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As he does every year, Jason Snell has asked a whole bunch of Apple watchers to provide feedback on the company’s performance for the past year.

This year, everything seems to have scored better than in 2016, except for hardware reliability, software quality and the company’s environmental and social initiatives, as Snell writes:

Judging by my panel’s responses, 2017 was something of a bounce-back year for most of Apple’s core platforms. But there was still plenty of concern to go around, especially when it came to the quality of Apple’s software.

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I joined the guys on the Fits + Starts podcast this week to talk about working for yourself, finding purpose in work and the weirdness of having an emotional attachment to a company.

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For the second January running, I’ve published a Q&A and studio tour video:

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This week made for a busy Connected:

After wading through HomePod and iOS 11.3 news, the boys give a status report on how they’re feeling about iOS 11 and High Sierra several months into running the releases.

It was made possible by these sponsors:

• Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code WORLD at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
• Pingdom: Start monitoring your websites and servers today. Use offer code CONNECTED to get 30% off.
• Timing: The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase.

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Apple:

macOS Server is changing to focus more on management of computers, devices, and storage on your network. As a result, some changes are coming in how Server works. A number of services will be deprecated, and will be hidden on new installations of an update to macOS Server coming in spring 2018. If you’ve already configured one of these services, you’ll still be able to use it in the spring 2018 macOS Server update.

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The Falcon Heavy is SpaceX’s next-generation, heavy-lift vehicle, powered by 27 motors. Those engines were fired, with the rocket clamped down, this morning in Florida:

Falcon Heavy hold-down firing this morning was good. Generated quite a thunderhead of steam. Launching in a week or so. pic.twitter.com/npaqatbNir

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 24, 2018

With 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, the Falcon Heavy will be able to take equipment — and eventually people — beyond the low-Earth orbit to the moon and beyond.

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On this week’s Ungeniused, I spoke to Emojipedia founder Jeremy Burge to discuss emoji, their past and their future. It was a lot of fun.

My thanks to our sponsor:

• Simple Contacts: Contact lens prescriptions from home: Use offer code UNGENIUSED for $30 off your contact lenses

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Federico has the details:

In a press release, Apple today announced iOS 11.3, the third major update to iOS 11 set to be released in beta for developers later today, and launching to the general public this Spring. iOS 11.3 will improve upon iOS 11 and features that debuted alongside the iPhone X with new Animoji, a major upgrade to ARKit, the ability to store health records in the Health app, plus other improvements for built-in system apps.

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Apple Support lists the following fixes in the 10.13.3 update:

• Addresses an issue that could cause Messages conversations to temporarily be listed out of order
• Resolves an issue that could cause your Mac to stop responding when connected to an SMB server

It also patches the bug that allowed the App Store menu in System Preferences to be unlocked with any password.

It’s in the Mac App Store now.

If you’re running macOS Sierra or El Capitan, Apple has pushed “Security Update 2018-001” that addresses the Meltdown vulnerability. If you’re on 10.11 or 10.12, run updates today.

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Apple Support:

A string of scams are taking place asking people to make payments over the phone for things such as taxes, hospital bills, bail money, debt collection, and utility bills. The scams are committed using many methods, including gift cards. As the fraudsters are sometimes using iTunes Gift Cards, we want to make sure our customers are aware of these scams.

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Apple PR:

HomePod, the innovative wireless speaker from Apple, arrives in stores beginning Friday, February 9 and is available to order online this Friday, January 26 in the US, UK and Australia. HomePod will arrive in France and Germany this spring.

The $349 speaker is powered by Apple Music and comes with Siri and HomeKit support. The HomePod supports SiriKit, so select third-party apps will be supported by the speaker.

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While we nerds get excited about new hardware and software, I think we’re all aware that there’s a big world out there beyond tech. A world that is hurting, with people in need. One corner of that world is the Yida refugee camp in South Sudan, full of people who have fled the genocidal rage of Sudan’s leader, Omar al-Bashir.

The first step is getting them into school, and that’s where you and I can make a difference. Operation Broken Silence runs a primary school in the camp and is planning to open a high school, but needs help funding the 8th grade classroom.

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