xyzzy01

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xyzzy01
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  • Microsoft Teams adds audio sharing and notifications for Mac users

    xyzzy01xyzzy01
    The main thing I'm missing is multiple enterprise accounts.

    As a consultant, only being able to be logged in at either the customer or my employer is deeply productivity-killing. They added the ability to add a private account in addition to the enterprise one, but I've never seen a use for that.
    Mac512userwatto_cobra

  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar calls AirTags release 'timely' ahead of Senate antitrust hearing

    xyzzy01xyzzy01
    daven said:
    Nothing stoped competing products from creating their own apps to find their tags. In fact, they did just that. 

    Sure, but Apple gets a couple of large advantages when deciding to compete in this market:

    1) Both vendors depend on a network of devices to find the tags if they're missing... Tile tags are only searched for by other Tile-owning customers running the same app. Same for other vendors... as long as you don't have a lot of customers, the use will be limited. Apple gets to use all iPhones by default

    2) For detection etc to work for Tile, the users need to run an app in the background. Not only will this probably use a bit more battery etc. than Apple's implementation which will be at the OS level, but Tile's app will also have nag the users about using the location in the background on a regular basis. No such need for Apple's competing, newly launched product.

    I'm obviously not saying that to avoid this, any vendor should be able to run whatever they want in the background and gather data so as to reduce friction with customers - or that any vendor should be able to get their software included in the OS on every iPhone. I'm just pointing out that this - the ability to gain a huge advantage in a new market due to a market position in a different market - is problematic. 

    I don't have a good solution either.
    muthuk_vanalingam

  • Logitech discontinues Harmony universal remote lineup

    xyzzy01xyzzy01
    That's very unfortunate.

    I've been a happy user since 2008, and have used several versions. In my main setup I've got 8 devices to control  (TV, receiver, 3 consoles, Sonos, AppleTV, 4K bluray w/SACD), and a universal remote which can control all of this is essential.

    It's not only about not needing to keep remotes for all of these next to the chair, it's also about setting the correct inputs on the TV and receiver. Sure, it will work for some time still - but eventually, it won't.
    gregoriusmpujones1watto_cobra

  • Google updates Gmail for iOS with widgets and privacy 'nutrition' label

    xyzzy01xyzzy01
    ihatescreennames said:
    I’m not trying to be snarky here, this is a legitimate question on my part. Can anyone explain why GMail has so many “may be collected” points compared to Apple Mail? Why would purchase info be collected, for instance?

    For reference, here’s what Apple Mail says:


     Two things here:

    1) There is a large difference between "apple mail the app" and "gmail the service". Apple's mail is just an interface to mail services, gmail's nutrition info covers the service as well. Thus, Apple's mail using the Gmail service would end up pretty much the same in what data Google gets.

    2) Google does a lot of useful stuff with your email - e.g. it will identify and categorise receipts so you can easily find them later. It will also find things like airline tickets, other things with set times (cinema tickets, for pre-covid times) etc and help you track all of these, updates etc.

    Of course, it doesn't use all of this info just to help you, it's also to be able to sell you for a higher price.

    williamlondonFileMakerFellerwatto_cobra

  • Intel targets M1 weaknesses in 'You're not on a Mac' ad campaign

    xyzzy01xyzzy01
    KTR said:
    Interesting how they didn't mentioned that you can run smartphone software on an intel base pc.  At least this is something is POSSIBLE on a M1 mac.  Guess someone should go on intel home pare and mentioned this lol
    You can run Android applications on a PC if you want to with Bluestacks. Works on a Mac too, if their home page is to be believed.

    I've never used it, but I've seen it frequently recommended on a forum I participate in.  Some people want to run a service they subscribe to on PC, instead of on a mobile device or tablet (or an actual treadmill/cycle/rower/elliptical)
    watto_cobra