October 23, 2020

The Dalrymple Report: iPad Air, iPhone 12 and MagSafe

I’ve been using the new iPad Air for about a week now and Dave and I talk about my review of the device. We also looked at the early reviews of the iPhone 12 and how those people felt about the new iPhones. We finished off the show with some thoughts on MagSafe accessories, as well as some thoughts on the Apple TV+ show, Ted Lasso.

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October 22, 2020

With each new iPhone, I eagerly await Austin Mann’s camera review. Part of it is just experiencing Austin’s travels. This review took place in picturesque Glacier National Park in Montana.

Luxurious. Enjoy.

The big question for me, when it comes to the new iPad Air, is how it compares to the iPad Pro.

Jason Snell:

The release of the fourth-generation iPad Air feels kind of like that. Apple is apparently so confident in the roll that it’s on with the iPad that it’s happy to take the iPad Air, which it previously defined as a more expensive version of the low-end iPad, and transform it into an iPad Pro.

No, the new iPad Air doesn’t offer every single feature of the iPad Pro. There are still some reasons for some users to opt for the more expensive model. But this isn’t a move that a company terrified of undercutting its own high-margin products would make.

So what are those differences?

The iPad Air has two speakers rather than four. There’s no second rear camera, no portrait mode support, and no Lidar scanner. And the screen refreshes at 60Hz, not the buttery-smooth 120Hz found on Pro models.

No Face ID, but you do get Touch ID in the power button. And no Face ID means no face-reacting Animoji or Memoji. And the new iPad Air has a 10.9″ screen.

If the above sits well with you, the new iPad Air is a no-brainer. Starts at $599.

I seriously love a good headline.

Follow the link, make your way through the Geekbench 5 benchmarks. Those video encoding results! iPhone just dominates.

Hartley Charlton, MacRumors:

The French iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro does not have a different retail box to accommodate EarPods, meaning that all ‌iPhone‌ boxes are consistent worldwide. Since the new ‌iPhone‌ boxes are slimmer without a tray for EarPods or a power adapter below the ‌iPhone‌, in France the EarPods are in the bottom of a separate box that is large enough to also contain the standard ‌iPhone‌’s box. The additional box appears to be much larger than the new, slimmed-down ‌iPhone‌ boxes.

I get it. This is all to accommodate a French law requiring EarPods for every new smartphone. But the packaging waste is egregious (follow the link, check the image). And Apple’s packaging elegance is lost.

Got to be a better way.

First things first, from this Apple press release:

Apple TV+ has teamed up with WildBrain, along with Peanuts Worldwide and Lee Mendelson Film Productions, to become the home for all things “Peanuts,” bringing together new original series and specials, along with iconic beloved specials to fans around the world, all in one place.

And, most importantly:

The original programs and new specials will also soon stream globally alongside iconic “Peanuts” specials, including “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” The Halloween special will begin streaming globally on Apple TV+ on October 19, and will be available for free from October 30 until November 1 as a special treat on Apple TV+.

When this announcement hit, earlier this week, there was some pushback online about Apple taking a tradition away from the masses, the tradition of watching three great Peanuts specials on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. But that is simply not the case. True, those shows will no longer be running on Network TV, but they will be available much more broadly, for free, on the web and Apple TV.

Turning to the headline linked post from Motley Fool:

This is a great score for Apple TV+, and the world’s most valuable company by market cap is doing something brilliant here. The three seasonal specials will always be available for on-demand streaming on the platform, but for a few days around each holiday, it will make the content available to nonsubscribers at no cost.

And:

And let’s be honest here: Snoopy is a Trojan horse. Folks are going to download the Apple TV+ app on their streaming hubs for this holiday freebie, and they’ll stay close every single month until the end of this year. They may decide to stick around as paying subscribers, just as the first wave of Apple TV+ users who got free 12-month trials for buying iOS gadgetry potentially walk away.

The Snoopy Trojan horse and Ted Lasso are two big bright spots to get folks looking at Apple TV+. And lets not forget about the bundles coming our way. I remain bullish on Apple TV+.

October 21, 2020

New York, shot on an iPhone 12 Pro in 4K

This is just gorgeous. Andy To shot the whole thing in HDR video, no external lenses, edited it on his MacBook Pro in Final Cut Pro.

Side note: If you are watching this on your Mac in Safari and not seeing the 4K option on playback, switch over to Google Chrome.

Mark Spoonauer, Tom’s Guide:

Here’s how the Tom’s Guide battery test works. It surfs the web continuously at 150 nits of screen brightness, launching a new site every 30 seconds until the battery drains. For the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro, we ran this test over 5G and 4G, and the difference was pretty dramatic.

And:

The regular iPhone 12 lasted just 8 hours and 25 minutes over AT&T’s 5G network. Last year’s iPhone 11 lasted a whopping 11 hours and 16 minutes over 4G. To compare, we switched the iPhone 12 to 4G-only, and it endured for 10 hours and 23 minutes.

Follow the headline link, scroll down to the chart for the details but, in a nutshell, 5G took about 2 hours off the battery life for both the 12 and 12 Pro.

This shouldn’t stop you from buying an iPhone 12, and it shouldn’t stop you from using 5G. Just keep this in mind and plan accordingly.

Peter McKinnon: iPhone 12 Pro camera test

Peter McKinnon puts the iPhone 12 Pro camera through its paces. What I loved about this video are the zoomed in focus on images to see where they shine, and even where they fall flat.

One thing Peter points out that I’ve definitely experienced is the incredible sharpness throughout an image that machine learning makes possible, even in low light. Detail that would be difficult to replicate in a DSLR.

First things first, this entire iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro review is chock full of detail, and entertaining to boot.

But this one bit struck me:

And — I’ll repeat — holy shit is Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband fast. Using Ookla’s Speedtest app for testing, my LTE service here in Philly is generally in the range of 50-120 Mbps down, 10-20 Mbps up. Not bad. With 5G Ultra Wideband, I typically saw 1,200-1,800 Mbps down, 25-70 Mbps up. At a few spots I consistently saw 2,300-2,700 Mbps down. Wowza. Apple’s and Verizon’s advertised maximum under “ideal conditions” is 4,000 Mbps. That’s gigabit speeds in real life over a cellular network.

But:

But these mmWave coverage zones really are like Wi-Fi hotspots in terms of range. At some spots, the coverage is literally just half a city block.

And there’s the rub. How often will you be in just the right spot to take advantage of these speeds?

That said, 5G will evolve, and mmWave coverage will continue to grow. If you buy into 5G now, you’ll get the benefit of that growth over time.

Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac:

Apple today silently removed its “Apple TV Remote” app from the App Store, which lets users control the Apple TV from an iPhone or iPad simulating a real Remote. The app is no longer available for download from the App Store and Apple has likely discontinued it, which means that it will no longer get any updates.

And:

Apple has added the Remote feature built into the Control Center in iOS 12, so Apple TV users can have access to all the controls on Siri Remote without having to download any app.

This is more a PSA than anything else. Want the Remote on your iPhone? Turn to Control Center.

Matthew Panzarino, TechCrunch:

Most of the iPhone 12 Pro finishes still use a physical vapor deposition process for edge coating. But the new gold (which I do not have in person but looks great) uses a special high-power, impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) process that lays down the coating in a super dense pattern, allowing it to be tough and super bright with a molecular structure that mimics the stainless steel underneath — making it more durable than “standard” PVD. One side effect is that it’s easier to wipe clean and takes on less fingerprints, something that my blue model was, uh, definitely prone to.

From the HiPIMS Wikipedia page:

HIPIMS has been successfully applied for the deposition of thin films in industry, particularly on cutting tools. The first HIPIMS coating units appeared on the market in 2006.

The gold version of the Apple iPhone 12 Pro uses this process on the structural stainless steel band that also serves as the device’s antenna system.

There’s nothing I can find that says Apple’s other stainless steel colors can’t take a HiPIMS finish. I asked Panzer about this, his reply:

As far as I understand it, it should be able to be used with many different coatings — it is not a gold specific thing. My guess is that gold proved difficult or had fingerprinting issues.

I’m curious about Apple’s future use of HiPIMS. Will we see it applied in more places? Is the gold iPhone 12 Pro a one-off, or a test case for future stainless iPhones, Apple Watches?

iPad Air first look

I have been using an iPad since the product was first introduced ten years ago. Over time it has gone from a device I use when I put away my Mac to becoming a full-time work computer that can handle any job I throw at it. The release of the powerful iPad Air solidifies its place in my daily workflow.

iPad Air features a great mix of pro features with a comfortable price-point for most consumers interested in buying a computer or iPad. The iPad Air was the first Apple product to use the A14 chip, it’s compatible with the Magic Keyboard and Smart Keyboard Folio, you can use the Apple Pencil (2nd generation), and it has about 10 hours of battery life.

The Air also has a 12MP Wide camera on the rear and a FaceTime HD front-facing camera. Everyone is different, but I don’t know if I’ve ever used a camera on the iPad to take photos. If you do, the camera will deliver great pictures. I use it for FaceTime quite a bit, so the iPad Air’s included cameras fit my uses. The iPad Pro includes an Ultra Wide camera on the rear, but for me, that’s not enough of a reason to upgrade to the Pro.

I think it’s important to understand who can use the iPad Air and who it is made for. From what I’ve seen in using it, very few people can’t get all of their work or personal communications done with the Air. As I said, we are all different. A pro photographer or artist would likely get more use from the iPad Pro features, but with the power and features the Air has, those people are becoming fewer with every product revision.

When this iPad Air was first introduced, I recommended it to a friend who was looking at purchasing a new computer—he’s currently a Windows user. He had an older iPad, and he’s an iPhone user, so he’s familiar with the ecosystem and how to use Apple products. The one thing he didn’t like was using the onscreen keyboard.

I showed him the Magic Keyboard for iPad, and he was sold. I’ve said it before—that keyboard is one of the most important accessories that Apple has ever released. It allows people like my friend to have the convenience of an iPad without having the clunky feeling of typing on a screen. Magic Keyboard Has totally changed the way I use an iPad.

My friend is an average user—In a lot of ways, so am I. In fact, I would argue that most of us, for the everyday things we do, are average users. There are going to be outliers that will actually need the advanced features in the iPad Pro, but it’s certainly not the majority.

Some users who always want the top of the line of every product they purchase—that’s great if you can do it, but not always practical for everyone else. For the other 90 percent of users, the iPad Air will be exactly what they need.

I’m used to working on the iPad Pro and its 12.9-inch display, but the 10.9-inch display on the Air gives you plenty of screen real estate to do almost any type of work without feeling like you’re compromising.

One thing that did take some getting used to was using Touch ID instead of Face ID. I would stare at the screen waiting for it to unlock, but I got over that in a day or so. Touch ID is integrated into the On/Off button on the iPad Air and is a breeze to set up. It’s just a matter of following the instructions and placing your finger on the button multiple times so it can read your fingerprint.

I usually have the iPad connected to the Magic Keyboard, so it’s set to use my left index finger. I would recommend setting another finger if you plan to use the iPad in portrait mode, so it’s easy to unlock with either hand. You’ll get the hang of it after a couple of days of use.

Another thing I want to address with the iPad Air is storage. The Air comes in two storage configurations: 64GB and 256GB. Personally, 64GB is at the limit of almost being too small, even though I have most of my files in the cloud. Having 256GB for the Air seems to be on the high side of what I need, so I would really like to see a 128GB model.

If you are an aspiring pro in photography or music, the iPad Air can handle the work you want to do, but you should opt for the larger storage capacity to be safe. If you are only using the Air for email and surfing the Web, the 64GB model will do just fine, but really take a look at what you are using it for before making the decision.

There is nothing about the iPad Air that would keep me from recommending to everyone but the most ardent pro. I’ve seen for myself that it can replace a computer (if you want it to), and it can stand up to the tasks that you throw at it every day. iPad Air is powerful and portable, allowing you to work remotely or travel easily when we’re allowed to travel again.

October 20, 2020

Eli Blumenthal, CNET:

With low-band 5G service now deployed nationwide by T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon, 2020 marks the first time all three carriers will have next-generation networks widely available.

But getting onto 5G requires more than just a compatible phone. For some carriers, you also need to have the right plan.

Before you upgrade to a new iPhone 12, announced at Tuesday’s Apple event, or a 5G Android phone, here’s what you need to know for getting 5G on each of the three major US carriers.

5G brings an incredible wave of complexity to the carrier plan landscape. Me? I’d call my current carrier, go through my existing plan, see what my options are, see what they are willing to do to keep me in a longer term commitment. You’ve got the leverage here. They want to keep you.

Hands on with Apple’s iPhone 12 MagSafe cases

Though this does not show off the fit of an actual iPhone 12 in the case, the video embedded below does an excellent job showing off the variety of case colors and the MagSafe attachment.

Chance Miller, 9to5Mac, pulled together a slew of iPhones 12 reviews, both as text links/callouts and embedded videos. Follow the headline link, start scrolling.

Follow the headline link for a first look at Illustrator on iPad by Michael Steeber, 9to5Mac.

Here’s a link to Adobe’s official Illustrator on iPad page, which offers a 7 day free trial.

Before you sign up, familiarize yourself with Adobe’s subscription and cancellation terms. This is not an Apple managed process.

Season 2 of Disney+’s The Mandalorian: Sneak peek

Big fan of The Mandalorian. The fact that they’ve somehow managed to make a season 2 during the pandemic just gives me hope, offers a tiny bit of light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

Enjoy. Episode 1 drops in 10 days. Disney+.

October 19, 2020

Bare Bones, makers of BBEdit, is one of my favorite software companies—in fact, I’ve been using their software for more than 20 years. Now, with the opening of their new online store, you can also own some Bare Bones clothing. T-shirts, hoodies, pins, fleece jackets, sweat pants and combinations of all of the products in a bundle are available from the store.

Visit the store to get your Bare Bones Official Merchandise!

MagSafe

Here’s a first look at MagSafe, with an unboxing, some magnet paper, metal things, and some previous model iPhones. Looking forward to people’s iPhones 12 arriving so we can see how well the magnet sticks to MagSafe optimized gear.

The word “safe” in the word MagSafe has always meant something specific to me: Tug on a cable with a MagSafe connector and the connector comes off. It doesn’t pull your Mac off the table.

Is this still the purpose of the “safe” in MagSafe? If I accidentally tug the MagSafe cable, will it pop off my iPhone? Or will my iPhone go tumbling to the floor? Or is this new MagSafe about ensuring your phone is charging properly, with the magnet ensuring your iPhone is properly centered on the Qi charging coil?

As part of Apple’s campaign for Bruce Springsteen’s new documentary and album, Apple has announced a live streaming, album release event, Thursday, October 22, at 11:00 pm ET.

Want to attend? You’ll need a ticket (free, but limited to Apple Music subscribers). Follow the headline link to RSVP.

This is an interesting experiment for Apple. They’ve formalized the approach with their ticketing.apple.com sub-domain. Will we start to see regular events like this, an alternative to the live, in-store music events they’ve had in the past? Is this long term, or purely until we get past COVID?

Side note, if you are a Springsteen fan, here’s a new trailer for the upcoming documentary (the doc goes live on Apple TV October 23rd, Letters to You album drops on Apple Music the same day).

Variety:

Apple has launched Apple Music TV, a free 24-hour curated livestream of popular music videos that will also include “exclusive new music videos and premiers, special curated music video blocks, and live shows and events as well as chart countdowns and guests,” according to the announcement.

Apple Music TV will be available to U.S. residents only on the Apple Music app and the Apple TV app.

In iOS/iPad OS:

  • Launch the Music app
  • Tap the Browse tab
  • Tap the Apple Music TV intro article, or tap “Apple Music TV: Watch Now”
  • To return to the Browse tab, pull down on the window
  • Tap stop button to stop

On the Mac:

  • Launch the Music app
  • Tap the Browse tab (in the sidebar on the left)
  • Tap the Introducing Apple Music TV article
  • To exit, close the window

On Apple TV:

  • Press and hold the Apple TV remote’s Menu button to get to the top level of the interface
  • Tap Apple TV
  • Tap Watch Now tab
  • Scroll down to new Apple Music TV section
  • Tap one of the buttons (Apple Music, Watch, or Listen). They all seem to lead to the live interface.

I love the big screen experience, which you can get on your Mac (with a big screen attached) or via AirPlay. Note that explicit videos may be playing, so plan accordingly.

The most powerful iPhone ever

Last week, we posted the Chris Rock iPhone 12 Verizon 5G commercial. Definitely on my long list of favorite iPhone spots.

Encountered this commercial over the weekend, equal time for AT&T. Wondering if the same team at Apple drove both of these ads. Seem different as night and day. Judge for yourself.

Got your giant grain of salt ready? OK, read on. Tim Hardwick, MacRumors:

All 5G iPhone 12 models support Dual SIM mode, which refers to the ability to switch between a SIM card and an eSIM operating on independent numbers and/or carriers. However, an image of a training document from Apple’s Sales Web resources called “What you need to know about 5G on iPhone” and posted to Reddit suggests the ‌iPhone 12‌ will not support 5G on either line when Dual SIM mode is active.

Specifically, the language reads:

When using two lines in Dual SIM mode, 5G data isn’t supported on either line and will fall back to 4G LTE. If customers are using eSIM only and are on a 5G-supported carrier and service plan, they’ll have 5G access.

This true? We should know as soon as folks with Dual SIM setup get their iPhones 12 and can test this.

Even if true, it sounds like this is a temporary issue:

On the bright side, this incompatibility could be a software issue, and therefore something Apple could resolve down the line. Indeed, the Reddit user who posted the above image claims that an update coming later in 2020 will enable 5G when using a Dual SIM mode.

Early days for Apple and 5G.

Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

From the description:

From Directors Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer, Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds explores how meteorites have impacted our planet’s landscapes and cultures.

To me, these words do not do the show justice. Watch the trailer, fascinating and beautifully filmed.

Premiers November 13th. On my calendar.

October 16, 2020

The Dalrymple Report: HomePod love and iPhone 12

It was a day of love the HomePod and newly announced HomePod mini as Dave and I review the announcements from Apple’s event. We also talked about the new iPhone 12, of course, looking at the similarities of each model and which iPhone might be right for you.

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The most powerful, versatile, and colorful iPad Air ever is here. Starting today, alongside the new iPhone 12, customers can order the all-new iPad Air, with availability beginning Friday, October 23. Offered in five gorgeous finishes, iPad Air features an all-screen design with a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, camera and audio upgrades, a new integrated Touch ID sensor in the top button, and the powerful A14 Bionic for a massive boost in performance, making this by far the most powerful and capable iPad Air ever made.

I can’t wait to get my hands on an iPad. We’ve been waiting for this day since it was announced, so go get one.

October 15, 2020

I set the headline link up to compare the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and the iPhone 11 Pro, side-by-side.

Note the slider in the upper right which will resize all selected phones proportionately. There’s also a Credit Card Object, also resizable. This should let you resize until the size of the objects on the screen match your real life credit card or phone.

Great tool, give it a try.

Good Morning America gets their hands on the iPhones 12

Though this video does not offer the technical insight (or precision) you might get from your typical tech reviewer, it is interesting to see how this crew views the new Apple shiny.

Nick Statt, The Verge:

Apple’s new iPhone 12 line will be able to access faster wireless charging speeds of 15W in line with the most up-to-date Qi standard, but there’s a catch: you’ll have to use Apple’s new MagSafe brand of charger or a MagSafe-compatible one from a third-party accessory maker.

Interesting. Hop over to the iPhone 12 technical specs page, then down to the Power and Battery section (about halfway down the page):

  • MagSafe wireless charging up to 15W
  • Qi wireless charging up to 7.5W

Yup, only MagSafe gets the full 15W. So if someone did come up with a magnet case for older phones, they’d likely solve the click-in-place problem, but not sure they could offer access to the faster charging.