It took two hours, but John Martellaro finally got his original Apple Watch upgraded to watchOS 3. Here are some of the things he liked most about this version. Plus, he discovered a nice trick when it comes to changing watch faces with a swipe.
Columns & Opinions
iPhone 7 Financing for Fun and Profit
There are more ways than ever to buy an iPhone 7, and while choice is good, too many options can be confusing. Here’s an overview of the various iPhone 7 financing options from Apple and the major wireless carriers. Which one is right for you?
Bob Mansfield Reportedly Shaking Up Apple Car Project With Layoffs
Apple has been laying off people from Project Titan, the company’s not-so-secret car project. The New York Times reported that Apple is rethinking its plans for a car, has “shuttered parts of its self-driving car project,” and laid off “dozens of people.”
Hands-On with iPhone 7 Home Button: Disappointing Haptic Feedback, Increased Functionality
Apple had two major changes in iPhone 7 beyond incremental improvements. The first is the much-talked about lack of an auxiliary port for headphones, but the other will effect the way we do things far longer than the transition to Lightning audio. That’s moving from a physical Home Button to a touch-sensitive, stationary Home Button. Here’s what Bryan Chaffin thought about it during his hands-on session at Apple’s media event.
iPhones Are Now Faster than Macs
It’s official—well at least according to reported Geekbench scores spotted in the wild! iPhones are now faster than Macs! The latest, and most recently updated, 2016 12” MacBook is slower than the iPhone 7 Plus.
Ageism Is Not an Institutional Problem at Apple Retail
Does Apple have an ageist problem when hiring for its Apple retail locations? If so, it’s not institutional, and the situation that sparked the original story doesn’t actually back up such a claim. Bryan Chaffin digs into the issues.
Apple Might Destroy the EU
It looks like the European Commission (EC) will rule against Apple and Ireland’s tax arrangement. If the European Union (EU) bullies Ireland (via the EC or other proxy) and basically rules that Ireland doesn’t have the sovereign right to set its own tax rates, there is some chance it could be a wedge issue that pushes Ireland to decide to leave the European Union.
Tim Cook Pivots to Play Active Role in Shaping Apple Narrative
Apple CEO Tim Cook has made a major pivot in managing the affairs of Apple. Bryan Chaffin believes Mr. Cook made a conscious decision to play an active role in shaping the Apple narrative.
The iPad Pro 9.7-inch Keyboard Case for Road Warriors
In a perfect world, Dr. Mac says he’d ditch his laptop and hit the road with just a svelte 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Two recent events make it possible; find out more in Dr. Mac’s Rants & Raves #189: The iPad Pro 9.7-inch Keyboard Case for Road Warriors
What You Need to Know about the U.S. Defending Apple's European Taxes
Apple has an interesting—and powerful—ally in an ongoing feud with the European Commission (EC). The U.S. Treasury Department published a white paper Wednesday that condemed EC investigations into Apple and other U.S. companies’ tax practices. Bryan Chaffin breaks down what you need to know about the situation.
Siri and Apple's Machine Learning Are About to Get a Lot Better
Siri, as we’ve know her (or him), has been both a blessing and a frustration. The technology, when it works is brilliant, but when its limitations are exposed, it can be very frustrating. Our appetite for a stellar chatbot companion has merely been whetted, and we’re about to get it. From Apple. On its terms. With privacy.
AT&T's New Mobile Share Advantage Plan Costs Compared
On Sunday AT&T rolled out their new Mobile Share Advantage Plans and, along with them, their online comparison tool that shows you just what the new plans will cost you. Digging in this morning it’s pretty evident that only a handful of people currently on Mobile Share Value plans will actually save money with these new plans. Click through to see the math and the details.
Twitter Will Let Users Block @Mentions from Strangers
Twitter announced Thursday a new set of controls that allows users to not see @mentions from strangers. The move is being viewed as a response to Twitter trolls, though it’s more of a mask than a fix. When enabled, incoming mentions from people you don’t follow simply won’t be shown.
Apple Retail Drops 'Store' and I Think I Like It
Apple is in the process of rebranding its fleet of Apple Stores to a fleet of just Apple. The company is removing the word “Store” from those locations, turning them from retail outlets to outposts of the company itself. Bryan Chaffin thinks this is splendid
A Clever Microsoft Ad Gets to the Heart of Apple's Fuzzy iPad Message
The early iPads were a sensation. It seemed that Steve Jobs had brought forth the successor to the Mac. However, things have not gone as planned with the iPad, and Apple is scrambling to construct a clearer branding and imperative for the iPad. Even Microsoft senses the difficulty and has poked fun at Apple’s newfound toaster-fridge mentality.
Autonomous Vehicles Might Develop Superior Moral Judgment
Much has been written now about the moral guidance for autonomous cars and trucks. It’s a difficult problem that involves quantifying then instantiating into software the logic of life and death decisions. It would be nice for society to have more time to ponder, but the pace of technology leaves us precious little time for that. Machines are going to make moral decisions very soon. Shall we let them?
FBI Still Wants Encryption Compromise Where None is Possible
FBI Director Comey is still searching for a so-called compromise on encryption, even though no such compromise is possible. Mr. Comey wants America to discuss the issue before a terror or criminal event involving encryption makes rational discussion impossible.
My Year With the Stellar 2015 MacBook and Life With USB-C
John has had his 2015 MacBook with its single USB-C port for a little over a year now. Here’s his complete first report on life with that Macintosh notebook and daily life with USB-C. Did he regret an early engagement with USB-C? Read on.
Become a Maestro of Mac Macros
Become a maestro of time-saving macros with Keyboard Maestro, one of Dr. Mac’s favorite all-time Mac productivity enhancers.
iPad Pro 9.7-inch vs. iPad Air 2
Dr. Mac’s has been running an iPad Pro 9.7-inch and an iPad Air 2 side-by-side for the past month. Wanna know which one he’d buy?
What's the Deal With 64-bit Office for Mac?
Microsoft Office for Mac, one of the last big holdouts, is getting ready to switch to 64-bit. Here’s a quick overview of what this switch means for the typical Office user (spoiler: not much).
T-Mobile, Pokémon GO, and Another Test for Net Neutrality
T-Mobile customers will soon get one year of free unlimited data for Pokémon GO, the hit new augmented reality mobile game. While exciting for fans of the game, net neutrality advocates should be wary of this latest move from “the un-carrier.”
A Deeper Look at Apple's 'Macintosh Problem'
Apple’s overall Macintosh sales are in decline, for how long we don’t know. The MacBook Pro is long over due for a refresh. Apple’s Mac Pro has languished. The Mac mini, last updated in 2014, was less than intoxicating. What’s happening? John takes a look.
Apple Innovation Timeline - Revolutions Keep on Turning
Apple continues to turn out product and service revolutions, even after the loss of Steve Jobs. This Apple innovation timeline shows the company is pumping out those revolutions at the same pace it did with Steve.