Archive for January 5, 2016

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Unexpected iCloud Music Library Downloads

Kirk McElhearn:

This weekend, I wanted to add some music to the cloud, so I grabbed a bunch of files from my main library and added them to the MacBook’s library. I was very surprised to notice later that most of them had automatically downloaded to my iPad. The device had no music on it at all; now it shows 3.9 GB of music.

[…]

I later noticed that the same music was downloaded to my iPod touch, for a total of about 8 GB. I don’t have a bandwidth cap, but if I did, I’d be mighty unhappy. Also, if I were using an iPhone, and it was set to allow cellular downloads, I’d be irate.

Government Encryption Registration and SNAP-R

Carousel Apps (via Hacker News):

Last week we published a blog post describing how if your app does anything with encryption, even a single https request, then you need an Encryption Registration (ERN) from the US Bureau of Industry (BIS).

You need to submit an updated encryption export compliance report each year.

Update (2017-08-03): See also: Pádraig Kennedy (tweet).

Why the 2012 non-Retina MacBook Pro Still Sells

Marco Arment:

As we’ve progressed toward thinner, lighter, more integrated Macs, we’ve paid dearly in upgradeability, versatility, and value. There are many Macs to choose from today, but in some ways, we have less choice than ever. The 101 represents the world we’re leaving behind, and our progress hasn’t all been positive.

The better question isn’t why anyone still buys the 101, but why the rest of the MacBook lineup is still less compelling for the 101’s buyers after almost four years, and whether Apple will sell and support the 101 for long enough for newer MacBook models to become compelling, economical replacements.

I hope they don’t get rid of the 11-inch MacBook Air.

Update (2016-01-07): John Gruber:

It occurs to me that for all our collective worrying about the iOS-ification of Mac OS X, it’s the MacBook hardware that’s gotten iOS-ified, not the software. Thinness as a top priority, and an almost complete lack of upgradeability.

Nick Heer:

I think most kids would have their eyes opened at just how straightforward it is to snoop around inside many of today’s tech products. I replaced the SSD in my MacBook Air this past weekend and was pleasantly surprised at how much easier it was than replacing the hard drive in my mid-2007 MacBook Pro. It took just ten screws to remove the back panel and a single screw to remove the drive, as opposed to the far more screws and clips required to remove the top case of the Pro.

Google Docs Data Loss

John Gordon:

Today I discovered the 2010 document has lost its images. The text is there, but the images are gone. I tried downloading as PDF, but they don’t show there.

It’s a significant non-recoverable Google Cloud data loss, probably related to old versions of Google Docs.

Microsoft takes data longevity more seriously than Apple and Google.

Nintendo, Two Years Later

Lukas Mathis:

There’s still a console market. Mobile devices didn’t kill it. Nintendo can be profitable on its own platforms, but that hasn’t kept them from also starting to work on mobile titles. Unfortunately, we probably still won’t see a «real» Nintendo title — a full Mario Kart or New Super Mario Bros title, for example — on iOS anytime soon.

Previously: Nintendo.