What's the easiest way to take a weapon away from a Grammaton Cleric? The answer to that is the answer to a lot of seemingly difficult problems, including, sadly, how to get passwords away from unsuspecting users. Unfortunately, it's not at all a way to get anything away from Apple. Not ever. So we're left with a mix of leaks, speculation, and analysis. We've been trying to avoid the rumor regurgitation lately to focus on some of that analysis. More on that below.
The next big (small) thing
A while ago, after Apple announced the iPad had done in 2 years what took the iPhone 3, the iPod 5, and the Mac 20, I asked out loud what Apple could possibly do to once again equal or surpass that success? What could be Apple's next big thing?
It's looking increasingly likely that next big thing may come this fall, and will be something quite small.
WWDC 2012
We're only a couple of weeks away from Apple's 2012 World Wide Developer Conference. While there might be some new Macs announced sometime around the show, we're still hearing there won't be any new iOS devices this summer (see above). However, we're assuming we'll see the first signs of iOS 6.
I'll be there, along with our app editor, Leanna Lofte, and our podcast co-host, Seth Clifford.
If you're a developer and you have something awesome to show off, email iosapps@imore.com and let us know. We'd love to meet up.
Video velocity
I'm really proud of the work we've been doing to improve the quality of our photography on iMore. Our guiding principle, and one Leanna's really been helping us with, is to imagine we're a photo blog t
Well, like I promised when we changed the site name, we're not going to be slowing down any time soon. So now we're trying to bring the same art direction and ambition to our videos as well.
We want to make them fun and dynamic, engaging and informative, authoritative and definitive but always, always accessible and approachable. We want to keep them part of our discussion and our community, but we want to do it with far more style.
It's an effort to bring some of the iMore TV flair to all of our efforts. To make it the rule instead of the exception. So we've drafted Georgia's husband to help us out and he's been doing a bunch of different experiments with the last few accessory review videos we've done. We're still getting all our equipment in order, and we're still working hard to solidify the concept, but I'm really excited and I can't wait to show you where we're going with them.
If there's anything you want to see us try -- or not try! -- let me know.
Podcast perfectionism
Speaking of experiments, we're still working on the format of our iPhone & iPad Live podcast. We're focused on keeping the 60 minute hard stop, but how we fill those 60 minutes is still up for grabs. For a few weeks we tried to split things up, focus on a headline story, then divide the rest up between news, apps, and accessories. Last week we went more with a round-table concept, invited on a guest, and really did a deep dive on a few, related stories. Specifically, we got Marc Edwards of Bjango to fill in for Seth, and Mark Gurman from 9to5Mac to fill out the panel, and we discussed the ever loving stuffing out of what we might see from Apple when it comes to next generation and new devices.
Which format do you like best so far? Do you want smaller shows or more guests? Fewer topics or more variety? What's your ideal balance?
Check out last week's show and tell me what you think.
Features
- Jailbreak, app piracy, and the true cost of theft by Ally Kazmucha. There's no such thing as "free" -- everything comes at a price.
- Best free simulation games for iPhone by Simon Sage. You asked, our resident editor-at-very-large answered.
- Best free educational apps for iPhone by Leanna Lofte. Our resident math teacher takes a look at several different ways the iPhone can help all of us learn.
- How to set up, configure, secure, and start using Siri by Gary Mazo. Our new, in-depth help series on Siri has begun.
- How to take fantastic photos of your kids with your iPhone by Leanna Lofte. Our iPhoneography series returns, in cutely awesome fashion.
- How Apple could provide direct document access in iOS 6 by yours truly. It's the third year in a row I've updated this article. Hopefully that makes it charming.
- When is the iPhone 5 coming out? by Georgia. Because you guys won't stop asking, we're making it easier to answer.
- The 16:9 iPhone by yours truly. Assuming Apple goes with a wider screen iPhone, how could they make it work? Could it even work?
Recommended reading
- Understanding Skype’s limitations on Windows Phone by Rafael Rivera. Microsoft owns Skype yet Skype can't run, or can't run well, on their phones. And there's a reason for that.
- Why it wouldn't make sense for RIM to initially launch a BlackBerry 10 phone with a physical keyboard by Kevin Michaluk. Not in a world where people are fine typing glass, at least.
- iOS 6 and Files.app by Federico Viticci. Wherein Federico riffs on my Files.app for iOS concept with his usual insight and aplomb.
- Speculation on the next Mac Pro by Marco Arment. I'm hoping for a Mac Pro update as well, with the latest Xeon chips and Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 support.
- The 7-inch iPad by Jim Dalrymple. The written equivalent of smashing a guitar over the head of silly iPad mini stories, then doing a rational, hard rock solo on the joint.
- Three Things That Should Trouble Apple by Guy English. Success hides vulnerabilities. Guy pantses the Apple quarterback and points out the holes in their undergarments.
- A New Service to Take Writer’s Content and Redistribute it as an eBook to the Web, Thus Avoiding Visiting the Writer’s Site by Ben Brooks. Ben continues to give content creators a voice in how their content is used (or misused, depending on your point of view.) How would this service fare if it, for example, offered all the Harry Potter books or Game of Thrones episodes? (Don't miss his follow up posts either.)
- Facebook's IPO "Disaster" by MG Siegler. On just how many f--ks Facebook gives about investors unhappy they couldn't profit-take the day after Facebook went public.
- Warren Buffett's letter to publishers and editors by Warren Buffett. One of the world's richest men thinks it was a mistake for newspapers to give online content away for free.
Equilibrium
The answer to the riddle at the start of this editorial? You ask him for it. (And you make sure as hell your Gun Kata is better than his.)
Excuse me while I go train...
Review: ZAGG Pro Keys with Trackpad brings your iPad closer to a laptop
For those of us who would like to use the iPad like a laptop, a good keyboard case is a must. This one has a trackpad, which gets you as close as possible to the laptop experience on an iPad.
Senator Rubio blasts Apple over China forced labor allegations
Senator Marco Rubio has told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee that companies in the U.S. including Apple had not woken up to Chinese government abuses, and were complicit in using forced labor.
Democrat records seized from Apple in Trump leaks investigation
A new report from the New York Times indicates that the Justice Department subpoenaed records from Apple whilst investigating leaks of classified information during the Trump administration, in what the report calls a "highly unusual step".
How will you attach your AirTag to the item you wish to track?
Apple's AirTag doesn't have any hooks or adhesive for attaching to your precious items. Luckily there are plenty of accessories for that purpose, both from Apple and third parties.