC. They also look at the brewing fight between UIKit and AppKit, and what’s coming in the world of Wi-Fi.
SCOUT Wireless 5,000mAh Portable Charger: $34 with Coupon Code
We have a deal on the SCOUT Wireless 5,000mAh Portable Charger, a Qi charger that also has three different built-in charging cables, all in a compact form factor. Those cables include USB-C, USB-A (regular USB), and a Lightning cable. That means you can use it on your new iPad Pro and your iPhone X/S/R/Max, too. It’s $39.99 through our deal, but coupon code WEEKEND15 brings it down to $34 at checkout. Here’s a promo video with a closer look: