Egg Freckles

The 2013 Mac Pro has been a disaster. After 1,056 days since its last update, Apple has proven they are no longer interested in making a computer for the high-end professional.

While the iMac has always been the computer for the rest of us, the Mac Pro has always been the computer for the professional. Free from self-imposed restrictions on size, weight, and power, the Mac Pro allowed the rest of Apple’s products to appeal to the masses while specializing in the needs of professionals who value performance first.

Introduced under the battle-cry “can’t innovate anymore my ass,” the revolutionary 2013 Mac Pro upset the balance. Innovating in a new direction few professionals wanted to go.

Marco Arment explains why:

The 2013 Mac Pro was introduced with a substantial price increase, far less internal expansion, fewer and more expensive processor options, and a forced dual-workstation-GPU configuration even for buyers who would’ve been fine with a single GPU. Then it was abandoned for three years, during which 5K displays finally came to market, but without a good option for Mac Pro buyers.

The 2013 Mac Pro was a victim of limited configuration options in a market that values versatility and edge-case handling, poor timing behind the 5K transition, and years-long neglect. A 2017 Mac Pro need not suffer from the same issues, and could sell far better.

He’s hoping Apple gives the Mac Pro a second-chance. I think it is too late.

The 2013 Mac Pro, is the Power Mac G4 Cube of its age. An expensive concept computer with an appealing aesthetic, but limited market appeal. The difference is unlike the Cube, that got put on ice mere months after its initial release, the Mac Pro wastes away in silence.

Stephen Hackett:

Apple should give their pro users an olive branch here. If the Mac Pro is going to stick around, then the company should have an answer to Marco’s complaints. If there is something in the pipeline, the company should tip its hand a little. I can’t imagine sales of the Mac Pro are good anymore, so I don’t this would be a big hit on the bottom line.

A word on a future product would be more than a nice gesture, though. It would bring professional nerds — the Mac’s biggest fans — back away from the ledge a little bit.

Apple could say something, but even if they did is it worth waiting for the next generation of Xeon processors and Thunderbolt 3? Is updated I/O and the opportunity to buy a third-party 5K display enough to sell us on a future Mac Pro?

Apple is not going back to the cheese grater design from 2003. And after three years without an update, it is hard to believe Apple still has their heart in a new Mac Pro at all. Tim Cook is running the Mac Pro product line until it fails to make a profit. Then it is time to shut it down.

If you can wear Apple Earpods, you can wear Amazon Premium Headphones. If you think Apple Earpods sound good, Amazon Premium Headphones sound the same. If you take calls or pause the music on your Apple EarPods, Amazon Premium Headphones won’t let you down. And if you replace your Apple Earpods every few months due to loss or damage, don’t expect Amazon Premium Headphones to hold up any better. They are made out of the same materials, but Amazon Premium Headphones are half the price. Amazon Premium Headphones are not a superior product; they are a more convenient product. And that’s the only reason why you will find Amazon Premium Headphones in my ears.

The Good

Amazon Premium Headphones are tangle free. Their flat spaghetti cord resists being tied in knots. On the end of each earbud is a magnet, and when the earbuds are not in use they attract. The back of the left earbud connects with the back of the right earbud. This bond prevents the two earbuds from being tangled together. Sure, you could tie Amazon Premium Headphones in a bow if you really wanted to, but why would you do that? Amazon Premium Headphones come with a familiar remote control for taking taking calls and playing music. The remote control is in the fork of the headphones instead of on the cord leading to the right earbud. You can still find the right and left earbuds by feel, and use the built-in microphone even if you only have the left earbud in your ear. Call quality is the same as Apple Earpods; even if the microphone is further from your mouth. Just don’t try adjusting your iPhone’s volume with Amazon’s built-in remote control. The volume buttons don’t work with Apple products. Amazon Premium Headphones are black. They match the clothes I wear. They might match your clothes too. After wearing white earbuds for over a decade, it is nice to no longer be starring in my own Apple commercial. Amazon Premium Headphones are available on Prime; with same-day shipping in some areas. I lose or break my headphones a few times each year. Having a replacement pair in my hands the next day is the primary reason I buy Amazon Premium Headphones.

The Bad

The remote on Amazon Premium Headphones work with plenty of Android phones and tablets. But as I said before the volume buttons don’t work on Apple devices. I don’t know what Apple does differently, but not being able to quiet your calls on the cord may be a deal breaker for fans of iOS. After owning three pairs of Amazon Premium Headphones I have found the remote fails more often than Apple EarPods. The plastic splits along the middle, exposing the circuitry inside; a weakness in Amazon’s design. A little electrical tape puts everything back together, but I expect more from headphones with “Premium” in the name.

The Ugly

You will lose your Amazon Premium Headphone; we all do. And if you don’t lose them they will break before their first birthday. Amazon Premium headphones are made to be replaced. But they sound good while they last, work as expected, and replacing them is easier than waiting in an Apple Store line. That is why I buy Amazon Premium Headphones.

I skipped the first Apple Watch. I missed the benefits of customizable watch faces, the importance of complications, and the appeal of swappable bands. I read how Apple Watch was slow, the screen was dim, but battery life was OK. I learned you could get Apple Watch wet even if you shouldn't take it for a swim. And I listened to nerds worry about meeting fitness goals for the first time. The first Apple Watch never made it onto my wrist because it couldn't replace the watches I was already wearing.

• My mechanical watch that lasts all day
• My diving watch that goes for a swim

• My GPS watch that tracks marathons

  In order to wear Apple Watch it needed to last into the night, survive a mile swim, and record a three hour marathon. Apple Watch Series 2 promises to do all three.

Day Zero: Setup

My first day with Apple Watch was September 19th, 2016. I bought the last Series 2 for sale in my State; Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Woven Nylon Strap. Even if I had a choice, space gray with a nylon strap looks good on me. I got the 38 mm case. It may not get the same battery life as the 42 mm case, but it fits my wrist better. I am left handed. I wear Apple Watch on my right wrist, with the Digital Crown on the right side. After bringing Apple Watch home, I paired it to my phone and left it to charge overnight. Configuring Apple Watch through the built-in app on the iPhone is elegant, but I wish I could configure it though the Web instead. Apple please free the watch from the phone the same way you freed the phone from the Mac. At least I didn't have to launch iTunes.

Day One: Run

On the second day I took my Apple Watch for a seven mile run. I left my iPhone at home. GPS tracking began the minute I started my Outdoor Workout. No need to wait for my watch to find a satellite. Apple Watch relies on the iPhone for location services. It knows where my iPhone is, and my iPhone knows where I am with the help of GPS, WiFi, and cellular triangulation. If I leave my iPhone at home, Apple Watch uses built-in GPS to pick up my location from where my iPhone left off. If I take my iPhone with me, Apple Watch uses my iPhone's built-in GPS to conserve battery life. I don't want to wait for my watch, but I don't want to run with my iPhone; with Apple Watch Series 2 I don't have to. Apple Watch waits for me. My workout pauses when I do. If I am running and I stop for a traffic, Apple Watch pauses my workout until I begin again. No more feeling around for the pause button at every intersection. Auto Pause may not be as precise as pushing a button, but it makes recording my workout easier. At the end of a workout Apple Watch shows me my total distance, total time, active/total calories, and average pace. Depending on the workout Apple Watch also records my average heart rate, mapped route, and the weather. Viewing this information on the watch is useful, but the real value comes from dissecting my splits and mapped route on the iPhone's Activity app. I wish Apple made this information available on the web, with a better filter for comparing similar workouts. I run with my Apple Watch almost every day.

Day Six: Swim

On the sixth day I took my Apple Watch for a mile swim. Apple Watch Series 2 is water resistant down to fifty meters. Back and forth across the pond; Apple Watch recorded every stroke. Every time Apple Watch leaves the surface of the water the built-in GPS finds my location and updates my position. Strokes that keep Apple Watch submerged prevent the GPS from working. Apple Watch continues to estimate my position until the next time it breaks the surface of the water. In the open water, where the pool length is unknown , I let Apple Watch see the sky at the end of each turn. Apple Watch drys off easy; even the nylon strap. At the end of a water workout Apple Watch prompts you to "turn Digital Crown to unlock and eject water." The sound of the vibrating speaker ejects water trapped inside the speaker hole. You can lock the screen to prevent accidental taps and eject water at any time. Something I try to remember when I take Apple Watch in the shower. I never want to take my Apple Watch off. Day Thirteen: Marathon On the thirteenth day I put Apple Watch to the test. Would the battery in the 38 mm model hold up recording a three hour marathon? Apple Watch is on my wrist by 6:00 a.m. every morning. After a one hour run and being strapped to my wrist all day, Apple Watch has about 20% battery life left when I come home at 6:00 p.m. each night. In my mind it should be able to survive a three hour marathon, but I put it in Power Saving Mode disabling the built-in heart rate sensor just in case. Three hours, six minutes, and forty-five seconds later Apple Watch helped me cross the finish line with 22% battery life to space. Apple Watch did a great job displaying my current time, distance, and average pace throughout the race.. More accurate that my old GPS watch, Apple Watch helped me maintain the pace I needed to finish strong. After returning to my car, Apple Watch automatically synced my marathon stats back to my iPhone's Activity app. No other watch makes it so easy to analyze my splits and trace my route, after the race. I wish Apple Watch recorded the elevation along every mile, and offered a better way to share workout data with friends. But Apple Watch is still in its infancy. With each baby step I am becoming an Apple Watch believer.

Day Thirty: Conclusion

Apple Watch Series 2 has replaced my mechanical watch, my diving watch, and my GPS watch; it lasts all day, goes swimming, and tracks marathons. Helping me track my life is all I really want my watch to do. But Apple Watch is so much more than just a timepiece: - Stylish customizable watch faces, and swappable straps

• Intelligent voice dictation

• Real-time notifications and apps

  Apple Watch is more than a watch, it is my first wearable computer. A digital companion that goes everywhere I go; keeping track of me.

Last April I was worried the $10,000+ Apple Watch Edition would alienate Apple’s core customers. Separating technology enthusiasts and everyday people from a company that once prided itself upon making “the computer for the rest of us.”

I wasn’t alone.

Estimates “Apple Watch revenue will be dominated by the gold Edition units” were overly optimistic. Just 10 months after its release, Apple began removing mention of the Apple Watch Edition from its retail stores and website.

At a time when Apple has just launched its cheapest ever iPhone, and when Phil Schiller caused a few raised eyebrows over what some interpreted as an elitist remark, Apple seems to be aiming for a more egalitarian image where the Apple Watch is concerned.

Apple has quietly revamped the Apple Watch section of its website, rendering the Edition almost invisible unless you specifically go looking for it. In addition, we’re hearing reports that Apple’s most expensive Watch is also being removed from some retail store displays …

It doesn’t look like 18K gold has a bright future at Apple. That is why I was surprised to hear of a new Apple Watch Edition announced at Apple’s September 7th Special Event.

John Gruber tells us more:

Gold is out. Taking its place as the Series 2 Apple Watch Edition is a white ceramic model. In person it is gorgeous, and feels great. The price is a non-ludicrous $1249/1299 (38/42 mm). It seems pretty clear that everyone who looked at the original Edition prices ($10,000–20,000) and said “No one is going to buy those” was proven correct. This $1,000–1,500 range feels about right for the high-end Apple Watches.

Even though I was never an Apple Watch Edition customer, I am glad to hear gold is out and the price has returned to pre-ludicrous levels. As a flagship product, the new Apple Watch Edition in ceramic feels much more like an forward-facing Apple product than the anachronous 18K gold models that proceeded it. With four times the hardness of stainless steel and virtually scratch proof, ceramic is the kind of fashion statement I hope makes its way into future Apple products.

I also agree with John. The “Apple Watch Edition could just as well be called Apple Watch Jony Ive Edition.”

Ive is famously fascinated with using new materials. The original Edition lineup may well have existed not so much because Apple believed they would sell in significant numbers but because Jony Ive wanted to work with gold, and the watch is the only Apple device to date where gold made even a lick of sense. This white ceramic has Jony Ive written all over it.

If Apple Watch Edition gives us a glimpse into the future of Apple’s product and keeps Jony Ive happy that is alright by me.

I have been waiting all Summer for the introduction of the iPhone 7. Not because I plan on buying an iPhone 7, but because I wanted to hear Apple’s reason for removing the headphone jack from their flagship phone.

Here’s what Phil Schiller had to say about the subject during the September 7th Apple Special Event:

Now some people have asked why we would remove the analog headphone jack from the iPhone. […] The reason to move on — I’m going to give you three of them, but it really comes down to one word: courage. The courage to move on, do something new, that betters all of us. And our team has tremendous courage.

Many of the people I interact with on Twitter found Phil’s explanation of ‘courage’ to be a little obtuse and a tad bit arrogant. Heck even I used Phil’s explanation to poke fun at Apple’s expense. But if there is anything worth waiting for after an Apple event, besides the new products, it is John Gruber’s analysis of the show.

This time around John, with the help of 9To5Mac, reminds us of another time Apple used ‘courage’ to support their decision to leave something out.

We’re trying to make great products for people, and we have at least the courage of our convictions to say we don’t think this is part of what makes a great product, we’re going to leave it out. Some people are going to not like that, they’re going to call us names […] but we’re going to take the heat [and] instead focus our energy on these technologies which we think are in their ascendancy and we think are going to be the right technologies for customers.

I like John’s comparison of Apple removing Flash, better than I like John’s comparison of Apple removing the floppy drive. But in either case Apple was right “to push the industry toward something much better.” Especially if the next best thing is an open standard like HTML5 video instead of proprietary Flash; but even if the next best thing is a licensed technology like rewritable CDs instead of the outdated floppy.

What concerns me is the real incentive behind Apple’s new found courage. Is it about pushing the status quo to accept open standards like Bluetooth or selling proprietary technologies like Lightning headphones and the W1 wireless chip in Apple Airpods? You might say these things are only half measures until Bluetooth catches up. But I don’t see Apple licensing Lightning ports on other phones or W1 chips on other headphones anytime soon. In fact as Apple has grown larger, I would argue the incentive behind more of their courageous decisions is less about promoting open standards and more about securing technological lock-in.

Don’t believe me? Just look as far as FaceTime, Messages, and iCloud. Who wins, Apple or its customers, when the headphones customers buy and the social networks customers adopt only work on Apple devices?

Apple may “make decisions that they know will provoke outrage just because they think it’s the right thing to do.” And most companies will do anything to avoid controversy. But what company wouldn’t provoke a little outrage or controversy if they thought they could get away with it? Especially if getting away with it meant maintaining a status quo with them in control?

By removing the headphone jack Apple is not only showing us they have the courage to push the human race forward, but that they are brave enough to profit from the proprietary post headphone jack future they are asking the world to create.