Posts

Be Wary Of The USB-C Cables - The Wrong One Can Destroy Your Devices

Source:  CNN . Never knew it would bee this complicated but you need to be aware of this as USB-C ports and cables become more common. Apparently, not all USB-C cables are the same.  See, the new USB-C cables should be able to provide power, charge devices, and transfer data. Very convenient. But only off they're wired correctly.   A Google engineer was kid enough to sacrifice his Chromebook for is to make this point. Right now, the other mainstream laptop with an  USB-C port is the 12" Macbook from Apple. Soon, more will follow including phones, tablets, and other devices that can benefit from USB-C connection to get power or for data transfers. For now, get brand named versions of the cables. It'll be more expensive than cheaper ones from a Chinese company you've never heard of. But it'll be worth it when your device or laptop contents to work as advertised and not turn into a smoldering piece of plastic and fried electronics.  Look for special seals...

Netflix - Awesome if Co-Owned by Apple and Disney

Apple and Disney are practically famiiy.  This was made possible when Disney bought Apple CEO Steve Jobs' Pixar.  Relationship between the two companies have been cozy since with Disney being president for Apple's video store on iTunes and Disney CEO, Bob Iger, sitting on Apple's board. So, with Apple struggling into the video streaming market, maybe Apple should buy Netflix with Disney or another studio like Fox as a partner.  Apple buying Beats showed that CEO Tim Cook is not adverse to making a buyout to get what Apple needs.  As for Disney, it already owns a part of Hulu and have linked to possibly buying the Netflix competitor.  But Disney taking a stake in Netflix makes more sense than buying Hulu because if a deal between Disney and Netflix to produce some Marvel titles ( Marvel ) has already bear fruit.  Furthermore, Netflix will begin showing Disney movies starting in 2016.  Disney does not have the financial muscle to do it alone. And this is...

Apple Should "Sherlock" Duets For iOS, OS X, and TV OS

One of the best productivity tool that you might not hear much about or have much use if you don't have a Mac is  Duet Display  by  Kairos   started by former Apple engineers. It's an app that allows the user to use an iPad as a secondary screen for the Mac.  It is one of the best productivity app in the App Store and one that I use quite often that I think it is probably an app that Apple should "Sherlock".  Apple should also take it further and extend this feature to the Apple TV. The idea of getting "Sherlocked" ( Urban Dictionary ) essential is when an app that is so useful that Apple end up copying the idea and building it into its own operating system or creating a whole new app around it.  While I think it would be horrible for Duet Display developers, it would be a boom for iPad and Mac users.  So, instead of just ripping off Duet Display, the fairest thing is for Apple to buy up Duet Display and bring onboard to Apple and allow the develo...

Main Reason That Current Slowdown Will Force Some Out And Apple Comes Out Stronger

Here is the post from 360 Mac I want to add a bit on to.  It generally provides a good and rather obvious road map on the "coming tech apocalypse" and proclaims that Apple will weather it and come out even stronger.  I agree for the most part and I like to explain why.  Apple's products are aspirational but they are among the best on the market.  There is no second or third place among its competitors as far as premium products, services, and ecosystems go.  None.  And as millions in developing countries join their own versions of the middle class, Apple will be primed to sell them the products they want and need.  Phones, tablets, computers, wearables, and, yes, Car Play-ready cars or even Apple cars.  Oh, yeah, stuff for the homes that are HomeKit enabled.  Oh, yeah, Apple TV and relevant services as well.  Perhaps, even banking with Apple one day. None of this will happen overnight and given what it feels like at times is the snail-l...

The Final Investigative Report on Kickstarter and the Failed (Fraudulent) Zano Drone Project

Here is the detailed report (Medium) commissioned by Kickstarter over the failed Zano drone that I was also a backer and, ultimately, victim to.  With millions of backers' money, Zano, the drone that would change everything, was a sure thing, right?  The video was awesome and its features were nothing like what is available on the market. Delay after delay.  This was expected.  I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.  But then, boom!  Torquing Group went into liquidation, taking all our money with it.  No drone.  The shocked look on my face was likely plastered on thousands of others as well.  While you can read the post (recommended) to find out what exactly happened, the result as far as I'm concerned, and likely feared by Kickstarter, is that I have been a lot more cautious about funding anything.  This is in light of other complaints from backers on other projects as well.  Kickstarter, like Indigogo, was fast becoming ...

Cars, Security, and Safety

Here is an interesting article from MacObserver discussing the importance of Apple's open source programming language, Swift, that is used write apps for iOS, Watch OS and OS X. And presumably, Car OS when Apple releases its Apple Car. Not only is ease of use going to bean issue as far as operating the car is concerned, but hacking and cyberattacks are going to be something future vehicles are going to need to be protected against as best as Apple can. And when Apple designed Swift, security was paramount. In doing that and with annual improvements, it kept an eye on Car OS as well. Only Apple knows and perhaps, under the Apple's glasnost that is Tim Cook's reign, we may learn of it when Tim or Jony Ives tells us about the iCar development process on 60 Minutes . - Posted using Mobile.

Apple Needs an iCloud Plug-In For Windows 10 Browsers Or Re-release Safari for Windows

If you're on a Windows 10 machine, Apple offers an iCloud app and associated extensions for use with Windows more popular browsers, Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. It was more than I thought were supported by Apple for its cloud service but there should be more support for Windows users for iCloud. After all, Apple has an equivalent webapp for its OS X app like iWork apps, mail, and other major iCloud services. Barring that, Apple should reintroduce Safari that has built-in support for iCloud services. Right now, you can use any of the above three mentioned browsers use access iCloud.com but you are met with a warning that the browser does not fully support iCloud features. You can download iCloud for Windows that offers a direct integration with iCloud data and Windows. For most people, what Apple does offer now is sufficient. But as a writer and blogger, I would like to be able to sharing links and information from one app to another more seamlessly than what is curr...