Thu, 10 August 2017
This week: what does Apple have in store for the next version of Watch? We’ll roundup the current rumors and reveal our Gen 3 wish list. Then: could Face ID actually replace Touch ID on iPhone 8? We have concerns. Plus: proof that a 4K Apple TV is right around the corner; more incredible demos of AR Kit; and we share our favorite new shows, movies, and board games in an all-new What We’re Into! This episode supported by The single-router wifi model just doesn’t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping with code CULTCAST at checkout. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST20 to score a free CleanCloth AND get 20% off your order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties " Apple Inc. is planning to release a version of its smartwatch later this year that can connect directly to cellular networks, a move designed to reduce the device’s reliance on the iPhone, people familiar with the matter said.” - What would we like to see in the next Apple Watch
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- Round version or a new shape/style
- Way better battery life
- always on screen
- Thinner
- No LTE fees!
Blurry photo might confirm iPhone 8 Touch ID fears - An apparent iPhone 8 photo straight out of Foxconn has confirmed one of our biggest fears for Touch ID: It will be relocated to the back of the device.
- Apple has been working to embed its fingerprint scanner into the iPhone’s display, but according to numerous reports, the technology won’t be ready in time for this year’s big refresh.
- Mark Gurman at Bloomberg: Apple’s pitch come September will be that Face ID is quicker, more secure, and more accurate than Touch ID. People inside Apple say it is.
- Security implications
iPhone 8 facial recognition will unlock your phone even when it’s lying down - The new iPhone 8 will be capable of unlocking with its face recognition even when it’s lying flat on your desk, a new report from The Information suggests.
- This information appears to back up a report published in Bloomberg earlier this year. That report noted that:
-
- [The facial recognition sensor’s] speed and accuracy are focal points of the feature. It can scan a user’s face and unlock the iPhone within a few hundred milliseconds, the person said. It is designed to work even if the device is laying flat on a table, rather than just close up to the face.”
4K Apple TV seemingly confirmed by HomePod leak - Over the last few weeks the HomePod’s software has revealed a number of upcoming features on unannounced products. Sleuthing developers unearthed info on the iPhone 8’s facial scanning and SmartCamera features. Now there appears to be some details of the new Apple TV inside too.
- iOS developer Guilherme Rambo discovered references to both Dolby Vision and HDR10 color formats for 4K video in the HomePod’s software.
This ARKit app teleports you into an ’80s music video - Ever wonder what it would be like to live inside an ’80s music video? Thanks to Apple’s new ARKit software, you can live that dream with a new app that draws inspiration from the popular music video for A-ha’s “Take On Me.”
Measure the square footage of your room with ARKit Virtual directions and tags of AR POS Mint Works game Dominion game Halt and Catch Fire Alien Covenant
Direct download: CultCast_296_-_Whats_next_for__Watch_.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 11:49pm PDT
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Fri, 4 August 2017
This week: Apple just accidentally leaked major details about the iPhone 8 and HomePod. Whoopsie! We’ll tell you everything we’ve learned. Plus: leaked audio files show off the HomePods cool UI sounds; we reveal exclusive new audio of the HomePod's boot-up noise; Buster’s shares a very special announcement; and we wrap with our reviews of the best internet-connected security cameras and the hawt new flagship Olympus OM-D EM-1 mirrorless camera in an all-new Under Review 🔥🔥🔥 This episode supported by Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week More juicy details about iPhone 8 discovered in Apple code - Apple clearly didn’t realize that the firmware it made available on Friday was a goldmine of secret information. Not only did it reveal the final design of the iPhone 8 and its new facial recognition technology, but it tells us stuff we didn’t know about HomePod, too.
- First of all, buried in the firmware are GLYPHS of the actual phone itself. WHOOPSIE!
- We now know the device will have a split status bar designed to fit its edge-to-edge display
- Things like cellular signal and time might be displayed on one side of the bar, while indicators for Bluetooth, location, and battery level could appear on the other. “The new status bar seems a lot more complex and powerful in design, maybe even interactive,” Troughton-Smith says.
- The software has also revealed that iPhone 8 will boast tap to wake functionality. This is a feature found on many Android and Windows Phone devices, which lets you wake the device simply by tapping its screen. It’s handy when there is no physical Home button.
- It appears, however, that iPhone 8 will have a “Home Indicator.” It’s believed to be similar to the virtual Home button that appears at the bottom of the display on Android devices, and it looks like Apple will allow developers to hide it in certain contexts.
- Interestingly, Troughton-Smith tweeted “I’ve seen nothing to suggest an ultrasound under-the-display Touch ID here,” meaning either no touchID or one on the back
- Rumors have said that facial recognition is even more accurate than touch id and will even work with Apple Pay.
Apple code confirms that facial unlocking tech is on the way - "I can confirm reports that HomePod’s firmware reveals the existence of upcoming iPhone’s infra-red face unlock in BiometricKit and elsewhere” Steve Stoughton Smith
- Unlocking will be call FaceID
- Will use an inferred camera to should work in dark situations
- Will reportedly not support Apple pay to start, indicating we’re getting a touchID sensor somewhere on the phone
iPhone 8’s radical redesign could bring awesome UI change - we can look forward to a display with a 2436×1125 resolution
- This resolution is 812x 375 points rendered @ 3x – exactly the same logical width as the iPhone 7, but 22% taller,” explains Allen Pike, a developer who previously worked at Apple
HomePod software leaks new ‘SmartCamera’ feature for iPhone - Apple’s HomePod might have revealed another huge new iPhone feature
- HomePod software appears to reference an unannounced “SmartCamera” feature built into iOS 11 or the yet-to-be-released 2017 iPhone
- iOS developer Guilherme Rambo unearthed references to the new feature. He posted a screenshot of a section of the code to Twitter
- It looks like the SmartCamera feature will be able to tune your camera settings based on the scene it detects. DSLRs possess similar features
- The HomePod code contains references to Fireworks, Foliage, Pet, BrightStage, Sport, Sky, Snow and Sunset/Sunrise scenarios.
HomePod software reveals new details of Apple’s smart speaker - Notorious iOS sleuth Steve Troughton Smith has done some serious research into HomePod and discovered that it’s basically like another iOS device only it doesn’t have a big screen. That could open HomePod up to some exciting capabilities in the future.
- will come with a number of accessibility features.
- Third-party apps aren’t likely to arrive on HomePod anytime soon. Smith says there aren’t any provisions in the HomePod OS shell there doesn’t seem to be any kind of provision in the HomePod OS shell for installing apps or extensions.
- The top LED area of the HomePod could have more advanced functionality than previously thought. Rather than just using big LEDs, it appears that the top surface is an LED Matrix. Temperature and weather icons could be displayed on the 32×32 pixel matrix.
Leaked audio files reveal HomePod’s cool UI sounds - Apple’s early software for the HomePod continues to reveal new features of the smart speaker, as developers dive deeper into files. After details on the speaker’s screen got discovered, another developer unearthed the UI sounds that will be used on HomePod.
Under Review
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Fri, 28 July 2017
This week: - Parts shortages force Apple to start handing out free MacBook Pros, and everyone on the internet wants a piece of the action.
- You knew Jony Ive designed some of Apple’s most iconic products, but did you know he also helped craft one of Star Wars most nefarious light sabers?
- Apple discontinues two of their most iconic products.
- And stay tuned for all our favorite new stuff in another episode of What We’re Into!
This episode supported by Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week Shortages force Apple to swap old MacBook Pros for new models - Apple has been forced to swap old MacBook Pros in need of repair with new models due to severe component shortages. It means some lucky customers are getting a free upgrade to the latest machines when in need of service under warranty.
- A common fault with any laptop after regular use is that its battery loses its ability to charge. The cells can only withstand so many cycles before they no longer perform as intended. Fortunately, Apple will replace them for free under warranty.
- MacRumors reports that the company is currently facing “a severe constraint of top case assemblies with integrated batteries” for 15-inch MacBook Pros released in mid 2012 and early 2013 — and this is expected to last until September.
- As a result, Apple is said to have instructed its Genius Bar employees and Authorized Service Providers that they can temporarily swap affected notebooks for a newer, “functionally equivalent” model.
- If your MacBook Pro is still covered by the one-year manufacturer warranty, or an extended AppleCare plan, the cost of a battery replacement (or upgrade were eligible) is completely free. If your warranty has expired, the fee is $199.
- However, Apple has been waiving this fee for customers who are willing to wait for new batteries to arrive, rather than taking an upgrade for $199.
Apple No Longer Replacing Some MacBook Pros Needing Battery Service With Newer Models - Apple's memo says, effective July 26, service inventory of top case assemblies with batteries is now available for new repairs.
- For all new repair requests, Apple advises Genius Bar employees and Apple Authorized Service Providers to order the necessary inventory. Apple advises its service providers to inform customers that the inventory should arrive within 15 business days of the part order, corresponding with early August.
- Apple employee on reddit: "From what I can tell, Apple are FURIOUS about the MacRumors article yesterday setting customer expectations. I've never seen them react to a situation internally like this"
Jony Ive talks earbuds inspired by stormtroopers, Apple Park - Jony Ive has revealed that the company’s iconic white earbuds were inspired by Star Wars stormtroopers.
- Ive told The Wall Street Journal that he the “look of the original Stormtroopers in mind” when he created their look. Years later, the stormtroopers would be inspired by Apple.
- In a 2015 interview with Vanity Fair, Star Wars: The Force Awakens costume designer Mark Kaplan revealed that he was inspired by Ive’s designs when creating the new stormtroopers of the First Order.
- “With the Stormtroopers it was more of a simplification, almost like, ‘What would Apple do?’” he said.
- Jony Ive also suggested the light saber hilt that ended up becoming a reality on Kylo Ren’s sword
- Jony Ive once sat next to J. J. Abrams at a boozy dinner party in New York, and made what Abrams recalled as "very specific" suggestions about the design of lightsabres. Abrams told me that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" would reflect those thoughts, but he wouldn’t say how.
- Ive argued that the lightsaber should look uneven. "I thought it would be interesting if it were less precise, and just a little bit more spitty," said Ive, adding that the new weapon could be "more analog and more primitive, and I think, in that way, somehow more ominous.”
Apple discontinues iPod nano and iPod shuffle - In a statement to The Verge, Apple confirmed both devices have been discontinued:
- “Today, we are simplifying our iPod lineup with two models of iPod touch now with double the capacity starting at just $199 and we are discontinuing the iPod shuffle and iPod nano. The iPod touch is now available in 32GB and 128GB storage options, with the latter priced at $299.”
- Aside from the capacity increases, both devices are identical to those that were on sale yesterday.
Steve Jobs introduces the iPod nano Cocaine Cowboys documentary Two of the world’s best dart’s players go head-to-head Splatoon 2 Erfon showing tweens who’s boss on Twitch
Direct download: CultCast_294_-_Snag_your_free_MacBook_Pro.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 1:10am PDT
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Fri, 21 July 2017
This week: - Why Apple’s making an iPhone Pro, a tech-packed cutting-edge phone that will showcase what Cupertino is capable of.
- Genius Bar jackpot! Aka, why the Genius Bar sometimes replaces your old broken tech for a brand new model.
- Stick around for a super-powerful electric long board, a HomeKit-enabled ceiling fan, and pro-level keyboard case for your iPad Pro in an all-new Under Review 🤖
This episode supported by You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more. Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week Apple’s risky balancing act with the next iPhone Why Apple sometimes gives brand new products for your old broken one (connected podcast) - Have you or a friend ever taken an old product into the Genius Bar, and had them replace that product with a brand new version? Isn’t it great when that happens??
- Well it turns out it’s likely not cause Apple’s so nice.
- When Apple develops a new product, they can’t test for everything.
- When a problem surfaces, Apple may initiate what they call a "Field capture period”
- During this time, if Apple is investigating a problem with a product, and you bring in a product that exhibits the symptoms of that problem, they’ll give you a new piece of hardware, then send your device back to Cupertino to dissasemble and investigate.
- Certain kinds of sunscreens dissolving glue in Apple watch backs, causing the back to come off.
Under Review Leander on a skateboard
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Thu, 13 July 2017
This week: - the magic of HomePod! We’ll tell you about the built-in audio tech that's getting even the most ardent audiophiles hyped about Apple’s new smart speaker.
- Plus: why iPhone 8’s biggest features may be disabled at launch
- Why you can grab free Beats in Apple's new back to school promo without being in college
- The fascinating story behind Steve Jobs' iconic turtleneck
- More of iOS 11’s best unknown features
- And we wrap with the heart warming story of why Steve Jobs insisted on always buying Scott Forstall's lunch.
This episode supported by You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more. Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast What is Backblaze? It’s unlimited, cloud backup for Macs and PCs. And it’s native for Macs! Try it out free for 15 days at Backblaze.com/cultcast. Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week iPhone 8’s biggest features could be disabled at launch - Some of the iPhone 8’s biggest new features could be disabled when the handset makes its debut this September.
- According to Fast Company, there is “a sense of panic in the air” at Apple as engineers scramble to iron out software bugs that are affecting wireless charging and 3D facial recognition.
- For both features, the hardware is ready — but the software that controls the features is “not ready for prime time.”
- If Apple cannot fix the issues, wireless charging could be disabled when the iPhone 8 goes on sale this September. Users would then have to wait for a future iOS update for it to be enabled — just like Portrait Mode on iPhone 7 Plus, which wasn’t ready for launch last fall.
- Same goes for facial recognition, but this report says Apple will indeed include a touch ID sensor under the screen, so at least you’ll have that.
Apple offers free Beats in latest Back to School promo - Those who purchase a new iPad Pro — either the 10.5- or 12.9-inch models — will receive a free set of BeatsX wireless earphones worth $149.95. If you don’t want those, you can upgrade to the Powerbeats3 earphones for $50, or to the Solo3 headphones for $150.
- Those ballers purchasing a qualifying Mac will receive a free pair of Solo3 wireless headphones worth $299.95. Eligible machines include the MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Pro — but not the more affordable Mac mini, which hasn’t been updated in 1001 days.
Designer preps new version of Steve Jobs’ iconic mock turtleneck The story behind Steve Jobs mock turtleneck - As was revealed in Walter Isaacson’s 2011 biography of Jobs, the Apple CEO was first inspired to wear his mock turtleneck uniform following an early 1980s trip to Japan. While there, he asked Sony chairman Akio Morita why everyone in the company’s factories wore uniforms. Jobs learned that this was a way of creating camaraderie between co-workers.
- Miyake created Sony’s uniforms, which Jobs loved. However, the Jobs could not persuade his colleagues that an Apple uniform was a good idea.
- As Jobs recalled, “I came back with some samples and told everyone it would be great if we would all wear these vests. Oh man, did I get booed off the stage. Everybody hated the idea.”
- However, the process led to Jobs becoming good friends with Miyake. When the Apple chief asked the designer to create a one-off uniform he could wear, Miyake created 100 black mock turtlenecks for him. Jobs adopted the unofficial uniform when he returned to Apple in the late 1990s, and was rarely spotted without it from that point on.
- Fashion designer Issey Miyake, creator of Steve Jobs’ iconic mock turtleneck, is launching a very similar shirt that will go on sale next month for $270.
- Although not exactly the same, the new creation — referred to as the Semi-Dull T — looks close enough to the now-discontinued original design
The magic behind HomePod gets revealed in a new patent - According to Apple, its upcoming HomePod smart speaker will “reinvent the way we enjoy music” thanks to its seven-tweeter array, 4-inch woofer, and smart “spatial awareness” technology that lets it “read” its environment.
- HomePod sets out to solve the problem of sound variability caused by a speaker’s physical location in a room. For instance, placing a speaker in the corner can cause a significant increase in radiated acoustic power at low frequencies. That results in muddy, bass-heavy sound.
- It utilizes a variety of microphones both inside and outside a sealed speaker enclosure. Onboard processing establishes the correct equalization filter, based on internal pressure levels, speaker displacement, external pressure and other data gathered by the microphone array.
- Comparing readings from its internal and external microphones allows the speaker Apple describes to dynamically alter its own calibration according to match the environment.
- Apple says its smart speaker will boast an impressive A8 processor and six external microphones
iOS 11 makes it far easier to organize Home screen app icons - Rather than painstakingly dragging individual app icons across the pages of your Home screen, iOS 11 lets you move multiple icons simultaneously
- You can also touch an app icon, then use your other hand to swipe to a different page to move the app
Built-in Screen recording - If you wanted to capture iOS gameplay, or make a funny or informative GIF of on-screen action, you needed to download a third-party app or connect your device to a computer.
- With iOS 11, Apple baked in sweet functionality that lets you record your iPhone screen effortlessly.
Developer Access to iPhone's NFC Chip Coming in iOS 11 - Developers coding for iOS 11 will be able to create apps that can read NFC tags!
- The NFC chip in the iPhone is currently only used to handle contactless Apple Pay transactions and Passbook check-ins, but a new framework called Core NFC allows developers to build apps that can read and write NFC tags (in iPhone 7 and 7 Plus).
Why Steve Jobs buys lunch
Direct download: CultCast_292_-_Why_were_hyped_for_HomePod.mp3
Category: general
-- posted at: 11:56pm PDT
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Thu, 6 July 2017
This week: it’s easy to ignore how intuitive it is to use an iPhone, but behind those vast array of simple swipes and taps was an entire team of designers who painstakingly crafted the sophisticated interactions that give the iPhone its magic. This week we'll tell you the stories behind inertial scrolling, swipe to unlock, and Bas Ording, the man who brought iOS to life using the physics of our natural world. This episode supported by You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more. Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week iPhone 8 will include fewer casing colors, no Touch ID - Will Apple manage to successfully embed Touch ID into the OLED display of the iPhone 8, or will it have to follow in the footsteps of Android device makers and opt for a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor?
- None of the above, claims well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a list of predictions he’s made for the next iPhone, Kuo claims Apple will skip Touch ID altogether for its next-gen handset.
- “We predict the OLED model [iPhone 8] won’t support fingerprint recognition,” Kuo writes. The reasons? The full-screen design doesn’t work with existing capacitive fingerprint recognition, and under-the-display fingerprint recognition tech still isn’t ready.
iPhone 8 might drop Touch ID for 3-D face scanner - The iPhone 8 might ditch Touch ID for 3-D facial scanning that could prove faster, easier and more secure than the fingerprint reader currently used for logins and payments.
- Apple is currently testing the 3-D face-scanning technology in iPhone prototypes that utilize a new 3-D sensor, according to Bloomberg. The new security system could be augmented by eye-scanning technology with the intent of replacing Touch ID, the report adds, citing anonymous “people familiar with the product.”
- One major production problem Apple faces with the OLED screen iPhone 8 is getting an under-screen fingerprint sensor to work. The technology just isn’t viable yet, according to various rumors, including a recent note from reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities.
- The reported 3-D facial scanning tech in the iPhone 8 would analyze more data points than the current fingerprint sensor that powers Touch ID, according to Bloomberg, which offered more details on the tech being tested by Apple:
-
- The sensor’s speed and accuracy are focal points of the feature. It can scan a user’s face and unlock the iPhone within a few hundred milliseconds, the person said. It is designed to work even if the device is laying flat on a table, rather than just close up to the face. The feature is still being tested and may not appear with the new device. However, the intent is for it to replace the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, according to the person. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
Apple praises ‘unbelievable’ response to ARKit - In a new interview, Apple vice-president of product marketing Greg “Joz” Joswiak says the response to its augmented reality ARKit toolset from the developer community has been “unbelievable.”
- While he wouldn’t share details about a rumored standalone AR headset Apple has hundreds of engineers working on, Joswiak stressed how the widespread usage of Apple mobile devices has the opportunity to make augmented reality into a mainstream technology overnight
- Example of cool ARKit
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The inside story of the iPhone’s ‘Slide to Unlock’ gesture - Who is Bas Ording?
- One of the key design decisions that Apple’s Human Interface Team made early on while developing the iPhone was to go all in on big, simple gestures. They wanted to make a single, simple swipe accomplish as much as possible.
- It’s a bit ironic. After investing so much in multitouch technology, which relies on multiple touch inputs, one of Apple’s key edicts was to make as many gestures as possible work with a single finger.
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- “We worked super-hard on multitouch, but then we tried to make everything just work with one finger,” he said laughing.
Other stuff we talked about Under Review!
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Thu, 29 June 2017
This week: you’d never know it from Steve Job’s effortless keynote introduction, but the original iPhone was plagued with huge design and production issues that almost made Apple call it quits, right up until the day it was released! To commemorate the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, we’ll recount some of the incredible stories behind iPhone’s beleaguered early days, and celebrate how Apple pulled off one of the greatest device launches in history. And stay tuned for an all-new What We're Into! This episode supported by You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more. Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week Sign up to get a free copy of Unsung Apple Hero, an e-book detailing Bas Ording’s career at Apple. We’ll email you a copy when the e-book is released in July! Trying to build a better iPod - iPod was ruling the world, it was 50% of Apple’s revenue.
- Apple had the wherewithal to realize it was only a matter of time before phones would do it all, and they realized they needed to build one.
- Well the iPod used a click wheel, so why not build a phone function into that? It worked great, until they realized it wouldn’t work for dialing numbers.
- Steve Jobs realized their multitouch technology, which existed as rough demo, could be the key to controlling the iPhone. But they’d had to shrink it. The technology at the time consisted of a ping-pong table-sized display with a projector shooting down onto it. They had found their solution.
The pressure - Around 2005, Steve Jobs conveyed to Forstall and team that he hated the replacement iPhone proposals he was seeing, and that’s when he threatened to take the project away from them. He gave the team two weeks to come up with a good design.
- The team went into overdrive. Working tirelessly. Non stop. They had to come up with an entire multitouch design language, touch interactions, like pinch to zoom and the rubber banding scroll.
- When the two weeks was up, they convened with Steve to show him their new work.
- He watched silently, stoic.
- And when the demo was over, Steve said, "let me see it again.”
- So once more they dived into their vision of the iPhone.
- And after they were through, Steve simply said: Good job guys. He was blown away.
The keyboard - One of the biggest challenges was the software keyboard. They knew it’d be compared to what Blackberry had, so it had to be good.
- Unfortunately, in it’s current version, it was total crap. Worse, the launch date was looming.
- Scott Forstall knew they were in the danger zone. He pulled out all the stops. He froze development on other apps and brought in all their UI developers, and told everyone: make a keyboard.
- Well three weeks later they all convened, and one by one they showed off their work. Some of the examples were decent, some really complicated or strange.
- But one guy came up, and presented what looked like normal keyboard, but as he typed, they realized it was extremely accurate. They were shocked.
- How could this be. How was this working.
- The UI developer had built AI techniques into the keyboard to learn how you type, and as you did so, it could predict which letter you’d type next.
- And even though the key sizes on the keyboard didn’t change, but the hit region of your next likely key choice would grow, so even if you didn’t hit it on the head, the right key would still be input.
Software designers didn’t know what the phone looked like. The hardware designers didn’t know what the software looked like. They all saw it for the first time at the Macworld keynote in January, 2007 What we’re in to
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Thu, 22 June 2017
This week: - More of the powerful new iOS 11 features you’ve never heard of.
- The talented app which will harnesses the power of Apple’s new augmented reality features
- Scott Forstall is back, and he’s sharing the bizarre story of how the original iPhone really came to be.
- Everything you need to know about HEIF, the JPEG-killing format Apple is adopting
- Cliff jumping in our loin cloths
This episode supported by CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week Former iOS Chief Scott Forstall Discusses Creating the First iPhone - Former iOS chief Scott Forstall is back from the dead. In a rare appearance, he appeared an event Tuesday night at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, where he discussed the birth of the iPhone and his relationship with Steve Jobs.
- It’s the first time he's spoken publicly since he was ousted from Apple in October 2012
- Forstall also spoke about the concept of skeuomorphic design, claiming he had "never heard of skeuomorphism" when he was working on iOS and that it sounded "unnatural”.
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- "When I look at design - when I look at good design - it's approachable, friendly, you can use it without a manual. It's fun. We talked a lot about photo-illustrative design. It was infused into the design sense of Apple by Steve Jobs since the original Mac. We used these design philosophies. It doesn't mean we loved it, or loved every single part of it. We know it worked. How do we know it worked? You just have to watch people use it.”
- Where things got really interesting is when Scott spoke about the origins of the iPhone. The TRUE origins.
- Forstall claimed that before the iPhone was conceived, Jobs had initially wanted a tablet with capacitative touch and multitouch in order to get one over on someone he "hated" who worked at Microsoft.
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- "It began because Steve hated this guy at Microsoft. That is the actual origin," Forstall said, before adding that it wasn't Bill Gates. After hearing the person boast about Microsoft's tablet and stylus development, said Forstall, "Steve came in on a Monday, there was a set of expletives and then he said, 'Let's show them how it's really done'."
New Siri icon in iOS 11 may hint at iPhone 8’s virtual Home button - Apple may have left a big clue in iOS 11 that points to huge design changes coming later this year to the iPhone 8.
- While doing some testing with the new Do Not Disturb When Driving feature, eagle-eyed Apple observers have spotted a new icon for Siri in iOS 11 that appears to be a perfect replacement for the Home button Apple is supposedly planning to ditch.
- The pseudo-Home button, first noticed by AppleInsider, can be found at the bottom of iPhones and iPads. It’s about the same size as the physical Home button, but doesn’t have a Touch ID ring around it.
Apple and Ikea’s AR collab lets you test furniture before buying - Ikea has revealed a few new details about its augmented reality collaboration with Apple that lets customers test out virtual pieces of furniture in their homes before they buy them.
- The app is scheduled to launch this fall alongside the official release of iOS 11. At launch, the app will boast 500-600 products that customers will be able to try out in their homes. This ultra-precise technology will allow them to be positioned on real backdrops in 3D with millimeter-accurate positioning.
- In a recent interview, Michael Valdsgaard, digital transformation manager at Ikea
- Ikea will aim to debut new products in the app before they arrive in store. He also said that Apple’s augmented reality platform was of interest to Ikea because of its guaranteed reach. “It will be the largest AR platform in the world overnight,” he said. “That’s super interesting to us.”
Everything you need to know about the JPEG-killing HEIF format Apple is adopting - JPEG was born in 1992
- As of iOS 11, most iPhones will be switching from JPEG to HEIF.
- HEIF is the new photo format that Apple is using to replace JPEG. And it probably will replace JPEGs, because the iPhone is the most popular, most-used camera in the world
- HEIF — or High Efficiency Image File Format — is the still-image version of the HVEC — or H.265 — video format. Its main advantage for you and me is that photos saved in HEIF are roughly half the size of JPEGs, and of better quality
- HEIF offers other advantages over JPEG. While a JPEG is a single image, HEIF can be a single image or a sequence of images.
Automatic setup - When setting up a new iOS device, there's now an option to hold it near an existing device to automatically copy over settings, preferences, and iCloud Keychain.
How to use iOS 11’s new Automatic Setup - To use Automatic Setup in iOS 11, you need two devices running iOS 11To start the process, you aim the camera at the moving sphere on your old device’s screen. Just like Apple Watch.
iOS 11 Makes it Easy to Share Your Wi-Fi Password With Nearby Friends - After choosing your WiFI network, the iPhone user is greeted with the traditional password screen, but on iOS 11 when the iPhone is brought near your iOS 11 device, a card your device notifies you that the iPhone wants to join you network.
- You can then tap and send your password to your guest, which recognizes the password, fills out the information, and connect to the Wi-Fi.
iPhone's Volume Slider No Longer Covers Videos in iOS 11 - After selecting a WiFi network to join, iOS 10 users must enter a password for secured networks, but on iOS 11 and High Sierra, you can bring your close to a device which has access to that WiFi network and that device can transfer all required credentials directly to your connecting device!
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Fri, 16 June 2017
This week: - Reviews for the new iPad Pro and HomePod are bonkers
- Someone in the Apple supply chain just accidentally leaked some of iPhone 8’s marquee features
- Speed tests show a big improvement in the new MacBook Pro
- Apple finally offers us iCloud Storage sharing
- Our favorite unannounced iOS 11 features
- And we’ll tell you what we like (and don’t) about the apps and gadgets we’re currently testing in an all-new Under Review!
This episode supported by Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week Apple suppliers confirm two of iPhone 8’s biggest features - Apple supplier Largan has confirmed it will be shipping its new 3D sensors in time for iPhone 8, while another has confirmed waterproofing and wireless charging technology.
- Largan’s sensors are capable of carrying out facial and iris recognition and provide an alternative to fingerprint scanning. They could be the solution Apple turns to if it is unable to embed a Touch ID scanner beneath the iPhone 8’s display.
- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models are already splash- and water-resistant with an IP67 rating, but Apple's fine print warns that "splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear." iPhone water damage is not covered by Apple's warranties.
- But in Wednesday's shareholders meeting, [Robert] Hwang, [Wistron CEO] told reporters that the Assembly process for the previous generations of [iPhones] have not changed much, though new features like waterproof and wireless charging now require some different testing, and waterproof function will alter the assembly process a bit,”
- A report earlier this year said Apple's next iPhone models will feature improved IP68-rated water resistance (30 minutes in up to 3 feet of water)
2017 MacBook Pro is Up to 20% Faster Than Last Year's Model in Benchmarks - Apple this week refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup with Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, and early benchmarks for the notebooks suggest the 2017 models are up to 20 percent faster than the equivalent 2016 models equipped with Intel's sixth-generation Skylake processors.
- Only about a 30% improvement over 2012/2013 MacBook Pros...
10.5-inch iPad Pro review roundup: Apple’s most impressive tablet yet - One of the big improvements of the new iPad Pro is its new variable refresh rate display, which Apple calls ProMotion, and means that it can run at 120Hz, or twice as fast as previous displays. It can also cycle down to 24Hz on still images.
- ARS has praised the new ProMotion by saying that it makes it easier to read text and scroll simultaneously, with the “ghosting” effect you get at 60Hz greatly reduced
- What everyone agrees on is that the new A10x processor is blazingly fast
- Smart keyboard is getting mixed reviews. Some saying it feels flimsy and unsatisfying to type on.
- Uses the newest Touch ID.
- Dramatically better antireflection coating.
- About 30% faster than 9.7inch iPad Pro, even more on multicore Geekbench tests I saw. Export times in Garage Band almost halved in some cases.
- Way better front (7MPX) and back cameras (12MPX), especially from the previous 12inch which had a 1.2 MPX camera.
- Fuller, better sounding external speakers
- iPad finally feels "pro"
HomePod First Listen Impressions: 'Incredible' Audio With Bass-Heavy Sound That Easily Beats Echo - A few websites have now gotten the chance to hear how HomePod sounds in a quiet environment, and they're sharing their opinions online.
- Mashable: The audio wasn't just loud — filling a room with sound, good or bad, is easy — it was rich.
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- Mashable noted that Apple had in-room comparisons with its competitors, including Sonos Play:3 and Amazon Echo, and that the HomePod easily beat the two other speakers in pure music playback quality.
- CNET: HomePod came off as bolder and more vivid than Sonos Play:3 in the [listening] experience, and a lot better than Amazon Echo. I'd also say the music sounded consistently vivid and crisp in a quiet space
- What HiFi: We also heard a pair of HomePods playing a live recording of Hotel California by The Eagles. The attention to detail was striking, with different instruments sounding discretely realised.
- Engadget called HomePod's audio "incredible,”
- if listening to the HomePod was like listening to a CD, then audio through the Echo sounded like AM radio.
Apple Drops 2TB iCloud Storage Price to $9.99, Eliminates 1TB Option - Following the WWDC keynote, Apple updated and simplified its iCloud storage tiers
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- 50GB: $0.99
- 200GB: $2.99
- 2TB: $9.99 (updated from 1TB)
- Apple is offering an option to share a 200GB or 2TB iCloud storage plan with family members, which is perhaps the reason behind the price drop.
- Google Photos offers free backup for photos and videos. Or you can back up via Plex premium.
Offload unused apps - Automatically offload unused apps if you’re low on storage.
iOS 11 Preview: Control Center Gets Customizable With 3D Touch Control center is now customizable, and you can use 3D touch to expand some control center icons (like the music control) iOS 11 Lets AirPods Users Change Tracks With a Double Tap - AirPods will soon be able to skip forwards and backwards between tracks with a double tap of either earpiece, thanks to a new additional setting in iOS 11.
- It’ll be possible to customize the AirPods so that a double tap on one earpiece skips, while double tapping on on the other earpiece goes to the previous track.
Under Review
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Tue, 6 June 2017
This week: in one of the most exciting and action-packed keynotes in years, Apple updates just about everything they’ve got. Hot off the event, catch our reactions plus our picks for best in show! This episode supported by Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. Check out the Cult of Mac Watch store for a curated selection of our favorite straps, all available for prices far less than you’d expect. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week WWDC keynote is proof of Apple’s awesome power and poise First look: From cute to badass, Apple’s new hardware impresses Hardware, software and surprises: Key takeaways from Apple’s WWDC 2017 keynote HomePod leads to string of Twitter jabs 11 awesome iOS 11 features Apple didn’t bother to mention HomePod smart speaker will totally rock (and control) your house New 10.5-inch iPad Pro is Apple’s best tablet yet Apple teases ‘seriously badass’ iMac Pro and other new Macs at WWDC
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