Apple's new iPhone X (pronounced "ten") went on sale at Midnight Pacific / 3am Eastern this morning. I ordered the 256GB version (Space Gray color) using the Apple Store app on my iPhone and my delivery date is Friday November 3, which is the same date that the iPhone X officially goes on sale in the Apple Stores. I presume that we will start to see reviews of pre-release models from select members of the press next week, and I look forward to trying out this new iPhone design myself a week from today. And now, the news of note from the past week:
- Virginia attorney Sharon Nelson provides password advice based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). First, requiring users to use complex passwords with capital letters, lowercase letters, special characters, etc. is actually less secure. The same is true for short password expiration periods, such as a requirement to change passwords every 30 days. It seems counter-intuitive at first, but when you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Passphrases, such as a bizarre sentence, are just as secure and are far easier to remember than something like j#(FlWFd19J$. And requiring folks to change passwords frequently only results in people being more careless with their passwords, such as writing them down. Sharon also notes that the best solution is to use a password manager, and I strongly agree with that.
- In a post for MacStories, Chicago attorney John Voorhees shares some photos of Apple's impressive new flagship store in Chicago on Michigan Avenue.
- Alex Cooke of Fstoppers (a website for photographers) reviews the 12.9" iPad Pro. Yes, the review has a photographer angle to it, but it is a useful review for anyone thinking about getting the larger version of the iPad Pro.
- I happen to fly Delta frequently, so this story caught my eye. According to Killian Bell of Cult of Mac, Delta's 14,000 pilots and 23,000 slight attendants are moving from Nokia handsets and Microsoft Surface tablets to the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPad Pro. It's nice to know that the pilots are using the same tablet that I'm using.
- I've seen lots of reports of Apple CarPlay being added to cars, but this is the first report I've seen of CarPlay on a motorcycle. As reported by CarPlay Life, the 2018 model of the Honda Gold Wing motorcycle has CarPlay prominently in the center of the console.
- John Hancock has an interesting life insurance perk. Under its John Hancock Vitality program, if you pay $25, the insurer will give you an Apple Watch Series 3. You then pay off the Apple Watch over a 24 month period, but instead of paying cash you have the option of "paying" by earning points every time you workout using the Apple Watch. John Hancock says that earning 500 points in a month means that you pay nothing, but I don't see on the website how much exercise you need to do each month to earn 500 points. If you meet that goal every month for 24 months, then you'll never pay anything more other than the initial $25 payment. It's an interesting way to give life insurance customers an incentive to stay in shape.
- Wirecutter has a great roundup of the best gadgets and apps for your home office.
- Jesse Hollington of iLounge reviews the Fibaro, a $70 HomeKit-compatible flood sensor you can place in a basement or other area that you are concerned might flood. The Fibaro can give you an alert, and it can also trigger other automation such as turning another appliance on or off.
- This article isn't directly related to the iPhone, but it is certainly related to tech security, an issue that we all need to think about. David Sanger, David Kirkpatrick and Nicole Perlroth of the New York Times wrote a frightening article about the rise of North Korea as a source of ransomware, hacking, and other cyberattacks.
- Nicole Nguyen of BuzzFeed posted a profile of Angela Ahrednts, Apple's SVP of Retail for Apple.
- And finally, in an interview with CNBC, Ahrednts discusses Apple's new stores and the sale of the iPhone X. Ahrednts, who was previously CEO of Burberry, notes that she wants for the stores to be inviting to build a relationship with customers. "It's no different than fashion. ... Don't you go back to someone who has taken really good care of you, who you trust, to make you a better version of yourself?" Ahrendts is a great spokesperson for Apple, and I'm glad that we are starting to see more of her. Here is the video: