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Smartphones Could Help Death Photography Make a Comeback
The New York Times has a piece today about death photography, and how it’s returning with the help of our ubiquitous smartphone camera.
“But we are returning to the older ways,” she went on, “a movement backward that some say began in the ’70s, with the back-to-nature movement and midwifery and natural births. The natural death movement is part of that. And these photos are unsurprising, too, because we carry our smartphones all the time, and it’s almost like if there isn’t a photo it didn’t happen. Now everyone is a photographer.”
Wait? Could HQ Trivia Come Back?!
HQ Trivia may live-on according to the CEO, despite the collapse of the company behind the live game-show app.
watchOS 6.1.3 Fixes a Bug for Watch Owners in Iceland
Apple has released watchOS 6.1.3 that fixes a bug for Apple Watch owners in Ireland. There’s also a watchOS 5.3.5 update for iOS 12 users.
Apple Maps Transit Directions Comes to Europe
Apple Maps transit directions are starting to appear in the app for European users, like in France, Ireland, and Norway.
Apple Leverages iOS for Advertising You Can’t Block
Tumblr software engineer Steve Streza makes the case that iOS is adware for all of Apple’s services.
iOS 13 has an abundance of ads from Apple marketing Apple services, from the moment you set it up and all throughout the experience. These ads cannot be hidden through the iOS content blocker extension system. Some can be dismissed or hidden, but most cannot, and are purposefully designed into core apps like Music and the App Store. There’s a term to describe software that has lots of unremovable ads: adware, which what iOS has sadly become.
This particularly annoys me with Apple News, where roughly half the space is dedicated to showing me News+ content, even though I don’t subscribe. On iOS you can swipe to “See Less Often” but you can’t do this on iPad.
How Jeff Bezos Built a Data Collecting Empire
BBC News published an inside look into “Why Amazon knows so much about you.”
“They happen to sell products, but they are a data company,” says James Thomson, one of the former executives interviewed.
“Each opportunity to interact with a customer is another opportunity to collect data.”
Founder Jeff Bezos frames it in terms of being a “customer obsession”, saying the firm’s first priority is to “figure out what they want, what’s important to them”.
Jeff Bezos Pledges $10 Billion to Help Fight Climate Change
Jeff Bezos said on Monday that he will contribute $10 billion in the fight against climate change, Yahoo Finance reported. Not so long ago, the Amazon founder was accused of being stingy after he donated $690,000 towards relief efforts following the Australian wildfires.
The Amazon (AMZN) CEO announced the launch on Instagram, asserting humans can save the Earth by using an inclusive approach that combines the efforts and resources of all stakeholders. “We can save Earth. It’s going to take collective action from big companies, small companies, nation-states, global organizations, and individuals,” the post stated. “I’m committing $10 billion to start and will begin issuing grants this summer. Earth is the one thing we all have in common — let’s protect it, together.” Bezos, who has a net worth of $130 billion, is no stranger to the climate change fight. In September 2019, the Amazon founder announced: “The Climate Pledge,” which stated that the retail behemoth’s ultimate goal is to become carbon-neutral by 2040.
Apple Will Miss Q2 2020 Revenue Guidance Following Coronavirus Outbreak
Apple announced that the coronavirus outbreak is limiting supply and sales in China, meaning it will miss its revenue guidance for Q1 2020.
TMO Contributor John Kheit (#4) - TMO Background Mode Interview
John Kheit is a New York attorney and a regular contributor to The Mac Observer. We share many common interests, including the 4K/UHD/HDR TV revolution, 8K TV and displays, Wi-Fi/5G technologies and the state of Apple.
In this special edition, I interview John about his new 2019 Mac Pro. I asked John about the configuration he ordered, what substitutions he made (graphics card), his add-on SSD, and whether he bought the Pro Display XDR. John shared lots of technical tidbits: a changed initial order, his total outlay, details of the T2 security chip, the various kinds (layer configurations) of SSDs, his display setup and observations about the cooling system. If you’re planning to purchase a new Mac Pro, this conversation is essential listening.
Charging Station with Qi Wireless with 5 USB and 4,000mAh Battery: $49.99
We have a deal on the Naztech Ultimate Power Station that features a Qi wireless charging pad, a charging dock for an included 4,000mAh portable battery, and 5 USB ports, counting the one on the portable battery. That means you can charge up to 6 devices at the same time from a single AC wall outlet. This device is $49.99 through our deal.
Coming March 6, Apple Shares Trailer for ‘Amazing Stories’
Amazing Stories is an upcoming sci-fi series for Apple TV+ by Steven Spielberg. Each episode will be a new story to “transport the audience to worlds of wonder through the lens of today’s most imaginative filmmakers, directors and writers.” It launches on March 6 and there will be 10 episodes in the first season. Stars include Josh Holloway, Sasha Alexander, Dylan O’Brien, Victoria Pedretti, and Robert Forster.
Podcasts From Apple...by Apple? – TMO Daily Observations 2020-02-17
Charlotte Henry and Dave Hamilton join host Kelly Guimont to discuss Apple’s role in podcasts, and how it could (or should) change over time.
iCloud is a Syncing Service, Not a Backup Service
It’s important to keep backups of your data. One way to do that is iCloud Backup, but that shouldn’t be your only backup method.
Mark Zuckerberg: 'There Should be Regulation on Harmful Content'...But...
Mark Zuckerberg conceded that there should be regulation of harmful content online but warned regulation could stifle innovation.
Instagram Seems to Think it’s a Startup When it Comes to an iPad App
When asked why there isn’t an Instagram iPad app yet, CEO Adam Mosseri said the company would like to create one, “But we only have so many people, and lots to do, and it hasn’t bubbled up as the next best thing to do yet.”
Instagram users have been asking for an official iPad app nearly since the social network launched in 2010, the same year that the first iPad was released. Some alternatives include third-party Instagram apps for iPad, browsing Instagram on the web on iPad, or using the upscaled iPhone app on iPad.
The obvious answer is, “Hire more people because you’re owned by one of the richest corporations in the world: Facebook.” But I wonder what the actual answer is. Invasive tracking isn’t as lucrative on iPadOS?
Mom Says Apple Watch Saved Her 13-Year Old Son's Life
A mother in Oklahoma says that an Apple Watch saved her 13-year-old son’s life, 9to5 Mac reported. It adds to the growing collection of stories whereby the wearable has helped people by highlighting major health issues.
13-year-old Skylar Joslin was sitting in class when his Apple Watch detected a heart of 190 beats-per-minute. Local news outlet KFOR tells the story: Skylar was sitting in class in April of 2018, when he got an alarming notification on his two-week-old Apple Watch. “I got a text message along with a screenshot of his heart rate that was 190,” said Skylar’s mom Liz. “The following message saying, ‘Mommy, there’s something wrong. I’m not doing anything.’” Liz then came and picked up Skylar from school and took him to the emergency room — his heart rate peaked at 202 bpm during the drive and as high as 280 bpm at the hospital. Doctors then diagnosed Skylar with supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT, which is a disease that forces the heart to speed up. Skylar then underwent a seven and a half hour cardiac ablation to help fix his heart’s rhythm.
Warren Buffet Sells $800 Million Worth of Apple Stock
Despite Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway’s recent sale of $800 million of Apple stock, it still remains the firm’s largest shareholder.
Your 2020 Playlist for Apple Music Replay is Available
Your Apple Music Replay 2020 playlist is here. Apple will make weekly playlists, not just a playlist at the end of the year.
The HQ Trivia App is No More
The one popular live quiz app HQ Trivia is no more, after the company became bankrupt and laid of all the remaining staff.
Iran Hackers Put Backdoors in VPN Servers
A new report finds that hackers from Iran have been putting backdoors in VPN servers around the world in the “Fox Kitten Campaign.” It sounds like affected companies provide VPN for enterprise, rather than consumers. ZDNet suggests Pulse Secure, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, and Citrix.
Though [sic] the campaign, the attackers succeeded in gaining access and persistent foothold in the networks of numerous companies and organizations from the IT, Telecommunication, Oil and Gas, Aviation, Government, and Security sectors around the world.
'AirPods Pro Lite' Production Unlikely to Start in Q2 2020
Rumors began recently that Apple was set to release so-called “AirPod Pro Lite” headphones in the not too distant future. However, their launch could be delayed. MacRumors picked up on a report from DigiTimes that suggested production is unlikely to start in the second quarter of 2020.
While we still don’t have a full picture of what to expect with these upcoming earphones, DigiTimes today published another short paywalled blurb specifically describing AirPods Pro Lite as an “entry-level version of Apple’s AirPods Pro series” and saying that production will not kick off in the second quarter of this year as originally planned. Production of the AirPods Pro Lite, an entry-level version of Apple’s AirPods Pro series, is unlikely to kick off in the second quarter as originally planned, according to industry sources.
Upgrades, Slow Internet, Hard Drives, and More – Mac Geek Gab 802
How’s your Catalina installation behaving? Have any Macs left to upgrade? Your two favorite geeks talk through it all. Then it’s time to diagnose the cause of slow internet, always a pesky one to diagnose! Add in some hard drive diagnostics, follow-ups on your subscription tracking, and John and Dave have a show chock-full-of-infotainment goodness to share with you!
Clearview AI Faces Class Action Lawsuit Similar to Facebook
Two weeks ago Facebook settled a lawsuit alleging that it violated Illinois privacy laws. Now, Clearview AI is also facing a class action lawsuit in the state.
The lawsuit, filed yesterday on behalf of several Illinois citizens and first reported by Buzzfeed News, alleges that Clearview “actively collected, stored and used Plaintiffs’ biometrics — and the biometrics of most of the residents of Illinois — without providing notice, obtaining informed written consent or publishing data retention policies.”
Not only that, but this biometric data has been licensed to many law enforcement agencies, including within Illinois itself.
All this is allegedly in violation of the Biometric Information Privacy Act, a 2008 law that has proven to be remarkably long-sighted and resistant to attempts by industry (including, apparently, by Facebook while it fought its own court battle) to water it down.
‘Robo Revenge’ Will Block and Automatically Sue Robocallers
The newest service from DoNotPay is Robo Revenge. It will block robocallers and automatically sue them for you.
Robo Revenge combines both features to automatically add you to the Do Not Call Registry, generate a virtual DoNotPay burner credit card to provide scammers when they illegally call you anyways, use the transaction information to get the scammer’s contact information, then walk you through how to sue them for as much as $3,000 per call under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), a law already on the books meant to protect consumers from calls that violate the Do Not Call Registry. The app also streamlines the litigation paperwork by automatically generating demand letters and court filing documents.
As a reader pointed out below, you’ll find this service within the DoNotPay app.