Today marks the 300th time that I have written an In the news post with links to news from the past week that might be of interest to attorneys who use an iPhone or iPad. I discussed the history of this weekly post when it reached the 100 mark back in 2011. The link in that post to the music from an old IN THE NEWS segment on CBS no longer works, but better yet, here is a video of a sample segment from 1980 — which should be nostalgic for any of you who, like me, watched Saturday morning cartoons in the 1970s or early 1980s. Of course, my kids can now watch cartoons any time of day, any day of the week, thanks to Cable TV, DVDs, the iPad, etc. As I think about it, the 1970s version of me as a child is quite jealous. And now, let's move along and focus on the much more recent history of just the past week, in which these were the news items of note:
- This week, Apple substantially updated the iPod touch, which I have always considered an iPhone without a phone. California attorney David Sparks discusses the new iPods.
- In an article for Macworld, Jason Snell wonders whether the new iPod touch means that we will see a new, smaller iPhone.
- Kimber Streams picks the best Bluetooth keyboard in a post for The Wirecutter. I almost always agree with the picks in The Wirecutter, so I'm sure that the Logitech Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard K811 is nice, but my favorite Bluetooth keyboard for the iPad is the Apple Wireless Keyboard. Streams briefly mentions the Apple keyboard, but dismisses it for reasons that don't persuade me. She starts by saying that the Apple keyboard "offers a solid typing experience, sturdy design, and all the OS X and iOS function keys a Mac user could hope for. It’s less expensive than the K811, too." (The Apple keyboard costs $69, versus $99 for the K811.) Sounds good, so why doesn't she like it? First, she says that it doesn't have backlit keys. I admit that could be a nice feature, but I've never missed it. Second, she says that it runs on AA batteries. I consider that a plus, not a minus — the Apple Wireless Keyboard lasts for many months, and AA batteries are cheap and easy to find when you need to replace them. Next she says that it is heaver than the K811. The K811 weighs about three-quarters of a pound, and the Apple Keyboard weighs about a pound. I've never once considered the Apple Wireless keyboard heavy. Finally, she says that the Apple Keyboard "leaves Windows and Android users out in the cold," which is irrelevant if you are buying it to use with an iPad (or iPhone).
- If you want a more portable Bluetooth keyboard, Jordan Kahn of 9to5Mac reports that Microsoft is now shipping its $99 foldable keyboard for iOS.
- Maurizio Pesce reports for Wired that there will soon be a Commodore smartphone. As someone who happily used a Commodore 64 in the 1980s, this intrigues me. (The C-64 even got me through my Freshman year of college, before I purchased a Mac Plus as a Sophomore.) Having said that, the Commodore name has bounced around to so many different companies since the 1980s that I'm not sure it has any real meaning today, other than nostalgia.
- Software developer and podcaster Marco Arment notes that, according to a study by The Verge, Apple Music streaming sounds about the same as Tidal, even though Tidal charges more and advertises being higher quality.
- iOS 9 will be released in about two months, and is now in public beta. Rene Ritchie of iMore provides a first look at the new features, many of which I discussed last month when Apple first previewed iOS 9.
- Software architect Opal Alapat wrote an interesting post on what she loves, and doesn't like, about the Apple Watch.
- Last month, I reviewed the Lutron Caséta Wireless Dimmer and Smart Bridge, which you can use to control the lights in your house using your iPhone and Apple Watch. I like it a lot. This week, Michael Brown of Macworld/TechHive reviewed and compared the Lutron product with the Insteon Smart Hub Pro. He prefers the Lutron product, for many of the same reasons that I like mine.
- Software developer Craig Hockenberry wrote an extensive post on using an Apple Watch to track exercise while swimming in the ocean. Apple doesn't encourage using an Apple Watch while swimming, but Hockenberry says that it does work, although you should rinse it off with clean water when you are finished.
- Dan Throp-Lancaster of iMore reports that Apple Pay went live in the UK this week.
- It has nothing to do with the iPhone, but New Horizons flew by Pluto to take a picture this week. How cool is that?
- And finally, Apple came out with four new ads for the Apple Watch this week, as noted by Zac Hall of 9to5Mac. If you try to complete your activity circles with your Apple Watch like I do, then the final few seconds of this ad will make you smile:
