shownotes_20140311

Opening
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News
  iPad sales up, share down
    According to recent Gartner numbers worldwide Apple’s iPad outsold the next four best selling Android tablets in 2013
      Apple sold 70.4 million iPads in 2014
      Samsung, Asus, Amazon, and Lenovo combined sold about 64.4 million
    That meant Apple had 36 percent of worldwide tablet share by the end of 2013, leaving Android tablets with 62 percent.
      The marketshare comparison of Apple vs. Android is always going to be in Androids favor because it’s Apple vs. EVERY Android maker
      You also have Apple’s high end premium devices vs. any China grey market tablet device running any variant or fork of Android.
      Amazon had 5% of the tablet marketshare and their Android is a fork and not much like Google Android at all.
    What is clear from the Gartner numbers is that tablet sales are still growing, especially in emerging markets and Android typically does better there
      Overall tablet sales were up 68 percent in 2013. They were up 145 percent in emerging markets and 31 percent in mature ones.
      We can expect the Android vs iOS tablet share to follow what happened with Smartphones
    Apple will never be on the majority side when it comes to marketshare, but do they want to talk profits and customer satisfaction?
  Oppenheimer set to retire
    Oppenheimer will leave Apple in September of this year.
    During his tenure Oppenheimer oversaw Apple’s global expansion while the companies annual revenue grew from $8 billion to $171 billion.
    The day before Apple announced is retirement, Goldman Sachs put out a release saying that Oppenheimer be join their companies Board of Directors.
    Oppenheimer will be succeeded by Luca Maestri who is currently Apple’s vice president of Finance and corporate controller.
      Maestri has also served as CFO for GM, Nokia Siemens and Xerox, and has over 25 years experience
    Officially the transition between the two will begin in June.
    Another hint that Apple was set to change around the CEO position was suggested by close watchers of Apple’s last quarterly results call.
      Maestri was a new voice on the call and took some of the investor questions, something Oppenenhimer would have typically done.
    What will he do besides serve on the Goldman board?
      Oppenheimer said in a statement. "For quite some time, I have wanted to live on the central coast of California and get more involved at Cal Poly, my alma mater.
      Spend more time with his Family
      Travel
      Finish his pilot’s license.
  Apple’s CarPlay and Blackberry
    Apple’s announcement of CarPlay at the Geneva International Motor Show made a splash in the blog-o-sphere
      The system was demoed in a Ferrari, but will also be launched in Volvo and Mercedes models this year.
      It offers integration via a lightning cable and access to Siri, Maps, Music, and Podcasts.
      There are also select radio apps, like Spotify, Beats Radio, Stitcher, iHeartRadio.
      Pandora was missing, but it might be because Apple has it’s own competing iTunes Radio service, which is part of the Music app.
      I also assume more Apps and functionality can be easily added in the future.
    Another surprising thing that caught press attention was that the CarPlay tech with in car infotainment systems using Blackberry’s QNX System
      QNX is a Unix-like real-time operating system, aimed primarily at the embedded systems market.
      QNX a microkernel-based OS, most of the OS tasks run as a number of smaller tasks, known as servers. This is different than most UNIX based systems which use a single monolithic kernel.
      While it might seem shocking, it’s really not.
      Apple CarPlay and the apps still use iOS, but communicate with the QNX systems already running in the cars infotainment systems.
      QNX has been used embedded in may car based nav systems for years, and in fact Ford announced recently that it was dropping the Microsoft Sync based system in factor of QNX.
      Android based in-car infotainment layers have also been built in top of QNX.
      Blackberry says they have had a long-standing partnership with Apple to ensure high-quality connectivity with their devices, and this partnership extends to support for Apple CarPlay.
      My guess is that being UNIX based makes integration with UNIX based system like iOS and Android much easier.
    Some hints to how it worked from Volvo
      Data from the iPhone's display is sent to the vehicle's in-dash screen via an H.264 video stream, similar to how AirPlay mirroring works
      But obviously it two-way.
      This half is similar to iTunes remote. The in dash touchscreen returns input to monitoring and control events built into CarPlay.
    While the CarPlay system will offer users a consistent experience inside CarPlay each manufacturer integration of the technology will show slight variations. They can have layers and apps outside the CarPlay system and in some cases those exist side by side
      Mercedes seemed to have climate controls on the sides of the CarPlay interface
      Volvo seem to have the nicest integration so far, their "Siri" voice also seemed better, but that might just be me?
    Mercedes is also supposedly investigating an aftermarket integration for older models, but doesn’t say when or if one will be available.
      Still provides hope to the idea that it might be possible.
      My guess is the key would be that it has a QNX based system that is at least upgradeable to the version that has support for the CarPlay integration, or maybe some sort of CarPlay bridge system to interface with older non-QNX based systems.
  Apple avoids Aussie tax liability
    An investigation by claims to have uncovered a method that Apple used over the past ten year to reduce it’s tax liability in Australia by diverting $8.9 billion in profit tax-free to an Apple Ireland-based company known as Apple Sales International
    That meant that ended up only paying about $200 million in Australian taxes for profits made in the country
    The way it works is a case of follow the money
      Apple Sales International, in Ireland, contributes money toward the research and development budget in Cupertino
      That contribution gives Apple Sales International partial ownership of the intellectual properties that make up Apple’s products.
      Profits from sales of Apple products internationally are sent to Apple Sales International for intellectual property licensing fees
      Those fees, in the case of Australia (and I assume many other countries), are paid pre-tax. Reducing the profits for Apple in the local region.
    Tricky? Maybe. Smart, heck yeah. Illegal, no.
    Companies have been using tax loopholes to their advantage for years and it’s not just Apple.
    Many want Apple to, "do the right thing", but it’s not really Apple’s job. They are beholden to their company, their employees, and shareholders and these are the kinds of practices companies employ to maximize profits.
    If you find a way to take a legitimate tax deduction you say, "No, I better not because the government really needs the money"? If you do, you’re a way better person than I.
    For it’s part though the Australian government has said that it plans to attempt to recover the taxes that Apple and others have avoided.
    It’s a never ending game of cat and mouse. A loophole will close and another will be found. It’s the game of business and regulations and that’s an old old game.
  Is this TSMC’s year? Maybe, but maybe not.
    Sources out of Taiwan claim Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is making A8 processors for Apple
    The report says that TSMC has won "most" of the orders for Apple's next mobile processor.
    But despite those reports ZDNet Korea days later said that Samsung has already signed a contract to produce the A8 processor at its Austin, Texas plant and that they are in the final stages of testing before mass production.
    My guess is that Apple likely has plenty of A8 chip production to go around.
  iAd to get full screen video ads
    You know how they say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, maybe that should be there’s no such thing as a free app
    Somewhere someone has to pay and one person that pays is advertisers. I have them on the show, so I’m not opposed, but there are ads and then there are ADS
    Looks like Apple might have plans to open the way for the big "A" ads.
    A report claims that Apple may make a new full-screen "interstitial" video advertising option available to advertisers on it’s iAd service later this year.
    Joy.
    The motivation would likely be "cash". Interstitial ads get a premium price from advertisers over banners which can easily be ignored.
    I think we would likely see them in Apple’s free iTunes Radio service first. Pandora has used them for years.
    But I also fully expect to see them in free apps as well. Some other ad services actually already offer the full screen interstitial.
  iOS 7.1 released, Apple TV other updates follow
    The new update has a ton of UI and usability tweaks and settings
      Phone call, power off and cancel buttons are round.
    The UI has been made overall "snippier" with faster animations and transitions
      Users are noting big speed increases on older hardware like the iPhone 4
    Calendar now has a dedicated list and tray view button.
    Camera App
      Auto HDR
      More obvious Auto Flash and HDR indicators
    All kinds of Accessibility tweaks to increase contrast and readability
      Can turn on button borders
      Lower the white point to tone down the brightness
      More parallax options too.
    Keyboard
      Shift keys and caps lock colors and icons changed. Off is grey with white, reverses when active. Lock get line under arrow
      In 7.1beta you could enable a dark keyboard, that looks to me to be missing now.
    Improves Touch ID fingerprint recognition
    Apps supporting iBeacons don’t even have to be running in the background to get notifications. Just installed.
    Apple patched up the nested folders "bug" (TUAW).
      How to create nested folders in iOS 7, http://www.tuaw.com/2013/09/24/how-to-create-nested-folders-on-ios-7/
    There also seems to be support for what looks like new iPad models
      iPad 4,3 and iPad 4,6
      Speculation is they might just be minor hardware revisions or maybe versions for an overseas market like China
    Apple had some fun actually crediting the 'evad3rs' Jailbreaking team in the security release notes.
    Apple TV 6.1
      The interface for hiding apps has moved to Settings > Main Menu (used to be under Accessibility)
        Can also hide from the main screen
        Hold down the Select button your remote until the apps wiggle
        Press Play/Pause, and a dialog will come up.
        Select 'Hide This Item'.
      Adds a channel for Apple first US iTunes Festival which is happening at SXSW this week.
        Live streaming and recorded concerts from acts like Coldplay, Soundgarden, and Keith Urban
        There is also an App for iOS, but it was released earlier in the week and didn’t require iOS 7.1 like some predicted.
      Remote updated too, version 4.2
        Adds iTunes Radio and direct selection and playing of TV shows, movies, rentals, and music videos.
  OS X 10.9.3 out to developers
    With OS X 10.9.2 just barely out to consumers Apple has pushed 10.9.3 beta to developers
    Apple is asking developers to focus on testing Graphics Drivers and Audio.
    Despite some continued complaints they are not mentioning anything related to Mail
    Apple didn’t mention it in the release notes, but 9 to 5 Mac noticed that the new build let Mac users set their 4K monitors to run at a pixel-doubled "Retina" resolution.
    Some users are also reporting that 10.9.3 has unlocked the ability for the late-2013 Retina MacBook Pro to run 4K displays with a refresh rate of 60Hz. Previously they were limited to 30Hz.
    Bottom line it looks like Apple is looking to up their 4K display support in future releases of OS X.
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Feedback, commentary, opinions
  Fix Mavericks FW drives not spinning down
    A couple follow ups.
    At least on listener said he has had no issues with his FW800 MyBook Drives not spinning down when his iMac goes to sleep under OS X Mavericks. The key difference might be bus powered vs. not.
    If you are impacted Eric might have a trick
      There is a command line tool called 'SleepWatcher'. You can download and install or get it from MacPorts or Homebrew
      What it does is watches for times when you Mac goes to or wakes from sleep and then allows you to trigger scripts to fire (Applescript or terminal scripts)
      So you should issue a command, via the Terminal, to unmount your Firewire drives when the Mac goes to sleep and then re-mount them on waking.
      My one question is how does the terminal commend react if the drive is busy with a read/write operation? You’d probably want a script that could check and handle that scenario. Maybe delay the sleep until the drive finishes it’s operations?
    Bento replacement, Tap Forms seems to be the winner.
    TouchID learning
      The trick mentioned by a listener of disabling the motion in accessibility doesn’t seem to work for many of you.
      Luckily Tim told me that Steve Gibson claimed recently on a SecurityNow to have found a way to get more 'scans' of each finger.
      Settings > TouchID & Passcode. Enter passcode.
      Look at the 'Fingerprints' section and touch the TouchID sensor with one of your scanned fingerprints.
      It will briefly turn darker grey and then fade out. WhaT Gibson says is that action is adding another scan for that finger to the Touch ID data.
      You can do as many additional scans as you like.
      So adjust your finger and keep scanning. Do it for all the fingers you have saved.
      I also thing that each successful scan when you unlock is also supposed to add to the data.
    Smart Playlist for iTunes Match items on on the current Mac
      Nathan passed this along, although he thinks it came originally from someone else, possibly Macworld’s Chris Breen.
      File > New > Smart Playlist…
      Match 'all'
      Add:
        Location IS iCloud
        Location IS NOT on this computer
        Media Kind IS Music
        Enable Live Updating
      Click OK and give it a name.
  Keyboard unresponsive after iOS upgrade
    After iOS 7.1 update my iPad key presses became completely unresponsive.
    There would be a long delay between taps and when the device actually did anything.
    Found an easy fix on Apple’s discussion boards
    Settings > General >Reset
    Tap the 'Reset Keyboard Dictionary' option and Enter your Passcode
    It will warn you that this rest will "delete all custom words you have typed on the keyboard", but that’s a small price to pay in my opinion.
    Tap "Reset Dictionary" and it should fix the trouble.
    Worked for me.
    My iPhone was also having issues were it would just "stall" or "lock up". I’m trying this trick for that too, but don’t know if it worked on not yet since the freezes are very intermittent.
  Force Siri to listen
    A new feature of iOS 7.1 will help for those times when Siri cuts you off
    You can now press and hold the home button, but when Siri activates don’t let go.
    Keep the button held and you’ll continue to see the Siri "listening" waveform lines until you let go.
    After that Siri will do here thing.
    This can be really helpful if you’re in a nosier environment or tend to pause a bit too long while speaking.
  Make your devices ready for your demise
    It’s not a fun topic, but a necessary one.
    We did a whole episode on it for Mac Roundtable, #217 after we lost our dear friend and fellow podcaster Tim Verpoorten
    This week a pair of brothers found out that Apple makes it hard to get access to a locked device even if that devices owner has passed on.
      They wanted to factory restore the locked device and couldn't
      They asked Apple Support for help, but were told they would need to provide a copy of the death certificate, will, and a letter from the solicitor, plus court order to unlock the iPad.
    In February, Apple updated its iCloud Free Account terms and conditions to warn: "You agree that your Account is non-transferable and that any rights to your Apple ID or Content within your Account terminate upon your death."
    As we increase the security of our devices and online accounts it’s important that we inform our loved ones on how to access those devices and accounts if we’re no longer able to. It may just be that you become incapacitated.
    Give verbal instruction, but also consider written instructions and passwords in a safe deposit box, safe, or left with your lawyer and will.
  Add 'Any Font' to your iOS Device
    One of the issues with doing content creation involving text on iOS is always the limited fonts.
    This has long been a complaint of iWork. Having to stick with a limited set of iOS/OS X fonts to maintain portability across platforms.
    That’s why my interest was peaked when TUAW mentioned an iOS App that would allow you to install any font without Jailbreak.
    The App is called, "AnyFont" ($1.99 USD)
    The way it works is by putting the fonts in iOS Profiles, something that iOS allows.
    You can add True Type or Open type fonts using iTunes or the 'Open in…' feature in iOS
    Once installed, the font appears in the General > Profiles settings and is available to use in apps like Pages, Keynote, etc.
    So now you can go ahead and use those specialized fonts.
  Going AdHoc with Airplay
    Fred is using a Verizon Jetpack MiFi device when away from home, but getting AirPlay drop our when his Mac and 1st gen iPad are connected.
    The issue seems to be the Mac dropping the connection to the Jetpack when using AirPlay. The iPad and Apple TVs seem to stay connected.
    My first thought was maybe not needing the JetPack at all
      Use an AdHoc network created by the Macbook Pro
      I’ve used this for Keynote Remote in Presentations
      Go under the Wi-Fi icon in the menubar and choose 'Create Network…'
        Enter name, channel, and WEP password
    The trouble was that while iOS devices can see this the AdHoc, the Apple TV won’t
      Seems like the Apple TV needs to see a network with an Internet connection.
    You could use the Jetpack (Connected on USB tether),use and iPhone (USB tether) or hotel internet (Ethernet) as the connection and share via the Mac
      Connect to the Internet on the Mac
      Create the AdHoc Network
      System Preferences > Sharing, and turn on Internet sharing
      "Share your Connection from" choose the connection that the Mac’s Internet is on (Ethernet or USB) and check "To computers using" Wi-Fi
      Now connect any devices, Apple TV, iPad, etc to the Macs AdHoc WiFi.
      Basically your Mac becomes a wireless router dolling out LAN IPs and acting as an Internet gateway.
    The only way to get this working without an Internet connection that I’ve had success with is using an AirPort Express
      You set up the AirPort to create a network using a private IP (it will generate)
      When you connect the Apple TV to the AirPort you’ll get errors, "Connection Failed" select "Continue Without Internet". Then the Configure IP window comes up, choose 'Automatic'.
      Connect your Devices to the same network.
      The obvious disadvantage here is you have no Internet access, so any features that need it, say trailers or iTunes Radio, won’t work.
      But you should be able to use AirPlay to mirror devices to the Apple TV or Play movies from your Mac to the Apple TV
Closing
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