Welcome to My Blog
Apple Store manager apologizes to six schoolboys after alleged racist ejection from Australian store [Video]
The manager of an Apple Store in Australia has apologised after six teenagers aged 15 and 16 were asked to leave the store when a member of staff expressed concerns than they might steal something. The youths allege that their ejection from the store in Melbourne’s Highpoint Shopping Centre (pictured above at its grand opening) was due to the color of their skin. The teens were born in Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Eritrea and Egypt before emigrating to Australia as children.
A video shows a member of the store staff stating that security staff were “concerned about your presence in our store, worried that you might steal something.”
Apple told Mashable that it was investigating the incident, and the BBC later reported that the store manager had apologized to the teens, and that this apology had been accepted.
CEO Tim Cook has said that diversity is crucial to Apple’s future, the company issuing an annual report on gender and ethnicity in its workforce. The latest data, published back in August, showed small increases in minority hiring, with black employees increasing from 7% to 8% and Asian staff up from 15% to 18%. Cook said he is proud of the progress the company has made but “we know there is a lot more work to be done.”
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Alleged racism, Apple Store, Highpoint Shopping Centre
Continue reading more about AAPL Company, Apple Store, and Alleged racism at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Apple Store manager apologizes to six schoolboys after alleged racist ejection from Australian store [Video]” with our community.
14 Free Tools That’ll Make It Easier to Run Your Business
Taking a great idea and turning it into a real, functioning, successful business requires quite a bit of work, sweat, and coffee.
There are documents to be signed, prospects to be called, emails to be sent, and tweets to be posted. In other words, there’s never a shortage of tasks on your plate on any given day.
Sure, you could hire a bunch of extra hands, but if you’re not in a financial position to onboard new talent right away, then that wouldn’t make good business sense, now would it?
Trouble is, while keeping costs down is a critical piece of the puzzle, it can make finding the right tools to simplify your day-to-day responsibilities a little challenging.
That’s why we’ve come up with a list of must-have tools for anyone running a business … and they’re all free. From heat mapping software to help inform your website design to a project management tool to keep your team on track, you won’t know how you did your job without them.
14 Free Tools to Help You Run Your Business
1) Boomerang
Ever want to send an email on a Friday but don’t want it to get lost in the recipient’s mailbox over the weekend? With Boomerang for Gmail, you can write an email now and schedule it to be sent at a time that’s more convenient.
But that’s not all. Boomerang boasts a ton of other features designed to make your life easier. For example, if your inbox is feeling a little unruly, you can pick and choose which emails you’d like to temporarily archive until you need them. Simply pick the time and date that you’d like it to reappear, and it’ll be there. Magical.
2) Trello
Keeping your team on the same page — whether you’re working remotely or side-by-side — isn’t always easy. With new ideas, changing deadlines, and last-minute adjustments happening through out the course of a day, you need a place to keep everything unified. That’s where Trello comes in.
At a glance, Trello makes it easy for users to visualize what tasks are on their plate, what their team members are currently working on, and what’s already been completed. Functioning like a virtual bulletin board, the tool offers boards and cards to help you and your team organize a project, or just keep tabs on your day-to-day work.
With cards, users can upload file attachments, add comments, create checklists, assign due dates, and so much more. And whenever a change is made to a card, Trello’s notification system can send an update to the members of the board to keep everyone in the know.
3) HelloSign
Ah, paperwork. One of the worst timesucks in your day.
Luckily, there is a tool to help free up some of that time. Rather than spending your day tracking down the right people to sign the right documents, HelloSign makes it easy for users to sign documents and request esignatures from up to 20 different people. And once the document is completed, everyone that signed will get a copy delivered straight to their inbox to keep for their records.
Worried about security? You don’t have to be. HelloSign uses SSL encryption during file transfers to keep your documents safe. (Want to learn more about SSL? Check out this article from my colleague, Jeffrey.)
To make your life even easier, HelloSign integrates with many of the apps you’re already using — Gmail, Google Apps, Dropbox, Evernote, etc. This means you can sign legally binding documents in 30 seconds or less, without leaving your Gmail inbox.
4) HubSpot CRM
In sales, speed matters. Think about it: In the time that your salespeople spend digging through their inbox for bit of information about a prospect, they could be losing a sale to competitor.
HubSpot CRM enables sales teams to work more efficiently by providing reps with a detailed history of their interactions with a prospect. Unlike other systems, HubSpot CRM is both intuitive and automatic, making it easy for users to log emails, record calls, and manage their data. This type of easy access to touch points helps to ensure that reps aren’t sending repeat emails or mismanaging their time with prospects that aren’t interested.
5) Slack
Meetings, emails, and unexpected desk visitors can sometimes make it difficult to actually get work done during the day. Well, with an internal team communication tool like Slack, your team can collaborate, share files, give feedback, and provide quick solutions all using real-time messaging.
According to Slack’s website, teams using its software find a 25.1% decrease in meetings and a 48.6% reduction in internal email, resulting in a 32% increase in team productivity.
Slack also offers fully native apps for iOS and Android, making it easy for you to pick up where you left off after you leave your desk.
6) LeadIn
LeadIn is a free WordPress plugin designed by our team here at HubSpot. Built to help you understand your website visitors better, this tool makes it easy to find out not only who is on your website, but also what they’re doing.
With LeadIn, users automatically get insights into everyone who fills out a form on their website. From pages they’ve visited to social networks that they’re on, these details can help you make more strategic marketing moves.
LeadIn integrates with email software like MailChimp, Constant Contact, and Campaign Monitor, so you can push the contacts who fill out a form on you site straight into an email list.
7) Dropbox
Dropbox provides businesses with an easy way to share and store photos, videos, documents, spreadsheets, and other files, using both desktop and mobile devices. Eliminating the need for flash drives, Dropbox makes it easy for users to access the information where they need to, when they need to.
In terms of collaboration, the tool aims to simplify the way teams collaborate and share files — proving to be especially useful for teams in which some members telecommute. Users can even add comments to shared files, which saves time and eliminates the need for another email in your inbox.
Image Credit: PCWorld
8) Google Apps
Google Apps is a package of cloud-based productivity services that make it easy for businesses to collaborate in real time.
With access to apps like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Sites, you and your team will have the means necessary to innovate, brainstorm, and document all of your great ideas. To give you a better sense of how you can make the most of the suite, check out this post from my colleague Corey on how we use Google Sheets to crowdsource our blog posts.
To get started with the free version of Google Apps, you simply need a Gmail address. But if you want to use Google Apps with a business email address (such as yourname@yourcompany.com), you’ll need to pay. Pricing for Google Apps at Work starts at $5 per month.
9) IFTTT
Running a business requires a lot of hands. Trouble is, your new business budget might not stretch enough to cover new talent. In other words, you’ve got to work with what you’ve got.
Rather than allowing routine tasks to eat up all your precious time, try IFTTT. Short for “if this, than that,” IFTTT is a productivity tool that employs “recipes” to automate your important online processes. (Essentially, it’s like autopilot for your day-to-day tasks.)
Recipes link together some of your favorite cloud-based services, and can trigger a specific action based on particular events. To clarify, here are a couple examples:
If an email is starred in Gmail, then save that email (and its first attachment) to Evernote.
If you create a new link post on Facebook, then post a tweet with the same link on Twitter.
10) Hotjar
The health of your business often has a lot to do with how visitors interact and respond to your website. But how can you optimize for the user when you don’t know what the user wants?
With Hotjar, you can leverage heat mapping technology to turn up a visual representation of you website visitor’s clicks, taps, and scrolling behavior. These behaviors serve as strong indicators of what your visitors are looking for and where they’re getting stuck.
By identifying these opportunities for conversion optimization and improvement, you can then make iterations to your website design and copy in an effort to streamline the user experience.
Looking for more ideas on how you can use the insights you gather using Hotjar to strengthen your website? Here are a few suggestions from its website:
- Discover how visitors react to longer or shorter pages.
- Overhaul forms to generate more leads.
- Remove or rethink ignored content.
- Reveal anxieties about trust or confusing policies.
11) Canva
Canva is an easy-to-use tool that allows both designers and non-designers to create designs and documents without a ton of technical knowledge.
Thanks to features like the drag-and-drop functionality, free icons and shapes, collections of fonts, and helpful templates, users are equipped with everything they need to pull off quality designs for presentations, social media, reports, and even business cards.
Canva even offers a Design School, where users can go to learn more about design 101, branding, color theory, design trends, typography, and much more.
12) Evernote
Ever find yourself on the train or at a red light when a great idea strikes? With Evernote, you can catalog your thoughts on any device to ensure that you don’t forget to execute on it. And because Evernote syncs across all of your devices, it’s easy to jot down an idea when it hits, and then run with it when you get to your desk the next morning.
The free online workspace provides users with a platform for writing, collecting images and snippets from around the web, and communicating, collaborating, and sharing with colleagues.
Thanks to the tool’s screen-friendly layout, you can even transform your notes into a quick presentation for an impromptu meeting on your latest project.
13) Manager.io
Want to save time and money? Who doesn’t?
Manager.io makes free accounting software for small businesses. Noteworthy features include: General ledgers, cash management, bank reconciliation, expense claims, accounts receivable, accounts payable, estimates and quotes, purchase orders, billing and invoicing, and so much more.
The folks at Manager.io place a heavy emphasis on design, and that’s highlighted through the functionality of the tool. Unlike traditional accounting software, Manager.io doesn’t require users to enter opening balances or configure tax variables before they can issue an invoice or record a payment. In fact, getting started requires very few configurations, so you get straight to what’s important: your accounting needs.
14) Google Analytics
According to its website, “Google Analytics’ solutions can help you turn customer insights into action for your business.”
For small businesses, Google Analytics’ free services aim to simplify the way users view and improve the performance of their websites. Not only does the solution provide you with the means necessary to report on your website’s progress each month, but these insights can also help you better understand your visitors so that you can create a marketing experience that keeps bringing them back.
If you’re looking to improve your analytical skills, Google offers expert lessons, tests, and community forums, all available in Analytics Academy.
What free tools do you use to run your business? Share your favorite in the comments section below.
EyeFi acquires popular photo sharing service OkDoThis
EyeFi, the company behind the popular SD cards that carry WiFi support, has today announced that it has acquired OkDoThis. OkDoThis is a popular photography app on iOS that aims to inspire photographers to take a taking pictures daily and offering a platform on which they can share and discuss photography. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In a press release, EyeFi explained that the acquisition of OkDoThis allows it to more directly engage with photographers. With the OkDoThis team on board, EyeFi will be able to work to integrate social features into its own apps and products.
OkDoThis is a widely praised app on iOS that has amassed nearly 400 ratings and has a 4 and a half star average. Most recently, it was updated with iPad support and 3D Touch support for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus users. 3D Touch allows photographers to jump directly to the Camera or the “DO of the Day” within the app:
Your creativity inspires an active community of photographers and is what has made OKDOTHIS so great! We’re excited to let you know we’ve been acquired by Eyefi, a leading photo management company that puts photos at your fingertips. With Eyefi’s support, we’ll be able to deliver more engaging features to keep you DOing more with your photography, such as:
New!! iPad Support!
See all of your DOs and Photos, bigger and better than ever!! You can also use the iPad version in both portrait and landscape.But wait, there’s more!! 3D Touch Support!
Go straight to the Camera or the DO of the Day by using 3D Touch on the OKDOTHIS home screen icon.
The full press release from EyeFi regarding the acquisition can be seen below:
Eyefi Acquires the OKDOTHIS Mobile App That Inspires Creativity in Photographers
Photo management leader adds photo enthusiast community app to its product line-up; challenges photographers to push the envelope of their creative style, and engage with and inspire other photographers.
Mountain View, Calif.—November 12, 2015— Eyefi (www.eyefi.com), the global leader in digital photo-management apps and services, has acquired the OKDOTHIS app, the app that pioneered idea-sharing for photographers with its unique way of inspiring photographers to stretch their creativity. The acquisition expands Eyefi’s scope into a new area of digital photography: engaging directly with photographers to inspire creativity and the exchange of ideas. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
OKDOTHIS popularized the idea of a daily photography “DO” – an idea or suggestion designed to trigger creative inspiration for photographers. OKDOTHIS was created through a partnership between Nashville, Tennessee based Aloompa and Jeremy Cowart, acclaimed photographer and founder of See University. In 2014 Jeremy was recognized as the most Socially Influential Photographer on the Web. His body of work includes portraits of many familiar names such as Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Tim Tebow, Sting, and many others.
“When I meet photographers around the world, one common theme emerges: exploring new ideas to evolve their skills and get more enjoyment and satisfaction from their photography. That was the idea that led to the creation of OKDOTHIS,” said Jeremy Cowart. “Being a part of Eyefi means we can scale this idea and bring OKDTOTHIS to photographers everywhere.”
“We are delighted that the OKDOTHIS team has joined Eyefi,” said Matt DiMaria, CEO of Eyefi. “Eyefi has always focused on helping photographers be more productive so they can focus on creativity. With OKDOTHIS, we’re adding the power of social interaction and engagement among photographers to inspire them to challenge and learn from each other.”
OKDOTHIS CHALLENGES PHOTOGRAPHERS TO BE MORE CREATIVE
OKDOTHIS is an innovative community of photographers who, every day, celebrate the role of creativity in the art of photography. The app is designed to get them out of the rut of taking the same picture over and over again by providing a “DO” — a specific idea of what subjects to shoot and what mood, topic, theme or attribute to highlight. OKDOTHIS encourages photographers to ‘stretch’ beyond their standard shooting styles. There are several categories of DOs, ranging from art & design, sports, work, life highlights, etc. Examples of some thought-provoking DOs include:
- Defy gravity! — Doors that you wish could talk — Epitomize a city in one photograph —
- Tenebrism: violent contrasts of light and dark, where darkness dominates the image
Photographers can simply browse, select a DO, and use their phone to take and post the photo on the spot. Alternatively, a photographer might want to plan a day of DOs — select a few on which to focus for the day, head out with a preferred digital camera, and shoot. With the Eyefi Cloud integrated with the OKDOTHIS mobile app, photographers can now use photos from their digital camera (with a Mobi WiFi SD card) or their WiFi camera to submit a photo for one of the challenges.
ABOUT OKDOTHIS
Founded in 2012, OKDOTHIS is a creativity community serving as a platform to both inspire and share work. Focused on, but not limited to the realm of photography, OKDOTHIS is not just another photo-sharing service: knowing that any work of art can serve as inspiration, the platform encourages users to share the creative ideas behind their work. Sitting at the crossroads of inspiration and community, OKDOTHIS users come full circle by creating work stimulated by specific prompts that goes on to inspire others. By connecting people through art and allowing them to share their ideas socially, OKDOTHIS produces a uniquely individual view of the world.
ABOUT EYEFI
Eyefi frees photographers worldwide to take and experience great photos everywhere. Photographers know that when taking great photos is paramount, being able to focus on taking the shot matters the most. By automating photo transfer, organization and accessibility, Eyefi gives hobbyists, amateur photographers and professionals more time to focus on what they do best — taking great photos. Eyefi products have transferred over one billion images from digital cameras to the Internet, mobile devices and PCs. For more information about Eyefi, please visitwww.eyefi.com or follow @eyefi.
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: acquisition, app, eyefi, OkDoThis
For more news on AAPL Company, app, and acquisition continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “EyeFi acquires popular photo sharing service OkDoThis” with our community.
iPad Pro comfortably outperforms iPad Air 2 in benchmarks, Apple Pencil beats Surface Pro stylus [Video]
ArsTechnica has been putting the iPad Pro through its paces in a whole raft of benchmark tests, comparing it to other iOS devices as well as to MacBooks and Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4.
When it comes to other iPads, nothing comes close in Geekbench tests. In single-core tests, the iPad Pro gets an overall score of 3233 against 1831 for the iPad Air 2. The much newer iPhone 6S gets closest, at 2537.
In multi-core tests, the differences look far more modest, but there’s a twist …
While the A8X chip in the iPad Air 2 uses three CPU cores running at 1.84GHz, Apple has managed to comfortably outpace it using just two cores running at around 2.25GHz. So while the overall gain is more limited, Apple has managed to squeeze far more performance out of each core.
On paper, the iPhone 6S also gets close to the performance of the iPad Pro, but the piece notes that the much larger casing of the giant iPad gives it greater cooling capacity than the phone. While the A9X chip in the iPhone 6s can’t maintain its maximum clock-speed for long without frequent and dramatic throttling, the iPad Pro version can.
Similar results are seen in Sunspider, Kraken and Google Octane benchmarks, the iPad Pro significantly outperforming other iPads, while the iPhone 6S puts up a brave fight but can’t match its performance.
Tim Cook had suggested that the iPad Pro could replace a laptop for many. Reviewers seem to universally disagree, because iOS apps don’t match OS X ones, but it doesn’t do badly in pure performance terms.
The A9X can’t quite get up to the level of a modern U-series Core i5 based on Broadwell or Skylake (see the 2015 MacBook Air and Surface Pro 4 results), but it’s roughly on the same level as a Core i5 from 2013 or so and it’s well ahead of Core M. And despite the fact that it lacks a fan, the A9X shows little sign of throttling in the Geekbench thermal test, which bodes well for the iPad Pro’s ability to run professional-caliber apps for extended periods of time.
As always with ArsTechnica‘s detailed reviews, the full piece is well worth a read.
El Mundo‘s tech writer Angel Jimenez de Luis has been putting the Apple Pencil through its paces (via GforGames), to see how it compares with Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 stylus. The Apple Pencil clearly does deliver lower latency, though the real-life difference is less dramatic than one might have expected.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple Pencil, Apple Pencil latency, Apple Pencil performance, iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Pro benchmarks, iPad Pro performance, Microsoft
For more information about iOS Devices, iPad, and Microsoft continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “iPad Pro comfortably outperforms iPad Air 2 in benchmarks, Apple Pencil beats Surface Pro stylus [Video]” with our community.
Firefox for iPhone and iPad now available in the App Store for free
You can now get the alternative web browser Firefox for iPhone and iPad in the App Store. Except its not really Firefox as you know it on the desktop, because the underlying engine is all WebKit, not Mozilla’s Gecko renderer like it is on the Mac. This is the same as the iOS Google Chrome app — the App Store rules require browsers to use the Safari WebKit engine. This isn’t really a bad thing, the WebKit rendering core is the industry leading mobile (and desktop) engine.
You might want to use Firefox for iPhone and iPad if you use Firefox on the Mac, due to UI similarities for the browser chrome or just for syncing convenience. The Firefox app will sync bookmarks, open tabs across all your devices by logging into your Firefox account. These are the main differences between Firefox and the native Safari app.
The Firefox app works on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. One interesting thing you can do when you have multiple browser apps installed on an iPad is do side-by-side multitasking of two web browser pages, such as on your brand new iPad Pro. iOS 9 doesn’t let you put the same app in two panes (at least, not yet) so having two browsers installed and running is the only way to achieve this.
As far as replacing Safari with Firefox, there are significant problems. The cost of switching browsers on iPhone is high, however. A big problem with using third-party web browser apps on iOS is the lack of a ‘default apps’s setting.
This means that any time you click a link across the system, the iOS device will always prefer Safari. You can access other browsers through the share sheet but thats another layer of indirection. iOS 8 and 9 implemented a lot of power-user features but the concept of default apps on iOS remains illusive.
You can get Firefox from the App Store for free. Firefox works on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
Filed under: AAPL Company, Apps, iOS, iOS Devices Tagged: Firefox, iOS, iPad, iPhone
Continue reading more about AAPL Company, iOS Devices, and Apps at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Firefox for iPhone and iPad now available in the App Store for free” with our community.
From Ray-Bans to Reese’s Pieces: 13 Unforgettable Examples of Product Placement
Whenever I’m watching a movie and I see a case of really obvious product placement, I can’t help but roll my eyes.
But product placement is everywhere, from the famous Mini Cooper car chase in the 2003 film The Italian Job to the cans of Mountain Dew rewarded to the winning team on CBS’s television series, Survivor.
And while some instances of product placement are pretty subtle and tasteful, others are so obvious they’re groan-worthy.
So how does product placement work? How much does it cost? And what are the best examples of product placement in movies, television shows, and music videos? Let’s dive in.
Why Is Product Placement a Thing?
While many people think of movies when they think product placement, television actually accounts for almost 71.4% of all paid placements — and about 75% of all broadcast-network shows feature placements of some kind. Video games and pop music are other popular industries for product shout-outs.
And it’s all about context. In the popular 1955 American film Rebels Without a Cause, James Dean used an Ace Comb — and suddenly every cool teenage boy had to have one, resulting in a big increase in sales. Why? Because the comb was part of a storyline and an image that boys at the time could easily buy into.
Image Credit: ACE
According to a Priceonomics analysis, products placed into storylines can be a lot more successful for brands than traditional advertisements, like TV ads. It’s easier to sell a viewer on the value of a product if they’re emotionally invested in the storyline in which it’s presented, rather than a viewer who’s watching an ad totally out of context. Plus, it’s far too easy to skip ads and zone out during ads nowadays, anyway.
And it turns out product placements pretty cost-efficient in comparison to advertisements.
How Much Does It Cost?
Product integration into multiple episodes of primetime television series can cost a brand $3–10 million (with full-series deals exceeding $50 million). As for integrations into movies? You’re looking at tens of millions of dollars. However, those figures are cheap compared to the 30-second ad spots on television — especially since people can tune out or skip the ads.
“A typical TV spot will cost $350,000 on average to shoot, and tens of millions to run for a few small flights — most of which will be skipped or will fail to register for one reason or another,” Priceonomics reported.
The appearance of name brands in productions tend to beg the question: How much did [brand name] have to pay for that? You might be surprised to learn that, while some brands pay between hundreds of thousands and several million dollars, many placements are actually done for free. Turns out that movie and film and music producers love forming alliances with brands and are eager to incorporate them into productions.
For example, Hershey Foods didn’t pay anyone in the movie industry to have Reese’s Pieces used in the iconic film E.T. Instead, it agreed to promote E.T. with $1 million worth of advertising in exchange for the product placement in the movie. Worth it? You betcha: Hershey’s profit increased by 65% during the movie’s run.
Clearly, the cost and logistics of each product placement varies on a case-by-case basis. Let’s take a look at some of the most obvious — and then least obvious — product placements in film, television, video games, and music.
13 Unforgettable Examples of Product Placements in Movies, TV & Music Videos
1) Pizza Hut, Doritos, Reebok, Nuprin & Pepsi in Wayne’s World (1992)
One of the most ridiculously obvious instances of product placement in film is also one of my favorites. It’s that scene in Wayne’s World that makes fun of product placements, while simultaneously promoting products from Pizza Hut, Doritos, Reebok, Nuprin, and Pepsi.
At one point in the scene, Garth — who is dressed head-to-toe in Reebok — shakes his head and says, “It’s like, people only do things because they get paid, and that’s just really sad.” It’s laugh-out-loud funny.
2) Reese’s Pieces in E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
The famous appearance of Reese’s Pieces in E.T. bears repeating. Hershey didn’t pay a dime to the folks behind the scenes at E.T. to have their candy placed prominently in the movie, but they did strike a deal to spend $1 million on advertising promoting the movie in exchange for that product placement.
Originally, Steven Spielberg wanted M&Ms in the movie, but Mars reportedly turned him down because Universal Studios was unwilling to show them the final script before they started filming. They missed out: Hershey ended up seeing a 65% profit increase as a result during the movie’s run.
3) Dr. Pepper in 90210 (2008)
Dr. Pepper made several appearances in the CW soap opera 90210, and the writers didn’t shortchange the soda company with their script one bit. In one episode, two of the characters went on a road trip and, at one point, had to pull over at a rest stop so one of them could use the bathroom. “Maybe if you stopped drinking so much Dr. Pepper!” said one. The other’s reply? “We’re on a road trip! Drinking Dr. Pepper is practically a requirement.”
Here’s a clip from another placement of Dr. Pepper in the same episode:
4) Ford Fusion in New Girl (2012)
I’ll never forget shameless plug for Ford Fusion in an episode of the American sitcom New Girl. In the episode, three friends pile into their friend’s car. One of them exclaims, “Loving the new Ford Fusion!” Then, in a conversation that you’d be hard-pressed to witness in any real life situation, the friends proceeded to talk about how roomy the car is — “You could open a hat store in here!” — and how cool the gas mileage efficiency coaching system is.
Image Credit: Giphy
That wasn’t the only time the TV show featured Ford Fusion, either. In another episode, the main character spends two full minutes discussing the car’s features while struggling to model at a car show.
5) Coca Cola, Miracle Whip, Polaroid, Virgin Mobile & More in Lady Gaga’s Music Video, “Telephone” (2010)
“Your favorite songs and music videos are becoming advertisements,” wrote Tom Barnes for Music.Mic — and some are more obvious than others. Lady Gaga’s 9-minute music video Telephone featuring Beyoncé is littered with product placements, including Coca Cola, Miracle Whip, Polaroid, Virgin Mobile, Hewlett Packard, and the Plenty of Fish dating website.
But, according to AdAge, Gaga’s manager claims only a handful of these placements were paid. For example, the scene where Gaga curls her hair using Diet Coke cans was a nod to her mother, who did exactly that during the 1970s.
Image Credit: Salon
6) Heineken in Skyfall (2012)
The James Bond movies have always been a smorgasbord of product placements, from remote-controlled BMWs and Omega watches to elaborate vacation destinations. But Heineken tops the list: Their U.S. division paid a reported $45 million for a product placement in the 2012 film Skyfall. And for fans of the series that are used to hearing the character order his signature drink — martini (shaken, not stirred) — the in-movie placement was pretty obvious. In fact, it was almost alarming to hear Bond turn down his signature drink for a bottle of Heineken.
Image Credit: BrandChannel
The deal also included a 30-second commercial starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, a branded web game featuring Craig and his female co-star, Bérénice Marlohe.
Heineken has a 15-year, multi-picture deal with the producers of James Bond movies, which is one of the longest running (and most expensive) in history. Heineken is set to make an appearance in the 2015 film Spectre.
7) BMW Z3 in GoldenEye (1995)
We couldn’t mention product placement and James Bond without a nod toward the fictional spy’s love of BMWs. He drove Aston Martins in Bond movies until 1995’s GoldenEye, when he switched it out for the BMW Z3 Roadster.
“In retrospect, BMW’s placement of the Z3 into Goldeneye seems quite risky,” wrote the folks at Priceonomics. “Had the movie been pushed back half a year (not an uncommon practice in Hollywood), BMW might have been stuck advertising its previous year’s model in a new movie.” BMW paid $3 million for the placement — but then made $240 million in advance sales alone.
Image Credit: Business Insider
8) BMW Mini Cooper in The Italian Job (2003)
9) Ray-Ban in Risky Business (1983)
Given the Ray-Ban Wayfarer’s popularity over the past several decades, it’s hard to believe the sunglasses manufacturer considered canceling the line at one time. Their survival — and huge popularity — is thanks to the 1983 film Risky Business, for which the brand attributes the sale of over 360,000 pairs of Wayfarers.
Image Credit: Sunglass Island
Three years later, the producers of another Tom Cruise movie partnered with Ray-Ban, this time their Aviator line for 1986’s Top Gun. As a result of the movie, sales of aviator sunglasses increased by 40%.
10) Volvo in Swedish House Mafia’s Music Video, “Leave The World Behind”
ShortList calls it “not really a video, more a full-scale, four-minute Volvo commercial” — although I beg to differ. The car only shows up a handful of times in the Swedish House Mafia music video, and each appearance is only a second or two long, and they’re pretty tasteful. Not to mention, the music video is about leaving … they were going to have to include shots of some car in there. Might as well be one produced by their home country.
Image Credit: LuneVEVO
11) Nike in White House Down (2013)
Nike’s Air Jordan’s have shown up in several movies and TV shows over the past several decades, especially in the 1990s. In the 2013 film White House Down, the U.S. President (played by actor Jamie Foxx) engages in hand-to-hand combat with a terrorist. At one point, the terrorist grabs his feet, prompting him to yell out, “Get your hands off my Jordan’s!”
12) Marlboro, Coca-Cola & KFC in Superman (1980)
Many of the product placements in the 1980 version of the film Superman were much more subtle. Check out the fight scene in the video clip below, and see if you can spot the least obvious placement of all: the KFC box on the car dashboard.
The 2013 version of the movie, called Man of Steel, ended up earning $160 million from promotional tie-ins with brands like Sears and Warby Parker. These tie-ins aren’t necessarily product placements themselves, though: For example, Warby Parker is created Clark Kent-inspired glasses; Gillette produced a video series on how Superman shaves, and Walmart offered patrons an exclusive movie screening.
13) Manolo Blahnik in Sex and the City
Carrie Bradshaw’s obsession with Manolo Blahnik’s shoes helped the Spanish designer become a household name. His shoes pop up in multiple TV episodes (16 times in 94 episodes, to be exact) and a pair of Manolos that were custom-designed for the film make a star appearance in the The Sex and the City Movie as the prop used by Carrie’s boyfriend to propose to her in place of a diamond ring.
While these product placements are certainly obvious ones, they don’t actually come across as obnoxious. Why? Because brands are a part of these girls’ fashion-forward, New York City lifestyle. Jimmy Choo was another favorite of hers.
And Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays Carrie and was the producer for Sex and the City: The Movie, said she wouldn’t have been able to finance and market the film without product partnerships. Sometimes these partnerships involved product placements, but most of the time, it was simply businesses spending heavily to promote their ties to the movie, according to Reuters.
Image Credit: Nail Polish Addict
There are a lot — I mean a lot — of examples of product placement out there. Which are your favorites? Which examples from this list do you think are tasteful — and which do you think aren’t so tasteful? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
4 Tools to Build a Social Media Content Calendar
Do you struggle to keep track of your social media content? Are you looking for tools to help? Creating a social media content calendar doesn’t need to be complicated or require a whole new platform. In this article you’ll find four ways to build a social media content calendar with tools you may already use. Why […]
This post 4 Tools to Build a Social Media Content Calendar first appeared on Social Media Examiner.
Social Media Examiner – Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle
from Social Media Examiner http://ift.tt/1iWzN2v
via socialmediaexaminer
Apple pushes OS X 10.11.2 El Capitan beta 3 to public beta testers
A day after releasing the third public beta of OS X 10.11.2 to developers, Apple this evening has released the third public beta of the operating system to public beat testers. Beta 3 of OS X 10.11.2 comes just a week after Apple released beta 2 to testers.
Public beta users can download the update now from the Mac App Store’s Updates tab on their computer. Users who are interested in testing public betas can apply for the program at Apple’s beta website.
Filed under: AAPL Company
Check out 9to5Mac for more breaking coverage of AAPL Company.
What do you think? Discuss “Apple pushes OS X 10.11.2 El Capitan beta 3 to public beta testers” with our community.
iPad Pro unboxing and first impressions [Video]
Today we’re taking a look at the iPad Pro. On the surface, it may look like a giant Netflix machine, but well… it kind of is. This is the biggest iPad ever without a doubt, that packs a 12.9-inch display and obviously has a much larger footprint when compared to the iPad Air 2, this is larger by 78 percent actually. But enough with the small talk, let’s take a look inside of the box..,
As far as specifications go, Apple’s iPad Pro is packing the A9X processor inside, with 4GB of RAM, and either 32GB or in my case 128GB of internal storage. As I mentioned, there’s a 12.9-inch display with a resolution of 2732 x 2048 which is good for 265ppi.
Check out our iPad Pro unboxing and impressions video below:
The display is pretty clean as well. It’s obviously not as pixel dense as some of the smartphones we look at, but it’s on point with a Retina MacBook Pro. The technology for the display makes it extremely power efficient as well, at least according to Apple. The display features a variable refresh rate that can detect when the content on it is static. From there is drops the refresh rate from 60 to 30 in order to save power.
Taking a look at design, this thing is massive. Like really big. Luckily, it’s not as thick as it is big. It comes in at just 6.9mm and weighs 1.57 pounds, which isn’t too bad at all. Along the bottom end, you’ll find a Lightning port for charging, and surprisingly here, Apple has implemented four side-firing speakers inside of the iPad Pro (2 on each end) for a rich multimedia experience.
On one side you’ll find the volume buttons and a couple of microphones, while the other is home to Apple’s new Smart Connector, which can be used for accessories like the new Smart Keyboard, which is actually not available to ship immediately at launch, but third-party manufacturers like Logitech have swooped in to save the day. And if you really want to be that guy, there’s an 8-megapixel camera on the backside, capable of up to 1080p video recording. Trust me though, you don’t want to be that guy. Also, around the front, there’s a 1.2-megapixel camera, making it great option for Skype and FaceTime calls.
So basically, when the iPad Pro’s Smart Connector makes contact with a supported accessory like Logitech’s CREATE keyboard case, it powers and charges the keyboard so you’ll never have to worry about that. Pretty neat feature in my opinion and also one of the things that makes the iPad Pro a bit different than the other models. And obviously because the iPad Pro is so large, a keyboard case like this will actually have full-size keys, which is miles better than typing on something cramped in a smaller form factor.
Apple also makes the iPad Pro useful for a wide variety of other people with Apple Pencil, and I’d love to share my experience about this with you, but unfortunately this too was not available to ship instantly at launch.
I think the iPad Pro is a nice idea overall, but the main issue here is that it runs iOS instead of something that may be a bit more useful to “professionals” like you know.. maybe OS X? The truth is, that even Microsoft’s Surface may appeal to anyone looking to get more out of productivity than iOS has to offer, but that doesn’t make this a bad product. Having laptop-like screen real estate in a tablet form-factor is a nice thing. Especially when paired with a full size keyboard. Drop in the rich multitasking found in iOS 9 and you’ve got something that can definitely appeal to a lot of people. And you know what? Sometimes folks just don’t want to deal with a desktop operating system.
For me, the iPad Pro feels pretty well-built and obviously the quality is on point with what you’d expect from Apple. That being said, it’ll take me some time to figure out whether or not this huge tablet is something I need in my life, but I’ll definitely give it a shot. What do you think about the iPad Pro? Did you pick one up?
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, Apple Pencil, iPad, iPad Pro, Smart Keyboard, unboxing
For more information about iOS Devices, Apple, and iPad continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “iPad Pro unboxing and first impressions [Video]” with our community.
Apple offers new accessory bundles w/ deep discounts for the creative artist
New for the holiday season, Apple is offering some bundles for the photographer and videographer. The iPhones have a great camera, as demonstrated by the Shot on iPhone 6 campaign and Apple is certainly looking to capitalize on these capabilities. With these bundles, they are making it easier for a hobbyist or a professional to get started with accessories.
The Photography Kit consists of five different accessories:
- Olloclip Active Lens – comes with ultra-wide and telephoto lens and it is $99.99
- Manfrotto PIXI Tripod – an extremely lightweight and portable tripod and it is $24.88
- MeFOTO Sidekick 360 Plus Tripod Mounting Adapter – allows you to turn the phone 360° to easily reposition vertical and horizontal pictures and it is normally $52.00 and is on sale for $39.00
- HISY Bluetooth Camera Remote – a bluetooth remote allowing you to take pictures away from your phone and it is $24.00
- Incase Photography Kit – designed specifically for these accessories and it is made out of compact shell with 1680D nylon molded and similar bags range from $39.95 to $59.95
Bought separately, these photography accessories are worth $260.82 and Apple sells them together for $199.95.
If photos aren’t your passion, have no fear because Apple also has a Videography Kit as well. It consists of five different accessories:
Olloclip Active Lens – comes with ultra-wide and telephoto lens and it is $99.99
- Manfrotto Compact Action Tripod – features an ergonomic joystick head with a scroll wheel lock mechanism that allows for capturing smooth videos and it is $69.88
- MeFOTO Sidekick 360 Plus Tripod Mounting Adapter – allows you to turn the phone 360° to easily reposition vertical and horizontal pictures and it is normally $52.00 and is on sale for $39.00
- Shure MV88 Digital Stereo Mic – connects to your phone via the Lightning port, rotates 90° and can make real-time adjustments to stereo width and switch built-in DSP presets and it is normally $186.00 on sale for $149.00
- Incase Tripod Sling – designed specially for these accessories and it is made out of durable 1680D ballistic nylon. The main compartment securely rolls down and has plenty of room for tripods and small pockets for organization of smaller items and similar bags range from $99.95 to $199.95.
Bought separately these videography accessories are worth $607.82 and Apple sells them together for $299.95. For this holiday season, if you need gifts for the photographer or the videographer, these are extremely reasonably packaged and priced.
Filed under: Buying Guides, iOS Devices Tagged: Camera, iPhone 6, iphone 6 plus, iPhone 6s, iphone 6s plus, photography, video, videography
For more news on iOS Devices, iPhone 6, and iphone 6 plus continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Apple offers new accessory bundles w/ deep discounts for the creative artist” with our community.
iPad Pro teardown shows tweaks to internals in Apple’s new larger tablet
It’s no surprise that the people over at repair guide portal iFixit have already started their ritual teardown of Apple’s new iPad Pro. The new device features a larger 12.9-inch display, the 3rd generation 64-bit A9X chip, and other upgraded internals, but are there any other new surprises inside the iPad Pro?
Immediately the team noticed a different layout for the logic board making things a little different when cracking open the new iPad Pro compared to previous generations:
This isn’t quite what we’re used to! With the logic board situated in the center of the iPad, the display cables connect in the very middle, we can’t even lay the display down while we work… Instead we have to support the weight of the display while taking out a few screws securing the display cable bracket…. Here’s a first in iPad history. We have to remove the logic board EMI shielding to remove the logic board itself.
And here is a list of components iFixit found inside that aren’t publicly detailed by Apple:
- 2 × Broadcom BCM15900B0
- NXP Semiconductors 8416A1 Touch ID Sensor
- Parade Technologies DP695 Timing Controller
- This is likely an iteration of the DP665 LCD timing controller found in the iMac Retina 5K, modified to support the display’s variable refresh rate.
- Texas Instruments TPS65144 (Likely an iteration of the TPS65143A LCD Bias found in the Air 2)
One thing iFixit notes in its teardown is that the speaker boxes for the device take about half the space as the battery cells. “Premium audio means reduced battery life,” the team notes.
One of the iPad Pro’s speakers
We’ll be updating this post as iFixit makes more discoveries of what’s inside Apple’s latest tablet..
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: A9x, iFixit, internals, iPad Pro, repair, teardown
Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of iOS Devices, iPad Pro, and iFixit.
What do you think? Discuss “iPad Pro teardown shows tweaks to internals in Apple’s new larger tablet” with our community.
Mophie introduces new power banks with a sleek aluminum design and Bluetooth monitoring
From 9to5Toys.com:
Just a few weeks after launching a new slim iPhone 6/s battery case and power bank, Mophie is back again today with five new external batteries. We’ve seen a lot of power banks in our day – and regularly have deals too – but the new Mophie powerstations use an aluminum shell that, from pictures alone, standout from the pack.
Available in five different capacities, each model provides a different feature set focused on a variety of needs. The smaller 1X provides a 2,000mAh battery with speeds up to 1.8A. Going up to the larger 2X and 3X models provides 4,000 and 6,000mAh capacities along with 2.4A charging speeds, the latter of which adds a second USB port to the mix.
Mophie has added a couple of standout features to the largest powerstations, the 5x and 8x, including Bluetooth monitoring via the free Power iOS and Android app. The smaller model packs 10,000mAh of power, while its bigger brother has 15,000mAh. Each model has dual-USB charging ports and LED indicators.
Most of the new power banks are available for purchase today via Verizon Wireless, and will be coming to Apple Store locations as well. Pricing is as follows:
mophie Raises Bar Again For Mobile Charging With New powerstation® Line Of Universal Batteries
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., Nov. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — mophie—the #1 selling mobile battery case maker in North America(1), and innovator of intelligent solutions for mobile devices—announced its next generation powerstation® lineup of universal battery solutions for mobile devices. This marks the release of mophie’s slimmest collection of universal power products to date. Defined by industry-leading quality, these quick-charging devices present an elegant, progressive design punctuated by a premium aluminum finish, and integrate with the mobile power management app, mophie Power.
Available in multiple battery sizes (1X, 2X, 3X, 5X, 8X), the powerstation® line provides dynamic, on-the-go charging options to fit all lifestyles. With up to 15,000mAh, users will enjoy up to 54 additional hours of talk time, 59 additional hours of web browsing, 59 additional hours of video playback, and 272 additional hours of audio time.
“As the most trusted brand in mobile power, it’s our job to differentiate mophie universal products from the masses,” said Daniel Huang, mophie CEO and Co-Founder. “We do so by truly innovating with each generation and by pushing boundaries of reliability, performance, beautiful design, features, and everyday benefit to the user.”
For example, the mophie Power app allows users to concurringly monitor and manage the battery life of their smartphone and bluetooth-enabled powerstation units (5x and 8x models only). Custom notifications can be created to alert when batteries are low or when fully charged. The mophie Power app also tracks how much time remains until your devices are powered up to 100%, and offers tips on how to improve your smartphone’s battery life.
Pass-through charging powers your mobile device first before powerstation® charges itself (available with all sizes except 1X). Dual outputs (3X, 5X, and 8X only) allow for simultaneous charging capabilities.
The new mophie powerstation® line is currently available at mophie.com, Apple Store and Verizon locations starting at $39.99.
For the latest details and updates about all mophie products, follow mophie on Facebook, twitter, and Instagram, and register athttp://ift.tt/1Anfmm4.
mophie, the #1 selling battery case manufacturer in North America, is a California-based, award-winning designer and manufacturer that empowers the mobile world to Stay Powerful. Widely acclaimed for innovative mobile solutions, mophie is the proud developer of the original juice pack®. mophie products are recognized for style and engineered for performance, providing a seamless integration of hardware, software and design. mophie has operations in California, Michigan, Netherlands, Hong Kong, and China. Visit mophie.com and follow us on Facebook, twitter, and Instagram (@mophie).
Filed under: General Tagged: external battery, Mophie, Power Banks, powerstation
Continue reading more about General, Mophie, and external battery at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Mophie introduces new power banks with a sleek aluminum design and Bluetooth monitoring” with our community.
Tim Cook met with UK officials this week to talk Apple Pay, regulations for tech companies
Apple CEO Tim Cook visiting app developers in London this week
Tim Cook reportedly met with U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne this week to discuss Apple Pay and regulations in the country as the Apple CEO continues a tour to meet government officials, app developers, and students abroad.
Bloomberg reports that Osborne offered details of the discussion at a recent talk noting that the two “spoke extensively about Apple Pay” and that the UK Chancellor is “committed to ensuring that regulators don’t stifle innovation”:
“I was thinking how extraordinary it was that you had a finance minister and the head of a tech company talking about the future of banking,” Osborne told a conference organized by the Bank of England on Wednesday. “I want the U.K. to be the global center of fintech. We will go out of our way to make that happen.”
Tim Cook appears to be on a bit of a world tour alongside the iPad Pro launch this week, making stops in various locations in the UK, Ireland, and Italy, among other places. The Apple CEO posted images on his official Twitter account from trips to visit app developers and students in Italy this week, as well as photos from a trip to Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.
Earlier today we reported that the Irish government and Apple had announced that an additional 1,000 jobs would be added at Apple’s EU headquarters in Cork, Ireland by mid-2017.
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple, George Osborne, Tim Cook, UK
For more information about AAPL Company, Apple, and Tim Cook continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Tim Cook met with UK officials this week to talk Apple Pay, regulations for tech companies” with our community.
Apple in talks to launch person-to-person Apple Pay mobile payments system in 2016
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Apple is actively in talks to launch a new person-to-person mobile payments service, like Apple Pay but for sending money between friends and family. Apple is in discussions with US banks to negotiate terms for the new service, which could launch next year. The publication says it is unclear if any deals have been struck to date and technical implementation details remain in flux.
Essentially, imagine AirDrop for mobile payments between people. This would essentially pit Apple Pay against other friend-to-friend payment solutions like PayPal’s Venmo, Facebook Messenger payments and similar services.
From the Wall Street Journal’s report, Apple has discussed the project with several US banks including Wells Fargo, Chase, Capital One and JP Morgan.
The service under consideration would allow consumers to zap payments from their checking accounts to recipients through their Apple devices. The service would likely be linked to the company’s Apple Pay system, which allows customers to make credit-card and debit-card payments with their mobile phones.
Apple got a patent for person-to-person Apple Pay payments earlier in the year, so it’s definitely been on the table for while and is the obvious next step to expand Apple’s mobile payment offerings aside from supporting more countries.
Apple Pay is currently available as a customer-to-merchant transaction in the United States and the UK with a variety of supporting banks. Apple Pay is coming to Australia and Canada via American Express by the end of 2015 as well as several more countries next year.
Filed under: AAPL Company, Apple Pay, iOS, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple pay, mobile payments
Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of AAPL Company, iOS Devices, and iOS.
What do you think? Discuss “Apple in talks to launch person-to-person Apple Pay mobile payments system in 2016” with our community.
Happy Hour Podcast 040 | iPad Pro day
Apple’s iPad Pro is now available for sale and we’re got the details on everything you need to know. From the best iPad Pro cases to other retailers that will have stock. Along with that, we get into some new Apple TV details that you might want to know about and Apple Music hits … Android.
New episodes of Happy Hour are available every Wednesday. As mentioned, you can download this podcast via iTunes or plug in our RSS feed link into your favorite podcasting app. Send an email to listenermail@9to5mac.com (or click here) and your question/comment may be featured in an upcoming episode of Happy Hour.
Note: iTunes (web interface and app) may still be propagating the new episode which could take up to 24 hours. Subscribing to the podcast feed will guarantee the latest episode is downloaded.
Hosts:
Here’s what we discussed in this episode:
- Apple plans to start selling the iPad Pro on November 11th
- Apple’s 12.9 inch iPad Pro goes on sale Wednesday in 40 countries, available at retail stores later in the week
- Where to buy Apple’s new, larger iPad Pro this week
- Apple debuts new iPad Pro ad ‘A Great Big Universe’ ahead of Wednesday’s launch
- Apple Music for Android now available in the Google Play Store
- Hands-on: SteelSeries’ Nimbus is the first Made For Apple TV game controller, but should you care?
- Roundup: The best apps and games for the new Apple TV
- Opinion: With Apple TV 4’s open app platform, some classic channels offer worse user experiences
- Apple announces Apple TV-focused Tech Talks for developers across 10 cities around the world
If you missed our 39th episode last week, you can subscribe and find every episode or start off from the previous episode here.
Remember: Subscribe on iTunes to catch all of the episodes as they go live and send in your questions/comments to listenermail@9to5mac.com.
Filed under: Happy Hour Tagged: Apple TV, Happy Hour, iPad, iPad Pro, Podcast
For more news on iPad, Apple TV, and iPad Pro continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Happy Hour Podcast 040 | iPad Pro day” with our community.
Ten new iPad Pro details you’ll want to know before buying one [Gallery]
Just as predicted by my colleague Mark Gurman, the iPad Pro became available to purchase today, making a rare simultaneous appearance in Apple’s online and physical stores without any preorder period. Consequently, it’s actually possible to walk into an Apple Store today to buy one — and if my experience today is any indication, there probably won’t even be much of a line.
If you’re still unsure as to whether you want an iPad Pro, I’ve put together this quick guide to some of the real-world things people will want to know about the new 12.9″ iPad before making a purchase — including some comparison photos and other hands-on details. Enjoy the details and galleries below…
1. How Big Is Big? How much space are you really going to save carrying an iPad Pro instead of a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro? Not a lot, particularly if you’re also toting a keyboard around. Inside a keyboard case, the iPad Pro has a nearly identical footprint to the 13″ Retina MacBook Pro (above), and is noticeably bigger than the 11.6″ MacBook Air. (Check out the gallery below to see a shot of the iPad Pro in a keyboard case dwarfing the smaller Air.)
2. This Is How Big It Looks Next To the iPad Air 2 and the iPhone 6s Plus. iPhone 6/6s Plus users typically stop using their iPad minis once their iPhones become nearly as big — some even stopped using full-sized iPads/iPad Airs. The iPad Pro creates another meaningful differentiation between devices; compared with the iPhone 6/6s Plus, it feels a lot bigger than an iPad Air. And even if you know what a 13″ laptop screen is like, the iPad Pro feels a lot different — more intimate, as Steve Jobs would have said — when it’s resting in your lap, or held in your hand. My strong advice: under no circumstances should you try placing it on an iPad dock.
3. The Extra Speakers Actually Do Make A Difference. The iPad Pro has four speakers — two on “top,” two on “bottom” — and they’re much better than on any prior iPad. Believe it or not, the iPad Pro makes the 13″ Retina MacBook Pro’s speakers sound weak; they’re remarkably a step louder, noticeably clearer, and decidedly wider in frequency, better in both treble and bass. Apple’s promised stereo separation feature works seamlessly, too, properly switching the “left” and “right” channels over to the correct speakers as you rotate the iPad Pro around.
4. Multitasking With The Virtual Keyboard Is Less Weird But Still Weird. Typing has become wonky on all iPads since the introduction of split-screen multitasking, and rather than going away, the weirdness just changes with the iPad Pro. On a positive note, you get a little more screen space for your apps above the virtual keyboard, which managed to grow in height and width by replicating more keys from a regular keyboard. Now you get half-height number keys alongside a weird half-height delete key, while losing the ability to split the keyboard in half for edge-of-screen typing. But you still have the ability to undock the keyboard from the bottom of the screen, sliding it up and down to your preferred position. I’ve never seen a use for this, but maybe you have one.
5. Most Of The Time, It Doesn’t Feel Materially Faster Than An iPad Air 2. Most apps, including Apple’s, feel like they’re running at the same speeds once you get them open, though the iPad Pro can and will load apps a little faster. As between the iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro, you’re more likely to notice Internet/wireless retrieval delays than CPU or GPU performance issues at this point. Oddly, Geekbench’s benchmarking tool shows a lot of variation between results. It consistently reported a gigantic jump in single-core scores from the iPad Air 2 (as wide as 1836 to 3146), but versus the iPad Air 2’s 4605 multi-core score, the Pro’s scores ranged from a barely better 4859 to a higher score of 5324. I’m guessing Geekbench needs an update, but there might be under-the-hood power management reasons for the benchmark differences.
6. Display Zoom + AirPlay Mirroring. Hey, did you know the iPad Pro has a Display Zoom feature, like the iPhone 6/6s Plus? When activated, it effectively transforms the Pro’s 12.9″ screen into the UI equivalent of the iPad Air, with much larger icons and text at a 2048 x 1536 resolution. The zoomed display could be a boon for users with limited vision seeking a larger canvas for the existing iPad experience. Additionally, though the iPad Pro’s screen is normally 2732 x 2048, it continues to look way lower-res — basically 1024×768-equivalent, the same as other iPads — when AirPlay Mirrored to an HDTV.
7. Expect A Lot Of Upscaling and Weird Proportions. Most of the iPad Pro experience right now is… a work in progress. Click on most apps and they’ll look like iPad Air apps upscaled to a larger screen, and in some apps, you may (gasp) notice visible pixels for the first time since Apple switched to Retina displays. Also, apps that have been upscaled (including Apple’s integrated iOS apps) don’t necessarily look optimally balanced for the new screen size. It’s really time for Apple to re-evaluate whether iPad apps like Clock really need to occupy the entire screen with white space for most of their tabs — now that multitasking is here, some apps might be best off running in less-than-full-screen windows.
8. Also, You Probably Should Stop Running Those Last Few Upscaled iPhone Apps Now. Sorry, Instagram users. iPhone app upscaling to the iPad was always a little iffy, but on the iPad Pro, it’s downright silly. 1X mode is tiny, and 2X mode no longer fills the screen, remaining closer to the size of an iPad Air screen with tons of black space on the Pro’s display.
9. Old Power Is All Good. The iPad Pro comes with and prefers Apple’s previously-released 12w iPad Power Adapter, but it doesn’t complain if it’s connected to older 10W iPad adapters or even 5W iPhone adapters. Those fearing a “Not Charging” notice will find the Pro works like other iPads when it comes to compatibility with Made For iPad power accessories.
10. Apple’s Smart Connector May Become A Game-Changer. For the first time in iPad history, the iPad Pro can actually connect to two wired accessories at once — one with Lightning, one with the Smart Connector. If this wasn’t obvious before due to the volume buttons’ placement, the Smart Connector now defines the “correct” way to use the iPad Pro in landscape mode: with the Home Button on the right side of the screen. It’s going to be really interesting to see how and whether most cases handle the new Connector, as no one knows yet whether it will be useful for things beyond (certain) keyboard docks. Since it was the first thing to show dirt on my Pro after it was unpacked, protection of some sort doesn’t seem like a bad idea, but accessing the port may wind up being challenging if it’s covered…
Here’s a quick gallery of additional iPad Pro images:
More From This Author
Check out more of my editorials, How-To guides, and reviews for 9to5Mac here! I’ve covered a lot of different topics of interest to Mac, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, and Apple Watch users. If you’re looking to trade in your old iPad for a new iPad Pro, use promo code IPADPRO here to get a 10% bonus on your NextWorth trade in.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: iPad, iPad Pro
For more information about iOS Devices, iPad, and iPad Pro continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Ten new iPad Pro details you’ll want to know before buying one [Gallery]” with our community.
Apple updates iWork for Mac and iOS with Office compatibility fixes and more
Apple has released updates for its entire suite of iWork apps today on both iOS and OS X. The updates include bug fixes for issues with some Microsoft Office documents and stability fixes across both platforms.
Other fixes on the Mac side include an issue that affected exporting presentations as images and master slides that included links in Keynote, and a problem that prevented users from being able to look up the definition of words in lists while using Pages.
The iOS version of Numbers also gained a fix for a problem where documents would not open to their last saved position. The mobile Keynote app got a fix for an issue with opening presentations that contain many images.
You can download the apps at the links below. The updates are free for existing users. For first-time buyers the Mac apps are $19.99 and the iOS versions are $9.99.
Mac
iOS
Filed under: Apps Tagged: iOS, iWork, keynote, Mac, Numbers, Pages
Continue reading more about Apps, iOS, and Mac at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Apple updates iWork for Mac and iOS with Office compatibility fixes and more” with our community.
Facebook debuts ‘Notify’ app for news, sports, weather, and more
In line with previous rumors, Facebook has released a new app today called Notify that aims to deliver timely and relevant news notifications to users.
The app serves a wide variety of content types to keep users interested, including the day’s weather forecasts, breaking news from multiple sources, fashion news from Vogue, and even historical images from Getty.
Everyone has different interests, so whether you’re into sports, celebrities, news, movies, music or shopping, Notify makes it easy to find notifications you’re into with a broad selection of great “stations” across a variety of categories. Some examples of stations include:
- The Final Scores station from FOX Sports provides end-of-game summaries for your favorite teams.
- The Daily AM Forecast station from The Weather Channel sends a local weather forecast at the start of your day.
- Hot New Trailers from Fandango gets you the newest trailers for the hottest movies as they drop.
- Breaking News from CNN and Top Stories from Fox News deliver the day’s news headlines.
- The 10 Best Dressed station from Vogue is your weekly digest of the best-dressed celebs.
- Daily Mediation from Headspace brings bite-sized guided meditation exercises into your day.
- The Flashback station from Getty Images delivers iconic imagery from this day in history.
Notifications will be delivered throughout the day as new information becomes available, and those notifications can be opened to see the full story or shared through social media.
Incoming messages can also be saved to a list for reading later if you don’t want to handle them the moment they come in. The app keeps a list of everything you’ve received over the past 24 hours so you can refer back to it at any time.
Notify is available for free on the App Store.
Filed under: Apps Tagged: Facebook, News, Notify
For more news on Apps, Facebook, and News continue reading at 9to5Mac.
What do you think? Discuss “Facebook debuts ‘Notify’ app for news, sports, weather, and more” with our community.