Year: 2020

Former ‘Daily Show’ host Jon Stewart coming to Apple TV+

CompuScoop Staff October 27, 2020 0

The show, which will run for multiple seasons, puts Stewart back in the anchor’s chair as he explores a host of topics at the center of both the national conversation and his own advocacy work.

The still-untitled show, which will feature hourlong, single-subject episodes, will be executive produced by Stewart through his company Busboy Productions. In his role as EP, he’ll be joined by his longtime manager James Dixon and former HBO chief Richard Plepler, who via his EDEN Productions also has a rich deal at Apple. A showrunner for the forthcoming series, for which Apple is expected to offer a companion podcast, has yet to be named…

Until recently, he had had a long-term production deal at HBO, where he had a first-look deal and was quietly prepping a timely, animated shortform series, which he and HBO ultimately pulled the plug on for technical reasons. While sources say HBO made a play for Stewart’s latest on-air foray, the latter ultimately landed at Apple, where it’s expected to begin rolling out next year.

Via: The Hollywood Reporter

Microsoft updates Office Apps for iPad with mouse and Trackpad Support

CompuScoop Staff October 27, 2020 0

Microsoft’s Office 365 apps – Word, Excel, and PowerPoint – are now receiving updates to take full advantage of trackpad support in iPadOS to give iPad users using a mouse or Apple’s new Magic Keyboard easy cursor control, fluid navigation, and precise adjustments.

When moving a finger across the built-in trackpad of Magic Keyboard, the cursor transforms into the tool you need depending on the content you’re pointing to. And using a mouse or trackpad with iPad for common tasks like highlighting a passage of text in Word, selecting a range of cells in Excel, and moving and resizing graphics in PowerPoint are as simple and intuitive as ever. This experience will be immediately familiar to anyone who has ever used Office on a Mac or a PC and helps make iPad even more versatile and capable for getting more work done.

Many users have already started receiving these updates through a phased roll-out, which should reach all users within a couple weeks. These updates are just the latest in a series of improvements we continue to make to the Office experience designed to take advantage of the unique capabilities of iPad, such as its large Multi-Touch display, and versatile accessories, including the ability to open multiple documents in Word and PowerPoint, the new keyboard shortcuts which were released this summer and fall, and additional updates which you will see over the next few months such as multiple document support in Excel, powerful contextual menus, and offline file support for cloud files.

Via: Microsoft.com

Allstate Protection Plans Dubs iPhone 12/12 Pro Strongest Smartphone Yet

CompuScoop Staff October 26, 2020 0

Allstate Protection Plans has examined Apple's ceramic shield front-facing glass in the Apple's iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro in its Breakability Drop Test.

One of Apple's most touted features of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro is a new ceramic shield front covering that makes the phones four times as drop protective. Allstate performed its Breakability Drop Tests from six feet in the air atop a rough sidewalk on the front, back and side of the phones to see how they faired.

While the results appear mixed — at best — AllState says they faired better than any phones they've tested before.

In the face-down fall, iPhone 12 suffered only small cracks as well as some scuffed metal. When the iPhone 12 Pro was dropped facing downwards, it cracked across the display but functioned normally.

For the back-down test iPhone 12 was nearly unscathed taking only minor damage around the edge. The pricier iPhone 12 Pro didn't fare as well, with the entire back panel shattering. Allstate says it perceives additional durability on the iPhone 12 due to the new flat sides.

When both were dropped on their sides, suffered scuffed metal but otherwise were fine.

In analyzing its findings, Allstate says that iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro performed better than any previously tested smartphone including the Galaxy S20. While the ceramic shield is stronger, it isn't indestructible.

Drop test are an inherently flawed method of testing a phone's durability and offer more entertainment than any real takeaway. In the real world, dropping your phone could be onto any number of different surfaces, from a huge array of heights, any speed or angle. Trying to determine exactly how strong a phone is by dropping it from six feet doesn't reveal all that much.

Both iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro have the same glass back panel yet only the latter shattered despite the stronger frame. On the front-facing test iPhone 12 still cracked on its first drop.

Via: AppleInsider.com