512 Pixels

Best photo essay you’ll see today.

Fraser Speirs:

It’s no secret that I have been a huge fan of iOS since its inception. It brought many great improvements in security, stability and approachability for the beginner-to-moderate computer user.

Unfortunately, it increasingly feels like those days are at an end. The iOS 7 and now iOS 8 rollouts have simply not been up to the quality of earlier releases.

For sure, iOS 8 is highly ambitious. I have long been an advocate for many of the features that iOS 8 brought: extensions, interoperability and so on. Sadly, complexity has brought with it fragility.

We spoke about this on Connected this week in relation to iOS 8’s Health app, but it’s no secret that the recent releases of iOS haven’t been smooth. iOS 7 users dealt with springboard crashes for months, and 8.0.1 basically turned iPhones into iPods.

I think Apple’s moving too quickly when it comes to software.

Apple prides itself in offering experiences not just products. With that worldview, there is no room for bad software releases or bugs that last months or even longer.

Microsoft and Google both have trouble getting users onto the newest versions of their software platforms, which Apple pokes fun of in keynotes on a regular basis. A few more bad releases and Cupertino could be in the same place, which is bad for the company and third-party developers.

While saying Apple should slow down, backing off from annual releases of iOS and OS X does come with its own downsides. Mainly, the impression — and media coverage — that Apple is slowing down and is unable to innovate.

I think this, however, is a problem for a couple of news cycles, while the legacy of bad software releases could be more damaging long-term. While I like new features as much as the next nerd, I’d much prefer an Apple whose software I can trust and rely on, day in and day out.

Riccardo Mori, chiming in on this article:

I’m quite experienced when it comes to vintage Macs and optimising them to make the most of them. The Ars Technica piece by Cunningham left a bitter taste in my mouth, and as I voiced on Twitter and App.net, I believe the author (perhaps due to inexperience and impatience with vintage hardware and software) hasn’t painted a completely fair picture of how these machines and systems can actually perform.

A fascinating read by a guy who has way more patience than I do. As much as I love (and collect) old Apple hardware, I don’t depend on it every day.

Connected Episode 7:

This week, Stephen, Myke and Federico talk about Paris, Apple’s busted Health App, the death (and rebirth) of the Camera Roll and Twitter apps.

This episode was made possible by:

• TextExpander Touch for iOS, from Smile

Underscore’s new keyboard app is so ????, I’ve turned off Apple’s first-party one.

David Sims article in Vogue on Jony Ive is today’s required reading.

Eric Slivka:

MacRumors has now received word that Apple is planning a Mac mini update possibly launching next month alongside new iPad models and presumably OS X Yosemite. While we have been unable to obtain corroborating information of an imminent update, the mere possibility of an update as soon as next month is likely to be welcome news to Mac mini fans. The single source has provided no additional details on what to expect in terms of a next-generation Mac mini, but has provided accurate information in the past.

Will my year-old Mac mini dream finally come true? Probably not, but a nerd can dream.

Pebble, maker of what most would argue is the first usable smartwatch, is on the defensive:

I would be too, I suppose, but their current messaging sure comes across as … immature.

Matt Reich, for The Sweet Setup:

There’s no shortage of Markdown editors to choose from, and many of them are fantastic. We think Byword is the best of the bunch because it hits the sweet spot between simplicity and functionality. Byword offers a calm writing environment, yet has just enough features under the hood enough to make you a happy and more productive writer.

They can be downloaded now from Apple’s support site:

• OS X Mavericks
• OS X Mountain Lion
• OS X Lion

Instead of running RSS sponsorships this month, I’m raising funds to support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Click here to learn more and donate.

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A month ago, I set out with a goal to raise $1,000 for St. Jude, but, thanks to you, as of this writing, we’ve raised over $12,000. I’m amazed and humbled by your generosity and support for a facility that is truly unparalleled in mission and scope. Thank you.

While my kids may never believe it, software used to come in boxes. While the iLife and iWork brands are all but gone today, the retail boxes Apple used to package their CDs and DVDs are even more distant of a memory for most.

iLife

iWork