Month: April 2017

The Mac Pro Lives

Apple
Jason Tate

John Gruber, writing at Daring Fireball:

Apple is currently hard at work on a “completely rethought” Mac Pro, with a modular design that can accommodate high-end CPUs and big honking hot-running GPUs, and which should make it easier for Apple to update with new components on a regular basis. They’re also working on Apple-branded pro displays to go with them.

And:

Regarding iMacs, Schiller also said that new iMacs are in the works, slated for release some time this year (no specifics other than “this year”), including “configurations of iMac specifically with the pro customer in mind and acknowledging that our most popular desktop with pros is an iMac.”

Nice. I love my 5K iMac, it’s the best desktop computer I’ve ever owned. (And now we have fodder for all the tech podcasts for the next six months in anticipation, and for the six months after when the results aren’t perfectly tailored to each individual.) I’m just glad that the rumors of the Mac’s demise seem to have been greatly exaggerated.

Drake Tops the Charts Again

Jason Tate

Drake once again has the top album in the country.

More Life continues to be a streaming powerhouse in its second week, as traditional album sales equaled 43,000 while it collected another 169,000 SEA units (the second largest streaming week ever for an album, behind only More Life’s debut). The rest of the title’s units came from TEA (13,000).

Marco Arment’s Bluetooth Headphones Mega-Review

Jason Tate

Marco Arment has published his mega-review of Bluetooth headphones:

My criteria for this review is what someone seeking good all-around headphones today probably wants:

  • Bluetooth
  • Closed-back for isolation, ideally with active noise cancellation (ANC)
  • Portable enough to fit in a small bag; suitable for listening at a desk, bringing on an airplane, and wearing outside
  • Definitely under $500, and ideally under $300

For everyday use I’ve been using AirPods for the past few months and absolutely love them. I listen to almost exclusively podcasts or audiobooks with them, but they’re fine for music.1 If you’re looking for where to start with Bluetooth headphones, this is a good resource.

  1. Most of the time if I’m listening to music it’s playing via speakers or I’m at my computer where I use a wired pair of headphones.↩

Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon Say You Shouldn’t Worry About Gutting of Internet Privacy Rules

The Verge
Jason Tate

Jacob Kastrenakes, writing for The Verge:

Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon published blog posts this morning responding to the backlash they’ve been receiving since Congress voted to revoke a strong set of internet privacy rules that would have prevented internet providers from using or sharing their customers’ web browsing history without permission. The companies take different approaches when responding, but the takeaway from all three is that they think customers should stop worrying.

Ah, yes, trust the giant company, what could go wrong?