NYPD switches it up

The NYPD has been using handwritten memo books for over a century and on February 17th will be making the switch to an iPhone App for note taking which will be available in real time.

The NYPD has been providing officers with smartphones since 2015, and there are now 37,000 iPhones in use.

The idea is that case related notes will be more accessible using the app, with no information getting lost, data won’t be able to be faked, and it will all be easily searchable by date or keyword.

The app will also streamline all the information, and cut down on paper waste.

NYPD Deputy Chief Anthony Tasso told The New York Times that the digital system will allow for entries to be used as valuable crime fighting data. “It gives us the abilities we did not have before, when memo books were left in officers’ lockers and we didn’t have access to a vast amount of information,” he said.

Apple Watch for the win?

The Swiss watch industry is estimated to have shipped a total of 21.1 million units worldwide in 2019. Which is a lot of watches.

BUT The Apple Watch shipped an estimated 30.7 million units worldwide in 2019, which is a lot more.

Unsurprisingly, according to the data, the Apple Watch is more popular among younger buyers, whilst older customers prefer the traditional Swiss. Apple Watch is most popular in North America, Western Europe, and Asia.

BUT these numbers are actually a guesstimate, as Apple doesn’t release Apple Watch sales numbers. So… make of that what you will. Watches are cool.

Pssst- Flip phones are back!

An allegedly leaked video shared on Twitter by mobile leaker Ben Geskin shows Samsung’s “Galaxy Z Flip” phone – and it looks pretty rad.

https://twitter.com/BenGeskin/status/1224058488340582406
If you don’t know, flip phones are the best and might have been one of the best parts of the 2000’s.

This flip phone appears to have two cameras on the back next to a digital clock readout. It’s 6.7 inches and will likely be more affordable than its predecessor, The Fold, which costs $1,980.

Motorola is also coming out with a Razr flip phone which is currently available for pre-order for $1500, with phones arriving in stores on Feb 6th. –

The Galaxy Z Flip is expected to be officially revealed alongside the Galaxy S11 at Samsung’s Unpacked event on Feb 11th in San Francisco.

Bring on the Flip!

Mythic Quest:Ravens Banquet

Happy Tuesday! Need something to keep you going until the weekend? Check out the ‘first look’ of  “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet,” an Apple TV Plus show by the creators of “It’s always sunny in Philadelphia” that’s will debut on Friday, February 7th.

The plot centers around a team of video game developers running a popular World of Warcraft-style video game and stars Rob McElhenney. See the trailer below, and the first look below that!

Apple has ordered nine half-hour episodes.

Some new Apple media content for your eyes

Got some spare minutes to see some new content?  But only a couple of minutes?

You’re in luck, friend! First up, we have a sweet new video in the ongoing “Shot on iPhone” series. Shot in the British Colombia Interior, Canada, the video features past and present Winter X Games competitors snowboarding down slopes and valleys at Baldface Lodge.

Apple’s ‌‌‌iPhone 11 Pro‌‌‌, which is used here, features a triple-lens camera with the best wide-angle sensor Apple has released so far along with a telephoto lens and a super wide-angle lens for better landscape shots.

Enjoy!

Next up, we have a new teaser video for the “Beastie Boys Story” documentary that’s coming to Apple TV+ on April 24th.

“Beastie Boys Story” is described as a live documentary experience that focuses on the history and the legacy of the group and its personal story.

The film will be available in IMAX theaters in a limited release on April 3 before launching on ‌Apple TV‌+ on April 24.

Make some noise!

iPhone Production may be delayed

Apple’s production plans for the newest iPhone model next month could face complications and delays due to the coronavirus outbreak  in China.

Although with over 4000 people infected, and over 100 people killed by the outbreak, iPhone production is not top of the list of things to worry about, it may serve as a delay for the iPhone, with most of Apple’s iPhones being made in China, by Foxconn in Zhengzhou and by Pegatron at an assembly plant near Shanghai.

Apple usually launches it’s smartphones around September, so the coronavirus shouldn’t affect those plans, but Apple is also reportedly prepping a new low-cost iPhone that’s set to be released during the first half of 2020 – possibly as early as March – which puts those mass production plans more at risk with mass production of the new low-cost iPhone reportedly due to start in the third week of February.

BUT, Foxconn said it’s monitoring the situation in China and following all recommended health practices. It declined to comment on production in specific locations but said, “We can confirm that we have measures in place to ensure that we can continue to meet all global manufacturing obligations.”
Over the weekend, Good guy Tim Cook tweeted that the company intends to donate money in support of groups in China fighting the outbreak of the Coronavirus.

MGM in acquisition talks

In kind of crazy news, MGM has apparently held preliminary talks with Apple, Netflix, and others to gauge their interest in an acquisition.

Although according to reports,  the talks have “yet to reach an advanced stage, ” a deal with MGM would offer Apple a huge catalog of content to add to Apple TV Plus – like the James Bond franchise, “The Handmaid’s Tale,”  “Rocky” and “Mad Max.”

All companies reportedly involved have declined to comment, so we’ll just have to wait and see if Apple becomes the king of streaming. Look out Netflix? Maybe not yet.

More Apple TV + news

The first season of “Little America,”is available to stream on Apple TV+. Little America is an anthology series created by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, best known for being the creators (and star) of ‘The Big Sick’.

It’s eight half hour episodes that each focus on a different immigrant story, from a 12-year-old who has to run a Utah motel on his own after his parents are deported back to India, to a Nigerian grad student who becomes a cowboy.

According to some critics, the show is the best ‌‌Apple TV‌‌+ show yet, and good news if you agree, because it’s already been renewed for season 2.

Check out the trailer below!

In other, spectacular news, Apple has signed a multi-year agreement with award-winning actress, producer, and kickass lady  Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who will develop new projects exclusively for Apple TV+ as both an executive producer and actress.

See, I told you, spectacular. 

From the source, the kickass lady herself:

“I am thrilled about this new partnership with my friends at Apple,” said Louis-Dreyfus. “Also, many thanks and kudos to my representatives for structuring the deal in such a way that I am paid in AirPods.”

Apple’s streaming TV service launched in November for $4.99 per month with a one-week trial. Happy streaming!

Apple running ‘Night Mode’ photo competition

Apple has just announced a new Night Mode photo challenge, and is inviting users to share their best Night Mode photos captured with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max.

If you have one of the above devices, you’ll know that iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models turn on Night Mode automatically when the camera detects low-light situations, and when that happens, a crescent moon icon at the top of the display turns yellow.

If you want to take part in the competition, you can submit your photos from today until January 29th, after which a panel of 10 judges will pick five winning photos on March 4th. You have to be 18 or older and not an Apple employee (duh).

If this sounds like you – share your Night Mode photos on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #ShotoniPhone and #NightmodeChallenge. Weibo users can participate using #ShotoniPhone# and #NightmodeChallenge#. Apple says to note which iPhone model you used to capture your image in the caption.High-resolution photos can also be emailed to shotoniphone@apple.com, using the file format “firstname_lastname_nightmode_iPhonemodel.”

Photos ARE allowed to be edited, but you have to say what apps or filters you used in the image caption or comment, and photo shot with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max in Night Mode since September 20 qualifies.

If you win, your photo will be shared on Apple’s website and on its Instagram, Twitter, WeChat, and Weibo pages as well as MAYBE appearing in ads and on billboards, at Apple Stores, or in a third-party photo exhibition. Apple says it will pay a licensing fee to the winning photographers for use of such photos in its marketing.

Good Luck!!

2020 is here! What to expect from Apple

It’s only just begun!  new decade, a new year, a new raft of Apple releases. So what can we expect from them? iPhone changes are for sure expected – such as 3D sensing rear cameras, 5G technology, and an all-OLED lineup. We’re also looking at updated iPad Pro models, new Macs, Apple Tags, updated HomePod and Apple TV, with some even predicting an augmented reality headset.

During the first half of 2020, there’s a solid chance that Apple will release a new low-cost iPhone that will be sold alongside the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and Pro Max. The smartphone has been referred to as an iPhone SE 2 but will likely be more similar to an iPhone 8.

If it’s a real thing, it’s said to feature a 4.7-inch display with Touch ID, an A13 chip, a single-lens rear camera, 3GB RAM, and it will be available in silver, red, and space gray colors. For this device, we’re probably looking at around $399.

In the Fall, we’ll see the annual refresh of Apple’s iPhone lineup , with the expectation that they will introduce higher-end 6.1 and 6.7-inch iPhone models alongside lower-end 5.4 and 6.1-inch iPhone models, for a total of four iPhones, all featuring OLED displays. Every new iPhone coming in 2020 is expected to support 5G technology.

We can likely expect the Apple Watch Series 6 to be released, with ( presumably) faster performance, better water resistance, and improved wireless transmission for faster WiFi and cellular speeds. Sleep tracking is also expected to be an added feature to the smartwatch.

As there was no iPad Pro refresh in 2019, rumors suggest a refresh is coming in the first half of this year, with an updated iPad Pro with faster Face ID and a rear-facing time-of-flight (ToF) camera system which can determine the distance between objects by measuring the time it takes a light or laser signal to get from the camera to the subject in each point of the image.

That information is used to create a 3D image of the surrounding area to allow more accurate depth perception and better placement of virtual objects. ( Hi Augmented Reality).

Apple may update the 16-inch MacBook Pro lineup with a new machine that features a mini-LED display, will likely release a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a scissor switch keyboard, and is expected to bring said scissor switch keyboard to the MacBook Air at some point during the year.

At WWDC in June, we can expect the usual updates to software – this year it will be iOS 14, iPadOS 14, watchOS 7, tvOS 14, and macOS 10.16.

New products circling the rumor mill range from ‘Airtags’ – bluetooth tracking devices similar to Tile, to AR Smart Glasses that would be offered alongside the iPhone, with the iPhone handling the bulk of the processor needs and the glasses serving a display role.

Hopefully there’ll be some sweet shinyApple-y surprises coming our way in 2020 as well, but so far it’s looking pretty nice!

Happy New Year!