In the News

Over the last few weeks, we have seen major releases from Apple.  All versions of the iPhone 14 (except the iPhone 14 Plus) are now available and have been in peoples' hands for a while.  The new second generation AirPods Pro have been out for a week, as has the Apple Watch Ultra.  The Apple Watch Series 8 has been out for more than a week, as has iOS 16 and watchOS 9.  With all of these new hardware and software products in folks hands for a little while, we are starting to see lots of interesting reports about how people are taking advantage of these new devices.  It's an exciting time in the world of the iPhone and related technology.  Whether you are using new hardware or just the latest operating systems, I hope that you are experiencing the delight that comes along with great new features.  And now, the news of note from the past week: This is your last chance to donate to St. Jude before the September fundraiser ends.  It will take you about 10 seconds, and it will help make a huge difference for kids with cancer.  No donation is too small, and all of the money raised goes directly to St. Jude. Lit Software, which is sponsoring iPhone J.D. this month, shares a great story on its blog from Los Angeles attorney (and iPhone J.D. reader) Tom Vidal who used the ExhibitsPad app in a jury trial, so each juror had an iPad on which they could view all of the evidence.  There is an interesting article on Apple's website about how archaeologists are using the iPad Pro's LiDAR sensor and other features to explore the ancient history of Pompeii.  According to Dr. Allison Emmerson of Tulane University, the iPad has revolutionized the field. I've seen countless reports about how the battery life on the new Apple Watch Ultra is amazing.  Now we know a big reason for that.  Sam Goldheart of tech repair company iFixIt opened up an Apple Watch Ultra and discovered that the Apple Watch Ultra has a 2.1 Wh battery, almost twice as much as the 1.19 Wh in the Apple Watch Series 8.  You can also see that the speakers are much larger on the Apple Watch Ultra. David Smith, the developer of fantastic apps such as Widgetsmith and Sleep++, took a multi-day hike through the Scottish Highlands with the Apple Watch Ultra.  He prepared a fascinating video along the way, showing many of the strengths and weaknesses of this device.  He made a good argument that an Apple Watch Ultra is like a pickup truck: you can use it for regular life, like taking the kids to school and driving to the mall, but it also has the extra power and strength you need to head offroad or carry gravel from the garden store. Roman Loyola of Macworld compares the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch Series 8. In an article for Macworld, Ken Mingis explains why he switched from using Garmin watches to the Apple Watch Ultra. Attorney John Voorhees of MacStories reviews the second generation AirPods Pro.  (You can currently get them from Amazon for cheaper than you can from Apple.) When I reviewed the second generation AirPods Pro, I said that one of the new features is the Adaptive Transparency feature, which lets you hear the outside world while also reducing some loud, obnoxious sounds (sounds above 85 dB).  Juli Clover of MacRumors reports that, based on the latest beta of iOS 16.1, the first generation AirPods Pro will also gain this feature soon. Jason Snell of Six Colors wrote a good iPhone 14 Pro review with a great title: No phone is an island. Mark Spooneuer of Tom's Guides explains and shows that the iPhone 14 Pro's 48 MP camera is astonishingly good. Ben Lovejoy of 9to5Mac explains why the camera on the iPhone 14 Pro is good enough to use as his only travel camera.  I've been thinking about that topic a lot lately.  The Nikon DSLR camera that my wife and I have used since 2005 is having some issues.  But do we replace it?  Nikon and most other camera manufacturers don't even make new DSLR cameras anymore.  I can get a very good mirrorless camera for around $1,000, but I suspect that in many circumstances, the iPhone 14 Pro can take pictures that are as good or better.  It's fascinating that the iPhone camera has gotten so good that we even have this debate. An upcoming feature of the iPhone 14 phones is the ability to connect to a satellite in an emergency.  Felipe Espósito of 9to5Mac explains that the iPhone will have a satellite demo mode so that you can see what it is like to connect to a satellite without actually calling for help. William Gallagher of Apple Insider reports that, according to display technology firm DisplayMate, the iPhone 14 Pro Max display is the best on any smartphone to date. In an article for Macworld, Dan Moren recommends features not to miss in iOS 16 and watchOS 9. Apple CEO Tim Cook and other Apple executives have been visiting Apple campuses and stores throughout Europe.  Chance Miller of 9to5Mac shares a number of pictures from some of the places they visited.  That included the set where they film Ted Lasso; there is a great picture of Apple executives Tim Cook, Eddy Cue, Lisa Jackson, Diedre O'Brien, and Kristin Huguet Quayle cheering for AFC Richmond along with actors Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso), Juno Temple (Keeley), Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca), Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), and Jeremy Swift (Higgins).  One of Cook's stops in Italy was a university, and as Sami Fathi of MacRumors reports, Cook said that in the near future, people will wonder how they led a life without augmented reality.  That's an interesting comment because at the present, Apple sells almost now augmented reality products—aside from some isolated things you can do on an iPhone or iPad.  But many have reported that Apple is also working on some sort of augmented reality headset or glasses, and surely Cook himself knows what Apple is working on.  As Cook speaks more freely on this topic, I wonder if that signals that we are getting even closer to Apple announcing its first augmented reality product. One of the selling points of a smart thermostat is that by turning down the AC or heat when you are not home you can conserve energy.  In an article in The Atlantic, Ian Bogost reports that this might not really be true because the savings that you might get when you are not home are often outweighed by the increased use of the thermostat when you are home.  If you are in bed at night and you find it a little warm, you probably won't get up out of bed to turn up the AC.  But if you can do so from your iPhone or Apple Watch, you are more likely to do so, using more energy.  It's an interesting argument (and one subject to critique, as noted in the article) that I hadn't contemplated yet.  As a former high school and college debater, I'm always intrigued by a "turn": an argument that something designed to do X would actually result in the opposite of X.  If you want to use a game controller with your iPhone, attorney John Voorhees of MacStories recommends two models: the Razer Kishi V2 and the Backbone One. And finally, I loved this video from Marques Brownlee in which he discusses why he is so impressed with the second generation AirPods Pro.  He even includes an interesting suggestion: if you are at a live concert and close to a speaker, you can wear the AirPods Pro in transparency mode and you will hear everything but the super-loud noises that could otherwise hurt your ears will be reduced somewhat.  Interesting suggestion:

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