Let Me Be Clear: Apple’s M1 CPU Signals a Revolution in Desktop Computing Unlike Anything We’ve Previously Experienced

The M1 does what Apple promised during the PowerPC transition 15 years ago but failed to deliver. What you hear coming from a millennial's face on YouTube is not hyperbole; the M1 clearly has processing power to spare since its able to translate/emulate non-optimized code at a speed where users don't even realize there's an extra computing layer in-between. In many cases, it's actually faster. Let me repeat: the M1 is running non-native code, through an emulator, faster than an Intel chip running the native code, natively, and is doing it with substantially less power consumption and with no active cooling. If a millennial is shocked at the performance of the M1 when compared side by side with an Intel equipped MacBook, they can't even imagine what I, and others my age or older, are experiencing. Our minds are completely blown. For those who aren't as tech savvy, a metaphorical example: imagine 2 people trying to read a book in Japanese. One of them can read Japanese while the other doesn't understand Japanese at all but has a device they can use to translate it for them. What's happening here, basically, is the person who needs to use a translation device is able to read the book faster than the Japanese person is able to read it directly. We witnessed first-hand this sort of wholesale transition before from the very same company. We cursed Rosetta. That was a hard shot of reality after being massaged with marketing hype, promises and a near total failure to deliver. This also came on the heels of the painful transition from Classic MacOS 9 to the Unix-based OS X, where little was offered and even that didn't work well. Once we get past the fact that we have software running in emulation at a pace that's faster than the same software being run on native hardware, we are then confronted with the fact that it's doing it cooler and more efficiently. The M1 runs harder for longer and with much less energy consumption and our imaginations are running wild at the prospect of just how much more performance we'll get once our entire workflows are coded to run natively. Even faster(?!?) and more efficiently, possibly gaining as much as 50% more battery life once Rosetta 2 is eliminated? We can't even fathom it. Hell, most of us can't even fathom what Apple has already delivered.

The Upcoming iPad Pro Magic Keyboard. A Lifestyle Choice…?

Coming soon from Apple is the recently announced Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro. Like before, it's a combined protective case and keyboard, but this one will have 2 dampened hinges and a secondary USB-C port for passthrough charging. The headline feature though is the inclusion of a trackpad and accompanying, underlying changes to iPadOS and the UI to accommodate the use of a pointing device for navigation. Basically, the iPad is becoming more laptop-like since the diversion from a unified iOS code base to separate iPadOS and iPhoneOS. Now the hardware will begin to reflect that change.

Protecting Your Gear: Lenses

While some of my lenses are weather sealed, most are not, and I began to fear for the worst: Lens mold. None are moldy or otherwise show any defect, but I don't want any future problems, especially if I end up swapping or selling a few of my lenses. Instead of relying on these gel packs, which are hard to recharge in the microwave due to being sealed in plastic baggies,  decided to buy a sealed case from the only manufacturer of them that I fully trust: Pelican.

Back to my Nerd Roots: Upgrading my iMac

After 7 years, it was finally time to replace my mid-2011 21.5" iMac with something larger and more powerful. The transition to using Adobe Lightroom to process my photos, and the slow performance even when exporting JPEGs from the original RAW files was the driving factor toward making the purchase. It's my declining eyesight that convinced me to go with a 27" iMac over another 21.5" model, not to mention the lack of user-accessible RAM in the current 21.5" iMac.

How to Connect Your Fujifilm X-T2, X-T20, X-Pro2, X-E3, X100F or GFX-50S Camera with X RAW Studio

The question, "why don't the photos on my (insert model) camera show up in X RAW Studio?" has popped up far too frequently but wrong answers have been popping up even more. The X-T20's firmware was updated recently, bestowing upon it compatibility with X RAW Studio, leading to a surge in people downloading the firmware but not downloading the updated user manual linked directly below it. So now they seek people to give them the answer to their boggle in exchange for minimal effort expended, their keyboards lacking a button to activate any "search feature." The most popular response has been, "you must transfer the RAW files from your camera to a folder on your computer first." Wrong.

(nearly) a year with Apple Watch

it's been nearly a year since I received my preordered Apple Watch and here's what I've observed.  I've worn it almost daily, which I haven't done since I was in the military as use of a wrist watch became superfluous with the ubiquitous cellphone. it's even gotten me interested in wristwatches as I've caught myself... Continue Reading →

Who cares about ITC ban on iPhone 4?

Certainly, Apple could care less about the ITC ban on the iPhone 4, iPad 2 based on their recent ruling in favor of Samsung.Giga Om recently published that Verizon's president is calling on his White House connections to override the Aug 5th start date of the punishment phase.So, why do i say this? Because Apple... Continue Reading →

DRO Concepts is now ShiftCases

Some may be familiar with my previous experience with DRO Concepts. Their cases were absolute crap that damaged my device and despite accepting my returned case, still haven't refunded my money and refuse to take my calls or emails. if you've ever been victimized by them, i truly feel for you and all can empathize.... Continue Reading →

apple and google aren’t competitors.

Nilay Patel just posted an editorial on The Verge, titled, "Apple's Bravado Clouds The Company's Real Challenges" and seems to base his thoughts on a foundation that is incorrect. He goes astray by making the assumption that Apple and Google are competitors, taking this to the incorrect conclusion that Apple is still failing due to their inability... Continue Reading →

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