Summer is a great time for reading a book on vacation. If you are interested in technology and looking for a good book to read, I just finished listening to the audiobook version of the new book from Daniel Suarez called Delta-v. I loved it, as I’ve loved all of Suarez’s books. He does a great job of writing thrilling stories involving technology that is only about 15 years in the future — close enough that it feels rooted in science fact as opposed to science fiction. The background for this book is space and the resources in space, such as asteroid mining, and the book follows the exciting adventures of a group of fascinating explorers. There’s much more to it than that, but I don’t want to give away any of the surprises. It’s a very fun read. I especially enjoyed listening to the audiobook version using my iPhone and AirPods because the book is read by Jeff Gurner, an actor who does a great job with different voices for different characters. And now, the news of note from the past week:
- South Carolina attorney Justin Kahn discusses Flow by Moleskine, an iPad drawing app that won an Apple 2019 design award.
- If your law firm uses Mobile Device Management (MDM) technology to protect iPhones owned by the attorneys at your law firm (as opposed to firm-issues iPhones), those iPhones surely have personal information on them and apps that you downloaded for personal use. Apple already has some restrictions on what MDM software can do, but Sarah Perez of TechCrunch explains that Apple will soon unveil ways to make MDM less invasive so that you have more control over your apps and your firm’s control can be limited to other apps. It’s unclear to me if this will be mandatory for MDM vendors. I’m glad that Apple is taking further steps to balance the need for business security versus the need for personal privacy.
- Perez also explains how the new “Sign in with Apple” feature will work when released this Fall, a much more private alternative to the current options to sign in with Facebook or other services.
- As a result of all of the new features added in GoodNotes 5 (my review), Josh Ginter explains why GoodNotes is now the Sweet Setup’s pick for best app for taking handwritten notes on the iPad.
- Federico Viticci of MacStories offers an extensive overview of what what will be new in iPadOS, with lots of pictures to show off the new iPad operating system.
- David Chartier of Finer Things in Tech describes some lesser-known new features in iPadOS.
- Jason Snell of Six Colors wrote a good article describing the iPadOS features that jumped out at him.
- Ian Fuchs of Cult of Mac describes and shows off the new gestures coming to iPadOS.
- In iOS 13, you will be able to share your ETA with someone else so they know when you will arrive at a location, and that ETA will update if you are moving slower or faster than originally anticipated. Benjamin Mayo of 9to5Mac explains this new feature.
- Zac Hall of 9to5Mac provides lots of details on the new features coming to CarPlay in iOS 13. This will be the biggest update to CarPlay since it was originally introduced.
- Christopher Close of iMore describes what will be new in HomeKit this Fall.
- AirPods are not marketed as being waterproof, but I’ve heard stories of them being dropped into water and still working and stories of them being washed while in the pocket of a pair of pants and still working. David Pierini of Cult of Mac shares the story of an Argentine swimmer who forgot they were in her ears (and under her swim cap) when she got second place during an international swim meet in France, and they still worked afterwards.
- Josh Centers of TidBITS shows off what will be new in tvOS 13.
- And finally, perhaps the best way to understand the large number of changes coming to iPadOS is to watch someone show them off in a video. Jeff Benjamin of 9to5Mac created an excellent video showing off 50 new features in iPadOS. It’s almost 25 minutes long, but if you take the time to watch this, you will have a great understanding of everything that is coming out this Fall for the iPad: