(Podcast) Upgrade 471: A Technological 23rd Century Star Trek Thing

Jason has the painful details about Apple’s comeback bid for college football TV rights that fell just short of the goal line. We also discuss what Apple’s rich-but-middling quarterly results say about the importance of this fall’s iPhone launch.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Sponsor) Stupid Companies Make AI Promises. Smart Companies Have AI Policies.

It seems like every company is scrambling to stake their claim in the AI goldrush–check out the CEO of Kroger promising to bring LLMs into the dairy aisle. And front line workers are following suit… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

This Week in Apple: Only competing against yourself (Member Post)

The rumor mill giveth again, as more updated devices are on the horizon—some in zeitgeisty colors. Apple’s down quarter, meanwhile, won’t stop the company from being the best dang technology company it can be.… This story is for Six Colors members only. Become a member to get acc … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

This is Tim: Apple’s Q3 2023 analyst call, transcribed

Every three months after releasing its corporate earnings, Apple’s CEO and CFO get on the phone and chat with financial analysts. By which we mean, they read from prepared statements and then take a couple questions each from a group of handpicked analysts.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

Apple Q3 2023 Charts: $81.8B revenue, down 1%

Apple announced its results for its fiscal third quarter on Thursday. As expected, it was a down quarter—though at a 1% drop over the year-ago quarter, it’s a better result than the previous quarter, which was down 3% year-over-year.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Clockwise 514: Hey, Stop! That’s Mine!

The last time we had an AR experience, our thoughts on social media services paying for news links in Canada, the current state of smartphone innovation, and whether we think AI “hallucinations” are a deal-breaker for the future of generative AI.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) The Rebound 455: Is a Foldable Phone a Sandwich?

Hilarious mistakes were made.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

Creating podcast video with a 360-degree camera

The view from the top.Recently, the podcasters of The Incomparable got together in person and one of the things we did was exactly what you’d expect podcasters to do—we made podcasts.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

Report: Apple close to college football broadcast deal ↦

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that Apple may be about to jump into College Football: Sources: The primary deal presented to Pac-12 executives/ADs today was an primarily Apple streaming deal. The… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

57 app icons and nothing good on (Member Post)

Every year I start my annual ritual of installing the tvOS beta on the secondary Apple TV. Not the one in the living room—I’m not crazy—but the one in my office.… This story is for Six Colors members only. Become a member to get access to exclusive stories, podcasts, and communit … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

The Back Page: Credit where credit is due (Member Post)

There’s no shortage of news in the technology arena this week. Elon Musk changed the name of Twitter to a single letter.1 Samsung announced some new foldable phones.… This story is for Six Colors members only. Become a member to get access to exclusive stories, podcasts, and comm … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Upgrade 470: Magic Titanium

This week we wonder if Apple will profess further mastery of the Periodic Table with this fall’s iPhone Pro release, and if Lionel Messi will conquer the world with Apple’s help. And fo… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

This Week in Apple: Banish the bezel (Member Post)

Apple continues its ongoing war with unsightly blank spaces, and that may end up costing us all a little more. The App Store follies continue as Apple is caught in its own game of tower defense.… This story is for Six Colors members only. Become a member to get access to exclusiv … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

Summer is two-computer season on my desk

Screen Sharing is my friend.I love beta season. New software brings new features to discover and explore. It’s like living in the future. The one thing I don’t like, however, is incompatibility.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

The right Mac laptop for students (2023 edition) ↦

I just updated my perennial “The right Mac laptop to buy for a student” story today. It’s funny how that story has evolved since I first posted it. In 2017 the answer was “W… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

Switching to Mac and building automations (6C Podcast)

Anže Tomić’s article makes us consider Apple’s focus on trackpads and lack of language localization. Also: Apple platform software advantages, and trying to outsmart ourselves with user automations.… This story is for Six Colors members only. Become a member to get access to excl … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Sponsor) Magic Lasso Adblock: 2.0x faster web browsing in Safari

My thanks to Magic Lasso Adblock for sponsoring Six Colors this week. As a native Safari extension, Magic Lasso blocks all intrusive ads, trackers and annoyances – letting you experience a faster, cleaner and more secure experience across all your devices.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Downstream 49: Selling Shovels

Did Netflix lure the rest of the streaming industry into quicksand? We explore the difference between being an entertainment retailer and wholesaler. Then it’s time to talk about the man, the legend, the human topic: Disney’s Bob Iger.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Clockwise 513: Cow Moo Pig Oink

The current state of our social media presences, tech tips for navigating medical situations, spatial apps we’d like to see for Apple Vision Pro, and how we deal with mis-delivered packages.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) The Rebound 454: Strong Old Man Energy

Maybe social media was a bad idea.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

I switched to a Mac after decades on Windows

I bought my first Mac ever this year. I was born in 1983 in Slovenia1. My first contact with computers was at about 10 years old with the ZX Spectrum my mom’s cousin had.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Upgrade 469: Bring in the Boffins

Myke’s summer is a lot less fun due to his concerns about a bill advancing in the UK Parliament that could potentially drive some Apple services out of the country. Also we try to understand … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Sponsor) Magic Lasso Adblock: 2.0x faster web browsing in Safari

Want to experience twice as fast load times in Safari on your iPhone, iPad and Mac? Then download Magic Lasso Adblock – the ad blocker designed for you. It’s easy to setup, blocks all YouTube ads, … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

This Week in Apple: Take my word for it (Member Post)

Two sketchy reports were heaved over the transom this week, one about Apple Maps and the other about AI. But what’s even more sketchy is the British government’s excuses for making communications apps less secure.… This story is for Six Colors members only. Become a member to get … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Sponsor) Kolide

My thanks to Kolide for sponsoring Six Colors this week. Getting OS updates installed on end user devices should be easy, but of course it isn’t. Forcing restarts without user approval will l… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

Bloomberg: No, really, Apple’s working on language AI ↦

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reports that Apple is working on large-language model AI technology: Apple Inc. is quietly working on artificial intelligence tools… but the company has yet to devise a clear strategy for releasing the technology to consumers.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Clockwise 512: A Chonky Boy

The sites, apps, and services we use for research; how our university tech setups influenced our lives; the navigation apps we use; and our favorite features from Apple’s OS betas.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) The Rebound 453: Downtime at the Cap’n Crunch Factory

A few of our favorite things about the public betas.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Sponsor) The Dirty Secret of OS Updates

Getting OS updates installed on end user devices should be easy. After all, it’s one of the simplest yet most impactful ways that every employee can practice good security.  On top of that, e… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

Users are turning around on Apple Maps ↦

Writing at the Wall Street Journal, Ann-Marie Alcántara reports that the tide is turning on Apple Maps (Apple News link): The biggest competitive advantage Apple Maps has over Google is its deeper integration in the iPhone.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

Unity adds visionOS beta program ↦

Following up on its appearance in the WWDC keynote, 3D authoring platform Unity announced on Wednesday that it is launching a beta program for visionOS development. The company says it’s been… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Upgrade 468: Nonstop Bangers Involving Saxophone Solos

As the Public Betas arrive, there’s breaking bad news for Mac Pro fans, Jason has an invitation for Tim Cook, and we explore our favorite Emoji.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

This Week in Apple: Driving Mr. Brimley (Member Post)

This week we wish a happy birthday to the App Store, dip a toe in the the warm waters of the beta pool, and try to remember what those shows our friends have recommended but we never go around to watching.… This story is for Six Colors members only. Become a member to get access … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Downstream 48: “The Bear” Is Not a Comedy

In a tale as old as time, we try and fail to understand the Emmy Awards. Also: Breaking down Netflix’s new ratings math.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

First Look: watchOS 10 Public Beta

Every year the big betas roll around—iOS, macOS, iPadOS—but only in recent years has Apple started offering public betas for some of its smaller platforms. But I’m glad it does, because this year, the action is on watchOS.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Clockwise 511: The Magic of Dealiday

Our first iOS apps, what we look for deals on, whether we pay attention to the fine print, and our preferences in laptop sizes.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) The Rebound 452: Echosystem

Subscribing to Rebound Prime is the reason for the season.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

First Look: iPadOS 17 Public Beta

The new Lock Screen lets you view Live Activities and WidgetsThese days, many new iPadOS features have spent a year incubating on the iPhone. (Or, to put it less charitably, Apple builds for the iPhone first and makes iPads wait to get the good stuff.)… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

First Look: iOS 17 Public Beta

Sometimes I see that number following the latest release of iOS and do a double take: really? It’s been around that long? Seventeen iterations into the iPhone’s software and you wouldn’t think there’d be much left to do, but with this latest annual update to its flagship platform … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

First Look: macOS Sonoma Public Beta

macOS Sonoma, out in public beta now and due to be released this fall, is an update that feels small in all the best ways. Even in early development, I’ve managed to use it on my main Mac without any serious compatibility issues or major bugs.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

First Look: 2023 Public Beta platform features

It’s Apple public beta season. This is the time of year where Apple lets members of the public try out the next generation of its operating systems in advance of them being pushed out to everyone this fall.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Upgrade 467: The Least Important Mac

We struggle to balance empathy with reality as we try to explain why the Mac Pro is the way that it is. Also, the Summer of Fun ends up taking on the future of social media, and Myke asks Jason to … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Sponsor) Kolide

My thanks to Kolide for sponsoring Six Colors again this week. AI is a hot topic in lots of businesses, but most companies still haven’t come up with policies to manage AI usage—and employees are potentially handing over all sorts of sensitive data to tools that may or may not be … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

This Week in Apple: Too many socials (Member Post)

Pity poor Goldman Sachs, as it fails to turn a profit in the credit card racket. Also, pity yourself next year when you can’t get an Apple Vision Pro.… This story is for Six Colors members only. Become a member to get access to exclusive stories, podcasts, and community.. | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) The Rebound 451: Comcast Survivor

Lex just flew in from France and, boy, are his arms tired. So is his car.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Clockwise 510: Grumpy About Changes

The “Twitter replacements” we’re using, our hopeful finds for Prime Day, how Apple will or won’t comply with the Digital Markets Act, and our toxic relationship with streaming services.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

Wish List: Keep apps from being offloaded

When I buy a new iPhone, I tend not to spring for the top of the line where storage is concerned. Generally I’m okay going for a smaller capacity phone, because I don’t have a ton of data, but it can get tight at times1, because as someone who writes a lot about iOS, I do downloa … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago

(Podcast) Upgrade 466: Try to Stop Me Now, Batman

This week we get to the bottom of the secrets of the mysterious Puzzle Society, Goldman Sachs can’t make money on credit cards, Apple might be getting into college football, and there’s a lot of weird follow-up.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 1 year ago