Essential Apple Podcast 82: A Basket of Easter Treats

Recorded 2nd April 2018

With Mark still on his vaccation/birthday bender, Simon is joined by Slackroom member Suffolk Pete to talk over some of the week’s Apple and Tech stories. Whilst it has mostly been about Apple and the Field Trip Event and the new iPad with Pencil support there have been some other stories too!
Apple put out a host of updates. Cloudflare introduced a new free public DNS service, Microsoft want to monitor your language, the US want to check your social history and Uncle Tim would welcome privacy legislation.
Also Slack finally introduced sharable links so you don’t have to get a personalised invitation anymore. Now you can just click on this bit.ly/EAP_Slack instead!

On this week’s show:

SUFFOLK PETE

Papercut Print Management and monitoring
iPad Pro with Keyboard (and a Pencil on order)
AirPods and an Apple Watch Series 2

APPLE

Apple announced a lot of stuff aimed at the education sector – an iPad, Class Kit, Classroom, Schoolwork, Everyone Can Create, and more…
- New Sixth-Generation iPad vs. 10.5-Inch iPad Pro – Mac Rumors
- Logitech Crayon is an Apple Pencil on a budget – Cult of Mac
- Apple’s New, Cheaper iPad Is Perfect If You Don’t Need the Pro – TIME
- It’s all about the Apps – Engadget
- But others are not convinced that this is the answer
- Apple needs more than apps to win over educators – Engadget
- Why Apple’s Education Strategy Isn’t Based On Reality – 9to5Mac
- Apple doesn’t understand what makes Chromebooks great – The Next Web
- ANNOYINGLY I read a really good piece (and stupidly didn’t scrapbook it) about how its all lovely in Apple’s world but in reality not only can most schools not afford this stuff but it seems to assume Teachers have the time and inclination to do a metric tonne of extra work to exploit all this new stuff (Class Kit, Schoolwork, iBooks Authoring) and that’s assuming they even have ability or the leeway!
- The eMate 300
- Bassgate: Did software update sap HomePod audio? – Cult of Mac
- Which HomePod Review
- Airfoil & Satellite from Rogue Ameoba (who else?)

SECURITY

Seems if one bit of good has come out of the Facebook debacle it is that it is at least getting some people wake up to the security and privacy issues the internet can present and some mainstream media to start telling users how to protect themselves.

Cloudflare launches 1.1.1.1 DNS service that will speed up your internet – Cloudflare
From cookies to Tor: How to fight back against online tracking – CBC News
Tim Cook wants ‘well-crafted’ privacy regulations after latest Facebook scandal – The Verge
GDPR – European Union

IN THE NEWS

14 Million Visitors to U.S. Face Social Media Screening – New York Times
Microsoft to ban ‘offensive language’ from Skype, Xbox, Office – CSO Online

JUST A SNIPPET

For things that are not worth more than a flypast

Space Gray Mac accessories now sold separately from iMac Pro – 9to5Mac
More power: MacOS now supports external graphics cards – CNET
iOS QR Code Vulnerability – Mac Rumours
Facebook’s app for kids should freak parents out – Technology Review
Facebook Delays Home-Speaker Unveil Amid Data Crisis (Allegedly) – Bloomberg

WORTH-A-CHIRP / ESSENTIAL TIPS

Vanilla a simple menubar tamer by Matthew Palmer – Free (£2.95 UK / $3.99 US for the “Pro” version with extra features)

Nemo’s Hardware Store (52:40)

The Thinium ReCHARGE+ 2.0 – $70 US

Social Media and Slack

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