We finally have the winner of our iPhone 16 Pro international giveaway! Congratulations to Oliver T., and a huge thank you to everyone who participated.
Apple's Augmented Reality Headset Could Use Eye Tracking Hardware
Apple’s long-rumored augmented reality headset could contain eye tracking hardware for user input according. This could mean handheld controllers are not necessary, according to AppleInsider, which reported on a note by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo in a note to investors on Friday said the headset will use a specialized transmitter and receiver to detect eye movements, blinks and related physical information. The analyst believes eye tracking will soon be the most important human-machine interface technology for AR and VR wearables. “Currently, users primarily operate the HMD (most of which are VR devices) using handheld controllers,” Kuo writes. “The biggest challenge with this type of operation is that it does not provide a smooth user experience. We believe that if the HMD uses an eye-tracking system, there will be several advantages.”
Security Friday: News and Hardware Keys – TMO Daily Observations 2021-03-19
Andrew Orr joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss the abundance of news and updates this week, and explain what a hardware key is for your accounts.
Personalized Artwork on Apple Music Personal Radio Stations no Longer Available
Apple Music appears to have removed the personalized artwork for its personal radio station feature. Reddit users spotted the change, which was reported by MacRumors.
Apple Music previously generated a custom personal radio station graphic based on a user’s Apple Music profile picture, but Apple now appears to have removed this feature, replacing all personal radio station artwork with an identical red graphic. The change may be in line with a number of amendments to Apple Music’s artwork that have taken place over the last year, such as animated album covers. The change, first spotted by users on Reddit, appears to have taken place very recently. Some users seem to be unhappy about the change, commenting that the “profile picture variant made it feel more personal than this.”
Comedy Series Starring Maya Rudolph Gets Apple TV+ Straight-to-Series Order
Apple TV+ announced a straight-to-series order for a comedy series starring SNL star Maya Rudolph and created by Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard.
Ted Lasso and Coach Beard to Take on Trevor Noah in FIFA FACE OFF Clash
Jason Sudeikis and Bernard Hunt will, in character, take on The Daily Show host Trevor Noah as part of EA Sport’s FIFA FACE OFF competition.
Why Dr. Mac Loves Apple Watch
Dr. Mac explains why he loves Apple Watches (and why he expects to never wear another kind of wristwatch again).
Memory Bit-Flip Error, Justin Long's Change of Heart, Oak Island Catchup, with John Kheit - ACM 544
Bryan Chaffin and John Kheit dive into the memory bit-flip error that is apparently becoming common. They also catch up on their favorite show, The Curse of Oak Island, and they discuss Justin Long’s change of marketing heart.
Developer Accuses Apple of Abusing ‘Monopoly Power’ With App Store Regulation
A developer who alleged that the App Store was hosting multi-million dollar scams has claimed that Apple “exploited its monopoly power.”
Thursdays with Bob and Emergency Prepping – TMO Daily Observations 2021-03-18
Bob LeVitus joins host Kelly Guimont for the latest Thursdays With Bob: Emergency planning and some of the apps/gear you’ll need You Know, In Case.
Computer Device Makers Ignore Bit-Flip Errors and Data Corruption
Modern devices seem to likely have a bit flipped almost every day, and the problem only gets worse with more memory and smaller fabrication circuits, and John Kheit wants to know why all modern computer and mobile device makers haven’t moved to ECC memory.
UPERFECT 15.6" Portable Monitor: $204.99
We have a deal on the UPERFECT 15.6″ Portable Monitor. It features an LCD HDR screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution, and it has built-in quad speakers. It also supports USB-C, Mini HD, PD, and Micro USB ports, and is compatible with macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux, as well as Xbox, PlayStation 4, and Rasberry Pi. This device is $204.99 through our deal.
After Ad Campaign, Intel Launches ‘PC vs. Mac’ Website
After releasing its ad campaign featuring Justin Long, Intel released a “PC vs. Mac” website comparing the platforms. Juli Clover shares:
Intel positions PCs as more “personalized” to fit a user’s “specific hardware and software needs,” while the M1 Macs offer “limited” device support, games, and creation applications. “The bottom line is a PC offers users a choice, something that users don’t get with a Mac,” reads the website.
Notice how all of Intel’s examples are features of Windows, not Intel, a.k.a. actual performance statistics. What a joke.
New ‘XcodeSpy’ Malware Targets Apple Developers
A new form of malware has been discovered that explicitly targets Apple developers. It’s called “XcodeSpy.”
Facebook Introduces Security Keys for Two-Factor Authentication
Facebook announced on Thursday that it now supports two-factor authentication authentication for security keys on its mobile apps.
Physical security keys — which can be small enough to fit on your keychain — notify you each time someone tries accessing your Facebook account from a browser or mobile device we don’t recognize. We ask you to confirm it’s you with your key, which attackers don’t have.
Bacardo Announces Pocket Watch Accessory for New Apple Watches
Bucardo is introducing a Kickstarter campaign for its pocket watch accessory. This latest product works with Apple Watch Series 4, 5, 6, and Apple Watch SE. The accessory allows you to wear your Apple Watch as a classic pocket watch. Simply remove your bands and slide the pocket watch accessory into the band slots of your Apple Watch. The company worked with talented jewelry designers and engineers to create an accessory that pays attention to all the fine details, highlighting the form of the Apple Watch while creating a unique wearable experience. Right now the base reward is US$95.
iOS 14 Isn’t Safe From Forensic Extraction Technology
Elcomsoft has announced an update to its iOS Forensic Toolkit, with version 7.0 working on iPhone 12 models and iOS 14 through iOS 14.3.
Google’s Privacy Moves to Face U.S. Antitrust Scrutiny
Apple has been the subject of a plethora of antitrust investigations in recent times. According to Reuters, recent privacy changes from Google, which would see its Chrome browsers ban some cookies, have caught the attention of the U.S. Justice Department too.
Investigators are asking whether Google is using Chrome, which has 60% global market share, to reduce competition by preventing rival ad companies from tracking users through cookies while leaving loopholes for it to gather data with cookies, analytics tools and other sources, the sources added. The latest conversations, which have not been previously reported, are a sign that officials are tracking Google’s projects in the global online ad market where it and No. 2 Facebook Inc control about 54% of revenue.
Tim Cook Says Shooting in Atlanta, Georgia 'Calls us All to Speak up And Take Action'
Tim Cook has spoken out following the shooting that saw eight people, six of whom were Asian, killed in a shooting near Atlanta, Georgia.
Natalie Portman Signs First Look Apple TV+ Deal
Natalie Portman’s newly created production company has signed a first look deal with Apple to produce TV+ content.
Starting April 15, TikTok Won’t Let You Opt Out of Personalized Ads
Starting April 15, TikTok will make personalized ads mandatory whether you want them or not.
TikTok says it is “committed” to respecting the privacy of its users, according to a TikTok spokesperson. “We will continue to be transparent about our data privacy practices and help users understand their privacy choices on our Safety Center.”
People will still be able to control whether TikTok personalizes ads based on data pulled from other apps and websites.
Committed to respecting the privacy of its users. Eye roll.
Why Does Apple Keep Making Pricey Niche Products Like The HomePod?
We recently learned that that the HomePod is to be discontinued, with Apple turning its focus to the mini instead. Luke Dormehl at Cult of Mac made a compelling argument for why it demonstrates that the company should stop producing pricey, niche, products.
You can read the HomePod debacle as an admission of failure regarding Apple’s framing of the device as a smart speaker rather than high-end audio gear. But it’s more than that. It’s an illustration of Apple’s faltering strategy of creating premium products for niche corners of the market… What else that Apple currently manufactures falls into this same category of being far more expensive than its competition? If I was toiling away on the AirPods Max, I’d probably be nervous. Apple’s pricey over-the-ear headphones, which debuted at the end of last year, sell for $550. Again, Apple hasn’t broken out sales figures, but suppliers working on the AirPods Max reportedly view it as a niche product.
Tim Cook to Appear at China Development Forum 2021
Apple CEO is set to appear at the 2021 China Development Forum, Global Times reported. Other top tech execs such as Tesla’s Elon Musk and Cisco’s Chuck Robbins will also attend.
Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, will co-chair this year’s CDF, a gathering of executives of 100-plus foreign firms including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, HSBC Chief Executive Noel Quinn, Chuck Robbins, chairman and CEO of Cisco, Ray Dalio, founder and chairman of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates and Jakob Stausholm, CEO of Rio Tinto Group, according to a posting on the CDF’s official WeChat account on Monday.The event, held annually since 2000, will offer both in-person and online components at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing from Saturday through Monday under the theme of “China on a New Journey Toward Modernization.”
Huawei Wants 5G Royalties from Apple and Samsung
Huawei is set to start asking the likes of Apple and Samsung 5G patent royalties, executives have said. The Chinese firm did though confirm that it is will to negotiate flexibly, with different rates for different 5G products, Bloomberg News reported.
The owner of the world’s largest portfolio of 5G patents will negotiate rates and potential cross-licensing with the iPhone maker and Samsung Electronics Co., Chief Legal Officer Song Liuping said. It aims to get paid despite U.S. efforts to block its network gear and shut it out of the supply chain, but promised to charge lower rates than rivals like Qualcomm Inc., Ericsson AB and Nokia Oyj. Huawei should rake in about $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion in patent and licensing fees between 2019 and 2021, executives said without specifying which of those stemmed from 5G. It’s capping per-phone royalties at $2.50, according to Jason Ding, head of Huawei’s intellectual property department. China’s largest technology company by revenue wants a seat at the table with tech giants vying to define the rapidly evolving field of connected cars, smart homes and robotic surgery.
UK Uber Drivers Now Receive National Living Wage
Uber drivers in the UK now receive the National Living Wage of £8.72 (US$12.18) per hour, following a recent case in the country. BBC News has a good breakdown of what the change means for the ride hailing service, how we got here, and what it might mean for the company more broadly.
The ride-hailing giant said drivers would earn at least the National Living Wage, or £8.72 an hour, in a move that could shake up the wider gig economy. It comes a month after it lost a legal battle in the UK over drivers’ status. Uber said it was “turning the page” on workers’ rights, but some said it had not gone far enough. Analysts also warned the company had increased prices in California after a similar ruling and was likely to do the same in the UK.