shownotes_20211121

Opening
Sponsor: Nebia
  Nebia
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    Nebia offers four spray modes.
      My favorite mode is called “Angel Hair” and it offers 150 streams of water. It gives me a great “high pressure” feeling while still saving water. In California that’s key for saving on my water bill.
      The ”Soft Spray” is also great as it offers that spa like experience.
    And the Quattro looks great too. We went with the Rainshower version in a soft nickel finish
      But it comes in 5 beautiful finishes, so you can get the one that fits your style and design. And while I went with the Rainshower versions it’s also available in a Handshower design.
      The design and quality is amazing and I love how well engineered it is. The control slider is large and easy to adjust with each mode locking into place with a satisfying “click”
    It’s also incredibly easy to install.
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News
  Apple allows ‘self service’ repairs
    Apple has announced a “self service” repair program
    Apple will give customers access to Apple genuine parts, tools, and manuals
    It’s going to start with the iPhone 12 and 13
    Customers will be able to get parts via a new Apple Self Service Repair Online Store that will offer more than 200 individual parts and tools at launch
    Apple says the first phase of the program will focus on the most commonly services parts like the display, battery, and camera.
    Customers who return their used or broken part to Apple for recycling will receive credit toward their purchase
    The program will eventually be extended to include Apple silicon Macs later next year
    This is a big step forward for Apple, but likely one that not many will take advantage of
    There is also still a lot that is unknown
      Apple last year rolled out the Independent Repair Provider Program which already covers independent repair shops
        And even with that program there have been complaints
        Can’t get every part needed to perform repairs
        Participants have to sign restrictive NDAs so you not much info about how it works outside the program
      Some feel like this is Apple just trying to get ahead of right to repair legislation.
      Still I choose to look at it more positively.
    It will be rolled out in the US early next year and expand to additional countries in 2022.
  Apple may still see big holiday sales
    Despite there still being chip shortages and supply chain issues
    AppleInsider says Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives issued a research note and told investors that he thinks Apple could sell 80 million iPhones in the holiday quarter.
    He thinks Apple could sell 40 million alone in the period between Black Friday and Christmas
    He cites massive popularity of the iPhone 13 models both in the US and China as a driving force.
    Good news too is that buys seem to be going for the higher average selling price “Pro” models which bodes well for revenue.
    Still, due to the chip shortages and supply chain that demand is up to 15 percent higher than supply. So while that means less possible sales in the current quarter I would think that bodes well for strong demand continuing in to the first quarter of next year.
    And it seems like AirPods are also going to be a holiday hit. Ives believes Apple could ship as many as 100 million AirPods in the quarter
  Apple doesn’t “secretly” buy app ads
    [Forbes claimed](https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2021/11/12/apple-quietly-buying-ads-via-google-for-high-value-subscription-apps-to-capture-app-publisher-revenue/) that Apple was “secretly” buying Google ads for subscription based apps to run against the own publishers of those apps in a effort gain more revenue for themselves since if people subscribe via the app store Apple gets a cut.
    First, lets start with the obvious… “so”? Running ads to increase revenue how scandalous!
    And yes, I understand the allegation that doing so without telling the developers is bad
      I’m not sure what’s in the full developer agreement but I have to imagine there’s language that allows Apple to promote any app they want at anytime without prior approval
    Regardless, guess what…
      In a statement to MacRumors Apple has said it’s been placing ads to promote the Apps in the app store for five years now and those ads are clearly labeled as being from the AppStore
      They also called the allegations that they buy these as “secretly” is an “overt mischaracterization”
      They say they regularly engage in conversations with developers about the ads they places and many developers express their appreciation for the support.
      They also stated that these ads are permitted under the standard Apple Developer Program agreement
      Apple says their apps for developers via email, online ads, and social media, achieved over 70 billion impressions in 2020
  Qualcomm wants in on the chip war
    They had their 2021 investors day event and announced new CPU designed by Nuvia with “next generation” technology.
    Nuvia is chip startup company Qualcomm acquired earlier this year that was founded by three former Apple A-series engineers
      There’s actually an ongoing lawsuit between the Nuvia CEO Gerard Williams, who is now Qualcomm’s senior vice president of engineering, where Apple alleges that Williams exploited Apple technology and poached Apple employees.
    The chips are currently expected to ship to customers in 2022 for products launching in 2023
    The designs are, maybe not surprisingly, ARM-based System on Chips (SoC) and are “Designed to set the benchmark for Windows PCs”
    Qualcomm also called them the “M-series competitive solution for the PC.”
    At the event Qualcomm also noted that they expect to provide just 20 percent of Apple’s 5G modem chips by 2023 as Apple transitions to their own designs
      According to a DigiTimes piece they say that by 2022 will be the last year Apple will use Qualcomm modems
      They claim in 2023 Apple will use their own Apple designed 5G modems supplied by TSMC
      The design will be a separate chip and not an integrated part of the A-Series SoC
      It’s possible that the 20 percent of modems that Qualcomm thinks they will still be supplying to Apple could be for older entry level devices or for areas the Apple designed chip may not support.
  Some Apple TV+ news
    Remember the Apple TV+ limited series, “The Last Thing He Told Me”? No, well I don’t blame you… it’s been about a year since we brought it up
      This series, “follows a woman who forms an unexpected relationship with her sixteen-year-old stepdaughter while searching for the truth about why her husband has mysteriously disappeared.”
      It is one of the series from Reese Witherspoon’s production studio Hello Sunshine and was originally set to star Julia Roberts, but she left the project due to scheduling issues
      Well now according to Deadline Jennifer Garner is set to take over the role.
      No word on a release date for the series.
    Looks like we know what Martin Scorsese’s next project for Apple TV+ will be. Again, thanks to Deadline.
      Scorsese is already working on the film “Killers of the Flower Moon” which should be out soon.
      Now he’s going to direct a film about the Grateful Dead that will star Jonah Hill as Jerry Garcia
      The film will be a biopic about the band and it currently doesn’t have a title.
      Both Scorsese and Hill will also be serving as producers on the project.
      The report also says that the band and their management is involved in the project so the film will have the rights to use the groups entire catalogue.
  More on Apple’s upcoming headset
    This time coming from Morgan Stanley analysts
    They say the project is entering a phase that is similar to the period of time that occurred not long before the introduction of the Apple Watch in 2014 referring to the plethora of patents filed related to AR and VR
    And while they claim the project is “approaching liftoff” they also noted the technical challenges that Apple still faces
    Getting daylong battery, 5G, CPUs, cameras, lidar, projectors and wave guide lenses into a lightweight and attractive pair of glasses
    Ming-Chi Kuo also weighed in this week with more rumors of what Apple’s headset project may bring
      Saying both the headset and Apple’s iPhone 14 will feature Wi-Fi 6E connectivity
      The analyst said Wi-Fi 6E is required to deliver the high-speed wireless transmissions necessary for AR and VR experiences
  Apple “SportKit” references
    Discovered by 9to5 Mac as references in the latest iOS betas
    Seems to be a framework targeted at delivering realtime date related to sporting events
    Likely in the early stages of development speculation is it could be used to deliver more data to things like Siri, Widgets, and Apple TV+ or other 3rd party apps.
    Siri is already able to get real time sports scores, but this could expand that and bring features to other apps as well.
    Maybe play-by-play, sport specific realtime stats and game data, scheduling data, and more.
    Right now the framework appears to be private, so not clear if 3rd part pass would have access at first.
  OS updates address bugs
    Apple rolled out iOS 15.1.1 to iPhone to help customers impacted by a dropped call bug
      The issue impacted some iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 users
      So if you have an iPhone 12 or 13 series model and have ben experiencing dropped call issue you’ll want to run this update.
    Apple also released an update for Apple Watch Series 7 owners
      watchOS 8.1.1 patches a bug that caused an issue with charging
      Apple says it “fixes an issue where Apple Watch Series 7 may not charge as expected for some users.”
      So if you own and Apple Watch Series 7 and have had trouble with charging this is the update for you.
  Apple “refocuses” on fully autonomous car
    Bloomberg claims that Apple has once again “refocused” their car project and is now working on delivering a full self-driving vehicle
    The project has been rumored many times to have changed direction.
    According to the report Apple had two paths going. One with a limited self-driving focus and the other fully self-driving and they have, under the new leadership of Kevin Lynch, chose to focus on fully self driving
    Apparently one key to the direction is that Apple has solidified the work need for the chip that will make it all possible.
    The piece notes the design is mainly consists or neural processors to make the AI wok and that the thing will need a “sophisticated cooling system” as it runs hot.
    It also claims that the vehicle will have no pedals or steering wheel, though it does note that a wheel may be needed for emergency human intervention.
    Overall though Apple seems to be targeting for a riding experience rather than a driving one.
      Large displays in the center of the vehicle for passengers to interact with and of course tight integration with Apple’s existing services and devices
    It will be electric with compatible for the combined charging system making it compatible much of the existing charging infrastructure
    After the Bloomberg report Morgan Stanley analysts released a note saying because of the lack of a steering wheel or pedals the car “must be a shared service and not an owned car.”
    I know I seem crazy, but this is what I felt Apple’s play has been all along
      It allows the focus to be on Apple’s product and services
      It also generates ongoing recurring revenue and access to more customers
      It would not be, nor replace, a “primary” vehicle for most people
      Makes sense in the era of ride sharing.
      Most people seem worried about how Apple would maintain and make sure the vehicles are clean and up to standards people would expect
        This to me is more a logistical challenge and that can be handled
        The roll out would likely be slow and specific
    Right now it’s expected Apple is looking to introduce a vehicle around 2025
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Feedback, commentary, opinions
  Traveling with AppleTV
    Pete says he travels a lot with his Apple TV and one trick he uses to get it connected is to just contact the ISP of the hotel
    He says often the number and information is somewhere in the room or you can just ask the front desk
    When you speak with tech support, have the MAC address handy and if you’re connected to the WiFi, have the IP address (I assume of your Mac or iOS device that’s connected) Also, your room number and checkout date.
    They can then do some configuration on their end to make your Apple TV work and connect to the WiFi for the remainder of your stay. I assume this could also work for a HomePod mini.
  macOS memory leak
    This seems to continue to be a thing that has impacted both Intel and M1 users and is happening on both macOS Monterey and on earlier OSes, thought it seems like macOS Monterey has had it impact more users
    There continue to be a number of theories
      One from Mozilla saying using a non-standard cursor size or colors causes a large memory leak in Firefox.
        The leak appears to occur when the pointer type changes, for example from a standard arrow to an I-beam for the insertion of text
          Apps that change frequently (Mail, Browsers, etc.) leak more memory more quickly
        This is an accessibility feature System Preferences > Accessibility > Display. In the “Cursor” tab (or “Pointer” tab in Monterey), you can make the cursor bigger than standard (helps on higher res displays).
          This is also where you enable / disable the “Shake mouse to locate cursor” feature.
        Not a silver bullet as changing this didn’t work for Ben Lovejoy at 9to5 Mac
    Maccast listener Joe says he thinks it might be Adobe. Specifically the CoreSync and CCXProcess apps
      He has a 6-core Mac Pro with 64GB of RAM and gets this message
      He’s seen them rise to almost 150GB each for RAM usage and quitting them (in Activity monitor) they will spin back up and start “leaking” again.
  Gifting Apple Media
    With the holidays on the horizon Ryan asked abut gifting a movie from Apple on the Mac
    You have the ability to gift “most” Apple media, but there seems to be a limitation on the Mac now that we no longer have iTunes
      You can gift Music
        Make sure the iTunes Store is in your sidebar
          Music > Preferences > General. Check “Show iTunes Store”
        Browse the Store and find the track or album you want to gift
        Click the “dropdown” arrow next to the price and choose “Gift this Song” or “Gift this Album”
      You can gift Books.
        Open Books
        Find the book or audiobook you want to gift
        Click the “dropdown” arrow next to the price and choose “Gift this Book”
      But the TV app has no such options.
      But the iTunes Store still exists as a separate app on iOS, so you can still share form there.
        On iOS you navigate to the item you want to share
        Tap the “Sharing” icon
        In the Share Sheet scroll down and choose the “Gift” option.
      You also can’t gift a movie from the TV app on iOS
      My guess is that the intent is for the TV app to be just that. An App for aggregating and viewing your streaming and purchased content and not really for browsing and “purchasing” media, though you can do that currently
      Seems like Apple need to add a similar “iTunes Store” option to the TV app, or “Movie & TV Store”
  Time Machine stuck in time
    Play comment from Rick
    Sounds like you have done most of the immediate troubleshooting I would have thought of
      Run First Aid
      Reformat the drive making sure it’s APFS
      Try a different drive
    I did some Googling and found [this Apple Discussion board post](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252634680)
      Says he spent 75 minutes on the phone with a Senior Apple Support Advisor
      Fixed by changing the name of the computer in Sharing preference pane, deleting the prior Time Machine backup and starting a new one.
      He claims the cause was an issue with the stored password for the prior backup and that even removing that saved password from the Keychain didn’t help.
    Apple also mentions looking for any apps that might be doing work or scanning your drive in the background, like anti-virus. These can prevent Time Machine from running while they are working.
    Another thread from [MacRumors](https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/time-machine-experiencing-multiple-issues-on-monterey-my-personal-issue-resolved.2319832/page-3) claims they too talked with a senior Apple advisor and in this case they claim it’s a know issue in Monterey with M1s?
      They believe it has to do with APFS (case sensitive) formatting on the external drive.
    Another theory is it could be caused by booting into recovery mode and setting the security policy to “Reduced Security”
      This is sometimes required by some software or apps, especially ones that require kernel extensions
      This is something exclusive to Apple Silicon Macs
        Full Security is the default, and it behaves like iOS and iPadOS.
        Reduced Security is similar to Medium Security behavior on an Intel-based Mac with a T2 chip
      Some report that putting the machine back on “Full Security” resolves the issue
        This is likely a bug and one that Apple seems to be aware of and is working on a fix for.
      More on [Startup Disk security policy control for a Mac with Apple silicon](https://support.apple.com/guide/security/startup-disk-security-policy-control-sec7d92dc49f/web)
  Monitoring Mac Battery Drain
    Ryan has been noticing that occasionally, when not connected to power and with the lid closed his MacBook Pro will drain power quickly during the day.
    Sometimes down to 20 percent or lower. I’ve actually seen this on my system from time to time as well
    Feels like maybe it never really went to sleep.
    One thing to check would be the energy saver settings
      System Preferences > Battery. Select “Battery” and check.
        “PowerNap” - maybe disable. This will let apps run in the background and update. For example fetching Mail, calendar, or iCloud updates
    While in the battery settings you might also want to click on the “Usage History” tab and look at the graph. See if there are periods when the energy usage is high yet the screen on usage is low.
    Think about what apps might be running background processes. Anti-virus, backups, etc.
    Use the Activity Monitor to see which apps are using the most power when your Mac is supposed to be sleeping.
    Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor
      Go to the “Energy” tab
      Sort by “12hr Power” which is the average energy impact of the app in the last 12 hours, or since the Mac computer started (lower is better).
      Mine had a 29.10 for Spotlight which is big (maybe iCloud Photos?)
      Safari was 5.12
Closing
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