bradford_kirby

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bradford_kirby
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  • The iPhone ecosystem needs strength training accessories - especially from Apple

    As a Personal Trainer I can't count how many times this comes up. 

    Equinox and Lifetime have in house solutions but mostly even Trainers prefer paper it's just quicker.

    i moved to iPad as soon as it came out and my friend went in develop the Pump One app that lived in the last iPod and then evolved into Fitness Builder - but again that's manual. 

    The UnderArmor 39 was a good stab but illicited more respiration data, the Atlas watch is garbage ...

    the problem is basic... the best laid plans stray and the recording needs to somehow know the weight, force and number of reps and sets and without SOME setup I can't see how that happens...

    but its not a small problem. Rebook Crossfit is struggling with this as welll... they pass the WOD in email blasts and on cork boards and they cost 250 a month. 

    Equinox and Lifetime track on thier apps but again its major manual entry and in a serious workout typing s correction is not wanted... 

    it's just silly. More people lift weight more than 3x per week in America than all the swimmers - swimming and all the triathletes that the Fenix or Polar are made for.

    I could get get into this even further but this step counting garbage is stupid nonsense. You have to lift and sweat to lose weight, get lean or get big... that's the recipe... no one step counting and checking thier heart rate is likely healthy.

    thier needs to be apps for people who aren't obese, blah blah blah 

    and perhaps America should stop shoving every gross thing into thier face and go to the gym app or not... 

    but its it's a huge problem and I suggest FitnessBuilder or Gym Fit Pro and Nike running (thier train app is garbage) to those like minded folks 
    fotoformatpropodSoliLukeCagelolliversteveau
  • Apple TV 4K impressions positive, depending on how bought-in users are to iTunes

    Early reviews of the Apple TV 4K are in, with most reviewers having a generally positive impression of the device -- but all point out that other than future-proofing there is no reason to invest in the device if you have no interest in the Apple iTunes ecosystem, or don't have a 4K television.




    Engadget briefly examined the device, and published its examination of first impressions. Devindra Hardawar called it the "streaming box I've been waiting for" and trumpeted the device's easy setup with an iPhone. Hardawar also noted that the set automatically enabled Dolby Vision, as well as keeping HDR enabled all the time to prevent the television from switching between modes.

    Films downloaded from Apple were "stunning" with videos playing within a second from selecting the title.

    Nilay Patel from The Verge criticized the device for forces mostly out of Apple's control -- the lack of Disney-produced movies and YouTube in 4K HDR. Additionally, Patel noted that any sub-4K content you own is upscaled on the device with what the Apple TV picks for settings as a default, and processed into 4K HDR regardless of source, at 60Hz. The upscaling apparently works fine for Apple-provided content, but fell down with a HBO Go viewing of "The Dark Knight" in HD.

    "The Apple TV 4K HDR processing blew out all the contrast in the image, sharpened everything to hell, and turned the film grain into noise," Wrote Patel. "The same movie looked fine on iTunes, but it just looked bad from HBO Go."

    Patel later checked the same video on the fourth-generation Apple TV, and called it "fine" with "work to be done" on content from other apps -- but who is responsible for that work wasn't made clear.

    Overall, Patel's review was positive, with several of his concerns about the device addressed by Apple during the course of the examination. He appears to have hope for the future with software upgrades to the Apple TV 4K over time.

    David Katzmaier from cnet also generally praised the device with caveats, nothing that it had the "most polished streaming experience today" with the "best remote on the market."

    Katzmaier also noted that while Apple's pricing for 4K content significiantly undercuts the other streaming players, that 4K and HDR content is scarce, and the device costs more than twice as much as a similar Roku device.

    "Unless you're an Apple die-hard with extra cash, it's worth waiting a bit," write Katzmaier. "Stay tuned."

    USA Today also briefly assessed the device from a user perspective, and less as a deep-dive into the technology. Mike Snider watched "Wonder Woman" on a compatible Samsung 4K television, and called it "as wonderful as in the theater."

    "Apple is notable for the panache its products deliver," wrote Snider. "Apple devotees who have already embraced 4K -- or plan to do so soon -- will certainly want to give the new Apple TV a look."

    Key takeaways

    All of the reviewers noted that surround sound options peak at Dolby 7.1 -- with no inclusion of Atmos. Also, there remains to be no television content from Apple available in 4K.

    In short, it appears that the Apple TV 4K is squarely aimed at those who benefitted from prior purchases, and the free update to 4K HDR versions, where available.

    AppleInsider evaluation is forthcoming

    AppleInsider staffers have a variety of setups integrating the Apple TV. In a series of examinations of the device, we will be looking at not only streaming to the device from the Internet, but also the device performs across a local area network in conjunction with how the iTunes and Apple TV 4K combination deals with user-supplied 4K content.

    Additionally, we will examine the device in an assortment of environments ranging from a small office to a home theater set up in a living room.
    4K is 5 years away. If it happens... it’s the least explained gimmick ever.

    4k is a differentiating function the nearly profitless television set makers have forced on us early to explain away the strange pricing of a flat panel monitor in 2017.

     I could go even deeper on this but I feel like I’m gonna lose people if I explain it but the bottom line is that 4K TVs will not happen until 4K monitors (computer monitors) are known and used as equals and the coalesce around a common codec. FYI there’s no money in content creation created for YouTube so this open source nonsense is as usual underunformed. Patel sucks.  

    for example a 65 inch uhd tv is about 1k at Best Buy today and provided the content played on it is native 4K that’s a great deal. But the 300$ 1080p one next to it is the real steal because it’s 300$ and plays all ur stuff.

    comparatively if I booted my pc to play gtav in 4K I would be told to buy a 4k monitor that per pixel would cost thousands for an equally sized unit (they don’t exist) but we’re I to ignore that and  hook my 4K gaming rig to that same tv - the 1000$ Tv would display the game in full 4K (after messing in settings a bit)

    the industry literally doesn’t know what to sell and that’s doing nothing for pushing the content creators to pick a flipping codec for sound or video. We still are being told that there different things when the singles both digital and using the same hdmi cord. 

     Until a 4K OTA signal is pumped through for free (which would require gov’t mandate just like the HD conversion did) there’s very little reason to heavily invest in the format when you have a lifetime sized collection of awesome hd stuff.

    Can’t help but notice that a whole lot of “coming soon” tech was added after the products were released... Way more than usual. 

    Also I only consume I have no idea how complex it is to promise, invent, market and release a perfect product... 

    im concerned that they lean to heavy on my trust and yours when they fall short - even for the best reasons. 

    What I’d appreciate more is a whole lot less of reading about the Verges or Patel’s opinions on Apple insider’s website as opposed to me going there and reading it for myself which I wouldn’t do

     there could not be a more biased blog

     Having said all that the problem with 4K is that there is not enough original 4K content made by the content creators not the Streamers not the publishers - anyone but the firms and studios themselves that put it out there unless it is in 4K to begin with it’s essentially upscaled

     Upscaled always means less. The benefit is they’re providing you the best version of what they could give you but it’s never going to be the full version if it wasnt it filmed in 4K

    It gets even more complicated if you start factoring in where in the stream of their upscaling it is happening,  on the streamer ? is it happening on the television?  is it happening at the studio ?

    all of those things matter

    so basically unless it’s in 4K to begin with it’s upscaled on some level and therefore not what they’re selling nor should we be expecting that it will come that way

    they can’t magically turn content 1080p into 4K

     Cd players cannot play tapes
    tape players could not play VHS tapes and eight tracks should have never happened

    they’re doing us a favor it’s not something to review or not review it’s a favor they simply cannot make 4K out of not 4K content. 

    use your brains friends. HBO has no money to make by offering its free for subscribers streaming service HBOGo (which it no longer makes people pay for because they have HBO now) in 4K - that makes no sense

    it it makes me crazy that he’s using HBO as an example of a “con” when it’s clearly an iTunes device is just ridiculous and that it’s quoted here is even more ridiculous

    Also the whole sticker idea that someone said...  about putting a sticker on the bottom 👊

    im not gonna put a sticker on the bottom of my $200 remote when I can just flip it over 

    Hannah dropping the ball with the apps on the television because frankly it should be just a giant iPhone and you letting that you can use for stuff that’s more graphically intensive say I’m looking at your stupid  6 inch phone

    They should build it out and make it the iOS Mac Mini that’s what it is anyway

     theyd probably sell more

    filled with ideas today lol
    williamlondoncalimacplusplus
  • Apple TV gets Dolby Atmos support, 'zero sign-on' for cable with tvOS 12

    Wow a screen saver. They don’t get it. They will never succeed in the content creation space making g rated shows that exist in thier marketing not in reality. 

    Great you booked the Amazing Stories reboot. Where is it? 

    Yea ! You booked a DR DRE rap drama - where is it? 
    williamlondon
  • Jony Ive recalls how Steve Jobs taught him to say no, especially when it hurts to do it

    justme12 said:
    Hey Jony - you should have said no to the camera bump and the notch. Steve not only would have said no - he would have laughed that you thought they were design options. 
    He wasn’t Jesus don’t be a tool 
    Rayz2016macky the mackyStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • iOS 12 'doubles down' on performance for iPhone and iPad

    MisterKit said:
    Looking forward to see how it runs on mini 2. Any boost in performance will be welcome.
    For Christ sake go get an iPad that isn’t 7 years old
    toysandmeSgt Storms(trooper)jony0
  • Cupertino official warned Apple of potential Apple Park glass impacts 9 months ago

    Soli said:
    It's ridiculous that Apple went forward assuming this would be a non-issue.
    It’s a non issue. Let them bleed. Code bitches CODE!!
    StrangeDaysJWSC
  • Siri shortcuts in iOS 12 deliver a macro system to help automate your tasks

    Still Hot garbage.

    Why oh why are they not listening to thier users, the market, thier competitors or all the people that have died when Siri let them down in an emergency. Oh thats right - they’re dead. Who would know. 

    Buying a company to strip it for thier macros but not  improving the abilities of the mic (or at least matching the Apple  watch) nor utilizing the immense leverage they hold over the oems that rely on Bluetooth WITHOUT THIER MAGIC CHIP (u know every car and non Beats earphone that’s made) is really shitty business. 

    They love themselves too much and the marketing they wield has poisoned the look aid. 

    The future is an OS u don’t need anything to use but your voice and we’re years from this but how do you win a race with your feet tied together by an invisible cord (privacy) and with the other runners already running freed from said cord. 

    You cant. 

    This is Windows 95 and MS’s OEM blind dominance over Mac All over again. They were wrong then and they’re blinded by thier love of themselves all over again. 

    Years away but an impossible lead they’ve let lesser more hungry competitors have over them.

    While they took courageously took away a gead phone jack or used forced upgrades to build out the utilization of thier OS while hoping no one discovered they were (rightfully tinkering) with battery’s.

    surprise and deceit are not the same thing 

    and what happens when there isn’t any real surprise anymore? 

    Just deception oh I’m sorry - marketing
    patchythepirate
  • Apple's Siri-based Echo competitor could come with facial recognition camera, ship in 2017

    Sounds like the future. And if all the face recognition, listening for the "hey siri" command, and home settings are able to be managed locally, there shouldn't be any significant privacy concerns. [Thankfully Apple is a trustworthy company that's been very consistent regarding making privacy a top priority, unlike some others, who go out of their way to circumvent privacy, and receive record setting fines for doing so..] I could easily see how you could just come home and wave 'hi' to the Apple TV and it will reply "hi john/jane, glad your're home" (in background air conditioning, lights, shades adjust, message is sent to sig other, etc).

    If we have to wait until 2017, please Apple, ffs, at least release an integrated Apple Home iOS app in the meantime (i.e with iOS 10).

    As an aside, it's going to be strange having a generation of kids that will grow up thinking that tech objects can be sentient. It'll actually probably be quite a shock when they grow up and realize that they're just machines, kind of like finding out santa clause doesn't exist. ..oops, spoiler alert!


    This fits in very well with my thoughts from the previous thread:
    Great thought! And with primesense not only will gestures be a possibility, but also face tracking and autorfocus for the camera. Also, if combined with a microphone array it could localize voices, which would improve communication with the hub in an environment with multiple people, or with background TV noise, etc. This could be supplemented by using your watch or phone to interact with the home hub when out of earshot, or possibly also API enabled 3rd party speakers as has been mentioned.

    This rumor makes sense. The TV is the literal hub of the home, and it makes sense for the AI to be based there (not wherever someone happens to leave the speaker). These type of products should be about a shared experience in the home, it should bring people together (whereas the iPhone functions as your personal hub). This way you don't have people fighting over who gets to have the hub next to them. At a surface level, anchoring the home hub at the TV may seem limiting, but in reality this setup enables better organization and facilitates the connected home, especially if there are multiple people, and especially if some of those people are chronologically challenged.

    tl;dr: While iPhone is your personal hub, the Apple TV/siri will be the (shared) hub of the home.

    Obviously they will not be releasing an Echo. They are however late with about 100 atv features that were promised or rumored prior to its handicapped release. Im not sure what to think about how the apple tv is being managed. It was clearly designed for greater capability. Its not relevant without a non alacarte best use - niche user base. It simply has to do a "have to" thing. Like stream your tv, or turn on the appliances and lights and..." otherwise its the mid range streamer that you will never use word on or edit pictures... You know apps There may very well be a FaceTime camera on the apple tv someday. FaceTime on the TV will be a priority and a pillar of all the functionality and 1st Class apps on every OS device someday. Including the watch. 
    cali