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The Applicable-to-Accessibility Edition Saturday, April 6, 2019

Apple Shares New 'Shot On iPhone XS' Video Exploring The Cuban Surfing Community, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

Apple says the short film provides "a glimpse into the Cuban surf community and a new era within the island nation" and "explores the humble beginnings of the movement and how interest in surfing is building in the country."

Three Things About Apple's New Services That Matter For Accessibility, by Steven Aquino, iMore

At first blush, Apple's star-studded media event seemingly had little to do with accessibility. Apple Card, Apple News Plus, and Apple TV Plus, and Apple Arcade all are services, which unlike new iPhones or new operating systems, aren't as easy to pick apart from a disability point of view. Apple is getting into the credit card business, after all.

As I watched Apple's presentation from the audience in the Steve Jobs Theater, however, the proverbial lightbulbs kept going on in my head. (Which amused me if only because of how fitting it seemed to have metaphorical lights going off in my mind while covering an event stuffed to the brim with Hollywood A-listers.) It occurred to me several of Apple's announcements were, in fact, applicable to accessibility.

Stuff

Things 3, by Lloyd Coombes, The Digital Fix

On an anecdotal level, I know fellow writers and self-employed business owners that swear by it, and I'm pleased to say I've joined their ranks. After using Things 3, I think I'd find it incredibly difficult to go back to not using it - there are cheaper alternatives, but nothing comes close to its relaxed, clean approach to task management.

Ember Launches Larger Capacity 14oz Ceramic Mug, Available From Apple, by Mitchel Broussard, MacRumors

The main feature of the Ceramic Mug is that it lets you set a specific drinking temperature for your coffee or tea via the iPhone app. Over the course of a few minutes, the mug will lower its internal temperature to that setting, and then keep your drink at your desired level of warmth while you drink it.

Netflix’s iOS App No Longer Works With Apple AirPlay, by Todd Spangler, Variety

Netflix’s iOS app loss of AirPlay support could be due to a broader business disagreement between the two companies — as Apple is gearing up to compete head-to-head with Netflix.

Develop

I Let A Stranger Watch Me Work For A Day — And I've Never Been More Productive, by Isabelle Kohn, MEL

The whole thing seemed interesting, but I had some reservations. Wouldn’t it be awkward having someone else watch you work? What was with the precision instructions? And most importantly, was it all just a front for a random webcam chat site like Chatroulette?

As I pondered these questions, I noticed a claim Focusmate made on their homepage: “Focusmate virtual co-working harnesses pillars of psychology proven to boost productivity 200-300 percent.” Two hundred to three hundred percent? I gawked, suddenly hopeful this weird co-working website could become my surrogate office. The only question that remained was, “Where do I sign?”

Notes

'Everything Is Well Thought Out': How The Apple Store Has Become A Template For Retailers, by Suman Bhattacharyya, DigiDay

At a distance, McDonald’s 19,000 square-foot flagship location in Chicago could be mistaken for an Apple store. Its boxy, glass-paneled design, and its airy, minimalistic look and feel, combined with modern-looking furniture, offer some clues as to what might have inspired the design. The company is calling it an “Experience of the Future” store, a format that inspired 4,500 store renovations last year, and it plans to grow the concept.

Other retailers are drawing inspiration from Apple’s store model. Apple has built a retail template other stores can borrow from: neat minimal stores with personalized service and experiences, including events and classes. It’s become the default setting for store design makeovers.

Amazon Bought Eero For $97M And Employees Still Got Screwed, by Rachel Kraus, Mashable

When Amazon announced a deal to acquire Eero, the maker of a groundbreaking WiFi system, it sounded like a classic Silicon Valley success story: a promising startup is acquired by the biggest bidder in the land, and everyone rolls around in cash. But that is not this story. This story is about investors losing tens of millions of dollars and dozens of employees left with meaningless stock.