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Revisiting the iPad mini

After years of being unused, I have returned to my iPad mini first generation. I’ve been using it for a few days now and I’ve remembered why the iPad mini is such a great device. When iPad mini came out in 2012 the best part about it was that you could take an iPad anywhere and even fit it in some pockets. In 2014 when the iPhone 6 Plus came out, it was almost an even smaller iPad. Now I have a standard sized iPhone 7 and a giant iPad Pro. I was super excited to get back to using the iPad mini. It’s been a very long time since it has been one of my daily drivers. The iPad Pro is simply too big to comfortably enjoy and the MacBook is nowhere near as flexible. The iPhone 7 is too small to act as an iPad, so this is where the iPad mini comes in. After digging through a box of old cases and covers I found my (Product) Red iPad mini smart case. I slapped the case on my white and silver first generation mini, restored it, and set it up as a new device. I installed all of the apps that I use on a daily basis including Super Mario Run, the Google apps, Facebook, Tweetbot, Overcast, Pixelmator, Carrot, Flipboard, and several others. I didn't expect the device to perform in an acceptable way, especially when playing Super Mario Run. After playing through several levels and toad rallies, I’ve discovered that there are some frame rate issues. However the game is still completely playable. It is still fun and still the same Mario game. I did turn off some of the graphics settings in order to make the game run a bit smoother and the good news is that it helps. Surfing the web is unsurprisingly laggy when visiting some graphically intensive websites like The Verge or many shopping websites. Apps occasionally crash, but only after doing something that really pushes the A5 chip to its limits. All of the social networking apps run perfectly fine as do the video apps like Netflix and YouTube. The camera is adequate but nowhere near as impressive as the current generation of iPads or the newest iPhones. Other games like Tiny Wings HD and Threes run perfectly on the mini, which is a great thing considering they are household names on iOS. The biggest downside to using the mini isn’t its slower performance but the fact that the device cannot support iOS 10. That means that AirPods don't seamlessly connect to it, that means that the new Music app and new Maps app don’t make an appearance, and general user interface tweaks that improve the experience aren’t present. Everything is outweighed by the fact that the device is an iPad that fits in your coat pocket. All of these things can be overlooked at the moment. That means if you can find an iPad mini for a really cheap price, like under $100, it’s a great value as an extra device for movies or reading. I still highly recommend the iPad mini 2 or iPad mini 4 over the original. Regardless of which one you get your hands on, the iPad mini is an incredible device that is fun to take everywhere.

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iOS 10 Review • A Massive Leap for Small Things

There is a lot going on in iOS 10. It’s the biggest update to iOS ever and it makes a bigger difference in the user experience than even iOS 7 did. It changes some of the most important aspects of your iPhone. You’ll end up changing your workflow for sure. I’m going to walk through all of the new features and tweaks that I think are the most important and then give my final verdict.

U S E R   E X P E R I E N C E

The biggest changes in iOS 10 begin with the way you use your iPhone everyday. The lock screen is where it all starts. “Slide to unlock” has been murdered in favor of “Press Home to Unlock.” It takes awhile to get used to but once you do it just becomes natural. There are now three panels on the lock screen. The middle one being your wallpaper, time, and new notifications. The left one being your widgets and the right one being the camera app. Handoff still appears in the lower left corner and you can still swipe down from the top to access all of your notifications.

Control Center gets a massive overhaul in iOS 10. It’s been redesigned to act as a set of cards rather than a panel that just slides up from the bottom. The first page is the usual set of settings while the second is dedicated to your media. There is a third one for the new Home app, but I was unable to test that as I don’t own any HomeKit devices.

The springboard remains identical to how it did in the past, except for the fact that your widgets are available to the left where Spotlight used to be. They appear just like they do on the lock screen. Notification center looks entirely different though. At the top of the display is a search bar and of course, your widgets still live off to the left. It’s actually possible to get to your widgets from anywhere on your iPhone. Widgets are also infinitely more useful as they can now act like mini apps that live within a small space. You can also interact with notifications in much more powerful ways. You can see entire text conversations when swiping down for quick reply, for example.

A P P L E   M U S I C

The app in iOS 10 that gets the most love is Apple Music. It’s been completely redesigned to be more obvious and easier to use. It’s also adopted an entirely new user interface design style. It’s easier to find music you already love and it’s more fun to discover new music. There are bolder text choices, bigger album artwork, and more apparent buttons.

M A P S

Another app in iOS 10 that gets a massive overhaul is Maps. It’s beautiful let me just say. Apple distilled the UI to the most important elements so you can focus on the map. It’s really easy to find places nearby and transit directions are built right in. You can even get a Lyft or Uber right in the Maps app.

i M E S S A G E

This is a big one. iMessage has been transformed into an entire miniature platform within iOS. There are iMessage apps now that extend the functionality of the messages app as well as sticker packs that make texting more dynamic. Digital touch has also made its way to iOS, being completely cloned from the Apple Watch. It works exactly the same way as it did on the watch. You can also tap words to replace them with emoji. There are message effects that let bubbles pop up differently on your friends’ iPhones. Finally, there are fullscreen effects like confetti, shooting stars, and lasers.

iMessage apps are going to probably be the most popularly used new feature in iOS 10. They make texting more fun than ever before. Above is the Super Mario Run sticker pack. Just putting these all over messages is going to be a blast for people. You can see that I’ve already downloaded tons of iMessage apps in the photo above.

O T H E R   A P P S

Several other Apple apps get some love in iOS 10 like Health, Clock, and News. News has been made more personalized and has adopted a cleaner user interface. Health has become more visually appealing and Clock has gained a new dark UI with a bedtime alarm feature.

A P P L E   W A T C H

Apple Watch gets its biggest update yet with watchOS 3 but the Apple Watch companion app also gets some new features, like the ability to change watch faces right on your iPhone. You can also customize your dock and do various other things related to watchOS 3.

C O N C L U S I O N

iOS 10 is available for download today. Make sure you backup your iOS devices before installing. Once installed make sure to check out the plenty of new apps available that take advantage of all of the new APIs in iOS 10 as well. If you have an Apple Watch, make sure to download watchOS 3. iOS 10 is a huge deal and it will fundamentally change the way you use your iPhone. It makes you want to use Apple’s default apps, even if you can remove them from your home screen now. Get ready for a wild ride, because iOS 10 makes everything you do everyday a little bit easier and maybe a little bit fun.

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Apps for watchOS3 & Thoughts on Series 2

Last year I wrote a guide to the best apps for watchOS and this year I’m going to do the same thing. Tomorrow watchOS 3 launches and I figured I’d give a run down of the most useful apps that you can use on your either upgraded watch or Series 2 watch this coming weekend.

Every app becomes much more useable once you update to watchOS 3. This is great because it means that even watchOS 1 apps that load data off of your iPhone become blazing fast. I’ve returned to using many watchOS 1 apps because they’ve been reinvigorated by the new OS.

Moleskine Timepage - $4.99

This is far and wide one of the most powerful calendar apps on the iPhone and comes with an incredibly useful and beautifully designed watch app. It’s straightforward allowing you to swipe between days of the week. Not only do you see what’s on your schedule, you also see the weather. The app is designed for watchOS 2, so it’s already native. But this means that it is even faster on watchOS 3.

Dark Sky - $3.99

Apple likes to use Dark Sky to promote the watch. In fact there was an entire ad dedicated to it that aired last year. It alerts you minutes before it starts raining and gives a beautifully clear overview of the forecast. It’s no doubt the most accurate and helpful weather app for Apple Watch.

Citymapper - Free

If you live in a big city and use public transportation, Citymapper is an essential companion. It allows you to seamlessly navigate subway systems, find buses, trains, ferries, and even helps you get public use bikes. It’s also designed for watchOS 2, so it works like a charm on watchOS 3.

Deliveries - $4.99

This is a must have for people who order a lot of things online. I only use the app every once in awhile but it’s incredibly useful and zippy. It gives you all the data you need on your shipments right on the watch face and even comes with a complication to show you status at a glance.

Clear - $4.99

This is a much less exciting choice I’m sure for anyone who has owned an Apple Watch for a long time. Clear is one of the most popular todo list apps for iPhone and macOS so it coming to the watch was no surprise. The app was never updated for watchOS 2 but it works perfectly on watchOS 3. It’s simple design and colors you choose transfer from your iPhone so you can see priority level and get some level of customization.

PCalc - $9.99

This is an essential. One app all Apple Watch owners should have is a calculator and PCalc is the best. It has a straightforward user interface. Not only can you do basic calculations, but you can figure out tips as well. It’s even been updated for watchOS 3 so you can scribble your equations on the display without needing to use dictation.

Thoughts on Series 2

The Apple Watch has become an essential component of my life. It’s my favorite device that I own and that probably comes as a shock to most people. It’s been ridiculed for over two years relentlessly except I see through all of those flaws. I’ve found ways to use Apple Watch I don’t think others have. I’ve also gotten over many of its shortcomings. I have forced myself to use the watch since the day I got it in an effort to build it into my life. If it’s not on my wrist I can’t function normally. It’s just too important. It’s not necessarily about staying connected as it is about the fact that all of the things that I love culminate in this product. I can finally *wear* Apple. I can check tech and political news whenever I want and without anyone noticing. My messages and my emails appear on my wrist so I know whether they are important or not. I can use my watch as a modern day iPod without even needing to carry my iPhone. Since I’ve moved to a big city, it’s more useful than ever in getting around. I’d feel lost without it. Maps and Citymapper have become an essential part of exploring. And having the weather always at a glance is very helpful. The fact that I can hail an Uber, call my mom, text a friend, see my Instagram feed, Tweet, do calculations, track my fitness, and the fact that I can get around the city all on my wrist is the kind of breakthrough we expect from Apple. The mainstream media and general population just haven’t picked up on it yet. I still see a day when there is an Apple Watch on every wrist. I believe in it and what it’s capable of. Series 2 is just the next step and it may appear more incremental but it’s a massive leap. From what I understand it’s incredibly fast in comparison to “Series 0″ as iMore has dubbed the original Apple Watch. This means apps will finally “just work.” The combination of watchOS 3 and a dual core processor will make Apple Watch indispensable. And then there are all of the added features like swim proofing, GPS, the brighter display that’s more visible outside, and everything that comes with watchOS 3. The Nike+ model I’m sure will be a huge hit with runners and will definitely do some damage to FitBit. The Hermés model is returning with a collection of new bands that I’m sure will captivate and maybe even tempt fashion conscious techies. Lastly, there’s the stunning new ceramic Apple Watch Edition. Gone are the 18K gold watches that were totally panned in the press, replaced by a beautiful, all white, ceramic Apple Watch. This is sure to be a beloved product. I also get the sense that this is Apple’s next big material. I definitely see it coming to iPhone. Just like how aluminum became synonymous with Apple, I think ceramic can as well. This is all very exciting and it makes me look forward to what will happen in the year to come. Oh and did I mention Pokémon GO is coming to the watch? Yeah, that pretty much seals the deal. 

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Thoughts on the MacBook Pro

The new MacBook Pro is right around the corner. Bloggers, designers, and other pro users have been waiting years for an updated machine. The last major update to the MacBook Pro came in 2012 with the introduction of the Retina Display model. The second biggest refresh since wasn’t really that big. Back in March of 2015, Apple added the force touch trackpad to the MacBook Pro. It wasn’t a huge change but enough to call it a “new” MacBook Pro. 

This year’s MacBook Pro looks to be a promising overhaul. Rumors have been floating around for about a year or so now and they indicate a major update. The first and what sounds like will be the largest change is the addition of an OLED touch bar above the keyboard. This is interesting to me. One, because it doesn’t seem necessary and two, because it could turn out to be an awesome addition. Everyone has been speculating as to how this new second display will function, but I think it’s quite obvious.

I’m quite confident that Apple will take the concept of “glances” that they tried with the Apple Watch and apply it here. I envision them taking the new Control Center design from iOS 10 and slapping it on the MacBook Pro. In fact it makes sense because most of the function key’s features are easily applicable to Control Center. It also makes changing the brightness and the volume more precise since there will probably be sliders rather than buttons. Audio controls could be just a swipe away. It seems as if this concept would actually be a welcome change to the MacBook Pro and make it much more pleasant to use. Some may even find that the feature makes them spend more to get a Pro over the standard MacBook. Both of which start at the same price right now. I imagine that will change with the introduction of the new MacBook Pro.

The new touch bar will likely replace the function keys. I’ve always wondered how they could change these as over the course of many years some keys may be rendered useless. I always think back to the introduction of macOS Lion and how core functions of the OS were totally thrown away in favor of new ones. The dashboard icon and exposé icon were stuck on MacBooks everywhere yet both had been replaced by mission control icons and launchpad icons on new MacBooks. This new feature just gives Apple the flexibility that they’ve always had with the iPhone keyboard. Third-party apps will probably take advantage of it as well. I see the Photoshop toolbar on the touch bar to give you more screen real estate as an example.

Overall, it looks to be a promising update for the MacBook Pro and will likely sell out pretty quickly. If you’re in the market for a new MacBook Pro, wait a month or two and get the new one. Because if you buy one now, you’ll be horribly disappointed when the new one is released.

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Buying Apple for School

I know that I’m writing this quite late in the Summer but you should most definitely heed my advice. Unless you’ve already purchased a new Mac or iOS device for college, keep reading. If you still have time to return that new MacBook Pro or iPad Air, keep reading. Essentially, I’m going to walk you through each of Apple’s core product lines and which devices are safe to buy now and which ones you should wait a month or two to buy because of imminent refreshes. I’ll start with MacBook, because that seems to be the most popular new device students purchase for school.

MacBook • MacBook Air • MacBook Pro

DO NOT BUY a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Now is the worst time ever to buy either of these notebooks. This means ignore both the non-Retina 11″ and 13″ MacBook Airs and don’t even think about buying a Pro when an entirely redesigned one is coming in the next two months. It’s idiotic to buy a Mac without a Retina Display in this day and age. The Air is just too old and antiquated for future use. It may be the cheapest Mac notebook you can buy but that doesn’t mean it’s worth that cost. 

The MacBook Pro is about to get a massive overhaul. This means an all new design, new ports, new keyboard, new processors, pretty much new everything. It’s likely to be one of the biggest updates to the MacBook Pro line ever. If you can wait a month or two, maybe three, please just wait. It’s virtually impossible for me to keep my mouth shut when I’m inside an Apple Store and someone next to me is there to buy a MacBook Pro. And yes this means ignore the free Beats promotion. I’ll explain that later on.

The only MacBook that I recommend buying is the 12″ MacBook. It was just updated in the Spring and was my notebook of choice. It comes in four beautiful metal finishes just like the iPhone. It has a stunning Retina Display and the best keyboard and trackpad I’ve ever used. It’s incredibly thin and light and rivals the iPad in terms of mobility. You won’t be disappointed with the MacBook. Just note that you’ll need an adapter to use traditional USB devices and cables as the MacBook dropped all ports in favor of an all new USB-C port and a single headphone jack.

iPad mini • iPad Air • iPad Pro

Before I even dive into iPad just know this, don’t buy a mini or an Air. The iPad Pro is now the best iPad and the only one you should buy. iPad Pro comes in two sizes, 9.7″ and 12.9″. I personally love the larger iPad Pro as it really can replace your laptop. I end up switching between the MacBook and iPad Pro since the two are both so capable and portable. However, the 9.7″ iPad Pro actually has a better camera, a better display, and is much more portable. It also comes in an additional rose gold metal finish which the 12.9″ model does not. Both iPad Pros are compatible with connectable keyboard covers and both are designed to work with Apple Pencil. While you may not purchase these accessories, it’s entirely possible you will down the road so plan ahead and get one of the iPad Pros.

iPhone SE • iPhone 6 & 6 Plus • iPhone 6s & 6s Plus

Now is also the worst time to buy an iPhone. Every September Apple launches a new iPhone and this year is no exception. Next month, most likely September 7th, Apple will unveil the 10th generation iPhone. I highly doubt it will be called iPhone 7 but for the sake of this article we’re just going to call it that. iPhone 7 won’t be that much different from the 6s but it’s totally worth waiting for it. It’s marquee features will likely be a refined design, entirely new camera systems, a force sensitive, non-mechanical home button, faster processors, and yes it will not have a headphone jack. This is where I explain that free Beats promotion. Apple is likely trying to get wireless headphones out there before the launch of iPhone 7 in order to quell the anger that people will definitely have as soon as they discover they can’t plug in their traditional headphones without an adapter. Long story short, it’s safe to buy an iPhone SE, but do not under any circumstances buy an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, or 6s Plus. The 6s and 6s Plus will likely become cheaper with the launch of iPhone 7 so just wait.

WATCH Sport • WATCH • WATCH EDITION ��� WATCH Hermés

Now I get to tell you about my favorite Apple product. Apple Watch is something you didn’t know you needed until you actually have it. It quickly becomes an important part of your daily life. You won’t notice it either because it becomes so natural. The wrist is the perfect place for information. It’s the perfect companion for new college students because you’ll always be connected in a place you might not know very well. You’ll always have a map on your wrist, you’ll always be able to call or connect with someone, it can help you get out of emergencies with the new SOS feature, and it’s great for staying in shape. The new Breathe app also is great for taking a break and relieving some stress. All that said though, don’t buy an Apple Watch right now unless you can get an incredible discount on it. A new Apple Watch is right around the corner and will likely debut alongside the new iPhone on September 7th. It’d very smart to wait until the second generation Apple Watch. It’s expected to be a major update to an already great yet still flawed first generation product. Apple Watch has been subjected to so much criticism yet it hasn’t gotten enough credit for all of the amazing things it’s capable of. watchOS 3 unlocks the potential of the first generation Apple Watch. So if you already own one or can find a good discount then watchOS 3 will turn it into a whole new watch when the update rolls out to the public next month.

Apple TV

Apple TV is great for students who are taking a television to college for their dorms. The new Apple TV has an App Store full of cool new apps and of course still supports all streaming services. It’s great for people who are already in the Apple ecosystem since they can turn their tv into a wireless secondary display using AirPlay for their Macs. You can even mirror your iPhone or iPad to it. It’s another great college companion.

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It’s about you.

I rarely post on Facebook. And I haven't really commented on the "Apple vs. FBI" issue on Facebook. But I feel like I need to, even though it's over...for now.

When I see some say "Shame on Apple!" for not building software that would endanger hundreds of millions of people I'm utterly disturbed. If Apple had just complied with the FBI's demands they not only would have created a key to everyone's iPhones (and iPads + iPods) but also helped the government even further in their quest to become a surveillance state. It would have set an incredibly dangerous precedent that would affect any and all technology companies on the planet. If Apple had complied then China, Russia, any other country would also have wanted that software key. And this wasn't about "one phone," the FBI wanted to set a precedent here that would allow them access to any iPhone by forcing Apple or any other phone company to build software for them. It's an incredibly complicated issue that cannot be based solely on "security vs. privacy." We make sacrifices everyday to live in a free society but we should not need to sacrifice our liberties of privacy and security. There are many more good people than bad. In this case, Apple is protecting both of these liberties. Security, because if created that software would allow anyone who holds it to unlock any iPhone. There's sensitive information on our iPhones like health data, financial information, our emails, photos of your kids, business secrets and much more. Hackers would go nuts for it. And privacy, because we all have a constitutional right to it. The government shouldn't interfere in such a publicly insulting way with companies that are dedicated to helping make the world a better place. Apple is both more mature than our government but also the creator of the incredible technologically advanced world we live in. I see no reason that we should trust our government before we trust the creators of these incredible devices.

Last year I wrote an extensive research paper on the NSA and the government's surveillance state for my AP US history class. My thoughts still stand strong today. Just because we might write a note on our phones shouldn't make it any more available to the government. The government needs to get a warrant to enter your house. So to see a note you may have stuck on your fridge they need a warrant. Why should it be any different with your phone? Our phones are our digital homes and it should require the exact same steps to enter it as it should to enter your physical home. Not only is it wrong, it costs money and it's unnecessary. The government shouldn't be able to spy on innocent people and shouldn't be allowed to become a real life big brother.

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Apple is Changing its Image

Yesterday's keynote felt very different, and that's because it was different. Tim Cook kicked off the keynote by speaking about encryption then Lisa Jackson talked about the environment and ultimately Jeff Williams talked about health. Apple didn't act like a company during the first half of their keynote. They were acting like an institution. I don't want to say that they are forming a religion of sorts, because that will upset people but they are forming a set of beliefs. Apple was showing that they are a good and healthy citizen. They aren't all about making and selling products, they're about leaving the world better than they found it. They care about the world and about their customers. This is all very important because Apple is positioning itself differently. They can now say that their key difference from Google is that they truly want to help people. They want to help the environment and help people live a better day. The health segment of the keynote was the most interesting of them all. Health is now a major differentiator between iOS and the other platforms. Overall, this is a big deal and I will certainly be coming back to this but I wanted to just mention it for now.

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2016

2015 was a big year for Apple. But 2016 is poised to be the year that everything that was introduced in 2015 is perfected. The Verge called 2015 “Apple’s Year in Beta” and I think for the most part it’s a valid statement. But that was the point, that statement should not be taken negatively. The proudest moments of the year were the Apple Watch launch, the MacBook launch, and the iPad Pro launch. There were some other important moments like Swift going open source, native apps coming to the watch, the Apple Pencil introduction, and various other Apple technologies. But in 2016 all of those things are going to get better, way better. Let’s walk through them.

The Apple Watch is probably going to be the first device to get an upgrade. Apple Watch 2 is coming in March with an array of improvements that will likely fix most of our headaches. The new watches are expected to have a Facetime camera for video chatting, a faster S2 chip, a tweaked design, and new health sensors. I personally think that Apple’s schedule for the watch includes a new watch launching in the Spring and then a Fall collection launching in September. So expect two Apple Watch launches over the course of each year.

The second device to get an upgrade is the MacBook, or actually all of the MacBooks. The most important though is the MacBook. There is no way that the company doesn’t improve the speed of the MacBook. It’s horribly underpowered and the core m just isn’t cutting it. I hope that they add a powerful Intel chip that’s more along the lines of the MacBook Air, even if it’s not as powerful as the current Airs. There’s also probably going to be a rose gold option as well to match the new iPhones and the new Apple Watch models. The MacBook Air I can either see fading away or being dropped substantially in price. The iPad Pro will probably act in place of the MacBook Air as the most affordable Apple computer that’s actually usable day to day. The MacBook Pro will probably get an overhaul as it’s been awhile since it got a major redesign. I can even see it coming in the four signature colors.

The next major release of the year will actually be a quartet. At WWDC Apple will take the wraps off of Mac OS 10.12, iOS 10, watchOS 3, and tvOS 10. The next version of Mac OS will likely be called “Big Sur” following the California landmark naming trend. I see this release featuring some key productivity enhancements and Apple pushing the OS further towards iOSification. iOS 10 will be a HUGE release as it’s a major milestone for the platform. Everyone in the community is expecting major changes to the iPad variation of the OS as well as changes to the fundamental areas of the OS like the lock screen and home screen. watchOS 3 will without question improve the watch a great deal. There really isn’t any word of what kind of things will be included though. tvOS 10 could very likely ship with Apple’s television service in the Fall but otherwise it’s likely the OS will mostly be spit and polish, filling in the empty spaces.

In September, expect Apple to hold a mega event once again to unveil the next lineup of iOS devices. The iPhone 7 will definitely be the star of the show with an entirely new design, improved performance, bigger battery, wireless charging, waterproof chassis, and of course it will be missing the 3.5mm headphone jack. There will also likely be an iPad mini 5, an iPad Air 3, and an iPad Pro 2. Each one will probably incorporate Apple Pencil support and I also believe that 3D Touch might make an appearance. I also can see Apple doing another Fall collection for Apple Watch going into the holidays. But what changes are unclear seeing as we haven’t even seen the Apple Watch 2. A new Apple TV will probably ship as well with an improved chipset.

In October we may see updated iMacs and Mac Pros. But there really is no indication of what changes could be made other than new processors and even the addition of USB-C.

There are a few trends that I expect to see across the entire product line. - USB-C adopted by all MacBooks - Polished versions of each OS - Cleaned up services like Apple Music - Wireless makes it into each pair of Beats and eventually EarPods, lightning may also make an appearance - Rose Gold will be all over the place

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Reimagining the WATCH User Interface

The Apple Watch is a beautiful device with a complicated operating system. At least that’s what most of the pundits say. I personally have very few gripes with the device’s os. It hits all of the right points but there are a few changes that I would make to watchOS to improve overall usability. There are four different areas of watchOS that I think need a little bit of help. The first is glances, which could be much more user friendly. The second is notifications, which could be slightly less obtrusive. The third is the homescreen. And the fourth is more continuity with your other Apple devices. Essentially I’m talking about four of the core elements of the os.

Glances

Glanes on watchOS should be organized vertically. It would allow you to scroll the digital crown to see them and they’d also ideally be one continuous scroll view. In addition, the watchface would be treated as a glance as would notifications at the top.

If you swipe up you’ll be taken to the next glance, in this case it’s the battery life glance.

If you continue to scroll you’ll see that the color of the dots in the top right changes depending on the glance you are on.

Notifications

The Apple Watch is all about notifications so why don’t we improve the experience a bit. When you’re using your watch you shouldn’t be interuppted. That’s why I think they should look at iOS for inspiration. If you are in an app on the watch you’ll see a bar notification at the top.

If you swipe down you can access quick replies or whatever buttons are associated with that app.

Homescreen

The homescreen is kind of overwhelming for some people so I propose allowing the user to choose which stock apps are visible on the device.

Continuity

Apple added this in 2014 but for the watch we’d like to see improved continuity. I’d like my watch to work with my other Apple devices better. In this example you could control the audio or playback of a video on any of your Apple devices.

Overall these changes would make the Apple Watch experience so much better. They utilize the digital crown more, simplify the user interface, add continuity, and allow for more customization.

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Rethinking Apple Store for WATCH

Back in April Apple released a version of the Apple Store app for the watch. It was a great concept that was just poorly implemented. It’s also been forgotten and hasn’t even been updated for watchOS 2. It’s still buggy, slow, and requires an iPhone to work. So I went ahead and redesigned the app with watchOS 2 in mind. It’s ideally native with a less complicated design. It focuses on the four aspects of the app you need access to most frequently.

The first screenshot is a look at the home view. When you launch the app you’d be shown an overview of featured items. In this case it’s displaying an WATCH graphic. You can swipe between featured items or using watchOS 2 APIs scroll the digital crown to move between them. At the bottom you’ll find a button displaying the closest Apple store. In this case it’s the Fifth Avenue store. If tapped it would link you to that store’s description page which I’ll get to a bit later. Now the biggest difference between this app and the real app is that instead of organizing the app by swipes, I’ve organized it using separate sections that you would access using force touch.

The force touch menu displays four options. Featured items, the ability to search the store for items, a link to stores, and access to your order history and the status of your current order. If you select search you’ll be shown a simple screen letting you search using dictation. You can also see trending items. If you tap one you can see an image of it and it’s price. You can add it to your wishlist as well. If you want to purchase it, you can hand it off to your iPhone.

If you tap on the store button, you’ll see the nearest store. It displays an image, a link to map directions, and a link to call the store directly using your watch. In addition you’ll find store hours. You can swipe between these stores and choose how many stores are displayed on your iPhone.

If you tap on the orders icon you can see your most recent orders, track a current order, or launch FedEx on your iPhone to track the shipment.

Using location services your watch will display a different app interface when you are inside a store. You can check in to the Genius Bar, launch Wallet to pay for things or access a gift card, or request assistance.

Overall I think this is a geat redesign for the app that falls in line with what apps on the watch should look like.

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Vine for WATCH is Here and it’s Awesome

Today Vine finally released their Apple Watch app. It’s really great. To get the app on your watch, update the iPhone app and flip the switch on Vine in the watch manager app. Once it’s installed you will find two panels. The first is featured videos. 

You’ll find the popular and promoted videos here. You can scroll through and just tap on a video to watch it. If you swipe over you’ll find your favorites feed. It’s composed of all the videos posted by accounts you star within the iPhone app. It smartly narrows down the information shown on your wrist so you have smaller interactions.

The weirdest thing here is the video player. I hadn’t expected to see a video player on the watch so soon. It looks a lot like what you’d expect an iOS video player to look like, just shrunken down.

It’s a fast app as well. It loads quickly like most new native apps so you won’t care about taking out your iPhone. Videos also load very quickly. It’s a great app and I’d encourage you to give it a try. It’s free and available on the App Store now.

Here’s the direct link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vine/id592447445?mt=8

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My Guide to the Best Apps on watchOS

When the WATCH launched eight months ago there weren't many good apps and up until two months ago that hadn't really changed. Over the past two months I've been testing and using tons of watch apps. Most of these apps are native which means that they've been updated for watchOS 2 and are much faster than previous watch apps. I tested an array of apps both popular ones and some hidden gems.

Before I get into the apps themselves I want to show you my watchface. Apps can now provide small widgets that you can place on your watch face called complications. There are two third party watch complications that I use, Things and Carrot. I'll get to those later but this is what my usual watch face looks like.

Productivity Powerhouses: 

Things - $9.99

Things by CulturedCode is without a doubt the best watch app that’s been released so far. It was unveiled many months ago but just this past week was updated to be native. It’s the fasted app I’ve used on the watch so far. In fact it feels like it was built by Apple. Things is one of the most powerful todo list apps I’ve ever used. I’ve spent years trying to find the perfect solution to my productivity gripes and Things is my favorite solution. The watch version works a bit differently than the iPhone version. There’s a simple ring in the top left corner of the display that fills in as you complete tasks. You can use dictation to add tasks to your inbox or to your today list. Tasks will appear pink if they have a due date, yellow if they’re overdue, and black if they have no due date. The app is insanely useful and I highly recommend it.

PCalc - $9.99

There are a ton of calculator apps available for the watch. PCalc is without question the best of them all. It was available in native form on day one of watchOS 2 and has been updated ever since. It provide taptic feedback when you touch its buttons which makes it easier to use. In addition to using the buttons, you can also use dictation to say an equation. There’s also a built in tip calculator. You may think that ten dollars is insane for a calculator. But the iPhone app is totally worth it because it’s compeltely customizable and there’s no built in calculator on the watch.

Just Press Record - $2.99

This is a fun one. You can record voice memos on your wrist and even record things going on around you. The watch can pick up a substantial amount of sound which means it can hear whatever is happening inside of a room. You can listen to all of your memos on your iPhone. It’s a really great solution and might even be helpful in an emergency.

News on Your Wrist

CNN - Free

This app is great. You get breaking news alerts on your wrist and can scroll through the latest headlines sorted by category. You can also customize your news dashboard. The app is also quite fast.

RSSWatch - $0.99

This app is great. I’d been using a non-native rss reader on my watch since the day it came out. But a few weeks ago I was so fed up with how slow it was and scrolled through the App Store for a long time until I found this one. It allows you to put in any of your favorite sites and will even allocate them all into one feed. It’s totally worth the one dollar.

Carrot - $2.99

Carrot is a great weather app for both iPhone and WATCH. It’s sassy which makes checking the weather pretty fun. There’s always a different sassy sentence telling you the weather whenever you open the app. It’s native and provides customizeable watchface complications. It also gives you a forecast for the week and an array of important weather data.

Honorable Mention

Fantastical - $4.99

If you use the calendar on your iPhone, you’re going to want to upgrade to Fantastical. The iPhone app is excellent and comes with a beautiful design that’s been perfected over the years. It even shows your reminders that you add to the stock reminders app.

Outlook - Free

Outlook is one of the great third party email apps for the iPhone and their watch app lives up to our expectations. It’s a super simple user interface that starts out with a vertically scrolling preview of your inbox. Once you tap one of the sections you have a horizontal scroll view of your most recent emails.

Power - $0.99

If you want to check your iPhone’s battery life from your watch download Power. It has an absurdly simple user interface and comes with a glance. It looks like it was built by Apple.

Tweetbot - $4.99

If you’re a Twitter junkie download Tweetbot. It’s the best Twitter client in existence and its watch app shows you a unified view of all of your Twitter notifications.

All of these apps are great and I highly recommend them. You can also look at the rest of my homescreen to see the other apps that I use like Twitter and Instagram. Two great apps that are just ridiculously slow since they haven’t been updated for watchOS 2 and have to load so much data.

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Firefox for iOS Review

In 2007 the only browser available for iOS was Safari. Third party browsers popped up on the App Store like crazy. In 2010, Opera launched the first major contender. It was very similar to Safari but web pages felt incredibly different. In fact so different that they felt worse in Opera mini then in Safari. In 2012, Google finally launched Chrome for iOS. I immediately started using it and did for quite awhile. I liked it but it ultimately didn’t feel right on the iPhone. It’s UI was clearly created for Android and in my opinion didn’t translate correctly. Well it’s finally time for Mozilla. Last week, Mozilla released Firefox for iOS. Here’s why I believe it’s the best browser for casual users.

It’s simple

Firefox created an incredibly simple interface for this version of Firefox that feels right at home. In many ways it looks like a strange version of Safari but it also clearly is a member of the Firefox family thanks to the orange loading bars. Along the top is a search and url bar. On the right side of the top bar is a tab button. Once tapped you see individual cards of each webpage. There’s a settings button, a private mode button, and a new tab button. Simple enough. If you don’t use any special features, you don’t have to worry about them jumping out at you. The bottom bar is even simpler. There’s back and forward, reload and stop, share, and bookmark. It’s the web browser distilled to the simplest elements.

The same engine

Firefox on iOS uses the exact same engine as Safari which means that it’s equally as fast. Firefox is no slouch but also no faster than Safari.

Focus on the webpage

When you scroll a webpage, every single button and bar disappears. It’s not a new concept but it allows you to focus on what you were looking for or what you were reading. Safari for example still shows the url at the top, but Firefox only displays the webpage. For those of you who love reading articles, Firefox also includes a reader mode. You can choose between sans-serif and serif, change the color of the page, change the brightness, and the font size. You can also save articles to read later.

Landscape + iPad modes

When you turn your iPhone sideways, all of the UI elements move to the top like most other browsers. It makes browsing in landscape mode much better. The browser is also great on the iPad, which like most modern iPad apps includes support for split view.

Wrap up

Download Firefox. It’s free. You won’t regret it. But if you need more features or you use Chrome or Safari on your computers don’t bother. I however am using Firefox as my daily browser. We’ll see if I stick with it, but traditionally I end up returning to Safari.

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It’s All Going Down Tomorrow

Here’s a run down of tomorrow’s MASSIVE keynote and events happening in the following weeks.

Keynote:

iPhone) iPhone 6s + iPhone 6s Plus with an overview of iOS 9. These new iPhones are expected to have completely new camera systems with support for 4K video recording and the ability to take 12 megapixel stills. There’s also new internals, a stronger chassis, animated wallpapers (akin to the WATCH motion face), and the biggest feature being force touch support. There’s also a new rose gold color option expected.

WATCH) Gold WATCH Sport + New Bands with an overview of watchOS 2. Rumor has it there will be two new models of WATCH Sport introduced tomorrow both in rose gold and yellow gold. I expect new sport band colors as well to complement new cases for iPhone 6s.

TV) Majority of the time should be spent on the new TV. I expect them to go over Apps, Games, and HomeKit integration. They’ll very likely reveal the long awaited redesigned remote with motion and touch control.

iPad) The only thing that is up in the air is updated iPads. Most analysts and bloggers have reported that we will indeed see the iPad Pro + iPad mini 4 tomorrow but according to John Gruber of Daring Fireball it’s likely they’ll be saved for an October press event. 

Software Release Schedule:

iOS 9 Golden Master Candidate) Expect release immediately following the keynote for both developers and public beta testers.

watchOS 2 Golden Master Candidate) Expect release immediately following the keynote for developers.

iOS 9 Release Candidate) Expect release on September 16th or 17th for all devices that received iOS 8 last September.

watchOS 2 Release Candidate) Expect release on September 16th or 17th for all collections of WATCH.

iOS 9 + watchOS 2 Ready Apps) Apple should start asking developers to submit their iOS 9 and watchOS 2 ready apps tomorrow (the 9th) following the keynote. These apps are new versions that include compatibility with the new operating systems as well as with new features and frameworks introduced in each respective release.

El Capitan Golden Master Candidate) Expect the release of several golden masters sometime between tomorrow’s event and mid October.

El Capitan Release Candidate) The final version of El Capitan will be released to the public likely in mid-October.

There’s always a slight chance that Apple will surprise us with the release of all of these new operating systems tomorrow but I find it HIGHLY UNLIKELY.

The Space and its Significance:

Bill Graham Civic Auditorium) This place has a massive history. Way way back in the 70s Steve and Woz unveiled the II here. This place is definitely held within a special place in Apple’s heart. Just like last year at the Flint Center, I expect Tim to talk about them making history again.

Sheer Size) The auditorium can sit up to 7,000 people. That’s way more than Apple traditionally invites to its press events. Last year there were about 2,000 people at the 2014 September event and there are typically over 5,000 at WWDC. No one knows whether there really will be that many people invited but expect this to be unlike any other event Apple has held in the past. The size of the civic center also reveals the fact that Apple has probably built an incredible showroom space for all the new products that are being announced tomorrow. I personally am betting on staged rooms to show off separate capabilities of the TV, an WATCH showroom, and an iPhone 6s display. It’s interesting to note that Apple may have picked this space because they can hide preparations from the press. Last year the WATCH showroom was completely visible from conception to demolition. 

The Decorations) This place looks like the “Church of Apple.” I am not kidding. Like I said the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is absolutely huge so of course Apple had to decorate a lot of spaces. Each event space typically gets a unique design and this year is no exception. There are Apple flags flying around the perimeter of the building and its grounds, banners hanging from lamp posts around the city, a giant Apple logo hanging in the window above the front doors, and a “Special Event” sign in the new signature Apple font. Whatever is coming tomorrow clearly deserves a lot of fanfare. Wish I was there.

Where & How to Watch:

Live Stream) Apple will stream the keynote at 1 PM Eastern time on September 9th, 2015 at apple.com/live.

Follow Along) Apple also posts updates on its website at the same url apple.com/live if you cannot watch the video stream. You can also follow live blogs at The Verge, Engadget, or any of the other major tech news channels.

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“Hey Siri, Surprise me!”

Folks, there’s a very exciting event a week from today. Apple sent out press invites about a week ago and I’m anticipating something big. The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium is where all the action is happening on September 9th. I’m expecting the new iPhones and the new Apple TV. I personally feel that Apple might be planning on announcing new iPads and some additional Apple Watch bands. Also expect to find out the release of iOS9 and watchOS2 for the general public. Developers and public beta testers should receive those final release candidates on the 9th after the keynote around 4 p.m. EST. I’m hoping to be surprised by Cook and company. I think the iPhone 6s will be much more impressive than we currently believe and Apple TV is about to get an insanely big update. The 9th is going to be fun, a lot of fun.

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Still the Best Damn Rainbow Logo

In 1977 Rob Janoff created the most iconic logo of all time. Little did he know that his logo would appear on hundreds of millions of devices around the world. That logo was the Apple logo. At the time it looked a bit different than it does now. Janoff’s original vision was to have six vibrant colors cascading down the Apple shape. The logo was used for 20 years (1977-1999).

Today however, Google changed their logo and I wanted to remind the world that the most beautiful and iconic rainbow logo was actually designed 38 years ago. I very much want Apple to bring it back in a more modern form. Tim Cook teased said logo briefly back in 2012 and it was pretty stunning. It hasn’t appeared since.

But Google’s new design is a welcome change. The old logo was feeling dated. It shows that multicolored logos can be cool and simple in a modern setting.

Most users won’t even notice the change, some people didn’t even notice the redesign that came with iOS7.

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Thoughts on Alphabet

Larry Page shocked the world yesterday by announcing that Google was becoming Alphabet and that a new, smaller Google would become a subsidiary of the newly named Alphabet. Confusing right? I know! But this news brought several thoughts to my mind yesterday and they’ve been stewing since I read the headlines yesterday. Alphabet not only gives Page and Brin the opportunity to explore other companies and projects but it also lets them buy other companies and keep them separate from the Google brand. I have several suspicions about this change, one of them being that they could very well be prepping the purchase of a major company. A company that does not want to be affiliated with Google in any way. Many people have suspected that Google wants to buy Twitter. Twitter is at a rough crossroads. I personally think that Twitter is a perfect candidate for Alphabet leadership. People are afraid of Google to some degree since they essentially own the internet and mine our data like crazy. So differentiation is a good thing for the company. Other Google purchased companies like Nest and other ventures like Calico deserve to be their own entities. The Google guys want more and that’s incredibly clear.

The new Google is run by newly anointed CEO Sundar Pichai. He’s been in the game for a while and is certainly the best choice for the company at this point. I think he’ll lead the company on and do a great job. He’s like the “Tim Cook of Google.” He’s got the experience and the technical knowledge. The next few years ought to be interesting. In reality though, Google is not much different than it was a day ago. It’s still the same search engine, video streaming, android building powerhouse. It’s just under new leadership.

I’m excited to see what other projects and ventures pop up under Alphabet. Google is very much a specific brand and I think the founders very much know that they cannot keep using the name forever. Products in healthcare, home management, humanitarian efforts, and self driving cars do not belong with the word “Google” in front of them.

Even though this might not seem like that big of a deal, it is. I’m really excited to see what happens over the next few years.