shownotes_20160323

Opening
  Opening Music
    Music is Say Anything by Manda and the Marbles
  Sponsor: proXPN
    proXPN
      proXPN is a VPN service.
      Given Apple's recent events it's particularly timely that we talk about a service that can better protect your security and privacy.
        When you're on public wi-fi or going through your ISP there are logs of what you are doing where you're going , etc.
        Some ISPs are also now watching the kinds of traffic and throttling or shaping your connection.
        Security on open networks and also from region limiting.
      There are lots of VPN services out there, but proXPN offers all the features you want and should be concerned about.
      The first is privacy
        You have to be able to trust your VPN service
        You should read through the terms and conditions and privacy policy of ANY VPN service
        proXPN uses plain language and has a serious commitment to protecting your privacy.
        They don't log ANYTHING and they have a 'Canary' policy
          On their Privacy Policy page they disclose if they are currently under
        I asked about the name. eXtreme Private Networking.
      Ease of use
        They have a Mac app and easy instruction for setting up VPN access on your mobile devices
      Great support
        What’s cool about proXPN’s support is that the same team that does the testing of new software releases, servers, and so forth do the support for users. So you’re dealing with people who really know the product, and indeed VPNs, inside and out.
      Best of all you can get a proXPN account to try completely free, no credit card required.
        It does come with some limits, but it's open enough to let you try the service for yourself.
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News
  Apple's 'Let us loop you in' event
    Opening
      Some brief comments about Apple's commitment to protecting the privacy and security of customer data
      A recap of Apple's environmental efforts
        93% of their operations now run on reNew able energy
        Goal is 100%
        Liam, Apple's iPhone deconstruction robot.
        An R&D project.
      Health initiatives
        CareKit. Open source framework for developing health apps focused on patient care
        Data after and during treatment that the patient can collect and opt top share with friends, family members and doctors.
    Apple Watch
      New "Spring Collection" watch bands
      New colors for the leather "classic" buckle band and sport bands
      New Space Black Milanese Loop
      New woven nylon bands (USD $49.00).
      Price drop on the Sport models, starting at USD $299 for 38mm Sport.
    Apple TV
      New tvOS with Siri dictation, support for more apps, iCloud Photo Library and Live Photo support, Folders.
    iPhone SE
      Apple A9 Processor with 2GB RAM
      The screen on the SE seems more in line with the 5s
        Bright IPS at 1136x640-pixels
        It’s got a lower contrast ratio and reduced viewing angle
      Same Touch ID sensor as the 5s and no 3D Touch
      iSight Camera is 12-megapixel sensor, 4K video, and Live Photos (like 6s)
      1.2MP FaceTime camera same as iPhone 6, but not 6s
      No barometer.
      Tops out at 64GB storage, not 128GB option
      Comes in Rose Gold color.
      Cases for the iPhone 5 and 5s should work perfectly with this model
      Pricing starts at USD $399 16GB (lowest for any new iPhone to date) or USD $499 for 64GB
      Pre-order March 24th, on sale March 31st.
    iPad Pro 9.7-inch
      Uses Apple's A9X chips, but with just 2GB of RAM (vs. 4GB in iPad Pro 12.9)
        The CPU and GPU also appear to be clocked slightly slower than the iPad Pro 12.9
        2.16GHz, compared to 2.24GHz
      Improved display at 2048x1536 pixels (264 ppi), Wider color gamut, brighter, more contrast and 40 percent less reflective.
      True Tone color adjustments based on color temperature of the room
        Uses special ambient light sensors
      12MP iSight camera, bump up from the 12-inch iPad Pro
        f/2.2 aperture (vs. f/2.4)
        63MP panoramas (vs. 43MP)
        True Tone LED flash, first time on an iPad.
        Live Photo support (not on iPad Pro 12-inch)
        Has camera "bump"
        4K video recording at 30fps and slow-mo video at 120 fps 1080p and 240 fps in 720p (12-inch iPad Pro: 1080p videos at 30 fps and slow-mo at 720p at 120 fps).
      5MP FaceTime camera with support for Retina Flash (1.2MP and no flash on iPad Pro 12-inch)
      USB 2 data transfer (not faster USB 3 like on the iPad Pro 12.9)
      6.1mm thick (same as iPad Air 2)
      "Hey Siri" support when not on power (9.7 only)
      Supports LTE advanced with embedded Apple SIM card.
        There still is a SIM slot so you can switch later even if the carrier isn't supported on the embedded SIM
      New 'Rose Gold' color.
      Prices start at USD $599 for the 32GB Wi-Fi model, USD $749 for the 128GB , and USD $899 for the 256GB edition
        Add the typical USD $130 for the cellular variants
      Pre-orders Friday March 24th, shipping and in store March 31st
        In 13 countries – Australia, Canada, China (Wi-Fi models only), France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, US Virgin Islands and the US.
        Launching in 47 other countries in early April.
      New covers and cases
        Ones for the iPad Air 2 will technically still fit, but opening and ports are different
        Apple also clams the iPad Air 2 Smart Covers are not iPad Pro 9.7 compatible.
          Because of the Smart Connector the magnet alignment is different
    iOS 9.3
      Dolby Digital Plus Plus audio with multichannel audio output if you use Apple's Lightning to Digital AV Adapter
    Other notes
      iPad Accessories
        Powered USB adapter and SD Card Reader
          Powered USB adapter supports powered accessories like USB mics and Ethernet adapters
        New Apple Lightning to USB-C cables (USD $25)
          Support fast charging via the Apple 29W USB-C Power adapter or from the Macbook, but only with the iPad Pro 12.9 because only it has USB 3
      Apple has stopped Apple Stores sales of the iPhone 5s and iPad Air (original)
        I imagine sales may in some countries.
      Classroom App
        Apple calls it a technology "preview"
        Allows schools to manage and deploy groups of iPads
        Teachers can launch apps on all iPads in a class, guide lessons, see a students screen, reset a child's password on their device, set up groups.
      No Jony?
        In video or in person.
        Don't read anything into it other than odd.
  What about the Macbooks?
    Apple did not update the Macbook or Macbook Pro lines as some had hoped.
    DigiTimes today reported that Apple will begin shipping new "ultra-thin" 13-inch and 15-inch MacBooks at the end of June.
    Maybe a WWDC announcement?
    The report claims the designs are similar to the current 12-inch Macbook and thinner than the current Macbook Air
    The odd part of this report is the sizes. Are these Macbooks or Macbook Pros?
    The description seems to indicate Macbook, but the size seems to say Macbook Pro
      The Pros are long overdue for a Skylake processor update, but the 12-inch Macbook is also due.
  FBI postpones trial with Apple
    Just 18 hours before the hearing they say the might not need Apple and fileD (and were granted?) a postponement
    There is also a stay on the original court order.
    FBI claims "someone" has demonstrated a method for hacking the iPhone in the San Bernardino case without help from Apple
    They now need to test it to verify, but if it's valid we could see all this mess go away.
      They have until April 5th to submit a "status report" with the court.
    Apple held a press conference and they were just as shocked as anyone else
      I'm guessing that if the hack is valid they might have some of their own questions for the FBI
      It's possible Apple could find out in the discovery of the case who the FBI consulted with and what method they attempted to use. Something Apple's lawyers said they would like to find out.
    Reuters reported that an Israeli mobile software developer, called Cellebrite are the ones helping the FBI
    So what's this magic method?
      There are TONs of theories being floated.
      The one, to me, that makes the most sense is one pointed out by Edward Snowden and written up in good detail by security expert and blogger Zadarski
      It involves NAND mirroring
        Basically desoldering the Flash memory chips from the iPhone and then cloning them
        This could be to other physical chips or to (more likely) an image
        You'd then mod an iPhone on in a virtualized environment run your hack against the device.
        When the security kicks in after 10 failed attempts you swap out the chip or re-flash the disk image and try again.
        You could also just flash the lockout portion, which works even faster.
      It's a simple, elegant solution and doesn't require Apple's help to re-write the OS.
      It really only works if the iPhone used a simple 4 or 6 digit passcode, but that's what most believe the SB iPhone is locked with.
    Even if this method doesn't work it could put the FBIs case at risk
      They've maintained since day one that they believe "only Apple" could help them in gaining access to this device.
    To me it raises a LOT of questions
      If the FBI had put a gag on the original court order this could have all been kept quiet
      Why the request to change the trial format days in advance and then this hours in advance?
        They must have know a long time ago about this method?
        Are they just messing with Apple?
  Apple Pay adds more banks, still struggles
    Apple continues to add bank partners at a furious pace
    Last week they added online bank Ally, a big US holdout, and three banks in China.
    They had a huge signup surge in China with 3 million cards registered in the first 24 hours
    But here's the rub, especially in the US, retailers aren't buying in.
      I'm constantly asking to use Apple Pay and turned away
    The issue according to one report is that while 5 million US retailers have installed EMV chip-card-compatible credit card readers, only 1 in 5 have enabled the chip-and-signature features.
    This is what would also allow NFC payments like Apple Pay and Android Pay.
    The banks and credit card companies are pushing adoption by requiring merchants who don't enable the feature to cover fraudulent transactions, but it doesn't seem to be enough.
    I think Apple should step up and partner with and incentivize merchants to support Apple Pay.
    More training programs for employees at location that do accept Apple Pay.
    It's great if my device and bank support NFC payments, but if it fails at the register it fails completely.
  Apple wants it's own cloud
    Frankly with all their data center initiatives I was shocked to hear Apple was using Amazon S3 and Microsoft Azure for much of their cloud
      Surprised at least until logic set in.
      iCloud is huge
    Then we got reports that Apple plans in the short term to move to Google's Cloud platform
      Apparently Amazon is having performance issues for Apple especially when it comes to photo and video
      If that's why my iCloud Photo Library takes FOREVER to sync then that makes sense.
    Now we're hearing about project "McQueen", yes as in Steve.
      Other reports claim McQueen is just one of at least six internal efforts Apple is undertaking to build out it's own servers, networking equipment and systems.
    It's Apple's move to bring all cloud data storage in-house
      I assume this means EVERYTHING
      iTunes, iCloud, the whole ball of data
    Another reason being floated is security
      Some say Apple believes server orders has sometimes been intercepted in shipping and hacked with additional chips and firmware in attempts to get at Apple's data.
      Edward Snowden claimed knowledge of government programs designed to do exactly that through the National Security Agency's Tailored Operations Access unit.
    Apple thinks building it themselves could pay off not only in performance, but in dollars too.
      Estimates are they currently spend $1 billion on outside cloud infrastructure
      Estimates are an in-house move could produce financial benefits in as little as three years.
    Reportedly a conversation with a Microsoft Azure engineer seeded the idea in Apple head
      He claimed Apple would outgrow Microsoft's cloud and would likely have to fund the expansion of their infrastructure
      So why fund the competition when you could fund your own, right?
    Apple already has a massive data center investment
      Locations currently in North Carolina, Oregon, and at the failed GT Advanced plant in Arizona
      The Arizona location is reportedly the "command center" for cloud data operations.
      Oregon is expanding
      Apple also has centers planned in China, Hong Kong, Ireland, Denmark, Reno, and more in Arizona
    Right now there is no timeframe for the move to self sufficiency and they could abandon it, but I think it makes sense.
    Apple has always preferred to control their own destiny.
  More on the iPhone 7
    DigiTimes claims Broadcom might be reducing or ending their wi-if chip production
      That means Apple might need a new supplier, but as mentioned last week Qualcomm might already be lined up for that On the iPhone
      For Macs there are also many other suppliers Apple could turn to.
    A Chinese site thinks it has an image of the iPhone 7 battery module
      A capacity of 7.04 watt-hours or slightly larger than the 6.61-watt hour battery in the iPhone 6s and same as the iPhone 6 was.
      One though on the larger capacity is that it will use the room opened up by the missing 3.5mm headphone jack.
    The report also claimed Apple might move from metal to a new ceramic material for the body
      Not the first time we've heard this rumor over the years
      Apple has had patent related to ceramic cases.
      Would offer better radio transparency.
    What we think we already know about the iPhone 7
      A10 processor
      Up to 256GB of storage
      Stereo speakers
      No 3.5mm headphone jack
      Reduced antenna lines
      Faster LTE modem
      Possibly a Smart Connector
      Dual cameras based on tech acquired by LinX. Might be limited to "Plus" model only.
  Apple's privacy 'czars' have your back
    If Apple's strong stance against the FBI doesn't have you convinced they are looking out for your privacy then this next bit of news might convince you.
    Reuters claims sources told them Apple has on staff three 'privacy czars'
    Their job? Sign off on any product collecting customer data.
      That includes things like iAd, Siri, and Spotlight
    Who are they?
      Jane Horvath, previously a global privacy counsel at Google. And hired after the 2011 "Locationgate" incident
      Guy Tribble, VP of Software Technology
      Finally, Erik Neuenschwander. Who?
        This guy is responsible for checking the code written by Apple engineers to make sure they implemented the stated privacy measures.
      The report also says they operate most of the time with autonomy but will report to senior VPs and CEO Tim Cook on complex issues.
      General privacy rules include
        Keeping data local at all times possible
        And keeping data not associated with personally identifiable markers
      For example the team worked to ensure iAd advertisers could get the data they needed, but that they couldn't use data to track and identify individual customers.
        Some feel this focus on privacy vs analytics caused iAds downfall.
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Feedback, commentary, opinions
  Disappointed in the Apple event? It's your fault.
    Play comments from Brian
    No surprises anymore?
      There never really have been if you were a close follower of Apple.
      There have always been leaks and rumors, the only difference now is volume and access to information.
      Internet and social media
    Apple didn't announce anything innovative
      Followed by, they're losing their edge
      Hello? Apple brings out an "innovation" every 3-5 years, not every 6 months and it's ALWAYS been that way
      And if we're really being honest, Apple doesn't "innovate".
      Their skill is taking innovative technology that sucks and making it awesome.
        They bring a complete experience and answer the "why", with more than "because we can".
        MP3 players existed before the iPod, but they sucked.
        Smartphones before the iPhone, but they sucked.
        Tablet PCs and netbooks before the iPad, they sucked.
        Apple Watch was not the first smartwatch, but it is now the best.
        And VR headsets? They are coming, but no one really knows why or what they'll do with them.
        If Apple does VR I can tell you it will only arrive when there is a reason for you to buy it beyond, "It's cool".
      It's personal
        You're likely "disappointed" because Apple did announce the product you wanted.
        Apple Watch 2, Skylake Macbook Pro, iPad Air 3, Apple VR Headset, Apple Car, whatever you think they should have announced.
        But that's your hangup, not Apple's
      Best way to be surprised on Christmas morning is not to go hunting for spy cam shots from Santa's workshop two weeks before Christmas.
        Don't read the blogs and, I HATE to say it, don't listen to podcasts like this one.
        Or, better yet. Do that stuff and just enjoy it. That's what I've always done. What did we get right and what was wrong?
        The SE final design was a surprise. Changed in the rumors on the last day.
        Had no clue about Liam, the iPhone recycling robot. How cool was that?
  Using Night Shift
    One of the first new iOS features I wanted to try out.
    I'm still calling it "urine" mode.
    I was told it happened gradually enough that you won't notice, but the first day after picking up my iPhone in the evening I could tell
    He has a "sepia" tone look, like the pages of an old discolored book.
      It's not "bad", just different.
      You can adjust the about of "warmth" you want in the settings.
    It is a lot less glaring on your eyes, especially if you turn it on from complete blackness, say to check the time in the middle of the night.
    You can run it in a couple different ways
      Manually from the Control Center
      Set it up on a schedule. Either by time or automatically with the sunrise and sunset for your current location
    To set up:
      Settings > Display & Brightness
      Tap Night Shift
      You can toggle manually "until tomorrow"
        This will leave it on until sunrise the next day
        This is also the toggle you get in Control Center (swipe up from bottom of the phone). Use the 'Night shift' icon which looks like a sun with a crescent moon inside it.
      Or turn on the 'Scheduled' option
        Then you can set the From/To options
        Sunrise to Sunset (requires location) or 'Custom schedule' and set the start and stop times manually
      Finally adjust the color temperature
        Between Less Warm and More Warm
        It gives a short preview as you move the slider that fades out.
        Setting it to the "More Warm" side gives a warning, "Warmer settings may affect appearance of some onscreen motion".
      Having trouble getting it working?
        If you're setting based on sunrise and sunset try this.
        Open Settings > Privacy
        Tap Location Services, then scroll down and tap System Services
        Toggle Setting Time Zone to the on position
      As I've used it more it has become less noticeable
        For sure I don't like it on if I want to watch a movie, but for reading, browsing, etc. it seems fine.
  Locking Notes
    You can do it from the Notes itself or in the Notes options in Settings
    From Notes
      Tap on an existing note or create a new note.
      Tap on the Share button.
      Tap Lock Note.
      If it's the first time you've locked a Note you'll be asked to set up the global Notes password
        this will be used for all Notes
        If you forget it the notes will not be recoverable
      Enter and verify your password.
      Add a hint if you'd like
      Toggle on TouchID if you'd like to use it (and your device supports it).
    From Settings
      Tap on Notes.
      Tap on Password
      Enter the Password
      Verify
      Add a Hint (optional)
      Switch on TouchID
    To Lock a Note
      From the note tap the Share button
      Tap on Lock Note
      Enter the password or use Touch ID.
      That will add the Lock at the top of the note
      Tap the unlocked Lock icon to "lock" the note.
  No trash can in iOS. Why?
    John wrote in and mentioned that he recently accidentally deleted some messages in iOS which made him think, why isn't there a trash can in iOS like OS X?
    I believe the short answer is App sandboxing. There's no OS level sandbox because all apps are separated from the OS for security reasons.
    It's also why the idea a centralized filesystem is also out. Yes we have it kind of now with iCloud Documents, but apps are still limited.
    Also, many apps DO have their own trash (or recently deleted). Like Photos, Notes, and Mail.
    Many apps also have "undo" via a button or "shake" gesture.
    Recovering deleted data from an iOS device
      Use tools like PhoneView or iMazing to extract and backup content like Messages, Contacts, Notes, etc.
        Need to connect your device and use the software to extract data
        Can also extract some app data too. Like saved game data.
        These can only get at existing data on the device
      If you have local backups you can extract older data with iPhone Backup Extractor or with iMazing
        You may be able to get at older backups if you use TimeMachine
        Open iTunes and go to iTunes > Preferences > Devices
        Control + Click on the backup and choose 'Show In Finder'
        Now activate Time Machine by clicking on it's menubar icon and choosing 'Enter Time Machine'
        Navigate back to find older backups and click 'Restore'
          Can be tricky because the folder names are cryptic.
          Be careful if you try to restore a folder that is the same as your current backups. Choose the 'keep both' option.
      A lot of extracted data is in SQL Lite database format.
        Use tools like DB Browser for SQLite or SQLPro for SQLite
      You can use the same tools to copy data back onto an iOS device after a restore.
        Helpful in times where you might want to delete and re-install an app that doesn't store or sync data to the cloud.
        Use the tool to backup the apps data and the restore it after re-installing the app.
        I've recovered lost album data in Paper by FiftyThree and lost saved game data.
  Thing of the Moment: CultCloth
    Erfon host of the Cult of Mac's Cultcast (another podcast you should subscribe to) sent me their CultCloth cleaning cloth's
    I know it's not the most exciting thing, but it's so useful.
    iOS devices get notoriously smudgy and you need good quality ways to wipe those away.
    These are excellent. Don't leave fibers.
    The "terry cloth" texture is much better at removing grease
    The soft "polishing" cloth shines things up, so it's like your device just came out of the box.
    I really appreciate the large size one, 12 x 12 for the iPad Pro.
    They offer multiple sizes, but I think their CultCloth Clean 'n Polish Doubles Pack for $23 bucks
      Gets you Two 8x8 Polish Cloths, Two 8x8 Clean Cloths, and Two 12x12 Clean Cloths
    They ship worldwide and you can order from cultcloth.co
Closing
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