watch
Apple May be Adding a 4th Activity Goal to watchOS
Exclusive: Mindfulness to become the fourth circle to fill:
Continuing on the success of the activity, people familiar with the matter have informed me that Apple are thinking of implementing a Mindfulness goal into the Activity App.
This would not surprise me in the least, although Apple needs to make the Breath app better if
Links
Homebridge: HomeKit support for the impatient
Homebridge: HomeKit support for the impatient:
Homebridge is a lightweight NodeJS server you can run on your home network that emulates the iOS HomeKit API. It supports Plugins, which are community-contributed modules that provide a basic bridge from HomeKit to various 3rd-party APIs provided by manufacturers of "smart home" devices.
I
Links
Portrait Mode's True Value
https://twitter.com/carreteronacho/status/939215505205886976
Some people will look at the above tweet and say "that's beautiful" and others will look at it and just scream "it looks so fake!" I think it looks pretty darn good, even if it's imperfect and you would certainly get
Android
Android Oreo Review: Using AirPods with Android
This is part 6 of a multipart series on Android Oreo. The subsequent parts in this series will be posted daily to BirchTree, so subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Apple News.
* Part 1: Introduction
* Part 2: All the Little Things
* Part 3: Google’s Assistant and Other Apps
* Part 4: Third Party Software
* Part 5:
podcast
The BirchTree Podcast #44: Back on iOS
I put my SIM card back in the iPhone!
Subscribe to The BirchTree Podcast here.
Android
Android Oreo Review: Performance and Stability
This is part 5 of a multipart series on Android Oreo. The subsequent parts in this series will be posted daily to BirchTree, so subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Apple News.
* Part 1: Introduction
* Part 2: All the Little Things
* Part 3: Google’s Assistant and Other Apps
* Part 4: Third Party Software
* Part 5:
Android
Android Oreo Review: Third Party Software
This is part 4 of a multipart series on Android Oreo. The subsequent parts in this series will be posted daily to BirchTree, so subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Apple News.
* Part 1: Introduction
* Part 2: All the Little Things
* Part 3: Google’s Assistant and Other Apps
* Part 4: Third Party Software
* Part 5:
Android
Android Oreo Review: Google’s Assistant and Other Apps
This is part 3 of a multipart series on Android Oreo. The subsequent parts in this series will be posted daily to BirchTree, so subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Apple News.
* Part 1: Introduction
* Part 2: All the Little Things
* Part 3: Google’s Assistant and Other Apps
* Part 4: Third Party Software
* Part 5:
Android
Android Oreo Review: All the Little Things
This is part 2 of a multipart series on Android Oreo. The subsequent parts in this series will be posted daily to BirchTree, so subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Apple News.
* Part 1: Introduction
* Part 2: All the Little Things
* Part 3: Google’s Assistant and Other Apps
* Part 4: Third Party Software
* Part 5:
Android
Android Oreo Review: An iOS User’s Review (Introduction)
This is part 1 of a multipart series on Android Oreo. The subsequent parts in this series will be posted daily to BirchTree, so subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Apple News.
* Part 1: Introduction
* Part 2: All the Little Things
* Part 3: Google’s Assistant and Other Apps
* Part 4: Third Party Software
* Part 5:
Links
Why I can’t dismiss smart speakers as just a mirage
Neil Cybart writing at Above Avalon:
Wearables contain a much more attractive long-term value proposition than stationary smart speakers that have to be connected to a wall outlet. In addition, the presence of a screen provides even more value as it has become very clear that voice-first or voice-only interfaces just aren&
podcast
The BirchTree Podcast #43: The camera you have with you
My updated thoughts on the Pixel 2 camera and why I am actually pulling out the Pixel before my iPhone when it's time to take a picture.
Subscribe to The BirchTree Podcast here.
Android
The “Android Love Curve”
The “Android Love Curve” is something I’ve experienced numerous times when doing these Android experiments, and I was wondering if it would happen again this time with Android Oreo on the Google Pixel 2. The answer is a definite yes.
Every single time I start using Android I start off feeling pretty good about
homepod
2018 Holiday Season Proposal: HomePod mini
Note: It is a bit odd to propose an expansion to a product that has not been released yet, but
Apple’s HomePod looks like a “hobby” device built for a niche, not a mainstream hit
It’s pretty clear we need to get more information on the Apple HomePod before we actually understand it as a product. I tweeted about my concerns with the HomePod last night and got many, many responses on the matter. Some people agreed with my concerns, but the more vocal group I saw was more
Android
31 days
31 days ago I ran home from work because a FedEx delivery person had delivered the package I had been anticipating for weeks. I was running because this was a package that required a signature for delivery and they elected not to get that from anyone (ugh) and just left it in the vestibule of
ipad
Computers, iPads, and other computers
An interesting take by Matthias Breuer on what we call a “computer” these days:
[W]hat makes a device a “real computer” is not its day-to-day versatility. It is the ability to write your own apps and even extend, modify or replace the underlying operating system on the device itself - which requires a
