What the HEIF?

HEIF (High-Efficiency Image Format) is a new image format for storing and exchanging photographs and image sequences, such as a burst of images or succession of images. In practical terms, it will reduce image file sizes while maintaining higher quality than .JPG (j-peg) files.

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Facebook and Apple Fight is About Monetizing You

If you’ve downloaded and installed Apple’s iOS 14.3 update for iPhones and iPads, you’ve put yourself in the sights of Facebook and Apple. Called “App Tracking Transparency” feature, it labels apps in the App Store, telling users what data those apps collect and whether it’s used to track them for advertising. Facebook, which makes its money from advertising, says the feature will harm small businesses that rely on targeted online advertising.

In many cases, you’re worth pennies on the dollar, but there are hundreds of billions of pennies at stake. And while both sides try to cloak their stands in privacy and free enterprise, it’s really about “fee enterprise.”

The gist of Apple’s policy is that when you download an app from the App Store, your activity on the device can’t be tracked unless you give permission. Until now, you had to opt-out to avoid being stalked electronically online. Most people usually ignore the opt-out/opt-in option, and Facebook and other web-based operations have made a lot of money by tracking you and selling the data to companies who want to sell something you want – or have indicated you may want.

According to a recent article in Forbes, Facebook itself estimates a 60-percent swing in advertising effectiveness between targeting and non-targeted advertisements. Facebook’s ad charges the article notes, will presumably match its ad-placement effectiveness. With the company controlling about 25 percent of a $40 billion online U.S. advertising market, up to $6 billion in annual revenue is at stake in the US alone. Google and Amazon also profit immensely from tracking you and selling your data.

The bottom line is that anyone who opts out is 60% less valuable than a regular customer, and that’s part of legal proceedings before the Federal Trade Commission and in 48 states. Apple, of course, has been taken to task for its practices in handling App Store operations, including who gets to put apps there, and other technical issues. They’re not saints, but that’s a separate issue from the Facebook issue.

The Forbes article likens Facebook’s operations to Ladies Night at a nightclub. On Ladies Night, clubs let women in for free expecting that they will attract men who will pay a cover, as well as spend money on the women and themselves. In a similar way, Facebook provides users with free services in the hope that advertisers will spend money on them. Facebook is like the owner-bartender who, for $10, will tell you everything he knows about a particular woman, including her relationship status and favorite drink.

I can’t speak for how a woman might feel after reading this, but anyone can feel some outrage about being put on display and sold. Yet at the same time, we’re looking for new and interesting products or services when we go online, and we may be open to new ideas when they’re presented to us. To me, that’s Facebook’s argument. You might view Apple as the guy who senses harassment and comes over to “protect” you.

To expand the transparency/privacy conversation, you have choices. You are able to use search engines and plug-ins that block unwanted ads while you browse the web and visit sites. Websites are fighting back by not allowing you access unless you unblock the ads on their site. You may not like the choices. You may not like sacrificing privacy for convenience or vice versa. But this is all part of the opt-in/opt-out battleground over who gets to profit from you.

If you have any questions about how to configure apps to meet your privacy or convenience needs, we can help. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us for an appointment to walk you through the process.

iPhone 12: It’s Here

iPhone 12 has arrived, and it could be in your hands (or mine) in less than two weeks. As with every Apple product rollout, this one is shrouded in secrecy and pierced by leaks. You can get the official info from the online presentation – Hi, Speed – from Apple Park.

By the time you read this, you may have already seen the presentation, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Regardless, here’s what we’re zeroing in on from what we’ve seen. iPhone 12 pre-orders could begin this Friday, and the first shipments could happen on October 23.

Rumors suggest the 6.7-inch iPhone and one 6.1-inch models will be higher-end devices with triple-lens cameras, while the 5.4 and 6.1-inch models will be lower-end iPhones with dual-lens cameras and a more affordable price tag. All iPhones in 2020 are expected to feature OLED display technology regardless of price. There were rumors that 120Hz displays could be included within the high-end iPhone 12 models, but more recent rumors indicate Apple will wait until 2021 to unveil the feature.

Reports indicate that Apple will take the plunge into 5G capability, but it’s possible that only one model, the iPhone 12 Pro Max will offer the fastest possible speeds. That makes sense; its 6.7-inch size will be able to house the antenna and slower-draining battery to provide the performance. iPhone is likely to have several ranges of 5G service with all the modems in the phone coming from Qualcomm.

With 5G still early in its development and deployment, we’ll need to wait to make better use of it, but the new iPhone 12 will be ready for at least some of it. Another futuristic twist will be LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). It uses lasers to judge distances and depth, and it’s big news for augmented reality (AR) and, to a lesser extent, photography. One can only wonder what it might open for new experiences on iPhones and iPads – and Apple Glasses.

But so much for the future. For the here and now, let’s review the expected specs and pricing for the four likely versions of the iPhone 12. All will have the new A14 processor and a minimum of 128GB storage, which is critical for all the apps we expect to use and high-image photos and videos we’ll want to take.

  • iPhone 12 mini will be considered the entry-level iPhone 12 with a 5.4-inch OLED panel with a rumored resolution of 2340×1080 pixels and Y-OCTA technology, which means that the touch sensor is integrated directly into the display. Like the iPhone 11, this model will rely on dual rear cameras, losing the telephoto in the Pro versions. It comes with 4GB of RAM. Estimated price: $699
  • iPhone 12 with its 6.1-inch will have the larger screen and battery size, and its OLED panel will have 2532×1170 resolution. It also has 4G of RAM. Estimated price: $799
  • iPhone 12 Pro is expected to have a 6.1-inch flexible OLED screen and could be the first phone to feature 10-bit color support with its 2532×1170 resolution along with Y-OCTA technology. Its screen may support a 120Hz refresh rate. It comes with 6G of RAM. Look for storage options up to 512GB. It could have three rear lenses, highlighted by a 64MP main sensor, plus a LiDAR time-of-flight sensor that will improve performance of AR apps. Estimated price: $1049
  • iPhone 12 Pro Max will be the same as the iPhone 12 Pro with a bigger 6.7-inch OLED screen and higher resolution at 2778×1824 pixels. A 120Hz refresh rate is also possible. Estimated price: $1149

We think the specs for each of the new iPhone 12s should hold pretty close to rumor reports. We’ve already seen some of the new features through the recent release of the iOS 14 operating system for iPhones and iPads – which coincided with the new iPad Air and 8th Generation last month. The pricing may be different. There will also be variations based on the storage capacity you choose.

If you drop down to 64GB on the iPhone 12 Mini or iPhone 12, you can save $50, which is probably false economy. Moving up to 256GB will likely add $100 to the base prices, and it may be worth the money. For the Pro and Pro Max models, going to 256GB will add $100, and going to 512GB will add $200.

While we’re on the subject of Apple upgrades, we’re expecting an upgrade to macOS Big Sur. It could be part of today’s announcements. The current version of macOS Catalina (10.15) is supported across every model line of Mac laptop and desktop, but only going back as far as 2012. With the release of Big Sur, Mac users will still see plenty of Intel-based Macs supported, but not as many as Catalina. It’s one of the big questions we have because many of our clients use Windows-based Microsoft 365 (Office) on their Macs. It’s likely that newer devices, like the iMac Pro and the MacBook will see all models supported, but products with longer legacies, like the Mac mini and the MacBook Air will see a lot of products missing out on support for Big Sur.

Releasing the new OS for Mac along with the new iPhone rollout would make a lot of sense, especially leading into the holiday shopping season. Apple already rolled out the new iPads and Apple Watch, along with OS upgrades for those products, the iPhone and Apple TV+.

Watch our social media for comments on the new Apple devices and operating systems. We can help you with OS updates and custom-configuring both the new operating systems and new devices. Once we see each of the new phones’ properties and prices, we’ll be able to guide you in selecting a new phone that’s right for you. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to talk about it.

PC vs. Mac: Burned at the Stake?

Religion and politics have not been the only subjects to generate intense discussions, if not outright arguments. The choice between a PC and Mac has generated the same feelings, but in actual experience, we’ve seen more détente – or ecumenicism. Many of us have PC computers and Apple mobile devices. Heck, many people even use Macs to run Windows programs. Are they about to be burned at the stake in a high-tech holy war?

The short answer is: Probably.

Way, way back at the dawn of the personal computing age, Apple and DOS (disk operating system) were the technologies that drove desktop computing. Within a few years, Apple established itself as both an operating system and a line of products. Microsoft used DOS to establish a line of software products (that evolved into Office and other business applications) that could be used with computers made by various manufacturers.

Both computing systems developed personae. Macs were graphically oriented and cool. PCs were no-nonsense and businesslike. Apple held tight control over its software and hardware. Microsoft and the rest of the PC world that developed were more open source, allowing in more hardware manufacturers and software developers and letting users customize systems to meet their needs and wants. Cool artists used Macs, and the wheels of commerce were driven by PCs.

Only problem was, businesspeople wanted to be cool. The industry gave them that ability. For many years, Macs had Intel processors that enabled their users to run Windows-based programs. It not only enabled people to have either a PC or Mac for doing work, it also enabled PC users to have cool iPhones and iPads that they could sync together.

This, of course, was a boon to developers. Apps like Parallel sprung up, and everyone could go merrily along the path of their choice.

But all this may be about to change. Apple is planning to drop the Intel chips and make its own for its products. We can speculate about all the business reasons Apple has to take this route. Besides being able to control its costs better (though that could be arguable), it would be more cost-effective to have the same chip for Macs, iPhones and iPads. It would make it much more efficient in so many ways to share apps and technology across all those devices and provide better security and customer service.

It could force its cool business customers to choose between being cool or getting down to business in a Windows environment. You may not be able to run those great PC programs with Parallel or a similar app. It may force business app developers to revise their code to fit the Apple system – and you can guess who’s going to pay for that. Once upon a time, Apple had its own word processor and spreadsheet programs, and it could decide to have them again.

We don’t know how things will shake out in this “holy war” between these two monolithic systems or if the shakeout (or shakedown) will happen. If you are one of those people who are attached to the Mac computer and Windows-based apps, you should talk to us. We can assess your needs and help you decide on a technology path that minimizes your risk of being burned on somebody’s technology stake. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us for an appointment.

New Shortages Popping Up

Late last year and early this year, we warned of Intel chip shortages, which made it difficult to get new computers for those who needed them to run Windows 10. Now, we have other shortages, compounded by some Apple decisions. So, who’s coming up short? It could be Apple.

Getting Apple stuff for our clients is becoming more challenging for the more expensive, high-end devices. The wait can be up to two weeks for things we used to get right away, and some of that is because of varying store hours.

One of our clients is waiting for a Mac with an SSD hard drive and a 27-inch monitor. It’s a combination that’s out of the ordinary, but it was never a problem to walk out of the store with that system. Now, we’re hoping the wait is only two weeks.

Looking ahead, Apple is expected to start making its own chips later this year for the 2021 Macs. It’s a logical move for the company, which is looking for more end-to-end control of its systems. Whether they’ll be able to produce enough chips because of COVID-19 concerns is one thing. Another thing is that when it drops the Intel chips (which could free up chip production for Windows-based computers), we think it may become harder to run Windows software on a Mac.

This has the effect of drawing a new line in the “cybersand” when it comes to compatibility, and that could be a problem in the business world. A lot of business applications are written for Windows, but the Apple platform has been able to accommodate them. For Mac fans, it’s the best of both worlds. But unless the app developers and Apple can up with apps for the platform, there’s another issue to add to our woes.

For those of you sticking with Windows systems, you can expect Intel’s supply problems to persist through the rest of this year. That is forcing some manufacturers to switch to AMD chips to meet the demand for their products. We’re still a fan of Intel chips, but if you need a new computer, we can certainly take a look at the AMD-equipped machines and see which one can work for you.

On the phone front, Apple is beating the drums for the iPhone 12, and it’s scheduled for release in the fall. Football is also scheduled for this fall, but we live in unusual times. Since all we can deal with at this time are rumors and speculations, this is expected to be the first year that Apple introduces 5G support in the iPhone. This will allow the new phones to connect to much faster networks. While all the phones will have 5G connectivity,  we don’t know if all models will have super-fast mmWave support in all countries. Of course, if you can’t travel, you can hold on to your current phone or, if you must upgrade a phone within your family or business, you can go with any of the less expensive iPhones, which are more than serviceable, and upgrade later.

While we don’t have a crystal ball, we can discuss your current and future computer and phone needs and help you find the best solution for your needs. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to talk about it.

The Worst is Yet to Come

What do factory closings and travel bans have in common? They’re going to affect the flow of technology to your business and home. Unfortunately, we have no idea yet on how bad the impact will be or how long it will take to recover.

Right now, the demand for products hasn’t caught up to the factory closings, but we can see the writing on the wall. The supplier that makes the cameras for Apple’s iPhones is still shut down, and Foxconn, the major supplier of phones has been shut for weeks. Even if the manufacturers have inventory to ship, the illness – or potential for illness – could shut down all forms of transportation into the United States. We just don’t know how long all of this will go on.

The travel bans are forcing the cancellations of technical conferences, and that will impact the flow of new hardware and software products and upgrades to you. The technology industry depends on conferences. It’s where they give developers the chance to look under the hood and ask questions. In turn, they start working on apps for new hardware or to fit the capabilities of new software – and all of that translates into new capabilities for your business, entertainment and quality of life.

We don’t know what the effects of the travel bans will be because we don’t know what was planned for development and rollout in the long-range future. But when you combine travel bans with factory shutdowns, it’s obvious that we’ll need to make do with what we have. And that may affect anybody who’s forced to work at home.

We haven’t begun to comprehend what could happen if offices are forced to close and employees have to work remotely. In our experience, we see a lot of laptop computers that never leave the office. In a shutdown, they might need to go home. While we can fix a lot of problems with computers remotely, we strongly recommend you test every computer. Employees can take them home and see how easily and quickly they can log in to your corporate network.

At the same time, you should make sure your network, servers and cloud connections are all functioning properly and that every piece of equipment and application is up to date on firmware and software. With your computing being distributed, it’s critical to do whatever you can to prevent problems before everyone and everything scatters to individual homes. You should also make sure everyone who’s logging in remotely understands they should not work from a public network, like from a Starbucks. You have no way to control the security of public networks, and you can bet hackers will be sipping lots of lattes as they search for ways to get some kind of information they can monetize.

If you have any questions at all about the operating conditions of your computers and other parts of your technology systems, call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss your needs. If you must close your office and have employees work at home, make sure they know how to contact us. Just as you’re being proactive with personal health, it’s time to be proactive with your technology’s health.

Health Wearables in Style at CES

Wearables caught our eye at this year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. There’s a wearable for almost any health condition, and that has its own set of pros and cons.

The big pro, as we see it, is that you can monitor so many health conditions, such as your heartbeat, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and if you have sleep apnea. A wearable can even detect AFib. The downsides, as we see them, are that there are too many proprietary technologies that require you to wear their own watch or wristband. That immediately conjured up in my mind an image of someone rolling up his sleeve and showing his arm full of watches – just like a guy trying to sell you something on the street.

We clearly will need some sort of a more ubiquitous watch, like an Apple Watch or Fitbit, to consolidate these capabilities into one wearable device. I would shudder at the thought of getting behind an overdressed health fanatic at airport security.

On a more helpful note, Amazon, Apple and Google are joining other internet and technology giants to join a project called “Connected Home Over IP”. The group aims to make it easier for device manufacturers to build products that are compatible with smart home and voice services such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant.

We like this development because it will reduce a lot of electronic clutter by allowing you to consolidate a variety of smart-home technologies into one platform. That can help you control them better from a smartphone, and it can help make your home more secure from hackers because you only need to worry about a single control point.

We’ve embraced a lot of smart-home technology in our family, and the convenience is a great benefit. But we’ve always wondered about where the security is. It’s up to us to demand better security from the internet industry and product manufacturers, and this is a step in that direction. However, it’s still up to you – more than ever – to secure your IoT devices to make your smart-home technology truly smart.

Finally, there was a lot of buzz over sex and technology. We’ll sidestep all the lurid details, but sex has always sold, so we’ll be in for more of it. One sex-product developer even won an award for innovation, but it was pulled after some heavy pushback.

Sex toys aside, more technology will continue to hit the markets for anything that affects your life – for work and for play. As you add more technology, you’ll need to make sure your network has the capacity to handle new devices and systems, and you’ll need to make sure it’s all secure. That’s where we can help. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to help get your new technology running.