(Podcast) Downstream 66: What We Want Hasn’t Changed

Is it time for a Disney pep talk? We discuss what’s working and not working, and how Disney’s ready for streaming success if it’s willing to change.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

Another app switches to a subscription model, angering its users ↦

Voice Dream Reader, the highly regarded Mac and iOS text-to-speech reading app, is the latest beloved app to adopting a subscription model, angering its loyal user base in the process.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

(Podcast) Clockwise 548: My Partner Is a Ninja

Our physical versus digital media preferences, the one tech product we have in (too much) abundance, whether we keep our phones in a case, and our journaling habits and methods.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

(Podcast) The Rebound 489: What Did I Miss?

You guys know calendars.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

Spatial Persona on Vision Pro changes the game

Now that’s more like it. Spatial appears above the red Leave button. On Tuesday, Apple flipped the switch on a new version of Persona, its 3D representations of visionOS users.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

MLB tvOS app adds Multiview, and it’s a winner

Last week I provided a lot of tough love to Major League Baseball’s apps on Apple’s platforms. The MLB visionOS app is really buggy and lacks some key features.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

(Podcast) Upgrade 506: Legacy When? Legacy Now?

We often cite anonymous reports about Apple’s future, but where do those reports come from? We discuss of the value and ethics of Apple rumor coverage.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

(Sponsor) Turn Articles into Podcasts with ListenLater.net

Welcome to a world where your reading list becomes your listening playlist. We are thrilled to introduce you to ListenLater.net—an innovative service that turns articles into podcasts, making your favorite reads accessible in your favorite podcast app.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

A simple explainer on Threads and federation ↦

Matt Birchler’s got an excellent and quick primer on what it means to turn on federation on your Threads profile: I know I’m drilling this in a lot, but you literally do not need to have a Mastodon account. … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

PSA: The MLB app doesn’t work on the Mac anymore ↦

Play… ball? A few years back I reported with delight that you could now use the MLB iPad app on Apple Silicon macs. While MLB’s TV streaming service works on the web, it was nice to have everything in a separate app.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

Apple’s Immersive Video problem

On Thursday Apple debuted its first immersive video since the Vision Pro launched, a five-minute-long compilation of highlights from the MLS Cup playoffs late last year.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

(Sponsor) Kolide

My thanks to Kolide for sponsoring Six Colors this week. Kolide helps its customers keep their devices in compliance, which keeps their company data safe. Kolide has seen a rise in cyber liability insurance issues recently.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 7 months ago

MLB for visionOS strikes out on Opening Day

You can’t close the main window, and that’s not the worst of it. As is typical for one of Apple’s best sports partners, Major League Baseball had a demo app for visionOS ready to go for the debut of the new platform.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) Downstream 65: More Serotonin

Lots of Disney this time! We talk Disney’s big succession question, Taylor Swift’s Disney+ numbers, and Disney’s deal in India. Also, a quick Sports Corner on NFL streaming rights, Spulu, and ESPN as a streaming aggregator.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Apple’s immersive MLS highlight reel debuts later today

Apple announced today that the first Apple Immersive Video documentary for Vision Pro, featuring highlights from last year’s MLS playoffs, will debut tonight (March 28) at 6 p.m.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) The Rebound 488: I’ve Already Forgotten What We Were Talking About

All things begin with the Department of Justice.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) Clockwise 547: Chaos???

Our use of tethering for Internet, Mac buying advice, our notification styles, and the TikTok ban.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Apple announces WWDC 2024 takes place June 10-14

It’s that time of year, when young developers’ fancies turn to thoughts of platform updates. Probably because Apple has announced the dates for its 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, which will take place between June 10 and 14.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

A disk so full, it couldn’t be restored

My younger child’s MacBook Pro was unsalvageably full. Only a complete wipe would suffice—and then Time Machine failed us. I love my children, but they do sometimes forget what I do for a living: answer questions and write books about the most troubling problems people have with … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) Upgrade 505: Abolish Drafts: The 2024 iPad Draft

The U.S. Department of Justice joins the European Commission in contributing to Apple’s legal troubles; and in a surprise, pre-emptive move, we attempt to predict the future of the iPad via a draft!… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Sponsor) Struggling to Afford Cybersecurity Insurance? Here’s Why.

When MGM Resorts suffered a $100 million hack in September, CEO Bill Hornbuckle wasn’t too worried about the lost revenue, because cyber insurance would cover the tab.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

EC investigates Apple and other tech gatekeepers over DMA compliance

Europe’s Digital Markets Act continues to be the gift that keeps on giving—a gift Apple probably wishes it could return. The European Commission today announced that it was opening a slew of investigations into big tech companies over their non-compliance with the DMA, including … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Sponsor) Magic Lasso Adblock: YouTube ad blocker for Safari

My thanks to Magic Lasso Adblock for sponsoring Six Colors this week. Magic Lasso Adblock is simply the best Safari ad blocker for your iPhone, iPad and Mac.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Apple’s M-series processors have a cryptographic flaw ↦

Ars Technica’s Dan Goodin has an excellent (if technical) rundown of a recently unearthed security vulnerability in Apple’s M-series processors. Basically there’s a system that tries to predict what memory addresses are going to be used in order to speed up processing, but Apple’ … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

U.S. versus Apple: A first reaction

The U.S. Department of Justice, 15 states, and the District of Columbia sued Apple on Thursday. While I am not a lawyer, I’ve written extensively about Apple for 30 years and just read all 88 pages of the full complaint.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

MLB app will slow itself down, let your media stream catch up

When I wrote about Apple’s new Sports app, I heard from several people who pointed out that maybe Eddy Cue had done his job a little too well.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) Clockwise 546: Taco iPad

How we search online, our tips for minimizing vehicle data tracking, the GenAI features we’d like to see added to Apple’s platforms, and what features we’d want to see in a future iPad.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) The Rebound 487: Have You Tried NOT Going Viral

This is the ad-free version.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

It’s time for a new AirPort

Jason recently reviewed the new M3 MacBook Air, and a key feature of the new models is Wi-Fi 6E support. Wi-Fi 6E is a big deal because it adds the 6GHz spectrum to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands we’re all used to.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Seeking entries in the Apple in the Enterprise 2024 report card survey ↦

Since 2021, Six Colors has been compiling an annual report card focusing on how Apple’s doing in large organizations, including businesses, education, and government. We formulated a set of survey questions that would address the big-picture issues regarding Apple in the enterpri … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Apple’s still thinking about the Core Technology Fee in Europe

Developer Steve Troughton-Smith watched all of today’s workshop between Apple and the EU on the Digital Markets Act and posted some highlights on Mastodon. Of particular interest was an exchange between Apple’s representatives and Riley Testut, the developer of AltStore, an exist … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Apple may work with Google on A.I. features ↦

Quite a scoop from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg: Apple Inc. is in talks to build Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence engine into the iPhone, according to people familiar with the situation, setting the stage for a blockbuster agreement that would shake up the AI industry. … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) Upgrade 504: Tone 47

Is Apple working with Google on its A.I. strategy? We break down what that might mean for the future of Apple’s platforms—and why it might make a lot of sense.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Sponsor) Magic Lasso Adblock: YouTube ad blocker for Safari

Do you want to block all YouTube ads in Safari on your iPhone, iPad and Mac? Then download Magic Lasso Adblock – the ad blocker designed for you.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Sponsor) Kolide

My thanks to Kolide for sponsoring Six Colors this week. None of us are as good at clocking deepfakes as we think we are. Even your mom, or your boss, or anyone in your IT department might not be able to tell the difference.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Former Meta exec Hugo Barra on Vision Pro ↦

Hugo Barra, former head of Oculus at Meta, has a lengthy review of his Vision Pro experience that’s well worth reading. Don’t let the somewhat inflammatorty first headline (of four?!)… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Using Panic’s Nova for remote Python scripting

Sticky scrolling through a Python project in Nova, complete with a terminal tab and an SFTP sidebar. I’ve been writing scripts in Python for a few years now, and it’s taken over a lot of my remote automation.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) The Rebound 486: I’m Eating a Turtleneck

Eating before podcasting was a mistake.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) Clockwise 545: Cake and Cookies

The Europe-mandated tech changes we’d like to see in the US, circular vs. square smart watches, how often we completely reset our devices, and the extent of our home automation pursuits.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Apple adds Web Distribution for iOS apps in EU, loosens other restrictions

It’s been a seismic few weeks for Apple in the European Union, and the company’s approach to distributing iOS apps continues to evolve. On Tuesday, Apple announced a few further changes to its rules, all of which stand to make significant changes to the marketplace for iOS apps.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Podcast) Upgrade 503: We Own the Refs, the Stadium, and the Field

We discuss Apple’s latest embarrassing and unnecessary policy stumble in Europe, and then explain how Jason’s full review of the M3 MacBook Air managed to kill his home network.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Sponsor) Voice Clones Have Crossed the Uncanny Valley

Now, don’t get offended, but–you aren’t as good at clocking deepfakes as you think you are.  And it’s not just you–nobody’s that good at it. Not your mom, or your boss, or anyone in you… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

I put my dumb space heater on HomeKit

My workspace is what is apparently called an “unconditioned space,” in that it’s a lighly insulated garage with no access to my home’s central heating system. In the winter … | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Epic’s App Store developer account restored in Europe once again

This week has been a heck of a roller coaster for Epic. After the game-maker’s Sweden branch reportedly had its developer account restored so that the company could launch its alternative app marketplace in Europe, the company was subsequently banned again by Apple.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

(Sponsor) Magic Lasso Adblock: The Safari ad blocker built for you

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 | 8 months ago

My Windows white whale now runs on my Mac ↦

It’s not pretty—but it never was. The point is, it runs! Last month, Dan wrote about getting PC games up on Mac using Apple’s game porting toolkit and the Wine API translation tool, all via an easy to use free app called Whisky.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

visionOS 1.1 improves Personas, adds MDM support ↦

The first major visionOS update was released Thursday, with a bunch of security fixes as well as some more substantive interface updates: Personas are improved, and there’s a new accessibility mode you can use to capture a Persona hands-free.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago

Europe gives Apple a chance to change its tune…but will it?

Here’s a ruling that isn’t music to Apple’s ears: the European Commission this week levied a fine of $2 billion against the company for violating antitrust regulations in the EU, specifically in terms of the distribution of music streaming apps.… | Continue reading


@sixcolors.com | 8 months ago