October 2021 Apple Event - the new MacBook Pro
We had all been waiting for this October Apple event since the rumors continued to poor in that a new MacBook Pro was about to be showcased. With Apple changing to smaller virtual announcement events, the products have been shifted to be showcased in shorter thematic presentations. Well yesterday, we were presented with a strange combination of items in a quick hour long event.
Apple Music
Apple kicked off the event talking about the sound systems across the Apple product line and therefore the service that connects them all - Apple Music. With over 90 million songs, Apple decided to take the catalog experience a step further with more Siri integration including playlists set for any mood. This will allow more control without the need to browse from a specific device. This also lead to the creation of the Apple Voice Plan. For $4.99/month - you'll be able to access the catalog and have a cheaper access option to Apple music. It basically removes the graphical interface support and lossless/dynamic audio.
Home Pod Mini
Home Pod Mini was a bit of a let down for folks. As many were looking for a more competitive product to compete with the Amazon Echo line, we got a new array of colors. The segment basically pushed the same features available and just incorporated the new colors.
AirPods Generation 3
One product that we all expected to launch with the iPhone 13 lineup last month, AirPods generation 3 finally were showcased in the October event. With spatial audio being added to this non-pro line, everyone will be able to enjoy the spatial audio experience. With 30 hours of total listening time (when using the charging case - which now includes MagSafe charging) - you'll be able to easily integrate this into your current Apple setup starting next week at $179.
The New MacBook Pro
The true star of the event (accounting for 30+ minutes of the 50 minute event) was the update to the MacBook Pro line. It looks like the day of the pack of dongles is no more as the HDMI port and others return to this iconic machine. The front facing webcam finally gets a nice bump up to 1080p (although the notch is of course going to bother people for whatever reason). The Liquid Retina XDR display will be a thing of beauty for creatives as it brags a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and adaptive refresh up to 120Hz. I love my 2018 MBP fully loaded, but this nice overhaul to the MBP line makes me want to start putting paychecks aside now. The 14" starts at $1,999 and the 16" comes in at $2,499.
M1 Pro and M1 Max Chips
The latest technology to come from Apple's M1 line are the Pro and Max chips. These new chips are delivering an insane amount of power and efficiency to the MBP line. The M1 Pro chip features an up-to-10-core CPU along with an up-to-16-core GPU, which makes it 70 percent faster than the M1 (which was already a huge speed machine). With support for up to 32GB of unified memory - this chip will make your workflow fly. And if that is not enough for you, then comes the Max chip. This beast doubles the GPU with up to 32 cores! It also allows for up to 64GB of unified memory. The video editor in me is just blown away from that amount of power in a portable machine. Apple states that this chipset allows users to edit up to 30 streams of 4K ProRes video in Final Cut Pro.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this was a bit of the event we expected. New overhaul of the MacBook Pro line with some extras that probably were delayed from last month's event (Home Pod Mini and AirPods). I would assume COVID has been putting quite a bit of pressure on production and shipping - so expect some weird timelines from Apple in the upcoming year. If you're looking to dive into Home Pod Mini, upgrade or switch to AirPods - now is the time. And if you can handle the price, it truly looks like this MacBook Pro will be an amazing machine for years to come.
October 2020 Apple Event
Alright folks, this is the Apple Event we've all been waiting for. What was hoped for in September has now come true for the October 2020 Apple Event - the iPhone 12 and a whole lot more. As always, I highly suggest watching the event recording, but if that is too much time to dedicate, we've got you covered. So let's get started!
October 2020 Apple Event: HomePod Mini
Tim got us kicked off right away talking about how Apple designs products for our homes. To bring the HomePod to more people (and at a more affordable price point), we now have HomePod Mini. I've been personally waiting for this product as I wasn't too excited to have to buy a full HomePod for my upstairs and downstairs. I love the sound quality and the convenience of having my HomePod in my kitchen, but now I can get the Mini for my bedroom.
The smaller globe and touch screen top of the HomePod Mini allows users to continue to have the amazing sound element that the original HomePod was known for. The brain and analysis of the music will create an amazing audio experience as expected. HomePod Mini's can sync and be a stereo pair (if in the same room) or synced across multiple rooms.
Along with HomePod Mini, we've got improvements coming to Siri. During this segment of the event, my HomePod was going insane with all the calls to "Hey Siri." Siri now has better voice recognition and of course the Mini syncs with HomeKit for your smart home. Apple also released a new intercom feature. Intercom can now work with all devices and speakers, so your intercom now will play on speakers and push a notification to devices - including AirPods. This is a huge way to connect everyone inside the home and I can see being a huge benefit to large families.
HomePod Mini will be available in both the base gray and in black. Orders begin on November 6 with shipping starting November 16. All of this bundled up for just $99.
October 2020 Apple Event: The iPhone 12 Line
5G is finally here! To kick off the iPhone 12 line, we all expected that 5G would be one of the biggest talking points and Tim didn't hold back before jumping right in. To make sure iPhone users were going to get the best experience, Apple worked with all the carriers - with Verizon being brought out to the Apple stage. Over 4 gbps for peak download times and 200 mbps upload speeds, Verizon has a pretty impressive set of stats for their 5G network. So with the launch of the iPhone - Verizon is booting up their nationwide 5G network. All the iPhone 12's will have 5G - so let's dive right in.
iPhone 12
The iPhone 12 has an all-new design with a similar aluminum design we all loved on the iPhone 5. Brilliant colors and form factor has been maximized for 5G. You've got 5 colors - black, white, red, green, and blue. It is thinner, smaller, and lighter than the iPhone 11. This was done with the Super Retina XDR display (OLED) with a 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The cover glass is now engineered with Ceramic Shield - a new toughness process to increase the durability and become the strongest of any other phone (a 4x better drop performance rate). The iPhone 12 has 5G and has the A14 Bionic chip to deliver the best performance while using the least amount of power.
iPhone 12 now has a dual camera system which includes the Wide and Ultra Wide lens. With everyone using their phone as their main camera, we continue to see Apple focus in on a better photography experience. HDR 3 and machine learning will continue to provide a better photographic experience to adjust for the conditions. Night mode will now exist on both the back and front cameras, a first for Apple. With the improved cameras, video will be improved as well.
A lot of us have been waiting for the Apple charging we never got. However, with iPhone 12 comes a new type of charging experience due to the built in magnets inside of the phone itself. That's right - MagSafe is back baby! This new style of charger means new cases with magnets and new MagSafe accessories (including a new Duo charger for the watch and iPhone). This charger is something I've been waiting years for and can't wait to get my hands on.
Now some people are going to be upset about the next part - chargers are no longer coming in the box. The environmental impact is huge by them shrinking the box size and no longer providing the cubes that most of us see all over our house or a pair of wired earpods. iPhone 12 will have a USB-C to Lightning cable in the box and that is it.
iPhone 12 Mini
With virtually no transition at all, the iPhone 12 Mini has been born. It includes the same features of the iPhone 12, but just smaller by only having a 5.4-inch display. They literally are the same phone except for different sizes. I wasn't expecting this at all. It will now be the smallest and thinnest 5G iPhone in the world.
The iPhone 12 Mini will start at $699 with pre-orders starting November 6 and the iPhone 12 will start at $799 with pre-orders starting on Friday, October 16.
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro includes a stainless steel band with back glass in 4 new colors, black, white, gold, and blue. The Pro models include the Ceramic Shield and IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. This line of course includes the MagSafe life of chargers and accessories.
The displays are now 6.1" on the Pro and 6.7" on the Pro Max. The Super Retina XDR is the biggest screen ever. The Pro performance comes from the A14 chip which has the most advanced image processing ever coming out of a phone before. Deep Fusion technology will now be on all 4 cameras on the front and back. The Ultra Wide, Wide, and Telephoto cameras give the most flexibility when it comes to photo lengths.
On the Pro Max, they also included sensor-shift, a technology from SLR cameras to help keep lenses stabilized to avoid camera shake. A new feature coming later this year is Apple ProRAW - the combination of Apple's computational imagery with the photographer's choice of RAW imagery. With support coming to apps to take advantage, I can't wait to see what Adobe is able to do with this new technology moving forward.
Pro Video means HDR video recording is now available on the iPhone. It will also record in Dolby Vision HDR at 4K at 60 frames/sec. The iPhone 12 Pro Max will allow you to actually edit Dolby Vision on the fly from the phone - without the need for uploading to an external system.
The innovation of LiDAR means that light scanning is now included on the iPhone 12 Pro. Object and room scanning, effects, and Augmented Reality (AR) support means that the iPhone 12 Pro will be the go to device for AR. The LiDAR scanner allows the cameras to identify depth and improve focus and sharpness.
The iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999 with pre-orders starting on Fridya, October 16 and the iPhone 12 Pro Max starts at $1099 with pre-orders starting on November 6. Both start at 128GB for storage space and go up to 512GB.
iPhone 12 Line Up Pricing
So the total line up looks like the following:
- iPhone 12 mini starts at just $699
- iPhone 12 starts at $799
- iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999
- iPhone 12 Pro Max starts at $1099
October 2020 Apple Event: Wrap Up
And with that - we wrap up the Apple October Special Event. I know I'll be buying a HomePod Mini and the new iPhone 12 Pro in blue. See anything that you might be jumping into? Rumor has it there will be a November Event coming soon, which Apple has not done before, so stay tuned as to what that might include. Will we be seeing the new Apple headphones? Will we get to see the first Apple Silicon Mac? With this new approach to events, Apple just keeps on giving us new technology to look forward to.
WFH Equipment Review Series: Espresso
When I started working from home, I was lucky enough to already have a basic home office setup. I had a desk that worked, a monitor setup that would get me by, and a space in my house dedicated to office work. However, a challenge that I'm sure gets overlooked by quite a few people when they transition from the office to home is the lack of a trip past a Starbucks or a Caribou coffee, or even the free office coffee to keep them going every morning. This is why the first WFH Equipment Review post is all about espresso.
The Espresso Machine
Now a lot of people are fine with any type of drip coffee pot. I'm not most people, I'm a coffee snob. I'm not sure how I became a coffee snob, but I am. What this means is I needed an espresso machine at home to match a quality similar to an actual coffee shop. This meant that it was time to retire the Keruig and move onto the Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista machine.
Now I absolutely love this machine. It has a high-pressure rating vs most of the cheaper espresso machines you might find (which means it will taste a bit closer to a coffee house with a multi-thousand dollar machine). It is fast, produces consistent espresso, and the bonus features of automatic frothing and milk warming make it a one-stop-shop for your coffee beverages. Of course, I'd love to upgrade to the next step up at some point, but it's just a wee bit hard to justify a $700 espresso machine.
The Espresso Bean Grinder
Now that you have your coffee machine, you're going to need to have a way to grind fresh beans, because hey, if you're going to have an espresso machine and are looking for that coffee house flavor, you better be sure you're grinding fresh beans. So that is why I'm all in on my KRUPS burr grinder.
This thing has been amazing. Not only does it grind my fresh beans in the best way without concern of burning the grounds, but the settings allow me to grind coffee for espresso, cold brew in my french press, or coffee for a standard drip pot when my folks are visiting. I did start out grinding every day but realized that got to be a bit much, so now I'm grinding enough to get me through about 3-4 days for a double espresso every morning. It is easy to clean and consistently allows me to have the perfect grind of fresh beans.
The Espresso Beans
On my quest for a great coffee experience at home I knew tracking down fresh quality beans were also important. When I lived in the upper peninsula of Michigan, I had a coffee roaster just 4 minutes from my house where I could easily get amazing fresh roasted espresso beans. When I moved to Ann Arbor, I knew I had to try to find another high quality product that would take it's place. That is where Fire Dept. Coffee comes into my life.
Being a firefighter was a huge part of my life. It gave me the ability to lead a team of volunteers in service to our small community. It also allowed me to get on Chicago Fire as an extra. So of course supporting a coffee roaster established and run by Chicago firefighters and veterans is where I want to give my money for high-quality coffee. The best part, it is some of the best espresso beans I've ever had in my life. They are always coming up with new roasts and I honestly can't get enough. It is the only coffee I'm stocked up on anymore.
Ultimately, you need to make sure you are set up the way you need so you can be productive. Whether you are temporarily working from home or you're in a work from home job, you're going to need your coffee. So take the time to do some research, treat yourself with some high-quality products, and make sure you start your day the right way every morning.
Apple Special Event - Sept. 15, 2020
It was time for another exciting Apple Event on Sept. 15, 2020 as we knew some updates were coming from Apple, there just wasn't an agreement on which ones. A lot of the rumors were that this was going to be an Apple Watch and iPad event - leaving the iPhone 12 for October. As I bounced around to check out the rumors, I was pretty sure they all held up. The delays on the iPhone 12 and some hardware upgrades made sense for Apple to get the new watches and iPads on the market first. So let's just jump right in.
If you want to catch the entire event yourself, Apple has it posted on their website or you can find it in the AppleTV app on any Apple device.
The Apple Event
This event was all about the Apple Watch(es), the iPad, OS updates, and the slick new services coming from Apple as Apple One. Here is a quick breakdown of what was revealed.
Apple Special Event - Apple Watch
WatchOS7
Watch OS7 included some great updates like sleep tracking, hand washing detection, and VO2 Max for tracking your blood oxygen. There are more watch faces, which is always a nice touch as well. Family setup allows for those without a phone to have their watch set up for them. This allows parents to use their devices to set up and monitor the watch for their kids.
Apple Watch 6
Apple Watch series 6 provides a few upgrades from the series 5 but honestly hasn't given me enough reason to upgrade from my series 5. If you're still on a series 3 or earlier, then there are some serious reasons to upgrade, but even on a series 4, you might not see enough benefit to make the jump. The VO2 Max sensor and brighter "always-on" display pretty much are the only major upgrades. It starts at $399.
Apple Watch SE
What was a bit unexpected was the Apple Watch SE. This is a new budget level entry device, to get more people into the Apple Watch ecosystem. It uses the S5 chip which makes it more powerful than the series 3. This will be an attractive price point for kids or those that are looking for the basic features of the watch. I'll be curious to see how people compare them over the next few months. It starts at only $279.
Apple Fitness+ and Apple One
Something that was hinted at in rumors but we didn't see a ton of details on was the Apple One combination of services. This bundle of Apple services is what made the most sense to get Apple customers to be more comfortable subscribing to yet another service. What became really interesting was the addition of Fitness+, a new subscription workout service available from Apple.
Apple Fitness+
This service is built specifically for Apple Watch. It connects your watch to the screen that you're working out on. Everything is synced across and connected. This is a really interesting approach to putting your data on the screen as you work out. It's better for you to just see this and I'm excited to hear feedback from those that try it out.
Apple One
Apple One bundles up all these great subscription services in a simple plan. The graphic below helps break everything down. More details will be released this fall, so keep your eyes on the Apple One page.
Apple Special Event - Apple iPad
When it comes to the iPad, we didn't expect a lot. Mostly hardware updates. And that is exactly what we got. iPad 8th Generation allowed for some growth on hardware with the A12 Bionic chip. It is 40% faster than last year's model. Apple pencil support means this becomes a great option for creativity and schooling. These were all the expected jumps to the hardware since the true hero is iPadOS 14. Starting at just $329.
The iPad Air
The iPad Air was a bit of an unexpected product. With the new design, we are getting a preview of what we can assume will be the new iPhone 12. The colors, the shape, all give a nod for what we can see coming. The magic keyboard is supported and so is the new magnetic Apple Pencil. Basically this seems like it will become the new standard middle iPad and I'm hoping that means the Pro's are getting a serious boost in the future.
Overall, we get new OS updates and a few hardware upgrades to the line up. If you haven't done any hardware upgrades in a few years, you'll probably see quite a jump in performance and hardware. All I know is that this event has me extremely excited for what we can expect from the October iPhone 12 event.