This coming Thursday is Thanksgiving here in the United States — the next email issue of TidBITS will appear on 5 December 2016 so the TidBITS crew can prep for and enjoy the holiday this week. Apple has released a $299 book, no, not a MacBook, but rather a picture book showing off Apple’s designs. The company has also launched two iPhone repair programs: one to address “touch disease” in the iPhone 6 Plus and another to fix unplanned shutdowns on the iPhone 6s. Many Mac users are feeling glum over the Mac’s prospects — Adam Engst addresses that in two articles: one explaining why Apple has marginalized the Mac and another describing what the MacBook lineup should look like. Finally, Michael Cohen ponders the Touch Bar in the new MacBook Pros and how it could address a long-standing computer interface limitation. Notable software releases this week include Alfred 3.2, Microsoft Office 2016 15.28 and Office 2011 14.7, Hazel 4.0.8, Slack for Mac 2.3.2, Postbox 5.0.7, ChronoSync 4.7.1, 1Password 6.5.1, and Pixelmator 3.6.
We’re taking the next email issue of TidBITS off to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, although we’ll continue to post articles and ExtraBITS links on our Web site. The next email issue will be published on 5 December 2016.
For those who think Apple doesn’t have the resources to update some app or bit of hardware, consider the company’s latest product announcement.
Apple has launched a repair program to address the “touch disease” affecting some iPhone 6 Plus phones. The company claims the problem is related to the phone being dropped repeatedly, and is charging $149 for the repairs.
Apple has launched a repair program to address spontaneous shutdown issues that affect a small number of iPhone 6s phones.
Adam Engst argues that Apple’s recent Mac-related announcements are understandable because, despite its size and capabilities, the company can focus on only one platform at a time. And it’s not the Mac.
Dismayed by Apple’s direction with the new MacBook Pro models? You’re far from alone. Either way, Adam Engst feels that Apple needs to rethink its laptop lineup to provide models that optimize for each of price, size, and performance.
The Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pros is a gimmick, but so was the mouse once upon a time. In fact, Apple’s latest gimmick addresses a problem we didn’t know we had: the friction caused by a single point of focus.
Notable software releases this week include Alfred 3.2, Microsoft Office 2016 15.28 and Office 2011 14.7, Hazel 4.0.8, Slack for Mac 2.3.2, Postbox 5.0.7, ChronoSync 4.7.1, 1Password 6.5.1, and Pixelmator 3.6.