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Video: Watch this 3 minute time-lapse of Apple.com homepages from 1996-2016, a visual history of Apple’s incredible growth
Apple.com turned twenty-years old just a few days ago, neatly encompassing what is now referred to as “modern Apple”, after Steve Jobs returned to the company in 1997. This video highlights every major event in Apple’s timeline as a time lapse of its homepages from when the website began in 1996 to the present day.
Filed under: Apple
Apple’s iCloud Music Library ‘unable to connect’ for some users today
A growing number of users report issues with connecting to Apple’s iCloud Music Library service following the release of iOS and macOS updates earlier today. Users encountering the problem are faced with an error message in iTunes on macOS that reads: “Unable to connect to iCloud music library”.
Filed under: Apple
Project Finance Financial Model: Secure Your Investment
Many professionals have business ideas that seem like practical business ventures. Most of these ventures require funding from multiple funding sources. So to reduce risks, the professional with the business idea, or sometimes even the investor or other interested parties will want to perform an analysis of all of the financial activity that is involved in the project. They depend on reliable financial information to perform the best financial analysis possible.
The financial information required is also needed so that the proposed business venture can be compared to similar ventures in its industry. This allows interested parties to gain a more realistic picture of the potential financial performance of the venture. Their main concern is that they receive a return on their investment or that they are repaid for various loans that have been made on behalf of the venture.
Some of the financial methods used to perform the best analysis possible are designed to ensure that investors and lenders can secure their investments; they are described in more detail below.
Financial Modeling
Financial modeling is one of the major sources used to perform a financial analysis of a business venture. It creates a financial reflection of the venture’s structure by clearly mapping out all aspects of the venture, including its sources of revenue, all project costs that are associated with the venture, as well as capital expenditures and its fixed and variable expenses. It helps funders make better, more informed decisions.
The financial model allows participants to evaluate the project’s estimated cash flows, estimated net profits, the estimated net worth, as well as a wide variety of other key financial indicators. The key financial indicators are used by investors and banks to compare the projected financial performance to other similar ventures in the marketplace. A credit union may also be a financial source that could have an interest in reviewing a financial model as well.
The financial model also clearly maps out the sources of business finance along with the timing of all of the funding sources and the investment loan repayments that are required at designated periods within the project.
Project Valuation Methods
In addition to analyzing the financial model for a specific venture, it is also very important to perform an analysis of the project’s valuation. The valuation of a business venture consists of a process and various procedures that are used to perform an estimation of the economic value of the venture – more specifically the owner, investor’s or lender’s interest in the venture. Typically, those who are involved in the venture in any capacity and have a financial interest in the project, uses the information provided in project valuations to better determine the future economic outcomes of the business venture.
There are a wide array of valuation methods used based on the specifics involved with the project. One of the more common one’s involves the project’s value after the sale of a business for a future period of time. Other methods consist of comparable multiples whereby areas such as P/E multiples are used, price to revenue, market to book and enterprise value to EBIT multiples are used.
Another method consists of the Discounted Cash Flow method whereby areas such as the net present value, the internal rate of return or the economic value added based methods may be used.
What is Project Analysis?
To ensure that their investments and funds are protected, investors and other lenders often hire a financial project manager who is responsible for overseeing how the venture is played out. They are also responsible for knowing how to read and understand the various financial modeling and valuation methods, as well as have knowledge about performing a thorough project analysis. Project valuation methods and a project finance valuation is also of great importance and is within the overall scope of analyzing the project.
The project manager must also be able to properly articulate what’s been analyzed along with their professional evaluation of the overall project. In essence, the financial project manager must be able to properly perform a detailed review of the project as well as oversee insurance for investments that have been made.
The post Project Finance Financial Model: Secure Your Investment appeared first on Project-Management.com.
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Comment: This is the year to pay attention to new MacBook Pros
Apple’s ‘hello again’ tagline for its special event this Thursday suggests an evolution of the Mac line, not just an iterative update. That’s because the world was introduced to the Macintosh in 1984 with a ‘hello’, then to the iMac in 1998 with a ‘hello (again)’, both key points in the Mac’s history. Now in 2016 it appears to be the MacBook Pro’s turn.
This will hardly be the first MacBook Pro, but we expect a slimmer design with beefed up internals and a new input method: an OLED touch panel above the keyboard that dynamically changes based on context. Apple will likely want to frame the ‘Magic Toolbar‘ (or whatever it calls it) as an important evolution in input methods like the iPod’s Click Wheel, the iPhone’s Multi-Touch, and the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown.
If you ignore the historical importance of ‘hello again’ and just see it as a clever way to say ‘hey, we just had an event last month and we’re back’, one thing is still clear based on what we expect to see at Apple’s event: this is the year to pay attention to new MacBook Pros.
Filed under: Apple
The 2016 MacBook Event shows up on Apple TV, complete with local timezone reminders
Just ahead of this week’s Apple ‘hello again’ event, the Apple Events channel has been updated with local time zone reminders of when to watch the announcements this week. The Events app refresh showcases the event invitation’s wispy and colorful Apple logo, with links to view previous events. You can even use the channel to see a reminder for when the keynote kicks off in your local timezone.
Filed under: Apple
macOS 10.12.1 software update is now available through the Mac App Store
Apple releases watchOS 3.1 to the public with bug fixes, update through iPhone Watch app
Apple has today released watchOS 3.1 to the public, the newest operating system release for Apple Watch. watchOS 3.0 introduced many new features for the wearable, but sadly watchOS 3.1 is a much more subdued affair. As far as we can tell, there are no new features included in the update despite the version numbering. However, watchOS 3.1 includes some noticeable improvements to battery life as well as the usual slew of bug fixes. The update is available for all Apple Watch Series 2, Apple Watch Series 1 and first-generation Apple Watch models.
Filed under: Apple
tvOS 10.0.1 software update for Apple TV is now available for everyone
Apple releases iOS 10.1 with Portrait Mode for iPhone 7 Plus, and fixes for other devices
Apple has just released the official build of iOS 10.1 to the general public which includes the new Portrait Mode for the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus. After being available to developers and public beta testers for the past few weeks, iOS 10.1 is now available to users on compatible iOS devices. iOS 10.1 brings the DSLR-like depth effect to iPhone 7 Plus devices, and a multitude of fixes for other devices.
Filed under: Apple
9to5Toys Lunch Break: iPad mini 4/Air 2 Wi-Fi 32GB from $309, CyberPower 900W UPS $140, Leather Apple Watch Band $14, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
Save up to 23% on iPad mini 4 and iPad Air 2 at Target: Wi-Fi 32GB configurations from $309 shipped
The best Desktop/Internet Backup/UPS you’ll find for $140 shipped: CyberPower Green
Give your Apple Watch a genuine leather band (42 or 38mm) for just $14 Prime shipped (Reg. $20)
Prime Photos FREE MONEY/PRINTS: Get $60 in Amazon computer/tablet/camera/software credit and 50 free prints just for uploading a picture
Best Buy announces free shipping on holiday orders as Target is rumored to offer the same
Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless headphones (Active Collection, multiple colors) for $100 shipped (Reg. $140)
App Store Free App of the Week: Night Sky 4 goes free for the first time (Reg. up to $4)
The best smart LED light bulbs with HomeKit, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
Anker Smartphone Car Mounts for iPhone 7/Plus, Galaxy S7/Edge, Pixel, more in a variety of styles from $8 Prime shipped
- New MacBooks are coming this week, pick up a felt sleeve for as little as $5 Prime shipped
- Logitech’s popular Circle 1080p wireless security camera is now 25% off: $150 (Reg. $200)
- Smartphone Accessories: Aukey 5-Port 50W/10A Output USB Charger $13 (Reg. $18), more
- Games/Apps: Far Cry Primal $25, Doom $25, iOS freebies, more
- Daily Deals: Triby Speaker w/ Alexa Voice Assistant $165, Monster Mobile PowerCard $8, more
- TP-Link deals: DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem $45 + OnHub 802.11ac Router $142
- Gift Cards up to 15% off: Krispy Kreme, Barnes & Noble, Lowe’s, Children’s Place, more
- Free Xbox Live Gold Games for November: Murdered Soul Suspect, Super Dragon Bros, more
- Unlocked Moto G (4th Gen) 16 GB, 5.5″ 1080P display Prime Exclusive: $120 shipped
- LEGO City Airport Air Show Building Kit $58 (Reg. $70+) + Bricktober Toys R Us, more
MORE DEALS STILL LIVE:
Get a Lightning cable that’ll last. This 4-ft option from Inateck features tough braided nylon and is on sale for $4.49 Prime shipped (Reg. $9), more
Adobe Photoshop Elements 15 for Mac/PC: $80 (Reg. $100)
Filed under: Apple
Quick Look: the newly redesigned HDHomeRun Extend is a great tool for cord-cutters [Video]
We’ve covered the Channels app for Apple TV and iOS several times this year, and have come to the conclusion that it’s a great companion app for cord-cutters. But to take advantage of the greatness that is Channels, you’ll need a special hardware device from the folks over at SiliconDust. Enter the company’s newly redesigned HDHomeRun Extend.
Filed under: Apple
Pokemon Go schedules first in-game event for Halloween with player perks
Apple Watch Nike+ availability: stores, countries and some bad news on bands announced
A quiet update to Apple’s website earlier revealed that the Apple Watch Nike+ edition would go on sale this Friday, October 28 – and Apple has now further confirmed the date with some additional details.
You’ll naturally be able to buy the special edition Watch at Apple Stores and ‘select’ Nike retail stores, but it will also be available at a number of specialty and department stores. Macy’s is no surprise as the Apple Watch has seen availability there already, but Apple says you’ll also be able to pick up the new Watch at DICK’S Sporting Goods stores …
Filed under: Apple
Three new Mac laptops appear in Russian regulatory database ahead of Apple’s ‘hello again’ event on Thursday
In case there needed to be any more smoke to the fire, Russian trademark filings reveal that Apple is readying the release of three new Macs running macOS Sierra. The products have apparently passed the Russian registration, labelled as ‘portable personal computer models’ with model identifiers A1706, A1707 and A1708.
This all but confirms Apple plans to launch three new Mac laptops at its media event on Thursday, corroborating a KGI report from over the weekend. These product identifiers likely correspond to two new MacBook Pros and a new ultrathin 13-inch MacBook …
Filed under: Apple
Never mind tomorrow’s iPhone numbers, say analysts: there will be explosive sales next year
While Apple’s guidance and industry forecasts alike point to the company reporting another quarter of year-on-year decline in iPhone sales, analysts seem increasingly optimistic about the prospects for next year’s iPhone.
Garter argued earlier this month that the radical new iPhone design expected next year will result in 3.5% growth in 2017, and now Cowen’s Timothy Arcuri is expecting ‘explosive’ growth next year, reports Business Insider …
Filed under: Apple
Analysts predicting Q4 Mac sales will be down 11% year-on-year as we await new ones
An analyst round-up by Philip Elmer-DeWitt shows clear expectations of the fourth quarterly year-on-year decline in a row of Mac sales. Most of the estimates are very strongly clustered around the 5M mark, with the average suggesting a 10.79% fall from last year’s 5.7M to 5.1M this year.
The sales estimates among the 19 analysts surveyed ranged from 4.65M at the low end to 5.8M at the top end – but it’s notable that just two companies are predicting sales growth …
Filed under: Apple
How to Defeat Your Most Dangerous Writing Habit: 7 Ways to Lift ‘The Curse of Knowledge’
When I was eight, I became stuck on a particularly tough Where’s Waldo scene. It was so difficult that I became convinced that Waldo — the character I needed to find — wasn’t in it at all. I began thinking the whole thing was a joke, full of red herrings.
And then I found him. And after that, I could never un-see him. And, strangely, whenever I saw a classmate struggling with that same difficult scene, I’d become frustrated, even angry.
“I can’t believe you’re not finding him,” I’d say. “It’s so easy!”
Little did I know, my unreasonable behavior was the product of a dangerous cognitive bias, one we’re all susceptible to: The Curse of Knowledge.
The Curse afflicts kids and teachers, content marketers and salespeople, corporate executives, cab drivers, and presidents.
Here’s how it could be hurting you …
What is “The Curse of Knowledge?”
If you’re “Cursed,” then you are unable to imagine what it’s like not to know or understand something — a topic, discipline, craft, what have you — which, in turn, makes it hard to communicate that knowledge to less-informed people.
In their book, Made to Stick, the Heath Brothers provide a typical example:
Think of a lawyer who can’t give you a straight, comprehensible answer to a legal question. His vast knowledge and experience renders him unable to fathom how little you know. So when he talks to you, he talks in abstractions that you can’t follow. And we’re all like the lawyer in our own domain of expertise.”
That said, let’s set the anecdotal evidence aside and focus on the science:
The Stanford Tapping Experiment
In 1990, Elizabeth Newton, a Stanford graduate student in psychology, demonstrated the Curse of Knowledge using an exercise that asked one group of students to tap the rhythm of a popular song (e.g., Happy Birthday) on a table to another group of students who were listening. The listeners were then asked to guess the song.
Over the course of the experiment, more than 100 songs were tapped out. When the “tappers” we’re asked to predict how many of their “listeners” would guess the song correctly, they landed on 50%. The actual percentage of listeners who could figure out which song the rhythm belonged to a mere 2.5%.
This huge discrepancy occurred because the tappers couldn’t un-hear (or un-know) the song’s actual melody, which played in their head as they tapped. This caused them to overestimate their ability. The listeners, of course, didn’t hear a melody but, rather, a dull, monotonous knocking. This caused them to almost always misidentify the song.
In this experiment, the tappers’ knowledge grossly distorted the reality of the situation and, in effect, created a communication breakdown as well as a major expectations mismatch.
Can your writing be cursed?
The Curse of Knowledge is a documented cognitive bias. It affects us all, especially when we write. It’s particularly dangerous on paper because, unlike being face-to-face, readers (i.e., listeners) can’t ask questions and writers (i.e., tappers) can’t gauge reactions.
The Curse can sneak its way into an email, a landing page, a web page, or a blog post, which is why anyone who writes should be perking up right now …
Here’s everything you need to know to protect yourself:
7 Ways to Lift the Curse of Knowledge
Ironically, the more you know about the Curse of Knowledge, the less likely you are to fall victim to it.
Moving forward, try these best practices whenever you sit down to explain something in writing.
1) Know your audience’s base subject knowledge.
How well your audience understands your subject should shape the way you approach it.
So, do your research. If their base subject knowledge is high, feel free to skip the fundamentals. If their base knowledge is low, or nonexistent, start from the beginning — start at thirty thousand feet and parachute down, slowly, gradually.
To figure out your audience’s base knowledge, try creating a detailed target persona. It’s not that hard and it’ll give you the background you need to write in a way people understand and appreciate.
2) Tone down your vocabulary.
Peppering your writing with idioms, jargon, and big, fancy words is like saying: If you don’t understand this, maybe you shouldn’t be reading it. Stop while you’re ahead. Thanks for playing.
That’s a nasty vibe, if you ask me. Plus, if people can’t understand you, they’ll inevitably tune out and turn off. And then what will you do? For example, this is:
- Bad: “Let’s open the Kimono, take a peek at the email CTR, and break down scalable successes.”
- Better: “Let’s look at the data, evaluate the email clickthrough rate, and capitalize on what’s working.”
- Best: “Let’s see how many people opened our emails and do more of what works.”
3) Tell a story.
Before writing existed, people used stories to keep history. For thousands of years, stories helped us spread information. Today, stories remain just as psychologically impactful as they did back then. As Jonathan Gottschall explains in his book, The Storytelling Animal, human beings are natural storytellers. Stories are a fundamental piece of our genome.
We love stories because they help us see the world through different lenses. We love stories so much, in fact, that we naturally inject ourselves into their narratives, hijacking characters’ circumstances, emotions, and learnings.
Of course, stories also maintain an order. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end, which makes it hard for the Curse to sneak its way in, leaving people out of context and confused.
4) Ditch the abstractions.
Leaders often speak in abstractions because their experience helps them visualize broad concepts. For example, we can all imagine a Chief Customer Officer saying something like:
Our mission is to provide callers with the best customer service they’ve ever experienced.”
That’s great and all, but what does it mean? And how does a statement like that differentiate you from the competition? It doesn’t. These days, differentiating yourself in a crowded space means getting specific, like this:
Our mission is to answer every phone call to the customer service department within three rings and to resolve non-emergency calls within 6 minutes.”
Be concrete. It’s comforting to people.
5) Provide examples.
Unlike abstractions, examples put concepts into perspective.
An example could take the form of a metaphor or a simile. As long as it paints a picture, it’s doing its job. In any case, examples make sense of things, using information we already understand to forge connections.
For instance, when my grandma Sofia didn’t understand what a blog was, I explained it to her in terms I knew she’d be familiar with: “It’s like a journal or a magazine,” I said, “but you can only read the articles on the internet.”
6) Use visuals.
About 65% of people are visual learners, meaning they absorb information better and faster when images are used to explain it.
Hence: PowerPoint presentations, infographics, and those quirky, mesmerizing whiteboard videos you’ve seen. These are all examples of compelling visual content being used to engage and educate people from the boardroom to the web page. Incorporating these and other visual components into your messaging is a potent way to appeal to nearly a third of your audience.
7) Get an outside point-of-view.
You write. You edit. You reread, rearrange, reformat. You repeat.
That’s writing — and it can be an intense process, which, sometimes, leaves your message over-processed. In other words, it’s possible to overthink something, twisting it up until you’re the only person who gets it.
A good editor will alert you to this issue. Don’t know any editors? That’s okay. Ask a friend to give your writing a once over. They may not be your target audience but they can still serve as a barometer for comprehension.
You could also try this old copywriting trick.
Final thought.
The Curse of Knowledge is rooted in the fact that you were once in your reader’s shoes, void of the vast knowledge you now possess.
My advice: When you write about your area of expertise, try to channel that less-informed version of yourself. It will make you sympathetic to the challenges your readers are facing because, once upon a time, you were there, too.
Ultimately, if you want to be understood and help people grow, don’t tap your song, sing it! Sing it loudly, so that everyone can hear the notes. The above techniques will help you do that.
What tips do you have for overcoming The Curse of Knowledge? Share them in the comments.
Comment: The iPod is all but forgotten by Apple now, but 15 years ago it forever changed the way we listen to music
I’ve always loved music, and am old enough to have lived through every generation of portable music player, from the original cassette Walkman on. The transition from cassette to CD made little difference: you still only had one album loaded at any one time, and carrying others was a pain. The same was true of the very first mp3 player, the MPMan, which I bought in 1998.
The first hard drive-based mp3 player was the Personal Jukebox in 1999. It beat the iPod to market by two years, but was large, heavy and hard to use. Even as an early adopter of technology, I was only briefly tempted.
It was the launch of the iPod fifteen years ago yesterday that changed everything for me. That tagline of ‘1000 songs in your pocket’ said it all: you could now carry a substantial proportion of your entire music library on you at all times. And that changed the way that I – and millions of others around the world – listened to music …
Filed under: Apple