In my review of the HomePod mini from a few weeks ago, I noted that the original HomePod didn't appeal to me but that I'm a big fan of the mini version. Matthew Panzarino of TechCrunch reports that Apple has now discontinued the HomePod and will instead focus on the HomePod mini. I guess that lots of other folks agreed with me that amazing sound in an expensive device is not as appealing as very good sound in a $100 device. I hope that Apple does indeed continue to develop the HomePod mini because it is a great device. In fact, I'd like to see Apple develop even more devices for a connected home. And now, the news of note from the past week:
- California attorney David Sparks explains on his MacSparky website why he likes using the Reeder app to read his RSS feeds. (I've been using Feedly for a long time, and that app works well for me.)
- David Sparks also talks about how actor Justin Long, who appeared with John Hodgman in the successful I'm a Mac/I'm a PC commercials, is now appearing in commercials for Intel that criticize Apple products β part of Intel's response to the Apple-made processors used in the new M1 Macs (and iPhone and iPad) that are so much faster than anything else on the market. David wonders if Apple could have included some sort of non-compete language in their original contract with Justin Long that would have stopped him from doing ads for Intel. However, given the limitations that many states have on non-compete agreements, I wonder if that would have even been enforceable.
- Lyle Moran of ABA Journal discussed the 60 in 60 session from the recent ABA TECHSHOW and highlighted some of the best tips and apps.
- Jason Snell of Six Colors discusses the new features in the latest version of the Overcast app for the Apple Watch for people who run with an Apple Watch. I mostly use my Apple Watch on my treadmill at home, but I used just the Overcast app on my Apple Watch and my AirPods Pro when I was jogging in the park this past Sunday, and it worked great. I really like the new version of Overcast on the Apple Watch.
- Jason Cipriani of CNet recommends some iPhone settings that you might want to adjust.
- If you want to turn your iPad into something that is close to a laptop, Apple's Magic Keyboard for iPad is a great option. But what if you want to turn your iPad into something close to a desktop computer? Kensington's new StudioDock iPad docketing station is expensive at about $400 but for some folks it might be the perfect solution. Darragh Murphy of Laptop Mag posted this review. And Federico Viticci's review on MacStories is also worth reading.
- The Apple Support account on Twitter notes that you can swipe to delete a digit in the iPhone's Calculator app. I did not know that.
- If you look the list of recent calls in the Phone app on your iPhone, do you see small checkmarks next to some of the entries? Glenn Fleishmann explains what those mean and how they may help to reduce spam calls in this article for TidBITS.
- Zak Doffman of Forbes explains how some iPhone apps are tracking your location and what you can do about it.
- If you have been to a Disney park recently, then you know about the MagicBand that you can wear to enter the park, pay for items, and more. Avery Maehrer, the Manager of Communications at Walt Disney World Resort, announced this week that you will soon be able to use your own Apple Watch or iPhone in place of a Magic Band.
- And finally, Apple is now running a fun commercial for the AirPods Pro called Jump, with the tagline: "Turn the world into your playground with AirPods Pro." Apple is also using its TikTok account to encourage people to make their own version of a Jump video, and Apple is posting some of the best results to the Apple TikTok account, and the ones that they have posted so far are impressive.