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I had a very rocky experience with iCloud Photo Library in late 2015:

I imported my photos and uploaded my 70GB photo library to iCloud. Everything went very smoothly, so I turned on iCloud Photo Library on my iPad.

Aaaaaand it all exploded.

Apple Support eventually got me up and running, but it took a while for me to fully trust the system.

The reality is that iCloud Photo Library is pretty great when everything is working smoothly.¹ Photos show up on my devices quickly, regardless if I snapped them with my iPhone or imported them from an SD card on my iMac.

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This week on Download, the podcast I produce with Jason Snell in the captain’s chair:

Microsoft is back in the news with another updated device, the topic of on-campus daycare in Silicon Valley raises questions about work/life balance, and patent trolls have been dealt a big blow by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Politico:

And it’s a move that’s sure to raise eyebrows not just in Silicon Valley, but in Manhattan media circles as well. Morning Media has learned that Apple has given the job — a new position at the Cupertino-based company — to Lauren Kern, one of New York magazine’s most high-ranking editors and a former deputy editor at The New York Times Magazine.

It’s unclear at this point what this position will mean for Apple News, as the company and Kern declined to comment. I assume Apple is building more of editorial organization within Apple News, but how big it will be, and what it will do within the app is unknown, to me at least.

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Walt Mossberg, in his final weekly column:

We’ve all had a hell of a ride for last few decades, no matter when you got on the roller coaster. It’s been exciting, enriching, transformative. But it’s also been about objects and processes. Soon, after a brief slowdown, the roller coaster will be accelerating faster than ever, only this time it’ll be about actual experiences, with much less emphasis on the way those experiences get made.

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Recently, I linked to (and backed) an Indiegogo project named Love Notes to Newton.

It’s by a filmmaker named Noah Leon. Here’s his pitch:

Newton was the first mass-produced touchscreen handheld computer made by Apple. It only lasted a few years on the market (1993 to 1998), but that wasn’t because it sucked! A large community of people still love Newton, and this film is an homage to the little device(s) by the people who still remember and even still use one.

I spent some time with Noah to talk about his work and this project. Our interview is below.

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I wonder how many people ever actually ran into this problem:

The Newton Toolkit v1.0.1 and v1.5.1 are not compatible with Power Macintosh 9500 computers. There is an updater available from online services and the Internet which updates the Newton Toolkit to a beta version of 1.5.2. Newton Toolkit is a Newton software development program available through Apple Programmers and Developers Association (APDA).

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This week on Ungeniused:

Things like basketball and football are so mainstream. Maybe it’s time to stand out as at athlete in a more unique sport.

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Apple:

Apple today launched a new app development curriculum designed for students who want to pursue careers in the fast-growing app economy. The curriculum is available as a free download today from Apple’s iBooks Store.

App Development with Swift is a full-year course designed by Apple engineers and educators to teach students elements of app design using Swift, one of the world’s most popular programming languages. Students will learn to code and design fully functional apps, gaining critical job skills in software development and information technology.

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Twenty years ago, Apple announced the creation of a subsidiary to run the Newton program:

The new company, to be named at a later date, will provide customers with market-driven products and technologies, based on the award-winning Newton operating system, in conjunction with its licensees, value-added resellers, and systems integrators.

The press release is complete with a quote from Dr. Gilbert F. Amelio, Apple’s Chairman and CEO:

Over the past year, we have seen the Newton Systems Group launch compelling products based on the Newton operating system. We believe that the time is right to establish the group as a focused entity. This decision allows the new subsidiary to pursue its business and create the marketing and operating strategies it needs to succeed.

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This fortnight on Liftoff, Jason and I talk about lunar and solar eclipses in preparation of a total solar eclipse in North America coming up in August.

My thanks to our sponsor:

• Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three meals free with your first purchase, and free shipping.

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This week on Connected:

Stephen has launched a membership, Apple wants people to switch from Android and future hardware is starting to leak. Then, a roundup of the services we use to keep our companies running smoothly.

My thanks to our sponsors this week:

• Incapsula: Secure and accelerate your website. Connected listeners get one month free.
• Blue Apron: A better way to cook. Get three meals free with your first purchase, and free shipping.

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Screens, my favorite VNC client for the Mac, has been updated to version 4.0.

The update brings the Mac app up to date with its iOS cousin, supporting features like Curtain Mode to hide your remote actions from a user who is physically with the controlled computer and one-click passwords.

Screens 4 includes drag-and-drop file sharing and Touch Bar support as well.

Screens is available on the Mac App Store, directly on the developer’s website and on Setapp.

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