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iPhone 5se drawings: nearly identical to 5s, relocated power key + slightly curved edges
We have been reported since earlier this year that Apple is preparing to launch a new 4-inch iPhone called the iPhone 5se. Our sources have said that the new device is essentially the 2013 iPhone 5s with significant internal hardware and software upgrades. Earlier rumors about a next-generation smaller iPhone model called the device an “iPhone 6c” and said that it would look similar to the iPhone 6 in appearance.
Today, a case maker source provided us with schematics that line up with what we have been hearing from our sources who have used the iPhone 5se: the device looks nearly like a 5s. The case maker source tells us that the product’s dimensions are indistinguishable from the iPhone 5s, meaning that the new device will fit inside of existing iPhone 5s cases. There are a couple of changes, however, on our drawings. First, these schematics indicate that the sleep/wake/power button has been relocated to the side.
This change would make sense given that Apple made the shift on the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus beginning in 2014. In line with our sources have been saying since January, the case maker tells us that the edges of the device and the front glass panel are slightly curved around the edges, but not as curved as the sides of the iPhone 6 and 6s. Schematics shown on website iGeneration also show these curves, but do not show the relocated power switch. They also oddly show a small camera bump.
Besides those changes, the iPhone 5se is externally essentially an iPhone 5s: a design nearly identical to the 2012 iPhone 5 with metal plates on the back, glass caps on the top and bottom of the back, and a FaceTime camera centered above the front facing speaker.
As for the insides, sources have said that the new device includes the A9 and M9 chips from the iPhone 6s, the ability to take Live Photos, an upgraded camera hardware system, and an NFC chip for Apple Pay. The only other noticeable external difference will be a new Rose Gold color option, joining the previously available Gold, Silver, and Space Gray options from the iPhone 5s. The new device will come in 16GB and 64GB storage options and sell for the same prices as the 5s.
Sources say that Apple will unveil the new iPhone 5se at an event on March 15th. Apple then plans to release the phone as soon as March 18th, and the company is not currently planning to offer the device via a standard pre-order campaign. At its March 15th event, Apple is also said to be readying a series of new Apple Watch model options (including a new Space Black Milanese Loop and NATO-style nylon straps), as well as an upgraded version of the 9.7-inch iPad with an A9X processor and a Smart Connector.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: design, Drawings, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5se, schematics, Siri
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Tim Cook talks encryption case in interview, says unlocking device would ‘be bad for America’
Apple CEO Tim Cook has today sat down with ABC’s David Muir to talk about the company’s battle with the FBI. Last week, a California court requested that Apple unlock an iPhone 5c used by one of the San Bernardino gunmen in December. Cook replied to the request with a letter on Apple’s homepage, saying that Apple did not want to create the tool that would be required to unlock the device. In his interview with Muir, Cook elaborated on the company’s decision…
Cook was first asked about Apple’s communication with the Obama Administration regarding the Justice Department’s request. He noted that, relating to this specific case, there was almost no communication between the government and Apple. “We actually found out about the filing from the press,” Cook said. “And I don’t think that something so important to this country should be handled that way.”
Muir then pressed Cook to dive deeper into the company’s reasoning for siding with protecting user security versus potentially protecting national security. Muir pointed out that many people see the San Bernardino attacks as a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, making it hard for them to side with Apple on the issue. Cook explained, however, that he believes it would “be bad for America” to set a precedent where user data is compromised to potentially expose something that “might be there.”
I think safety of the public is incredibly important. Safety of our kids, safety of our families is very important. The protection of people’s data is incredibly important and so the tradeoff here is that we know that doing this could expose people to incredible vulnerabilities. This is not something that we would create. This would be bad for America and it would also set a precedent that I believe many people in America would be offended by. And so when you think about those which are knowns, compared to something that might be there, I believe we are making the right choice.
You can view two clips from Cook’s interview on ABC below. More clips will soon come.
Apple’s battle with the FBI over national security versus user privacy began last week and has since become one of the biggest and most complex stories in tech and politics. You can view all of our extensive coverage at the links below:
- U.S. judge orders Apple to help FBI access data on San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone 5c
- Apple publishes letter responding to FBI iPhone unlock demand: ‘an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers’
- Google CEO Pichai appears to side with Apple in series of vague tweets on FBI encryption battle
- Security firm shows how Apple could bypass iPhone security to comply with FBI request
- Opinion: How likely is Apple to succeed in resisting the FBI court order?
- Should Apple comply with FBI request to bypass San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone? [Poll]
- Civil rights groups and tech companies express support for Apple’s stand against the FBI
- Opinion: Why an iPhone master key is better than a backdoor, but still too dangerous
- Petition urges White House to support Apple in blocking government access to locked iPhones
- Senate Intelligence Committee considering bill to penalize companies refusing to decrypt user device
- Report: Apple to get more time to formally respond to government’s request for access to locked iPhone
- Apple/FBI fight looks destined to go all the way to the Supreme Court as more background is revealed
- Department of Justice files motion to force Apple to comply with FBI iPhone backdoor request
- Apple implies FBI screwup: iPhone Apple ID password changed in govt possession, backdoor unnecessary
- FBI explains why it changed Apple ID password in iPhone unlock case, retrieved iCloud backups up to October 19 but wants more
- San Bernardino victims divided on iPhone issue as FBI claims not trying to set a precedent
- Apple/FBI: Tim Cook sends memo to employees, wants government to drop All Writs Act demands, posts customer FAQ
- Mark Zuckerberg sides w/ Apple in encryption battle as poll suggests public supports FBI
- Report says DOJ seeking data from ‘about’ 12 other iPhones as Bill Gates sides with FBI
- Report: Apple to argue that encryption battle with FBI should be decided by Congress
- Bloomberg: Apple will argue that the digital signature it uses to validate code is protected as free speech
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, Encryption, FBI, interview, iPhone, Tim Cook
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Elon Musk hires Apple’s alloy expert to lead materials engineering at both Tesla and SpaceX
Original Story from our sister-site Electrek
Elon Musk, CEO of both electric automaker Tesla and rocket manufacturer SpaceX, splits his time between his two companies, which he also co-founded and financed with most of his early fortune from Paypal. Now Electrek has learned through sources that Musk will not be the only executive dividing his time between Tesla and SpaceX since the CEO hired Apple’s alloy expert Charles Kuehmann to lead materials engineering at both companies.
Kuehmann is now Vice-President of Materials Engineering at Tesla and SpaceX, where he is responsible for delivering materials innovations, something he is very familiar with after over two decades spent in materials science.
Musk often talked about the difficulties involved in running two companies, but he also acknowledged some advantages of being active in two different industries. SpaceX aims to dramatically reduce the cost of rockets and if there’s an industry who mastered the art of making complex vehicles cheap, it’s certainly the automotive industry.
On the other hand, Tesla has benefited from SpaceX’s expertise of high-tech manufacturing techniques such as stir welding, a technique SpaceX uses to join large sheets of metal like the ones used for the aluminium tank of their rockets.
It was revealed last year that SpaceX transferred friction stir welding equipment to Tesla.
Tesla and SpaceX share a few board members and there’s been movements of engineers between the two companiesX before, we have recently reported on some in our piece on Tesla’s Autopilot team: A look at the team of “hardcore” engineers building Tesla’s Autopilot and the exodus that followed its release, but nothing as conspicuous as holding VP roles at each company, like Kuehmann.
Kuehmann apparently started his new roles in December after leaving both his positions at Apple and QuesTek Innovations, but we could only confirmed it today.
Aluminium coils at Tesla’s Fremont factory from bonus footage of Racing Extinction
Kuehmann earned a PhD in Materials Science & Engineering from Northwestern University in 1994 and co-founded QuesTek two years later with four other colleagues affiliated with Northwestern University to commercialize the work of his mentor and pioneer in the field of computational materials design; Prof. Gregory B. Olson, who has been called the “father of materials design” by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
QuesTek Innovations went on to successfully develop and commercialize not only several new materials engineering tools and processes, but also numerous new alloys based on a number of different elements including Al, Co, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Nb, Ti, and W.
From the company’s website:
“We computationally design materials to directly meet user-defined material needs with our proprietary Materials by Design expertise and technology. We rapidly invent, design and develop and qualify new materials into demanding applications to reduce capital, processing, operating or maintenance costs, or to improve environmental protection, competitive supply or competitive advantage.”
In 2012, QuesTek’s technology was sold to an undisclosed buyer in Silicon Valley while retaining rights to its intellectual property and client list:
The 66-year-old entrepreneur and Northwestern University professor of materials science and engineering was celebrating the sale late last year of the technology developed by QuesTek Innovations LLC, a new-materials design company he co-founded in 1996. Mr. Olson and the dozen QuesTekers who didn’t decamp for Silicon Valley, where the unnamed buyer is based, are in rebuilding mode.
Coincidentally (or likely not), in 2012, Kuehmann joined Apple as ‘Director of Product Design’ while staying on QuesTek’s board of directors. Many others also made the jump from Questek to Apple that same month indicating that Apple was likely the buyer of QuesTek’s IP.
Looking at his background, Kuehmann seems to have an expertise in aluminum alloys, which Apple uses extensively in its products from the iPhones and iPad to the MacBooks to the Apple Watch Sport.
Kuehmann is named as an inventor on dozens of patents, mainly for QuesTek and Northwestern, but also on a 2014 patent application from Apple for “Aluminum alloys with high strength and cosmetic appeal”.
Apple claims that the aluminum alloy developed for the Apple Watch is 60 percent stronger than standard alloys but just as light:
You can read the rest of this article on Electrek
Seth Weintraub contributed to this report.
If you want more Tesla Motors and electric vehicle news, make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ to get our latest articles.
Side note: SpaceX has a rocket launch today scheduled for 23:46:14 UTC (6:46:14 PM EST). you can watch live via SpaceX’s webcast, or via SpaceX Stats Live to get live updates with the stream. At the time of writing this, the weather is a 60% go.
Our recent coverage of Tesla Motors:
- A look at the team of “hardcore” engineers building Tesla’s Autopilot and the exodus that followed its release
- Tesla is implementing a new custom end-to-end platform called ‘Tesla 3DX’ to ramp up for the Model 3 and Tesla Energy
- Tesla signs a lease for a 40,000 sq-ft showroom and service center in Brooklyn, NY
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple, Apple alloy, Charles Kuehmann, Kuehmann, SpaceX, Tesla
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9 Reasons Why TrueView is a Brilliant Platform for Inbound Marketers
YouTube is a big business. There are over a billion people — that’s almost a third of all internet users — watching hundreds of millions of hours of YouTube videos every day.
Clearly, YouTube’s TrueView ad platform presents a massive opportunity for marketers and brands. Campaigns in TrueView are set up and managed using AdWords, which makes it versatile in terms of targeting settings and ad formats. Not to mention, ads are less intrusive from a viewer’s perspective. The benefits of using TrueView as an ad platform are abundant.
The two main options for running campaigns are in-stream ads (usually linking to your website and offering additional calls-to-action), which are shown before or during a video, and in-display ads (usually linking to a video) targeting keywords, which appear in the search results or in the side panel next to videos.
There are multiple advantages of running TrueView ads as part of your inbound marketing strategy, including:
1) YouTube advertising is young and low cost
The relatively low cost of advertising on YouTube, in its infancy stage, means you can test out the flexible campaign settings and targeting options at your liberty. In contrast, when TrueView ads become more expensive in the future, advertisers will spend more money on experiments that fall flat. Get on board early, so you can learn the ropes before the market becomes saturated.
2) It’s pretty native
Native advertising is a growing trend right now, and TrueView ads have the potential to appear very naturally on the YouTube platform. After all, people came to the website to watch videos.
In-display ads in particular, which can appear as suggested videos or search results, sit comfortably beside YouTube’s non-ad content.
In-stream ads, on the other hand, can be more intrusive, so they should be well-targeted and engaging to encourage viewers to watch them rather than skip.
3) For the most part, you’ll only pay for engaged viewers
The viewer has the option to skip your in-stream ads after five seconds, but you only pay when a whole clip or 30 seconds of the clip is viewed — whichever is shortest — or when a viewer engages with your video, if that interaction comes first.
Likewise with in-display ads, you pay for clicks rather than impressions. As a result, you will usually only pay for those viewers who are interested in your message.
4) Earned conversions are free
A viewer doesn’t need to watch the full video or click an ad in order to convert. In the days following an impression, they may decide to visit your website and later convert of their own accord.
Make a strong first impression with your ad and your messaging will stick, whether they continue watching to the end or not.
Ads shown to users which weren’t viewed or clicked on, but later convert, are earned views. These conversions aren’t charged for, so enjoy the free marketing!
5) Targeting can be very granular
Using your AdWords account, it’s possible to target certain types of user (based on demographic categories like age group and gender), as well as categories of video and specific channels, so your ad gets shown only to the types of people likely to engage and convert.
You can also target specific keywords to help you reach relevant audiences, and combine keywords with other targeting settings to zoom in on smaller subsets of YouTube users. For example, you might choose to target females aged between 18 and 24 who search for “bedroom makeover”.
6) Ads can be highly contextual
It’s possible to advertise new and different content within your own videos which cover a specific topic. This could mean advertising short form content like a snippet of or an intro to a webinar and giving viewers the option to click a call-to-action to view the full video. This way, you’re benefiting from the opportunity to advertise a relevant video to viewers who are already engaged with the topic.
7) There are multiple ad formats
TrueView is a very flexible platform when it comes to ad formats. For example, it’s possible to show banner ads as an overlay on videos, as well as showing banner ads next to videos as part of a Display Network campaign.
For both in-stream ads and your longer videos, there are options to add cards (clickable overlays which point viewers to more video content, playlists or offers), CTAs and links to your website within the video display. This encourages viewers to continue engaging with your content and discover more about your brand and content.
8) Push whatever content you want
A new webinar, your latest eBook, tutorials, some client testimonials or a product launch… the list is endless as to what you can promote via both in-stream and in-display ads. As long as you have the resources to make a video or presentation, you’re ready to go.
9) Run remarketing campaigns
TrueView ads offer the same targeting that’s available on Google’s Display Network or their remarketing platform; they allow you to push new content and messaging to new and relevant audiences via their internet history, as well as people already affiliated with your brand, to encourage them to revisit, reengage and convert.
You can export your AdWords email list, so as long as your contacts are signed into YouTube, they will be shown specific ads depending on your settings. For improved relevance, segment your remarketing list into buyer persona and buyer’s journey stage, to make sure the right people are getting hit with the right messaging at the right time.
By linking your YouTube account to your AdWords account, you can even create remarketing lists based on the videos people have watched. This can be used to create a funnel where each ad in a sequence helps to push your viewers through the buyer’s journey.
TrueView Makes Sense for Inbound Marketers
There are so many reasons why inbound marketers should use TrueView to get their brand and messaging in front of YouTube’s viewer base. Whether it’s the cost efficiency, versatility, engagement levels or non-intrusiveness of TrueView ads that initially draws you in, you’re bound to find more benefits once you explore the platform in more detail.
As with many things (and marketing tools are no exception), you’ve got to try it to love it. For a helping hand, download our best practices eBook.
CTA
Tim Cook taking Apple’s FBI fight to ABC News with David Muir interview tonight
ABC News has announced that Tim Cook will be speaking with World News Tonight host David Muir to discuss the ongoing battle between Apple and the FBI. The interview will no doubt be Apple’s latest move to push its message on privacy forward as it has been at odds with the Department of Justice over strong encryption.
Last week a judge ruled that Apple must unlock an iPhone 5c used by the San Bernardino shooter that the FBI couldn’t access in part because of the lock screen passcode.
Tim Cook promptly responded to the development by publishing an 1,100 word letter to customers on Apple.com, explaining Apple’s belief that complying would set a dangerous precedent and put all customers at risk with weakened security.
Cook and Apple have used ABC News and David Muir interviews as a platform for communication various messages over the years.
World News Tonight with David Muir airs on ABC at 6:30 PM ET, when the interview will be broadcasted. Stay tuned as we’ll update with coverage at that time.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: ABC News, FBI, Tim Cook
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Netflix for iOS updated w/ iPad Pro optimization, peek & pop support, more
Netflix today has updated its iOS app with a handful of new features and enhancements. The update bumps the app to version 8.0 and includes auto-play support for iPhone users, 3D Touch support, and iPad Pro display optimization.
First off, the update brings what Netflix calls the “post-play experience” to iPhone users. This is the screen you see when you finish watching a TV or movie with recommendations for what to watch next and, if it’s a series, the support for auto-playing the next episode.
Furthermore, the app now supports 3D Touch in the form of peek and pop. When you’re browsing the Netflix catalog, you can now use 3D Touch to get a quick glimpse at the description of a TV series or movie, as well as to play the content, view more details, add/remove it from your list, or share it. Unfortunately, the app icon doesn’t gain any 3D Touch quick actions with today’s update. It’d be nice if there were 3D Touch quick actions on the app icon to allow you to instantly jump to the TV show you watched most recently, for instance.
Finally, today’s Netflix for iOS update optimizes the app’s interface for the 12.9-inch display of the iPad Pro. While there aren’t any specific design changes for the iPad Pro, the content is now the correct resolution and is no longer enlarged.
The latest version of Netflix is available on the App Store now and the full change log is below:
What’s New in Version 8.0.0
- Post-Play experience (episode auto-play/recommendations) now on iPhone
- iPad Pro optimized layout
- 3D Touch support
Filed under: iOS Tagged: 3D Touch, iOS, iPad Pro, Netflix
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Enhance Strategy Execution by Making Better Decisions
Enhance Strategy Execution by Making Better Decisions
By Richard Lepsinger
We’ve all made a bad decision.
Everyone is subject to biases that impact our judgment and cause us to make mistakes. A recent study recent found that Major League Baseball umpires demonstrated biases and frequently made errors when determining whether a pitch that is not swung at is […]
from Project Management Articles – PM Hut http://ift.tt/1KKWWCP
via pmhut.com
9to5Toys Lunch Break: 128GB iPhone 6 Plus (unlocked) $650, 55″ 1080p HDTV $370, 11″ MacBook Air $720, more
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Filed under: Tips and Tricks
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The Beginner’s Guide to Conversions Before the Checkout [Free Guide]
Most people who get to your website aren’t ready to buy immediately. In fact, nearly 99% of first-time website visitors don’t purchase. But, most ecommerce marketing efforts are focused only on the 1%, and not the 99% of visitors. To move the needle on your bottom line, you need to engage with this 99% of visitors.
This is where offering conversion opportunities besides the checkout comes in. You may already have some on your site, like the opportunity to subscribe to your newsletter or blog. With this brand new guide, you’ll learn how to capture the information of the 99% prospective buyers who aren’t yet ready to purchase through pre-transactional conversions opportunities. Then, you’ll learn how to use that information to nurture them into a sale. By the end, you’ll be able to develop your own pre-transactional conversion strategy for your company.
This guide covers:
- Why You Need Conversions Before the Checkout
- How You Can Prompt a Conversion
- What Makes a Compelling Pre-Transactional Offer
- Best Practices from Real-Life Examples
Download The Beginner’s Guide to Conversions Before the Checkout to get started with a pre-transactional conversion strategy.
Apple plans Siri for Mac as tentpole feature for this fall’s OS X 10.12 launch
Apple currently plans to use its next major release of the Mac operating system, known as OS X 10.12, this fall to continue to expand Siri across its product lines. Last year, Apple implemented Siri as cornerstone features of both the Apple Watch and new Apple TV, and for 2016, Siri is planned to finally make its way to the Mac.
Apple had been testing versions of OS X internally with Siri integration since at least 2012, but sources now say that Apple has a clear vision for Siri on the Mac along with a polished user-interface and is nearly ready to launch the feature publicly. Apple is expected to introduce OS X 10.12 in June at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.
Instead of integrating Siri as a swipe menu akin to the Mac’s Notification Center or as a full screen view like on the iPhone and even the iPad Pro, Siri for the Mac will live in the Mac’s Menu Bar. Similar to the Spotlight magnifying glass icon for search and notifications icon for Notification Center, a Siri icon in the top right corner of the menu bar will activate the voice control feature.
When a user clicks the Siri button, a dark, transparent Siri interface will appear in the top right corner of the screen, as shown in our mockup by Michael Steeber. This interface will feature colorful sound waves to indicate speech input. The interface design in testing is not finalized and may still change before the summer introduction, according to sources.
Siri on the Mac will have its own pane in System Preferences and users are said to also have the option to choose a keyboard shortcut for activating the service. Like with recent versions of iOS, users will be able to enable Siri at the first startup of OS X 10.12, according to sources. If the Mac running the new OS X version is plugged into power, a “Hey Siri” command will work much like with recent iPhone and iPad models.
Codenamed “Fuji,” OS X 10.12 is also planned to include minor user-interface tweaks across core system application windows, but the changes will not be as notable as those in 2014’s OS X Yosemite update. Apple is also continuing its performance-focused engineering efforts emphasized in OS X El Capitan last year. The company is also developing iOS 10 for the fall, and we’ll be posting details on that in the near future.
Filed under: Mac Tagged: 10.12, 2016, fall, Fuji, Mac, OS X, Siri, Voice Control
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Apple releases Smart Keyboard software update to fix connectivity issues
Multiple users of the iPad Pro Smart Keyboard have noted that a software update has begun rolling out to fix connectivity issues. As noted by iMore, Apple has posted a support document on its website detailing the update’s intended purpose:
If your iPad Pro wakes up from time to time when it’s connected to a Smart Keyboard, here’s what to do. To solve this issue, disconnect the Smart Keyboard from your iPad Pro, and then connect it again. When iOS asks if you want to update the Smart Keyboard, tap Update.
The now solved issue revolves around the iPad Pro waking from sleep randomly when connected to a Smart Keyboard, but Apple does not say that it has addressed other Smart Keyboard issues such as an issue where the Command-Tab shortcut does not always navigate to the app-switcher.
iOS 9.3, expected to be released in March, includes a few other enhancements to the iPad Pro’s Smart Keyboard. Apple has altered a couple of the shortcuts, allowing for a Command + H combination to go to the Home screen and has added the ability for third-party Smart Connector accessories to be updated over-the-air.
Filed under: iOS Devices
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Todoist gets 3D Touch, native Apple Watch app, Safari plug-in + updates for Mac & more
Popular productivity app Todoist is giving its six million users a huge update today with a completely rewritten app for iOS alongside a new Safari plug-in and notable updates for Apple Watch and Mac.
The new, and almost completely rewritten, Todoist for iOS (version 11) will offer a host of updates that bring the best out of iOS 9’s most popular and productivity-friendly features.
The highlight feature for the new iOS app is 3D Touch for supported devices, which the company notes will allow users quick access to adding new tasks and viewing upcoming tasks. You’ll also be able to “visually pop out URLs from specific tasks or in task comments.”
There’s also a lot more packed into the updated iOS app, including: UI optimizations and keyboard shortcuts specifically for iPad Pro, the ability to reply to task comments from Notification Center, deep linking, and Spotlight search.
As for Apple Watch, today the app gets a major performance boost and new features (like a home screen complication) as it goes fully native:
The new version of Todoist for Apple Watch is completely native and will run exclusively on Watch OS 2. As such, the foundation of the app has been entirely rewritten so that users can power through their to-do lists without an iPhone nearby– by simply reconnecting to the internet, all tasks and projects will automatically sync. This will also remove the loading indicator between screens and will make the app much faster.
And lastly, Todoist is getting an updated Mac app— the standout feature being support for Todoist’s Intelligent Input natural language parsing— and a new Safari plug-in. The company notes that Safari plug-in works like Todoist’s Quick Add Shortcut for Mac, “allowing users to easily capture and input any information or URL while browsing the web.”
You can check out the updated apps today on the App Store– iOS and Mac— and the new Safari plug-in here.
Filed under: Apple Watch, Apps Tagged: 3D Touch, App Store, iOS 9, iPad Pro, iPhone, Mac, native, Safari, Todoist, update
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#standwithapple rallies take place at Apple Stores across the country, though in small numbers
Digital rights non-profit Fight for the Future held rallies at Apple Stores in all 50 states yesterday to demonstrate support for Apple’s stand against the FBI, though USA Today reports that only single digit numbers of protesters were seen at most locations. The largest number was in San Francisco, where around 50 protesters gathered, with almost half as many journalists interviewing them.
A group of about 50 protesters lined the edges of Apple’s downtown store, being busily interviewed by more than 20 journalists. They were serenaded by Bonnie Lockhart, 68 and Nancy Schimmel, 80, who sang hastily re-written songs such as “Don’t break our phones, we shall not be moved,” and “The Eyes of the FBI are On You,” to the tune of “I’ve been working on the railroad.”
Apple’s flagship store on New York’s 5th Avenue saw only around eight protesters, and at some Apple Stores protesters with glitter signs were apparently alone, having to resort to selfies to capture the event.
The limited numbers shouldn’t, though, be taken as lack of support for Apple’s position. In our own poll, 86% of you thought Apple was right, though this was down from the 93% support we saw for Apple’s strong line on encryption in a poll taken prior to the shootings. A public poll was less definitive, with 51% coming down on the side of the FBI, 38% backing Apple and 11% undecided.
Photo: Robert Deutsch, USA Today
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Inc, Apple Store, FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stand With Apple
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9 Apps That’ll Take the Stress Out of Your Morning Routine
You know those people who obnoxiously set their alarm clock in five-minute intervals nearly an hour before they actually have to wake up?
Well, I’m one of them. And even after mentally preparing myself for an hour, I still shuffle my way to the coffee pot looking like a character out of a zombie movie.
Trouble is, I — like many people — actually do my best work in the morning. Not to mention, there’s a ton of research that suggests that waking up early can have a positive impact on your success, ability to anticipate problems, organization, and so on.
In an effort to take back my mornings, I dug in to the app stores to find nine of the best apps for iOS and Android designed to help people get up and going. From fetching the weather report to pushing you through your morning workout to reminding you to take a minute to pause and reflect, these apps should help you de-stress your morning routine and get up on the right side of the bed.
9 Apps That’ll Make Your Morning Less Stressful
1) Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock
- Price: Free for iOS (Premium available for $1.99/year), $0.99 for Android
- Available for: iOS | Android
Waking up isn’t always easy, but it sure helps when the timing is right.
With this in mind, the Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock closely analyzes your sleep and wakes you up during the lightest sleep phase, which occurs during a 30-minute window that ends at your set alarm time. (This window can be adjusted to anywhere between 10–90 minutes, but the app recommends 30 minutes.) This ensures that you wake up in a more natural way, feeling both well rested and ready to start the day.
The app does this by using the built-in microphone in your device to monitor your movement, while ignoring all other sounds, such as your spouse snoring or your noisy roommate. Once you set an alarm, the app prompts you to place your phone screen on your nightstand or on your bed next to you so that it can tune into your movement.
When the alarm sounds the music will begin to play softly, increasing volume as time continues. If you want to snooze the alarm, simply tap twice or pick up your phone. The app defaults to “Intelligent” snooze mode, which means that you can snooze until the end of your wake up phase. However, you can opt for “Regular” snooze mode, which lets you choose a time between 1–20 minutes.
The app also records your sleep activity, so you can learn more about the quality and quantity of sleep you’re getting each night.
2) Morning Ritual
- Price: $1.99
- Available for: iOS | (Android users: Here’s something similar.)
According to behavioral psychologist BJ Fogg, there are three ways to change behavior in the long term: have an epiphany, change your environment, and take baby steps. The Morning Ritual app caters to his third suggestion, as it makes it easy for users to create daily activities and set a designated time for each of them.
For example, let’s say every morning I want to meditate for five minutes, read for 10 minutes, and then check my email for 15 minutes. I’d start by setting these activities in the app with corresponding time limits. Then, all I’d have to do is and simply hit the “Start” button to begin a timer for my first task.
The app will let you know when it’s time to move on to your next task, but you can also prompt it to skip ahead. Once you’ve completed your routine, the app pulls together a graph to show you how you allocated your time. You can track your progress by comparing this graph to ones from the last week or month.
3) Poncho
- Price: Free
- Available for: iOS | (Android users: Here’s something similar.)
Checking the weather in the morning helps you better plan your commute, outfit, hairstyle, etc. But why settle for any old weather app when you can get your updates from a cat in a yellow raincoat … amirite?
Poncho offers playful personalized weather forecasts, commute predictions, and a handy alarm clock that wakes you up with weather-related music. Heck, it’ll even send you pollen, allergy, humidity, and bad hair day alerts. (If you’ve got frizzy hair, this feature alone should be a selling point.)
One downside is that you need to keep your app open and your screen unlocked for the alarm to work. However, the app automatically dims down your display when you hit the hay.
4) Spotify
Okay, so Spotify is a great app no matter the time of day … but there are some really cool “morning-friendly” features worth mentioning.
For example, last year, Spotify teamed up with music psychologist David M. Greenberg to piece together the perfect, science-backed morning playlist. Designed to help people rise a little easier, this playlist includes songs like Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida,” Sam Smith’s “Money On My Mind,” and Imagine Dragon’s “On Top of the World.” Check it out below:
Here’s one filled with high intensity tracks to get you up and moving:
5) Calm
We’ve highlighted the benefits of mindfulness and meditation before … and we’ll highlight them again. In an effort to set a positive tone for your day ahead, the Calm app offers over two-dozen guided meditation session for you to choose from.
The sessions range anywhere between a few minutes to around 30 minutes, so you can squeeze in some “me” time no matter what your schedule looks like.
The app also offers 7-21 days guided meditation programs that keep track of your progress, as well as unguided meditation lasting up to eight hours.
I started using this app at night to help me wind down and I’ve seen a noticeable difference in my ability to fall asleep quickly and wake up feeling more refreshed.
6) Stylicious
Depending on your dress code at work, picking out something to wear in the morning can be a pain. Will people notice that you wore the same shirt two Wednesdays in a row? Does your blue tie look okay with that grey shirt you just bought? And don’t even get me started on the “is this too wrinkly?” debate.
The good news is, Stylicious helps you manage your closet and create outfits — while you’re still in bed. To get started, simply add items to your “virtual closet” by taking a photo or using an existing one. (We recommend doing this once a week to keep tabs on what’s clean.) Once you’ve cataloged your wardrobe, you can mix and match pieces until you come up with a combination that looks just right.
(Image Credit: Aptoide)
Once you’ve landed on a few looks you like, you can add them to your “Fashion Calendar” to keep track of what you’re wearing. The app even has a handy vacation planner to help you plan and pack outfits for your next business trip.
7) Wunderlist
One of the best ways to take a little chaos out of your morning routine? Get situated the night before. Whether you need to piece together a grocery list, map out a presentation, or prep for a meeting, a task management app like Wunderlist can … well … do wonders. (I’ll be here all week.)
Thanks to the app’s clean, user-friendly design, it’s easy to make your way through the impressive range of features — from setting due dates and reminders to sharing lists with your friends, family, and coworkers.
Wunderlist syncs between your phone, tablet, and computer, so you can create your list on one device and wake up and browse it from your phone in the morning.
(Check out our list of nine other handy to-do list apps here.)
8) Pocket
I’ll be the first to admit that I have zero patience when it comes to technology. This is especially true during my morning commute on the train, where spotty service prevents me from catching up on some reading.
But thanks to the Pocket app, I’ve managed to reduce this a.m. frustration by gathering a bunch of articles in advance that can be read offline.
Here’s how it works: Pocket lets you save articles, images, and videos from your browser or from a library of 1,500+ apps to be viewed on any device, regardless of your WiFi connection. (Check out this article for more ways to stay productive without an internet connection.)
Whenever I find something I know I’d like to read later, I put it in my Pocket to revisit during my commute. This helps me kickstart my day with some fresh reads and a whole lot of inspiration.
9) Happier
To stay present and positive throughout the day, set aside a few minutes every morning to remind yourself what you’re grateful for.
Sure, it might feel a little silly at first, but it’s a better use of your time than you’d think. In fact, there’s a wealth of research out there suggesting that keeping a gratitude journal can significantly increase your well-being and overall life satisfaction.
One of our favorite apps for recording and reflecting on special moments is Happier, which combines a gratitude journal with a positive social community.
With the Happier app, users can share happy moments with the community to gain both support and encouragement, or reserve their moments for self-reflection by keeping them private. It’s less about who see them, and more about actually getting them down in writing.
The app also offers snackable, expert-led courses designed to help users uncover new ways to find joy, calm, and satisfaction.
What are your favorite apps to wake up to? Share them with us in the comments section below.
iOS 9 adoption stalled at 77% but still ahead of the iOS 8 curve
The latest iOS 9 figures posted to Apple’s developer site show that adoption is currently stalled at 77%, the same number reported at the last update earlier this month, but still ahead of the iOS 8 curve. iOS 8 took until 18th March to hit that same 77%.
Most of the hold-outs are running iOS 8, at 17% of the total while only 6% are running an earlier version. This contrasts strongly with Android, where a miniscule 1.2% of devices are running the latest 6.0 Marshmallow flavor and the greatest number are still on 4.4 KitKat.
Apple yesterday released iOS 9.3 public beta 4 with Night Shift, Touch ID Notes, & Verizon Wi-Fi Calling.
Filed under: iOS Tagged: iOS, iOS 9, iOS 9 adoption, iPhone
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Bloomberg: Apple will argue that the digital signature it uses to validate code is protected as free speech
Apple said yesterday that its legal battle with the FBI has such far-reaching consequences that it should be settled by Congress rather than by the courts – but if that tack is unsuccessful, Bloomberg reports that the company will be putting forward a rather unusual argument in court. Apple will argue that the digital signature it uses to validate code is protected by the First Amendment as free speech, which cannot be compelled in law.
Before you download a new game or messaging app on your iPhone, the device checks for a digital signature tucked within the lines of code on the app. All applications sold through the App Store are approved by Apple and have this cryptographic autograph from the company telling your iPhone it’s safe. In the FBI case, some privacy advocates believe the company has a strong First Amendment case because it’s being asked to add that signature, against its will, to software that would aid the government.
In other words, even if the government could force Apple to write code that would remove the passcode protections, it shouldn’t be allowed to force Apple to sign the code – and if Apple doesn’t sign it, the iPhone won’t accept it …
“That’s a fundamental First Amendment problem because it can’t compel speech,” said David Rivkin, a constitutional litigator at BakerHostetler.
The free speech argument won’t form the main thrust of Apple’s defence, according to an anonymous Apple executive cited by Bloomberg: that will be that the government is pushing the centuries-old All Writs Act into territory far beyond its original scope, and therefore doesn’t have the legal authority to compel Apple to write the compromised code. But the First Amendment argument will form a secondary element of Apple’s case.
Washington University law professor Neil Richards said that courts are likely to be very wary of accepting the free speech argument because of the precedent it would set. He believes Apple already has a compelling defence without resorting to this.
“The argument is if all software is speech and all data flows are protected, then everything we do with communication is protected, and any regulation of the digital society becomes impossible,” said Richards, who sides with Apple in this case. “If we’re not careful we could end up a society that strikes a terrible balance.”
The idea that code is protected free speech is not entirely without existing precedent, however.
In the 1990s, a graduate student at the University of California at Berkeley wrote an encryption program for his own research that he wanted to make public. Under federal regulations, a coder must get a license to publish cryptography tools, and the government denied the student’s license. In 1999, the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled for the first time that source code was protected as speech, and the student, Dan Bernstein, who is now an instructor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, was allowed to share the code freely.
But other judges have ruled that code is not protected by the First Amendment, so we could be in for an extremely interesting court battle!
You can read all our coverage of the case in the links below.
- U.S. judge orders Apple to help FBI access data on San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone 5c
- Apple publishes letter responding to FBI iPhone unlock demand: ‘an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers’
- Google CEO Pichai appears to side with Apple in series of vague tweets on FBI encryption battle
- Security firm shows how Apple could bypass iPhone security to comply with FBI request
- Opinion: How likely is Apple to succeed in resisting the FBI court order?
- Should Apple comply with FBI request to bypass San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone? [Poll]
- Civil rights groups and tech companies express support for Apple’s stand against the FBI
- Opinion: Why an iPhone master key is better than a backdoor, but still too dangerous
- Petition urges White House to support Apple in blocking government access to locked iPhones
- Senate Intelligence Committee considering bill to penalize companies refusing to decrypt user device
- Report: Apple to get more time to formally respond to government’s request for access to locked iPhone
- Apple/FBI fight looks destined to go all the way to the Supreme Court as more background is revealed
- Department of Justice files motion to force Apple to comply with FBI iPhone backdoor request
- Apple implies FBI screwup: iPhone Apple ID password changed in govt possession, backdoor unnecessary
- FBI explains why it changed Apple ID password in iPhone unlock case, retrieved iCloud backups up to October 19 but wants more
- San Bernardino victims divided on iPhone issue as FBI claims not trying to set a precedent
- Edward Snowden describes how the FBI could physically extract passcode from iPhone chip without Apple’s help
- Apple/FBI: Tim Cook sends memo to employees, wants government to drop All Writs Act demands, posts customer FAQ
- Mark Zuckerberg sides w/ Apple in encryption battle as poll suggests public supports FBI
- Report says DOJ seeking data from ‘about’ 12 other iPhones as Bill Gates sides with FBI
- http://ift.tt/1QCz7zo
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Inc, Encryption, FBI, iPhone, San Bernardino
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How to Create Online Surveys People Will Actually Take [Infographic]
Even a goldfish can pay attention for longer than most people can nowadays. The ever-decreasing human attention span is one of the the biggest challenges marketers are faced with today.
For those looking to conduct market research through surveys, the fight for our audience’s attention can seem incredibly discouraging. How can you expect to improve participation rates when people can’t sit still long enough to make it through your questions?
If you want to encourage participation and avoid diluting your data, you’ve got to find a way to make people want to engage with the content. To learn how, take a look at the infographic below from the folks at qSample. It’ll walk you through four interesting and helpful things to consider when crafting your next online survey. (For more help, check out this handy guide on how to use online surveys in your marketing.)
Getting Buy-in for Change: What Education Marketers Can Do To Help Their Schools Evolve
As an education marketer, you’re well aware of the successes and advantages of inbound marketing. It’s easy to spend so much time immersed in the new opportunities inbound is bringing. Which makes it easy to forget that key stakeholders at your school don’t always share same perspective. Administrators and staff may never have heard of inbound marketing, or may be afraid of change—making it tough to get their support.
Yet you do need their support to transition your marketing strategy and budget towards inbound. They’ll also be a needed source of your school’s best stories and help with content distribution. If they don’t get inbound marketing, you’ll experience some push back. Or at least skepticism, which can spread seeds of doubt.
People are naturally resistant to change. That’s fine. Just make getting buy-in from the administration, development office, faculty, and staff for inbound as part of your new marketing strategy.
To brush up on the basics of inbound marketing for schools before you dive in, check out our guide here.
Make Their Goals Your Goals
Your colleagues may not know what personas, SEO, or content offers are. You have to help them understand what inbound marketing is so they have a clear vision of how the marketing strategy is shifting. Make sure you put that vision in context of how it helps them.
Draw a picture, tell the story that shows how your team’s inbound marketing activities helps them achieve their goals.
For example, you could explain that your keyword and persona research will be the foundation of an SEO campaign that gets the school’s website found by the people they’re trying to reach. You can add that SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate, while outbound leads, their current marketing strategy, have a 1.7% close rate.
CAUTION: Beware of diving into nitty-gritty of marketing until you’re sure your non-marketing savvy stakeholders understand the terms and concepts. Use that language too early, and you risk losing them them.
Instead of talking about keywords and personas, leads, and content offers — take them through a real-life example. For instance, a parent who’s looking for a new school because their child needs X. (Make that “X” something for which your school is known and can be found online with that term.) Using a real-life example will bridge the gap between your marketing-speak and their reality.
All the Cool Kids are Doing It
Many educational institutions are already having great success with inbound. This includes K-12, higher education, and trade schools. Take a look around and share some effective examples from other schools. You can find some case studies of educational institution inbound successes here.
Pay particular attention to the schools getting the type of enrollees that you want at your institution. What kind of campaigns are they running? What does their content priority appear to be?
When people at your school see real-world examples of how other schools are benefiting from inbound, their trust factor in inbound’s potential for your own school increases.
Reassure Your Colleagues
Trust is critical to getting your stakeholders’ buy-in for a major change. Showing other schools’ success with inbound is just one aspect to earning their trust.
The other is to reassure them that while inbound is a shift, it’s not a revolution (not yet anyway). You’re not throwing out all the marketing work you’ve already done. The school isn’t getting rid of current marketing channels that have been working. A PPC campaign that’s been bringing visitors to website and downloads of application materials will continue.
Start with small, tightly focused campaigns for quick wins. Don’t make your first proposal a redesign of the school’s entire website. Instead, you might start with an SEO optimization plan for a high priority program page.
Be sure to benchmark metrics before the change. Get past performance numbers for metrics such as traffic referral sources, new visitors, repeat visitors, time on page, time on site, and downloads. Then optimize the page for SEO. Use the persona research to craft a powerful CTA to download the program brochure.
How is the new page comparing to the old version? Reporting is crucial to prove the value of your inbound campaigns. Fortunately, data and metrics are two of inbound marketing’s virtues. As time passes, show the before-and-after pics. Show you’re willing to have your work measured. Because admissions, faculty, and staff are held to very hard, tight numbers such as student enrollments, test scores, student outcomes, etc., they’ll welcome news that Marketing will also be publicly held to relevant performance metrics.
From there, continue with ever-larger campaigns. Optimize more web pages. Revamp the blog. Run a student-generated content social media campaign. Make a premium content offer.
Consistent implementation of ongoing inbound campaigns will keep your message about the value of inbound in front of key stakeholders. Each subsequent campaign should build off the success of the last and be a bit more ambitious. This stepped approach eases the transition as more resources go to inbound from older, legacy marketing tactics. Watch as their support and enthusiasm grows.
Have an Inbound Strategy
Although you may be starting small, know from the start where you want to go. After the first quick success, don’t be at a loss about what to do next. Hesitation on your part will undermine the confidence you’ve earned from key stakeholders in making the transition.
Your team should brainstorm and layout your inbound strategy as part of your overall marketing, before you bring it to the rest of the school. You don’t need to plan each detail, but do have a strategy and a high-level plan for implementing it.
Your plan should include where/when (as early as makes sense) to involve other key stakeholders in identifying goals and success metrics for future inbound campaigns. Getting them involved in developing your school’s inbound strategy ensures it’s aligned with the broader goals of the school. The more “thumbprints” on your plan, the better!
Now, your goals are their goals. And it’s more likely they’ll be allies when it comes time to secure budget and resource support for even more sophisticated inbound marketing campaigns.