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The Color-Exploration Edition Thursday, March 31, 2022

Lettering Artist Belinda Kou On The Power Of Creative Community, Following Your Passion, And iPad Air, by Apple

Working with an increasing number of clients, Kou is enjoying pushing her color exploration with iPad and Apple Pencil — something that would take her hours with analog tools.

“Once I got my iPad and Apple Pencil, I created faster than I’d been able to with pencil and paper, which helped me to share consistently on social media,” Kou explains. “Between that and honing my voice and style, I started to attract clients. Today, so many of my clients hire me for digital art. I don’t think I could run my business without iPad.”

On App Stores

'Reader' Apps Can Now Add Links For Account Signups Outside Of The App Store, by Juli Clover, MacRumors

Reader apps are able to link to a website that is owned or maintained by the developer for account signups. So, for example, an app like Netflix can provide an in-app link that goes directly to the Netflix website for account signups, something that was not allowed before the change.

Apple Eliminates Separate Binary Requirement For Dutch Dating Apps Accepting Alternative Payments, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

It is now up to the ACM to decide whether Apple’s changes bring it into compliance with the order, but the ACM has yet to publicly announce its decision.

On Security

Hackers Gaining Power Of Subpoena Via Fake “Emergency Data Requests”, by Brian Krebs, Kerbs On Security

There is a terrifying and highly effective “method” that criminal hackers are now using to harvest sensitive customer data from Internet service providers, phone companies and social media firms. It involves compromising email accounts and websites tied to police departments and government agencies, and then sending unauthorized demands for subscriber data while claiming the information being requested can’t wait for a court order because it relates to an urgent matter of life and death.

Apple And Meta Gave User Data To Hackers Who Used Forged Legal Requests, by William Turton, Bloomberg

Apple and Meta provided basic subscriber details, such as a customer’s address, phone number and IP address, in mid-2021 in response to the forged “emergency data requests.” Normally, such requests are only provided with a search warrant or subpoena signed by a judge, according to the people. However, the emergency requests don’t require a court order.

Stuff

‘CODA’ Being Re-Released In Theaters With Open Captions After Best Picture Oscar Win, by Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline

“As our industry recognizes CODA with its highest honor, we’re excited once again to bring this moving film to theaters so that audiences can share in the experience of watching it together,” says Erica Anderson from Apple Original Films’ Distribution team. “As with previous theatrical runs, all showings will have open captions, so that the film is accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.”

Apps We Love: Irvue, by Jeffrey Abbott, The Sweet Setup

What I love about Irvue is that I can create custom filters for it to use as an image pool. One of my favorite filters combines a few space-themed channels and searches to give me an endless supply of outer-space wallpapers.

Boomerang Updated With Bookable Schedule Feature To Automatically Add Zoom And Google Meet Links, by Allison McDaniel, 9to5Mac

The app lets users quickly schedule and accept meetings in their inbox more efficiently. Senders can also share personalized calendars through email, and recipients can easily view availabilities.

CARROT Weather 5.6 Adds Locations Lists, New Layout Sections, And More, by John Voorhees, MacStories

Whether you’re keeping tabs on a destination for an upcoming trip or just want to know if the weather is nice where a friend or family member lives, the new Locations List provides an excellent overview without requiring you to tap into the details of each city.

Notes

iOS Keyboard Suggests Dog And Cow Emoji When ‘Clarus’ Is Typed, by Stephen Hackett, 512 Pixels

If Apple is going to have this VERY EXCELLENT reference in the keyboard, the details should be right.

It’s Scary How Dominant Apple Has Become. But How Scary?, by Farhad Manjoo, New York Times

I regret to say that after considering the scope of Apple’s power, I’ve arrived at the sort of no-easy-answer muddle that better opinion columnists than me usually try to avoid. But that’s just where we are: Apple, with a valuation of about $3 trillion and firing on every cylinder, seems unstoppable. On the one hand, its market power is scary, and sometimes its ethical and moral compass leaves a lot to be desired. (See its deference to the Chinese government.)

On the other hand, it is probably the best-run, most innovative and still most consumer-friendly of the Big Tech baddies. Maybe that’s as good as it gets.

Apple Working To Bring More Financial Services In-House, by Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

Apple Inc. is developing its own payment processing technology and infrastructure for future financial products, part of an ambitious effort that would reduce its reliance on outside partners over time, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

A multiyear plan would bring a wide range of financial tasks in-house, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. That includes payment processing, risk assessment for lending, fraud analysis, credit checks and additional customer-service functions such as the handling of disputes.

Bottom of the Page

I don't think I have a bucket list anymore.

In these strange times -- which may be ending soon, or may not be ending soon, who knows -- I think I have really learnt what I want and what I don't want to do for the rest of my life. And, definitely, I've changed my mind on some of the things that I thought I want to do for the remaining years. Unfortunately, I don't have a clear idea of what's next for me now.

I've just finished reading The Beauty of Dusk by Frank Bruni, and I've now re-reading Four Thousand Weeks. I think these are the two books that had influenced my thinking in recent days, and I'm re-reading for confirmation -- and maybe some surprises.

Stay tuned. :-)

~

Thanks for reading.