Month: January 2023

HomePod Software update brings new features to new and old models

Dan Uff January 19, 2023 0

On Tuesday, Apple announced the availability of a new HomePod with better sound and other new features.

Now the company has announced it will be pushing an update for ALL HomePod Models, which is due sometime next week.

According to AppleInsider.com:

The HomePod mini and new HomePod have built-in temperature and humidity sensors that'll be activated by the update. Users with multiple HomePods across their home will be able to see the current temperature and humidity of each room within the Apple Home app.

Siri is also getting more powerful with new commands and response protocols. Users can set recurring home automations just by speaking to Siri, and actions that don't have an obvious visible response will end with a tone once completed…

Apple is also opening up Find My data to Siri on the HomePod. Users will be able to ask for the locations of friends and family if it is actively being shared.

Apple TV+ Reveals new and returning shows

CompuScoop Staff January 19, 2023 0

From the highly anticipated return of global phenomenon “Ted Lasso” this spring for season three, to the premiere of brand new series from celebrated storytellers including Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein, Jason Segel, Jason Katims, Billy Crudup, Scott Z. Burns, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, David West Read, Jane Goodall and more, Apple TV+ will continue to expand its slate with premium, must-see Apple Original series through spring 2023 and beyond.

“Each year, we look forward to delivering even more compelling, premium stories from today’s most talented and masterful storytellers, and this year is no different,” said Matt Cherniss, head of domestic programming, Apple TV+. “Whether it’s new seasons of culture-moving and award-winning shows, or new stories that have the power to captive global audiences and are rooted in humanity, there’s something for everyone to look forward to watching on Apple TV+.”

The news was revealed on the heels of Apple TV+ announcing that its comedy sensation “Ted Lasso” will return for its highly anticipated third season this spring 2023, as well as sharing a first-look at what’s in-store for AFC Richmond.

In addition to unveiling premiere dates for its upcoming slate of new original series, Apple TV+ debuted the trailers for “Shrinking,” “Dear Edward,” “Hello Tomorrow!” and “The Reluctant Traveler,” as well as first looks at “Extrapolations,” “Schmigadoon!” season two, “The Last Thing He Told Me,” “The Afterparty” season two, “City on Fire,” “Swagger” season two, and “The Big Door Prize.”

Starting this week with the season three premiere of NAACP Image Award-winning anthology series “Truth Be Told,” and with more titles to be announced soon, highlights of new and returning series premiering to global audiences on Apple TV+ in the coming months include:

To see the list, click here.

Apple’s Lisa computer turns 40 years old

CompuScoop Staff January 19, 2023 0

Forty years ago today, on January 19, 1983, a new type of personal computer was announced that would change the world forever: The Apple Lisa.

Lisa was named after Steve Jobs’ daughter, even though Jobs denied the connection and (in initially) his parentage. But the more interesting thing about the Lisa computer was how it evolved into something unique: It was the first personal computer with a graphical user interface (GUI).

Jef Raskin, an early Apple employee who wrote the manual for the Apple ][, had visited PARC in 1973. He believed that GUIs were the future. Raskin managed to persuade the Lisa project leader to change the computer into a GUI machine. However, he couldn’t convince Jobs, who thought Raskin and Xerox were incompetent.

Raskin altered his approach and got graphics programmer Bill Atkinson to propose an official tour of PARC in November 1979. Because Jobs thought Atkinson was great, he agreed to come along. Jobs’ visit to PARC became the stuff of legend, a tale of a brilliant visionary seeing the future of computing for the first time. But in reality, Atkinson was already working on LisaGraf—the low-level code that would power the Lisa’s GUI—months before Jobs saw the PARC demo…

In January 1981, senior leadership at Apple got tired of Jobs’ constant interference and micromanagement of the Lisa project and officially removed him from the team. Jobs seethed, then took over a smaller skunkworks project being run by Raskin. This would become important later.

Via: ARS Technica.com

iOS 16: How to enable on/off sounds on an iPhone

Dan Uff January 19, 2023 0

Sometimes, you may need a verification that you turned off or on your iPhone with some kind of a notification. With the latest iPhone and iOS 16, you can enable or disable that feature.

Here's how: