2015-01-31

Steve Jobs biopic filming at Flint Center for key Macintosh unveiling scene (Pictures) | 9to5Mac

Steve Jobs biopic filming at Flint Center for key Macintosh unveiling scene (Pictures) | 9to5Mac: "Filming for the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic written by Aaron Sorkin has been spotted at the Flint Center at De Anza college, the venue where Steve Jobs unveiled the original Mac in 1984."
1984

2015-01-30

Android hits historic sales landmark: one billion smartphones shipped last year | 9to5Google

Android hits historic sales landmark: one billion smartphones shipped last year | 9to5Google: "We noted 18 months ago that Android could be on track to ship a billion devices in 2014, tablets included, and Strategy Analytics has just revealed that the tablets weren’t needed: more than a billion Android smartphones were sold last year."
I think the most interesting number in this article is the Microsoft number (40M).

2015-01-28

Apple announces 1 billion iOS devices sold | 9to5Mac

Apple announces 1 billion iOS devices sold | 9to5Mac: "Today during Apple’s Q1 earnings call with investors, CEO Tim Cook announced that the company sold its billionth iOS device back in November."
Dr evil one million dollars

That's a lot of millions. Let's get that iOS lean and mean so the older devices are functional again. I'm talking iPad2 & iPod 4G.

2015-01-23

Facebook Acquires QuickFire To Bolster Its Video Streaming Speeds

Facebook Acquires QuickFire To Bolster Its Video Streaming Speeds: "In 2015, Facebook looks as if it will place a significant focus on its video capabilities. To further that goal, it has acquired a company that will help improve its streaming speeds. The social media giant has scooped up QuickFire Networks, a technology company that focuses on network infrastructure."
QuickFire is the new Akamai.

2015-01-22

Google will reportedly launch their own wireless service this year

Google will reportedly launch their own wireless service this year: "After what seems like years of rumors and speculation, the oft hit-or-miss publication The Information is now reporting from several sources close to the matter that Google is gearing up to launch their own wireless service later this year. Codenamed ‘Nova,’ the service — which will run on a combination of T-mobile and Sprint towers — will see Google acting as an MVNO, similar to StraightTalk, Simple Mobile, and other competing prepaid wireless services."
I love the Google.

2015-01-20

Amazon expands original content program with feature films as Apple TV adds more live sports

Amazon expands original content program with feature films as Apple TV adds more live sports: "Amazon's plans include the production of 12 movies each year, Amazon Studios chief Roy Price said on Monday. Each film will debut in theaters before arriving on Amazon Prime Instant Video less than two months after their theatrical release, compared to the typical 9-month lag time for Hollywood films."
Hoyo!

Samsung hires former president of Jony Ive's old design studio for global initiative

Samsung hires former president of Jony Ive's old design studio for global initiative: "Looking to freshen up its product range, Samsung in January found a new head of global design in Don-tae Lee, former co-president of a London-based design consultancy called Tangerine, which had Apple SVP of Design Jony Ive as one of its earliest employees."
Hey-oh!

2015-01-17

Camera crews arrive at Steve Jobs’ childhood home as production on biopic finally begins | 9to5Mac

Camera crews arrive at Steve Jobs’ childhood home as production on biopic finally begins | 9to5Mac: "The Sony- Universal-produced Steve Jobs biopic starring Michael Fassbender has finally started filming after what seemed like an endless array of cast and crew changes. CNET spotted production crews setting up at the Los Altos childhood home of Steve Jobs earlier today."
Steve Jobs biopic (another one). I liked the Ashton Kutcher film. I was glad they covered some of the true, less flattering aspects of Jobs.

2015-01-15

Skype identity of developer cannot be confirmed error

The easy solution to this error message is to use Quarantino (free download) to remove Skype.app from Quarantine.

  1. Open the Skype DMG.
  2. Copy Skype.app to the Desktop.
  3. Launch Quarantino.app and from the File menu, choose Open...
  4. Choose Skype.app
  5. Ensure that the publisher is correct and Apple verified (look for Apple logo)
  6. Choose the 'Remove from Quarantine' button.

2015-01-13

Elon Musk uses this ancient critical-thinking strategy to outsmart everybody else | VentureBeat | Business | by Drake Baer, Business Insider

Elon Musk uses this ancient critical-thinking strategy to outsmart everybody else | VentureBeat | Business | by Drake Baer, Business Insider:
When Musk and his team were trying to estimate how much the first SpaceX rockets would cost, they could have just looked at the products on the market. But as the blog 99u points out, his team didn’t settle for that analogy-based argument. Instead, they figured out what the necessary parts of a rocket were, and then found out how much the raw materials of those parts would cost.

The result was startling: SpaceX could build a rocket for about 2% of the typical price.
Makes you wonder what the other 98% is being spent on...

2015-01-12

Roundup: Find all of 9to5Mac’s CES 2015 coverage in one place | 9to5Mac

Roundup: Find all of 9to5Mac’s CES 2015 coverage in one place | 9to5Mac: "If you’ve somehow missed the overflow of coverage from CES 2015 last week, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. During the show we took a look at the latest devices and accessories that are expected to be released throughout 2015. "
Mac Attack!

2015-01-11

Scanadu turns your iPhone into an electrocardiogram, urinalysis reader and future drug testing device | 9to5Mac

Scanadu turns your iPhone into an electrocardiogram, urinalysis reader and future drug testing device | 9to5Mac: "The Scanadu Scout (pictured, right) is a little electronic device designed by Yves Béhar that you touch to your forehead for a few seconds. Almost instantly, physiological parameters, including temperature, heart rate, blood oxygenation, respiratory rate, ECG, and diastolic/systolic blood pressure are sent to an app on your iPhone which logs these measurements and alerts users to anomalies and deviations which may be cause for heath concerns."
This is the next wave in health care.

2015-01-08

Quarantine Removal App - Mac OS X 10.10

With the changes to Gatekeeper, some downloads are generating this error message even though the application has been signed with valid credentials from Apple, due to Apple trying to keep ahead of malware developers. However, in many cases (like Skype on 10.10), the app is from a trusted source and the error message "can't be opened because the identity of the developer can't be determined" is overstating the problem, to say the least.

Quarantino will allow you review a download (like Skype) and if so desired, remove the quarantine flags so that the application can be run, normally.

LINK TO QUARANTINO
Gatekeeper is a wonderful security feature of Mac OS X. But with the restrictions in 10.10, 10.9 and 10.8.5 on older, valid codesigned applications, a quarantine removal tool is useful. I recently downloaded the latest version of Skype, only to learn that I had to remove it from quarantine using an arcane command line tool.

Recommended for all!

EFF takes issue with Apple’s developer agreement, refuses to launch mobile app for iOS | 9to5Mac

EFF takes issue with Apple’s developer agreement, refuses to launch mobile app for iOS | 9to5Mac
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has released an app for Android devices, but announced today that it has no plans to bring the software to Apple’s iOS platform. The reason, the organization said, is that it simply cannot agree to Apple’s developer agreement.


Let's hope Russia doesn't invade Silicon Valley.

2015-01-05

Apple transforms retail stores into art galleries for ‘Start Something New’ campaign | 9to5Mac

Apple transforms retail stores into art galleries for ‘Start Something New’ campaign | 9to5Mac: "Following the launch of Apple’s ‘Start Something New’ campaign on its website featuring artwork created on Mac and iOS devices, Apple is now transforming its retail stores into temporary art galleries showcasing art from the campaign."
Nice to see. The Apple Stores are gallery-esque.

2015-01-03

Apple's 'Start something new' campaign curates art created on iOS and Mac devices

Apple's 'Start something new' campaign curates art created on iOS and Mac devices: "Prominently displayed on Apple's official website in the U.S. and beyond, 'Start something new' is an online art gallery showcasing the potential of Apple products. Apple first launched the project on its Japan website last week."
I'd like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony. No cola required.