roundaboutnow

When I first fired up Reminders after the iOS13 update on my iPhone Xs, it notified me what other devices I had that are updatable (to either Catalina or iOS13) and which ones were not updatable, and that I would lose compatibility with those not updatable.

Kind of a bummer that my early 2011 MBP and 1st gen iPad Air won't be compatible, but the notification was very informative and actually let me forgo the Reminder update (or made some accommodation) on my Xs so that I can maintain synch with all of my devices. I can live without the feature updates for now, so a very fair and reasonable compromise in my opinion.

launfall said:

Problem is, two, maybe three, years from now when 5G has extensively rolled out, there you are with a phone that's not capable of using that technology, and by then it probably will mean something to you. Also by then, you won't be able to give the phone away, much less sell it.

When 5G has extensively rolled out, it will also benefit existing 4G LTE phones. So no need to give them away...

5G will use spectrum in the existing LTE frequency range (600 MHz to 6 GHz) as well as the millimeter wave bands (24–86 GHz). The millimeter bands are of course where the limited range exists, so lots of distribution points for these will be required. But if these distribution points also include the lower frequency range (which a knowledgable Verizon rep told me they would), conceivably those that have 5G connectivity will have their bandwidth off-loaded to millimeter, leaving an improved coverage/bandwidth of LTE range available to most all other phones.

AppleInsider said:

...

While not necessarily aimed at the MacBook Pro, the new batch includes some candidates for the MacBook Air, which currently uses a Y-series processor with an extremely low thermal design point and power consumption. The processors are also produced under the more established 14-nanometer process rather than 10-nanometer.

Despite being ideal for the MacBook Air, it is unlikely that they will be employed by Apple in 2019. The company has already refreshed the product line, so the new processors point more to a 2020 update.

...

It was only the lower spec 13" MBP that got the most recent refresh...maybe the higher spec 13" MBPs can get a refresh now.

gutengel said:

I have a couple family members with Crestron System on their places and it's trash, the Ui is confusing and the remotes and screens look and feel cheap. To be fair, they don't have the latest and greatest, but every time they have any issue, some IT person has to come to fix it. Obviously the company want to play nice with HomeKit so their system appears updated and capable. However, I really hope Apple start making the Home Kit ecosystem more capable so companies like Crestron really work hard so you can justify purchasing their system or just get crushed.

If they have Crestron touchscreens, it is usually up to the Crestron programmer to lay out the UI. Some programmers, while very smart technically, just don't have an eye for graphic arts and visual layout. I have seen many confusing GUI that are crowded with inconsistent layouts (such as varying font and button size/positions) from page to page. There are templates out there, but even some of them are too busy IMO. Sometimes programmers find it difficult to think like regular people when it comes to task flow, but to be fair, they can be led astray by their clients, and get stuck between trying to make them happy and what works best.

The fact that Crestron programming requires many hours of specialized training does make it difficult if not impossible for the end user to make adjustments or fixes. This is not lost on Crestron. They are trying to create some easier to program systems (not sure how successful they will be here), but I think they see the writing on the wall that Homekit may make some of their product lines irrelevant. Overall, I think it is smart of them to embrace Homekit and see where it takes them. Keep in mind that even with an easy to program system like Homekit, the more capable it gets, the more complex it can be. Complex home automation is still...complex, and can often involve higher level logic and decision making than what many people are interested in doing for themselves. I think future AI tools and techniques will help here, but at some point, an expert human may still need to be brought in.

-hh (2017) said:

rogifan_new said:

The people upset about this machine are really upset. My question is how big is the market for those who don’t want an iMac Pro or Mac mini but the Mac Pro is too much machine/too expensive for them. I’m talking about people who need this for their job, not hobbyists/enthusiasts who just want to tinker. I don’t think Apple will waste time on the tinkerer market. If you can get your work done with an iMac Pro or Mac mini that’s what Apple expects you to use.

...

And similarly, Apple does not honestly offer real 'Pro' class product support after purchase - - they're still very much a "consumer"-class corporation.  For example, Apple doesn't sell at any price an on-site repair/warranty service plan, let alone an <8 hour one instead of a <24 hour one. 

...

Apple does in fact offer "Pro" class support. It's called "Apple Care for Enterprise"

https://www.apple.com/support/enterprise/

They offer next day on-site support through IBM. (If same-day on-site support is required, there are authorized 3rd party providers).