AppStories, Episode 383 – The Trouble with iPadOS →

Linked By John Voorhees

This week on AppStories, we examine iPadOS and the ways it has failed to get the basics right.

Sponsored by:

Concepts – Sketch, Note, Draw.
Celtreos – The shoot-em-up game with tiny ships, big weapons, waves of foes, power-ups and obstacles.

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The Trouble with iPadOS

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right

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Ruminate, Episode 184 – The Rhythm of the Newsroom →

Linked By John Voorhees

This week on Ruminate, snack follow up, a WeblogPoMo progress update, the 100 best albums, and AI on iOS.

Links and Show Notes

Snacks
- Herr’s Carolina Reaper Flavoured Cheese Curls - 1oz (28.4g) - American Fizz
- The rack of KitKats
WeblogPoMo
- #WeblogPoMo
- Why I spell my name with two Bs
Apple’s 100 Best Albums list
App Store
- App Store stopped over $7 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions

iPad Review Roundup: Cutting Edge Hardware and OS Frustrations

By John Voorhees

Source: Apple.

Late yesterday, iPad Air and Pro reviews were published, and I spent the evening reading and watching many of them, so I thought I’d share some highlights.

At Six Colors, Jason Snell, who has used and reviewed iPads for years, brings an excellent perspective to Apple’s latest iPad Pro. Like Federico, Jason is impressed with the iPad Pro’s hardware but frustrated by iPadOS:

This all leaves 2024’s modern iPad Pro in a very familiar place: It is a remarkable piece of hardware that can handle pretty much any task it’s capable of executing without breaking a sweat, and thanks to its new display, it’ll look great doing it. But it’s let down by iPadOS limitations (and more than a decade of slow-paced iPad development) that preclude it from being the shining star of Apple’s productivity line-up that it should probably be.

Also, like other reviewers, the iPad Pro’s new OLED screen was a highlight for Jason:

As a longtime user of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, I’ve been spoiled the last few years by its Liquid Retina XDR display. It was good, but it added weight and thickness, and even its 2500 individual dimming zones couldn’t match the precision that an OLED display can bring. Apple has outdone itself with the new Ultra Retina XDR display, powered by a tandem OLED panel that offers dramatic contrasts and bright colors.

David Pierce strikes a similar note at The Verge:

This new iPad Pro feels, in many ways, like the finale of the 14-year history of the iPad, all the pieces finally in place. It also feels, as ever, like a futuristic device plagued by software stuck firmly in the past, one I’m not sure I’d recommend to most people.

I do love it, though.

AppStories - Ep. 383 - 42 minutes

The Trouble with iPadOS

Federico

John

AppStories Episode 383 - The Trouble with iPadOS

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AppStories+ Deeper into the world of apps

This week, Federico and John examine iPadOS and the ways it has failed to get the basics right.

Apple Music Debuts a 10-Day Countdown of the 100 Best Albums

By John Voorhees

Apple Music kicked off a 10-day event today celebrating its newly-compiled list of the 100 Best Albums of all time. Apple’s press release explains that the list was created by:

Apple Music’s team of experts alongside a select group of artists, including Maren Morris, Pharrell Williams, J Balvin, Charli XCX, Mark Hoppus, Honey Dijon, and Nia Archives, as well as songwriters, producers, and industry professionals.

Apple also clarifies that its 100 Best Albums list is an editorially-created list that isn’t based on streaming statistics.

There are multiple ways to navigate Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list.

Each day, Apple Music is revealing 10 new albums, starting with albums 91-100, which are:

91: Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 by George Michael
92: Flower Boy by Tyler, The Creator
93: A Seat at the Table by Solange
94: Untrue by Burial
95: Confessions by USHER
96: Pure Heroine by Lorde
97: Rage Against the Machine by Rage Against the Machine
98: ASTROWORLD by Travis Scott
99: Hotel California by Eagles
100: Body Talk by Robyn

Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s senior director of content and editorial, had this to say about the list:

100 Best brings together all the things that make Apple Music the ultimate service for music lovers — human curation at its peak, an appreciation for the art of storytelling, and unparalleled knowledge of music and an even deeper love for it. We have been working on this for a very long time, and it’s something we are all incredibly proud of and excited to share with the world.

Each album includes editorial content too.

The 100 Best Albums list can be accessed at 100best.music.apple.com. From there, you can listen on the web, add an album to your library, share it, or stream it with the Music app. Each album has its own page including written material that puts the album into context and lists each track, too.

Apple is also celebrating the 100 Best Albums list on Apple Radio and giving the creators of each album an award:

All 100 Best Albums recipients will be given an award comprised of blasted anodized aluminum, sourced entirely from recycled Apple products, in a unique polished PVD gold. The design on the back of the award takes its cues from a vinyl LP record and is inscribed with the artist’s name, the album title, and the album’s year of release.

I’ve enjoyed browsing through the first ten albums in this collection and appreciate that it’s being rolled out in stages, allowing listeners to explore a manageable number of albums each day. This will be a nice treat to look forward to for the next nine days.