MyAppleMenu

The Tech-Testing Edition Friday, January 5, 2024

Evaluating New Features In The iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 9, And AirPods Pro, by Julio Ojeda-Zapata, TidBITS

Unlike the typical vacationer, I’d focus only on brand-new features and ignore everything else about the devices (at least for this piece). My idea was to treat the trip as a tech-testing lab but with a touristy spin. Would the products be helpful sidekicks as I spent time with loved ones and went on lengthy hikes in New Hampshire’s gorgeous Monadnock region?

What follows is structured a bit like a scorecard. I will go feature by feature and describe how I fared with it, for better or for worse, before rendering a verdict.

Napoleon Crossed A Major Box Office Milestone, But Will Apple Do This Again? , by Ryan Scott, /Film

Under normal circumstances, a movie with a $200 million budget (not accounting for marketing) making just over $200 million at the box office would not be considered a success by any means as theaters keep about half of the money from ticket sales. Plus, Apple is paying Sony a distribution fee. But the circumstances here are anything but normal as we're potentially approaching a new normal for these major streaming services, particularly the ones owned by much larger tech companies.

‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ Gets Streaming Date On Apple TV+, by Anna Tingley, Variety

After releasing on digital and on-demand last month, Martin Scorsese‘s star-studded crime epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” will finally be able to stream on Apple TV+ starting Jan. 12.

Stuff

Apple Fitness+ Offers More Ways Than Ever To Stay Active And Mindful In The New Year, by Apple

Starting January 8, the service will offer a new sound meditation theme; a workout program featuring world-renowned golfer Rose Zhang; an Artist Spotlight series celebrating the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show; Time to Walk on Apple Podcasts; and more.

Apple Card Savings Account Receives Another Rate Increase, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

Apple's rate now matches that offered by popular high-yield savings accounts from American Express and Discover, but there are still some other options that offer even higher APYs.

Long Exposure Photos On An iPhone: Spectre App Tested, by Ben Lovejoy, 9to5Mac

Alongside shallow depth of field, long exposures have been one of the two main reasons for me to carry a standalone camera at least some of the time. Spectre doesn’t completely replace the need for that, given the mix of constraints imposed by the small sensor of the iPhone and the software limitations of the app.

However, it’s fantastic to have that capability available all the time, and the results are honestly very impressive.

These Are The Best Clipboard Managers For Your Mac, by Pranay Parab, Lifehacker

Unfortunately your Mac limits the number of items in the clipboard to exactly one. This means that the next time you accidentally hit Command + C instead of Command + V, you lose access to the previously copied item, and if you want it back, you'll have to copy it all over again. If you'd like to store more than one item at a time in your Mac's clipboard, consider using a clipboard manager.

Clicks Is A Physical Keyboard For iPhone, by Ben Schoon, 9to5Mac

The iPhone is the device that pushed the mobile industry away from physical keyboards, but nothing can truly replace that tactile experience. Launching next month, “Clicks” aims to add a physical keyboard to your iPhone with support for keyboard shortcuts and backlighting too.

Notes

Apple Agrees To Settle Lawsuit Over iTunes Gift Card Scam, by Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

Apple has agreed to settle a lawsuit accusing the company of knowingly letting scammers exploit its gift cards, and keep stolen funds for itself.

[...]

According to the complaint, Apple would typically deposit only 70% of the stolen funds into fraudsters' bank accounts, and keep 30% for itself as a "commission" for knowingly converting stolen codes into dollars.

US Regulator Denies Apple, Disney Bids To Skip Votes On AI, by Ross Kerber, Reuters

Apple and Disney cannot avoid shareholder votes about their use of artificial intelligence put forward by a labor group, the top U.S. securities regulator has ruled.

[...]

At Apple, the group asked for a report on the company's use of AI "in its business operations and disclose any ethical guidelines that the company has adopted regarding the company’s use of AI technology." In a similar request, it also asked Disney to report on its board's role overseeing AI usage.

My Parents’ Dementia Felt Like The End Of Joy. Then Came The Robots, by Kat McGowan, Wired

The robot-makers are a shaft of light at the bottom of the well. The gizmos they’re working on may be far in the future, but these scientists and engineers are already inventing something more important: a new attitude about dementia. They look head-on at this human experience and see creative opportunities, new ways to connect, new ways to have fun. And, of course, they have cool robots. Lots and lots of robots. With those machines, they’re trying to answer the question I’m obsessed with: What could a good life with dementia look like?

Is Optimism Wired Or Tired?, by Om Malik

Writing about science and technology for a technology-first magazine means that you have to be biased toward optimism. I have written about technology, the business of technology, and the implications of technology for multiple publications. I continue to write with an optimist’s view of the future, but I am never blind to the perils of what we build. It is because I believe that optimism is the key ingredient for the future we want to build.

Bottom of the Page

The last time I used a mobile phone with an alphanumeric keyboard, it was on a device running PalmOS. And I never missed keyboard.

It's not that I am good at typing on glass. It's just that I realize there is no point in doing any serious typing with a mobile phone.

Of course, if you look at the history of apps that I've downloaded, from SSH clients to text editors, you'd know that I don't believe what I realized.

~

Thanks for reading.