Category: Apple

DOJ, SEC probe Apple for slowing older iPhones

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — U.S. authorities are investigating Apple’s slowing of older iPhones, according to published reports.

The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg reported Tuesday that the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are probing whether Apple violated securities laws. In December, Apple apologized for the slowdown after a blogger’s tests revealed the secretive practice.

Apple has previously been rebuked by lawmakers, and faces a French probe and a slew of lawsuits that allege the company aimed to juice sales of newer models.

Apple shares fell 0.6 percent to close at $166.97 and are down 7 percent since Thursday. Wall Street is also worried about weak demand for its flagship iPhone X.

The Justice Department and SEC declined comment. Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

February 13, 2018
Verizon to Lock My iPhone?

The wireless carrier has been selling phones unlocked, allowing you to swap SIM cards and use other carriers. Soon, it’ll lock phones for a certain period to prevent theft and fraud.

Verizon Lock Down

Say this isnt so! Ive gone through a lot with Verizon in recent months. First they move me from my old 30gb plan to the new unlimited plan, all the while assuring me that they will only throttle speeds once I have hit 22gb and im on a congested tower. I was told that day to day internet functions wouldn’t be affected but streaming movies or music may. Not true, I haven’t been able to purchase tickets from fandango in the movie theater parking lot since. I don’t get any where close to 22gb, but if Im in any popular place my 4g LTE is gone, and my internet is completely useless. Rant aside, We are being told that the fantastic unspoken policy that Verizon does not add any sim locking carrier software is going away.

Not On Rex Manning Day

The nation’s largest wireless carrier said Monday that it would begin locking the phones it sells to consumers, which will prevent them from using a SIM card from another carrier. Initially, the phones will be unlocked as soon as a customer signs up and activates the service. But later in the spring, the company will begin the practice of keeping the phone locked for a period of time after the purchase – in line with the scams of rest of the industry. While it is a function I don’t get that much use from, really only during international travel, Its one Im particularly fond of. I like to upgrade to the newest model iPhone every year upon its release. I wait in line at the crack of dawn with all the other die hards, we joke, laugh and share apple news, drinking coffee and waiting for the store to open. iPhone day is my 3rd favorite holiday of the year next to Rex Manning day. I have raviolis and throw confetti on my bushes. Once I move all my info to my new phone, I wipe my old phone and list it on craigslist. Im able to re-coop a large amount of the new phone by selling the old phone, usually 60%. I get a good price for last years model because I can safely sell it to anyone on any carrier knowing its unlocked and they will have no issues activating it. Well not anymore.

Wait, is this Even Allowed?

Verizon says They’re taking steps to combat this theft and reduce fraud,” according to Tami Erwin, executive vice president of wireless operations for Verizon, said in a statement. “These steps will make our phones exponentially less desirable to criminals.” Now, also to me. The move marks a broad reversal of its policy to offer all of its phones unlocked — part of a deal with the Federal Communications Commission requiring it to unlock phones as part of its acquisition of the “C block” of 700 megahertz spectrum which powers its 4G LTE network. One section of the deal specifically prohibits Verizon from configuring handsets to prevent them from working on other networks. Verizon argues it is still following the intent of the rule.

The Final Thought

My guess is its a way for Verizon to protect itself from competition, with the locked phones making it tougher to switch. Thankfully Apple sell iPhones direct that are all unlocked, so it will be off to the Apple store with everyone else for iPhone Day from now on.

February 12, 2018
Apple mulls refunds for battery replacement on old iPhones

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple is mulling refunds to customers who paid full price for battery replacements on older iPhones.

Apple now offers a $50 discount as part of its apology for secretly slowing down the devices. Apple isn’t providing details on a potential rebate yet. The possibility was mentioned in Apple’s five-page letter to Sen. John Thune, a South Dakota Republican who demanded more details about the iPhone slowdown.

Thune released Apple’s Feb. 2 response on Tuesday. Thune says Apple will follow up with additional information at a future date.

Apple has been replacing batteries on older iPhones for $29 since late December, down from the usual $79. The offer is good through this year. A new battery is supposed to prevent older iPhones from bogging down.

February 12, 2018
iOS 12, will it Roar? Mac users think so

OS 12 will bring over a highly anticipated feature that has been rumored for quite a while now, All Mac users with iOS devces will rejoice.

Rumors and Gossip

What we have heard so far, and keep in mind we are still 9 months away, iOS 12 will bring various novel features, including the ability to run iPhone apps on Macs; a new Digital Health tool that shows parents how much time children spend on iOS devices; Animoji support in FaceTime, plus a lion Animoji, Face ID for the iPad; multiplayer AR games; a new updated stocks app, revamped Do Not Disturb mode, they have added a new way to import photos into your iPad, and a new whole new configuration Siri into iPhone search.

Many other features that were originally integrated with iOS 12 got pushed to iOS 13 or later. The list includes a redesigned home screen for the iPhone, iPad, and CarPlay, and a revamped Photos app that can suggest what images to view. Some iPad-only features have also reportedly been delayed, including a multitasking mode that would let users run several tabs in the same app window, just like on Mac, as well as a feature that would allow users to run two screens of the same app side by side.

The Final Thought

Apple is currently working on the next 2 years of iOS upgrades, with the engineers deciding on what and when features and function upgrade make it in. I, personally. am very much looking forward to adding my iOS apps to my Mac, and the lion animoji..Roar

February 12, 2018
Apples’ Beats by Dre…Can They be Beat?
The Good
- Unrivaled sound quality, especially in bass heavy songs
- Lithium Ion Battery provides 22 hours of continuous listening
- New noise cancellation tech is an important focal point
- Robust and sturdy craftsmanship makes them hard to break
- Wireless and portable headphones make them great travel companions
The Bad
- The sound quality drops when not listening to songs through Apple Music, (i.e listening from Youtube, Pandora, Spotify)
- After extended period of wearing the headphones, the comfort-ability rapidly declines
- High price point. On average consumers pay an additional $100.00 just for a name.
The Conclusion

Apples’ Beat by Dre are clearly the best headphones on the market. With incredible clarity and tone, songs we’ve heard a millions times before are elevated to a different plain inside those earbuds. Coupled with quality craftsmanship and care, there is a reason why they are so distinguished from competitors. But can competitors get close in quality for a significant drop in price?

The upgraded Studio3 Beats are here to stay

The newly released and upgraded Studio3 Beats by Dre have continue to progress and fix the previous versions and continue to hold up the good Beats name. With focusing on the noise cancelling aspect of the Studio3 beats, these bottom heavy headphones are quieter than ever. And Apples W1 Bluetooth chip makes pairing a breeze. Additionally, iPhone users can switch between devices logged into the same iCloud account to easily move from an iPhone conversation to watching a movie on your Mac. (The headphone also works with Android and other Bluetooth-enabled devices.)Totaling 22 hours of wireless playback with the new Noise Cancelling Tech and approximately 40 hours of battery life without it.

With tough competition such as the Sony WH-1000XM2 noise cancelling headphones or the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, Beats has an uphill battle to stay at the top. Sony’s new headphones very closely rival Beats sound and quality, but struggle a bit in terms of battery life and comfort-ability. But for $100.00 less than the Studio3 beats, they are a great option for those not wanting to spend $379.00 on headphones.

Final Thought

The Studio3 Beats have made a great addition to the Beats line, and continue to rule the headphones playground for now. But at this point much is expected from Beats, and they need to find new ways to keep their customers coming back. The strong competition is gunning for Beats, and doing so by significantly under cutting Beats prices. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II has even added a Google Assistant button to their headphones for that extra bit of personality. I’ll be waiting for Beats next move…
February 11, 2018
5 “Smart Home” gadgets every house should have…

It’s 2018 folks, and the future is here. Astronauts are driving Tesla’s through space and the Reese’s company is doing some really innovative stuff with popcorn. With all this technology around us, it’s easy to take it all for granted and we sometimes don’t get all the use we can out of it and take advantage of smart home gadgets.

And the most important place you can use all this cool tech to your advantage is right in your very own home. Here are some amazing new smart home gadgets to make your life easier…

1. The iRobot Roomba

Ever since it’s inception in 2002, the Roomba vacuum has been an integral piece of smart home tech. With the ability to program this round robot to vacuum your home 7 days a week it can be a real time saver. With the latest 980 Model, the Roomba is more advanced that ever. With cutting edge mapping technology and dirt detection programs, this “set it and forget it” vacuum is a must have! For dog or pet owners life myself, I can stress it’s value enough. I have a lot on my plate and one thing I don’t to concern myself with is the daily sweeping thank to “Roger the Roomba”. Yes I named my Roomba, he’s family, folks. Word of advice…there are several competitors is the robot vacuum department, do yourself a favor and stick with the iRobot Roomba. You may a little more, but in this case “you get what you pay for”. This was been probably the best $900.00 I’ve ever spent.

2. The Nest Thermostat

Coming in at a price tag of $279.00, the Nest Thermostat is well worth the extra cost. Thanks to it’s smart and adaptive AI, the Nest knows when your home and learns your work schedule to monitor the A/C usage. You can also control the thermostat right form your Nest App on your mobile device to fine tune your A/C needs. For a native Floridan like myself, A/C usage and consumption is a real beast you have to tame. In the summer months, electric bills can soar thanks to primitive thermostats. There is nothing like a thermostat shutting down for the day knowing your at work, and then turn on a half hour before you get home so you don’t walk into a hot and muggy house. It’s just bliss. Once I had installed the Nest, I noticed an immediate 50% drop in my A/C consumption and a large drop in my electric bill respectively. This is a must have in your home.

3. Brilliant Light Switch

With the ability to control your homes, light, music, ambiance, and even take pictures with voice commands, the Brilliant light switch is a 2018 must have gadget for your home. Brilliant light switch also connects to several of your home’s smart gadgets such as Nest, Alexa, Sonos Speaker, Ring doorbell system, and more. Starting at $200.00 per panel, Brilliant Switch is a costly addition but this innovative new gadget gives your home a brain.

4. Amazon Echo and Echo Dot

This smart home “must” is quickly finding it’s way into every home, world wide. Alexa and Echo Dot, is a voice-controlled system that used to play music, make calls, send and receive messages, read the news, set alarms, and even order and Uber or takeout! With the capability of syncing up to Amazon-Fire, Apple Music, Audible, Pandora, and more, you easily find usage and justification for this piece of smart tech in your home. At a price tag of $150.00, the Amazon Echo has many uses to help in your home and is a fantastic smart home gadget. Word to the wise, Alexa has a built in microphone for consumer purposes that is ALWAYS LISTENING…Use responsibly.

5. The Ring II doorbell system

The Ring Video Doorbell, provides you with the capability to see who is at your door from the safety and comfort of your bed or couch. It lets you accept or deny visitor calls if you’re not home, and uses motion detection to alert you of activity on your doorstep even when the bell hasn’t been rung. By working off your home’s Wifi and mobile data, the 1080HD camera will alert your smart phone of any activity at your door step day or night. For an extra $3.00 a month, you can pay for cloud storage and have all moments video recorded for later purposes if desired. The newest model also has a 2 way intercom system, and infrared night vision. For that extra bit of security at a relatively inexpensive cost of $199.00, this doorbell is the must have for any smart home.

The Conclusion

With so many smart gadgets available, some better than others, these products can make our homes better, safer, and more convenient. 2018 is going to be a big tech year and the “smart home” business is growing evermore advanced daily. If you can pick-up just one of these items this year, you’ll be headed in the right direction. I’m still anxiously awaiting the release for Rosie the robot maid, but I may have to hold my breath for awhile.

February 10, 2018
Apple TV in 4K
Apple TV 4K is a high quality smart video system that connects your TV to life. It makes all your favorite TV shows and movies even more amazing. Videos play in stunning detail with picture quality that’s more true to life. Enjoy content from iTunes and apps like Netflix, Hulu, and ESPN — or use the Siri Remote to find just what you want.

The Great
- Best streaming video available to compatible 4K
- Greatest remote on the market
- Fantastic Siri voice capability
- Mirror mode from IOS devices
- TvOS is smooth, intuitive and interactive.
- Sleek interface looks great in 4K
- Can control your Homekit devices
The Not
- Expensive compared to competition
- No 4K YouTube
- No Dolby Atmos
- Non-4K owners no real advantage over the previous model
- Occasional lag while switching apps
The Conclusion

If you have the dough and live in the apple eco-system I highly suggest in picking one up.. It is so choice.

The Picture Quality

In three words. Breathtaking, Amazing, Perfection. The 4K gives you a crisper picture using four times more pixels than standard HD and (HDR) delivers brighter, more realistic colors and greater detail. The colors are amazing and the crisp lines make it far better than regular HD. I use iTunes as my main source of purchasing video and Older movies I had purchased such as The Princess Bride, or the James Bond movies have started showing up as 4K content. Combined with the newly available tvOS settings to match content frame rate, and HDR settings, older movies are much improved especially when HDR is captured. The black levels and popping colors of older film movies, along with the loss of frame conversion judder can result in a nearly transformative viewing experience. On the downside, telling the TV to switch display mode does result in a frustrating couple seconds of black screen as playback begins.

The Remote

It’s small, intuitive, and so easily lost. The remote has rechargeable battery last forever, so much so that many don’t realize it’s rechargeable, they think it’s just gone bad after a year. The Apple TV 4K remote has also been subtly redesigned: there’s a white ridge around the menu button now, which makes the thing far easier to pick up correctly in the dark, and there’s a new three-axis gyroscope in it for better motion tracking. It’s still very sensitive and the touchpad is still frustrating. I manage to overshoot constantly.

The Final Thought

Apple has smashed the best streaming video quality available today, Dolby HDR, with the slickest, most intuitive, completely refined, and elegant feel. Add in Siri and Total iOS it’s destroys any streamer around. If you just bought an expensive 4K HDR TV, accept no substitutes. I mean the price of stepping up to an Apple TV seem like your only true option.

While is quality is so superb there are some caveats. Apple TV doesn’t support Atmos and it doesn’t support YouTube in 4K HDR and it doesn’t have Disney or Marvel movies in 4K HDR and it makes some 1080p content look funky.
February 10, 2018
How Cool, Wireless Apple AirPods!
Now Apple give us the wireless AirPods. Simple Bluetooth enabled wireless earphones but the design of the AirPods is defined by the geometry of the ear. Which makes them more comfortable for more people than any other earbud-style headphones. The speakers inside have been engineered to maximize sound output and minimize sound loss.

The Great
- Wireless
- Truly terrific sound
- Compact caring case
- Easy to use and connect
- Auto shifts between mono and stereo
The Not
- $159 is little high
- One-size-fits-all design
- No in line remote
The Conclusion

I am absolutely shocked at how rich and punchy these sound. They are small, easy to use, instantly connected and viably wireless. They are the complete earphone solution. If I could get a little more battery life, Id be in Elysium.

The Fit

Unlike traditional, circular earbuds, the design of the new Apple EarPods is defined by the geometry of the ear. Which makes them more comfortable for more people than any other earbud-style headphone. They fit perfect, the most comfortable Ive used, that all I can ask. They are one sized fits all so fit may vary by person

The Sound

Im overly impressed with the sound. The speakers inside Apple Air Pods have been engineered to minimize sound loss and maximize sound output. So you get high-quality audio that’s just as impressive as what you’d hear from any of the more expensive headphones. Its very rich, booming sounds on the low and the highs have a nice balance and pop. My opinion, they are louder then the Bose, and crisper then Beats and the quality is second to none.

The Day to Day

The caring case makes this whole process easier. They charge in the case so they only time they are out the case they are in my ear. With Siri I have voice control abilities that function for most of my use. Batteries last me almost through the day, it would be nice to have just a little more life but its not an issue or a deal breaker. I really like how they do only connect to one thing at once even if you are sitting with your apple watch mac and phone and iPad there all at once and the Bluetooth connection doesn’t chop or change around. My only gripe is the volume control, you shouldn’t have to rely on Siri to do that.

Final Thought

I was very skeptical to buy the Air Pods. But they are absolutely fabulous headphones. Comparing them to the other headphones I have owned, Beats, Skull and Bose. They look beautiful, the sound is stellar, the use is easy and they are super comfortable for me , but everyone’s ears are different. If you find the wired headphones comfortable, then you are going to love them. Thank you, Apple, for another extraordinary product!
February 10, 2018
Upgrading to the Apple Watch 3
The Apple Watch 3 is the latest in the watch line from Apple. Its a watch that allows you to stay connected when you’re away from your phone, making calls and send texts with just your watch. It has the ability to stream millions of songs with Apple Music and track your activities, heart rate, and calories burned right from your wrist.

The Great
- Good smartwatch battery life
- LTE connectivity
- Water resistant
- Apple Music compatable
- Improved exercise tracking
- Snappier performance
- Apple Pay is convenient and really easy
The Not
- LTE connection drains battery significantly
- Wait time for Apple Music streaming is a bit excessive
- LTE roaming is not available
- Siri is a little spotty
The Conclusion

The Apple Watch is the best and only viable smartwatch on the market, everything else is unnecessary or a liability. The upgrades are useful and implemented well on the 3. LTE adds a much needed connection allowing the watch to function with out your iPhone. Being water resistant is another crucial upgrade. Overall the watch was a great addition to your apple eco-system and the enhancements play well.

I Upgraded

So I’ve used the series one for two and a half years now, and at no point have a thought I’ve need to replace it. Then due to an unfortunate band malfunction my beloved Apple Watch and I have parted ways. No fear I have $500 in my pocket so I can swing by any number of retailers and have a new one in just a few mins. Now to be clear I use my watch daily, I find it has improved my ability to stay connected with my calls, messages, appointments and emails while significantly reducing my iPhone screen time. Adding in the activity, heart rate monitoring and breathing reminders its an integral part of my day to day and I can say it improves my quality of life. Not many tech gadgets can claim this.

The Improvements

The Apple Watch is now in its third iteration, and while it may appear that not much has changed on the surface, there have been some developments under the hood. Its now water resistant. I live in a coastal town, I am swimming, boating, surfing on a daily bases 9 months out of the year. Being able to take my watch in the water is a need and I am not sure how I made it for two and a half year with out this ability. The series 2 has this but it is perfected in the 3, and its got a really cool red dot on the dial so everyone can see I am fancy, bonus.

LTE

The big draw for the Series 3 is the option of LTE connectivity. This means greater independence from your paired iPhone, and always-on connectivity wherever you get network coverage. This gives me the ability to stream music from my watch when I am not with my phone, another nice perk. Although I quickly discovered the LTE Series 3’s limitations when I left my iPhone at home. I started the day with a nice bike ride, during which I streamed my bike ride playlist that starts off with Queen’s “Bicycle” and continues with equally enjoyable tracks the entire 43 minutes of my ride. When I returned home to eat breakfast, I checked my watch battery. It had drained to 60 percent after running every battery-sucking feature simultaneously. I was able to squeeze through the by not relying on it too heavily on the watch.

Now I do have to say outside of using the LTE to stream music to my Bluetooth headset, the Apple Watch 3 battery life completely blows the series one out of the water, which means I can go almost 3 days without a charge, and even use the Apple Watch to track my sleep. Another bonus.

I did find out that LTE roaming is not a thing on the watch. This means that if you are not on your carriers cell tower you dont have connection. Not that big of a deal for I use Verizon, but for you Sprint and Tmobile users a much bigger deal, and I would have to assume the 3 third party carriers are out of luck completely.

In Short

It’s an absolutely justifiable upgrade for me and all of us who already own a previous series Apple Watch. While you likely don’t need LTE, it can be helpful if you want the freedom to leave your iPhone at home or in a car while working out. The Apple Watch 3 is noticeably faster than the series one, which means I use apps and features that took too long to reliably use on the older model. Siri is now talking to you, which is nice when you want to quickly command the digital assistant and keep on doing what you want.
February 10, 2018
Apple HomePod Plays?
Apple HomePod is a Siri enabled smart speaker with Apple-engineered audio technology and advanced software to deliver the highest-fidelity sound throughout the room, anywhere it’s placed. Apple has built the high-excursion woofer with a custom amplifier to play a wide range of deep, rich bass. HomePod is wrapped in a seamless mesh fabric designed for both aesthetic and acoustic performance. Available in white and space gray for $349.

The Great
- Siri is superior to Amazons Alexa and the Google Assistant’s conversation abilities.
- Fantastic bass and tremendous sound quality through out all music genres.
- Apple music play compatible
- Compact, solid and attractive
- Automatically balances its sound position to get the best out of your music
The Not
- Apple-only audio services when using voice commands
- Multi-room audio and stereo pairing, aren’t available yet
- Siri and HomeKit are inferior to Amazons Alexa and the Google Assistant’s compatibility.
Conclusion

Sound is the best of the best, unmatched, elegant and inspiring. With the capabilities of adding multi-speakers that will listen to each other and balance the sound through out an area you’ve got a revolutionary sound system. Voice controlled by Siri gives you all the functionality you will need, if you are in the Apple eco-system this is the speaker you must have.

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Its Here!

On February 9, Apple will launch the HomePod, its first smart speaker. I’ve been looking forward to the home pod since the introduction of Siri at the iPhone 4s’s launch. I thought to myself I could just shout out a song I want to hear and have it play and sound good. This the day I have anticipated and waited for has arrived. So let’s play.

Setup

Amazingly easy to unbox and get going with no set up, you know how I hate set- ups. With its High-excursion woofer and array of seven horn-loaded tweeters, each with its own custom amplifier matched with the 6 microphones, the HomePod balances and radiates sound beautifully. Its like giving your home an amphitheater like plethora of sound. I compared the sound side by side with a single Sonos One speaker and the edge undoubtably goes to the HomePod. Yep its nice.

More than a Speaker

It’s got Siri, yeah, we all know her. She knows us. She does he job as well as any digital assistant, Amazons Alexa and Google home speaks are equally as adequate. My advice to all tech purchasers these days is to pick an assistant and build your devices around her. The boom of the AI assistant isn’t going to slow or plateau anytime soon, and you will want your devices to have the best possible relationship. The dysfunctional familes of this century will be fueled by the clashing of competing tech giants all attempting to control every aspect of your home. They all have their strength and weakness, lets take a look at the top 3 and compare.

I’ve asked each of the digital assistants a variety of 15 questions on basic and general knowledge. All 3 did an adequate-to-impressive job, generally giving viable, quick answers with pertinent information, though they all sometimes gave erroneous answers on Jordan’s’ height and the where abouts of the Hubble space craft, and it only gave Jon Hamm a 8 on a handsomeness scale of 10.

Final Thought

The reality is the HomePod is the best main street smart speaker you can buy, with adequate AI and Siri functionality, impeccably amazing sound integrates as a perfect peripheral device for all apple products… Its exactly what you would expect, I mean really what did you expect. Its Nice, so ask yourself 3 questions, Do you have $349? Do you have an IOS or multiple IOS devices? Have you subscribed to apple music? If you answered yes to all three there is a link at the bottom of the page just for you.. Stay tuned next time I’m going to test the HomePods durability or destructibility.
February 8, 2018