May 31, 2013
Remember when Google denied Google Now drained the iPhone battery?
I guess they lied.
Update: Some people are saying that I’m wrong. It could be that I read too much into the update — I’ve been wrong before.
Guns N’ Roses: Paradise City
Slash is incredible.
Men’s Choir sings “Fat Bottom Girls”
Rock on.
Best girlfriend revenge ∞
Guys don’t remember that stuff. He’s screwed.
CSS Beautifier ∞
Beautifies your CSS automatically so that it is consistent and easy to read.
SecondConf ∞
An annual gathering of technologists passionate about creating great things.
Looks like an interesting conference that includes Black Pixel founder Daniel Pasco as a speaker.
Windows isn’t a feature, it’s a liability ∞
Rene Ritchie:
With these latest commercials, Microsoft shows they’re no closer to learning that lesson today than they were back with Bill Gates and the Tablet PC. They’re still mired in Windows and in Office. They’re so afraid of letting go of past success that they’ll take future failure instead. They’ll refuse to compromise on anything other than making the user experience horribly, needlessly, compromised.
That pretty much says it all.
Be careful which buttons you press ∞
Late last night the offices of Los Angeles-based independent game studio Robotoki were stormed by the LA Police Department after a curious designer hit the building’s “panic” button, studio founder Robert Bowling told Polygon.
This could have turned out so much worse.
May 30, 2013
What the fuck, Google! ∞
Regina Dugan:
Dugan shows a pill that can be ingested and then battery-powered with stomach acid to produce an 18-bit internal signal. After that, the swallower’s whole body becomes a password.
But how does it show you ads?
Six stories for the Fantasy newbie ∞
Another great reading list from Longreads.
Google All Access music service coming to iOS ∞
Jordan Kahn:
After launching its new Google Play All Access music streaming service earlier this month at Google I/O, Google’s head of Android Sundar Pichai just confirmed during his interview at the D11 conference that the service will be making its way to iOS. Sundar said the service would be available on iOS in the next few weeks.
This is going to get interesting.
iTunes Festival headliners
Apple on Thursday announced the headliners for the annual iTunes Festival. The event takes place every September in London, England.
According to Apple, Justin Timberlake, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Jack Johnson and Jessie J will be among the acts to headline the event. The event has attracted some of the world’s most popular bands over the years, as Apple noted in its announcement.
Sir Paul McCartney, Amy Winehouse and Crowded House played the first iTunes Festival at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts in 2007. Since then over 370 artists have performed in front of more than 370,000 fans and tens of millions more online and on television. Other performers have included Adele, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Alicia Keys, Paul Simon, Jack White and Oasis. Performances are available for purchase and download on the iTunes Store.
iTunes Festival runs every night in September from the Roundhouse. The event features more than 60 acts and can be watched live from your computer on iTunes, Apple TV, or using your iPod, iPhone or iPad.
As a music lover, this is something I look forward to every year. The fact that Apple makes it available on all of my devices ensures I never miss a live performance.
Grumpy Cat gets a Hollywood movie deal ∞
It’ll probably be the best movie made all year.
Skeumorphic vs. Flat is beating the wrong dead horse ∞
Todd Burton:
We have a gaggle of graphic designers focusing on all of the wrong things. In a world where more and more people are interested in the relationship between design and the internet, we’re teaching them to think that graphic design is nothing more than a style preference.
Love this article.
Canadian high school creates all-hockey curriculum ∞
A Nova Scotia high school has created a curriculum where every subject — from physics to design technology to dance — centres on hockey.
This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. And we wonder why our kids are so far behind in the basic skills.
Apple sells 100 million iPod touch units
In addition to launching a new model of its iPod touch on Thursday, Apple told me this morning that it has sold more than 100 million units of the iPod touch since its introduction.
The iPod touch was launched in 2007 and took the design of the iPhone, minus the calling ability. It has since become one of Apple’s most popular products.
With its Retina display, the iPod touch is one of the best devices that Apple currently sells. Whether listening to music or using apps from the App Store, the iPod touch bridges the gap between the iPhone and other iPod models.
The iPod touch is also a great portable gaming machine. The new model released today will further the device’s penetration into that market, in my opinion.
Apple introduces new 16GB iPod touch
Apple on Thursday quietly updated its iPod line with a new iPod touch.
The new model has a couple of changes from the existing iPods — its storage capacity is 16GB and only comes in Black. This new version is also missing the rear-facing camera. The iPod still comes with a front-facing camera.
Without the rear camera, Apple describes the new iPod as having an “ultraslim design, 4-inch Retina display, dual-core A5 chip.”
Sounds like the perfect portable game machine to me.
The iMore Show 351: The Flattening ∞
Wherein Rene, Peter, Derek and special guest David Barnard (of App Cubby) discuss Tim Cook at D11, WWDC and more.
May 29, 2013
Google Glass gets porn ∞
Porn could come to Google Glass as early as this week, with the first X-rated app set to be launched for those who have the £1,000 gadget.
Porn directors last week announced plans to use Google Glass eyewear for X-rated films to explore the ‘full potential’ of the technology.
I’m shocked, shocked I tell you.
The Short Films of Matthew Modine ∞
ShortsHD presents THE SHORT FILMS OF MATTHEW MODINE, a collection of short movies directed by the award-winning actor of Vision Quest, Full Metal Jacket, and The Dark Knight Rises. This retrospective follows Modine’s career as a short filmmaker over the last two decades beginning with his first short, WHEN I WAS A BOY, that he co-directed with Todd Field. Also included in this collection are SMOKING (written by David Sedaris), ECCE PIRATE (filmed during the making of Cutthroat Island), TO KILL AN AMERICAN, I THINK I THOUGHT, and the award-winning JESUS WAS A COMMIE, co-directed by Terence Ziegler. Each short includes an all-new video introduction by Modine.
This is a no-brainer. The collection is only $7.99 to pre-order through iTunes and it’s available next week. I ordered it.
More stupid anti-Apple bullshit from the WSJ ∞
Interviewed at the All Things D tech conference on Tuesday night, Mr. Cook revealed little about Apple’s plans.
No fucking shit, Sherlock. Really?
Does this jabbering jackass understand anything about the way Apple operates? Apple CEOs have almost never used the D conference as a venue for announcing things, especially not two weeks before a major Apple event.
[Edit: Matthew Panzarino at TNW notes that Jobs introduced the AirPort Express at an early D2 conference. Regardless, I think the pattern’s been established, and the timing concerned WWDC makes it obvious Cook wouldn’t announce anything last night.]
NiN announces new album ∞
“I’ve been less than honest about what I’ve really been up to lately,” Trent Reznor said in a statement. “For the last year, I’ve been secretly working non-stop with Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder on a new, full-length Nine Inch Nails record, which I am happy to say is finished and frankly fucking great.”
Color me stoked. It’s been five long years since Nine Inch Nails’ last album, The Slip.
Samsung Galaxy S4: A “messy experience” ∞
Om Malik:
In the case of S4, when I used the device for the first time, I encountered three screens asking me to either sign-in or sign-up: Google, Samsung and AT&T. The phone is packed with Google Apps (good), Samsung Apps (meh!) and AT&T apps (why.)
Amplified: King Of Canada ∞
In Dan’s absence, Jim is joined by Myke Hurley to discuss Tim Cook at the D11 conference and WWDC Expectations.
Special guest Myke Hurley.
Sponsored by Mailchimp and Shutterstock (use code DANSENTME5 for 30% off).
Apple’s Lisa Jackson hire gets thumbs up from Greenpeace
Last night at D11, Tim Cook revealed that Apple has hired former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to head up the company’s environmental efforts. The news has been greeted warmly by Greenpeace, the environmental activism group that’s often been at odds with Apple and its suppliers over the years.
“Apple has made a bold move in hiring Lisa Jackson, a proven advocate with a track record of combating toxic waste and the dirty energy that causes global warming, two of Apple’s biggest challenges as it continues to grow,” said Gary Cook, Greenpeace’s Senior IT analyst. “Jackson can make Apple the top environmental leader in the tech sector by helping the company use its influence to push electric utilities and governments to provide the clean energy that both Apple and America need right now.”
Marco Arment sells The Magazine to Glenn Fleishman ∞
Congratulations to both Marco and Glenn!
Analog Camera for iPhone ∞
Analog Camera – the fastest and easiest way to take, process and share photos.
Nice looking app.
Creative Cloud feedback update from Adobe ∞
It’s good to see Adobe communicating openly about what’s going on with Creative Cloud.
Apple hires former head of Environmental Protection Agency ∞
Apple takes the environment seriously and have for many years. Moves like this solidify their lead in the environmental space.