The latest Apple video looks to show-off how its devices can empower people at work. After “bumping into” the boss, a member of small team secures a crucial meeting for her and her colleagues. Using a range of Apple’s devices and services, the team scramble to meet their tight deadline. Apple has always been associated with creative and glamorous industries. Showing its products in a more standard office environment makes for a nice change, and can perhaps be seen as something of a challenge to Microsoft. The clip’s title, The Underdogs, and it’s message underline the company’s corporate philosophy well too.
Clips 2.0.6 Updated With ClassKit Support
Apple has released an update to Clips, which lets people create short video clips to share on social media. Clips 2.0.6 brings the following features: Use the new camcorder filter to give your videos a retro video camera look; Choose from 8 new posters including options with solid backgrounds, colorful vintage designs, a classic blue camcorder recording screen, and an animated globe to celebrate Earth Day; Create titles and captions with 3 new Live Titles styles featuring static text that appears all at once or animated text that highlights each word as it’s spoken; Apply new 8-bit and 3D-styled stickers to add emphasis to your videos; Create songs in GarageBand and other music apps, then add them directly to new or existing Clips projects; Duplicate and rename projects; Share projects with friends via AirDrop or email, save them to Files, or upload them to cloud storage services with share extensions; ClassKit support lets students deliver video assignments to teachers using the Schoolwork app. App Store: Free
Latest Advances in Law Enforcement
We aren’t posting any April Fool’s Day stories, but I had to highlight one of the more amusing attempts made, as it was near my native land. As of this morning, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office has announced a new division, the Hot Air High Altitude Team, which includes a new hot air balloon. There’s a whole press release to read which hits all the right notes and makes it very clear at the end that they are in fact joking. (When you live in Portland, hot air balloon police don’t sound all that odd, so it’s good they were very clear about the announcement.)
The Robot Uprising Started with a Mic Drop
All hail nerd humor! This little clip is funny, poignant, and well executed. Note the safety glasses perched atop the robot’s arm to better personify the device. And my favorite thing is the mic drop at the end. Definitely good stuff.
The UnPlugged 10K Charger is a Good AirPower Alternative
Extend the battery of your Qi-enabled phone with the Unplugged 10K wireless charging portable battery. This 10,000mAh wireless portable charger is not only certified to Qi standard but also meets the Apple and Samsung Fast Charge standard; delivering up to 10 Watts of power. The 10 Watts of powers ensures the absolute quickest wireless charge on the market. Ditch your cables and simply drop your smartphone on the powerbank and charging will start upon contact. Additionally, two USB-A ports allow you to charge up to three devices at a time. It offers features like Smart sense, Hyper-charge, Power-stay, Max-power, a high-density safe-cell battery with rapid recharging and pass-through charging. You can pick up an Unplugged 10K charger on Amazon for US$51.97.
Eve Flare LED Lamp Now $10 Off Through April 2
Eve Flare is a portable smart LED lamp you can take anywhere. Indulge in the aura of any color you wish, anywhere you want. Eve Flare delivers ultra-versatile ambient lighting that’s so mesmerizing, you’ll recreate the ideal atmosphere again and again and again. It gives you 6 hours of untethered illumination. Wireless charging. Durable casing with IP65 water resistance. Plus a carry-and-hang handle. This LED lamp is built to go from your bedroom to your balcony to your garden and beyond – virtually wherever you need a pop of light. Activating your desired ambience is effortless. Just use the app or chat to Siri whenever the mood strikes. Or set a timer and have Eve Flare come to life by itself, courtesy of your home hub. Plus, it’s HomeKit-compatible. You can pick it up on Amazon for US$99.90 with a US$10 off coupon at checkout,
Emilia Clarke Almost Didn't Finish Game of Thrones
It’s hard to imagine Game of Thrones without Daenerys Targaryen, specifically as portrayed by actress Emilia Clarke. Only now are we finding out how close that came to being reality. Ms. Clarke sat down with The New Yorker for a Personal History article about how she had not one, but two aneurysms and had to have surgery for each one. She also shares a bit of how she officially became involved with this indie little HBO program and the charity she helped found to assist others in the same situation. It’s a fascinating read for the peek into her head, literally and figuratively.
Mac Contacts App Cardhop Arrives on iOS
Cardhop is a popular contacts app for the Mac. It’s made by Felxibits Inc. makers of another popular app Fantastical 2. Cardhop has finally arrived on iOS. The app’s parsing engine is incredibly intuitive, letting you search, add, edit, and interact with your contacts using a simple sentence. Just type in “John G” and John’s card will instantly appear. Or enter “Sarah Smith [email protected]” and Cardhop will add a new contact to Sarah’s card. Or type in “call Michael S” and Cardhop will instantly start a phone call. Cardhop automatically loads your contacts in Apple’s Contacts app, so you don’t need to do much except tap the Allow button. Plus, the company says that your contact information stays on your iPhone and isn’t uploaded to their servers. Right now the app is available for 20% for a limited time as part of the launch sale. App Store: US$3.99
A Cool Concept Video: Modular Mac Pro
David Lee has put together a concept video that discusses the possibilities for a 2019 modular Mac Pro. Check it out.
Oprah - 'We're All Apple Girls Now'
Oprah appears to be very excited to be joining the Apple family. She was one of the big-hitting stars at Apple’s ‘It’s Show Time’ Event on Monday and will be making programmes with the company. In a video posted to social media, Oprah leads other stars in a toast to Apple and the “1 billion” phones” they are all going to be on. “We’re all Apple girls now”, she declares.
The Opening Video From Apple's 'It's Show Time' Event
Apple went old-school with its introduction video at the ‘It’s Show Time’ event. It featured the classic Apple Rainbow logo, the company’s famous ‘Think Different’ tagline, and all of its major products. The clip, soundtracked by “Love” by Unloved, combined forward thinking with nostalgia to really great effect.
Darkroom 4.1 Adds Photos Extension, Editing in Files
Darkroom 4.1 adds more ways for users to edit images, including a new photos extension and the ability to open photos directly in Files. What’s new: Photos Extension: Edit your photos with Darkroom right within the Photos app; Import to Darkroom: As an alternative to the Photos Extension, hand over your photos from apps using the new Share Extension; Copy to Darkroom: Easily copy your photos from external storage services like Dropbox or the Files apps to the camera roll and edit in Darkroom; Drag and drop to Import: Photos now can be dragged and dropped, on iPad only, to Darkroom to be copied and edited; Imported Smart Album: One convenient place to track all the photos you imported and/or copied to Darkroom; Open: Right from the album picker you can tap on the “Open” to access any photos accessible through the Files app, and 3d-party services that integrate with it. App Store: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
Angry Birds AR Coming to iOS
The Angry Birds are back, and this time they are in augmented reality. The user sees the view from behind the slingshot, as Chuck, Red, and friends are placed in the player’s surroundings. The trailer shows them popping pigs on restaurant table. Think Pokemon Go, but with birds being fired around instead. Rovio, the firm behind the Angry Birds brand, partnered with Resolution to create the latest iteration (via Techcrunch). Angry Birds – Isle of Pigs is going to launch initially on iOS only. The birds will fly-in this spring.
With This App You'll Be Journaling Like a Stoic
I’ve been interested in applying Stoic philosophy to my life for a while, although I haven’t quite taken the plunge yet. That’s why this app caught my eye. This Stoic journaling app gives you daily journaling, meditations, reflection, and mood tracking. It sets you up with morning and evening routines. Prepare in the morning, so that nothing can surprise you during the day; and reflect on your actions in the evening, get better every day, and iterate faster. You’ll learn reflective exercises like negative visualization: Discover how many things you have in your life that you should be grateful for. Things you take for granted. achievements that you forgot a long time ago. You are luckier and more privileged than you think. Quotes from philosophers are available, and see how your journal entries and mood change over time. App Store: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)
SXSW: CLEAR Expands Identity Verification from AirPort Security Lines to Point of Sale
CLEAR, the company whose members we all enviously gaze upon at the airport as they breeze past those of us in the TSA Pre-Check lines, is expanding their identity verification technology to point of sale. Testing in some Seattle sports stadiums, CLEAR’s ability to use biometrics to confirm that you are definitively you is helpful for age verification for alcohol sales, but could also just make point of sale simpler, in general. Part of their mission all along, they figured if they could get approval for their tech to be used to confirm identity at airports, it was certainly going to work to add convenience to point-of-sale while also increasing the security of the transactions. Of course, Apple’s introduction Touch ID at point of sale with Apple Pay starting in 2014 has helped the masses understand the usefulness of this technology. That rising tide lifts all boats, including CLEAR’s. Look for CLEAR to roll out more instances of this tech in the coming year.
SXSW: Wi-Charge Uses Infrared to Wirelessly Charge Your Devices
On Sunday at the SXSW Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase, Wi-Charge was showing off their infrared-based wireless power technology. They’re not the only company aiming to deliver wireless power to our devices, but they are the first we’ve seen to use infrared (IR) to do it. Using IR comes with a couple of advantages: power doesn’t degrade over distance, a thin beam can be aimed at the device to ensure full power, and IR is something we’ve found to be extremely safe. Of course, the major downside to using IR is that it only delivers over line-of-sight. Their demo at SXSW was delivering a full 1 watt of usable power, but they say their tech could eventually deliver “several watts” of power up to 15 feet away. Wi-Charge was demoing their tech with LED strip lights, an electric train, and a custom-case for an Amazon Echo Dot, all of which could be powered from an overhead IR transmitter. For your IoT devices or even your phone at your desk, this could someday offer a ton of convenience. Wi-Charge is seeking integration partners to help bring their tech to market.
This NSFW Teen Film is a Must Watch
I know, “NSFW teen film” is a phrase not usually found in the media. But this one is enlightening. It’s a short, 17-minute film called Pocket, directed by Mishka Kornai and written by Zach Wechter. It’s an attempt to show a day in the life of a teenager, specifically from the point of view of a 15-year-old named Jake. It’s NSFW because of occasional swearing, sexting, and Instagram models. Millennials may have experienced technology like the iPhone in their teenage years, but Generation Z grew up with it. As the quote from Douglas Adams goes,
Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works. Anything that’s invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you’re thirty-five is against the natural order of things.
Private Internet Access 2.8.0 Brings Network Whitelisting
The Private Internet Access 2.8.0 update brings a network management tool. When you enable the feature PIA will automatically turn itself on when you connect to untrusted Wi-Fi networks. You can add networks you do trust to a whitelist, including your cellular network. If you set it not to trust cellular networks and you turn on the option to protect all networks, it means that the VPN will automatically turn itself on all the time.
The update also adds support for IKEv2. Internet Key Exchange (IKE) is part of the IPsec protocol suite, and it’s used to set up a security association. Jargon aside, IKEv2 is responsible for making a secure connection between you and the VPN server. It does this by authenticating you both and establishing which encryption methods will be used.
Apple Video Hows to Use Depth Control, and Defuse Awkward Situations With Your Partner
Ever taken a lovely portrait, only for it to be ruined by someone lurking in the background? Apple feels you. Ever had a nice snap of your partner, but their friend or colleague features in it accidentally? Again, Apple feels you. That’s why it introduced depth control to iOS- the ability to adjust the depth of field before or after a picture is taken. As a new video released Sunday shows, the depth control tool can also help defuse an awkward conversation with your partner!
New NASA Book Reveals Stunning Images of Earth From Space
NASA released new book Wednesday containing a collection of stunning pictures of Earth taken by satellites. The hardcover version of Earth costs $53. However, NASA has also released free e-book, PDF and HTML versions. The HTML version is interactive. The pictures certainly make you, as an individual feel rather small. As writer Michael Carlowicz puts it in the forward: “For all of the dynamism and detail we can observe from orbit, sometimes it is worth stepping back and simply admiring Earth.”
New Apple Watch Video - 'Flight'
Apple released a new video Wednesday, promoting cellular connectivity with the Apple Watch Series 4. Called Flight, the clip emphasises the freedom that cellular connectivity on the Apple Watch gives users. A woman, clearly with no phone on her, is led on something of an adventure. She is shown receiving and rejecting a phone call whilst her phone is elsewhere. If nothing else, Flight also happens to be a rather beautifully shot video.
Technobabylon is a Cyberpunk Game Full of Adventure
Technobabylon is a cyberpunk game that I recently came across. I haven’t played it yet but it’s downloading as I type, due to its large, 1.4GB file size. In the city of Newton, 2087, genetic engineering is the norm, the addictive Trance has replaced almost any need for human interaction, and an omnipresent AI named Central powers the city. CEL agents Charlie Regis and Max Lao are investigating a serial Mindjacker who is tapping into the neural wiring of seemingly ordinary citizens, stealing their knowledge and leaving them dead. An agoraphobic net addict named Latha Sesame might be the next target. But when Charlie’s past comes back to haunt him, he and his partner find themselves on opposite sides of the law, with Latha’s fate in the crossfire. App Store: US$4.99
The MOFT 'Invisible' Laptop Stand
MOFT launched what it called an “invisible” laptop stand on Kickstarter in January 2019. The stand is attached to a laptop with an adhesive and folded out wherever and whenever someone wants to work. I think it looks rather slick, and can certainly see how it would be useful for people who work in cafes or at conferences. The product comfortably cleared its Kickstarter goal of $771. At the time of this writing, it had raised $275,026 from 13,111 backers. The MOFT laptop stand currently has an $19 Early Bird offer. It will be on Kickstarter for 30 more days, with shipping expected in April 2019.
Sonos Architectural by Sonance Outdoor Speakers with AirPlay 2 Support
Sonos revealed a new range of indoor and outdoor speakers today, called the Sonos Architectural. There is a set designed for the ceiling, but the ones that really caught my eye are the Outdoor Speaker Pair. They look slick and should provide good sound quality outside of them, which is still not something to be taken for granted. All the news speakers work with the Sonos Amp, which means they support AirPlay 2. The Outdoor Speaker Pair costs $799 and is listed as “Coming Soon” for the time being.