If you do only one thing on the internet today, please watch this video by James Rath. In a world where so often technology can make us feel disconnected and absent from those around us, it’s important to see things from the other end something. In the case of James Rath it’s incredible to see how much technology has influenced his life in such a positive way.
Tag: Apple
Airfoil 5.5: Now Playing on Chromecast! ›
One of my favourite Mac utilities has just been updated to add some excellent functionality. Airfoil now supports Chromecast and it works very well.
I’ve never understood why AirPlay from an iOS device only allows you to send audio to one speaker at a time, Airfoil is the perfect way to fix that. My MacBook Pro is normally on and so I AirPlay to Airfoils sister app Airfoil Satellite and then using the iOS Satellite app send the audio to what ever speakers I want. Since I have a Chromecast in my little studio I can now easily send Apple Music to my speakers without faffing around with cables. I put it to good use this morning streaming to both my studio speakers and kitchen speakers while I moved between the two rooms.
App Store 2.0 ›
News broke last night of some changes to the App Store. Chief among them was the availability of subscription pricing to all types of apps. Many people seem to see it as a positive for developers, and I agree to some extent, but it all depends how those subscriptions will be used.
This quote from The Verge’s coverage of the news is exactly what I’m concerned about.
Tsiddon says his company makes around $10 million a year from its premium apps, which are sold for a one-time purchase fee of $3.99 or $4.99. Lightricks has sold 8 million app downloads to date. Tsiddon hasn’t fully committed to a subscription model yet, only saying that he’s “excited to experiment with the business model,” but based on back-of-the-envelope math he believes if his company saw 4 million downloads while charging a $4 monthly subscription fee, he could make 10 times his current annual revenue.
If developers start to shift to pricing like this, I and many others, will stop using their apps. I simply can not afford, and even if I could I would not be able to justify, paying $4 a month to use an app. Especially when it’s multiplied by the 12 independent apps on my iPhone homescreen. That’s not sustainable.
UK Developing Digital Driving License Stored in Apple Wallet App ›
This morning the CEO of the UK Driving License Authority posted a prototype on Twitter of a digital version of the UK driving license in Apple Wallet. It hadn’t even crossed my mind that this would be on their radar, but it’s certainly something I could get on board with. I really don’t like carrying my wallet around with me and Apple Pay is one of the big factors driving my desire to upgrade my iPhone (the fact it seems to be dying is the other) and having my driving license in the wallet would a great step to being able to leave my wallet at home.
The spaceship rises: A first look at Apple’s new campus ›
Some great photos of Apple’s new campus as it’s construction starts to really show what it will look like. Really looking forward to seeing the final “product”. Maybe I’ll get to visit in person one day.
I’m Done with MacBooks ›
When I read this post from Khoi Vinh I found myself nodding along in agreement. This part in particular struck a chord,
When I think about where I’m most productive with OS X, it’s always at my desk, where I have a huge monitor (on my iMac, at home) or even two Cinema Displays (at work)
I upgraded my Mac nearly a year ago and had a long debate about whether to get an iMac or a MacBook Pro. The iMac was appealing for so many reasons, but I couldn’t quite bring myself to give up the flexibility my MacBook offers. However there’s no denying that I’m most productive at my desk with a larger screen, and since upgrading my iPad 2 to an iPad Air 2 I’m using that for more work leaving me more focused when I’m on my Mac as well.
In the future I can certainly see myself moving to an iMac over the MacBook Pro and maybe, if budget affords it, and iPad Pro. Especially as it’s capabilities grow and allow for more and more work to be accomplished on it.
The Week in Links
After a brief break last week, I was on a mini-holiday, The Week in links is back with it’s 26th edition. This weeks take a look at how we work and think, how the design of the web is pushed a bit more. And then some furter thoughts on Apple Watch, headphones, cameras, and the often speculated Apple Car.
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Whole Brain Creativity — Shawn Blanc with a really interesting take on how we think. Each of us has our own strengths in the work we do and it really is in our interests to seek to work with those who complement that with strengths in other areas.
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Online Reading is Becoming More like Print—Why We Think That’s a Great Idea | AIGA Eye on Design — I really like the sentiment behind this piece. I’d love to see more considered article based design take place on the web. Coming from a print background but with a fascination of working on the web finding the right balance between the two mediums seems to be something we are constantly being challenged with. It’s interestingly timed given the recent comments about how the web is starting to look the same.
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A Design Guru’s Work Lair on The New York Times
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B&O BeoPlay H8 on Minimally Minimal
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Please Don’t Buy a Digital SLR on The Brooks Review
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The Apple Watch at Work and Play by Fraser Speirs
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Ways to think about cars by Benedict Evans
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Building Better Defaults by Shawn Blanc
Life After Cancer: How the iPhone Helped Me Achieve a Healthier Lifestyle ›
I’ve had this article from Federico Viticci in my Instapaper queue for along time and finally got a chance to read it over the weekend. Despite it’s age I wanted to share it just in case anyone else is like me and has had it saved to read for a long time.
First up, kudos to Frederico for making the changes to his life he has and not slipping back into old habits. Second, the idea of using my iPhone to track elements of my life has always connected with me (I like stats!). Several times I’ve tried it with MyFitnessPal and Sleep Cycle but they’ve never stuck for some reason, but seeing the motivation behind Frederico’s methods has struck a chord with me. I’m not recovering from a severe physical illness but I am recovering from a mental one and there’s definitely a connection between my mental well being and how I feel in my body. Positive attitudes in one area of my life filter through into other areas and it’s with this in mind that I’ve decided to have another go at putting that Health app to good use. My thanks to Frederico for highlighting some apps I’d never come across that are much more pleasant to use than ones I’ve tried previously.
Here’s to another attempt at tracking some stats about my life and to living more healthily.
How to properly use “Likes” in Apple Music ›
First, let me tell you one of my big problems, or sources of confusion, with likes on streaming services. Let’s say I’m listening to a Metal station and a great song comes on, but I consider it to be Rock. Do I like it? I enjoy the song, but I’m afraid if I like it, more Rock songs will come on the Metal station, diluting it.
If, like me, you’ve been trying to suss out what the heart does in the new Apple Music, this piece from Jim Dalrymple might just help. Although I still can’t suss why the heart doesn’t change state when a new song comes on when listening to Beats1.
The Week in Links
This weeks edition of The Week in Links covers a rande of topics. There’s the usual dose of Apple things, some thoughts from Shawn Blanc on focus and creativity, an obituary to one of the greatest type designers of all time, a moving video from Israel and a moving story from the Welsh valleys.
With the edition also falling on Father’s Day it would be remiss not to mention my Dad. So just a quick note to him to say thanks for being my Dad, you support me, you help me and you guide me and as well as being my Dad you’re also a great friend. Have a beer on me tonight!
- A Few Thoughts on iOS 9 by David Sparks
- Hypertext: On iOS badges and information density by Justin Blanton
- Step By Step: The Idiot’s Guide To Surviving A Machete Attack Kay Wilson for TEDxBGU
- Prefab for Two: A 290-Square-Foot House for $24,000 on Remodelista
- A remarkable tale of rugby redemption… told by the former wildman who was banned for life twice! on Wales Online
- To Apple, Love Taylor by Taylor Swift
- The Jolt by Shawn Blanc
- Hermann Zapf, font designer in The Telegraph
- Esplanade Riel and The Forks by Joshua Ginter
- Apple News And The Open Web on Bitsplitting.org
- You Have Ideas by Shawn Blanc