Media

Zoom way in on a classic painting, then switch to 3D mode

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Follow the headline link, start zooming in. I’d start zooming in on the lips. At some point, the almost invisible cracks in the paint become crevasses in some alien landscape.

Once you’ve marveled at all that detail, tap the 3D button in the tool bar. Once the sample loads, zoom in some more and glide across the actual surface of the painting.

Some remarkable work here. To me, this goes well beyond the museum experience, brings an appreciation of a classic work in a way that is only possible on your device’s screen.

Apple TV+, Tehran, and the brand new Losing Alice

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Losing Alice is a new Apple TV+ series that launches this Friday, January 22nd. Like the series Tehran, which Apple TV launched last year, if you don’t happen to be conversant in the series’ main languages, subtitles will be required.

Personally, I found Tehran brilliantly written, riveting start to finish, and well worth the investment. From what I’ve read, Losing Alice looks to be every bit as well crafted, albeit in a slightly different form of thriller.

Here’s a link to Apple’s official trailer, which is crafted from English-language moments in the series.

And here’s a link to the CANNESERIES trailer, which gives a bit more of a sense of the interweaving of languages.

The Secret Passion of Steve Jobs

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This amazing documentary was broadcast on NHK, Japan’s public broadcasting service. No spoilers, but it is a gorgeous take on Steve Jobs’ passionate connection to Japan.

Typically, I’d embed the video, but NHK has specifically prevented that, so follow the headline link to watch it on YouTube.

[H/T @rwintheiser]

Shot on iPhone: Student films, Behind the Scenes

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[VIDEO] This short feature from Apple shows off some student films showcased by the Shot on iPhone campaign.

This “Behind the Scenes” is inspirational for folks interested in making their own movies, and continues to explore the possibilities of vertical filmmaking (think portrait mode, vs the traditional landscape mode).

Very interesting, worth watching. Video embedded in main Loop post.

The Best Apple-related accessories at CES 2021

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[VIDEO] There’s a lot of gear here, but what grabbed my attention was the look at that new 31.5″ OLED LG display right at the beginning of the video.

LG has been steadily improving their display lineup, with each new generation seemingly custom made with the Mac in mind. Take a look. Video embedded in main Loop post.

Ted Lasso cast, in a virtual conversation with Patton Oswalt

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[VIDEO] Fan of Ted Lasso? This is a lot of fun to watch, a chance to get to know the actors who brought these characters to life, some Apple TV behind the scenes stuff.

If you want to skip the introductions, jump to about 4 minutes in. Video embedded in main Loop post.

Robot rock stars

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[VIDEO] This is a pretty great performance (video embedded in main Loop post). I have no idea what this represents, but it makes me think of Transformers.

Surfing Santas

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[VIDEO] See if you can guess what this is an ad for. Kinda fun. Video embedded in main Loop post.

Tell me this doesn’t look like an Apple ad

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[VIDEO] This ad (embedded in main Loop post) dropped last month, an homage to Singin’ in the Rain, but designed to sell Burberry product.

I love this ad, wonder how much of this is CGI, how much practical effects. No matter, to me, has all the feel of an Apple ad.

Side note: In the original Singing in the Rain, linked above, that’s Carrie Fisher’s mom at the beginning of the scene.

A wonderfully detailed audiophile AirPods Max review

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[VIDEO] This was full of interesting nuggets, beginning to end (video embedded in main Loop post). Even the fit and finish bits, of which I thought I’d heard all there was to say, had some new insights.

Great video.

The Beatles: Get Back – A sneak peek from Peter Jackson

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[VIDEO] Embedded in the main Loop post is a five minute chunk of Peter Jackson’s coming Beatles movie. It’s far more than a trailer.

What I found most amazing about this treat is how much footage there is that I’ve never seen before.

Enjoy. Coming to theaters August 27th.

Hear what AirPods Max sound like on your own headphones

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[VIDEO] This is a remarkably clever video (embedded in main Loop post), using specially designed binaural ear microphones to bring the sound of whatever hits the mics to your ears. As close to hearing the benefits of the AirPods Max as you can get without auditioning them in person.

Put on a pair of headphones, turn on the sound, sit back and relax. Great video.

Steve Jobs on privacy

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Given all the Facebook hand-wringing about how Apple is ruining their good fun with all this user-protection Apple seems insistent on, it might be good to listen to Steve Jobs original take on privacy.

The video embedded in the main Loop post was recorded back in 2010, more than 10 years ago. So no one should be surprised by Apple’s stance here.

Austin Mann and Rene Ritchie talk ProRAW

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[VIDEO] If you are new to ProRAW, or even RAW, take a minute to check out this post.

If you’ve got a basic sense of the value of RAW, follow the headline link for Austin Man’s photographic walkthrough of ProRAW, and check out the video embedded in the main Loop post for a long conversation between Austin and Rene Ritchie.

Chris Welch detailed AirPods Max comparison with Sony WH-1000XM4, other popular noise cancelling headphones

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[VIDEO] If you know all about the AirPods Max, are convinced about the fit and finish, there’s still a ton of interesting detail in this video (embedded in main Loop post).

One jump off point is 2:52 in, the discussion of sound quality. Another stop worth making is at 4:06, the mic test, where you can hear what your voice will sound like when processed through the various test headphone mics.

Well written review, well presented.

Behind the Scenes: Apple TV+’s Earth at Night

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[VIDEO] Imagine trying to capture already difficult nature scenes at night, in almost pitch darkness. So many problems to solve to get it right, to truly capture the majesty of the moment.

This behind the scenes video (embedded in the main Loop post) gives you a taste of what these crews went through to capture these stunning scenes.

iJustine putting Apple Fitness+ through its paces

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[VIDEO] Interested in seeing Fitness+ in action? In the video embedded in the main Loop post, iJustine does a great job talking through the Fitness+ setup and interface, then works through a few sessions to give a sense of what the experience is like.

As she makes her way along, Justine highlights Fitness+ features, like the accommodation for hearing disabilities, the burn bar, or the fact that every video features three different instructors, each working out at a different difficulty level.

How tech can bring our loved ones to life after they die

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Joanna Stern, Wall Street Journal (not the Op-Ed section):

Old photos, letters and tapes. Tech has long allowed us to preserve memories of people long after they have died. But with new tools there are now interactive solutions, including memorialized online accounts, voice bots and even humanoid robots. WSJ’s Joanna Stern journeys across the world to test some of those for a young woman who is living on borrowed time.

This was tough for me to watch, especially today. Too many losses.

But if you feel up to it, follow the headline link and watch the video. Dark and fascinating. This is a future we will continue to evolve towards, changing the experience of death.

Craig Federighi shares Apple’s Four Privacy Principles in conference keynote

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[VIDEO] Juli Clover, MacRumors:

Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi today spoke at the virtual European Data Protection & Privacy Conference, where he highlighted Apple’s approach to privacy and commitment to keeping customer data safe.

Watch the video (embedded in the main Loop post) for yourself. Craig’s intro starts at 49 minutes in.

MKBHD: Apple removing stuff from the iPhone — Solve + Justify

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[VIDEO] Marques Brownlee walks through major iPhone removals over the years, including the home button and the 3.5mm headphone jack. This leads up to a discussion of the potential removal of the lightning port.

To add depth to the discussion, Marques brings on Mark Gurman. Don’t miss the snarky comment about MacBook Pro webcams. Great video, embedded in the main Loop post.

Rene Ritchie and Sebastiaan de With talk iPhone 12 Pro Max camera

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[VIDEO] If time is limited, jump to 4:28 to skip over the introduction and convivial conversation and get to the heart of the video (embedded in main Loop post).

This video offers a great opportunity to meet and get to know Sebastiaan de With, who is highly regarded for his camera knowledge and fantastic work on the Halide camera app. I love the opener of this segment, where Rene lays out his theory on why some reviewers see no difference between the iPhone 12 Pro camera and the 12 Pro Max camera.

Good stuff.

Steve Jobs introducing iPod socks

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[VIDEO] This is from back in 2004, came across this on Reddit this morning. I love that this is pitched as a “revolutionary new product”.

Can’t help but wonder if Steve did this one under protest. This feels so unlike him, to pitch such whimsy. But fun to watch. Starts at about 4:27 in. Video embedded in main Loop post.

Super Nintendo World, opening Feb 4th in Japan

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[VIDEO] Not sure how COVID will impact the opening of this land within Universal Studios, but this (video embedded in main Loop post) definitely looks like my kind of jam. Once it’s safe, I will definitely find a way to get there, spend some quality time with Mario and friends. And I hear there’s a Donkey Kong land opening next door.

Apple destroyed my expectations

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[VIDEO] Linus, of Linus Tech Tips, titled his original hot take on Apple’s M1 keynote “Apple Silicon Mac Announcement – Slow Motion Dumpster Fire.”

Lots of people expressed their doubts, publicly. Too much hype, graphs without real numbers, impossible claims. You get the idea, you’ve maybe had doubts of your own.

To his credit, Linus makes no bones about his hot take, and weighs in with his actual experience and destroyed (in a good way) expectations. And it also offers a solid look at the experience of running iOS apps on your M1 Mac. Linus’s video is embedded in the main Loop post.

Related note: Linus briefly touches on the process of finding and downloading an iOS app, but I thought this post offered a little more detail and insight.

HomePod mini holiday ad

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[VIDEO] Nice spotlight ad, featuring a pair of songs by Tierra Whack. Video embedded in main Loop post.

Rene Ritchie: 8GB vs 16GB for M1 Mac — The TRUTH About RAM!

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[VIDEO] Rene Ritchie digs into the question of whether or not to plunk down the extra bucks to upgrade your M1 order from 8GB to 16GB. Video embedded in main Loop post.

The whole video is fascinating and focused on the topic at hand. But if you are short on time, jump to 3:05 and start listening there. And keep going, even after the “my recommendation is” section. Thoughtful breakdown of the topic, worth your time.

Interesting “Infinite Bad Guy” YouTube experiment

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Kait Sanchez, The Verge:

Somehow, perhaps by some cosmic intervention, I haven’t gotten tired of hearing Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” on the radio. Apparently, I’m not the only one because tens of thousands of people have gone to the effort of making covers of the song and uploading them to YouTube.

In celebration of its music video passing 1 billion views, YouTube and Google Creative Lab have turned all of those covers into an interactive AI experiment. “Infinite Bad Guy,” which YouTube calls “the world’s first infinite music video,” collects thousands of covers and blends them together, using machine learning to align each one within quarter-beats of the original.

Here’s a link to the “Infinite Bad Guy” page. Follow the link, let the site load, then tap the “Click to Play” button. The original video is in the middle, so tap one of the two side videos to start the ball rolling.

Play around with the interface. Don’t miss the Chiron crawl at the bottom with hashtagged keywords, like #guitar, #ukulele, #piano, and lots more.