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The Mental-State Edition Tuesday, June 2, 2020

How Zane Lowe Became Pop’s Unofficial Therapist, by Melena Ryzik, New York Times

Since 2014, when Lowe, now 46, was recruited from London and the BBC to join Apple in California, he has emerged as a trusted figure — a hyped-up fan stand-in who artists also view as a peer and a pleasure to talk to. But over the past year, Lowe’s role has shifted. His conversations started veering into how the creative process intersects with mental illness or emotional stability, and he leaned into it, using himself as an example: He has anxiety, he will freely tell you, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, revealing his own struggles helped others open up. Now that everyone wants to talk about their mental state, Lowe is primed to coax unusual realness out of locked-off megastars. Hip-hop has Charlamagne tha God; comedy has Marc Maron. And pop music has Lowe.

Apple Music Joins Wider Music Industry Black Out Tuesday Awareness Campaign With App Takeover, by Benjamin Mayo, 9to5Mac

Apple Music is joining in a music industry wide ‘Black Out Tuesday’ campaign, to raise awareness for Black Lives Matter in the wake of Minneapolis resident George Floyd being killed whilst under police arrest. Apple CEO Tim Cook previously tweeted his support of the protests happening across the US and around the world.

Apple Music has cancelled its usual Beats 1 radio schedule and is instead directing all iOS and macOS users to a single streaming station that celebrates the best in black music.

Apple Releases Important Security Patches For All Its Operating Systems, by Jason Cross, Macworld

Apple has released a small but important update to all its operating systems today. The update notes for version iOS and iPadOS 13.5.1, watchOS 6.2.6, tvOS 13.4.6, and macOS 10.15.5 are practically non-existent: “This update provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.” The iOS update also includes 13.4.6 for HomePod.

Typically, when Apple is so vague about a security patch, it is trying to make sure users have a change to update without tipping off hackers.

Stuff

Seven Years Later, I Bought A New Macbook. For The First Time, I Don't Love It, by Carlos Fenollosa

Yes, I have always loved my computer. Why wouldn't I? We developers spend at least eight hours a day touching and looking at our silicon partners. We earn our daily bread thanks to them. This is why we chose our computers carefully with these considerations in mind, why we are so scrupulous when evaluating them.

This is why it's so disappointing that this essential tool comes with so many tradeoffs.

Apple Card Payment Deferment Program Extended Through June, by Mike Peterson, AppleInsider

In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Apple Card customers can now defer their payments through June without any penalties.

Tasks Is A New iOS App That Helps You Organize Projects By Priority In An Intuitive Way, by Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac

But what I liked most is that the app allows you to sort your tasks into three sections: Do, Doing, and Done. More importantly, everything happens automatically, so you don’t have to think about it. When you create a new task, it goes to the “Do” list, and when you tap the checkmark, it goes right to the “Doing” list. Tap it again, and it will be marked as “Done.”

OmniFocus 3.8, by Agen Schmitz, TidBITS

The Omni Group has released OmniFocus 3.8 with the introduction of Omni Automation to the Pro edition, enabling full support for running automation plug-ins. [...] Omni Automation scripts work across platforms, can be shared with others, and can be written by anyone in JavaScript.

Review: Moshi iVisor Tames Glossy iPad + MacBook With Outdoor-friendly Matte Screen Protectors, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

It’s easy to install and easy to keep clean, and it significantly improves the experience of using your iPad or MacBook outdoors.

Develop

Work Doesn’t Happen At The Computer, by Isaac Smith, The Sweet Setup

In the grand scheme of human history, computers are brand new. We’re talking about thousands of years of operating without computers stacked against the last 30–40 with them.

While they offer a great deal of functionality in the tasks they help us achieve, they are no replacement for our own built-in computer.

This is simply challenging the common assumption that getting work done only happens in front of a screen. If the Brooklyn Bridge can be built without project management software or email, I’m sure we can achieve meaningful work without a computer. And with more computing power in a smartphone than the first rockets, you’d think we’d use it for more than a witty tweet.

Bottom of the Page

I may have forgotten how not to work from home. I may have forgotten how I tolerated my long commute. I may have forgotten how I tolerated having dinners at late hours.

But then, I may have also forgotten having a drink with my friends. I may have also forgotten complaining about work with my colleagues.

I am having very mixed feelings.

~

Thanks for reading.