5 things that suck about Apple’s new MacBook Pro

While mostly I’ve liked the new MacBook Pro in the weekend I’ve used it there are some glaring issues that I need to point out which make me question the use of the Pro nomenclature on these notebooks. Apple is obviously arguing otherwise, and there is some logic to what it is suggesting but some of the things with these notebooks are going to be deal-breakers for people. Even, I, someone who doesn’t really push the limits of the new Macs to their fullest has found some of the design decisions to be limiting. Let me elaborate.

1. The biggest issue is the absence of the standard USB ports. There really is not getting around the fact that at the moment you can’t plug in even a pen drive to this laptop leave alone a memory card or an HDMI cable. The only route is a dongle for one thing or the other. If you end up with Apple’s dongles, you will pay a lot of money and have ugly dongles hang out of the sides of this beautiful machine. I haven’t been able to hook up my camera, nor can I charge my iPhone on this machine. Ironically, the charger of this machine has come in handy in charging my Google Pixel, which is all kinds of strange.

2. The new keyboard is very shallow and people who like clattering the keyboard will find it hard to adapt quickly. Only after 4 days of heavy duty usage, I’ve become used to this keyboard. I can imagine people who are used long key travel will not like this keyboard. It really is a keyboard that’s likely to appeal to touch typists more than anyone else.

3. The battery life isn’t as good as the MacBook Air which will be a deal breaker for someone upgrading from an Air. The bigger issue is that it isn’t even as good as a 13-inch MacBook Pro from last year. Apple could perhaps make some improvements to the operating system with a software update, but until that happens, I am not getting more than 5 hours with the screen brightness at full and no more than 7.5 with it lowered to usable levels.

4. Apple reportedly made the display assembly so thin that it didn’t have any room left to add the backlit Apple logo on the top of the notebook. Instead, like the retina MacBook, the new Pro models get this machined Apple logo, which looks quite nice, but it doesn’t exude that level of coolness in the dark as the older MacBooks.

5. The touch bar, so far, it hasn’t proven to be life changing. Perhaps, that speaks of the amount of apps that are leveraging it or perhaps it also speaks about a pro user who has had years of training of Mac keyboard shortcuts would probably find it quite pointless. So far, the touch bar seems like something designed for a dummy, but not a pro user, which is the target audience of the MacBook Pro.

IPhone 8: 4 Things We Can Expect

TheiPhone 7S, or iPhone 8 as many calling, will be the tenth anniversary iPhone and a lot have been expected of it. One of the main reasons for this is the underwhelming iPhone 7 that was released this year. The iPhone 7, despite introducing many featureslike the dual- lens camera and water resistance, it was a mere iterative update over the iPhone 6S. This led many tech writers and fanboys to believe that Apple may be holding off better things for its tenth anniversary iPhone. From curved display to wireless charging tech blogosphere is filled with iPhone 8 rumors. Here is what our expert analysis found reliable from the vast ocean of mostly baseless rumors. 

New glass on glass design
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has been called the best Apple analyst on the planet, Apple willabandon its aluminum unibody design after five generations of iPhone. The iPhone 8 will have a radical redesign, especially considering that the last three iPhones, 6, 6S and 7, shares same design. It is expected that Apple will go back to its glass on glass design, that was seen in the iPhone 4 and 4S. The Nikkei Asian Review reported in August that Foxconn Group, who manufactures iPhone, has been developing glass casing technology since last year for manufacturing iPhone chassis in 2017.

iPhone made ofzirconian ceramics
Many sources point to the fact that Apple might create the new iPhone primarily from zirconia ceramics. Zirconia ceramics has high mechanical strength and toughness at room temperature and have the highest fracture toughness of any advanced technical ceramic. Its toughness, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance make it ideal for high-pressure applications notes writer Brian Roemmele in quora. Further , many of the recent patent filings by Apple, especially the patents they filed August 2015 and the landmark patent for the future direction of Apple products on September 2016, points to this. The patent, US 2016/0255929 A1titled: “ co-molded ceramic and polymer structure” clearly demonstrate Apple’s plan to have a ceramic built phone. The advantages of such a build are a better strength, radio transparency, heat conduction, and most importantly scratch resistance and ease of manufacturing. However, there may be a possibility of more than one iPhone coming with a glass variant and premium high storage version with the ceramic build.

The new iPhonewill feature edge to edge OLED display
From the early days of iPhone, it is well known that designer Jon Ive’s ultimate goal is to create an iPhone that will be essentially a single piece of glass. Rumors suggest Apple might be a step closer to this goal as the next iPhone is expected to feature and edge to edge display. Nikkei reports Samsung like curved display will be featured on the new iPhone.
It is being said that there will be a 4.7-inch model and a Plus variant in 5.5 inches. Additionally, Nikkei reports point to an additional premium variant with either 5.5 inches or larger and that might feature a curved display. This report goes hand in hand with rumors of a premium ceramic iPhone.
Foxconn’s recent acquisition of Sharp, one the pioneers of when it comes to display-manufacturing, points to an OLED display in future iPhone. An OLED display compared to LTPS screens offers better color contrast and power efficiency. Furthermore, OLED displays are flexible and allow manufacturers to create curved and even foldable screens. Additionally, Sharp president Tai Jeng-wu speaking to Nikkei, confirms new iPhones will adopt OLED panels.

No more home button
The iPhone 7 made a drastic change to the home button. Unlike the buttons existed before, the new home button is just a piece of glass with a haptic engine, that produce button like feedback.
Bloomberg reports that Apple, with the iPhone 8 will abandonthe home button as a whole. Sensors such as Touch ID, ambient light sensor, and front camera will be embedded in the display. Patents procured by Apple in recent years clearly shows that Apple has been working on a technology for embedding Touch ID and an ambient light sensor in the display.

Apple, The Company That Hated Clutter, Now Makes 17 Different Types Of Dongles

Short Bytes: You’ll be surprised to know that now Apple sells 17 different kinds of dongles to connect other devices to its computers. A Twitter user has aptly called “dongles” the fastest growing category of Apple devices. The latest MacBook Pro, which has ditched all the standard ports, continues to worsen this situation.

In the tech industry, no company is better at PC marketing than the genius gurus at Cupertino. Who can forget when they threw the hammer at IBM with the infamous 1984 ad. Another strong attempt was made by Apple in 1992 by mocking Microsoft for its user-unfriendliness.Talking about Windows PC and all the extra stuff that one needs to buy, another Apple ad said that, “I feel like I’m being pecked to death by ducks.” Steve Jobs channeled Mac’s “It just works” slogan and things turned out pretty great. Back then, Apple marketed itself as a superior company that didn’t make you buy extra stuff.

Over the years, things have changed drastically. After the recent MacBook Pro launch, Apple was bashed for removing all the standard connectivity ports, including the likes of HDMI port, SD card reader, regular USB port etc. Moreover, the latest Apple laptops can’t connect to Apple’s own flagship iPhone 7 without any dongle. Longtime Apple fans are saddened by these new profit-making complications brought by Apple and some of them are even looking for other alternatives like Ubuntu.

A Twitter user named Drew Breunig has compiled all kinds of dongles that are offered by Apple. This picture shows 17 types of ugly connectors that are sold by Apple. Breunig labels dongle as Apple’s fastest growing product category.

In another recent development, Apple has reduced the price of its dongles. “Through the end of the year, we are reducing prices on all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals we sell, as well as the prices on Apple’s USB-C adapters and cables,” the company said in a statement issued to the media.

Have something to add? Share your views in the comments section below.

This Blog was first published on: http://thinkdebug.com/blog/apple-the-company-that-hated-clutter-now-makes-17-different-types-of-dongles/

Android is as secure as iPhone says Google

Google now contents that Android is as secure as Apple’s iOS which powers iPhones and iPads. Android’s head of security Adrian Ludwig touted Android’s secure nature at the O’Reilly security conference in New York City on where he spoke at great length about the security that the new Google Pixel smartphone provided.

“For almost all threat models…they are nearly identical in terms of their platform-level capabilities,” he said. “In the long term, the open ecosystem of Android is going to put it in a much better place,” claimed Ludwig.

Ludwig also touted Google’s Safety Net which scans through 400 million devices every day and 6 billion apps per day. According to Ludwig this means that less than 1 percent Android devices have malware on them.

“At this point we still don’t have any confirmed instances of exploitation in the wild,” he said talking about the StageFright malware issue, which he believed was blown out of proportion.

Ludwig believed there was room for improvement especially when it comes down to Android updates. He believes Google and its carrier and smartphone OEM partners can better collaborate to provide timely updates especially when they are related to security patches.

As in the US, updates are also vetted by the carriers and deployed by them, often phones don’t get updated for months after.

Ludwig also believed that Android is so secure as a platform that it doesn’t suffer any of the afflictions that have plagued dominant operating systems like Windows.

“Mass exploitation is something that I’m not expecting that we’re going to see at any point in the ecosystem.

After Killing iPhone’s 3.5mm Jack, Apple Plans To Remove USB Ports From Upcoming MacBooks

Short Bytes: Following the recent rumors, it’s expected that the new MacBook Pro laptops will do away with the traditional USB and the MagSafe charging ports in favor of the USB Type-C port. The Thunderbolt port will also be upgraded to Thunderbolt 3.

 

The fall is about to arrive and the rumor mill has started churning news about Apple MacBook lineup. It’s almost a year and a half since Apple released the MacBook Pro with Retina display in May 2015. Reports from Macotakara, claimed trusted Chinese sources, suggest that there is a new MacBook Pro in the works.

The new MacBook Pro is expected to launch on October 27 but the official release announcements haven’t been made. It is rumored to come with the USB-C port which originally debuted in the Apple ecosystem with the 12-inch MacBook. This will also mark the exit of the normal USB ports and the MegSafe charging port from the MacBook Pro. The USB Type-C on the MacBook Pro is accompanied by Thunderbolt 3.0 port. It’s, however, not known how many USB Type-C ports will be there.

Other than the changes in the ports, there might be an OLED touch bar above the keyboard replacing the physical function keys and allowing the buttons to be customized. The Touch ID support is also expected to be introduced. The rumors don’t include reports about4G LTE feature patented by Apple for the laptops.

It’s good to see that Apple is not ditching the analog audio jack in their MacBook lineup. And Macbook owners will have the opportunity to play with the dinos for some time.

That was for the Pros. In the case of the MacBook Air, 11-inch variant may go out of production so that more attention could be paid to the 13-inch MacBook Air. A Type-C USB port is also rumored to land on the MacBook Air.

Macotakara via 9to5Mac

If you have something to add, tell us in the comments below.

This blog was first published on: https://fossbytes.com/macbook-pro-release-date-and-new-features/

Microsoft: 'Apple can no more secure your iPhone than Google can secure Android'

Microsoft thinks the recent discovery of the Trident malware for iPhones should be a wake-up call for the enterprise to stop unquestioningly trusting Apple's ability to protect corporate secrets.

Microsoft corporate vice president enterprise and client mobility Brad Anderson argues the case for reconsidering trust in Apple in a blogpost entitled 'What we can learn from the Trident/Pegasus iOS vulnerability'.

The Trident malware was discovered in August by researchers at mobile security firm Lookout and Canadian rights group Citizen Lab, prompting Apple to issue an emergency security update.

The malware, which used three previously-unpatched iOS vulnerabilities, was developed by Israeli-founded pen-testing vendor NSO Group and sold as a surveillance product called Pegasus. It was used by a government in the Middle East to target human rights activists.

Lookout called it the "the most sophisticated attack we've seen on any endpoint". As Anderson notes, NSO Group had deep pockets, having been acquired in 2010 by US VC fund Francisco Partners Management for over $100m.

NSO Group sold Pegasus for $8m for 300 licenses, with the price indicating it would have been reserved for high-value targets, such as political dissidents or senior execs from top firms.

With well-resourced opponents such as these operating in the open, organizations need to stop blindly trusting Apple's ability to keep their iOS devices secure, according to Anderson.

"Over the last two years, I've had senior executives tell me countless times that they have unwavering implicit trust in the iOS platform. In these discussions it's been pretty common to hear a comment like, 'I don't trust Android because it is like the wild, wild west, but I have tremendous trust in iOS because it is a controlled and procured ecosystem'," he writes.

"I'm not attempting to throw stones at Android or iOS but there is a dilemma with this perspective: I know for a fact that all the providers of mobile operating systems go to superhuman lengths to harden their platforms and do everything they can deliver the most secure operating system possible but this fact also exists in our modern era of digital threats that produce consistent successful attacks despite the incredible efforts of the organisations building these platforms."

Of course, while Microsoft has all but bowed out of smartphone hardware, it is still focusing on enterprise mobility via Intune, its mobile-device management product, which it recently partnered on with mobile security firm Lookout for malware protection.

The other lesson Anderson draws from Trident/Pegasus is that it highlights the commercialization of cyberattacks, which makes it easier for opponents to exploit weaknesses in mobile devices.

For example, attackers that don't have the skills to compromise your systems can simply rent them from NSO Group or numerous other firms in the business of developing, selling and brokering so-called zero-day exploits.

"This is the very scary fruition of something that cybersecurity experts have been heavily emphasizing for the past few years. The work behind corporate hacks, online theft, cyber espionage, and cyber-terrorism is a commercial business and not only an underground effort," Anderson writes.

"If you, as an organization, have intellectual property that is of interest to another company or a state organization, that company does not have to have the expertise to build a sophisticated attack like this, they just have to have the money to buy a license."

This Blog was first published on: http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-apple-can-no-more-secure-your-iphone-than-google-can-secure-android/

iOS 10.1 Public Beta brings much-anticipated ‘Portrait Mode’ to iPhone 7 Plus

Apple is making the most of its head start over Samsung due to the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, and already consolidating its position in the smartphone market. After releasing iOS 10 publicly just ten days back, Apple is already adding even more features to its OS with the iOS 10.1 public beta.

And apart from squashing a lot of bugs and fixing a few errors, the iOS 10.1 public beta brings the much anticipated 'portrait mode' to the iPhone 7 Plus.

Users who have downloaded the beta release of the operating system will see the 'Portrait mode' option in their camera app.

The mode allows users to take photos with the background blurred, creating a depth-of-field effect that makes the viewer's eyes focus more on the subject of the photo. The effect will blur out out-of-focus background all the while keeping the subject of the photo in focus.

It is a feature exclusive only to the iPhone 7 Plus that comes with a dual camera setup containing one wide-angle lens and one telephoto lens.

The Portrait mode was showcased at the iPhone launch event earlier this month and even though it wasn't there in iOS 10, the feature finds its way through in iOS 10.1.

However, it should be noted that the feature is still in its beta stage and that means its likely to have a few bugs.

Apple has also included a set of instructions to make the best use of the portrait mode. When the Portrait mode is turned on, the camera app will ask you to place the subject within 8 feet, for the depth-of-field effect to come into play. Also, Apple says the function needs to have adequate lighting to work properly. There is still no option to record videos in Portrait mode, however.

The depth-of-field effect is created because of the wide-aperture length of the iPhone 7 Plus camera lenses. With an aperture size of f/1.8, the iPhone camera can keep the shutter wide open allow you to create bokehs from out-of-focus backgrounds while simultaneously allowing you to focus on the main subject with greater clarity. As a result, the Portrait mode can also be used to click insane macro photographs.

As a result, photos of people's faces looks much more immersive and aesthetically pleasing.

Apple's Public Beta Program allows everyone to sign up for beta releases of iOS for free. Participating in the program will let you experience Apple's newly included features earlier than the general public, but with quite a few bugs and errors included along with it.

This blog was first published on: http://www.gizmodo.in/indiamodo/iOS-10-1-Public-Beta-brings-much-anticipated-Portrait-Mode-to-iPhone-7-Plus/articleshow/54480653.cms

Apple partners with Flipkart to sell iPhone 7 online in India

Apple partners with Flipkart to sell iPhone 7 online in India

In an attempt to better control the pricing of its products, Apple has partnered with Flipkart, India’s largest e-commerce website. Though Flipkart has always sold Apple’s products, this is the first time it will directly source inventory from Apple's distribution channel in the country.

Apple does not sell products directly in India and has a network of distributors and authorized resellers. Unlike the US and other markets, where one can buy Apple products directly from the company's website, buyers in India are directed to third-party retail stores as Apple does not have the license to sell products directly.

Prior to the partnership, Flipkart relied on third-party retailers for selling Apple products via its marketplace. This enabled (and sometimes forced) Flipkart to give heavy discounts on iPhones and other Apple products to match the offering by rivals Amazon India and Paytm among others in gaining GMV, or gross merchandise value.

"Partnering with Flipkart means Apple will have a better control on pricing unlike what happened last year when pricing for Apple products across leading ecommerce players was largely unstable. This might also be a good move for Flipkart from value perspective when whole focus has been shifted from GMV lately," Tarun Pathak, Senior Telecom analyst with marketing research firm Counterpoint Research told Mashable India. 

Though Flipkart might lose on those customers who are looking to purchase an iPhone at discounted prices, the company will get two things that its rivals won’t — better supply chain and marketing support from Apple. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will launch in India on Oct. 7, and they are likely to be in short supply during the first few weeks. 

Apple also has a partnership with Infibeam, another ecommerce company in India to directly sell iPhones. Its new tie-up with Flipkart however includes plans to sell products such as iPads and Mac lineup as well. Flipkart is the biggest player in online smartphone sales. It sold roughly half of all the smartphones sold online in India last year, according to Counterpoint Research. 

For a Company that is known for its high priced products, Apple was on the receiving end of the ecommerce price war in India. Last year, Amazon India, Paytm, Flipkart and Snapdeal offered the iPhones with enticing discounts. As a result, the iPhone 6s base model, which was officially priced at Rs 63,000 ($945), was selling on e-commerce sites for as low as Rs 45,000 ($675) days after its availability.

Ecommerce sites are steadily becoming a major platform for smartphone sales. For instance, sales through online shopping portals amounted for 32 percent of the overall smartphone sales by volume in Q2 2016, according to Counterpoint Research.

Apple’s partnership with Flipkart comes weeks ahead of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus launch in India, which is scheduled for Oct. 7. The iPhone 7 starts at Rs 60,000 ($900), whereas the base iPhone 7 Plus model is priced at Rs 72,000 ($1,080). The company has also revised prices of its last year’s iPhones, with the iPhone 6s now starting at Rs 50,000 ($750).

This blog was first published on: http://mashable.com/2016/09/23/apple-flipkart-partnership-india-iphone-7-launch/

7 Siri Hacks That Make Life Better

If you have an iPhone, you've no doubt met Siri. Although you're probably aware of some of her basic capabilities, you may not be taking advantage of all her potential.

Knowing these seven Siri hacks can make your life better and help make some of your chores and errands easier and more convenient.

1. Measurement Conversions

Siri is a master at just about any measurement conversion. If you are in Europe and want to convert Euros to Dollars, she can handle that without a problem. If you're in a country where you don't even know the currency, she can tell you, and then convert it for you.

You can also ask Siri to convert the temperature from Celsius to Farenheit or vice versa. She can also convert cups to gallons or ounces to cups.

As long as you ask her about measurements that are in similar units, then Siri will have no problem converting them for you.

2. Make Reservations

If you're a business person taking clients out, or just planning a date night, leave it to Siri to make a reservation for you. All you need to do is tell her the time and place, and she will use Yelp to show you restaurants with their ratings and locations, then you can click on the "make reservation" button to go to OpenTable to finish the process.

3. Reminders

You're probably aware that Siri can remind you of something at a certain time, but you may not realize she can also alert you based on your location as well. If you need to pick up wine for dinner, Siri can alert you when you are near a store that's in your contacts list. If you need to pick up something from the office, she can remind you while you're there. (Also read: 3 Superb IPhone Apps To Turn Your Photos Into Art Work)

Just make sure the spot is in your contacts, and Siri will remind you when you get close. With the help of the GPS in your iPhone 6 Plus, Siri won't let you drive by somewhere and completely forget you were supposed to stop as long as you always have your smartphone in hand.

4. Return a Phone

If you're a good Samaritan, and come across someone's iPhone that is password protected, Siri can help you find the owner.

All you need to do is press the home button and ask Siri who owns the phone. Siri will give you the contact information of the phone, which may include the email address. That way you can get the phone to its owner, and get some good karma in return.

5. Read Your Messages Aloud

If you're in a situation where you shouldn't be reading your phone, you can always have Siri read your messages to you. The best example is probably when you are driving, although you should limit all distractions in that situation.

Otherwise, whether your eyes are tired, you have your hands full, or you're just feeling lazy, ask Siri to read messages to you and she will be happy to oblige. (Also read: ​ This Is How You Can Quickly Grow Traffic On Pinterest)

6. Name That Tune

If you hear a song, and you want to know the title and artist, Siri can help. Just push down the home button and let Siri listen to the music. She can name the song, and then give you the option to buy it through iTunes.

You'll never again have to wonder what that song was that you heard on the radio, in a bar, or in a store.

7. Delete All Your Alarms

There are two types of people in the world: those who have one or two alarms on their list, and those who have alarms for every single event of the day. If you're the second type, and the thought of deleting every alarm is exhausting, Siri can help. All you need to do is tell her to delete all of your alarms, and you can start with a clean slate.

Siri's capabilities are almost like having your own personal assistant. Although she can't do everything for you, she will probably often surprise you with everything she is capable of doing, and all you have to do is ask.
This blog was forst published on: http://www.lifehacker.co.in/jugaad/7-Siri-Hacks-That-Make-Life-Better/articleshow/54309615.cms

Live coverage of Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus event

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the event you’ve been waiting for is finally here. Apple is about to unveil its brand new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which will instantly become the most popular smartphones on the planet when they’re released. There have been so many leaks and rumors at this point that we feel like we already know just about everything there is to know about these hot new handsets. Of course nothing is official until Apple executives announce it on stage, and they’re about to get the show underway.

We already told you how to watch the live stream of Apple’s big iPhone 7 event, and in this post you’ll find a continuously-updated live blog from the whole team here at BGR.

MUST SEE: This could be your first look at the iPhone 7 in Apple’s new black color

Apple’s next-generation iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are expected to be huge updates compared to last year’s models. Sure, they might look similar, but just about everything under the hood will be new.

If leaks and rumors pan out — and we think they will — Apple’s new iPhones will feature a 16nm Apple A10 processor, larger batteries, new True Tone displays, a redesigned 3D Touch home button, a new single lens camera on the iPhone 7 and a dual-lens “iSight Duo” camera on the iPhone 7 Plus, twice as much storage for each new iPhone model, dramatically improved water-resistance, 2GB of RAM for the 7 and 3GB of RAM for the 7 Plus, larger batteries and two new color options including a glossy black.

Apple has more planned for the event as well, of course. We’ll see the finished versions of iOS 10 and macOS in addition to watchOS 3, and Apple also reportedly plans to unveil a brand new version of the Apple Watch. Does that cover everything? Will Apple have a few surprises in store for us? It’s finally time to find out. Our live updates will appear below (no need to refresh the page) and you can see the rest of our Apple event coverage by following this link.

This blog was first published on: http://bgr.com/2016/09/07/iphone-7-plus-announcement-event-live-pricing/