Tech
Editor's Desk: Apple's mixed bag March event offered new iPhone, iPad, and Mac models – iMore
So, here they are: our first new Apple products of the year. At this week’s media event, the Cupertino company unveiled an array of new devices including a spec-bumped iPhone SE, a moderately upgraded iPad Air, and an all-new Mac line.
In the company’s recent history, March isn’t usually the time when Apple makes blockbuster announcements (those are saved for the fall) but there haven’t been many Apple events that whizzed by without anything piquing my interest. However, Apple’s ‘Peek Performance’ event had relatively little for most folks to get excited about.
Apple TV+ at-bat
In an hour-long event, there’s not too much time for fluff so Apple spared little energy on pleasantries and dived straight into a sizzle reel of upcoming Apple TV+ content to open up its event.
I’ve been closely tracking all of the releases for our complete list of Apple TV+ shows and movies for months now and the batch shown off included some of the most exciting titles yet. There’s never been a better time to use your Apple TV+ free trial, really.
That wasn’t all, though, as Tim Cook announced that Friday Night Baseball is coming to Apple TV+. It will even be available “for a limited time, without the need for a subscription,” according to the press release that followed the event. We’ll soon find out more details on that.
Being British, I’m not particularly interested in baseball but Friday Night Baseball is going to be made available over here so I will certainly check it out. This announcement is probably a big deal for those that are into the sport, but it will pass by those that aren’t.
Green with envy, but not for the iPhone SE
Next up was an update for iPhone 13 in the form of a new color for both the regular and Pro models. We’ve now seen green iPhone 13 unboxings and, frankly, I’m very jealous.
As our own Christine Romero-Chan pointed out, it’s annoying for early adopters that we can’t have all iPhone colors on day one as we’re never going to get buy an iPhone mid-cycle. Apple has surely crunched the numbers and knows that a new iPhone color in the spring juices sales (see purple iPhone 12), but it’s especially frustrating that the iPhone 13 Pro got a new hue this spring as I would totally have opted for that green model last fall.
One phone debuted that I was not at all jealous of was the updated 2022 iPhone SE. This third-gen version of Apple’s affordable phone offers a few spec bumps to bring it up to modern standards, like the speedy A15 Bionic chip and 5G support, but the design is still straight out of 2014. I know it’s not aimed at me, and I know it’s a solid upgrade for those still holding onto an older phone, but it’s not a device worth getting excited about.
iPad Air 5 is okay, I guess
Another product unveiling that had me feeling a little less than impressed was the iPad Air 5. For most people, the iPad Air 5 will be the best iPad to purchase, but that’s not because this latest iteration is particularly exciting. As I wrote after the event, the device checks a lot of boxes, but not all of them.
The fifth-gen model gets 5G to bring it in line with 2021’s iPad mini as well as the upgraded front-facing camera hardware to support Center Stage, which all of last year’s iPads got too.
The new iPad Air pulls ahead of the mini in terms of power thanks to the adoption of the previously Pro-exclusive M1 chip, though iPadOS still can’t fully make use of that chip in its current form anyway.
Outside of those spec bumps, it’s basically the same as the iPad Air 4 that came before it. It still occupies that awkward spot in Apple’s tablet lineup, too, brushing up against the more advanced 11-inch iPad Pro in terms of price the moment you adjust the configuration. Perhaps there’s an argument that the iPad Air should no longer exist, but that’s a column idea for another day.
M1 Ultra, Mac Studio, and Studio Display
When Cook moved us along into the Mac section of the presentation, things got more interesting with the super-powerful M1 Ultra chip, all-new Mac Studio product line, and finally an Apple-made display for those that don’t want to spend $5,000 on a Pro Display XDR.
But, again, these products aren’t for everyone. As Apple SVP of Hardware Engineering John Ternus said, the studio is “where creators like designers, scientists, and developers change the world.” The Mac Studio and Studio Display are aimed at these folks.
I get the feeling that if these products speak to you then they really speak to you, but it was obvious from its pitch that they aren’t consumer-focused. I’m definitely glad both products exist, and Apple has actually made some function-first design choices that are great to see. I do, however, feel bad for 2019 Mac Pro owners right about now.
Roll on WWDC
As I said at the outset, spring isn’t really peak announcement time so expectations should always be lower going into an Apple March event. The fun really starts in a few months at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference when we’ll get our first looks at the software that will be powering Apple’s best iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices later in the year and maybe even a sneak peek at an all-new platform in the form of Apple VR.
Even if none of Apple’s March event announcements were for you, there’s still plenty to look forward to later this year. And we’ll be here to cover it all!
— Adam Oram
Tech
Model doesn't feel safe wearing designer clothes in Canada's biggest city | Canada – Daily Hive
A model says she feels like a “sitting duck” wearing designer clothes in downtown Toronto amid a general state of unease in the city in response to an uptick in violent crimes.
Hanya Kizemchuk posted a video on Instagram and TikTok where the local model claimed that she sprinted two blocks to her car after a recent modelling shoot in Toronto after being overcome with the sense that her expensive attire read as “a stop sign screaming ‘rob me.’”
In the video, Kizemchuk describes the scene on a cold, rainy night after finishing a shoot, explaining, “I wrapped my head in my Louis Vuitton wrap. I had my Louis Vuitton duffle bag with all my shoes and makeup and whatever I need for that job. I was wearing my Gucci crossover and I was wearing my black leather Burberry coat.”
“And as I jumped out onto the street, I have to say that I realized for the first time ever in the city of downtown Toronto, I was truly like a sitting duck and that this is no longer okay to be running around like this, that I need to be a little more downplayed so that I don’t attract attention.”
Kizemchuk says she was “a little unnerved” and felt compelled to run “two blocks to my car and continuously check to see if anyone was popping out from somewhere because I was like a stop sign screaming, ‘Rob me.’”
“And that’s how I felt for the first time ever in this beautiful city of Toronto, which I grew up in and don’t recognize anymore.”
A few chimed in, sharing comments siding with Kizemchuk.
Unfortunately crime has increased everywhere. If you are on the street in downtown Toronto, and you are decked out head to toe in designer goods, you are calling attention to yourself and you would be lucky if you’re not mugged. Sadly, it is the same or worse in all big cities.
— john smith (@jsmith9999992) April 18, 2024
Others questioned why she would run away without identifying any specific threats and then make a post online about feeling unsafe.
So nothing happened? She just felt scared walking to her car and no one was around?
— Graeme 🦀 (@hexagraeme) April 18, 2024
One user pointed out how this video is another example of wealth inequality and the ever-growing divide between the rich and poor in Toronto.
lady with extreme wealth complains about wealth inequality
🤷♂️
lady, we’ve been screaming for years.
— Dave Jay (@DaveJayToronto) April 18, 2024
According to Toronto Police data, major crime indicators have spiked year-to-date in several categories during 2024, including assault (+10.9%) and robbery (+19.7%).
Tech
Forged by friendship, this year's Stampede boots pay tribute to Stoney Nakoda iconography – MSN
If not for Duane Mark and Lloyd Templeton’s budding friendship, this year’s Calgary Stampede boot design would have never existed.
While the boot was only constructed in recent months, the process began when Templeton, a Calgary-raised artist in his early 20s, approached Mark with a request to use images of the Stoney Nakoda teepee-holder and educator for artwork he was preparing for the Calgary Stampede.
The two clicked from the get-go. By November, after hours together, Templeton’s piece featuring Mark — dressed in full regalia standing in the foreground of the Calgary Tower among a diverse group of parade participants — was chosen as the 2024 Stampede poster artwork.
On Thursday, Templeton’s art was unveiled as the design for this year’s Stampede boot — now the second product of their friendship that’s been produced for this year’s 10-day rodeo and fair.
“What comes to mind is the growth of a young man named Lloyd,” Mark said, when asked what he sees in this year’s boot design.
The artwork on the exterior reflects key Stoney Nakoda First Nation and Treaty 7 iconography, Templeton said at Thursday’s unveiling. Stitchings of Alberta’s mountain range and the golden eagle flying through a rising sun — two important symbols for the First Nation’s culture — line the outside of the boot.
The boot’s interior has the words Oyadé Gichiyabi, Ahogichopabi Îyûhabith inscribed, which roughly translates in Stoney language to “be empowered to foster peace and respect,” which was selected at Mark’s recommendation.
A recent graduate from the Alberta University of the Arts, Templeton is becoming a household name in Calgary’s arts community at a pace that’s not lost on him.
“Just last year I was making school projects, and a year later, there’s going to be people wearing my art. That’s nuts,” he said.
Working in three dimensions was a new challenge for Templeton. To start, he would tape paper to the back of the boot to get a feel for the shapes he needed to produce. He then drew the designs by pencil, scanned them into his computer and produced it into a special file that allowed it to be etched by laser onto the boots.
“My poster was oil paint, a very traditional process,” he said. “I was kind of making it up on the go to see what worked. I liked the challenge of that.”
Margaret Holloway, the Stampede’s 2024 First Nations Princess who also provided input on the boot design, said she was “breathtaken, speechless” when she first saw the design. Breaking from tradition, this year’s design will be available on five different shades of boot. Alberta Boot normally creates one special boot for each Stampede.
The 22-year-old jingle dancer is the first person from Stoney Nakoda to be named First Nations Princess in more than 20 years.
Holloway’s family teepee at the Elbow River Camp has three large eagles on it, she said.
“Back home, we see the eagles fly and we feel blessed by their presence, and we feel amazed just by their beauty of soaring in the skies. To see that on this year’s Stampede boot was absolutely unbelievable.”
With their latest creation publicly revealed, Templeton and Mark’s friendship will extend far past their artistic collaboration.
“He’s the coolest dude. We have a lot in common — a good sense of humour, listen to the same music and movies. We make a lot of the same jokes,” Templeton said.
Mark said he’s watched the young artist grow and mature in front of his eyes. Over the past year they’ve discussed “deep Indigenous philosophy,” which Templeton has evidently absorbed into his own life, he said.
“We became the best of friends and will continue to be the best of friends,” Mark said.
X: @mattscace67
Tech
Huawei's new Kirin 9010 brings minor CPU improvements – GSMArena.com news – GSMArena.com
Huawei announced the Pura 70 series today, and once again offered no details regarding the chipsets. However, early benchrmarks confirmed they feature a new platform called Kirin 9010, which has an 8-core CPU, identified by apps as 12-core unit due to hyperthreading.
Hyperthreading is nothing new in the chipset industry, as the Taishan cores have been supporting the technology for some time; it has been part of the Kirin 9000s and now is a part of the 9010 as well.
First Geekbench results revealed a minor improvement in raw performance, coming from slightly faster core speeds. The numbers show improvement single digit percentage improvements in both single core and multi core tests.
Kirin 9010 vs Kirin 9000S on Geekbench
The actual octa-core combination of Kirin 9010 is as follows: one 2.30 GHz Taishan Big, three 2.18 GHz Taishan Mid and four 1.55 GHz Cortex-A510. The GPU remains Maleoon 910 at 750 MHz.
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