The CultCast
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
 
BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.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
 
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

 
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
Direct download: CultCast_293_-_Why_Apple_s_making_an_iPhone_Pro.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

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
Apple is giving away free Beats headphones for its latest Back to School promotion.
  • 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

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
 
 
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.
    • “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!
Direct download: CultCast_291_-_How_the_iPhone_was_made_magical_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:54pm PDT

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