April 26, 2016 10:04 AM PT
Note: This story has not been updated for several years.
Apple will announce its corporate earnings for the most recent fiscal quarter at about 1:30 Pacific today, followed by a conference call with analysts at 2 p.m.
We’ll be generating charts, covering the call, and providing instant analysis. Follow @sixcolorsevent on Twitter for a blow-by-blow.
April 26, 2016 9:24 AM PT
Note: This story has not been updated for several years.
If you’re podcasting or recording voiceovers for video, you need a good microphone. Fortunately, there are good options to be found even if you’re on a tight budget. Unfortunately, there are so many options that it can be dizzying. I reviewed five low-cost USB audio interfaces in a search to find the best of the many options.
For most podcasters on a budget, the right microphone is almost certainly a USB microphone. They’re easy to use and convenient—just plug it in to your computer and start recording.
I’ve recommended the Blue Microphones Yeti for years after using one myself for several years, and it’s still a great balance of quality and price.
But as Marco Arment points out in his microphone mega-review, there are a lot of other good options. Right now the Audio-Technica ATR-2100-USB (sold in Europe as the Samson Q2U) seems to be the best buy; for a lot less money than the Yeti, you can get a USB microphone that doubles as an XLR microphone for more complex set-ups, with a built-in headphone jack. If you’re usually recording in an echoey room, this noise-killing dynamic microphone is a great choice.
However, there are reasons to choose XLR microphones over USB models. XLR microphones, differentiated by the large three-pinned XLR connector that’s been in use for ages and has plugged into many an analog sound board, come in many shapes and sizes, including some remarkably good-sounding microphones that are available for astonishingly low prices.
Unfortunately, XLR microphones won’t work with a computer or other audio recorder unless you can connect them to an interface that, in turn, connects to your computer via USB. If you’re planning on recording more than one microphone at a time, XLR interfaces are also handy, because you can connect many microphones to an interface box and then record it all on your computer.
They’re also flexible; I can connect my XLR microphones to anyone’s interface box or mixer, and on more than one occasion I’ve been a microphone short and been able to borrow one from a friend. I also own a Zoom H6 recorder
that allows me to connect up to six microphones via XLR cables in a portable setting.
There are a lot of uses, but also a lot of parts—but if you take the XLR plunge, you’ll need not only the microphone, but the interface and (of course) XLR cables to connect them all.
April 25, 2016 8:50 AM PT
Note: This story has not been updated for several years.
Speaking of the Apple Watch as it enters its second year, a developer note from Apple posted on Friday says that all new watchOS apps must be native, as of June 1. That means no more apps that essentially run on the iPhone while displaying on the Watch. In theory, that should mean faster apps, though even native apps aren’t particularly fast on the Apple Watch.
Native apps were introduced in watchOS 2—prior to that, all third-party apps used the iPhone to the heavy lifting. This certainly lends credence to the theory that the Apple Watch is slated to get more independence from the iPhone, especially with the change coming less than two weeks before this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference.
But it’s going to take more than a shift to native apps to make the Apple Watch more compelling as a platform for apps; personally, I can count the number of programs I use regularly on my Watch on probably one or two fingers. Until Watch apps are faster than pulling out my iPhone and getting the same information there, they’re mostly a non-starter; but perhaps if rumors of cellular networking are true, Apple is banking on people leaving the house with just their Watch. Of course, then you run into questions of speed and battery life. In short: there are a lot of problems Apple needs to solve for the Watch going into its second year, and requiring native apps are just the tip of the iceberg.
[Dan Moren is the East Coast Bureau Chief of Six Colors, as well as an author, podcaster, and two-time Jeopardy! champion. You can find him on Mastodon at @dmoren@zeppelin.flights or reach him by email at dan@sixcolors.com. His next novel, the sci-fi adventure Eternity's Tomb, will be released in November 2026.]
April 25, 2016 8:43 AM PT
Note: This story has not been updated for several years.
I have not had a lot of luck with third-party iOS keyboards. But I’m intrigued by the new Microsoft Garage release Word Flow, a third-party keyboard with smart predictions and some cute personalization features.
I’m particularly intrigued by Arc, a one-handed typing feature that brings all the keys within thumb’s reach when you’re only able to type with one hand while holding your iPhone. This might especially be a nice feature for Plus users.
The app is free to try, and if you’re looking for an improved typing experience, it seems like it’s worth it. Unfortunately, all third-party keyboards are somewhat hobbled on iOS because some features—like access to system shortcuts, dictation, and 3D Touch cursor movement—are limited to Apple’s default keyboard.
Now that the Apple Watch has reached its first birthday, prepare to be inundated with stories about its successor. To wit, Daisuke Wakabayashi’s piece for The Wall Street Journal:
There are relatively easy fixes for some concerns. Apple is working on adding cell-network connectivity and a faster processor to its next-generation Watch, according to people familiar.
So, faster processor and cellular networking…and yet one of the other concerns mentioned in the piece is the Watch’s limited battery life. Guess what: something’s got to give. Processors and cellular networking are two of the most power-hungry features in a technological device; Apple’s power management software is very good, but even it can only do so much to get around the laws of physics.
The Verge was founded by a bunch of Engadget editors, and that legacy has definitely shaped the site’s content and approach. But for a few years now, The Verge has believed themselves to be more than just another tech site. What better way to prove it than to launch an “old-school” tech blog inside The Verge?
We wanted to put a little more focus on gadgets themselves, because it turns out gadgets are getting really interesting lately. So we’re launching Circuit Breaker as a dedicated blog for gadget news…. If the defining trend of the smartphone revolution was convergence, then I think the defining trend of the next few years is divergence — gadgets outside the phone getting smarter and smarter as they get remixed with powerful new components that are newly cheap and abundant.
Most notably, Circuit Breaker is going to heavily lean into Facebook, including lots of live video. The Verge is powered by a really talented crew of people; it’ll be interesting to see how Circuit Breaker evolves.
This is a really nice piece from Jon Caramanica at the New York Times:
These experiments were made possible largely because of Prince’s career-long emphasis on ownership: At the time of his death, he reportedly owned the master recordings of all his output. With no major label to serve for most of the second half of his career and no constraints on distribution, he was free to try new modes of connection.
After a lengthy dispute with his record company, Prince realized he had to take control over his career. By the end, that control was complete, right down to those master recordings. After he left his first label, he was able to release triple albums or even sell an album on the Internet.
For a lot of great thoughts about the greatness and brilliance of Prince, check out Anil Dash’s Twitter timeline.
I was 13 when “Purple Rain” came out and it was pretty much revelatory. That guy was a musical genius. I was going to post lyrics from my favorite Prince song on Twitter yesterday, but I realized that I couldn’t even pick one or five favorite songs. There are so many that I love for so many different reasons1. Rest in peace, Prince Rogers Nelson.
April 22, 2016 8:12 AM PT
Note: This story has not been updated for several years.
Apple’s virtual assistant, meet Apple’s iPhone-deconstructing robot. At last month’s press event, Apple showed us video of Liam, the robot specifically designed to strip down old iPhones and render them into their component parts, all to make it easier to recycle them.
Want to know a little bit more about Liam? Good news: as with its inside knowledge about the upcoming dates of WWDC, Apple’s virtual assistant Siri seems to have some…opinions about Liam and its mission in life. Stephen Hackett tipped me off to this, and sent me a screenshot of Siri’s response (left), though I got a different one when I asked (right). Both link to Apple’s recycling page for more information.
My biggest worry, personally, is that Siri and Liam will decide to team up and won’t stick to just deconstructing iPhones. Remember, folks: it ain’t safe unless it’s Three Laws Safe.
[Dan Moren is the East Coast Bureau Chief of Six Colors, as well as an author, podcaster, and two-time Jeopardy! champion. You can find him on Mastodon at @dmoren@zeppelin.flights or reach him by email at dan@sixcolors.com. His next novel, the sci-fi adventure Eternity's Tomb, will be released in November 2026.]
Let’s talk about chips. I’ve always been a pita chip fan, frankly; not that your kettle-cooked potato chips don’t have their appea—
Sorry, must be lunchtime. Let’s talk about processors.
This week, Intel announced that it was laying off 12,000 employees. If you’re not the type to keep a close eye on the industry, that might come as a surprise, but it’s been clear for a while that Intel missed the boat on the largest revolution to hit Silicon Valley in the past decade: the move to mobile.
Take a look at the most popular mobile devices around—the iPhone, the iPad, Samsung’s Android phones, even Amazon’s Fire tablet—and you’ll notice they all have something in common: none of them use Intel processors. You can argue about why Intel missed this sea change, but the fact remains that it did, and it’s scrambling to make up for that lost ground.
But this puts Apple in a peculiar position. While the majority of devices that the company sells are now based on chips of Apple’s own design, it still has one long-running product line that relies on Intel: the Mac.
Is the Apple Car better if it’s made with Germans? What if there’s an Apple Menu in the top left corner of the windshield? Does Apple want to be in this business?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Apple updated the MacBook, just not as much as we’d have liked: https://sixcolors.com/post/2016/04/apple-updates-macbook-rose-gold-no-thunderbolt-3/
Moltz is looking at new routers: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-router/
Lex just bought a new one, even if he isn’t using it: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-extender/
The Echo is on sale, but Moltz still isn’t getting one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X4WHP5E
Dan has a new iPad keyboard, the Logitech Type+: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Protective-Integrated-Keyboard-Electric/dp/B00ZT2WBLU
Moltz still likes his Zagg for the most part: http://www.amazon.com/ZAGG-Backlit-Bluetooth-Keyboard-ID6ZFK-BB0/dp/B00PZW9TX2
Lex’s kids are getting into Minecraft: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/magazine/the-minecraft-generation.html
Did you know Moltz wrote part of a book about Minecraft? It’s true: http://www.peachpit.com/store/visual-guide-to-minecraft-dig-into-minecraft-with-this-9780134033150
Our thanks also go to Harry’s (harrys.com). Harry’s sells premium shaving products for much less than those crappy blades that you have to get someone to unlock from a cabinet. Get $5 off your first order with coupon code “REBOUND”. Don’t wait, get the shave you deserve.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
For a product that doesn’t exist and might not come to market for many years, there’s still an awful lot of talk about the Apple Car. Just this week there have been reports about a new European home for Apple Car development and a large feature package from a major magazine trying to envision what the Apple Car will look like.
It’s always fun to imagine future Apple products, so long as you remember that wild speculation is exactly that. But the Apple Car is worth considering as a way to understand some of the decisions Apple makes today and to envision what kind of company it might be tomorrow.
Our good friend Rich Mogull talked to Apple’s engineering and security teams and came away with an excellent overview of how Apple has designed the security of iMessage. There’s a particular emphasis on how Apple handles when new devices are added to an existing account:
It turns out you can’t add devices to an iCloud account without triggering an alert because that analysis happens on your device, and doesn’t rely (totally) on a push notification from the server. Apple put the security logic in each device, even though the system still needs a central authority. Basically, they designed the system to not trust them.
Fascinating look into a system with really solid security that’s more or less invisible to the end user. The end result: it’s really hard for anybody—criminals or the government— to basically log a “phantom” device into your iMessage account and get copies of your messages.
April 20, 2016 3:08 PM PT
Note: This story has not been updated for several years.
I’ve been using Comcast’s Stream TV service for a few months now, but it’ll really start earning its keep this weekend when Game of Thrones returns.
On the whole it’s fine. There’s a decent selection of channels to stream live, integration with some third-party apps, On Demand content, and a cloud DVR feature that’s nifty. Plus, I get access to HBO Go. And it costs the same $15 per month that HBO Go would cost on its own. Not too bad a deal.1
But. My chief frustration—and what keeps me from using more of the service’s functionality—is that the only way to get at the features is via my computer or iOS apps. I can’t stream any of this content where I watch most things: my TV.
That may be changing, though. Earlier this year, the FCC approved a proposal that would open up the set-top box market—a move that Comcast and other cable companies are understandably worried about. That move might, for example, let you use an Xbox or Apple TV to receive your cable content.
So Comcast has decided to try and get ahead of the curve by today launching its Xfinity TV Partner Program:
Through this new program, we will expand the range of retail devices our customers can use to access Xfinity TV cable service without the need to lease a set-top box. By leveraging the open HTML5 standard that has been widely adopted across the industry, we are providing a common framework to make it easy for TV and other device manufacturers to bring our Xfinity TV Partner App to customers on their devices.
Sooooo, basically more app platforms. Comcast says it’s launching later this year with Samsung Smart TVs and will also be available via the Roku. No news about the Apple TV or Fire TV, though I’d assume those will end on the list as well.2
In other words: no need to harsh our mellow, FCC!
In light of the success of the apps-based model in the marketplace, the far-reaching government technical mandate being currently proposed by the FCC is unnecessary. The FCC’s proposed set-top box mandate threatens to undermine this highly-dynamic marketplace, create substantial costs and consumer harms, and will take years to develop — only to be likely outdated by the time it reaches the marketplace – all in an effort to achieve what apps are already delivering for consumers.
Unsurprisingly, the FCC isn’t convinced. Here’s what an agency official told The Verge:
In a statement to The Verge, an FCC official said that Comcast’s app is still too locked down to be a true solution to the cable box issue. “While we do not know all of the details of this announcement, it appears to offer only a proprietary, Comcast-controlled user interface and seems to allow only Comcast content on different devices, rather than allowing those devices to integrate or search across Comcast content as well as other content consumers subscribe to,” the official stated.
Apple and Amazon both support a universal search feature that should allow users of those set-top boxes to search Comcast and other services, assuming Comcast builds a half-decent app that will allow it.
So, I guess the good news is that I will eventually be able to watch TV on my TV? But there are currently still plenty of restrictions in place to bar cord-cutters, including availability windows and per-device content licensing (i.e. letting you watch a program via your browser, but not in an app or on a set-top box).
The cable companies and content providers have been resistant to the march towards cord-cutting and Internet-based television, but frankly they’re not going to be able to hold out much longer. This might be another small drift in that direction, but it’s part of an overwhelming tide that’s going to be hard to reverse.
[Dan Moren is the East Coast Bureau Chief of Six Colors, as well as an author, podcaster, and two-time Jeopardy! champion. You can find him on Mastodon at @dmoren@zeppelin.flights or reach him by email at dan@sixcolors.com. His next novel, the sci-fi adventure Eternity's Tomb, will be released in November 2026.]
Microsoft is officially ceasing production of the Xbox 360.
Xbox 360 means a lot to everyone in Microsoft. And while we’ve had an amazing run, the realities of manufacturing a product over a decade old are starting to creep up on us. Which is why we have made the decision to stop manufacturing new Xbox 360 consoles. We will continue to sell existing inventory of Xbox 360 consoles, with availability varying by country.
It’s fascinating how different the lifecycle of a game console is compared to, say, an iPhone or an iPad. We’re used to replacing those devices every few years, and our computer perhaps every three to five. My circa 2007 Xbox 360 was still in active use up to last year, but has now found itself supplanted by the Xbox One, especially with the recent addition of backwards compatibility for many 360 games.
Still, the Xbox 360 had a great run. It was the first game console I’d owned since the original Nintendo, and it was instrumental in helping me keep in touch with friends, both near and far. And though I’m only a relatively recently convert to the Xbox One, it’s hard not to look forward another decade and imagine the amazing advances we’ll be seeing in gaming then.
Tremendously good free essay from Ben Thompson at Stratechery today:
The entire reason Dupont started making paint was that the manufacturing process was very similar to gunpowder; the problem is that gunpowder sold on a tonnage basis to huge buyers (like the army), while paint was sold to individual customers in stores. The product may have been very similar but the business model was entirely different. The end result was that Dupont was using a sales and marketing organization that was built around selling to large customers to get their paint into retail stores, and it was massively inefficient; the more paint Dupont sold, the more money they lost.
Thompson’s point is that “iPhones may be gunpowder” but “services are paint.” And if Apple is truly committed to embracing the services portion of its business, it may need to dramatically change its organizational and product-development approaches.
Great deep dive into the building of the Amazon Echo, from Joshua Brustein at Bloomberg, including the tantalizing detail that it grew out of an augmented reality project:
The idea for the Echo was an offshoot of Project C, and many of the early employees on the Echo moved over from C. Amazon remains particularly eager to keep this project a secret, even though work on it has stopped. But a sense of the focus and scope of the idea can be gleaned from patent applications filed by engineers at Lab126.
The first activity showed up on Dec. 21 and Dec. 23, 2010, when Lab126 employees applied for five patents whose titles all included the phrase “augmented reality.” Augmented reality–hologram-like displays projected into the physical world–was already a buzzword at the time. An e-commerce company wouldn’t seem like an obvious leader in the field. But Amazon’s patent applications show it was pursuing a vision that goes far beyond anything that exists as a commercial product even today, almost six years after the first patent applications were filed.
MarketWatch’s Trey Williams on a recent letter from Netflix to shareholders, in which CEO Reed Hastings gave ground on offline viewing:
Netflix for the first time Monday said it may consider implementing offline viewing to match Amazon, a major concession from Chief Executive Reed Hastings.
“We should keep an open mind on this,” Hastings said when asked about the possibility. “We have been focusing on the click and watch, and the beauty and simplicity of streaming. But as we expand around the world where we see an uneven set of networks, it’s something we should keep an open mind about.”
In the past, Netflix has been a little more negative about this. Back in December 2014, a company exec said the feature was “never going to happen.” They later doubled down on that assertion, responding to a query from The Verge by saying: “We have been asked the same question for several years and have always given the exact same answer.”
If we’ve learned one thing about corporate communications, though, “never” should always be understood as including the unspoken qualifier “…until we can figure out how to make sure it’s profitable.”
Amazon lets users download some videos for offline viewing, which is great if you’re taking a plane trip or going somewhere that has no Internet. Improved in-flight Wi-Fi–which will likely start to roll out more broadly this year–will solve the first of those problems, but not the latter. So I’d bet Netflix moves on in the next few months from the “keep an open mind” step to “thinking about it” phase.
Gaming site Giant Bomb reports on the upgraded ‘Playstation 4K’ console (code-named NEO):
There will be no NEO-only games, and Sony will not let developers separate NEO users from original PS4 players while playing on PSN. Likewise, Sony explicitly and repeatedly states that developers cannot offer exclusive gameplay options or special unlockables for NEO players—so don’t expect NEO owners to get a level editor or a special Rocket League car that you won’t have access to on your original PS4. That said, so long as both systems have the same feature, the NEO can run an improved version. A local co-op game that features four players on the base PS4 could offer an eight player co-op mode on the NEO, for instance.
This is exactly the right way to release an update like this. Consumers will never have to wonder if a game or an accessory works only on some PS4 models and not others; if you’ve got the upgraded hardware, you’ll get to take advantage of it, but everything will work everywhere.
Serenity Caldwell at iMore has a story that will make your hair stand on end, in which she leaves her iPad Pro at a rest stop at 1 a.m…. and uses iCloud to recover it.
Thankfully, until your battery dies or your device is forceably turned off, Lost Mode not only automatically locks your iOS device and displays information on the screen, it also keeps track of any movement. If my device was taken out of the rest stop, I’d see a red dotted line via iCloud that tracked it from its initial “Lost” location to any new location.
If you’ve wondered what to do if you lose an iOS device, this story has a bunch of good information.