esummers

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esummers
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  • iFixit matches Apple's $29 battery swap cost, covers pre-iPhone 6 devices

    Had Apple designed the iPhone with a battery compartment where owners could swap batteries without special tools this could have been avoided. Of course, then millions would get off of the 2 year upgrade cycle. Finally, what about iPod Touch & iPads?
    There is a reason nobody does that anymore.  A battery compartment makes the phone bulky and less durable.  Why have a replaceable battery if your phone bends before you need a new one.  Older phones mainly allowed swaps to increase runtime, not for easy repairs. Making the phone sealed also allows it to be waterproof.
    axcess99StrangeDaysGeorgeBMacmagman1979stanthemanwatto_cobrajony0
  • Why Apple's move to an ARM Mac is going to be a bumpy road for some

    mbdrake76 said:
    Soli said:
    mbdrake76 said:
    I'd still say they are going to be moving to custom-designed AMD chipsets instead.  Probably based around the Zen 2 architecture.  It'll retain x86 compatibility and provide better performance for the power.  The move to an all ARM platform seems a little too early.  Yes, they could if they wanted to, but I still think there needs to be considerable work done before Windows on ARM becomes a proper, mass-embraced thing.
    Apple makes macOS. Microsoft makes Windows.
    Well DUH. 

    The point is that Macs are in a position to run both operating systems.  Virtually or via natively.  As a systems administrator who works for a system integrator (and before that, a VFX software firm), I work across multiple operating systems and the Mac is the only device that allows me to consolidate both OSes within the same hardware.  Shift to ARM, that goes away.
    mbdrake76 said:
    mbdrake76 said:
    I'd still say they are going to be moving to custom-designed AMD chipsets instead.  Probably based around the Zen 2 architecture.  It'll retain x86 compatibility and provide better performance for the power.  The move to an all ARM platform seems a little too early.  Yes, they could if they wanted to, but I still think there needs to be considerable work done before Windows on ARM becomes a proper, mass-embraced thing.
    A Mac running ARM Windows makes no sense (I think we agree on that).  I don’t think Apple will go AMD besides using their discrete graphics ...until they develop their own.  I remember reading Intel gives Apple amazing prices for their chips.  It’s possible AMD could match it, but Intel and Apple collaborate elsewhere.  Eventually Apple will do everything in-house, but until then switching to AMD seems like a needless complication.
    Oh goodness - certainly not at the moment.  Microsoft was certainly brave to release the Surface Pro X, but realistically it's not much use to most people given how little support there is for ARM-based Windows applications at the moment.  That may grow, but I don't see it happening for a very long while - if that.  Apple does already have its own discrete graphics based off of the PowerVR graphics found in iPhones and iPad Pro.  But whether that's going to be good enough for the Mac and will continue to use AMD for that, I don't know.

    It's all rumours and guesses at this stage.  If they go ARM on the Mac, I'd expect to see a development kit rolled out a good 6-12 months before any consumer kit is released.  And I'd hope that Apple will continue to support Intel Macs for another 4-5 years after the last Intel hardware is released to ensure plenty of time for people to take advantage of hardware they've just purchased.

    To be clear, Windows for ARM can translate x86 to Arm on the fly.  Whatever Apple comes out with will certainly far surpass the Qualcomm chip the Surface uses.  It is yet to be seen if Microsoft will allow Windows on a non-surface device or how well the translation will work for apps that need a very high level of performance, but chances are performance will be good.  It may benefit Microsoft with more developers dual booting their OS and help encourage developers to release Windows software that doesn’t require a translation layer.  Microsoft also wants Unix developers on-board with Windows to help make sure tooling works across platforms.  There may be a dual benefit that encourages Microsoft to make this happen on their end.

    BTW- Apple’s GPU is not based on PowerVR anymore.  It is still tile based, but it is a ground up redesign.  I’m sure it will be great for battery life.  They may still include a discrete option from AMD.
    Rayz2016GG1
  • Hue Sync Box adds support for Siri control alongside Dolby Vision and HDR10+ content

    razorpit said:
    braytonak said:
    Based on my own experience with the Hue Sync Box I can’t suggest anyone buy one, at least not with an Apple TV 4K and a basic 1080p TV. It fails to start syncing, forgets the hub it’s linked to, stutters and delays lighting changes, won’t connect to the app, and when it’s in a really bad mood it will turn the picture to digital snow or simply not pass a connection through. 

    When it works, it’s nice. It does add depth to the experience. But it is NOT worth the price. 
    Never had any of those issues. You try replacing your HDMI cables?
    Yes, likely a cable issue.  I was having these same issues with Dolby Vision falling out of sync.  Dolby Vision requires no signal loss or it may fall out-of-sync and your picture will look awful until at least the next scene since it includes scene specific metadata.  Adding two HDMI cables is going to degrade the signal further.  Make sure to use cables rated for Dolby Vision and HDR.  The specs need to be higher even if running at 1080p.
    lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Why Apple's move to an ARM Mac is going to be a bumpy road for some

    rob53 said:
    "Then, too, there are Windows virtualization options, such as Parallels. These tend to be clunkier than the hardware Boot Camp, but then if you weren't prepared for clunkiness, you wouldn't be using Windows."

    Why are you pushing Parallels when VMware is a much better product? I run Fusion and it's not clunky. Running Boot Camp is easier because you simply boot into it but running a virtual OS, or multiple virtual OSes, is the way many server farms are running today. Why worry about Boot Camp when there's a good product that replaces it?

    I've been watching some youtube videos showing Hackintosh running on AMD Ryzen CPUs that are half the price of the Mac Pro and are faster. Yes, there are a few limitations but they use a motherboard that includes the following, very friendly to Mac, capabilities: DDR4, PCIe 4.0, SATA 6Gb/s, M.2, USB 3.2, AX Wi-Fi 6, 10G Super LAN. If these "PC" motherboards and the Ryzen CPU are both more or less Mac compatible then Apple surely can build their own AMD CPU, motherboard and everything else while adding full software capability. I see it as when, not if.
    There are reasons to pick Parallels over VMWare Fusion and vice-versa.  I prefer Parallels at the moment since it has DirectX 11 support.  VMWare Fusion only supports DirectX 10.  This allows Parallels to run many games and pro-creative software that is impossible in Fusion.
    cgWerks
  • Apple facing second lawsuit over iPhone XR's 'inferior' 2x2 MIMO antennas

    I don’t see how they have a case.  This was on the spec sheet.  One reason I chose the max as someone who (used to) travels a lot.  This is equivalent to a class action against an automaker for only disclosing that the smaller engine on a lower end model has less horsepower on a spec sheet.  How does this make sense.  Obviously there are going to be differences between an expensive phone and an inexpensive one.
    maltzmagman1979viclauyycwatto_cobra
  • Foldable iPhone loses notch & resembles iPhone 11 says prolific leaker [u]

    lkrupp said:
    Do we have ANY information about sales of the Galaxy Fold? Or any foldable for that matter? These were dropped on the market, received various positive and negative reviews, and have now disappeared from the limelight into obscurity. They look to me to be failed attempts at innovation and I don't understand why Apple would be interested in making something like this. Sure, play around in the lab, but bring one to market? Why?
    Apple wouldn’t release a product that isn’t compelling.  There have been rumors of Apple testing this form factor for a long time, so they probably see potential regardless of if it comes to market.  I could certainly see interesting use cases if they can overcome the technical hurdles.  The problem with the failed attempts by competitors is that they did *not* overcome the technical hurdles of this design.
    tmaylolliverwatto_cobra
  • Apple will maintain bumper to bumper control of 'Apple Car' project, says Morgan Stanley

    lkrupp said:
    Kuyangkoh said:
    Very early on there was a really attractive concept image of what an Apple Car would look like………but it seems forever now that everyone writing about the mystery car uses this horrific image. Imagine a head-on crash with virtually no front end as this image shows. If and when an actual car is released, it needs to put the fine Tesla designed cars to shame. But most importantly it needs to be THE FULLY AUTONOMOUS CAR the world's been waiting for.
    Well....it’s gonna be a longggggg wait. By that time Tesla would be logging miles and miles of robo taxis and autonomous vehicles, my 1 cent hehe
    Right, Apple always late to the game... and then they wind up dominating the market, my 1 cent hehe
    Apple is better at creating mobile devices then anyone, so I’m sure they will dominate AR.  It is hard for anyone to match them in that space, but I’m not sure about automotive.  I think it will at least be a good product if it is released.  The biggest advantage is their work in custom processors and AR to help create a self driving feature.  This is otherwise new territory.  I think the iPad was largely a success because Apple was so much better at making mobile electronics then anyone else coupled with the existing app ecosystem that nobody else had a chance.  There is nothing like that for cars so this is the product I’m most uncertain about Apple absolutely dominating in.
    fastasleepcaladanian
  • Foldable iPhone loses notch & resembles iPhone 11 says prolific leaker [u]

    Hope this is a leak that was used to suss out a traitor at Apple and isn’t a real product leak. Because the whole trend of “foldables” is just dumb and Apple shouldn’t follow dumb ideas.
    I think there are compelling reasons if they can keep it thin and still have good battery life.  Microsoft has been trying to pursue this same form factor in Courier.  It could show a keyboard on one screen when folding it at an angle or two apps when flat.  Multi-app would help with multi-tasking, drag-and-drop, etc.  The screen would fold together to help prevent scratches.  
    watto_cobra