After 2+ weeks in the San Francisco Bay Area, I am back in Tucson and ready to resume my blogging duties. I had a great time, highlighted by a weekend of Indy Car racing in Sonoma and a visit to the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco to see an exhibition of paintings by my very favorite painter, JWM Turner (1775-1851). His work is amazing for his time and the title of the exhibit was, “Painting Set Free”…absolutely the perfect title.
But enough about me and Turner. Apple held its annual September event, also in San Francisco on Wednesday, and some of it caught me and many others totally off guard. You can read about all the announcements and product updates in our first story. But what captured my attention was the new iPad Pro, a 12.9” lightweight iPad that is a direct competitor to Microsoft’s Surface. Like the Surface, it has an optional keyboard that attaches to the iPad to turn it into a laptop. But, wait, there is more.
Apple announced the Apple Pencil, a drawing tool similar to a Wacom Pen, but works directly on the iPad. The demo was amazing and if I didn’t already have a Macbook Pro laptop and a 9” iPad, I might consider buying this one. Apple and others claim this new iPad has the speed and power of a laptop, using its new faster processor the A9X. They claim it is faster than 80% of all laptops on the market today. I believe it after watching all the demos.
Also announced at the event were new Apple Watches, two new phones (the 6s and the 6sPlus), and a new updated version of Apple TV. While many new features on the iPhones are great (read about them below in the Mobile Computing section), the highlight was Apple’s new iPhone Update Plan, where you can get a new phone every year. With the demise of the current Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile phone contracts, this makes great sense.
As for the Apple TV, I saw no reason to switch from my current Roku boxes…but if you do not have any of these kinds of boxes, you might consider the Apple TV…although it is quite a bit more expensive than its competitors.
Maybe the biggest surprise of all was the appearance by a Microsoft exec on stage to demonstrate Office 2016 running on an iPad Pro. Not many of us saw that one coming. If you would like to see the entire event, just go to Apple.com. There is a good chance you will be impressed.
From here on in, it is up to you to read the stories below that interest you. So enjoy! -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
Everything Apple announced at its September 2015 event
A couple hundred hints later, Apple has finally revealed what Siri had up her sleeves… along with a slew of other announcements.
Verizon will soon launch free on-demand TV service
You will soon be able to watch some TV shows on your smartphone for free, courtesy of Verizon. The company plans to launch a free on-demand video service, expected later this month, called Go90, Verizon confirmed.
Microsoft is using Bing to discourage Windows 10 users from downloading Chrome and Firefox
The first time Edge users search for “chrome” or “firefox” using Bing — presumably with the intent of downloading those browsers from Google or Mozilla, respectively — they are shown a serious-looking message at the top of the search results.
Office 2016 for Windows Set to Launch on September 22
It’s official: Microsoft will launch Office 2016 for Windows on September 22, with volume licensing downloads following on October 1. Additionally, Microsoft has revealed how it plans to keep the suite updated moving forward.
Hands On: the New, Siri-Enabled Apple TV
Here is Apple, launching an upgraded Apple TV with a new interface, remote, and plan to dominate your living room and grow its ever-expanding universe of technology and entertainment offerings. That new plan? Apps.
Computer Tips and Tricks
Microsoft fixes five critical flaws, including two hitting all versions of Windows
Every supported version of Windows should get an update, fixing two issues: one in Internet Explorer 7 and later, and the other in Windows Journal.
Make Google Book Searches Feel More Like Browsing a Virtual Library
Part of the magic of libraries and bookstores is stumbling upon great books you weren’t looking for. These tips can make exploring Google Books feel more like that.
Apple Announces New iCloud Storage Prices
Upgrading from the base plan to the second tier now will still cost $0.99 each month, but Apple will be providing 50GB rather than the previous 20GB
How to customize Windows File Explorer's details view
You spend a lot of time diving into the file system on a PC. Getting File Explorer organized just the way you like it is quick, easy, and worth it.
Word macros: Three examples to automate your documents
Use these step-by-instructions to turn complex procedures into one-click wonders.
Gmail will now automatically add Google Calendar events for emails with flight, hotel, restaurant, or ticket info
The new feature, which adds events to Google Calendar based on information in emails sent to your Gmail account, is rolling out this week to Google Apps customers on desktop, Android, and iOS
Mobile Computing
Google officially rolling out Android Pay starting today
The new Android Pay app completely replaces the Google Wallet app on your device and requires Pay Services 8.1.13 to operate. If you have an older version of Play services, Android Pay won’t work until you update.
First-ever monthly Android security updates start to roll out
Luckily exploit mitigation techniques in newer versions of Android stopped the Stagefright vulnerability from becoming a pwning free-for-all, but the bug shined a bright light on Android's sub-par security situation.
iPhone 6S and 6S Plus: Our Complete Overview
Despite it being just an "S" year, the new iPhone lineup was packed with interesting new features and improvements.
A closer look at Apple’s new iPhone Upgrade Program
In place of a subsidy, you’ll be able to take advantage of cheaper monthly phone plans. Add in the phone payment, and the costs are usually similar to what was found in the old structure.
T-Mobile Undercuts Apple's iPhone Upgrade Plan With $20 Per Month Deal
T-Mobile will be offering a pretty sweet deal on the iPhone 6s: $20 per month on its Jump upgrade plan. That’s cheaper than Apple’s newly announced offer, but is it a better overall deal?
8 things Apple didn't tell you about the iPad Pro
The iPad Pro is gargantuan. Its 12.9-inch Retina HD display dwarfs the iPad Air 2. Its Hulk-powerful, but still thin and light. It's basically Apple's version of the Microsoft Surface Pro 3.
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