Tag: Apple

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Totally a first world problem…

As most readers know, long ago I switched over to Apple for most everything in my personal computing environment. Wherever you look in my home office, you’ll see an Apple logo. 

Exceptions are of course in monitors, printers, and these days my router. Apple no longer makes their Airports or Time Capsules. So I ended up changing components as the Apple devices wore out.

Apple Monitors are spectacular but far too expensive for my needs. There was a time I even had an Apple LaserWriter.

This is not to say Apple makes the best products. I do find however that Apple products tend to remain useful far beyond their non Apple competitors. It’s nice having a unified ecosystem too. Being able to update everything from a central source is on the one hand a little spooky but on the other hand it’s super convenient. I like knowing that my devices have updated themselves and typically don’t require a lot of intervention on my part. (HomePods, I’m looking at you when I say “Typically”)

All that being said, I’ve been noticing that lately the configurations of Apple equipment that I’d be most likely to purchase haven’t been available off the shelf.

The latest example has been the Apple Watch Ultra. The 13” MacBook Pro with the M2 processor 24GB of RAM and 2 TB of disk storage. One can argue that the Apple Watch is brand new, okay I’ll give you that one. The MacBook Pro 13” on the other hand has been out for a long while. Why then is the maximum configuration still not readily available? Oh right… COVID. 

Another item just showed up on this list. The Mac Studio. It’s been out for almost a year. You’d think I could pull up at an Apple Store, and plunk down 3K then walk out with one containing the M1 Ultra Chip, max memory, and 2 TB of disk. Well you’d be wrong. 

Macstudio

This configuration is apparently order only and has a mid October delivery date. Why? Surely I can’t be the only person to realize that with Apple Products these days you have to buy what you’re willing to live with from the get go. Modern Macs don’t allow for upgrades, they don’t allow you to buy a mid grade unit then max it out later. You have to buy it knowing that if you outstrip it’s capabilities you’re going to have to buy a new machine.

So what the hell? After the recent debacle with me purchasing a maxed out M1 MacBook Pro and then having it stolen when I needed to ship it back to Apple because it was defective. I don’t want to buy anything new unless I can exchange it in a store.

(I’m still having to pay for the computer even though it was stolen. Fed Ex denies responsibility and so does their agent Dollar General. Word to the wise, if you have to return something to Apple, drive 100 miles to the nearest Apple store to return it. Make sure Apple gives you a receipt on paper. For that matter if you’re shipping something back to a manufacturer for refund or exchange don’t accept “We’ll send you a text message or an email,” demand a paper receipt because that’s your only proof that you handed the product to FedEx or UPS or whoever. Text messages are complete bullshit as receipts.)

In my case, I don’t want to order anything from anyone online. Sure there’s convenience in having something delivered to your door, but if whatever it is, is broken, or dies, the hassle of returning it and waiting for a replacement greatly destroys the convenience. 

I prefer to be able to take something back to the store and get an exchange on the spot. 

In the case of Apple, I prefer to unbox the machine in the damn store and power it up. I want to Know it works before I leave. Setting something up in the store allows me to know that and do a trade in, if desired, at the same damn time.

Apple products are generally reliable right from the get go but given the sloppy Chinese manufacturing I’ve seen lately, and the fact that most all of Apple’s products are made in China… Well, I really want to verify things are working while it’s still easy to exchange.

Therein lies the problem. Since the Apple stores don’t have representative examples of the top of the line configurations in stock and I’m gun-shy about ordering something custom for which there is no backup I’m not likely to buy the item in the first place.

That’s how I came to be screwed with my M1 MacBook. I had to return it and have another one built, it’s not like I could get another one off the shelf at an Apple Store.

Yes this is a first world problem. 

Nonetheless, it begs the question why isn’t Apple stocking the high end configurations at their stores? I mean at least ONE in stock at each store?

When I bought my Intel MacBook (Max configuration) it was literally as simple as walking in to the Apple Store and stating what I wanted. They had 4 in stock. I powered the machine up, checked it for functionality, and walked out with my purchase.

Granted that was in 2019. I’m sick and tired of hearing about COVID. I’m sick of hearing about supply chain issues. I’m sick of excuses! 

If Apple knows it’s got a problem, they should fix it. If we know we’ve got supply chain issues then the people in charge of supply chains should get off their asses and fix the problem.

If Apple can’t get products from China, then they should move the damn factories to places where they can get products built and reliably delivered.

That goes for every stinking manufacturer of anything.

I, like many Americans, never really paid much attention to government, or governments, or the supply chain. Stuff just freaking worked.  

But now… Oh this shit has my full and undivided attention.

Perhaps in November we’ll see just how many other Americans are suddenly paying attention. If the Democrats in America get beaten into the ground and Tech companies suffer major losses in sales because a) they can’t get products into consumers hands in a reasonable time, or b) people can’t afford those products, then I’m pretty darn sure they’ll get the message. When their stock prices take a dump and the economy sinks further because products aren’t available and people won’t or can’t pay the prices, the message should be very clear.

It’ll be signed, “The American People”

Really? Mid November for an new iPhone or Apple Watch? 

There’s no point in companies spending on marketing. By the time the product is actually available, people will be anticipating next years’ model and will hold off on their purchases. That by the way is called “Marketing Window”

That’s probably where I’m going to come down on this.

See ya next year Apple, maybe…

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Hmm if you want an Apple Watch Ultra be ready to wait!

Apple fw22 watch ultra1

I want to see and hold one before I plunk down my cash. I’ll probably only get $50 for trading in my Series 5 anyway so there’s no rush.

I’ve been watching the delivery dates stretch out. Two weeks ago, if you ordered an Ultra you’d get it somewhere near the end of Sept or beginning of October. Now it’s all the way out to the first week of November.

Maybe I’ll wait to actually buy one until December. I’ll make it a Christmas Gift to myself. 

I would like to try one on, I can do that easily in a store without having to purchase one. Then I’ll make a decision and either get one or not.

I’m still ambivalent about getting another Apple Watch. The extended battery life of the Ultra seems to be the main driving point of every single article I’ve read. I suspect that is part of what’s pushing the delivery dates further out. The other parts are probably the supply chain and China continuing to lock huge swaths of their population down due to COVID.

Hey Apple, learned anything yet???

I have a sneaking suspicion that there are going to be a lot of returns/exchanges from early adopters. I’m betting that at least some of them will get their shiny new watch and decide it’s too big for their wrists. I wonder if that will work to folks who waited advantage.

Apple sells refurbished A.K.A. returned products at a discount and still provides the full warranty.

I’m ambivalent because there’s a part of me that really likes not having to think about a watch. I like knowing that as long as I’m wearing it, it’s going to automatically be wound and tell me the right time.

From a conspiracy theory perspective, having an Apple Watch is a liability. It’s connecting to the cellular network and the GPS location can easily be broadcast. With the FBI showing up at people’s homes, businesses, airports, and Hardees drive throughs to serve warrants, perhaps broadcasting our location at all times isn’t the best idea. Just a thought…

The same is true of a cell phone or even modern automobiles. My car routinely sends service data to it’s manufacturer, and GPS coordinates in the event of a crash.

There is a part of me that wonders about disabling the cellular modem built into the car. I sometimes wonder what that would entail.

I could still revert to a Thomas Guide.

Screen Shot 2022 09 19 at 1 17 10 PM

Yes, they still make maps.

With a reasonable compass and a map you can navigate as the ancients did 50 years ago. 40 years ago even an outdated Thomas Guide could get you into the general vicinity of a new housing development or urban area and you could bird dog it from there. I say that from experience!

For giggles on one of my old Thomas Guides I marked where I worked, which was in an area the map showed as farmland with the phrase, “Here there be monsters”.

I forgot about it until I loaned the guide to a friend who asked WTF??? He was coming to an interview one morning at the same company. We had a good laugh over lunch, he also got the job. I later found out that he’d shown the map to our boss during the interview. Our boss gifted me a new Thomas Guide for Christmas that year.

This was back in the dawn of time, when Bosses could be human, have a sense of humor, and appreciated hard work with merit raises, even if some of their employees were clowns.

I guess I long for the ancient world. 

Back then, we could do the math. We knew how far we had to go, how long we’d been driving and at what average speed. It was oddly accurate. Even on long trips, you’d pull over at a rest stop, take a leak, inspect your tires, and do a map check. The rest areas were clearly marked on the map so a little bit of math would allow you to find your location and you’d chart the next leg of your travels.

I personally found that on long trips, I’d drive from one fold of the map to the next, then flip the page, or refold the map to better show me the next leg of the journey. It was a simple system, and after all that’s how map lights got their name. When was the last time you actually turned on the map lights in your overhead console?

I find myself wondering if reverting to the “old ways” is such a bad idea.

Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate the convenience of smart devices. I just wonder if I’ve become too dependent on the bright shiny digital readouts.

I have an appreciation for some of the “Old School” ways because there is beauty in simplicity and minimalism.

If I’m looking at a couple of months before I can simply walk into an Apple Store and try on one of their Ultras. This is probably a good thing.

I’ll be able to see how many bugs Apple let go by on the product and make a more informed choice.

FYI, in addition to the bugs being reported on the iPhone 14 hardware. There have also been a number of bugs reported in the new IOS. I stumbled upon one just yesterday.

This one is in the medications reminder portion of the Health app. It turns out that if, for example, you go wandering through the app and specifically tell it you’ve taken a medication a few minutes prior to the appointed time, and then respond to the notification, you’ll have entries in the medication log that look like you took the medication twice. I haven’t found a method to delete the erroneous log entry yet. I’ve also not been able to find a method to delete a medication entirely. 

After I stumbled upon the bug, I decided to go back to my tried and true method of using the reminder application with a daily reminder at a specific time. Sometimes I take my medications 15 to 20 minutes early. I’ll open Reminders and check the box and I’m done. Easy!

It looks like once you’ve used Medications in the health app, there isn’t a way to clear it. 

I’m certain that the Medications function was throughly tested using automated testing, but it appears that Apple didn’t bother to actually do real world user testing. If the user has already taken the medication, then don’t present the notification and for God’s sake don’t double log the medication entry.

I could see this creating an issue for people who are distracted while going about their morning routine then later trying to check if they’ve taken their meds. I’d bet that with some medications, there will be panicked calls to doctors asking about over doses and what to do.

The Medications app is not ready for prime time. I’d say avoid it for the time being

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Thank goodness for a hurricane

Rainyscene

I probably won’t have to water for a week or so!

FYI, I does in fact rain in Southern California. We got a nice steady rain for about 4-6 hours yesterday and into last night.

The dog was not amused about it at all. He loves snow but water falling from the sky… He spent most of the day in his “room”. He also kept looking at me as though I had something to do with it.

I don’t know how much rain we actually got, but it wasn’t enough to cause a lot runoff as sometimes happens. This was a nice constant soaking where I live, the plants in the yard are already perking up after 90°F plus temps baking them for the past week or so.

The temp dropping to 70°F with a breeze through the house after the high temps caused some shivering at dinnertime.

I’m sure in the lower areas (Off the mountain) there may have been some street flooding etc.

The rain also helped out the fire crews working the fire in Riverside County so that is another plus.

This morning it’s cool and overcast. I’ve been watching some young squirrels playing in their home tree. I guess they were cooped up all day yesterday and their mom told them to get out of the house for a while.

The dog has been talking to me all morning as Husky breeds tend to do. He’s wanting to play but when we go outside to toss the ball around he gets distracted by smells, then forgets what we were doing. He comes up to me with this “where’s the ball,” look. Even though it’s right where he left it when he got distracted. I swear this dog has ADHD.

I think everyone in the neighborhood is taking it slow this morning. They’re probably just enjoying the coolness as I am. I’m also enjoying the silence, no cars, chainsaws, hammering, or screaming nut jobs yet today.

I’m guessing that once things dry out a little, all the noise will start up, but for the moment I’m enjoying the sound of nothing except birds chirping and squirrels barking at each other in the trees.

There’s the possibility of thunderstorms later in the day. The dog will no doubt be on the couch next to me for “Protection” if that happens.

Apple had its big annual announcement this week. I’ve been reading about the new products and am thinking I’ll wait until the iPhone 15 before thinking about a phone upgrade, my iPhone 12 Pro is still working. The new IOS is supposed to be available on Monday, I’ll be waiting for a week or more before installing that as well.

I’ve found in general that I’m not intrigued by the new products. The exception is the Apple Watch Ultra. That product got my attention. I’m not going to run out a pre-order it, instead I’ll wait to see it in person. It’s a big watch and it might simply be too big for me personally. A 36 hour battery life addresses one concern I’ve had with my aging series 5. Typically if I’m wearing the series 5, I’m running it in dark mode rather than having the display always on. It saves power and I don’t mind not seeing the display until I need it.

Apple fw22 watch ultra1

That the Apple Watch Ultra is going to have recreational dive computer software available later in the year is also a plus. For me it’s a twofer. I get an Apple Watch with longer life per charge, and a dive computer. It remains to be seen, but it’s possible that they may be able to provide wireless air integration with a bluetooth transmitter on the regulator.

My faithful Sunnto dive computer and transmitter are due for a battery change and pressure test. This service costs about $300 and requires that both units be sent away to God knows where, this time. It used to be San Diego, then it was Florida, and I haven’t checked where it’s going to go this time around.

While I like the Sunnto, (this is the second one I’ve owned. The first one was lost in a fire,) this particular unit’s backlight has never been as bright as the first one. The battery changes are expensive too. I’ve been looking for a new dive computer and have discovered a number of newer units that are rechargeable and provide wireless log transfer to computers or phones (my venerable D5 requires a hardline connection). Because of the service costs on the Suunto, I’ve been considering a new dive computer anyway.

Perhaps the Apple Ultra can provide all the functionality I’d like in one neat package. It’s also cheaper than many dive computers available now.

Could it be that Apple is going to be able to change the paradigm in SCUBA too?

The Apple Watch Ultra could also address some of the navigation issues I’ve noticed while hiking in the mountains & forest near my home. I’m interested to see how the dual band GPS works. My series 5 has on occasion been completely confused about my location and I’ve resorted to a compass and topographical map to sort out the issue.

(As an aside, that’s the reason you always carry a non digital backup if you’re hiking someplace unfamiliar. I also have a HAM radio because sometimes there’ no cell service but I can usually hit a repeater. Fortunately I’ve never had to call for help but fortune favors the prepared. I typically have some food, water, and a minimal first aid kit with me as well. I don’t want to be one of those hikers who needs a risky night evacuation putting rescue personnel in more danger. I’d rather be able to tell rescue folks, something like, “I’m hurt, my location is coordinates x West y North, I can’t walk out, but I’ve got food, water, and proper clothing to wait it out till dawn. I’ll check in with you guys throughout the night on Freq xyz”. That’s just being responsible.)

Yes, I know that the newest iPhone has satellite messaging, but my radio works just fine. Even if I were to get a new iPhone, I’d still carry the radio.

In short, I think the Apple Watch Ultra might be for me. This doesn’t mean that I’m not still looking at good old fashioned automatic watches like the Omega, Ball, or others. Sometimes it’s really nice to just know what time it is…

Aside from reading articles about The Queen, I’ve successfully ignored the news this week. Although I have indulged my Reddit AITA “Am I The Asshole” addiction a few times.

I get a kick out of those articles. Some people are real jackasses!