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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Thursday, June 22, 2017
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for June 23 2017
Video:
Watch Apple build its brand-new campus in 18 seconds
The 20 best smartphones in the world
According to this article:
1. Google Pixel
2. Google Pixel XL
3. iPhone 7 Plus
4. iPhone 7
New iPad Pro Inches Toward Replacing PC, but Falls Short
The professional tablet, which comes in two screen sizes — 10.5 or 12.9 diagonal inches — is incrementally improved from previous models.
But after about a week of testing the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, I concluded that Apple’s professional tablet still suffers from some of the same problems when compared with a laptop. Most important, keyboard typing is not comfortable, and some tasks are better done with a mouse than with a touch screen. In the end, I would still recommend a traditional laptop for most professionals.
I used the iPad Pro in research and outlining for this review. But when it came to writing it while reviewing notes simultaneously, I switched back to my MacBook Air, largely because the keyboard felt better to type on and it was easier to multitask with several apps.
iPad Pro vs. Surface Pro: Which Is Best for You?
10.5-inch iPad Pro (2017) Vs. Surface Pro Gen 5 (2017)
Verdict: The iPad Pros is the best tablet out there but not the best laptop replacement.
Verdict: Microsoft’s Surface Pro is a great hybrid that comes very close to a full-fledged laptop -- and beats the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement.
iPad Pro vs. Surface Pro: 5 ways to choose
Audio:
iPad Pro or Surface Pro?
Interview of Josh Goldman — CNET reviewer.
No video, only audio.
AW comment: The audio bar is small — I almost didn’t notice it.
Apple’s new iPad Pro is the innovation missing in the Android ecosystem
Apple’s new iPad Pro and iOS 11? That single-handedly put every single Android manufacturer, and Google, to shame.
What makes the iPad Pro so innovative is the accompanying software.
MacBook Pro vs. MacBook vs. MacBook Air: Which should you buy?
MacBook 2017 review: The bang for your buck gets better
This is a review of the MacBook — notice the word “Pro” is missing.
The newest MacBook is a better buy than it has been, thanks to performance improvements by its processor and graphics upgrade.
Apple MacBook (2017) review
The Good:
The new 12-inch MacBook adds the improved keyboard mechanism from the MacBook Pro line. New processor and RAM options mean better performance.
The Bad:
The Bad:
Little else has changed, including the lack of ports beyond a single USB-C connection. You still can't get more-powerful mainstream Intel processors.
The Bottom Line:
The Bottom Line:
With a subtle tweak to the keyboard and better component choices, this cult favorite mini MacBook suddenly feels like it can be your everyday laptop.
Video:
Believe it or not, the iPad Pro is faster than the 2017 and 2016 MacBook Pros in SOME performance tests
Apple's Powerful MacBook Pro Humbled By New iPad Pro
The idea that a laptop should be better than a tablet is widely expected.
Comparing the benchmarks of the latest iPad Pro and MacBook Pro machines leads to some interesting discoveries regarding the respective capabilities of the two devices launched at WWDC. Benchmarking the CPUs handed a narrow victory to the laptop, but the GPU victory went to the tablet family.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2017/06/16/apple-ipadpro-macbookpro-comparison/#7c7f9cec4c2a
Video:
Here are all the major changes coming to your iPhone
I'm a disabled person, and Siri changed my life. Then I lost the ability to speak
The Google Assistant iPhone app, does not, that I know of, read text. Siri does. But with Google Assistant’s typing commands, I am able to complete tasks I was only able to do with Siri when I could speak.
Together they offer what one app should: a virtual assistant that allows me to type commands and prompt it to read text.
Think Siri is no match for Google Assistant? Watch this video showdown
The video shows just how far Siri in iOS 11 has come.
Note:
The “Beta Test” version of iOS 11 is being used by some people.
Apple’s web site says iOS 11 should be released for everyone else in the fall of 2017.
watchOS apps continue to disappear as Whole Foods says ‘nighty nighty’ to Apple Watch support
Whole Foods just removed its Apple Watch app from the App Store, making it the latest company to do so after Google, eBay, Amazon and others did the same earlier this year.
Apple working with startup Health Gorilla to add health diagnostic data to iPhone
Apple is looking to solve the “interoperability” problem of medical records by making the patient the “center of their own care.”
Apple has a secret team working to turn the iPhone into a one-stop shop for medical records information, partnering with select companies and looking to acquire smaller start-ups.
In its quest to turn the iPhone into a comprehensive health repository for every iPhone user, Apple has teamed up with Health Gorilla, a company specializing in aggregating diagnostic information.
Apple wants to create a centralized database for all of a person's health data, which would allow the medical community to overcome existing barriers that often prevent or complicate the transfer of patient data between providers, ultimately resulting in better care for patients.
The iPhone changed the world, and it changed Apple—except in one crucial way
Steve Jobs hired an experienced supply chain executive, Tim Cook. With Jobs’ support and inspiration, the future COO and CEO assembled the necessary team, set new rules, and forged new partnerships. As quantity begets nature, Apple became a different company.
…although not entirely.
One thing that didn’t change at Apple: The compulsion for total control through hardware/software integration.
AppleCare+ for Mac and iPhone Must Be Bought Within 60 Days of Purchase
All of Apple's AppleCare+ plans for Macs, iPads, and iPhones, must be bought alongside a new device or within 60 days of purchase, according to AppleCare+ support staff that MacRumors spoke to.
The original AppleCare plans for the Mac could be purchased while the Mac was still under its standard warranty, so customers had a year to buy it, but with the new AppleCare+ plan for Mac, a purchase must be made within 60 days.
AW comment:
Apple has begun to address this issue but needs to to better.
Remember to log out of iCloud before selling an iOS device
Before selling or giving away an Apple iOS device, users need to sign out of iCloud and erase all contents and settings. Otherwise, the new owner may not be able to activate and use the iPhone or iPad.
This is because of the Find My iPhone function, which helps locate a device and block it remotely in case of theft or loss. When you sign out of iCloud, this function is deactivated.
To log out of iCloud, go into Settings > iCloud on the device and sign out.
http://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2017/06/22/remember-to-log-out-of-icloud-before-selling-an-ios-device/
To log out of iCloud, go into Settings > iCloud on the device and sign out.
http://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2017/06/22/remember-to-log-out-of-icloud-before-selling-an-ios-device/
How to Make an Old, Slow Phone Feel Like New Again
Woman Loses Phone, But Gets It Right Back Thanks To Apple iCloud
Two-factor authentication required for beta versions of iOS 11, macOS High Sierra
“If you install the iOS 11 or macOS High Sierra public betas this summer and meet the basic requirements, your Apple ID will be automatically updated to use two-factor authentication,” Apple explains in its email to users.
It’s not totally clear whether two-factor authentication will be required for ALL users who update to iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra — or whether it’s only necessary for those who already use two-step authentication.
How to update to two-factor authentication (2FA) for an iTunes-only Apple ID
If you’re like me (and many of you are), you have two Apple IDs for historical reasons that you continue to use:
One for iCloud and one for the Apple Store.
After June 15, Apple requires 2FA…
AW comment: The instructions seem a bit complicated. Setting it up seems easier if you use an iMac or MacBook than if you use an iOS device.
How to set up two-factor authentication on all your online accounts
Apple's Biggest Mistake After Steve Jobs Was Conceding The Power User Market
By not offering a suitable machine for power users, Apple has burned a pile of good will with its most influential (and wealthiest) customers.
Apple should make power user Macs for the same reason that auto companies participate is motor sports.
One man in a tiny Irish town could derail Apple’s plans for Europe
Allan Daly an American by birth and an environmental engineer by trade, and his main objections to the project were environmental. He was worried about the strain the proposed data center would put on Ireland’s electrical grid. He was also worried that Apple had no plans to mitigate the volume of greenhouse gas emissions he’d calculated the facility would produce. Plus, he just didn’t think the site in Derrydonnell Wood was suitable. There were better sites in County Galway already zoned for this type of thing. He thought Apple should choose one of those instead.
Apple is the world’s most valuable company, and it’s used to getting its way. Yet here in rural Ireland, one man has managed to block its ambitions.
Virus scanner or malware? Beware app store fakes
In the wake of the WannaCry ransomware attack, 27 different smart-phone apps materialized promising to protect your phone from the global cyber threat.
But wait: WannaCry, which ensnared more than 200,000 computers around the world, doesn't target phones. It used an exploit, discovered by the National Security Agency and leaked by hackers, that targeted outdated Windows systems.
Perhaps more alarming was that these apps were filled with malware — executing the very attacks these apps promised to protect against.
But wait: WannaCry, which ensnared more than 200,000 computers around the world, doesn't target phones. It used an exploit, discovered by the National Security Agency and leaked by hackers, that targeted outdated Windows systems.
Perhaps more alarming was that these apps were filled with malware — executing the very attacks these apps promised to protect against.
Apple's Laxity Is Leading to Scammers and Risky Apps in the App Store
Apple has failed to adequately screen a few apps that not only are dangerous, but are scams, resulting in huge monthly charges.
This is an embarrassment to Apple that needs to be addressed quickly.
All of the crypto-currency money in the world, in one chart
This article has a list of how many dollars worth of each crypto-currency exist right now.
Bitcoin currently tops the list at $46 Billion worth.
But there’s a whole crypto world out there beyond bitcoin: CoinDesk lists more than 800 cryptocurrencies, though most of them are thinly traded and have market capitalizations under $1 million. Only eight cryptocurrencies are worth more than $1 billion, as you can see in our chart.
College students would give up their friends’ privacy for free pizza
Americans may claim to value privacy, but their actions suggest otherwise.
Nearly three-quarters of people (74%) in the U.S. believe it’s “very important” to be in control of who can get information about them and 60% say they would never feel comfortable sharing their email contacts. However, the vast majority of college students (98%) gave away their friends’ emails when promised free pizza.
Nearly three-quarters of people (74%) in the U.S. believe it’s “very important” to be in control of who can get information about them and 60% say they would never feel comfortable sharing their email contacts. However, the vast majority of college students (98%) gave away their friends’ emails when promised free pizza.
This isn’t the first time a disparity between the beliefs surrounding privacy protections and the actions upholding them has been proven.
Fearing Terrorism, Germany Wants To Fingerprint 6-Year-Old Children And Force Smartphone Surveillance
“We can’t allow there to be areas that are practically outside the law,” German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere told reporters today while announcing new Nazi-like surveillance measures to fight terrorism.
The new measures include fingerprinting 6-year-old children and forcing technology companies to give the German authorities front doors to smartphones and backdoors into messaging apps in order to spy on all communications.
The new measures include fingerprinting 6-year-old children and forcing technology companies to give the German authorities front doors to smartphones and backdoors into messaging apps in order to spy on all communications.
It seems each new “terror” attack in Europe results in more laws that destroy individual liberty and benefit the police state. Others are noticing, too.
Reuters makes sure to add that the “proposal encountered strong opposition in Germany, where the memories of spying in the Communist and Nazi run deep.”
Reuters makes sure to add that the “proposal encountered strong opposition in Germany, where the memories of spying in the Communist and Nazi run deep.”
Reader Comment:
Although terrorism is real it serves the same purpose as Climate Change as far as the Global Government crowd is concerned. IT IS JUSTIFICATION FOR CONTROL.... Giving up freedom for more government controls.
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