Long Term Storage, Photos, & Cool Stuff Found — Mac Geek Gab 851

This week, John and Dave come together to answer your questions about long-term storage, Photos Libraries, Migrating to a new Mac and much, much more. Listen as your two favorite geeks drop the knowledge — and your Quick Tips and Cool Stuff Found — so that everyone can listen and learn at least five new things together! Join us and start the new year right!

Time Capsule Replacements, Quick Tips, & Cool Stuff Found — Mac Geek Gab 850

Apple’s Time Machine lets you backup to a network drive… but which network drive should you use now that Apple no longer sells a Time Capsule? John and Dave are here to answer this question and many, many more! Listen as your two favorite geeks answer all the questions YOU sent in this week, plus sharing Quick Tips and Cool Stuff Found to give you lots to think about… and to get! Press play and enjoy learning at least five new things about your Mac, iPhone, and other tech.

Swiper, NOT Swiping — Mac Geek Gab 848

These days we do lots of swiping on our devices, and sometimes the results are expected, other times not so much! Listen as John and Dave share tips and answer questions about swiping. That’s not all, of course, the topics expand from there, including a great dive into USB speeds on Apple’s new iPads. Listen as your two favorite geeks walk through all of this for you this week!

Migrating Your Mac and Its Data — Mac Geek Gab 847

It seems to be the season… Migration Season, that is! So many new Macs, so many migrations, so much data, and so many questions! Thankfully your two favorite geeks have answers, as does the MGG Family. Press play and listen as John and Dave take you through all these and more. Of course, there’s more: Quick Tips are aplenty and there might even be some Cool Stuff Found! Whatever it is, you’ll enjoy learning at least five new things this episode!

Samsung Takes Bigger Chunk of U.S. Marketshare Than Apple For First Time Since 2017

Samsung grabbed a bigger chunk of the U.S. smartphone market than Apple in the third quarter of 2020, according to data from Strategy Analytics, picked up on by Cult of Mac. That the first time since 2017 that Samsung has beaten Apple.

Apple accounted for a 30.2 percent market share of the U.S. smartphone market in Q3 2020. However, it lost out slightly to Samsung which made up 33.7 percent of the marketshare. The last time Samsung beat Apple in Apple’s home country market was Q2 2017. In third place was LG Electronics, which accounted for just a 14.7 percent share of the market. The reason for Samsung’s victory over Apple in the quarter likely involves the delayed launch of the iPhone 12. New model iPhones don’t usually make a significant impact until calendar Q4. However, their appearance in September does give the July through September quarter a boost for Apple. This year, the iPhone 12 handsets weren’t even shown off until October. This was due to manufacturing challenges related to coronavirus. Meanwhile, Samsung launched new flagship devices such as the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Z Fold 2 during the quarter.

Here’s How to Disinfect Your Apple Card

Brittney Myers wrote a guide on how to disinfect your Apple Card and other credit cards. I think it’s useful in situations where you’re unable to pay contactless with Apple Pay. We’ve heard for years that our smartphones are dirty, with some saying they can be dirtier than a toilet. I expect that credit and debit cards will have a similar level of uncleanliness.

According to Harvard Health, the coronavirus can live on plastic and stainless steel for up to three days, and the CDC advises that frequently touched objects and surfaces should be cleaned and sanitized at least once a day. In addition to copious handwashing, cleaning your frequently used items can help keep your home germ-free.

How Apple Added LiDAR to iPhone 12 models

Timothy B. Lee wrote a fascinating write-up of the iPhone 12 LiDAR sensor for Ars Technica. It’s a technology that used to be US$75,000.

Two of the companies working on high-end VCSEL-based lidar—Ouster and Ibeo—have already gotten more traction than most companies in the crowded lidar business. Apple’s decision to adopt the technology—and the possibility that other smartphone vendors could follow Apple’s lead—will provide them with a nice tailwind in the coming years.

A great explainer, and I wrote about the other iPhone 12 camera features here.

Rewatch the iPhone 12 Launch Event in Under One Minute

There was a lot to take in at Apple’s ‘Hi, speed’ event on Tuesday. Not only was the 5G-enabled iPhone 12 family unveiled, the company also announced a new HomePod mini smart speaker. There were some new environmental announcements too. If you don’t want to sit through the full thing, which lasted over an hour, there is a handy 51-second version available.

Network Speed Dissection, Cool Stuff Found, and More — Mac Geek Gab 833

Having a solid connection to your network is only part of it. The other part? Speed! Dissecting the differences between these two — and teaching you how to do the same — are your two favorite geeks: John F. Braun and Dave Hamilton. Of course, that’s just one of the many things covered in this week’s episode. Lots more tips, questions answered, and Cool Stuff Found shared. Press play and learn those five new things, alright?

Mophie Releases Two 15W Wireless Chargers

On Tuesday mophie announced the release of two 15W wireless chargers, including a pad and a stand. Each one is available on mophie.com today and will come to other retailers in the future. The wireless charging pad is US$49.95 and the wireless charging stand is US$59.95. Charlie Quong, vice president of product, power at ZAGG Brands:

Wireless charging adoption has picked up quickly in the last few years. It makes the process of topping off your smartphone battery throughout the day, like in your home or office, completely uncomplicated. mophie wireless charging accessories are designed to simplify power, particularly for those who dislike carrying numerous charging cables and adapters for different mobile devices.

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