512 Pixels

This week on Connected:

Federico is back from the beach with thoughts about iOS 14’s App Library, Stephen has way too many albums in Photos and Myke is going to order some LEGO. All of this is overshadowed by some important news about the show.

On Connected Pro, we talked about my kids’ upcoming tech needs for school and Federico’s secret side project.

My thanks to out sponsors:

• Hover: Make a name for yourself. Get 10% off any domain name.
• Bombas: Super comfortable socks for you and someone in need. Use this link for 20% off.
• ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get 3 months free with a 1-year package.

It’s in Software Update now. Here’s what is new:

Apple News:

• Local news in your Today feed provides extensive coverage of San Francisco, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Houston, and New York City
• More stories available from local news providers with a subscription to Apple News+
• our daily newsletter from Apple News can now be personalized with stories that reflect your interests

This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements:

• Adds a new option to optimize video streaming on HDR-compatible Mac notebooks for improved battery life
• Fixes an issue where the computer name may change after installing a software update
• Resolves an issue where certain USB mouse and trackpads may lose connection

This time on Liftoff:

There are three missions bound for Mars launching this month, and Jason walks through them each. Then, Stephen gives a NASA budget update and the two get into some space law … and guidelines.

My thanks to our sponsors:

• Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
• ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get 3 months free with a 1-year package.

I really wish the screenshots weren’t broken on this one.

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This week on MPU:

The market for note taking applications is huge. There are options that just deal in plain-text, apps that serve as “everything buckets,” and still others focused on automation. This week, David and Stephen cover some of the better options out there and share how they keep up with various bits of digital information in their lives.

My thanks to our sponsors:

• 1Password: Have you ever forgotten a password? You don’t have to worry about that anymore.
• Miro: The online collaborative whiteboard platform. Sign up for a free account today.
• The Intrazone by Microsoft SharePoint: Your bi-weekly conversation and interview podcast hosted by the SharePoint team
• DEVONthink: Get Organized — Unleash Your Creativity. Use this link for 10% off.

Yours truly, writing for Six Colors members:

Any time there is a big set of UI changes in macOS, I like to see what Apple has done to the System Preferences app.

Jean-Louis Gassée, writing about the fallout coming with Apple silicon Macs:

This leaves Microsoft with a choice: Either forget Windows on ARM and concede modern PCs to Apple, or forge ahead, fix app compatibility problems and offer an ARM-based alternative to Apple’s new Macs. It’s a false dilemma, of course. Microsoft will forge ahead…with repercussions for the rest of the Windows PC industry.

Specifically, what are Dell, HP, Asus, and others going to do if Apple offers materially better laptops and desktops and Microsoft continues to improve Windows on ARM Surface devices? In order to compete, PC manufacturers will have to follow suit, they’ll “go ARM” because, all defensive rhetoric aside, Apple and Microsoft will have made the x86 architecture feel like what it actually is: old.

My thanks to SheetPlanner for sponsoring 512 Pixels this week.

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John Voorhees:

Apple has opened its public beta program for iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, tvOS 14, and watchOS 7 on the Apple Beta Software Program website. One notable difference between this year’s public betas and those of past years is that this is the first time watchOS has been included in the program.

Developers, who can access betas of Apple’s OS releases before the general public, received the first developer betas on June 22nd, the first day of WWDC and a second version earlier this week. If past practice is a guide, the public beta released today should be identical to the second developer beta released on Tuesday.

As always, have a good backup before you dive into beta software, and avoid it on anything you rely on for work.

This week on Connected:

With WWDC in the rearview mirror, Stephen and Myke shift their minds to the future and discuss rumors of the upcoming iPhone 12, changes coming with Apple Silicon Macs and macOS Big Sur.

On Connected Pro, we spoke about my 5th “indie anniversary,” a gift Myke was recently given, Twitter ads and more.

My thanks to our sponsors:

In a statement to Rene Ritchie:

Over a decade ago, Apple partnered with Intel to design and develop Thunderbolt, and today our customers enjoy the speed and flexibility it brings to every Mac. We remain committed to the future of Thunderbolt and will support it in Macs with Apple silicon.

Not a shock, but it’s good to see this.

Also, I guess we’re going with “Apple silicon” with the s lowercase…?