Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Category: Apple Page 1 of 4

Tech Talk: Apple’s Decision to Remove the Headphone Jack

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On September 14, 2016

In Apple, Tech Talk, Technology

Apple's Decision to Remove the Headphone JackApple has, yet again, sparked relentless controversy on the Internet with their recent announcement of the iPhone 7. The new iPhone will not have the standard headphone jack. You would swear Apple is trying to abolish Twitter. Everyone lost their minds. The ironic thing is Apple isn’t even the first company to do it! Many are going to accuse me of being a fanboy because I support Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack. My reason is very simple: USB.

Folks are clamoring that removing the headphone jack is absurd. The 3.5 mm jack has roots that extend all the way back to 1878 when switchboard operators used 6.35 mm jacks. It is a technology that has withstood the test of time remarkably well. However, I pose this question for all those folks: do they still use the stereo jack for their headphones on your computer? I am willing to bet most people plug their headphones into their computer using a USB port instead of the 100-year-old 3.5 mm stereo jack.

USB Headphones Are OK but Lightning Headphones Are Not??

So this is what I don’t get. When the PC industry converted everyone over to USB headphones, nobody batted an eye. In fact I was rather pleased with the transition. It’s technological progress. The same can be said for using the Lightning Adapter for your headphones. What is the difference between using a USB for sound and using the Lightning Adapter for sound? Technically there isn’t. Sound waves are a form of data and both transmit data, ergo the headphone jack is superfluous.

There is one particular scenario I am curious about. What if you need to charge your phone but wish to listen music on your headphones at the same time? I find myself in this specific situation quite often, especially at work. The only solution I have seen Apple provide so far are wireless ear buds with Bluetooth. I’m not a fan of ear buds, they never stay in my ear so they aren’t a viable solution for me. So that issue remains unresolved and may just be a victim of progress.

in·no·vate(ˈinəˌvāt/) – verb – 
make changes in
something established,
especially by introducing
new methods,
ideas, or products.

“Times change and you have to adapt” – Jerry Cantrell

Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack isn’t completely leaving 3.5 mm headphones out in the cold. Apple has promised to include an adapter with all the new iPhone 7’s. I don’t know what that means for future iPhone versions but headphone companies have a year to engineer new lightning adapter capable headphones.

I think people just like to target Apple, especially the Android community. The soliloquy on “courage” may have been overly dramatic but it has merit. You can call it crazy. You can call it “courage”. You can call it “user-hostile and stupid”. It was bound to happen eventually and I think you are going to see more companies doing the same thing. Removing the headphone jack may not have been revolutionary but it’s certainly evolutionary.

However, I don’t know about those wireless ear buds …

minion_keboard_smThe people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do
– Steve Jobs

Tech Talk: Apple Watch (vs Fitbit & Frivolity)

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On July 18, 2016

In Apple, Tech Talk, Technology

Apple WatchI used to wear a watch all the time. I had a Fossil watch so it wasn’t a luxury brand, but it wasn’t a bargain brand either. When I lost weight, the watch no longer fit and would need links removed to make it fit again. I waited so long to get the appropriate tools to remove the link that the battery died. I was unable to open the back to replace the battery, so I continued to go on without a watch. In the fall of 2014 Apple announced their latest gadget, the Apple Watch. I was skeptical, a watch is such a mundane accessory, what could possibly be cool about a watch. By the end of the demonstration I knew I would definitely use the Apple Watch. There was no doubt in my mind. Alas, the frugal part of me knew that I could not, and would not, pay the $400 price tag for a watch.

A little over 8 weeks ago, I was shocked to find an amazing, and rare deal on Apple Watches at Micro Center. After combining coupons and price matching, I saved about $150 on an Apple Watch. I knew that Apple will likely be releasing Apple Watch 2 this fall, but I didn’t care. I was more willing to pay $250 now rather than wait to see what I wouldn’t be buying in September. Granted $250 is still a pretty hefty price tag for a watch. I did some budgeting and some math and slept on it a few nights before I pulled the trigger on it. It was probably still a frivolous, luxury commodity, but most Apple products are.

There are two things that have really stood out after having bought and used an Apple Watch for about two months now. First, I use it a lot more than I thought I would. At first I was honestly worried that I may have just spent frivolously but the more things I discovered I can do the happier I became with the purchase. I think the most telltale sign was the fact that I only take it off when I’m going to bed. When I was wearing a normal watch, I would always take it off after I came home from work and I rarely wore it on the weekends. Now its the first thing I put on every morning.

It’s nice that I don’t have to take my phone with me any time I want to sit somewhere else in the room or go into an adjoining room. My watch can tell me if I have any messages or email I need to check, as long as I stay within Bluetooth range of my phone. I can even reply to text messages, if the reply doesn’t require an extensive response. I can quickly glance at sports scores, check the weather, control music, even access our smart home modules. I’m sure I have barely tapped the surface of what I can do. It is important to note though, that the more notifications you send to your watch the more it eats up its battery. On the other hand (no pun intended), I don’t have to use my phone as much for menial tasks like checking the time or a text message which saves the battery on my phone.

The second, and probably most peculiar, everyone thought I would be giving up my Fitbit now that I have an Apple Watch. I have been a loyal Fitbit user for over three years (i.e. I was using Fitbit before Fitbit was cool), a mere watch was not going to tarnish that relationship. Second, its alarming that people automatically associate an Apple Watch with fitness and health. Apple should be concerned about how they are marketing the watch if that’s what people are primarily using it for (which is simply ludicrous).

Also, I don’t really like the Activity app on the watch. I find the Fitbit app on my phone much easier to use for tracking my exercises and, of course, participating in challenges with my friends. My intention was never to replace my Fitbit with the Apple Watch, they serve their own purposes, independently. So, despite my initial concerns, I am more than thrilled with the Apple Watch and I highly recommend it to anyone who has already invested in the Apple family of products.

/cheers

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

Biggs On: iPhone 6S

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On September 30, 2015

In Apple, Biggs On, Technology

iphone-6sI thought about making this another “Tech Talk” topic but in those posts I try to be less subjective and since I’ve only had an iPhone, this is going to be more of an opinion rather than a technical analysis.

The “S-cycle” of the iPhone 6 means that it’s time to upgrade. This must be one of Apple’s most successful iPhone launches (despite the smaller lines at the stores). Usually by now there has been some kind of “-gate” controversy everyone is talking about and the Twitter trolls are feasting on. Alas no “antennae-gate”, “bendgate”, “map-gate” (was that a thing?), just everyone talking about how the iPhone 6S is actually a pretty decent phone. In fact some folks are saying that Apple’s claim the iPhone 6S is a completely new phone might just have some credence. I didn’t have an iPhone 6 so I couldn’t tell you, personally, how different the phones are, I upgraded from an iPhone 5S so my perception is skewed from my “leap-frog” practice of upgrading phones.

When I first held the phone my initial thought was “this screen is huge!” I was momentarily concerned that perhaps the phone might feel a little too big. I’ve only had my phone a few days now and I don’t think I could go back to a smaller screen. Granted I’m glad I didn’t opt for the 6S Plus; that would have been too big. Once I learned the “double-touch” on the home button (Thanks, fuzzy) method for one-handed use, the size of the phone is no longer a concern.

minion_01The only problem I’ve had with the new phone is some issue with most of my apps after I restored from a recent backup. Several of my apps appeared darkened, as if they were waiting for an update. They didn’t appear in the list of updates in the app store and tapping on the icon didn’t launch the app but changed the text to “Waiting…”. If I searched for the app in the app store I was given the option to download from the cloud (as opposed to the option to “Open” the app). I couldn’t really find anything related to this issue after doing a Google search so it must have been some strange backup/restore glitch.

Aside from that weird issue, upgrading to the 6S was completely painless. In fact I sold my 5S back to Apple which rendered enough cash to purchase Apple Care+ so I essentially didn’t have to pay for the extra insurance. The phone obviously performs much faster than its predecessor. Actually I think the Touch ID is also faster and more accurate. I haven’t tried the 3D Touch or the “live picture” features yet, although I’ve read that the “live pictures” can take up a lot of memory so I doubt I will be taking many of those.

If you picked up the latest iPhone, what are your impressions?

minion_keboard_smI could get so much more accomplished if I only had minions!

Tech Talk: Apple Event

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On September 10, 2015

In Apple, Tech Talk, Technology

minion-appleThe Apple uber-fanboys waited with bated breath for September 9th. Everyone knew that Apple would be unveiling their next model of iPhone and I think everyone pretty much knew that the Apple TV was finally getting a long overdue upgrade. I know rumors were floating around about the iPad Pro, but I don’t recall if they were ever concrete enough to know, for certain, that Apple would be unveiling it.

I pseudo-watched the live event; by that I mean I watched the CNET live broadcast. Brian Tong and his crew are very entertaining to watch during these big events, especially when Brian is in full nerdgasm mode, which he was during this event.

The Apple Event talked about the Apple Watch, Apple TV, iPad Pro (with Smart Keyboard), Apple Pencil and, of course, the iPhone 6S/6S Plus. There was quite a bit of information disseminated; some of it good, some of it kind of blah. I talk more about each of these after the break.

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Did Fitbit Make America Healthier?

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On July 7, 2015

In Apple, Microsoft, Mobile, Technology

I talk about my Fitbit a lot because over the past 2+ years it has helped me to lose over 50 lbs and keep it off. In that time I know, literally, almost 100+ people that are using Fitbits to get into better shape. I know there are millions more out there just based on the premise that Fitbit is now trading stock publicly and you see Fitbit commercials during prime time television. Today I know it isn’t just Fitbit that is causing more Americans to become healthier; Nike, BodyFit, Apple’s HealthKit, even the Microsoft Band (for the 3 people that have one) are also contributors. So I don’t think Fitbit single-handedly made America healthier, but I think it was the catalyst. Seriously, if only Fitbit had stock I could have bought 2 years ago!

I had tried so many different fads, diets and programs to try to lose weight and get into shape, I was even offered monetary rewards one time; but nothing I tried seemed to work. I don’t know what it was about the Fitbit that turned it around for me, but I’m glad it worked. I wish I knew the statistics of obesity in America right now and I’m curious if they have gone down (since I’m not a professional blogger and I don’t write for the AP, I don’t feel like doing the research myself – I guess that qualifies me to work for CNN *rim-shot*).

These things do have a tendency to fade away as it will no longer be “trendy” to use a fitness tracker, but hopefully the numbers keep rising. I know I do what I can to encourage friends, family and co-workers to keep walking and working out to help them become healthier. I think its pretty hilarious though that all of Michelle Obama’s “efforts” to reduce obesity hasn’t had the same impact as a tiny, electronic device (especially since I still see King Size candy bars and I still drink 16+ ounces of pop every day). It just goes to show you that even a tiny device is much more influential than a tiny mind 😉

Keep Walking My Friends (in the voice of the Dos Equis guy)

Biggs On: WWDC 2015

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On June 10, 2015

In Apple, Biggs On, Technology

apple_logo-263x300This week Apple held their annual WorldWide Developers Conference where they often unveil new versions of their software or, sometimes, new versions of their hardware. This year they focused primarily on the software with changes to OS X, iOS, and Apple Watch. Honestly, there wasn’t much that aroused my inner geek, in fact I probably have more to criticize than to condone.

I might as well talk about the one thing that had me a little excited and that was Apple talking about the next iteration of their new programming language, Swift 2. As I mentioned in a previous post, I enjoyed the proverbial “getting started” tutorials from a few months ago. I’m really looking forward not only to what Swift 2 will offer but I’m especially curious about what the open source community will do with it as well.

“El Capitan” is probably the worst name for a product since “Microsoft Edge”! Sure, I get why they chose that name, because its some rock edifice in Yosemite (that’s a better origin story than Microsoft Edge … which I don’t even think has an origin story) but its a terrible name for software. It doesn’t sound like a piece of software, it sounds like a mixed drink or amateur Mexican porn. I was listening to the CNET TV crew while the keynote was going on and someone said “Big Sur” was their choice for the name; I think that would have been a great name. I’m glad I won’t have to pay for the upgrade. (Side-note: The CNET TV crew were a lot of fun to listen to; I may have to start listening to their broadcasts each week).

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