A Primer: LCDs, OLEDs, Quantum Dots and MicroLEDs

Flat panel display technology continues to evolve. A decade ago, we had Plasma and LCD TV sets. LCDs were adopted for use in iPhones and iPads, but they require backlighting. Then we had OLEDs (used in the Apple Watch). Now there’s Quantum Dots and microLEDs.  John provides a primer.

What We've Learned About Apple's New File System, APFS

It wasn’t discussed in the WWDC keynote. But Apple’s has been developing a new file system for all its devices called Apple File System. It’s been a hot topic of discussion over the last week. Here are some of the notable things we’ve learned since the first day of WWDC along with some context.

Smart Products Made Smarter Together

Episode #179   As promised last week, here's my first look at HomeKit, Apple’s framework for securely controlling smart home products with your iPhone or other device. In a nutshell, HomeKit lets you control smart home products from a multitude of manufacturers using an iOS app or Siri. HomeKit enables such magic using, “scenes,” which…

Tools for Writers: Ulysses

Episode #177 I’ve been typing stories on a Mac since before at least some of you were born and I have a confession: I hate word processors. I’ll explain in a moment, but first, a bit of backstory… I composed my earliest columns and books using Microsoft Word version 1.0. Since then, I’ve used one…

The Internet of Things is Really a Thing in Germany

Episode #173   Last month I spent nine days in Germany as a guest of Germany Trade & Invest, the foreign trade and investment agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The theme for our visit was Industry 4.0, a worldwide initiative (conceived in Germany) to develop standards and protocols to integrate the Internet of…

How to Strongly Encrypt a File (for free) in OS X

_____________________ Introduction. Encryption is a vast and complex subject. There are many nuances and gotchas. In this article, we'll keep it short and sweet for beginners so that it's easily understandable for a specific, simple task. For those who want to go further and expand their knowledge, I'll list some resources at the end of…

iOS Mail: Emailing Groups of People

Tap the suggestion of the group you’re looking for, and your device will fill in all of the addresses. Well, that’s just the weirdest group ever. So how do you know what groups you can currently send to? Well, if you visit the Contacts app and tap the “Groups” button in the upper-left corner, you’ll…

FBI Court Filing Plays Fast and Loose with Apple Facts

Alarms The FBI accuses Apple of trying to “alarm this Court with issues of network security, encryption, back doors, and privacy, invoking larger debates before Congress and in the news media.” “That is a diversion,” the filing asserts. “Apple desperately wants—desperately needs—this case not to be 'about one isolated iPhone.'” According to Wired, Apple General…

Silicon Valley Throws its Weight Behind Apple in FBI Privacy Fight

Silicon Valley companies to file amicus brief supporting Apple in privacy fight According to sources speaking with the Wall Street Journal, the companies will file a joint brief with the court next week. Microsoft's Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith confirmed today his company would be supporting Apple in its brief. Twitter is planning on submitting…

Why Google/Alphabet Is Worth More than Apple

GOOGL (Alphabet's ticker symbol) ended Tuesday's trading session at $780.91, a gain of $10.14 (+1.32 percent), on heavy volume of 6.3 million shares trading hands. Shares of AAPL ended the day at $94.48, down $1.95 (-2.02 percent), on light volume of 37.2 million shares trading hands. That left Alphabet's market cap at $537 billion, while…

Barclays CEO Commits to March Apple Pay Launch

When Barclays customer Oli Foster-Burnell emailed Mr. Vaswani asking about Apple Pay support, he got a reply saying it's coming in the “next 60 to 75 days,” which would put the launch somewhere between the middle and end of March. Barclays finally commits to Apple Pay support in U.K. Apple Pay is an NFC-based mobile…

ParcSlope Sets MacBook or iPad Pro at Pleasing 18 Degree Angle

When resting an iPad or MacBook/Air/Pro on a desk, having it inclined at a comfortable angle is desirable for many users. The ParcSlope from Twelve South is a beautifully made steel stand that achieves this. It's especially useful for drawing with an iPad Pro. Here's a closer look. The angle from horizontal is 18 degrees.…

OS X: Disabling Handoff

…or like this: Those icons basically mean “hey, I see you’ve got a program open on another device that I can use, too. Wanna pick up where you left off?” If you click that icon, your Mac will, for example, continue an email draft you started on your iPhone. It’s pretty handy if you use…

Facebook Says Background App Usage Fix is Coming

iPhone battery draining too fast? It's probably Facebook Here's the back story: My iPhone 6 battery was draining noticeably quicker than it should based on my usage, so I looked at my Battery settings to see what was taking more than its fare share of juice. It was Facebook by a long shot and it…

TMO's Big iOS 9 Content Blocker FAQ

What are Content Blockers? Content Blockers filter what comes from online servers into your Web browser. That can include certain types of code, online trackers, Web cookies, images, and even complete sites. No content blockers (left), and content blockers in action (right) Most people equate ad blockers with content blockers because they are—for practical purposes—pretty…

Customers report: Apple Pay on Apple Watch is Magical

Wristly had over 1,000 respondents in its poll of Apple Watch users in the US and the UK. The analysis revealed several fascinating things about Apple Pay on the Apple Watch. 80 percent of Apple Watch owners have used Apple Pay. Apple Pay is typically used first in a retail environment instead of an in-app…

Safari Offers Longer Battery Life than Chrome or Firefox

“If you’re a MacBook user,” the company wrote, “you're losing an average of 1 hour of total battery life by using Chrome. Firefox is a little better, but Safari is the clear winner. You’ll want to use Safari if you want to get the most battery out of your laptop.” Average Battery Life in Chrome,…

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