Apple didn’t sign the amicus brief opposing the second travel ban executive order, but that doesn’t mean the company supports it. John Martellaro and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to talk about Apple’s political versus business positions, plus they look at the features that keep them using their Apple Watch.
Jeff Gamet
Jeff Gamet is the Mac Observer’s Managing Editor, and co-host of the Apple Context Machine podcast. He is the author of “The Designer’s Guide to Mac OS X” from Peachpit Press, and writes for several design-related publications. Jeff has presented at events such as Macworld Expo, the RSA Conference, and the Mac Computer Expo. In all his spare time, he also hosts TMO’s Daily Observations podcast, co-hosts The iOS Show podcast, and makes guest appearances on several other shows, too. Jeff dreams in HD.
Articles by Jeff Gamet
Here's an iOS 11 Lock Screen Concept We Can Get Behind
Matt Birchler mocked up a great concept for iOS 11’s lock screen and we’re hoping Apple is taking notes. His ideas are plausible because he builds on what Apple already gave us in iOS 10 with enhancements like a current weather badge, grouped and organized notifications, “smart notifications” triggered by activity or location, and more. Matt also took the time to explain his ideas, and now we’re seriously wondering why there hasn’t ever been a weather complication on our iPhone screens. You can check out Matt’s iOS 11 lock screen concept at the Birchtree website.
LEGO Tape? Sign Me Up!
LEGO and tape are two words I hadn’t thought to put together until I saw Nimuno Loops, which is exactly that: LEGO-compatible tape, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s tape with the right size studs so you can stick LEGO bricks to it. Right now it’s an Indigogo campaign that’s gone over its funding goal by 9,320%, which is both awesome and insane. The tape is two studs wide and whatever length you want. You can bend it, cut it, and move it around thanks to its adhesive backing. Pricing starts at US$11 for two 6.5-foot rolls and you can choose from several colors. After something like five different people told me about Nimuno Loops LEGO-compatible tape, I knew I just had to share.
Apple Big Security Hire, Twitter and Two-factor Authentication - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-15
It’s security time on TMO’s Daily Observations. Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to talk about Apple hiring security specialist Jonathan Zdziarski, plus they talk about why two-factor authentication is so important. They also talk about what an awesome asset Tom Negrino has been to the Apple community.
Finding the 10.5-inch iPad's Target Market - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-14
Apple may unveil its rumored 10.5-inch iPad in April at the new Apple Park Steve Jobs Theater. Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to sort out who Apple is targeting with the new iPad size, plus John offers some insight into management productivity inside the company.
Apple to Unveil 10.5-inch iPad at Steve Jobs Theater in April
Apple’s new iPad launch event is coming in April instead of March, and it’ll happen at the company’s new Apple Park campus. The media event will give us our first look at Apple’s rumored 10.5-inch iPad model, according to the latest rumors.
Why iOS 10.3 Isn't Going to Trash Your iPhone's Data - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-13
Is iOS 10.3 going to destroy all the data on your iPhone? Spoiler: No, it isn’t. Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to explain what’s really going on with the transition to APFS in iOS 10.3, plus Jeff goes out on a limb and says the iPhone 8 will have a flat display with curved edges, just like the iPhone 7.
AT&T Adds Unlimited GoPhone Prepaid Data Plan
AT&T’s GoPhone prepaid phone plans just went unlimited, in a manner of speaking. The cell service provider just added a new US$60 unlimited data plan to its lineup, although it does have some limitations.
Understanding Retina and HiDPI Resolutions for Mere Mortals- TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-10
Retina and HiDPI displays, scaling, resolution… It all gets confusing pretty quickly, so Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to explain what they mean and how they impact what you see on screen. Dave also explains WiFi throughput terms and dives into the Tough Bar MacBook Pro’s wireless network antennas.
Apple Tops Laptop Mag's Tech Support List Again
If you’re looking for the best laptop tech support around, call Apple. That’s what Laptop Mag says for three years running in its Tech Support Showdown.
13-inch Retina 2016 MacBook Pro Available on Apple's Refurbished Store
If you’re looking to save some money on a 2016-model Retina MacBook Pro Apple has some available on its refurbished store. Right now 13-inch non-Touch Bar models are available, but inventory is limited. Last night you could pick up a Space Gray 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 model with 16 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD for US$2,209, which is $390 off its regular $2,599 price tag. Today, the Space Gray 2.0 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 model with 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD is still available for $1,269, or $230 off its normal $1,499 price. Odds are they’ll go fast, so don’t procrastinate if you need one now.
Wikileaks Giving CIA's iPhone Spy Code to Apple
Apple may have patched most of the security flaws that Wikileaks revealed the CIA is exploiting, but not all of them. Apple has been scrambling trying to learn more about the remaining exploits and it looks like the help it needs is coming directly from Wikileaks. The organization said it plans to share everything it knows about the hacks with Apple, and it’s going to do the same for other tech companies the CIA targeted, too.
Privacy and Encryption, HP's Push for Apple's Pro Customers - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-09
FBI Director James Comey absolute privacy doesn’t exist in the United States. Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to look at what that means for privacy and security through encryption, plus John tells us why HP is targeting Apple’s Pro users with its new computers.
Apple Already Patched Most CIA Hacks From Wikileaks Report
According to the Wikileaks Vault 7 information dump, the CIA has been hard at work developing hacks to get into the data on our iPhones. Most of the exploits listed in the report, however, are already patched and Apple is working on taking care of the remaining few.
Wikileaks, CIA, and iPhone Hacks - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-08
With the Wikileaks report out saying the CIA developed hacking tools to get into our iPhones, John Martellaro joins Jeff Gamet to look at Apple’s security measures for our mobile devices. They also look at the negative message Apple is sending customers by not giving us solid information about the Mac, and Kelly Guimont drops by for a few minutes, too.
Watch Out Samsung, Foxconn Wants to Buy Toshiba's Memory Business
Foxconn and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) are teaming up in a move to buy Toshiba Memory. Assuming the two companies can make the deal come together, they’ll be in a strong position to steal Apple’s memory business away from Samsung.
Ron Johnson on Steve Jobs, iPhone Numbers, Sonos PLAYBASE - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-07
Former Apple executive Ron Johnson recently shared some insight into Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to share their thoughts on how Steve Jobs worked through new ideas before accepting them, plus they look at Apple’s iPhone numbers and the new Sonos PLAYBASE.
Apple Pay Comes to Ireland, Launching in Italy Soon
Apple Pay officially launched in Ireland on Tuesday, and the contactless payment system is heading to Italy soon, too. Currently, Apple Pay is available for Ireland’s boon, Ulster Bank and KBC customers.
WWDC 2017 Student Scholarships Open on March 27
Applications for 2017’s Worldwide Developer Conference student scholarships opens on Monday, March 27th. Apple offers WWDC scholarships for students coding apps for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and travel assistance is available for qualifying applicants, too.
Get Ready for Faster Charging, Longer Life iPhone Batteries
Lithium-ion batter co-inventor John Goodenough just invented what could be the next generation in mobile device batteries. His new solid state battery design can hold three times as much power compared to current li-on batteries, charges faster, and doesn’t pose any risk of exploding—a problem Samsung is all too familiar with.
New Mobile Battery Tech, Upgrading Old Macs - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-06
Rechargeable battery technology may be getting a much needed boostfrom the same man who invented the tech in our iPhone batteries. Dave Hamilton and Jeff Butts join Jeff Gamet to tak about what may be in store for future mobile device batteries, plus they share some tips on extending the life of our old Macs.
New Report Backs Up 5.8-inch iPhone 8
Apple’s iPhone 8 may sport a 5.8-inch OLED display, according to a new report. Just like other reports, this one says Apple plans to release two LED screen iPhones.
No, Apple Isn't Dropping Lighting for USB-C on the iPhone 8
A report from earlier this week said Apple is abandoning the iPhone’s Lightning port in favor of USB-C, and now we’re hearing that’s not the case. Instead, Apple will stick with the Lightning conector and add support for USB Type-C power delivery for faster charging.
iPhone 8, Lightning, and Hey Siri on the Mac - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-03
We’re learning more about what to expect when Apple ships the iPhone 8 this fall, and it’s looking like we won’t have to give up our Lightning ports after all. John Martellaro and Jeff Butts join Jeff Gamet to look at Lightning and USB-C, plus Touch ID and finger print sensors embedded in the display. Jeff Butts also shares a tip on using “Hey, Siri” on your Mac.