This is a fun post. I wish some of these existed in much higher resolutions.
Category: Apple
Report: Next Apple TV will go up against Amazon Echo⇢
Apple is working on its answer to Amazon’s Echo, the voice-activated assistant packaged inside a speaker, but it may come in the form of a refreshed Apple TV, rather than a new hardware product, VentureBeat has learned.
The company will build on its enhancements to the Apple TV announced last year, which brought the Siri virtual assistant to the set-top box. A new version of the Apple TV will solve problems with the existing box and remote control, a source familiar with the matter claims.
New MacBook Pro rumored⇢
MacRumors’ Husain Sumra, quoting KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo:
While long overlooked, the MacBook line is the brightest spot for Apple’s 2016 rollouts. This is particularly true of the two new MacBook Pro models, to be introduced in 4Q16, as they will have a thinner and lighter form factor, Touch ID, use OLED display touch bar (to replace physical function keys, located above the keyboard) and adopt USB-C / Thunderbolt 3.
The iMac Clones
The iMac G3’s design earned praise from many in the industry, with two companies so impressed they attempted to copy it with their own products.
Daewoo and Future Power announced a computer called the ePower. The blue, rounded, all-in-one design would look familiar, as this image shows:
In 1999, eMachines joined the race and released the eOne, a machine that attempted to copy the success of Apple’s iMac by using as much blue plastic as they could find:
Apple shows off revamped San Francisco store⇢
It’s not often that Apple invites journalists to its stores for a preview anymore, but today was a bit different. Apple not only unveiled its new San Francisco store, it also explained its new strategy for its major retail outlets.
As I sat listening to Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of retail and online stores, it became clear very quickly that Apple kept its attention to detail in the design of the location, but completely rethought how it functioned.
On Siri’s OS X supposed look and feel⇢
Juli Clover at MacRumors, discussing Siri’s appearance in the yet-announced OS X 10.12:
In the menu bar, there’s a simple Siri black and white icon that features the word “Siri” surrounded by a box, while the full dock icon is more colorful and features a colorful Siri waveform in the style of other built-in app icons. Clicking on either of the icons brings up a Siri waveform to give users a visual cue that the virtual assistant is listening for commands, much like on iOS devices when the Home button is held down.
Restoring an Extended II⇢
Stephen Radford has posted a lovely guide on cleaning up Apple’s best mechanical keyboard.
BREAKING: WebObjects is still dead⇢
Kif Leswing at Business Insder:
On an Apple listserv on Tuesday, Java developer Hugi Thordarson emailed a blast saying that Apple had confirmed to him that WebObjects was officially declared dead.
He wrote (emphasis added):
In the past years I’ve regularly sent letters to [Apple CEO] Tim Cook, asking about the state of WO (being the naggy guy I am) and recently, I was contacted by Apple executive relations regarding my questions. The guy I spoke to called a couple of times, at first, he had absolutely no idea what WO was but the second time he called, he had obtained information and had a clear statement: “WebObjects is a discontinued product and will never be upgraded.”
On iTunes Ping
With rumors of an Apple Music refresh making the rounds, there’s been a fresh crop of iTunes Ping jokes.
So, let’s talk about Ping.
Introduction & History
Announced as part of iTunes 10 in September 2010, Ping was a music-oriented social network.1
Steve Jobs highlighted the features during the keynote:
Follow your favorite artists and friends to discover the music they’re talking about, listening to and downloading.
Apple Music rumored to receive WWDC overhaul⇢
Apple is altering the user interface of Apple Music to make it more intuitive to use, according to people familiar with the product who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. Apple also plans to better integrate its streaming and download businesses and expand its online radio service, the people said. The reboot is expected to be unveiled at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The changes will be accompanied by a marketing blitz to lure more customers to the $10-per-month streaming service. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
Apple launches revised Support website⇢
Apple updates MacBook line⇢
Apple today updated MacBook with the latest Intel processors, improved graphics performance, faster flash storage and an additional hour of battery life, making the thinnest and lightest Mac better than ever. Featuring an all-metal unibody enclosure, MacBook is now available in four aluminum finishes — gold, silver, space gray, and for the first time on a Mac, a gorgeous rose gold. With a stunning 12-inch Retina display, highly responsive full-size keyboard, Force Touch trackpad, versatile USB-C port and all-day battery life in a design that is just 2 pounds and 13.1 mm thin, MacBook is the future of the notebook.