It’s an investment fund that puts its money in the cryptocurrencies supported by Coinbase, currently Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin.
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
Apple Applies for a Patent on a Sealed Lightning Connector Tip
Apple had applied for a patent on a rather nifty idea: a Lightning connector with a tip that expands to form a liquid-tight seal. Patently Apple, which first spotted the patent application, has all the details, but the short version is that the male Lightning tip would be able to expand once plugged in, with the result being a liquid-tight seal. That has practical uses as protections from seals, but it could also be a key feature for underwater filming and other uses. This is an application, not yet a granted patent, but it’s the kind of invention I could see making it into the wild as a shipping product,
iPhone Addiction, Shenanigans with Kelly, Why TV Rocks/Sucks - Pop.0 Ep.32
In this TMO video podcast, Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit are (quite unbelievably) joined by the illustrious Kelly Guimont and discuss iPhone addiction, Shenanigans with Kelly (watch John shove foot directly in mouth). They also talk about why TV rocks, or sucks if you’re wrong, like John. They cap the show with a couple of show picks. (WARNING NSFW: PROFANITY & RANTS)
The Apple HomePod Giveaway
Hey, check it out: we’re giving away an Apple HomePod with our friends at Stack Commerce. To enter, sign up for The Mac Observer’s deal emails—if you’ve already signed up, click the “Enter to Win” green button on the deal landing page. The Sweepstakes ends in 26 days, so giddy up!
Paper Airplanes, Creepy Movie App Tracking, Voice Assistant Wars - ACM 452
In this episode, Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet geek out on paper airplanes, or more properly, powered paper airplanes! They also talk about MoviePass location tracking and the voice assistant wars (spoiler, not all home voice assistants are equal).
Pzizz Pro 3-Year Subscription: $49.99
We have a deal on a three year subscription of Pzizz Pro. This service works through an app on your iPhone (or Android device, if that’s your jam). I haven’t tested it, but it’s well-liked by some famous folks, including JK Rowling. In any event, it uses “psychoacoustic principles to ease your mind and ensure your sleep is as regenerating as it should be.” A three-year subscription is $49.99 through us, 83% off retail.
Blue Microphones Launches Compass, a Boom Arm Big Enough Even for a Yeti
Blue Microphones announced Compass, a microphone boom arm that’s big enough that it can even support a Yeti, as shown in the pic. Made from extruded aluminum, Compass features a desk clamp for mounting, and the arms have both internal springs and built-in cable management. With the right mount or shockmount, Compass supports mics that weigh up to 2.4 pounds, including the above-mentioned Yeti, as well as Blue’s Blackout Spark SL. It will, of course, support other mics, including podcasting favs Heil PR 30 and PR 40, as well as the Rode Podcaster, all three of which weigh less than 2.4 pounds. Blue’s Compass boom arm is priced at $99.99, and it’s available now. There’s also a Yeticaster Bundle, which includes Blue’s Yeti, the new Radius III shockmount for Yeti, and Compass, for $199.99.
1MORE Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones: $149.99
We have a deal on a pair of 1MORE Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones. They’re THX Certified, and were tuned by Grammy-winning sound engineer Luca Bignardi. As the name suggests, they also have four drivers in each ear. They’re $149.99 through us.
Earth 3D for Mac on Sale for $1
Earth 3D for Mac is on sale for a buck (thanks to John Kheit for the heads up). It’s a gorgeous app—if you have a solid video card—that shows you our planet. It includes thousands of geographic features, more than 500 wonders, a day/night view, a screensaver mode, support for multi-monitors, and it’s just amazing. As I mentioned, you need a good video card for it to work, but at a $1, it’s worth the risk if you aren’t sure (or are getting a new Mac!). It has a 4.5 Star rating on the App Store.
The Wanle Gamer Console Case Turns Your iPhone into a Classic Handheld Game: $33.99
Check out the the Wanle Gamer Console case for your iPhone. It fits over the back of your iPhone, and it has a a built-in classic handheld gaming console, complete with display and controls. It also comes preinstalled with 10 games, including Tetris, Tank, Snake, Formula One Racing, and more. It’s $33.99 through us.
Apple Seeds macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 Developer Beta 4
The two biggest known new features in this release cycle are Messages on iCloud and Business Chat, and users will also find the gorgeous wallpaper included with iMac Pro.
Apple Seeds iOS 11.3 Developer Beta 4
The update continues testing with known new features.
A List of Apple Changes that Were Mocked, Then Copied, Then Made Standard
Dave Mark put together a great list of changes Apple made that were first mocked, then copied, then made standard by the industry. You know, like we’re seeing with the iPhone X notch. Or ditching the floppy drive. Or making a phone without a physical keyboard. These are all things Apple was skewered for doing, and yet now it’s hard to imagine how it could have gone any other way. Head over to The Loop for Dave Mark’s full list. It’s a surprisingly long list!
Nix Mini Color Sensor: $69
We have a deal on the Nix Mini Color Sensor. This device senses color so you can match it to one of 31,000 brand name paint colors. If you’re looking for digital color matching, it will also give you the RGB, HEX, CMYK, and LAB colors. The Nix Mini Color Sensor is $69 through us, 30% off retail.
Audioengine Made Its A5+ Speakers Wireless, with Built-in Bluetooth and DAC
Audioengine announced the A5+ Wireless Speakers Thursday, marrying the great sound of the A5+ to an internal Bluetooth receiver with a built-in digital audio converter (DAC).
Apple Releases Logic Pro X 10.4.1 with Dozens of Bug Fixes
The maintenance release patch notes include six bug fixes in the Mac App Store, but the full patch notes on Apple’s site—and included in full in the article—list more than a hundred bug fixes. Most are minor GUI and performance-related fixes.
That Time Steve Wozniak Got Scammed Out of $75,000 in Bitcoin
The anecdote came up when Woz was speaking at The Economic Times of India’s Global Business Summit, and the scam involved a stolen credit card and a reversed transaction.
Apple TV, NRA, and Content Blocking, Dumping iTunes, USB-C Mistake, Shoe Tech - Pop.0 Ep.31
In this TMO video podcast, Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit discuss Apple TV, the NRA, and the idea of content blocking. They also talk about whether Apple might dump iTunes, and if so, when? John offers his thoughts on how the USB-C standards design was a mistake. They also offer a couple of show picks, and it’s all about shoe tech. (WARNING NSFW: PROFANITY & RANTS)
FenSense Smart License Plate Holder Sends Wireless Parking Data to Your iPhone: $119.99
We have a deal on an interesting device called FenSens. It’s a license plate holder for your car with embedded sensors that wirelessly send parking data to an app on your iPhone or Android device. It’s $119.99 through us.
Apple Enters Medicine, Vero Viability, Cellebrite Insecurity - ACM 451
Apple is entering into the business of medicine, and Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Gamet explore the ramifications of this momentous development. They also discuss whether or not the Vero social network is viable, as well as Cellebrite’s claim that it can open up most iOS devices.
Qi Wireless Fast Charging Car Charger: $29.99
We have a deal on a Qi Wireless Fast Charging Car Charger. It works with iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, as well as various and sundry Android devices. It has a 360 degree rotating head, and it slips over your car’s air vents. It’s $29.99 through us.
Apple Signs M. Night Shyamalan Series (Spoiler: It Will Have a Surprise Ending)
Apple ordered 10 episodes of the 30 minute drama from writer Tony Basgallop, and mum’s the word on the plot.
Chuck Joiner Interviews Bryan Chaffin on Bitcoin Faucets, HomePod, and Apple's Communications Decisions
I had the pleasure of being on MacVoices 18067 with Chuck Joiner this week. He interviewed me about Bitcoin faucets and my take on the HomePod. We also had a rip-roaring argument on Throttlegate, and how it was a self-inflicted communication error on Apple’s part, but it’s cool because in the end Chuck admitted I was right. OK, he didn’t exactly do that, but it’s always good talking with Chuck. Check it out.
Private Internet Access VPN 1 Year Subscription: $34.95
We have a deal on a 1-year subscription to Private Internet Access VPN. This VPN specializes in privacy protections, including IP cloaking, a kill switch that stops your data traffic if the VPN stops working, data mining blocking, and more. You can get one year of service from Private Internet Access VPN for $34.95 through us, with three and five year deals available, too.