MacBreak Weekly 323

MacBreak Weekly Episode 323

MacBreak Weekly 323: Cook Cleans House

The big shakeup at Apple.

Hosts

• Leo Laporte (@leolaporte/Google+)
  • twit.com
• Alex Lindsay (@alexlindsay/Google+)
  • PixelCorps.com
• Andy Ihnatko (@ihnatko/Google+)
  • cwob.com

Guests

• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie/about.me)
  • iMore.com

Topics

Pixel Corps in Rwanda

• Alex Linsday and the Pixel Corps recently launched the new Africa Digital Multimedia Academy. Check out Alex's Google+ for more photos.

Tech-related Superstorm Sandy News

• Squarespace and Gawker Media servers were affected earlier in the day.
• There is a tumblr dedicated to verifying or debunking rumors spread via Twitter: istwitterwrong.tumblr.com.

Scott Forstall to leave Apple next year amid executive shakeup

Apple Press Release Daring Fireball

• John Browett leaving Retail
• Jonathan Ive to take over Human Interface development
• Online services consolidated under Eddy Cue
• Bob Mansfield to oversee new Technologies group, focusing on wireless and semiconductors
• RR: Lots of past anecdotes about Ive and Forstall not getting along. Rumor was that Forstall refused to sign the Maps apology letter.
• AI: It's important to point out that these kinds of rumors and anecdotes are usually motivated by one side reaching out to reporters, not usually the result of reporters digging in and finding out all the nuances
• Steve and Forstall were apparently the primary proponents of skeuomorphism... will Apple now shift away from it?
  • LL: New Windows Metro interface is the opposite of skeuomorphism, and seems more fresh and modern.
• LL: Executive shake-up is Tim Cook making his mark on how Apple should be run
• LL: Hopefully Maps and Siri will fare better under Eddy Cue

iPad mini: A week after the announcement

• AI: After using several 7" tablets, the smaller size does make a big difference in terms of weight and portability
• AL: More likely to take iPad mini out of the house than a regular iPad
• RR: iPad mini's ability to run tablet software is still a big differentiator compared to Android tablets
• AI: At the same time, a lot of people looking for affordable tablets may only use a few apps like the Kindle app, which is functionally the same across platforms due to its fullscreen nature.

Microsoft Surface launches

• Marco Arment's critique of the Microsoft Store he visited and Surface tablet he tried.
  • LL: Critique a bit heavy-handed but makes some good points about how Microsoft Stores imitate some aspects of Apple Stores
  • AI: Microsoft can make good products, so they don't do themselves justice by mimicking Apple stylistically for their stores.

iCloud now has over 190 million users

http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/25/apples-icloud-now-has-190-million-users/

Apple Quarterly Announcements

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/10/25/apple-records-q4-2012-earnings-of-8-2b-on-36b-in-revenue-tops-150b-in-sales-for-fiscal-2012/

• $8.2 billion profit

Disney Buys Lucasfilm

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/disney-buying-lucas-films-for-4-billion/

• Steve Jobs's estate is the largest Disney shareholder
• "The good news is that now copyright will never expire!" - Leo
• Alex is now waiting for Chewie to join The Avengers

Lightning-to-HDMI and VGA adapters now available

http://www.tuaw.com/2012/10/24/apple-store-now-selling-lightning-to-hdmi-and-vga-adapters-for/

Quartz Magazine claims Apple is targeting women with iPad mini ad

http://qz.com/19314/apple-has-a-clear-target-with-its-ipad-mini-advertising-women/

The Beatles' Apple Corps Logo is now a Registered Trademark of Apple, Inc.

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2012/10/the-beatles-apple-corps-logo-is-now-a-registered-tm-of-apple.html

Steve Jobs's Yacht Launches

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_21888423/steve-jobs-commissioned-super-yacht-resembling-floating-apple

Apple streaming music service coming next year?

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/10/25/music-labels-downplay-imminent-launch-of-new-apple-music-service/

• RR: Licensing music for services like this is very tricky.
• AL: Music industry is afraid of giving Apple any more power. Combining Spotify/Pandora-like streaming with the ability to buy songs would be a compelling combination.
• LL: Windows Phone 8 has a free year of Pandora
• Songza and Slacker are other alternatives

Banned iPad mini promo by John Elerick

YouTube

Picks of the Week

• Andy's pick: Rayovac Sportsman LED Lantern. ~$25
  • 40-90 hours of life off of 3 D batteries

• Rene's pick: Letterpress by atebits. Free with in-app purchases
  • Fun word game from Loren Brichter, creator of Tweetie (the Twitter client that Twitter bought some years ago)
  • Brought the Game Center API to its knees

• Alex's tip: You can adjust Siri's volume independently; just have Siri active

• Leo's pick: new Google app for iOS. Free. New Siri-like voice search.

Sponsors

• Pond5
• American Express
• Ford
• Gazelle

Production Information

• Edited by:
• Notes:

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