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The Comes-With-a-Price Edition Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Digital App Device Amplifies Our Most Human Devices - Fear, Worry, Safety, by Jerry Davich, Chicago Tribune

In my youth, my privacy was prized more than most other things in life. These days, I’m not as guarded, or as secretive, with my whereabouts. If this free app gives peace of mind to my family, it’s worth the cost of my ethical concerns.

Once again, a digital device only amplifies our most human devices – fear, worry, jealousy, control, safety, to name just a few. And once again, peace of mind comes with a price in the 21st century. Are you willing to pay it?

A Decade After The iPhone, There’s Still No Good Smartphone For Kids, by EJ Dickson, Medium

These days, many parents are “putting tech in kids’ hands as soon as they can hold them,” declares Dr. Jim Taylor, author of the book Raising Generation Tech. But when it comes to what kinds of phones parents should actually buy their kids, the market offers very few options: There is no iPhone equivalent for children, and there never has been. For the most part, kids are stuck with their parents’ hand-me-down smartphones, and the onus is on the parent to install the necessary parental controls.

So, why hasn’t Silicon Valley successfully made a phone for children? And if it did, what would such a device actually look like?

Apple Has Destroyed The Potential Of The Smart Connector On The New iPad Pro, by Andrew O'Hara

The biggest issue we heard third-companies voice unhappiness with was the pogo-pin implementation, but that design remains the same. Apple opting to move the port and not fix common complaints made by those who rely on it for their own products outside of themselves doesn't seem like the best move.

Stuff

Apple Releases iCloud For Windows Update That Works With Latest Version Of Windows 10, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

Apple today has pushed an update to iCloud for Windows, bringing the app to version 7.8.1. The update comes after users reported major compatibility issues between iCloud for Windows and the latest Windows 10 October 2018 update, affecting things such as Photos syncing and many other features.

Apple Pay Now Available In Belgium And Kazakhstan, by Malcolm Owen, AppleInsider

Mobile payments and NFC transactions have been in Belgium for quite some time, with Apple Pay arriving a year and a half after Android Pay, now known as Google Pay, went live in the country.

Books And Calendars In Photos For Mac: What Are The Best Options?, by Jason Snell, Six Colors

So while I prefer Motif for book building, I prefer Mimeo for calendars. But I think you can’t go wrong with either option. If you use Photos and are despairing over the moment you’ll need to build a book or calendar without Apple’s tools, don’t worry: Both of these apps will do a good job.

Ergotron Sit-Stand Desk Converter Works Well But Is Costly, by Julio Ojeda-Zapata, TidBITS

If swapping out your current desk is an option, for about the cost of a WorkFit-TX, or a bit more, you can find full standing desks, the kind that raise and lower at the touch of a button. I have a standing desk at the office of my day-job employer, and I prefer it over any converter.

But for those who have decent-sized fixed desks and a bit of extra money, the WorkFit-TX is the best sit-stand converter I’ve seen so far.

Develop

5 Lessons Developers Can Take From Apple's Walled Garden, by Eli Bierman, Reaktor

Learning how to develop for Apple’s software ecosystem (notably iOS) takes a significant learning investment. I believe you can learn to build better experiences by understanding the platform. But even if you don’t want to commit that time, you can still learn from Apple. In this post I’ll share with you 5 lessons that you can take from Apple’s approach to growing a software ecosystem.

Notes

"A New Paradigm": How Netflix And Apple Are Upending Hollywood Hierarchy With Studio Deals, by Rebecca Keegan, Hollywood Reporter

Taken together, the deals represent a major shift in the industry: Movie studios are no longer making films just for themselves, but for the deep-pocketed technology companies that have become Hollywood’s latest conquistadors. And it’s not hard to visualize a time soon when an iconic studio like Paramount becomes a mere supplier.

"This is the year where the movie business takes on a new paradigm," says Tuna Amobi, senior analyst for investment firm CFRA Research. The deals are a reaction to 2018’s seismic changes — Disney’s acquisition of Fox assets, AT&T’s of Time Warner and the announcement of the streaming services both companies intend to launch. "Even Apple is taking note," says Amobi. "Everyone is trying to withstand the onslaught. Everyone is playing offense and defense."

Bottom of the Page

What I enjoyed most about Apple's walled garden: easy to install apps, easy to uninstall apps, without worries. I hope the lawyers do not break this.

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Thanks for reading.