Luna Display →

August 23, 2017 · 14:42

Craig Hockenberry:

What if I told you that you could add a Retina Display to your MacBook Pro for under $100? And what would you think when I showed how it plugs into your computer?

The only use that I can see, for me personally, is for Lightroom. But only because Lightroom for iOS isn’t an exact equivalent of its desktop counterpart.

This also raises a few questions in regard to touch screens and Macs. Should Apple introduce touch to the Mac? Is this a niche product/need? Will the iPad with iOS 11 kill that need? Or with future releases, making iOS on iPads fully featured? Will there be a laptop with iOS in the near future? Will “the next big thing” arrive, replacing our need for smartphones and tablets, before iOS matures?

These are truly interesting times in tech, ones which I could not have imagined 30 years ago, sitting in front our IBM PC XT.

AccuWeather Caught Sending User Location Data, Even When Location Sharing Is Off →

August 23, 2017 · 14:33

Zack Whittaker:

Popular weather app AccuWeather has been caught sending geolocation data to a third-party data monetization firm, even when the user has switched off location sharing.

AccuWeather is one of the most popular weather apps in Apple’s app store, with a near perfect four-star rating and millions of downloads to its name. But what the app doesn’t say is that it sends sensitive data to a firm designed to monetize user locations without users’ explicit permission.

Delete this crap and never install it again.

The VW Bus Is Back, and It’s Electric →

August 21, 2017 · 18:00

VW Newsroom:

Driven by popular demand, Volkswagen announced today it is planning on selling a production version of the award-winning I.D. Buzz concept electric vehicle in 2022 for the United States, Europe and China.

While VW still has to prove it can bring back its retro icons — they failed with the Beetle — this is the first VW I am genuinely interested in.

Cops Can Make You Unlock Your Phone With Your Fingerprint, but Not Your Passcode →

August 21, 2017 · 08:58

John Gruber:

This is why it’s so great that iOS 11’s new easily-invoked Emergency SOS mode requires you to enter your passcode after invoking it. When you’re entering customs or in a situation where you’re worried you’re about to be arrested, you can quickly disable Touch ID without even taking your phone out of your pocket.

Until iOS 11 ships, it’s worth remembering that you’ve always been able to require your iPhone’s passcode to unlock it by powering it off. A freshly powered-on iPhone always requires the passcode to unlock.

This unfortunately does not help at borders, which you should take into account while traveling to countries such as Russia, China, USA, and Australia, amongst others:

In fact, US Customs and Border Protection has long considered US borders and airports a kind of loophole in the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protections, one that allows them wide latitude to detain travelers and search their devices. For years, they’ve used that opportunity to hold border-crossers on the slightest suspicion, and demand access to their computers and phones with little formal cause or oversight.

Even citizens are far from immune. CBP detainees from journalists to filmmakers to security researchers have all had their devices taken out of their hands by agents.

iPhone Secure Enclave Firmware Key Found →

August 21, 2017 · 08:49

David Schuetz:

Earlier today, it was reported that a hacker/researcher called “xerub” had released the encryption key, and tools to use it, for the firmware that runs the Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) on iPhone 5S. Reporting was…breathless. Stories suggested that this move was “destroying key piece of iOS mobile security,” and that we should “be on the lookout for Touch ID hacks” and “password harvesting scams.”

Is it really that bad? No, not really (…)

What was released today was the key to decrypt that firmware, but not a key to decrypt the region of disk used by the SE to store data. So now we can actually reverse-engineer the SE system, and hopefully gain a much better understanding of how it works. But we can’t decrypt the data it processes.

Sue the Manufacturer of Your Smartphone for Allowing You to Text While Driving →

August 21, 2017 · 08:41

Joe Rossignol, writing for MacRumors:

California resident Julio Ceja filed a class action complaint against Apple in January, accusing the company of placing profit before consumer safety by choosing not to implement a lock-out mechanism that would disable an iPhone’s functionality when being used behind the wheel by an engaged driver.

Ceja said his vehicle was involved in a collision with another vehicle in which the driver was texting on an iPhone.

Apple, however, told the court that it’s a driver’s fault if they choose to misuse an inherently safe iPhone while operating a vehicle. Apple essentially said it cannot be blamed simply because it manufactures the device, according to court documents filed electronically and obtained by MacRumors.

I’m going to sue the manufacturer of my TV, because I tripped over the coffee table, because I was distracted while watching Netflix. Hmm… I could try to sue Netflix too, I guess.

The absurdity of the legal system at its finest.

No More DISQUS Comments (And Typography Changes)

August 20, 2017 · 13:20

DISQUS have informed me that they will be introducing ads to their commenting system on my site in the following week or so, hence I have chosen to remove their service from Infinite Diaries. They do offer an ad-free experience, but I would have to pay for their pro tier, which makes no sense whatsoever in this case.

In the meantime, I have also modified the typography used on Infinite Diaries, settling on Lato and Noto Serif.

Update

You can additionally login via WordPress, Twitter, and Facebook to leave a comment.

Update 2

I turned Noto Serif off. It didn’t fit.

Google Will Pay $3 Billion to Remain Top Search Provider on iOS →

August 16, 2017 · 15:11

Luke Dormehl, writing for Cult of Mac:

Google could pay Apple as much as $3 billion this year in order to remain the default search engine on iOS devices, a new report claims.

The claim comes from Bernstein analyst A.M. Sacconaghi Jr. If true, it would represent a sizable increase from the $1 billion that Apple was paid by Google for the same reason back in 2014.

While this is (or would be) a good business decision on Apple’s part, they really should just set DuckDuckGo as the default search engine. The good of the users should come first and DDG is easily good enough for most.

Removing “Send to Watch” from Overcast →

August 12, 2017 · 14:48

Marco Arment:

I’ve spent many months of development on Overcast’s Apple Watch app, especially implementing standalone “Send to Watch” playback. Unfortunately, I now need to remove the “Send to Watch” feature.

I tried it once, soon after it debuted in Overcast. The transfer of a single podcast episode was so slow, that I never bothered again. Apple needs to fix the Watch’s biggest bottleneck.

Celebrating 30 Years of HyperCard →

August 12, 2017 · 14:44

Jason Scott:

On August 11, 1987, Bill Atkinson announced a new product from Apple for the Macintosh; a multimedia, easily programmed system called HyperCard. HyperCard brought into one sharp package the ability for a Macintosh to do interactive documents with calculation, sound, music and graphics. It was a popular package, and thousands of HyperCard “stacks” were created using the software.

In an alternative universe, my other self’s dad bought a Mac instead of an IBM PC XT. Instead of being quite adept at navigating folders in Norton Commander by the age of six or seven, I would have taught myself HyperCard.

One Other Thought on Ulysses’ Subscription Model →

August 12, 2017 · 08:59

From Ulysses’ FAQ:

What happens after my subscription or trial ends? Can I still access my texts?

Definitely. Ulysses is in read-only mode, meaning you can still access all your sheets and export them using any export format.

I strongly believe that to alleviate concerns over “renting software” instead of owning a copy, Ulysses (in this example) should still be fully functional when a user ceases paying their subscription, but it would stop receiving updates and new features. If a developer was feeling extra generous, they could support new OS versions and security updates.

August 10, 2017 · 09:34

The 2017 Amazon Echo Show looks like what people thought the future would look like in 1980. In 2007, the iPhone was the future.

August 9, 2017 · 23:35

I listen to so many podcasts, that I’d prefer some of them to be daily shows. @ATPfm and @TheTalkShow come to mind first. At the same time, I probably should publish our podcast more often…

So, About this Googler’s Manifesto →

August 7, 2017 · 10:07

Yonatan Zunger:

I’m writing this here, in this message, because I’m no longer at the company and can say this sort of thing openly. But I want to make it very clear: if you were in my reporting chain, all of part (3) would have been replaced with a short “this is not acceptable” and maybe that last paragraph above. You would have heard part (3) in a much smaller meeting, including you, me, your manager, your HRBP, and someone from legal. And it would have ended with you being escorted from the building by security and told that your personal items will be mailed to you. And the fact that you think this was “all in the name of open discussion,” and don’t realize any of these deeper consequences, makes this worse, not better.

Embrace the Notch! →

August 3, 2017 · 10:00

Max Rudberg:

Beforehand I was fond of the idea of blending the statusbar with the hardware, but seeing the mockups like this, I’m not so sure. Blending the statusbar with the hardware makes the screen seem smaller than it is and the result is less striking. I’m now leaning towards that Apple will embrace the notch.

I’m voting for embracing the notch, because it could play well into Apple showcasing how large the screen’s area really is. Then again, they could be conservative, so as not to alienate those who hate that look.

 

Photo credit: Max Rudberg

How Apple Is Putting Voices in Users’ Heads →

August 3, 2017 · 08:57

Steven Levy:

My conversation with Mathias Bahnmueller started as pretty much all my phone interviews do. “Can you hear me?” he asked, and I replied affirmatively. Then I asked him the same question. His answer was yes—he could hear me very clearly. And this was a tiny miracle.

That’s because Bahnmueller suffers from hearing loss so severe that a year ago he underwent surgery to install a cochlear implant—an electronic device in the inner ear that replaces the usual hearing mechanism. Around a million patients have undergone this increasingly mainstream form of treatment, and that’s just a fraction of those who could benefit from it. (Of the 360 million people worldwide with hearing loss, about 10 percent would qualify for the surgery.) “For those who reach a point where hearing aids no longer help, this is the only solution,” says Allison Biever, an audiologist in Englewood, CO who works with implant patients. “It’s like restoring a signal in a radio station.”

Cochlear implants bypass the usual hearing process by embedding a device in the inner ear and connecting it via electrodes to the nerve that sends audio signals to the brain. The implant gets sound from an external microphone and sound processor that usually sits behind the ear. Until now, users have had to deal with balky remote controls to adjust the settings. And dealing with smartphones has required a separate piece of equipment that vexes communication thanks to its low quality and annoying lags. But Bahnmueller, a 49-year-old executive in automotive safety, has recently been testing a new solution. The reason I was coming through so clearly is that his over-the-ear device linked to the implant was streaming directly from his iPhone—essentially putting the conversation in his head.

Technology can do so much for those less fortunate, but so rarely seems to. This is amazing.

Apple Financial Results — FY Q3 2017 →

August 2, 2017 · 08:45

Apple PR:

Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2017 third quarter ended July 1, 2017. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $45.4 billion and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $1.67. These results compare to revenue of $42.4 billion and earnings per diluted share of $1.42 in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 61 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

Apple sold:

  • 41 million iPhones (40.4 million in FY Q3 2016)
  • 11.4 million iPads (10.0 million in FY Q3 2016)
  • 4.3 million Macs (4.3 million in FY Q3 2016)

Apple Should Leave the Chinese Market →

August 1, 2017 · 23:20

John Gruber:

First, let’s dispose of the notion that Apple could have chosen to defy the Chinese government and keep the VPN apps in the App Store. Technically, Apple could have done that. But if they had, there would have been consequences. My guess is that the Chinese government would move to block all access to the App Store in China, or even block access to all Apple servers, period. This would effectively render all iOS devices mostly useless. iPhones have been sagging in popularity in China for a few years now — with no access to apps, their popularity would drop to zero. And Apple would have a lot of angry iPhone-owning users in China on its hands.

When I first saw how hard Apple was pushing into China, to expand its potential market, my only thought was, that they were in it for the money. Quite frankly, I believe they should leave China. What’s more, they should never have entered it. If they choose to remain there, then they should stand by their beliefs — today it’s VPNs, tomorrow it will be asking for access to iMessages or some other nonsense. At this point all Apple can do is “pray they don’t alter the deal further.”

While this is obviously a much deeper subject, Apple being in China with the iPhone always felt wrong to me.

Defying E.U. Court, Poland Is Cutting Trees in an Ancient Forest →

August 1, 2017 · 09:18

Joanna Berendt, writing for the New York Times:

Defying an order from the European Union’s highest court, the Polish government said on Monday that it would continue logging in Bialowieza Forest, the last primeval forest in Europe and a habitat for hundreds of bison.

The decision is the latest challenge by Poland to the legal authority of the European Union, which Poland joined in 2004, and could result in financial penalties. The arch-conservative and nationalist government that took power in Poland in 2015 has been chastised by the authorities in Brussels; last week, it was formally warned that its efforts to consolidate power over the judiciary in Poland threatened the rule of law.

The Bialowieza Forest, a Unesco World Heritage site, is a relic of ancient woodlands in the middle of the European lowlands, at the border of Poland and Belarus.

Poland is so fucked right now. Soon, the EU will impose sanctions our country. Who will pay? Us of course, not the government, which has already set us back at least a decade. Another decade.

iPhone 8 Code Name and Image Found in Homepod Firmware

July 31, 2017 · 08:39

Steven did a little sleuthing over the weekend, poking around the HomePod firmware…

Pearl ID and BiometricKit found, but still no word whether the iPhone 8/Pro (or whatever else Apple will call it) will have Touch ID along facial recognition.

Guilherme Rambo‏ also found an image representing the new iPhone, which Steven confirmed, along with its D22 code name.

Someone at Apple is going to have an angry phone call today…

Tesla Model 3 Doesn’t Have a Key →

July 29, 2017 · 09:59

Tamara Warren, writing for The Verge:

And the best part: when I pulled into park, I asked about the key. The car doesn’t haven’t one. You control the car through the Tesla app on your phone. Tesla has succeed in making a car for gadgeteers, and for forgetful people like me that sometimes leave their phones behind. (It does have a small credit card key to hand off to valets, for people that will stunt in their 3.)

I can imagine a few scenarios where that’s a bad idea. They should add one of those rubber band Fitbit-like devices, which you can put on your wrist. I think Range Rover or Volvo does them.

Tesla Model 3 Photos and Specs

July 29, 2017 · 09:43

The Model 3, according to what Elon Musk said, will come in two variants. The standard model will cost $35,000, accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 5.6 seconds , and have a range of 220 miles (352 km). The long range model will be more expensive at $44,000, accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, and have a range of 310 miles (496 km). Still no word on the “D” models, with AWD.

Continue reading →

CEO Says iRobot Will Never Sell Your Data →

July 29, 2017 · 09:13

David Gewirtz, for ZDnet:

First things first, iRobot will never sell your data. Our mission is to help you keep a cleaner home and, in time, to help the smart home and the devices in it work better.

iRobot further clarified:

This was a misinterpretation. Angle never said that iRobot would look to sell customer maps or data to other companies. iRobot has not had any conversations with other companies about data transactions, and iRobot will not sell customer data.

This is in response to Reuter’s report from a few days ago.

Is it “iPod shuffles” or “iPods shuffle”? →

July 27, 2017 · 22:50

Peter Rojas, writing for Engadget on 19 January 2005:

It took us a few days of harrassing Apple’s PR department, but we were finally able to answer one of the most burning questions of the past seven days: Is it “iPod shuffles” or “iPods shuffle?” Here’s a transcript of our conversation…

If Phil Schiller answered, he’d probably troll Peter with “iPod Shuffle devices.”