Topic: Um, Apple thread

[BranDonk Kong]

Because they would rather you buy an iPad Air Mini 3.

[Spak-Spang]

Perhaps, but I am running ios 8.  So, that isn't the problem.  It is an os problem...not hardware. 

[NWR_insanolord]

I'm hating this less as I use it more. I've dropped the third party keyboards entirely but am enjoying the predictive functionality.

[NWR_insanolord]

And just after I get all pissed off about this, a jailbreak for iOS 8/8.1 emerges.

[NWR_insanolord]

In case anyone was wondering, the iOS 8 jailbreak is now to the point where it works without too much hassle. A lot of things still haven't been updated to support it, but some are, including the best reason to jailbreak, Activator.

[NWR_insanolord]

In what may be the least practically-useful hack in recent memory, a Chinese hacker managed to install Windows 98 on an iPhone 6+.

[shingi_70]

So thoughts on this week's big apple News.


Apple TV is $69 and has exclusive HBO NOW for the next three months.



Research Kit is a thing and is OPEN SOURCE!



Apple Watch is coming out, and apple failed to show any compelling reason for it outside of the fitness features and passive stuff.


Plus the new Macbook.

[Adrock]

I'd be more interested in Apple Watch if the price was lower. Otherwise, I know well enough to avoid the first version of any new product line.

I was surprised Apple TV didn't get a refresh though the price cut was nice.

The new MacBooks were the most interesting bit of the event to me. I understand the lack of an SD Card slot and ports were space saving measures in the new 12-inch MacBook, but that leaves it in a weird middle ground. In many instances, I can see people moving down to MacBook Air or up to MacBook Pro. The 13-inch Air is less than a pound heavier. The 13-inch Pro is less than a pound and a half heavier. It's also the same price as the 12-inch MacBook with a larger retina screen and better battery life. The 13-inch Pro has almost all the benefits of the 12-inch MacBook besides the new keyboard. Wait a year and it'll probably have that too. It is exciting to see Apple pushing USB Type-C in the 12-inch MacBook though it's a shame there's only one port and it's weird there's no Thunderbolt 2 port considering Apple keeps trying to convince people to care about it.

[nickmitch]

I've been thinking about upgrading for a while.  I have a 2nd Gen currently, but alway thought a new version would come out.

[Stogi]

The new Macbook is a waste of a product line. It's a **** computer attached to a beautiful screen that is too expensive. They could have simply updated the Air, a far more competent computer, with a Retina display and it would continue to be the greatest laptop of all time.

I have no idea what they were thinking. And now this has me concerned that instead of making the Air a more capable yet still very transportable laptop, they'll make it stupid light and stupid dumb for no god damn reason.

[BranDonk Kong]

But at least you can buy that $10,000 watch band. I continue to not like basically everything that Apple makes. I wish I could say it was out of some type of anti-Apple fanboyism, but I genuinely do not like most of their products.

I did see a pathetic ripoff of the iMac by HP at Best Buy the other day though. I would actually like one of those (running Windows).

[shingi_70]

The new Macbook is a waste of a product line. It's a **** computer attached to a beautiful screen that is too expensive. They could have simply updated the Air, a far more competent computer, with a Retina display and it would continue to be the greatest laptop of all time.

I have no idea what they were thinking. And now this has me concerned that instead of making the Air a more capable yet still very transportable laptop, they'll make it stupid light and stupid dumb for no god damn reason.

Its the iosfication and streamlining of their Mac brand of products. Many users don't mind how simple todays tech can be. I have a friend who bought an Ipad for his photography work and uses the SD card reader adapter. It also helps that a lot of people especially the average non apple Power user is pushing toward cloud and wireless pretty quickly.


Its not just from a hardware level but Apple has killed off most of their power user apps and have simplified all their apps, and left all their pro apps with the exception of Final Cut to die.




That said the Macbook is a  damn good looking machine, and apple is banking on how sexy it looks and the color schemes too sell the device which it will. Expect this to replace the Macbook Air within the year and their just be two products in the Macbook line. The Macbook which needs expensive add-on's for ports and the expensive Macbook Pro which will be at a premium.




Apple wants to be a lifestyle/Luxury brand and its evident by their current product line and look. They're great looking products but apple has given up any protest of wanting the lower end of the market. (which ironically would do much more to push Healthkit and Researchkit forward).


As for your talk of beefing of the Air, my guess is that was their initial plan plan was to beef up the Air and have it be the flagship model, however once the 5c flopped Apple backtracked and went another route. If the 5c would have been the successful my guess if we would have gotten a plastic multi-color macbook for $799-$899 to complement their product line.


I'm mostly surprised that we didn't get any major update on the Apple TV.

[Stogi]

Dude...the Macbook Air is not cheap. Yet somehow it's cheaper than their new line. If this is a plan to raise all their lines prices, then that's a dick move that no one should support.

If the Macbook is supposed to be the new Air, then at least make it as powerful as the Air and with the same amount of battery life or people (at least those who are looking for the best bang for their buck) will skip it in favor of an Air.

If it were me, I would have kept the Airs the way the are, adding and making things sleeker overtime. I would have made the newest Macbook's the same as the Pro's in terms of specs, while trying to slim down their form factor a bit. And I would have made the Pro's ridiculously powerful, basically making it the type of computer that will handle your compressions or compiling of any kind quickly yet is somehow still decently light and lasts a long time.

[NWR_insanolord]

The Apple Watch looks cool, but not enough for me to cancel my Pebble Time pledge. Especially not for this one; I learned a while ago never to buy the first iteration of any Apple product.

[famicomplicated]

Anyone else want an iPod Touch 6, based on the iPhone 6 body?
If they did a "plus" version, they could just called it an iPad Nano.

Basically, I want a video/photo camera that has a large enough screen but small enough to put in my pocket.
Because, everyone looks like an idiot taking a video with an iPad, am I right?


Also, it's weird that they haven't updated the iPod range for like 2 years.
If the iPhone 7 comes out, and Apple are still selling an iTouch 5 for full price, I may explode.

[Shaymin]

I want a 128GB iPod Touch 6 since buying the similar spec'd iPhone is now over $1000 outright here and the Classic is toast (Jobs have mercy on its soul).

[Plugabugz]

The iPod line is basically being retired at this point, it was moved into "other" projects last year (as opposed to being a headline topic like the iPhone) so i doubt anything else will happen with it.

[Spak-Spang]

I think they are going to phase out the Air Brand, and just have Macbook and Pro again. 

I really hate the design, because I should not have to be required to buy and carry adapters to use a portable computer.  Compromise is part of having a portable computer, but too much compromise is stupid.

I didn't like what they did with Air, and I don't like the direction they are moving with all their lines.  The stupid obsession with being lighter has to stop.

[shingi_70]

Apple's marketing has made people start to think less options equal a better experience. Two things that sort of irk me, is Apple pushing wireless so much when none of they're phone or Tablets has wirless charging. i'm also surprised there's no Touch ID on the new macs.

[Spak-Spang]

I like simplistic.  And the new Macbook works, except that only having a single port makes no sense.  It requires additional purchases immediately.

I know that it requires a computer to be bigger, but I like the idea of a computer that just works where and however I need it.  That means using the most common ports currently available and used in the world today...until that changes keep them.

Right now, I need USB to plug into any computer or use any mouse that might be available where I am.

[BranDonk Kong]

More ports really wouldn't require the computer to be bigger. Maybe just a hair thicker, but Jesus Christ - no one is buying a Macbook Air out of necessity. It's not like you're only allowed to use a laptop that fits in a manila envelope or something.

[famicomplicated]

I think most "pros on the go" would be fine with a little bit of thickness if it meant it had all the ports they needed.

I guess with tablets now becoming the norm, in terms of portable computing, they are basically making the MacBook into a "super-powered iPad with a keyboard".

The OSX/iOS merge is already happening, so it kind of makes sense.

[BranDonk Kong]

I just actually watched a video preview of the new Macbook, and it looks like a downgrade of the previous model in every possible way, at least on paper. I honestly can't believe that Apple is the most valuable company in the world, or even in the top 10.

[shingi_70]

    Apple Watch reviews are out and most headlines and tweets from the tech press are showering it with praise while the actual reviews actually the reflection of a far more average product.

I'm reading the Verge review right now which is actually well written even if they go too far into the graphic design department. Also despite featuring their sister sites i'm not sure how I feel about the  pimping of Eater and Racked in their review, though Racked makes sense as their segment was about the Apple Pay methods.

I did like this blurb about what makes a Wearable a good product.

In order to be successful, any given piece of wearable technology has to be useful the entire time it’s on your body. Prescription glasses sit on your face, but improve your vision all the time, so they’re successful. Sunglasses sit on your face and make you look cooler all the time, so they’re successful. Google Glass sits on your face, but mostly does nothing, so it’s a failure. It’s a simple formula

It seems that when the Apple Watch is good its really nice and convenient to use but because of the slow Processor, Lack of GPS and Native apps for the majority of its tasks you have to Wonder why not just use an Iphone. The Apple Pay use seems like the biggest selling point and even that is just taking a few seconds off of your shopping experience. The Video that the verge does with Racked actually goes into pretty interesting direction about the Apple Watch as a fashion item so to speak. So far in its relation to fashion we've only been seeing technology guys commenting on it what they beleive apple is trying to do so its refreshing to get the reactions from a non tech blogger in the other big space Apple wants. I also noticed how the watch can go from looking great to ugly based upon what band it has on. When using the Sport band the band curves into the edges of the Watch to make it seem less like stone while the Looped Band makes it look like a digi pet.

[BranDonk Kong]

It will be a good way to identify people who are tools.