CBS News’ John Dickerson interviewed Tim Cook (YouTube link) on the September 17 edition of Sunday Morning about Apple’s green initiatives and goal to be totally carbon neutral by 2030. Apple is known for keeping product development and corporate operations behind closed doors as much as possible, so it was interesting to hear Cook say…
It can be done. And it can be done in a way that others can replicate, which is very important for us. We want to be the ripple in the pond. We want people to look at this and say, “I can do that, too.” or “I can do half of that.” We want people to look at this and rip it off.”
Tim Cook
Apple introduced their first carbon-neutral product, the Apple Watch Series 9, only five days earlier at their annual fall product event, usually held in September (links in my previous post).
The interview went on to cover Apple’s efforts to offset even customers’ energy use charging their Apple products, Cook’s tenure at Apple since being appointed by Steve Jobs, the challenges of introducing a new platform (Apple Vision Pro), civil and voting rights issues in Texas, advertising and anti-semitism on X (formerly Twitter), and return-to-work issues post-pandemic.
On another note, this is my second post in less than a week. What’s the world coming to‽
What a bad blogger I’ve been in the last year. I started a post on November 6, 2022 (quoted below), but never finished it.
Moving to Ventura
It’s been two months since my last post, but who’s counting? In the meantime, autumn started in the northern hemisphere, my Mom had her 85th birthday, and I did not purchase any new Apple kit … yet. I did install the new operating system versions for iPhone, iPad, Watch, and TV when they became available. And this weekend, I moved to Ventura.
Vintage Ventura, California postcard.
No, not that Ventura, this Ventura.
The macOS Ventura title screen from WWDC 2022.
I installed macOS 13 Ventura on the two M1 Macs in our house. It has been the smoothest macOS upgrade in all my years of using a Macintosh computer. There have been some glitches and gotchas, but the process of upgrading couldn’t have been easier. It only took about an hour from the time I launched the installer until each Mac was up and running in Ventura. I have not tried all the new features yet, but I’ve got some time to learn all about them before the next version of macOS drops in the fall of 2023.
Now, Apple’s fall 2023 iPhone event has come and gone and the release of macOS 14 Sonoma is only nine days away. It looks like the first full weekend in October may be a window of opportunity to install it on at least my M1 Mac mini, since I do get a paid holiday on October 9.
So much has transpired in the last year. The tech sector alone has seen some transformative and disruptive advancements, especially in the area of generative “AI”, such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Adobe Firefly, to name just three. It seems like every company large and small is jumping on the “AI” bandwagon. I have tried some of them and found use cases in both writing and image generation that provide some time savings, inspiration, and solid starting points for my own creative efforts. And, I admit, they are rather fun.
But can we agree on one thing? These generative “AI” systems are not really artificial intelligence. There is no real intelligence, per se. There is no discernment or consciousness behind the curtain pulling the levers and spinning the dials that ultimately spit out the word or images in response to our prompts. These systems are algorithmic and rely on large data sets to predict the next word or construct the image. I would really like to see the initialization “AI” replaced with “LLM” (for large language models) or something similar. Will machines one day become sentient and self-aware like in so many of our science fiction musings? Who knows, perhaps. In the meantime, let’s save “AI” for use when that day actually comes.
In other news, the new iPhone 15 and 15 Pro models are available to order, as are the new Apple Watches Series 9 and Ultra 2. If you would like the watch the video from the September 12 “Wonderlust” event, you can find it on YouTube, on Apple’s website, and in the AppleTV app on any device that supports it.
That’s all for today as I have a regularly scheduled FaceTime call and some other items on my checklist for today before the day’s end. Hopefully, I will post again before this time next year.
That’s what we used to say in high school in the midwest when we meant “far out!” So what is so “farm trout” this Labor Day (in the U.S.)? If you are of the geeky persuasion, you probably already know that Apple is having its first fall event of 2022 this coming Wednesday, September 7. The title is “Far out.”
It will ostensibly be the iPhone 14 announcement. According to rumors, we’ll also see the Apple Watch Series 8. There may be some other related accessories and/or services updates announced but we won’t know for sure until we hear it from Apple. I’m hoping for an Apple TV+ segment where the start date of the third season of Ted Lasso is announced.
There are many places on the web where you can get a geeky analysis of the many rumors and leaks. But in just two days Apple will tell us what they want us to know. So, I say chill out and wait. Maybe go fishing on this U.S. holiday. Then plan to watch it on Wednesday.
You can also watch on any desktop/laptop browser (Mac or Windows) from Apple’s website. Some hardware restrictions apply, but any fairly recent computer should work.
You can watch in the TV app on any Apple device (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and AppleTV, but not Apple Watch). There’s not a placeholder in the app yet, but if you search for “apple event” on September 7 before 10:00 a.m. PDT, it should be there.
You can also watch in the TV app on any smart TV or other set-top boxes that have the app installed (like a Roku box or Amazon Fire TV box or stick).
So, pick your favorite or most convenient streaming platform and watch it live, if you are interested. I’ll be watching while at my work desk unless I get sick and have to stay home. 😉
If you miss the live stream, you can watch it after the fact from most of these sources and in the Apple Podcasts app. It usually only takes Apple a few minutes after the live stream is over to get the on-demand video posted.
Then throughout the rest of the day and week, there will be a plethora of analysis from numerous blogs, tech news sites, and podcasts. Here are some of my favorites:
We are on the eve of another fall 2021 Apple event. Invitations went out last Tuesday, October 12. Are you ready for personal computing power to be “unleashed”? I didn’t get an invitation, but no one needs one because this event, just as the last seven, will have no live audience and be streamed free for anyone who cares to watch.
All the rumors, analysts, and pundits point to the next round of Apple silicon–powered Macs — this time the high-end MacBooks Pro. Perhaps a redesigned high-end Mac mini. Hopefully the larger iMac (30- or 32-inch screen?) with the new design language introduced with the 24-inch iMac.
Tune in tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. PDT (U.S.) and watch the live stream. You can watch it on Apple’s website, YouTube, or in the Apple TV app on any supported Apple device as well as many others (Amazon Fire TV and select smart televisions, for example).
I will be watching while working and then rewatch it again after I get home.
Apple’s iPhone 12 and HomePod mini event this morning went by quickly. If you don’t have enough time to watch the complete one hour, eleven minute video, Apple has conveniently provided a 51-second version.
Only one month after Apple’s iPad Air and Apple Watch Series 6 event on September 15 we’ll be treated to another streaming event next week on Tuesday, October 13. The much rumored iPhone 12 is sure to be the tentpole device. (Isn’t this supposed to be the year for the 11S?) Will it come in four sizes and include 5G as the leak reporters are reporting? We’ll find out next week, but the name of the event on the invitations that went out to the media is “Hi, speed.” so the inclusion of 5G would fit with in with that hint.
What else might we see? Only Apple knows, but there is no shortage of speculation. The iPads Pro are due for an update. So is the Home Pod. Or will there be a Home Pod mini announced? Will the much anticipated AirTags debut? And when will macOS 11 Big Sur ship? Will the first Apple silicon Mac be “one more thing”?
To find out, mark your calendars and on the day point your browser to the Apple events page to steam it to your desktop. It will probably also be on YouTube. If you have an Apple TV, you can use the Keynotes app to watch it on your television.
Yesterday Apple presented part of it’s annual fall new product introductions in a pandemic-friendly, highly-produced, pre-recorded video event titled, Time Flies. I say “part of” because there was no mention of new iPhones, which would be expected in a mid-September announcement, if this was a different kind of 2020. More on what was not announced below.
What Apple did announce was right in line with most of the leaks and rumors reported by too many reporters, bloggers, tech pundits, “analysts”, and YouTubers. The hardware announcements included the Apple Watch Series 6, a new mid-range Apple Watch SE (the series 3 is still available at the entry level), an updated iPad (gen. 8), and a new iPad Air (gen. 4) sporting the design language of the iPad Pro line. On the software/services side there were segments about new apps on the new watch—most notably the ability to take a blood oxygen reading, a Family Setup option for Apple Watch that provides the ability for multiple family members to have an Apple Watch that’s managed by a single family member, a new subscription service called Fitness+ that integrates with the watch and provides video training for 10 different kinds of workouts viewable on any Apple device screen ($10/month or $80/year, available late 2020), and a service bundle called Apple One with three price tiers (Individual: $15/month, Family: $20/month, and Premier: $30/month). Check out the links for all the details.
If you’d like to read Apple’s stories on all the announcements, point your browser to Apple’s Newsroom for the official press releases. For the moment Apple’s Fall 2020 Keynote is at the top of the feed. It’s also well worth the little over an hour to view the video of the keynote in order to get the full experience of the new “reality distortion field”.
I do have to say I do like the way Apple is making announcements by presenting these pre-recorded keynotes during the COVID-19 pandemic (both for WWDC 2020 and these fall announcements). They are certainly missing a specific energy that only a live audience can provide, but these recorded keynotes provide an opportunity for Apple to tell a very tightly controlled and concise story about their hardware, software, and services. Another aspect I really enjoy are the transitions from segment to segment where the viewer is seemingly flying through the Apple campus, inside and out—with a couple of comedic cameos by Craig Federighi in the Time Flies event video. It’s like getting a privately guided tour of parts of Apple’s headquarters that most of us will never get so see in person, albeit a very speedy one.
The gold aluminum Apple Watch Series 6 with a (PRODUCT)RED sport loop band that I ordered.
This keynote marks an historic occasion for me personally. It’s the first time I’ve ever pre-ordered a new Apple product on the same day as it’s announced. That’s right, I ordered an Apple Watch Series 6 a few hours later. I had several Apple Store gift cards burning a whole in my virtual Wallet app on my iPhone. I’ve been wanting to upgrade to a newer version for a couple of years, but this time I actually followed through. It should be delivered about September 30. It’s not a moment too soon, either. Last evening when I was going to bed after placing the order I noticed that my current Apple Watch Series 1 screen has begun popping off of the case.
My Apple Watch Series 1 with the display coming off of the case.
Near the end, Tim Cook made a somewhat passing announcement that the new operating systems would be available today (Wednesday, September 16). Specifically, iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, and tvOS 14. I will be waiting until the weekend before my new watch arrives to upgrade my iPhone 11 Pro, however. The main reason being that this last-minute announcement has caught a lot of developers off guard. They were provided less than 24 hours notice of when the public will have access to the new operating systems. Normally they would have about a week to get the final adjustments to their apps made before the operating systems went live (thanks, 2020!). I’m not in a hurry and want to make sure that the developers of the apps I use have time to get their iOS 14–compatible updates submitted and through the review process before I upgrade my iPhone.
Lastly; what wasn’t announced. There was no word on the release date of macOS 11 Big Sur. There was no mention of Macs. We recently got updates to the Intel iMacs, but we were told at WWDC that the first Macs with Apple’s ARM-based SoCs would be out before the end of the year (there have been rumors and/or leaks regarding an Apple silicon MacBook coming soon). And as mentioned up top, nothing about this year’s new iPhones. We know there will be some if for no other reason than on Apple’s Q3 financial results call the CFO specifically set expectations that this year’s iPhones would be “a few weeks later” than usual. My suspicion is that there will be another announcement event sometime in October to tell the story of the iPhones 12 (I thought this was supposed to be an 11S year), more features of iOS 14 that depend on the new hardware, the first Apple silicon Mac, and when macOS 11 Big Sur will be available. And maybe, just maybe, “one more thing”, although the talk of the tech pundits would lead me to believe there might be two or three “one more things”.
One thing for sure is there is no shortage of rumors and speculation about what Apple’s going to do in the future. When/if they actually do, we’ll find out when Apple tells us.
A slide from the WWDC 2020 Keynote showing components of future Mac SoCs.
On June 25, 2020, a good friend of mine, Kathryn Knoll, posed a question on my Facebook wall. I worked for/with her in the mid-’90s at Sophia Center, a spirituality-support center now located in Portland, Oregon.
Kathryn said, “Hey Barry, would you be willing to help those of us who don’t know what an Arm CPU core is. Why should we be excited about it? You always explain it so well and I’m humble enough to say I don’t know anything about it even though all of my devices are Apple products.”
I thought it was a great quesiton. Since I figure a lot of my friends, family, clients, and readers may be asking the same thing, I decided to answer the question in a blog post.
So, Sister Kathryn, let me see if I can do this without getting too geeky. To paraphrase Wikipedia, ARM is a family of architectures for computer processors. ARM stands for Advanced RISC Machine. RISC stands for Reduced Instruction Set Computing. So, there’s an acronym inside an acronym going on here. (Still pretty geeky, eh? Bear with me; just trying to establish a bit of a foundation.)
Again, from Wikipedia: “Arm Holdings is a semiconductor and software design company wholly owned by Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group and its Vision Fund”. Oddly enough, even though ARM is an acronym, the logo for the company is all lowercase “arm”. They license their CPU core designs to many mobile device manufacturers around the globe, Apple, Inc. being one.
At their 31st annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC 2020; link to the keynote) this past week Apple announced the start of transitioning the Mac from Intel-based CPUs to custom-designed “Apple silicon”. They never actually used the term “ARM” in the announcement, however.
Apple has been designing their own “CPUs” for iOS devices for a decade now. The iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad devices have been running on custom-designed Apple silicon since the iPad was introduced in the spring of 2010. But this silicon is actually much more than a simple CPU. They are SoCs, which stands for “systems on a chip”. They license ARM technologies, then design and build custom architectures around them that include GPUs, image signal processors, machine learning and neural engines, to only name a few parts of the overall system (see the slide at the top of this post). Apple contracts with third-party fabricating companies to actually manufacture the SoCs, but they are unique to Apple devices.
That’s where the Mac line of personal computers are going over the next two years. After that, Apple will no longer be tied to Intel’s x86 chip roadmap, but will be able to make Macs on their own schedule. Apple silicon–based Macs will be able to do things no other PC can. Some things we can expect are better performance, lower power requirements (longer battery life on MacBooks), and less heat. The iPad Pro that came out earlier this year outperforms the new MacBook Air (also early 2020) in benchmark tests. In the future, Macs will probably outperform most off-the-shelf PCs from any manufacturer.
Should we be excited? I’m a bit. For most folks, they probably won’t notice when it happens. If you want/need a Mac, buy one. Whether it’s a current Intel-powered Mac or a future Apple silicon–powered Mac (the first one is supposed to ship before the end of this year), it will provide many years of service and performance. Apple is still making Macs with Intel CPUs and will be for at least two years. In the keynote they stated support for Intel Macs will continue for years to come. I imagine that if asked, regular users won’t know or care what kind of processor is in their Mac. Apple has set out a transition path for their hardware and software—and especially their tools for app developers—that will in most cases make the change virtually imperceptible to users.
If you haven’t watched the keynote yet, it is well worth it to get an overview of where the Apple ecosphere is headed.
On the eve of Apple’s 2020 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) Tim Cook was enterviewed by CBS’s “60 Minutes” correspondent John Dickerson about the role of the CEO in this turbulent time (YouTube link).
“There was a time back many years ago where CEOs were just supposed to focus on profits only, and not so much the constituencies. That’s never been my view—I’ve never subscribed to that.” ~Tim Cook
It would be nice to see the unedited interview. This just over eight-minute edit trys to cover quite a bit including the nature of this year’s virtual WWDC, the iPhone’s role in documenting police brutality and protests calling for social justice, Cook’s relationship with Donald Trump, corporate taxes, and giving back to the community during the pandemic. It’s worth watching, though.
Tomorrow (June 22, 2020) you can watch the 31st annual WWDC Keynote live streamed on Apple’s website, in the Apple Developer app, in the Events app on Apple TV, probably on YouTube, and maybe on Facebook. I will be watching while working from home.
Periodically I will share some of my favorite websites, podcasts, videos, and/or blogs I follow to learn about the Apple-centric tech-o-sphere. This is one of those posts. The last time I posted about a podcast was back in October of 2016 after I discoveredThe Checklist. Today, I’d like to tell you about Vector.
My new Vector T-shirt, pin, and stickers on the dining room table.
Vector is what I call a three-in-one resource by Rene Ritchie from iMore. It’s videos, a podcast, and a blog (or series of articles, if you wish) where Mr. Ritchie provides insight into the world of Apple technology with short, palatable, and entertaining morsels of online media. I say “three-in-one” because his content is provided in any of the three ways in which you want to consume it — as a blog (or article) you read, as a podcast you listen to, or as a video that you watch. I personally subscribe to the Vector channel on YouTube, but you can read, listen, or watch right on iMore.
His latest posts (as of this writing) are reviews of the Watch Series 4 and the iPhone XS and XS Max. They are a little longer than his usual five to 15 minutes, but well worth a look/listen if you are at all interested in the new hardware that Apple introduced on September 12, 2018.
So, check out Vector and let me know what you think in the comments below. As Rene would say, “Thank you so much for reading.”
Bazz MacGeek 