Different and Familiar

Ted Landau speculates on what might happen with the next version of OS X:

This means limiting software on Macs only to apps that come from the Mac App Store (possibly also allowing Gatekeeper-approved software from elsewhere, but I doubt it). It would also mean cutting off end-user access to the Mac’s operating system (a trend begun with Apple making the user’s Library folder invisible in Lion, but which would vastly expand in 10.9). It would mean the ejection of any third-party software that “tweaks” the operating system. Apple would also remove its own system-level utilities, such as Terminal (Apple doesn’t permit anything like Terminal on iOS devices). It is even possible that the Finder would be eliminated (as I previously considered). Finally, it would mean that the software used to develop software (e.g., Xcode) would no longer run (just like you can’t now develop software for iPads on iPads).

In his speculation about a possible OS X 10.9, Landau envisions a Mac ecosystem where Pro machines (MacBook Pro, Mac Pro) will run the “real” OS X, with consumer products (MacBook Air, iMac) left with a “simpler” version of the operating system that’s basically iOS with a keyboard and Mac apps. I think this speculation is misguided.

Apple knows that Mac users are loyal to the platform because it is different from iOS devices. Mac hardware revenue may not be at the same level of iPhones and iPads, but in the last quarter, it still represented 13% of the company’s revenue with 4 million Macs sold. Not to mention that, as Tim Cook himself has noted on several occasions, the “halo effect” has helped Apple transition iPhone and iPad users interested in a similar, yet different platform to the OS X ecosystem.

The key is familiarity. By refining the feature set and enabling new functionalities across Mac and iOS devices, Apple is ensuring an iPhone user can have a basic understanding of a MacBook Air, and vice versa. “iOS-ification”, as this process has been called for convenience numerous times in the past, has really turned into the simple strategy of allowing familiar features to act the same across devices, while leveraging the differences of each device to make it intuitive and easy to use. Notification Center works the same on iOS 6 and Mountain Lion, yet on the Mac, you get support for Hot Corners. Familiar, but also unique.

If users wanted an iPad with a keyboard – because that’s effectively what Landau is proposing – they’d get an iPad with a keyboard. The problem is, this possible scenario has already been addressed by Apple: at the Q2 2012 conference call, Tim Cook famously noted how some would like to converge a toaster and a refrigerator – with unpleasant results for the users. People have different requirements: millions of customers decide to buy a Mac every quarter, and it’s very likely that the majority of them already owns an iPhone or iPad. They know the differences, but they also appreciate the familiarity.

This speculation is reminiscent of old rumors about a “simpler” iPhone nano – a mythical device capable of running a slimmed-down version of iOS. Why would Apple want to separate OS X into two products when, by default, the OS retains many of the “simple touches” of iOS? The Mac’s greatest strength is customization – Apple puts a Launchpad in your Dock, but you can explore the contents of your filesystem with the Terminal if you want. Putting functionalities on the same level no matter the device you’re using hasn’t impacted the nature of the Mac in a way that has turned OS X into a completely different product. If anything, it made the Mac better.

Apple already makes a separate version of OS X, and it’s called OS X Server. That is an entirely different take on the operating system, with features that wouldn’t appeal to the average consumer (or even professional). But does its existence somewhat justify the theory of new OS X Consumer product?

To paraphrase Craig Federighi, OS X makes it easier than ever to work with the devices we already have in our lives. And that has been possible thanks to an effort to turn the Mac’s nature into a more comfortable and familiar habitat for users interested in a different kind of experience. Landau thinks OS X “Professional” would come without any restriction (“restrictions” can already be disabled in Lion and Mountain Lion) and even drop some “iOS-related features”. How would that help the ecosystem? And why do we keep thinking of “professional users” as weird-looking programmers who don’t like anything Apple has brought to OS X – even going as far as suggesting features should be dropped?

Professional users enjoy the improvements made to OS X as much as the 99% does. I believe that features like Notification Center and Power Nap are additions that will unarguably make OS X easier and more powerful (and they are both iOS-inspired). How would pro users react to an unarguably worse Mac without those great functionalities?

OS X won’t magically become more “professional” by excluding features and familiar elements. The way I see it – and judging from recent statements and keynotes, the way Apple sees it, too – Apple simply needs to keep making OS X a better product by refining patterns and interactions based on decades of computing with today’s technologies and trends in mind. That might mean a Library hidden by default, or a different file save dialog box that makes iCloud front and center in Mountain Lion. There have been bumps on the road (Sandboxing criticism; iCloud issues), but I’d argue that both Lion and Mountain Lion haven’t taken anything away from the pro user, for as much as many have been crying wolf in regards to filesystem access and the Mac App Store (case in point: Gatekeeper is coming to OS X 10.8).

Apple will bring more iOS-inspired features to OS X. Or perhaps they will add OS X functionalities to iOS. The point is, in doing so, I have no doubt Apple will consider the unique traits of each platform, and they will develop the features accordingly. But splitting OS X in two just for the sake of easy profits (“It’s an iPad laptop!”) sounds like a step backwards and one towards fragmentation. Furthermore, we shouldn’t associate Apple’s delay with a “real” update for the Mac Pro line with the future of OS X.

Ultimately, the goal isn’t to forcibly transition every iOS user to the Mac as part of an evil plan blindly based on “money”. It’s to provide a great ecosystem of products that keeps users happy, and Apple profitable. And in a solid ecosystem, differences aren’t seen as disadvantages: they are core strengths if they can work better together.

Review: Found

“cmd” + “space”. This is by far the most common and important keyboard shortcut in Mac OS X; opening Spotlight for quick file access. More or less every sophisticated Mac user types this key combination multiple times a day. What if now a developer says “let’s replace Spotlight with a new app that not only scans local data, but Dropbox and Google accounts as well”. Many might find that idea disconcerting and even scary, but for those of you who are interested in an alternative to Spotlight searching on the Mac, you might like Found by Found Software Inc.

After installing the app, Found can be, (attention, bad pun) found behind a menu bar icon. Clicking on it brings up an iOS Notification Center-like interface with an activated search panel at the top, which slides in on the left side of the screen (this means it also works great when in full-screen mode on OS X Lion). Found can also be toggled using a double tap on the ‘control’ key. I know, many people dislike double taps, especially on “real” keyboards, but I personally found it pretty useful, since it is faster to tap twice on one button than using a special key combination while typing. The result of all this was that it flawlessly integrated itself into my writing workflow - Found’s first big advantage compared to Spotlight. The second advantage was that this super quick method allowed me to quickly search and find the name of a song I desperately wanted to hear - much quicker than disrupting my work to go to iTunes and fumble around finding it there.

Read more

Alien Blue 2.6→

Alien Blue 2.6 for iPhone

The latest update to Alien Blue, the best Reddit client available on the iPhone, adds a number of features, interface refinements, and improvements that bring the app on par with the iPad version, last updated in May. Alien Blue 2.6 is a major update that adds iCloud sync, subreddit grouping and discovering functionalities, and an entirely new Canvas view that offers a more convenient layout to browse Reddit images.

When version 2.1 of Alien Blue for iPad came out adding subreddit grouping, I wrote about the feature:

Subreddit grouping, however, has changed the way I use Alien Blue. Aside from the convenience of neatly categorizing similar subreddits in the app’s sidebar, each group can be turned into a “front page” collecting all the most upvoted links of each subreddit. This means that, for instance, I was able to create a “Learn” group within Alien Blue, throw TodayILearned, HistoryPorn, Wikipedia, and ExplainLikeImFive in there, so that when I’m in the mood of learning new things and cool facts, I can enjoy my own “Learn” Reddit front page made of the subreddits I grouped. It’s incredibly smart.

In using the iPhone update released last night, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the iCloud sync promised by the developer weeks ago worked as advertised. Upon logging into the app with my Reddit account, Alien Blue took seconds to fetch my existing groups of subreddits. In scrolling through my various front pages and tapping on links (Alien Blue for iPhone now has “optimal” views for articles, images, and videos – which are incredibly handy on the iPhone), iCloud also synced read statuses back to the iPad, dimming links that had already been checked out on the iPhone. Unlike most iCloud-enabled apps I have tried, Alien Blue’s cross-device implementation looks solid.

Among the new features (a complete list is available on Reddit), the updated Canvas view stood out because of its elegant design and gesture-based navigation. Setting its color scheme to black to make image thumbnails really pop out on the Retina display, I was able to quickly skim through images with taps (load a single image), swipes (swipe horizontally to navigate, swipe vertically to go back to grid view or advance pages), and double-taps (open image in full-screen mode). Even more than on the iPad, Canvas view makes for a great mobile browsing experience on the iPhone’s smaller display.

Alien Blue 2.6 is a great update, and the app is available for free on the App Store with a $1.99 in-app purchase to unlock more features (including Canvas and Retina thumbnails).

Permalink

WWDC 2012 Session Videos Now Available

Whether you did or didn’t make it to WWDC 2012 this year, Apple’s published 113 videos covering developer sessions across iOS and OS X, which you’ll want to check out if you’d like a refresher or need to get in the know on how to best build and optimize your applications for iOS 6 and Mountain Lion. Developers can watch the sessions online in the developer hub, or the videos can be downloaded in HD from iTunes.

WWDC 2012 Developer Session Videos

Just Type, And You’ll Get Your Perfect Quick Note-Taking Companion

When it comes to notetaking, I’m a Simplenote guy. I work a lot on the road and love typing on my iPad, so I need a syncing service to have all my notes constantly updated on all my devices. Apple incorporated iCloud syncing in their own Notes.app in iOS 5, but I totally detest the app’s interface and standard note typefaces like Marker Felt, or please forgive me the mention, Comic Sans (not in Apple’s notes app of course, but in really bad third-party ones). When I discovered Just Type by Shubham Kedia on Beautiful Pixels yesterday I also immediately checked, if it has any cloud syncing service, and yes, it’s iCloud compatible, but there is no Simplenote support. Because of this, at first didn’t want to test it at all, since I use apps after the “never touch a running system”-method —meaning I’m always afraid when switching from a reliable app to a new one. After some investigation of app screenshots, I decided to install it on my iPad, and thank god I did. Its UI contains some of the best graphic elements I’ve ever seen (Just Type is an universal app, but I’ll only cover the iPad version today).

Read more

“Do It All” Highlights the new iPad’s Features in a New June Advertisement

Following Microsoft’s announcement of their Windows 8 Surface tablets, Apple has posted their latest commercial for the new iPad titled, “Do It All.” Panning over the new iPad’s Retina display, “Do It All” highlight’s the iPad’s bullet points for sending email, reading magazines, watching movies, and learning, while also touching on content creation with slideshows, managing photos, and painting. Demonstrated earlier in the evening, Microsoft’s Windows 8 RT Surface tablet will come with Microsoft Office Home & Student 2013, while Microsoft’s Windows 8 Pro Surface tablet features a pressure sensitive pen stylus and palm recognition. While Microsoft’s event focused on bolstering the tablet form factor with the power of a touch-sensitive desktop OS, unfortunately Microsoft did not announce pricing or availability amidst the applause. Apple’s timing with their latest commercial is impeccable, and as a response, it’s as if to remind their competitor that you can already do quite a bit with a tablet that’s available right now thanks to the iPad’s broad app ecosystem. You can check out Apple’s commercial past the break, on YouTube, or on Apple’s website.

Read more

A Newsstand-like Platform For iOS 6 Podcasts→

A Newsstand-like Platform For iOS 6 Podcasts

Jake Marsh writes about a possible implementation of Apple’s rumored standalone Podcasts app for iOS 6 [via Marco Arment]:

Now the really big one. A universal (iPhone & iPad) iOS application entitled “Podcasts”. This application would provide a way to browse available shows, read about them and subscribe to your favorites. Basicallly extending the existing functionality avaiable in the Podcasts section of the iTunes Store today.

Since Apple will now control the experience end-to-end, they can now provided fantastic support for things like new episode push notifications.

As Cody wrote last week when AllThingsD was first to report on speculation about a separate podcast app for iOS 6 devices, podcasts have been neglected for a long time on iOS. Bundled with iTunes within a unified interface for the Store, support for podcasts on iOS has spurred the creation and popularity of third-party solutions like Instacast and Downcast, which make it extremely easy to create playlists, stream episodes without downloading them, and sync settings (including play position) across devices. These are all features Apple’s iOS iTunes app is lacking, but it doesn’t necessarily mean Apple is ignoring the podcast category.

As we suggested, Apple could provide a separate directory for discovering podcasts and a native podcatcher to simplify the process of listening, downloading, and managing podcasts and playlists. What Marsh envisions isn’t too dissimilar from Newsstand – a platform that allows developers to host content on Apple’s servers and manage new releases from iTunes Connect, and that enables iOS users to conveniently browse audio and video content through a dedicated storefront.

It’s important to keep in mind that, if Apple were to provide a new platform for Internet audio and video producers, they’d likely want to see a revenue opportunity to at least break even and cover the costs of offering a better experience. With Newsstand, Apple got several publishers (including Time) on board with the revenue cut business model whilst providing an integrated solution to the end user. With podcasts on iOS, there is certainly room for improvement – but it has to make sense for Apple too, not just the developers and end users.

 

Permalink