wonkothesane

Apple halts update to HomeKit's new Home architecture

December 2022

If you run into trouble with HomeKit issues (such as inability to add shared home users), I recall that Apple used to send affected users a special profile to instal on your phone with which you could totally erase any HomeKit settings. It should be enough to google “reset HomeKit profile”. Obviously, you will need to start from scratch, but it seems this resolved issues in manny cases that otherwise could not be resolved.

EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

wonkothesane

September 2023

Dear Thierry, can I have a BMW engine in my Mercedes, please? And I should be able to put any headlights in my car well well, thank you. And while you’re at it, I want to control my Bosch appliance with the Samsung app, buy competitors’ products in my supermarket of choice and run iOS on Android phones. No biggie for you, I suppose. Cheers.

Your next Wi-Fi router could be a light bulb thanks to the new LiFi framework

wonkothesane

July 2023

Interesting. LiFi works in the visible range, but also in infrared and ultraviolet range, it seems. Also, a direct line of sight is not required (at least in the visible range) as light reflected from walls still work - according to Wikipedia up to 70MBit, so far. Visible also does not mean illuminating the room, as they can be dimmed to a point where the light cannot be perceived any more. Regarding what receivers require (e.g. phone) and about sending back to the „light bulb“ I did not find something on first glance.

Driver flees scene after Crash Detection alerts police

wonkothesane

January 2024

baconstang said:

Apple should add a 'breathalyzer' to their watches. It would probably save more lives than some of these other features...

In the EU starting July 2024 all newly sold vehicles must have a breathalyzer on board (along other safety systems, such as emergency brake assist, or a speed limit detection and corresponding warning in case you exceed that limit) that would not let you drive in case of exceeding the legal limit (In France it is already a legal requirement to carry a tester onboard since quite some years). However, currently, it is not known whether or when the use of this device will become mandatory.)

Looking at it from a statistics point of view, approximately 50% of all car accidents (in Germany for which I looked up the data), are caused by turning, entering streets and similar maneuvers, followed by too little distance and speeding. Alcohol and drug related incidents account for roughly 6%, however with a richer likelihood of severe injuries.

Considering this, the mandatory introduction of safety systems are likely to address the number one reason all over: avoidable errors made by the driver.

Apple, Samsung slapped with class action over handset RF emissions

wonkothesane

August 2019

racerhomie3 said:

I want answers. A lawsuit & its findings will help us get the results. I trust independent labs rather than ‘apple’ sanctioned labs.Whoever did the lawsuit , thank you 🙏

It is perfectly normal for manufacturers to use their own labs for testing in order to check for compliance with the relevant standards. This is, because in the end it is their own responsibility to ensure product conformity. And safety.

This is true for about any products except for airplanes and medical products.

Products are also usually tested independently by accredited labs and institutes, either e.g. to obtain release in specific countries, or simply as an ongoing random sample test.

Also, usually for every limit value stated in a standard you have a designed nominal value in your product (lower than that limit) in order to take into account production variation.

Often, disputes over violations of limits stem from either the variation or the way that specific value was measured. While usually very elaborate and precise, they are not in each and every case without room for interpretation.

Apple has big camera upgrades lined up through iPhone 19 Pro

wonkothesane

July 2024

*squinting and pressing hands against head*
“I predict…. cameras will keep getting better.”

Am I an analyst now?

Apple, please move us all to USB-C across the board with the 2019 iPhone

wonkothesane

November 2018

Mike Wuerthele said:

mfryd said:

There's a big difference with the USB-C mess and previous standards.
With Ethernet, a "faster" cable supports all the slower/older standards. You can buy a single Ethernet cable that can handle any configuration. The cable won't be the limiting factor. I carry a single Ethernet cable for Gig E, 100BaseT, and 10BaseT.

With older USB cable, "faster" cables supported the slower standard. You could buy a USB 3 cable, and it would work with the older devices. You can buy a "fast" USB cable, and it won't be the limiting factor.

USB-C changes all that. A Thunderbolt 3 cable may not support full USB-3 speeds. A cable that supports USB-3 may not support full power charging, or Thunderbolt-3. A cable that supports charging may not support USB-3 speeds nor Thunderbolt. A cable that supports USB-3 speeds may not support charging nor Thunderbolt.

Add the video alternate modes, and it gets even more complicated.

Try the following exercise. Find a "universal" cable suitable for charging, USB 3, and Thunderbolt 3. In order to be useful as a charging cable, it must be at least 6 feet long and support 100W charging (like Apple's charging cable). In order to be useful for Thunderbolt 3. it should support full Thunderbolt-3 speeds, and not limit you to half speed. Of course it should support the full USB-3 speed.

I've been looking and I haven't yet found such a cable. That's the problem with USB-C. There are no universal cables. My bag has universal Ethernet cables, universal older USB cables. But no universal USB-C cable.

Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps such universal USB-C cables do exist. If so, please post a link to one, and It can replace three other USB-C cables I have to carry around.

This should happen soon with the Titan Ridge chipset, but I'm not sure why you'd want to use what will likely be a $60 cable for a $8 charging job. Alpine Ridge didn't allow for active USB 3.1 type C negotiation. Titan Ridge does.

Because as a simple and/or comfortable user you simply couldn’t care less. I want one cable to rule them all. Full stop. And preferrrably not 60 bucks. This current situation is reminiscent of 20 years plus back when you had to carry around a bag full of various cables when you wanted to be safe you could connect. As a consumer it’s not my problem that the consortium screwed up USB3. Apart from the fraying topic I absolutely love lightning for being compact, robust and universal.

Twitter lays off staff including whole ethics team, temporarily closes offices

wonkothesane

November 2022

libertymatters said:

@Madbum censorship is the way all of authoritarians. 'Disinformation' is just the latest rhetorical trick to make it look like the censors are the 'good guys'. Glad to see you and others are not fooled. Free speech is a central American value, always has been, always will be.

You make it sound like there is no border to what free speech encompasses. Is there a „limit“ to what counts as free speech? What about slander? What about personal insulations, or threatening? Request to conduct something illegal? What about values, such as respect and responsibility - aren‘t these things that are a prerequisite for free speech as a value?