The MacValley blog
Welcome to the MacValley blog, your first stop for all the latest MacValley news and views.
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The MacValley blog Editor: Tom Briant
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Saturday, April 28, 2018
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for Friday, 4-27-2018
n a Leaked Memo, Apple Warns Employees to Stop Leaking Information
The crackdown is part of broader and long-running attempts by Silicon Valley technology companies to track and limit what information their employees share publicly.
Apple is notoriously secretive about its product development.
The best tablets you can buy
Different recommendations for different purposes. Several Apple products recommended.
http://www.businessinsider.com/best-tablet
Apple iPad (2018) vs. iPad Pro 10.5: Is the iPad Pro worth the extra cash?
The 10.5-inch iPad Pro is better in almost every way, but the differences aren’t overly important for the average person. The iPad Pro is more powerful, has a slightly better screen, a better camera, and more — but the iPad (2018) still offers more than enough power for most average users.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/apple-ipad-2018-vs-ipad-pro-10-5/
iPad vs Fire HD 10 tablet — Apple vs Amazon — which one is better?
http://www.businessinsider.com/best-tablet-apple-ipad-vs-amazon-fire-hd-10-2018-4
Apple sells 5 different types of iPad and it's hard to choose — but there's one that's best for most people
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ipad-the-best-model-for-most-people-2018-4
Video:
Why I'm Only Using My iPad Pro!
https://www.phonedog.com/videos/why-im-only-using-my-ipad-pro
Four Videos:
Wonder what the new cheap iPad can do with the Apple Pencil?
https://www.theipadguide.com/node/106826
https://www.gsmarena.com/wonder_what_the_new_cheap_ipad_can_do_with_the_apple_pencil-news-30689.php
Video:
Top 10 features of the new iPad you should learn to use
Apple iPhone X early adopters: We love everything about the phone, except Siri
A new survey of iPhone X owners has found extremely high levels of satisfaction with every single key feature of the device, but just 20 percent satisfaction with Siri.
Why Apple makes it so hard to get a new iPhone battery
A longstanding conspiracy theory about iPhones: Apple intentionally slows it down to encourage you to buy a new one. And it turns out, that conspiracy theory was mostly true.
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-battery-dead-replacement-difficult-hard-2018-3
Apple has a new iPhone-destroying robot called Daisy that can disassemble 200 phones in an hour
Daisy can disassemble 200 iPhones an hour, Apple said in a press release extolling the virtues of its latest droid. And Daisy can take apart nine different versions of the iPhone.
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-new-recycling-robot-daisy-disassembles-200-phones-hour-2018-4
iPhone terminator: Apple's Daisy teardown robot can rip your phone apart in 18 secs
Daisy can disassemble 200 iPhones per hour or around one every 18 seconds, which is six seconds slower than Liam's teardown time. However, the newer robot is capable of disassembling more iPhone models than its predecessor with high precision, according to Apple.
Review: Surface Book 2 and the MacBook Pro
http://www.businessinsider.com/surface-book-2-vs-macbook-pro-which-is-better-2018-4
The 2017 MacBook Pro keyboard has to be one of the biggest design screwups in Apple history. Everyone who buys a MacBook depends upon the keyboard and this keyboard is undependable.
https://daringfireball.net/linked/2018/04/25/johnston-mbp-keyboard
https://theoutline.com/post/2402/the-new-macbook-keyboard-is-ruining-my-life
Apple Replacing MacBook Pro Batteries For Free After Reports Of Swelling
If you own a MacBook Pro laptop, you should know that Apple has announced a battery replacement program for some of the 13-inch versions.
The replacement is being offered due to an issue wherein the battery in these laptops may physically expand.
The affected laptops were manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017.
https://www.simplemost.com/apple-offering-free-replacement-batteries-macbook-pro/
Remember to check this web site every day for new bargains on apps for iPhone and iPad.
Apple shares new developer tools that will help users delete, restrict, and export iCloud data
Starting today, Apple will supply tools to developers to allow users to both export and then delete user data stored in iCloud. This will be done by new native App and Web APIs.
While these new tools will be primarily be targeted at Europe, it will be helpful to all users around the world, especially with the whole Facebook scandal going down right now.
https://9to5mac.com/2018/03/30/apple-developer-privacy-tools/
Apple details tools to help developers comply with new EU data regulations
Apple unveiled a set of developer tools designed to keep app makers in line with the European Union's upcoming General Data Protection Regulation, a set of rules that grants users more control over their digital histories.
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/03/30/apple-developer-tools-eu-data-regulation/
Everything you need to know about Apple's GDPR privacy upgrade
Included in Apple's update to comply with the EU's GDPR, customers will be able to download all the information Apple keeps about them.
Apple is updating its products and services to bring the company in line with the EU’s forthcoming privacy protection rules, General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
The GDPR rules are designed to bring existing data protection laws into the 21st century. They give individuals the right to see what information companies hold about them, oblige business to handle data more responsibly, and put a new set of fines and regulations in place. Almost any entity that handles personal data will be impacted by the GDPR rules.
These changes may be taking place in Europe, but there is expectation most big tech firms will apply similar protections outside Europe, which will give more effective protection to most people — which is a good thing.
How to Download Apple ID Data With Apple’s New Feature
Because of the European Union’s upcoming privacy rules called the General Data Protection Regulation, U.S. companies are scrambling to comply. Apple is doing its part by letting customers download Apple ID data, which contains everything the company knows about you.
Basically, Apple knows about stuff you buy and content you consume, but everything else is off-limits. This is in stark contrast to companies like Google and Facebook, which know EVERYTHING about you.
https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/download-apple-id-data/
How to download a copy of everything Apple knows about you
Apple has repeatedly said it doesn't store a lot of personal information about users, and I found that to be true. If you've been using iTunes for a long time, however, you might be surprised by what Apple has.
I found that Apple mostly keeps tabs on my interactions with the App Store and iTunes.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/25/how-to-download-a-copy-of-apple-data-about-me.html
Apple iOS 11.3.1 Release: Should You Upgrade?
Verdict: Install iOS 11.3.1 if you are on iOS 11.3, otherwise avoid
It’s an easy call to make with iOS 11.3.1: since it does nothing but fix one lone bug introduced in iOS 11.3, only those running iOS 11.3 need apply. Especially with a couple of new problems circling.
That said, as much as users are frustrated by the lack of fixes in iOS 11.3.1, it is iOS 11.3 which is the real villain for introducing so many problems after more than 60 days of public beta testing. Nevertheless, while I wouldn’t have expected iOS 11.3.1 to be able to squash them all (there are somany), waiting a month for just a single patch is poor.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2018/04/25/apple-ios-11-3-1-release-should-you-upgrade/
How to invoke split screen on iPad with iOS 11
With iOS 11, Apple supercharged the way how users. It came with many additions including a revamp to split screen multitasking. Gone is the swipe over and pick from a hideous and unintuitive app picker.
https://9to5mac.com/2018/04/25/how-to-split-screen-ipad-ios-11/
The percentage of people using Apple's newest software is trending the wrong way — and it could signal a new problem for Apple
Stats released by Apple show 76% of its devices are running the most recent version of iOS (vs 79% a year ago).
But to be clear, iOS is still crushing Android when it comes to giving its users up-to-date software. Less that 5% of Android phones are running the latest software, and only a third of Android owners are using software that was released in the last two years.
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-fewer-iphone-ipad-users-are-upgrading-to-latest-ios-2018-4
1Blocker X for iOS Review
1Blocker X includes roughly 120,000 rules at launch organized in the following categories:
• Block Ads
• Block Adult Sites
• Block Annoyances
• Block Comments
• Block Trackers
• Custom Rules
• International Rules
As someone who writes on the web for a living, I understand why many websites don’t like content blockers. At the same time, readers’ attention, like their trust, is something to be earned.
I’ve been a fan of 1Blocker since it launched in 2015 and have used it on both iOS and the Mac.
https://www.macstories.net/reviews/1blocker-x-for-ios-review/
How to check if your Mac or iOS device is still covered under warranty or is protected by AppleCare
Making The Grade: AppleCare+ is a terrible investment for iPad deployments
While an AppleCare purchase may make sense for individual people, it’s overpriced for organizations that buy and manage hundreds or thousands of them.
Organizations can buy iPhone insurance that costs less and provides the necessary coverage.
This article provides detailed mathematics and reasons why.
In defense of the HomePod
This week, Bloomberg reported that times are tough for Apple's HomePod.
I think much of this criticism is misplaced. The HomePod is probably the best-functioning smart speaker of the bunch.
HomePod is not an unfinished product as some have said, and is certainly not “years behind” its competitors.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/15/in-defense-of-the-homepod/
The best smart speaker: Apple HomePod vs Google Home vs Amazon Echo
A lot of our criticism of the HomePod when we first started using it was based on the fact that it was unable to answer or understand many of the questions we asked it. What we have learned by pitching it against the competition is that it’s not really that bad in comparison. The AI in each smart speaker seems to excel in some areas and not in others, but the overall feeling is that it’s a technology that isn’t quite there yet.
The other key takeaway was that because we are already in the Apple eco system it’s a lot easier to link everything up with the HomePod. With the other speakers there was a lot more complicated set up involved. However, it’s possible to get a lot of functionality out of the non-Apple speakers, so don’t let that put you off.
Audio quality is one area where the HomePod shines, but we’re not that sure it matters that much.
https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/apple/best-smart-speaker-homepod-google-amazon-3660329/
How to recover an iCloud account when a factor for two-factor authentication goes missing
Apple has a last-ditch effort when you’ve lost it all, but it’s not guaranteed.
Apple refuses to fix iMac Pro damaged in YouTube teardown
Citing an obscure repair policy, Apple has refused to fix a brand new iMac Pro that was damaged during a video teardown — even at the user’s expense.
The Apple store suggested taking the iMac Pro to a third-party Apple-authorized service provider, but Sebastian’s local store apparently lacks certification to fix that model.
https://venturebeat.com/2018/04/18/apple-refuses-to-fix-imac-pro-damaged-in-youtube-teardown/
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/18/linus-tech-tips-imac-pro-repair-video/
Jamf has released a new survey today titled The Impact of Device Choice on the Employee Experience. Among other findings, Jamf reports that about three-quarters of employees picked iPhone, iPad, or Mac over competing options when given a choice.
It is important to note that Jamf’s business is selling management software for Apple products. But regardless, the data is great news for Apple.
https://9to5mac.com/2018/04/26/employee-choice-ios-mac/
How to Enable Markup Annotation Tools in macOS
Recognizing the utility of Markup annotation tools, Apple has extended their availabilityin recent versions of iOS, but it's worth bearing in mind that you can access a similar and equally useful annotation toolset within several native Mac applications.
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/markup-annotation-tools-macos/
Video:
Most Useful Siri Commands on macOS
1. Open
Examples:
Open Apple.com
Open iPhoto
Open iTunes
Open Documents folder
2. Show Me
Example:
Show me my most recent files
Several other commands in this article.
https://www.macrumors.com/guide/most-useful-siri-commands-on-macos/
iFixit's new toolkits make it easy to take things apart (and put them back together again)
Whether you're tackling the big jobs, or really small ones, iFixit has developed two new driver kits to make it easier to take apart -- and put back together -- your devices.
Original Mac designer Susan Kare to receive prestigious AIGA medal
Susan Kare, a former Apple designer known to many as the "woman who gave the Macintosh a smile," will later this month receive an American Institute of Graphic Arts medal, an honor bestowed upon visual arts icons including Richard Avedon, Paul Rand, and Charles and Ray Eames.
https://www.cultofmac.com/542963/mac-icon-designer-susan-kare-honored-with-award/
This Steve Jobs-Favored Education Startup Made Smart Flash Cards To Help Kids Teach Themselves
In 2010, Montessori schoolteachers June and Bobby George were so inspired by Steve Jobs' introduction of the iPad, that they decided to pour their life savings into into the hands of app developer Y Media Labs to make Montessori-inspired education apps.
Since its founding, the educational apps created by the Georges' company, Montessorium, have been downloaded over 2.5 million times.
Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Deactivates Facebook Account Over Privacy Concerns
Wozniak deactivated — but didn’t actually delete — his personal Facebook account, telling USA Today he didn’t want someone else to obtain his screen name. Wozniak’s official public page on Facebook, which has about 230,000 followers, was still active as of Monday morning but currently has only two active posts.
“Users provide every detail of their life to Facebook and… Facebook makes a lot of advertising money off this,” he said in an email to USA Today, according to a story published Sunday. “The profits are all based on the user’s info, but the users get none of the profits back.”
By contrast, Wozniak said, “Apple makes its money off of good products, not off of you. As they say, with Facebook, you are the product.”
The announcement from “The Woz” comes as Facebook continues try to contain the damage from the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Apple releases iOS 11.3.1 alongside security updates for macOS 10.13.4
Apple Releases Security Updates for MacOS, iOS, and Safari
Connecticut Man Pleads Guilty to Hacking Hollywood Stars' iCloud Accounts
Federal prosecutors say 26-year-old George Garofano, of North Branford, pleaded guilty Wednesday to unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information.
107 free online courses from the best colleges in the US — including Princeton, Harvard, and Yale
http://www.businessinsider.com/free-online-courses-from-the-best-colleges-2018-4
A 200-Year-Old Idea Offers a New Way to Trace Stolen Bitcoins
A group of Cambridge cybersecurity researchers now argues that one can still distinguish those contraband coins from the legitimate ones that surround them, not with any new technical or forensic technique, but simply by looking at the blockchain differently—specifically, looking at it more like an early 19th century English judge.
The Cambridge team, rather than try to offer any new detective tricks to identify the source of a Bitcoin transaction hiding behind a pseudonymous address, their idea instead redefines what constitutes a dirty bitcoin. Based on a legal precedent from an 1816 British court decision, they posit that the first coin that leaves a Bitcoin address should be considered the same coin as the first one that went into it, carrying with it all of that coin's criminal history. And if that coin was once stolen from someone, he or she may be allowed to claim it back even after it has passed through multiple addresses.
The Cambridge researchers have gone so far as to code a proof-of-concept software tool, which they plan to release later this year, that can scan the blockchain and, starting from known instances of Bitcoin theft, theoretically identify the same tainted coins, even if they’ve hopped around the blockchain for years.
Tracing bitcoins has long been easy in theory: The blockchain's public record allows anyone to follow the trail of coins from one address to another as they're spent or stolen, though not always to identify who controls those address. But that tracing becomes far dicier when Bitcoin users put their coins through a "mix" or "laundry" service—sometimes in the form of an unregulated exchange—that jumbles up many people's coins at a single address, and then returns them to confuse anyone trying to trace their path. In other cases, users bundle together their transactions through a process called Coinjoin that gives each spender and recipient deniability about where their money came from or ended up.
https://www.wired.com/story/bitcoin-blockchain-fifo-dirty-coins/
Google just revealed a huge update to Gmail — here's everything new
http://www.businessinsider.com/google-announces-changes-to-gmail-design-photos-2018-4
Why should I use DuckDuckGo instead of Google?
Gabriel Weinberg, CEO & Founder at DuckDuckGo provides 10 reasons:
#1 — Google tracks you. We don’t.
#2 — Block Google trackers lurking everywhere.
#3 — Get unbiased results, outside the Filter Bubble.
#4 — We listen.
#5 — We don’t try to trap you in our “ecosystem.”
#6 — We have !bangs — that let you search web sites directly and skip DuckDuckGo.
#7 — We strive for a world where you have control over your personal information.
#8 — Our search results aren’t loaded up with ads.
#9 — Search without fear.
#10 — Google is simply too big, and too powerful.
Last year Google outspent every other company on lobbying Washington.
Google trackers are actually lurking behind the scenes on 75% of the top million websites. Facebook is the next closest with 25%.
https://www.quora.com/Why-should-I-use-DuckDuckGo-instead-of-Google
Google’s File on You Is 10 Times Bigger Than Facebook’s — Here’s How to View It
Dylan Curran’s Google report contained an incredible amount documentation on his web activity, going back over a decade. But perhaps more importantly, Google had also been tracking his real-life movements via his smartphone device or tablet. This included fairly random places he’d frequented, many of the foreign countries and cities he visited, the bars and restaurants he went to while in these countries, the amount of time he spent there, and even the path he took to get there and back.
This, of course, is not new. It has been well-known for some time that Google silently tracks you everywhere you go and creates a map of your physical movements through its Location History feature. You can deactivate it by going to your timeline and adjusting the preferences.
http://theantimedia.com/google-10-times-data/
Mark Zuckerberg runs a nation-state, and he’s the king
Thanks to decades of research on political economy, we know how hard it is to check the powers of a king.
“In a lot of ways Facebook is more like a government than a traditional company,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said.
Facebook is so powerful in its own domain that it is, indeed, like a sovereign state. It can upend the business models of companies that depend on it, or completely change the ways its individual users relate to each other — without them even realizing what has happened.
As Larry Lessig observed decades ago, computer code is law. And today, Facebook’s code establishes critical rules by which more than 2 billion of the world’s people and millions of businesses interact online.
This means that Facebook is a powerful sovereign and Mark Zuckerberg is the key lawgiver.
The king can try to adhere to an informal norm of behaving responsibly. However, this is very hard to maintain over the long term, as new demands and changing circumstances challenge even the most sincere commitments. Facebook’s competitor Google used to have a simple motto: “Don’t be evil.”
Over time, the company succumbed to the temptation to accept practices that motto would once have forbidden, becoming just a little bit evil, and then just a little bit more, and more, until much of its original idealism seems to have become submerged.
Facebook and Google are dangerous 'behavior-modification empires' resulting from a tragic mistake
All of the troubles surrounding Facebook and Google can be traced back to a mistake, according to TED speaker and virtual reality visionary Jaron Lanier.
"How do you celebrate entrepreneurship when everything is free? The solution is ads," Lanier said. “Entities who use this system became more experienced and clever. Advertisement turned into behavior modification.”
At the end of his talk, Lanier issued a dire warning: "I don't believe our species can survive unless we fix this."
http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-google-mark-zuckerberg-behavior-modification-empires-2018-4
Department Of Homeland Security Compiling Database Of Journalists And 'Media Influencers’
The United States government, traditionally one of the bastions of press freedom, is about to compile a list of professional journalists and "top media influencers," which would seem to include bloggers and podcasters, and monitor what they're putting out to the public.
What could possibly go wrong? A lot.
As part of its "media monitoring," the DHS seeks to track more than 290,000 global news sources as well as social media in over 100 languages, including Arabic, Chinese and Russian, for instant translation into English. The successful contracting company will have "24/7 access to a password protected, media influencer database, including journalists, editors, correspondents, social media influencers, bloggers etc." in order to "identify any and all media coverage related to the Department of Homeland Security or a particular event.”
If you think the idea of the U.S. government's compiling and monitoring a list of media professionals and "top media influencers" is a potential threat to democracy, now would be the perfect time to call your local and congressional representatives to let them know how much you value a free press and the freedom of speech, just in case they've forgotten.
Homeland Security to compile database of journalists and ‘media influencers’
DHS is looking to track more than 290,000 global news sources, including online, print, broadcast, television, and radio, according to a request for information.
DHS spokesman Todd Houlton tweeted to say that despite what was being reported this was nothing more than the standard practice of monitoring current events in the media.
“Any suggestion otherwise is fit for tin foil hat wearing, black helicopter conspiracy theorists,” he said.
News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress. All the rest is advertising.
— Lord Northcliffe
China has started ranking citizens with a creepy 'social credit' system — here's what you can do wrong, and the embarrassing, demeaning ways they can punish you
The Chinese state is setting up a vast ranking system system that will monitor the behaviour of its enormous population, and rank them all based on their "social credit."
The program is due to be fully operational by 2020, but is being piloted for millions of people already. The scheme is mandatory.
http://www.businessinsider.com/china-social-credit-system-punishments-and-rewards-explained-2018-4
How the Internet Turned Bad
The 1990s Vision Failed
https://hackernoon.com/how-the-internet-turned-bad-bf348cdb99e7
Sunday, April 22, 2018
If you haven't updated Office 2016, you need to do so.
Hi All:
I’ve gotten the 10.13.4 warning messages about 32-bit apps. Update your 32-bit apps if possible. They probably won’t run under 10.14.
Now as for Office 2016, if you got a warning message about its 32-bit nature, you need to do the following:
1. Check your Office 2016 apps for available updates. Look under the Help Menu
2. You’ll see this screen next:
3. If you get this message of No Updates at this time, check to see if you have the 64-bit version already.
I have version 16, the latest one.
4. If you don’t have version 16 of MS Office AND you can’t get the system to update on its own…you need to go here to Microsoft’ Office 2016 for Mac. Download the updater.
Warning! It’s nearly 2 Gigabytes in size. Download at a non-peak hour.
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
What We Might See in macOS 10.14
This is a British Macworld view of what to expect from macOS 10.14.
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
Monday, April 9, 2018
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for 4-5-2018
Apple is moving on from Intel because Intel isn’t moving anywhere
Apple’s abandonment of Intel chips is inevitable
Apple is planning to replace Intel processors in Mac computers with its own chips starting sometime around 2020.
Apple’s decision to ditch the world’s most popular CPU line for laptop and desktop computers may seem radical, but there are a number of key factors that actually make it obvious and unavoidable.
Attend any major tech exhibition and you’ll find Intel announcing or reannouncing MILDLY improved processors. It’s all painfully incremental and out of sync with Apple’s product cadence. Apple will give you, at most, two years with an iPhone before enticing you into upgrading, whereas Intel is trying to convince people with PCs that are half a decade old to do the same.
The infamous Moore’s Law sputtered to an end back in 2015. Intel is approaching the limits of what’s possible to achieve with silicon, and it hasn’t yet figured out its next step.
Apple’s moving on because Intel’s standing still.
Apple’s overriding ambition is to control every last minute aspect of its products.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/3/17191986/apple-intel-cpu-processor-design-competition
How to update the Apple HomePod's software
Apple just released the first software update for the HomePod. Here's how to update your speaker.
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-update-the-apple-homepods-software/
Did the Apple HomePod update dampen that wall-shaking bass?
It seems Apple has dialled back the bass somewhat during music playback, while mid-range sound is more prominent. Some users aren’t pleased, saying it sounds dull, while others seem to think bass is more nuanced as a result of the update.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/apple-homepod-update-kill-bass-3437762
HomePod owners say firmware update alters sound quality
But they disagree on whether it’s better for worse.
The general consensus among detractors is that the firmware, while delivering a more prominent mid-range, noticeably degrades bass impact and loudness. These same people assert bass-heavy tracks lack the punch afforded with HomePod's original software, leaving them with a dull-sounding speaker.
However, for every disgruntled user who decries HomePod's software update, there seems to be another dissenting voice extolling the new version's boost to bass fidelity and loudness. Still more say there is no discernible difference between the two firmware releases.
20 years ago, Apple killed the Twentieth Anniversary Mac
An interesting tidbit of Apple history.
Don't remember this $7,499 Mac from the '90s? Check out the gallery and video.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/04/15-years-ago-apple-killed-the-twentieth-anniversary-mac/
How Apple's Education Devices Changed Through the Years
https://www.wired.com/gallery/how-apples-education-devices-changed-through-the-years/
Apple and education: Four decades of highs and lows
https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/03/26/apple-and-education-four-decades-of-highs-and-lows
The new iPad 2018 teardown proves you should get AppleCare+
The new iPad 2018 is the cheapest way to get an Apple Pencil-compatible tablet, but you'll still want to safeguard this one because it's not easy to repair.
Apple's six-generation iPad scored a two out of ten for reparability, according to the teardown experts at iFixit.
AppleCare+ is an easy sell for two reasons: repairability is clearly a factor and Apple is not charging a lot anymore for this extended warranty program.
https://www.techradar.com/news/the-new-ipad-2018-teardown-proves-you-should-get-applecare
On a tight tech-buying budget, one reporter compares Chromebooks and iPads
As the Chromebook-vs.-iPad debate rages, I must confess I am conflicted.
These two kinds of low-cost, ultraportable computers couldn’t be more different — which is why both fascinate me.
I can do my entire day job using a Chromebook. As a digital producer and website minder at the Pioneer Press, I use tools that are mostly web-based. This means I can hook up a Chromebook to a monitor in my home office when I am telecommuting, add a standalone keyboard and mouse, and get to work.
A Chromebook would not work as well in all professions, but my point is this: It is a Serious Computer. That is, Google’s Web services are Very Serious Tools, and wrapping inexpensive laptops around them makes for a streamlined yet capable computing environment that’s all many people will ever need.
The problem? Chromebooks can often be unattractive, underpowered and under-featured.
I haven’t had the new iPad long enough to definitively answer the crucial question: Would I spend $350 of my own cash on an Apple tablet or a Google Chromebook such as the Acer Spin 11?
But it is hard to imagine I’d go Chromebook with the choices laid out before me — The iPad is just too dang appealing.
Apple iPad (2018) review: pencil it in
Apple’s bare minimum still beats everybody else.
There isn’t a single viable competitor to the iPad. It is the only good tablet for less than four or five hundred bucks.
The new, sixth-generation iPad has two new features compared to last year’s model: support for the $99 Apple Pencil and a faster processor, the A10 “Fusion.” Everything else — and I mean everything — is exactly the same as last year.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/3/17188626/apple-ipad-review-pencil-processor-2018-education
Apple's latest iPad may be boring, but it's the perfect tablet for most people
I've spent the last week using the newest iPad with an Apple Pencil, and it's already filled a technology gap I didn't even know I had.
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ipad-review-best-tablet-you-can-buy-2018-4
Review: 2018 iPad with Apple Pencil support might replace your iPad Pro
Apple 2018 iPad review: OK for schools, great for everyone else
https://venturebeat.com/2018/04/02/apple-2018-ipad-review-ok-for-schools-great-for-everyone-else/
2018 iPad teardown finds few major changes beyond A10 Fusion processor, Apple Pencil support
The teardown finds that the biggest changes featured in the new iPad are the upgraded, Apple A10 fusion processor, as well as support for Apple Pencil, which previous standard iPad editions lacked.
Compared: 2018 iPad shows how far Apple has progressed versus the original iPad in eight years
A pretty detailed comparison of five different models of iPad.
In seven years the iPad has improved its processing power tenfold, with it also having eight times the RAM and double the pixel density of the original release.
https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/04/03/compared-2018-ipad-shows-how-far-apple-has-progressed-in-eight-years
Compared: 2018 iPad with Apple Pencil support vs 2017 iPad and iPad Air 2
A pretty detailed comparison of four different models of iPad.
Apple’s less powerful iPad mini 4 is $70 more expensive than the new iPad
https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/27/17168610/apple-ipad-mini-4-education-event
Apple Pencil with Pages: Pretty cool, but what about handwriting recognition?
the Apple Pencil works very fluently with Pages.
Which brings us to perhaps the biggest strength of the Apple Pencil in Pages – what Apple terms Smart Annotations.
It does sketching well and is a dab hand at writing, so what were we missing in the Pencil-flavoured avatar of Pages? Well, it is an old complaint we have had: the absence of handwriting recognition.
http://techpp.com/2018/04/02/apple-pencil-pages-opinion/
Victim’s Apple Watch data used as evidence in murder trial
https://nypost.com/2018/04/02/authorities-used-apple-watch-data-to-identify-a-murder-suspect/
At Apple’s special education event, one of the announcements the company made was the death of iBooks Author. Book creation has now been folded into Pages, a surprise move that actually makes sense.
Creating books in Pages can be done on both macOS and iOS.
Update:
It turns out that iBooks Author is here to stay, and the new eBook features in Pages won’t replace it.
https://www.macobserver.com/news/ibooks-author-pages/
Apple’s bringing digital book creations to the Pages app on the iPad
Apple’s education event focused on the new $299 iPad, designed as its most “affordable” device with Apple Pencil support. It’s also updating its Pages app to bring a new digital book creation tool to let educators and students make books together.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/27/17152838/apple-digital-book-creation-ipad-education-event-2018
iWork Apps Add Apple Pencil Support, Pages Gains Ebook Creation Features
First up, all three iWork apps — Pages, Numbers, and Keynote — gain Apple Pencil support on the iPad.
Apple announces new versions of iWork with Apple Pencil integration, built in book authoring
With the new updates, users will be able to add drawings and annotations to Keynote, Numbers and Pages documents just by writing on it with the Apple Pencil stylus.
Making The Grade: Why Apple’s education strategy is not based on reality
Apple said “Anyone can create stunning interactive books.”
Who’s anyone? Which teacher has time to make custom books for his or her class? One of the things I’ve become concerned about is the number of items we tend to keep adding to a teacher’s plate. They have to manage a classroom of 15–30 kids, understand all of the material they teach, learn all of the systems their school uses, handle discipline issues, grade papers, and help students learn.
When do we start to take things off of a teacher’s plates? When do we give them more hours in the day?
Apple should have bought a major textbook company to create great books for the iPad. Imagine if Apple had bought a major textbook publisher in 2012, recreated all of their books in iBooks Author, and released them for free on the App Store. How would that have changed the marketing message to schools: Buy textbooks for $X, or buy iPad for $X and get all of your textbooks for free.
The brand new Schoolwork app was made to help teachers keep tabs on their students’ activity and assign homework.
Apple’s plan to compete with Google is all about software. And if its plan works, Apple could sell a boatload of iPads to schools—no discount required.
https://gizmodo.com/all-the-new-education-software-apples-bringing-to-ipads-1824113212
A brief history of the iPad, Apple's once and future tablet
https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/04/03/a-brief-history-of-the-ipad-apples-once-and-future-tablet
Hands-On With the New Sixth-Generation iPad
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/04/02/sixth-generation-ipad-hands-on/
Comparison: How the new 9.7-inch iPad stacks up against the iPad Pro
The iPad Pro is still better, though more expensive. Are you surprised?
https://9to5mac.com/2018/04/05/comparison-how-the-new-9-7-inch-ipad-stacks-up-against-the-ipad-pro/
Video:
2018 iPad vs. 2017 10.5-inch iPad Pro
https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/04/04/watch-2018-ipad-vs-2017-105-inch-ipad-pro
9.7-inch iPad (2018) review: Apple’s tablet is ‘pro’ enough for many of us
The only real drawback to the new 9.7-inch iPad is that it doesn’t have a laminated display like the iPad Pro, and so you’ll see a visible gap between the display and the glass above it.
https://www.macworld.com/article/3267994/iphone-ipad/97-inch-ipad-2018-review.html
Apple announces students to get 200GB of iCloud storage for free
Apple has shared during its education event in Chicago today that student accounts through schools will now get 200GB of iCloud storage for free.
https://9to5mac.com/2018/03/27/apple-announces-students-to-get-200gb-of-icloud-storage-for-free/
iMac Pro Review
https://gadgets.ndtv.com/laptops/reviews/imac-pro-review-price-in-india-1831212
Apple iMac Pro review: The most powerful and desirable all-in-one ever – with a price to match
Pros :
Seriously powerful
Quiet
Stunning display
Cons:
Pricey
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/pcs/1406917/apple-imac-pro-review
Problems with iOS 11.3
Video:
Everything Apple Announced at it's Educational Event in Under Three Minutes
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/03/27/everything-apple-announced-at-chicago-event/
Apple Releases macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 with Business Chat, eGPUs, Messages on iCloud, More
Apple says that the macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 update improves the stability, performance, and security of your Mac, and it is recommended for all users.
https://www.macobserver.com/news/product-news/apple-macos-high-sierra-10-13-4/
How to Uninstall Annoying macOS Apps
Some apps are surprisingly hard to remove. This article explains how to overcome the barriers.
Just bear in mind that Apple put the barriers in place for some good reasons, so you need to reactivate them after you delete those difficult apps.
https://lifehacker.com/how-to-uninstall-annoying-macos-apps-1824253576
Apple Releases iOS 11.3, macOS 10.13.4 Updates to Improve Security
http://www.eweek.com/security/apple-releases-ios-11.3-macos-10.13.4-updates-to-improve-security
Some External Video Displays Don’t Work with OS 10.13.4
Unless you connect non-Apple video displays to your Mac, this bug won’t affect you.
But if you use macOS with multiple displays and haven’t updated to 10.13.4 yet, you may want to avoid it depending on your system configuration.
To be clear: This bug does NOT exist if you connect your laptop or desktop to a GPU-driven port like mini DisplayPort. It also shouldn’t impact any displays driven by Thunderbolt; Thunderbolt is an extension of the PCI Express protocol and any display plugged into a compatible Thunderbolt port should have no problem with external connectivity. But it’s clear from reading various comments in product forums that too many people have been blindsided by this change, with no solution from Apple in sight.
Stop panicking about Apple's rumored switch from Intel to its own chips in the Mac
Apple has successfully managed big changes like this before.
How to Cancel App Store and Apple Music Subscriptions
If you want to prevent an App Store subscription from running beyond the trial period or cancel a subscription you're currently paying for, then read on. This article explains how to cancel any App Store subscription on iOS, Mac, and Apple TV.
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/cancel-app-store-apple-music-subscription/
Apple releases tvOS 11.3
Apple has also released tvOS 11.3 today, a relatively minor update for the Apple TV and Apple TV 4K that primarily adds performance and improvements for bug fixes.
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/apple-releases-tvos-11.3
tvOS 11.3 Adds Content Filtering for Apple TV, Apple TV 4K
https://www.macobserver.com/news/product-news/tvos-11-3/
How to Keep Private Messages on Your iPhone's Lock Screen for Your Eyes Only
A better option is to let them keep coming through but only let yourself actually read them. This works by disabling previews on the lock screen for all apps or just specific apps, then using Touch ID or Face ID to unlock the lock screen so that you can read and reply to messages without fully unlocking your iPhone. The iPhone Xactually does this for all apps right out of the box, though, if you used a backup to set it up, it's still probably showing previews for everything.
Video:
A new backdoor which affects the Apple Mac operating system has been discovered by researchers which claim there is a link to the OceanLotus threat group.
According to researchers from Trend Micro, the MacOS backdoor is a persistent, encrypted sample of malware used for surveillance and data collection.
Note: Trend Micro sell anti-virus and anti-malware products.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/new-macos-backdoor-connected-to-oceanlotus-threat-group/
https://www.macobserver.com/news/macos-backdoor-oceanlotus/
Interesting Video:
Want to buy this lovingly curated collection of classic computers?
Benj Edwards has lovingly saved, restored and cared for roughly 300 classic computers since age 12.
As curator of his own computer museum, he could provide context for future generations seeking to understand HIS computing era.
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article204725679.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article204725679.html
How to See the Apps Tracking You on Facebook — and Block Them
Options are available to those who refuse to simply wait around while Facebook gets its collective act together.
For starters, stop using the “log in with Facebook” option after downloading an app. It may take a bit longer to create a new account, but the app won’t get instant access to private information from your Facebook profile, which the company itself admits is what happens.
For the apps you’re already using, there’s a fairly simple process for managing the types of data they can access. Or, if you prefer, the same process always you to delete the app entirely.
http://theantimedia.com/block-apps-tracking-you-facebook/
Mark Zuckerberg Says Privacy Is for the Rich
So it turns out privacy is a luxury only the rich can afford. For the poors, being the product is their lot in life if they want cool tech stuff, and all this claptrap about companies not selling you is “glib” elitist nonsense. At least that’s how I’m reading Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s comments on the subject.
The more I learn about Facebook and Mr. Zuckerberg, the more I come back to this: Mark Zuckerberg was too young to have learned the difference between what he could do and what he should do when Facebook exploded. All of the controversies that have beset Facebook in the last few years appear to stem from that basic question. Yes, we can do this, but should we?
Too often the answer to that basic question has been “No, we should not do this,” but Facebook did it anyway.
The Facebook Fiasco and Its Future
Congress wants CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before them.
UK regulators could file charges against the company.
And, worst of all, Facebook likely violated a 2011 consent agreement with the Federal Trade Commission to safeguard users' personal information and could be subject to trillions of dollars in fines.
What looks like a new problem is actually Facebook's business model.
Cambridge Analytica's co-founder, Christopher Wylie, for reasons no one's sure about, blew the whistle on his company after they got 270,000 Facebook users' information (obtained legally with their consent). Then through those users, the company illegally acquired personal data on 50 million of their Facebook friends.
Facebook's in trouble because its business model includes allowing advertisers and others access to its databases. That's how they sell tens of billions of dollars' worth of ads a year. Facebook is paid by advertisers because of their ability to target ads.
https://moneymorning.com/investing/the-facebook-fiasco-and-its-future/
No One Is Safe From the Data Breach Epidemic (Infographic)
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
The Editor shares his opinions on Apple developments
#1. Should I panic over the possibility Apple will switch processors in the Mac over the next few years?
In a word, No. For more details, see this article at Appleinsider.com
Apple has changed its processors several times before. It switched processors in 2005 from the Power PC architecture developed by Motorola and IBM to the Intel x86 architecture.
Apple bought the rights to use software (the Rosetta layer) that translated PowerPC commands into Intel code right in OS X 10.4 through 10.6. This enabled me to run Office 2004 and Appleworks 6.2.9 on my then-new Intel MacBook in 2006.
I am sure Apple plans to introduce some software or hardware to translate OS X commands written for Intel processors into the new CPU’s native code.
I also expect Apple to introduce the new Mac models in stages. You’ll see the low-powered Macs; the MacBook, MacBook Air, and Mac Mini come out first. The higher powered Macs will come out later, culminating in the iMac Pro and Mac Pro.
Your current hardware will not expire. I’ve still got a MacBook from 2006 running a 32-bit Core Duo CPU and a really old eMac running a G4. Both work fine, attesting to the durability of Apple’s hardware.
Do not discard your current Mac hardware in anticipation of a processor change. I don’t know what software will run well under the new CPUs. I would expect office software will work well, as did Office 2004 under the Rosetta translation layer. Software requiring more hardware power and speed, such as high-end video and audio editing software and of course, GAMES!, will take a while.
As I said, don’t throw out your current Macs. Save up for the new stuff.
#2: Running iPad and iPhone apps on macOS
Yes, I have read the rumors of a software translation layer called “Marzipan” enabling the use of iPad and iPhone apps on Macs coming with a future version of macOS.
This would go beyond the Ios emulator built into the Xcode development environment.
In brief, the App Store for iPad and iPhone apps does great compared to the Mac App Store.
You can only get apps for your iPad or iPhone through the App Store. You could jailbreak your iPad or iPhone to use outside the App Store apps; but most people don’t want the hassle.
By contrast, the Mac App Store takes a 30% cut of the sale and demands the app conform to Apple’s rules for Mac App Store software. Therefore, a lot of developers, such as Cocoatech of Pathfinder fame, don’t bother with the Mac App Store. Neither does Microsoft for Office for Mac.
Amazon provides the Kindle reader software through the Mac App Store for free; but you get the e-books from Amazon directly. Not through Apple.
If Apple can’t get Mac developers and Mac users to use the Mac App Store, it would like to get Mac users to get their apps from the iOS App Store.
The word that you’re looking for to describe this is Ballmeresque. Named after Steve Ballmer, who brought the world Windows 8.
#3-When do I need to panic?
When your mouse, keyboard, or monitor fails; and you don’t have another one to swap in. Until then, you’re cool. Keep using the Apple hardware and software you own.
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
Monday, April 2, 2018
Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs From 2020, Replacing Intel - Bloomberg
Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs From 2020, Replacing Intel - Bloomberg:
Here’s the original report. Read it and weep. Or buy stock in Parallels Gmbh in Germany, so that you’ll be able to run old Intel based software on your new Kalamata based Mac.
Will we still be able to boot into an external drive to run older versions of macOS? Or is that just a pipe dream?
In any case, don’t throw out your Intel Macs until Microsoft releases a version of Office for Mac 2021 that really, truly works as well as the Windows version.
Looking seriously into Linux,
Your editor
Tom Briant
