I didn’t realize the number 404 actually stood for something.
Best Buy vs. the Apple Store
The irony of this web site’s name is not lost on me. This is a lot of noise that brings to mind Yogi Berra: “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
An oral history of ‘Get a Mac,’ Part 2
An annoying clicking sound
I’ve often wondered if Iomega could have hung on if they hadn’t ignored the Click of Death issue. If they had been more responsive to customers, we might have stuck with them. Now, with the rise of the internet and the ability of customers to communicate and warn each other much more quickly, there’s no way Iomega could have hidden the issue for as long as they did.
The Jony Ive computer Apple didn’t include in its monograph
It’s understandable the reasons behind the decision but it certainly can be argued it should have been included.
Fitbit Buys Software Assets From Smartwatch Startup Pebble
This has been predicted for a long time so it comes as no real surprise. The market is dominated by Fitbit and Apple and, while it was a darling of the Kickstarter and early adopter tech crowd, the Pebble never really had much mainstream success.
Media takes ‘Center Stage’ in Twitterrific 5.16
I don’t use Twitter in such a way to make this Center Stage feature attractive to me but if you are looking for a different way to view your tweets, Twitterific is a great, free (with in-app purchases) Twitter client.
What makes a good alarm clock sound?
I use an app called “Rise Alarm Clock“. It has a lovely alarm sound called “Camping Trip” I use to gently wake up to. What alarm clock sounds do you use?
U.S. Supreme Court backs Samsung in smartphone fight with Apple
Samsung is still guilty of infringement. The only dispute now is how much they’ll have to fork over to Apple.
Pro photo tips for using Portrait mode on iPhone 7 Plus
The best part of these and other tips is that they aren’t iPhone 7 Plus specific. You can work the tips into your photography no matter what kind of camera you use.
An oral history of the ‘Get a Mac’ ads, Part 1
This campaign was one of the most interesting and divisive Apple has ever produced. I loved the overall feel and message of them.
Apple Watch sales to consumers set record in holiday week, says Apple’s Cook
While Apple may be straying into Amazon territory here (Amazon famously reports “amazing” sales of the Kindle without actually saying how many they’ve sold), it’s still good news that Apple is very happy with the sales figures of the Apple Watch,
Book lovers: this hotel in a 700-year-old city needs to be on your bucket list
This place looks really cool. I hope to lead a “Beginner Photography Tour and Workshop” in Portugal next May and, if we go, this hotel will definitely be on our list of places to check out if not actually stay at.
Top 25 news photos of 2016
As to be expected, these are powerful images but beware, some of them may be disturbing for their graphic nature.
The fascinating history of one of the most popular sports cars of all time
I’ve never been a huge fan of this car (although I did like the earliest versions) but the story of its origins and development is really interesting.
Dear Apple: give us control over stalkerware
While I don’t use Uber, I’ve seen this kind of activity from other apps and refuse to use the ones that won’t let me limit the ways and kinds of data they collect.
Dropbox Pro: $99/year but get a $50 Amazon gift card
If you are a Dropbox user, this is a great deal but it’s for today only and likely won’t last long.
Amazon is opening a physical store without checkout lanes or cashiers
Those of us familiar with Apple’s Retail Stores implementation of this will understand how this might be a huge change in the way retail works.
Apple reveals self-driving car plans
In fact, Apple has “revealed” no such thing but this is the first comment they’ve made regarding automotive “autonomous systems”.
The unsolvable mysteries of the Voynich Manuscript
I have been interested in the Voynich Manuscript since I first heard of it in high school. I am nowhere near smart enough to get involved in its deciphering community but the idea of what it is and what it represents fascinates me.
Twitter has a new head of product who barely uses the product
This feels like yet another example of how such an arguably great service like Twitter seems to not have any idea of itself. Twitter seems to succeed in spite of the executives running it, not because of them.
Oppenheimer: Apple ‘lacks the courage to lead the next generation of innovation’
I would strongly disagree with the characterization but time will tell.
The evolution of Apple’s laptops, from the PowerBook to the MacBook Pro
How many of these did you have? I’ve used at least one model of each (except for the iBook) since the Powerbook 180.
Can you out-science an 8th grader?
Whew. 9/10.
Emails between Apple and FDA hint at future plans
It’s common knowledge that Apple has been very interested in developing hardware and software (likely associated with the Apple Watch) for various aspects of the healthcare industry. The problem is, as Cook said a year ago, Apple isn’t crazy about having to put the Apple Watch through the FDA process.
The Internet Archive is building a Canadian copy to protect itself from Trump
To be clear, Canada isn’t a paragon of free speech virtue but, like your own backups, it’s always better to have more than one.
Apple ranks highest in overall satisfaction among wireless router manufacturers
Yes – there are “better” (cheaper, faster) wireless routers available but, when it comes to ease of use, set up and what I recommend to non-techies, it has always been Apple wireless routers. Which makes the reports of them being discontinued even more disheartening.
Apple ad blitz: four hits and a cringe
I always like Segall’s take on Apple’s ads.
MFile.io: Simple, fast, free photo galleries
I’ve used MFile.io several times in my photography classes. While it has some minor annoyances, it’s a quick and easy way to get a bunch of images up on a web site for others to see.
Apple offering refunds to customers who paid for iMac hinge repairs
Unlike the iPhone battery replacement program, Apple isn’t publicizing this one. So, if you’ve had and paid for this issue, make sure you contact Apple to get your refund.