After the iPad mini comes the Kobo Mini
Apple Pay gathers pace in Britain, some high-value buying opportunities
I’m grateful to reader Keith for some background on the success of Apple Pay in the UK. He sent me a useful link to a City AM article which lists all known companies currently prepared to accept Apple Pay transactions. It is clear that the number is growing by the day. While NFC transactions in England (probably also in other parts of the UK) are to rise from the £20 limit to £30 during September, there is good news that certain retailers are prepared to accept higher-value business if the more secure Apple platform is used (as opposed to the normal swiped credit card which is susceptible to use by thieves until stopped).
How the iPod changed the world
Apple truly disrupts the established luxury watch industry
Review: Apple Watch Milanese Loop band
Although I was extremely happy with the black sport band that came with my steel Apple Watch, I had a hankering for something a bit more dressy: A strap that would make the watch look more like a desirable Swiss timepiece.
iPad Mini Cellular arrives
Apple Watch records heart-stopping moments a car ends up in a major crash
Safari Extensions: Three invaluable minimalist additions
I'm generally against cluttering my web browser with lots of plug-ins. Many Windows users, particularly those who aren't very tech savvy, have their Internet Explorer bulging with several tiers of menus containing everything that Yahoo, Google and Microsoft have ever suggested and thrown at them. And, for the most part, they don't use any of it and haven't a clue why it's there.
So my Safari installation is a model of minimalism. Recently, though, I've been trying three excellent extensions that take up little space on the menu bar but perform vital tasks.
The first is Adblock (Michael Gundlach) which successfully removes advertisements from web pages. There are lots of settings, so you can choose exactly what you want to see or don't want to see.
Second comes a real winner, Click to Flash (Mark Hoyois), which blocks Flash on the fly. Although you can block flash from Safari Preferences, that's a global setting and you have to reboot Safari for any changes to take effect. This little add-in turns flash off by default but offers the opportunity to click on a "FLASH" button in the centre of any Flash pane.That way you open only the specific content you want to see; and afterwards Flash is again turned off. Brilliant.
Next is Auto Refresh (Andy Griffin) to allow you to auto refresh pages. This is effective if there's a particular site where you want constant updates throughout the day. You can set a refresh interval in seconds. Easy and invaluable.
These three extensions are shareware and donations are appreciated.
Steve Jobs: “Tech Industry’s First Rock Star”
London's Financial Times today named Steve Jobs as Personality of the Year, saying he was the tech industry's first rock star:
"When Steven Paul Jobs first hit the headlines, he was younger even than Mark Zuckerberg is now. Long before it was cool to be a nerd, his formative role in popularising the personal computer, and Apple’s initial public offering on Wall Street – which came when Mr Jobs was still only 25 – made him the tech industry’s first rock star."
"Now, three decades on, he has secured his place in the foremost ranks of the West Coast tech titans who have done so much to shape the world around the turn of the millennium. Long-time nemesis Bill Gates may be richer and, at his peak, arguably exerted greater sway, thanks to his monopoly over the world’s PC software. But the Microsoft co-founder has left the stage to devote his life and fortune to good works. It is Mr Jobs who now holds the spotlight"
Thunderbolt Cinema Display with USB 3.0
Apple Watch: What worries me is that it could make my beautiful IWC timepiece...
I have always been a fan of mechanical watches and, over the years, have owned a some of Switzerland's finest, including Rolex, Jaeger Le Coultre, Panerai, Breitling and Omega. Eventually I ducked out of the ratrace and decided to retain just one prime example, the delectable IWC Pilot Chronograph. I like it for its simplicity and utility (the day and date display is constantly useful for someone who is apt to forget what day of the week it is). After much trial and error, this is the perfect timepiece for the my taste and need. Up to now.
iPhone smugglers: Out of London, (almost) in to Israel
So now we know what happens to some of those hundreds and thousands of iPhones I noticed being spirited away from London's Apple stores amid a cloud of £50 notes. They are being smuggled into countries far and wide. Thanks to Engadget for the story of the 60-something lady who was stopped at Ben Gurion with 44 iPhone 4s secreted about her person. Roll over cocaine, make way for the iPhone.
Which Watch? Survey shows first buyer choices as Apple Watch pre-orders start
Over the first weekend of Apple Watch ordering, 9to5 Mac conducted a quick user survey of buying choice and pulled in nearly 11,000 votes in double-quick time.
Taptic tactics as Apple Watch arrives before new owner is delivered
