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The One-On-One Edition Monday, February 18, 2019

Group FaceTime Still Partly Broken After Security Update, Apple Aware, by MacRumors

As it turns out, it appears that users are no longer able to add a person to a one-on-one FaceTime call. The "Add Person" button remains greyed out and inactive in this situation. The only way to add another person to a Group FaceTime call at this time is to start the call with at least two other people. This slight distinction appears to be the source of confusion for many users.

His iPad Pro Was Bent. An Apple Genius Found A Sneaky Way To Get It Replaced, by Chris Matyszczyk, ZDNet

"The genius kindly said, 'Well, if you had connectivity issues with your WiFi for example, I would have to order a replacement. So what is wrong with your iPad?". I replied, 'The WiFi I guess.'"

It's a beautiful tale of one human simply trying to help another, rather than be bound by corporate strictures.

A $10 Accessory Proves Smartphones Are Too Big, by David Pierce, Wall Street Journal

As we invent new things to do with our phones, we need more space to do them. I get the logic—but it has gone too far. Some phones are now so large only NBA players can palm them. Developers have been forced to move important buttons and menus to the bottom of the screen where you can actually reach them. And every day you face a choice: Risk your phone slipping out of your hand and shattering on concrete, or put a case around it and make it even bigger.

As our phones grew in size and power, their purpose shifted. They became objects to look at and get lost in, not tools to be used. Their job is to keep you so busy you never look away. To that end, bigger and brighter far outweighs usable and easy.

I want it back the other way, and I’m not the only one. You know how I know? PopSockets.

Stuff

6 Apps For Taking A Bit Of The Work Out Of Your Workday, by Lydia Horne, Wired

Managing your tasks shouldn't be a distraction unto itself. These desk mates let your phone handle the hard stuff.

Why The Aeron Is Still The Most Coveted Seat In The Office, by Jonathon Keats, Wired

Introduced in 1994, the Aeron was designed to cradle a person in any posture. They engineered the tilt mechanism so the seat and backrest moved together in one motion for more supportive reclining. They also switched out leather upholstery for an elastic polymer mesh. The stretchy webbing—originally created to protect the elderly from getting bed sores—was added to let the body breathe. It also gave the Aeron an engineered look.

Notes

Man Discovers 30 Year Old Apple Computer Still In Working Order, by Amanda Jackson, CNN

A New York professor has Gen Xers reminiscing about their childhood after he posted images of his decades old Apple lle computer on Twitter Saturday night.

John Pfaff dusted off the old computer that has been sitting in his parent's attic for decades, and to his surprised it still turned on.

Kuo Outlines Apple's 2019 Hardware Updates, by Benjamin Mayo

Kuo believes there will be a new MacBook Pro update with a 16 to 16.5-inch display. This is apparently an “all-new design” which, in Kuo parlance, means a substantial change to the chassis. This isn’t going to be the same MacBook Pro chassis we know today made to accommodate a 16-inch display. The obvious direction is to make the bezels smaller. Kuo provides no more details, but let’s hope the keyboard is “all-new” too.

Interestingly, a 16-inch panel implies that the laptop will almost certainly get larger. Even if you removed 100% of the black frame surrounding the current MacBook Pro screen, you would just reach a 16-inch diagonal. In reality, there is of course going to be some minimal expanse of bezel, and the report has enough wiggle room that screen could be up to 16.5-inches, so the dimensions simply have to be getting a little longer and wider. Maybe this will be a MacBook Pro that does not tout thinner, lighter and smaller as one of its flagship improvements. That’s significant in itself.

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I know that I do not need to point the Apple TV remote towards the Apple TV when I'm clicking and swiping... but I still, very often, do.

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Thanks for reading.