Apple’s homepage has been updated to honour Martin Luther King day. The usual images have gone and there is a black-and-white photograph of the civil rights leader. The page also features a quote from him – “true peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
Apple Fitness Boss Jay Blahnik Talks Fitness+
A short interview with Apple’s senior director of fitness Jay Blahnik was shared on the Healthy-ish podcast. They talk about Fitness+, health and fitness in general, and why it’s time to rethink our mentality of working out. “Jay Blahnik is the Senior Director of Fitness Technologies at Apple, so it goes without saying that he knows a thing or two about what gets people up and moving. He shares how Apple Fitness+ taps into this, and also why it might be time to rethink where, when and even how you work out. Because, the world has changed. And your gym membership with it.”
Trailer for Season Two of 'For All Mankind'
The trailer for season two of For All Mankind dropped Friday. The season will continue to tell a counter-factual story of the space race, starting this time in 1983. It will air on Apple TV+ from February 19.
Behind the Scenes With Student Filmmakers Working With iPhone
A new ‘Shot on iPhone’ video goes behind the scenes with four student filmmakers. They all reimagine cinema tradition in a different way, covering genres like classic noir, magical realism, and stop-motion animation. Two of the films will become available in full via Apple. The theme of the clip, perhaps unsurprisingly, is the flexibility an iPhone provides filmmakers with.
First Episode of ‘Servant’ Season Two Now on Apple TV+
The first episode of season two of Servant from M. Night Shyamalan is now available on Apple TV+. Further episodes will be released on a weekly basis. Of course, you can still catch up with the full first season too.
Pixelmator Shares Free Photo Presets From Professional Photographers
Pixelmator wrote on Thursday that it will share three collections of color adjustment presets. These have been each designed by a photographer and shared for free. Paolo Baretta’s style is “characterized by cold delicate colors and a nostalgic, intimate mood, uniting my empathy with the loneliness of the human being.” Oladimeji Odunsi’s style is “more of people and portraits because I get to represent the part of the community I’m from and my style tries to include more vibrant colours/tones, contrasts and shadows.” Finally, Lan Nguyen’s style is “I don’t have a particular style since I’m very versatile, but the photos that I post on social media can fit in categories like: magical / dreamy / fantasy.”
Meditation App ‘Calm’ Introduces Calm Puzzles with Spin Master Games
Calm is a popular sleep and meditation app. It recently partnered with Spin Master Games to create Calm Puzzles. These are jigsaw puzzles featuring zen, tranquil landscape scenes (Calm Coral, Foggy Mountains, Hidden Waterfalls, Jasper Lake, Sunflower Fields and Waterfall Mountain). These Mindful Puzzles are available to purchase on Amazon and in stores at Target and Walmart. You can listen to peaceful audio in the Calm app while you work on the puzzle. Each 300-piece puzzle includes a FREE 30-day subscription to the Calm app, which allows you to listen to sounds of nature and peaceful audio content that corresponds to your mindful puzzle as you work on putting it together.
will.i.am Discusses 'American Dream,' i.am Angel Foundation, and Education on Apple Music 1
will.i.am. spoke with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 about his new single and the Angel Foundation education drive it is supporting. Apple is one of the early backers, alongside games publisher Zynga.
CES 2021: OWC's new Thunderbolt Dock adds Ethernet, USB, and More Thunderbolt Ports to Your Mac
At CES this week, OWC has announced the latest iteration of its Thunderbolt Dock, this one leveraging the new features unlocked by macOS Big Sur to allow you to add more Thunderbolt ports to your Intel or M1 Macs. With three, fully-capable Thunderbolt ports on the back, plus one on the front to which you connect your Mac, the possibilities are wide open. In addition to those, there are three 10Gbps USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet, SD card, headphone out, and a USB 2.0 port, giving you expansion options for days, including the ability to add up to two 4K displays or a 5K/6K/8K display. This self-powered hub will also deliver up to 90W of Power Delivery to your Mac laptop. Pre-orders are available today with units shipping later this month.
CES 2021: Plugable USB-C 7-in-1 Hub Brings Ethernet, Charging, and 4K HDMI
At CES on Tuesday, Plugable announced their new USB-C 7-in-1 hub, following the work-from-home trend of bringing Ethernet and 4K video to users in an easy-to-pack form factor (to use at home now, and for when we can go places again!). In addition to two 5Gbps USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, 4K HDMI, SD and microSD card slots, the Plugable hub includes a USB-C Power Delivery charging port capable of up to 87W of USB-C pass-through charging for your laptop and USB devices. Shipping now, this hub is available at Amazon for $34.95 at the time of publication.
CES 2021: PopSockets Launches PopPower Charger, Supports iPhone Fast Charging Mode
PopSockets announced the PopPower at CES 2021. It is a Qi-certified charger, and is compatible with all Qi-certified devices. It supports the Qi standard’s new Extended Power Profile (EPP), providing continuous delivery of up to 15 watts of wireless power. It costs US$60 and supports fast charging mode on Apple (and Samsung,) products.
CES 2021: Disruptive Technologies Launches Second Generation of Temperature Sensor
Disruptive Technologies launched the second generation of its Temperature Sensor at CES 2021. The company said the sensor can deliver over 15 million data points – 30 times more than the previous generation while maintaining the same form factor and size. It also has the same 15-year battery life. Data generated by the sensor is end-to-end encrypted. It is €49 ($USD 59.60), or €39 per sensor if you order 25 or more, with deliveries starting in May.
CES 2021: Earin A-3 Brings 14.3mm Dynamic Drivers to True Wireless Earbuds
Earin, the company who brought the first true wireless earphones to market, has announced their latest model, the Earin A-3. Sleeker than all previous models, the A-3 fits completely in the outer ear, with no stem, and yet is still able to pack a 14.3mm dynamic driver to deliver full sound. Available later in Q1 2021 for US$199, Earin A-3 uses the combination of a microphone, an accelerometer, and an adaptive algorithm to monitor voice and background noise in real-time, removing ambient noise and giving wearers high quality music and calling experiences. With 5-hour battery life, USB-C and wireless Qi charging, and Earin’s past performance, we expect these to be winners. Look for Earin A-3 at both Earin.com and Amazon later this quarter.
Apple Shares Trailer for ‘Losing Alice’ Coming January 22
Apple has shared a trailer for “Losing Alice” on YouTube, a series that will be released for Apple TV+ on January 22. In this internationally acclaimed psychological thriller, Alice is a middle-aged film director who feels lost since raising her family. But a chance meeting with Sophie, a femme-fatale screenwriter, takes Alice on an obsessive journey toward success at any cost.
App Sale: ‘Book Track’ Library Manager on Sale for $2
Book Track is a library manager and is currently on sale for US$1.99, down from US$4.99. Book Track is the application built for iPhone, iPad and Mac to easily keep track of the books you have purchased and which you would like to read. Manage your personal collection and wish list, searching for books by name or author, doing a barcode scan or entering them manually. Digitizing your personal library has never been easier or faster.
Program Your Own Robot or Drone With a pi-top Kit
I’ve been a fan of Raspberry Pi for years. This tiny computer can do so much with such a tiny footprint. It can be your desktop computer, a classic arcade game, or whatever you dream up. The board even features a general purpose input/ouput (GPIO) header. This allows you to incorporate electronics components, like sensors, LED lighting, motors and servos. Hobbyists have used the Raspberry Pi in robotics applications almost from day one. This latest product, though, takes the hobby to another level. It’s the pi-top [4] robotics kit, and it allows makers to develop just about anything they can imagine. It’s programmable in Python, .NET, and more. You can program your robot or drone to avoid obstacles, recognize lines and objects, respond to gestures, racognize faces, and more. The pi-top [4] Complete Kit includes everything you need to get started. You’ll get the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, the pi-top case, and enough electronic components to really get your feet wet. For construction of your robot or drone, the pi-top and included metal plate work with LEGO and Meccano, as well as things you make from raw materials or repurposed objects.
Transfer Spotify-Exclusive Podcasts Back to Apple Podcasts
I hope I don’t ruin a good thing by calling attention to it, but this amazing shortcut shared by u/AnthropicMachine can transfer your Spotify-exclusive podcasts back into the Apple Podcasts app. Thankfully, only one of the shows I listen to moved to Spotify. I don’t use Spotify for anything else so now I can delete the app again.
This iOS Shortcut Gives You Permanent Low Power Mode
iOS has a feature called Low Power Mode you can turn on to conserve your battery life. It automatically turns off once your battery capacity reaches 80% but you can keep it on with a shortcut. Or rather, an automation. It’s simple to do because it only uses one action. This is especially helpful for older iPhones whose battery life has shortened.
Twelve South Has a 20 Percent New Year's Sale
Twelve South have produced a range of products that we’ve highlighted at The Mac Observer during 2020. To end the year, the company has a sale, offering these items at a reduced price. There is 20 percent off everything through New Year’s Eve.
Executive Producer of ‘Earth at Night in Color’ Talks on Podcast
Alex Williamson, executive producer of “Earth At Night In Color” on Apple TV+ spoke with Ben Consoli on the Go Creative Show podcast. Topics include filming the series, using special low-light cameras, discovering new animal behaviors, the benefits of using infrared light, the impact of using lights in nature, finding a narrator for the show, and how the pandemic affected production. It’s an hour-long show and you can listen by clicking the link below.
'Soul' on Disney+ is a Holiday Hit
Soul has arrived on Disney+ and, I don’t know about you, but all my social media timelines are filled with people saying how much they love it. It stars Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, and tells the story of Joe, a musician who lands a gig at the best Jazz club in town. There is also a load of related extras available within the streaming service. The score is by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Buy Knock-Off Solo Loop Watch Bands for 80% Off Apple's Pricing
Every time Apple comes out with a new style of watch band, FOMO tells me to order one. Unfortunately, my wallet often disagrees (and wins that argument), as was the case with Apple’s US$49 Solo Loop and $99 Braided Solo Loop bands introduced this fall. Never fear, though, Amazon to the rescue! There are plenty of companies who sell knockoffs of Apple’s Watch band designs, many of which have proven to be of spectacular quality over the years. The $12 Solo Loop and $20 Braided Solo Loop clones my family found in our Christmas stockings last week were no exception. First, download (and print) Apple’s Solo Loop Watch Band Size Guide, then check ’em out and place your orders. Final step: enjoy!
Explore Your Personality With New ‘Dimensional’ App
So here’s a new app that was recently launched on the App Store. It’s called “Dimensional” and claims to help you understand your personality. One of the creators introduced it on Reddit and is answering questions about the app: “It seemed what existed out there was pseudo-science tests like MBTI that are fun but not that useful in practical terms or really scientific stuff that is hard for lay people to understand. So this is our attempt at making quality personality science useful to people.” I consider myself a skeptical person but I think this sounds interesting at the very least. Specifically, I see no mention of astrology or similar ways to introduce yourself to people as a “PB&J born under the Caprisun sign”. I plan to download it and see what it’s all about.
‘Documents’ by Readdle Updates Video Player With Chromecast Support
Documents by Readdle got major updates to its video player recently. Users can now extract audio from video, multitask with a video mini-player, stream with Chromecast, and more. Extract audio from video. Get an mp3 file with the sound while your original video remains untouched. This is great for lectures and music videos. Multitask with Video mini-player.Watch a video in a small window while doing other things in Documents. “Always Landscape” mode. Enjoy movies comfortably as Documents plays videos in the landscape orientation no matter who you rotate your iPhone. Chromecast support. Stream videos from Documents to your TV with Google Chromecast and use your iPhone with Documents as a remote control. Lots of our users were waiting for this.