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The Never-Advertised Edition Thursday, March 18, 2021

Apple Turns AirPods Pro ‘Jump’ Campaign Into Viral Trend With New TikTok Challenge, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

Apple’s official TikTok account has posted six videos with different creators as part of the “Jump” campaign. Each video highlights AirPods Pro, jumping rope, and implementing a variety of TikTok editing effects and trends.

Intel Goes Long, by John Gruber, Daring Fireball

So one of my takeaways from this new “Go PC: Justin Gets Real” campaign is that it highlights just how unusual Apple’s relationship with Intel has been. The Mac was an Intel-based platform — not just x86 but Intel chips specifically — for 15 years, yet neither company ever advertised it.

Coming Soon?

Apple Nears Launch Of New IPads After Stay-at-Home Sales Boost, by Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

The company is planning a refresh to its iPad Pro line, adding a better processor and improved cameras, the people said. The new models will look similar to the current iPad Pros and come in the same 11-inch and 12.9-inch screen sizes.

Stuff

Nova Review: Panic’s Code Editor Demonstrates Why Mac-like Design Matters, by Alex Guyot, MacStories

For a huge number of software developers, Nova will be a viable option, and I highly recommend them to give it a try. Shaking up your development workflow by changing editors is no small undertaking, but I think Nova is more worth this inconvenience than any other editor I’ve seen in years.

[...]

Mostly though, it just feels like such a relief to finally use an editor by a developer who cares as much about design as I do. Nova is a breath of fresh air, and if you’re a software developer on the Mac, you owe it to yourself to give this app a try.

Microsoft PowerPoint Can Now Help You Practice Presentations Almost Anywhere — No Humans Required, by Mitchell Clark, The Verge

PowerPoint Presenter Coach listens to you while you practice a presentation out loud — it analyzes what you’re saying, and can warn you if you’re talking too fast or slow, using filler words like “um” or “ahh,” or just reading the words off the slide (a personal pet peeve of mine).

Notes

'Secret' Apple Retail Policy Reportedly Rewards Polite Customers With Free Fixes, Replacements, by Mike Peterson, AppleInsider

It isn't clear if the "surprise and delight" program is still in effect, or whether it was actually a retail policy at all. However, there does appear to be plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that customers who are nice to retail staff may be able to get better service.

Apple Bent The Rules For Russia—and Other Countries Will Take Note, by Lily Hay Newman, Wired

Apple could have simply allowed Russia to preinstall whatever apps it wanted on iOS devices, but the company also could have taken a radical stand against such interference. Instead, it found a middle ground, one that other countries may well seize on to suit their own autocratic interests.

If You Look At Your Phone While Walking, You’re An Agent Of Chaos, by Veronique Greenwood, New York Times

Where we look as we move broadcasts details about where we intend to go next. Without that, it’s harder for passers-by to avoid us gracefully. And merely dodging other people as we move along, eyes averted, rather than moving with purpose, makes us even more unpredictable.

Bottom of the Page

I hope I live long enough after retirement to at least to have some fun -- finally -- to create and shape my own apps, rather than just listening to other people's business requirements.

:-)

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Thanks for reading.