Guest Arun Maini interviews Apple's Ternus & Joswiak about the new M4 iPad Pros, discussing the powerful M4 Neural Engine, smart folio angles, and iPad Pro Smart Folio keyboard reliability. The podcast delves into Apple's new accessibility features and asks if the M4 display driver hints at a future 2-external-display computer. Other topics include iPad Pro dissatisfaction, iPad vs. MacBook debate, and troubleshooting iCloud Drive sync issues.
Apple introduces innovative accessibility features like eye tracking for hands-free navigation on iPad and iPhone.
Music haptics and vocal shortcuts enhance user experience for deaf or hard of hearing individuals.
Vehicle motion cues use animated dots to assist users prone to motion sickness during travel.
Balancing advanced software features with iPad's simplicity is a key challenge for Apple's development.
Troubleshooting iCloud Drive issues highlights limitations in handling extensive Node Modules, emphasizing the need for efficient file management.
Deep dives
AI-Tracking for Improved Navigation
Apple introduces eye tracking for iPad and iPhone, enabling users to navigate solely with their eyes using front-facing cameras and on-device machine learning. This feature allows for seamless control through dwell control for activating elements using gestures.
Enhanced Music Experience with Haptics
Music haptics feature on the iPhone uses Taptic Engine to provide vibrations corresponding to audio, benefiting users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Users experience musical textures and refined vibrations synchronized with the music, adding a new dimension to music enjoyment.
Customizable Speech Recognition for Tasks
Vocal shortcuts feature enables custom commands understood by Siri for launching shortcuts and intricate tasks. Additionally, the Listen for Atypical Speech feature enhances speech recognition for users with speech-affecting conditions like cerebral palsy or ALS, providing greater control and personalization.
Motion-Sensitive Dots to Combat Motion Sickness
Vehicle motion cues feature uses animated dots on screens to represent changes in vehicle motion, helping alleviate sensory conflict during travel. Recognizing when the user is in motion, this feature provides a visual guide without interfering with the main content, aiding those prone to motion sickness.
Expanding iPad Capabilities vs. Preserving Ease of Use
There is a tension between expanding the capabilities of the iPad to make it more powerful and preserving its simplicity and ease of use. The challenge lies in adding more advanced features without overwhelming users or compromising the stress-free experience that makes the iPad attractive to many.
The Appeal of the iPad's Simplicity
The iPad's appeal lies in its simple and safe nature, offering a computing experience that minimizes the risk of user errors and complexities. Users enjoy the stress-free operation of the iPad, which sets it apart from traditional computers that often require users to manage resources and troubleshoot issues.
Balancing Hardware Power with Software Limitations
As the iPad hardware becomes increasingly powerful, the demand for enhanced software capabilities grows. However, expanding software features must be carefully balanced to prevent overwhelming users and maintain the iPad's signature ease of use. Users seek more functionality while also valuing the iPad's simplicity.
Addressing User Expectations and Future of Computing
Users are eager for the iPad to offer more advanced features and capabilities, aligning with the vision of the iPad as the future of computing. However, implementing these enhancements without compromising the user-friendly experience poses a significant challenge for Apple. Meeting user expectations while preserving the iPad's simplicity remains a key focus for future developments.
iCloud Drive vs. Node Modules: A Technical Debugging Journey
The podcast delves into a troubleshooting saga involving iCloud Drive and Node Modules causing havoc on a MacBook Air used for college. The host recounts a remote debugging attempt for his son's machine that had FileProviderD consuming 100% CPU due to Node Modules' massive file count, particularly a jam-packed Node Modules directory wreaking havoc. This experience showcases the limitations of iCloud Drive for handling large volumes of files, especially in scenarios like intensive Node.js development projects.
Remote Desktop Troubleshooting and the Practicality of Using Messages for Tech Support
The discussion transitions to contemplating the compatibility of Tail Scale for remote desktop access compared to utilizing Messages for providing tech support. While the idea of setting up Tail Scale nodes for remote assistance is considered, the host ultimately praises the simplicity and reliability of using Messages for troubleshooting Mac-related issues, particularly in environments like university networks that may pose challenges for third-party remote access solutions.
Editors’ note: Thanks to Elon’s Big Business Brain™, we now have to link to all the tweets X’s in this whole 🤬 thread, because Twitter X won’t show threads unless you’re logged in. Well done, Elon. Great work. 👏🏻 … 👏🏻 … 👏🏻 Now we’re junking up our show notes because we 💙 our listeners more than we hate him. And we really hate him.
