Wesley_Hilliard

mikethemartian said:

Wall Street is now calling it TACO trade.

Laughter is one of the more effective weapons against fascism.

Xed said:

SiTime said:

So it’s going to be “iOS 26” and not “iOS 25”? Going to make it less-confusing by naming it one calendar year ahead of the actual year (car model year style)? If so, that’s fine. I’ll adjust. But doing it this way is slightly more-confusing than it needs to be. Naming it based on the actual year would have been… but whatever. Just need to remember that the actual year of release is: OS Number - 1. 

I hadn't picked up on that. Naming it iOS 26 in the year 2025 does seem like a misstep if Apple goes that route.

The problem Apple faces, the same problem as car manufacturers, is that the name iOS 25 is great for three months, then suddenly it sounds old and outdated for nine months until iOS 26 arrives.

It is better to be ahead for a couple of months than behind for nine. Also, iOS 26 won't be out until about a week before October, which is the beginning of the FY26. It works.

9secondkox2 said:

Wesley_Hilliard said:

9secondkox2 said:

Good. Kids are more important than profits. Let kids enjoy a wholesome childhood for crying out loud. 

You can have all the “parental control” products in the world and they won’t get used if it’s not constantly reminder and dead simple. Most parents are either too lazy or too tech averse to set it up. 

Age verification makes this constantly reminder and dead simple. Kudos to Texas. 

"Think of the kids" -- said by someone who is definitely thinking of the kids every time.

The reality is this is a nightmare for children and their privacy. I hope if legislators demand such a terrible system that Apple provides the best version of one we could get. One that preserves privacy and security of every user.

Actually it's more protective of the kids and even their parents. "think of the kids" can be abused in situations like corporate or government monitoring of everything you do, sure. But this is nowhere near that. This is more like going to the gas station and trying to buy cigarettes when you are 15 years old and being asked for ID. You already need a credit card to use the App Store. 

And Apple is known for being privacy-centric. That's not getting thrown out the window just because they are now being forced to make sure they're authorizing the right people.

Having to reveal the age of every user to every app downloaded, whether it is social media or a calculator app, is a violation of privacy. The law is also the gateway to more control over the child and their speech by parents and the government. As Reuters points out, there's another bill that is waiting for the Senate vote that will use the age verification law to restrict all social networks to people over 18. While social media can be a problem, it is also a lifeline to children seeking belonging and togetherness. By isolating anyone under the age of 18 from their peers and the rest of the world, you take away yet another right to exist as you are.

The law is a comically evil broach of basic rights. The parents should be the ones that decide how their kids access the internet and what apps they use, not the government. "But the children" is being used here to control what media children have access to, and that is dangerous. Texas is one of the states where they are banning books and education programs to ensure their children aren't exposed to outside views. Now they are coming for their access to information via the internet.

Thankfully, kids are smart. It isn't hard to get around these things. But that isn't the point -- the US government shouldn't be dictating what information people, even children, have access to. 

mike_galloway said:

bloggerblog said:

I bought two unbranded bicycle bells from Alibaba that cost me 50cents (for both), the tariffs added 75cents. That 150% tax n tariffs for a total of $1.25
This product is still astronomically cheaper than the rebranded bells at REI of the exact product for $32 each!! So now Trump's tariff is higher than the manufacturer's profits. What happens to this tariff, where does it go? And the tariff is not a deterrent since the product is still cheaper. The tariffs are a tax on Americans, not Chinese. Their price did not change for them, but it did for me and to those who buy in bulk and rebrand.

As long as you keep shopping from abroad, the government gets its tax via tariffs - I believe this was part of the plan. If you stop shopping from abroad then you must buy local or not at all if local is too expensive. I get the idea even if it is doomed to fail.

Except that everything you buy local is likely using materials sourced from outside of the country. The only thing that isn't going to be hit by tariffs are homemade candles with local wax and homemade wicks. Well, they'll need to make the jar for the candle too I suppose. And that candle will cost $80.

It's a brilliant plan if you're a cartoon character.

Moderation note: no, it is not okay to suggest that protesting the genocide of Palestinians is a terrorist effort on college campuses. I don't know why that needs to be said, but here we are. Why is Harvard being brought up in a discussion about iPhone tariffs? Who knows. Cut it out.