Journal

Apple Music is betting on smart curation, big names & hip partners to make us forget the U2 album debacle.

Apple Music is betting on smart curation, big names & hip partners to make us forget the U2 album debacle.

September 9, 2014 was a pivotal day for Apple. On stage at the Flint Center in Cupertino, the company’s executives proudly revealed sleek, media-ready renderings of new gadgets, marking Apple’s biggest product lineup refresh in years: two new and bigger iPhones, a long-rumored smart watch, and Apple Pay, the company’s first foray into wireless mobile payments. As the two-hour flurry of announcements wound down, Apple CEO Tim Cook borrowed his predecessor’s “one more thing” schtick, albeit without uttering those exact words.

Read Full Story

Sure, they seem like no big deal now. But be careful of these key areas of future regret.

Sure, they seem like no big deal now. But be careful of these key areas of future regret.

Scrolling through my social media feed, I noticed a college friend’s photograph of his son’s dormitory. My friend and I had been thick as thieves during our undergraduate years, and now his son was leaving home, and roughly the age his father was when he and I first met.

Read Full Story

The newly added pen functions are interesting, but overall the pen seems to be searching for clear use cases.

The newly added pen functions are interesting, but overall the pen seems to be searching for clear use cases.

This is the third in a three-part series reviewing Samsung’s important new Galaxy Note 7 smartphone. The first part concerned the device’s design. The second concerned the device’s new iris scanner.

Read Full Story

Back in June, complaints were filed with the FEC over such fundraising emails. But they’re still being sent to non-U.S. lawmakers.

Back in June, complaints were filed with the FEC over such fundraising emails. But they’re still being sent to non-U.S. lawmakers.

The emails signed by Donald J. Trump or his children come at all hours. Sometimes in the middle of the afternoon, Sir Roger Gale looks down at his iPhone and sees that he’s been invited to dinner as an “honorary guest” if he makes a contribution. Other times, he’s just asked to give money to “make America great again.” And some mornings Gale is asked to sign a petition to “send Hillary and her corrupt Clinton Foundation packing for good!”

Read Full Story

Exclusive albums are an increasingly potent weapon in the streaming wars. But are they good for artists and fans?

Exclusive albums are an increasingly potent weapon in the streaming wars. But are they good for artists and fans?

This weekend, I had a brief, uniquely modern conversation with somebody as we both stared into our phones together.

Read Full Story