Category: Apple Inc.

WWDC Minor Predictions

by Eric DoleckiApple Inc. / Blog / GeneralLeave a Comment on WWDC Minor Predictions

WWDC17

Some very minor predictions of mine for WWDC17

  • There will be barrels of Odwalla juice again. I haven’t been to WWDC in a few years due to coming up empty on the lottery – but I have always liked when Apple did that in the past. If you’re peckish between sessions, a quick grab is always welcome.
  • Apple might sell WWDC17 branded Apple Watch bands (silicone). I was thinking it could be part of entry swag, but not everyone has an Apple Watch. Imagine that. But probably true. However selling them for $49 or so might not be a bad idea. Use that WWDC17 red for the band with subtle white lettering near the watch body.
  • Gruber will be selling Daring Fireball shirts at a table in the lobby of The California Theater on Tuesday night. He’s a rock star in the Apple public ecosystem – so it’s probably a no-brainer. I’ve always liked the simple grey with light grey star on it. If it’s there, I’ll be bringing one home with me.
  • Lyft will be busy carting people to 1 Infinite Loop to visit the store and have a walk around. At least they will be busy doing that for me.
  • A lot of developers are probably going to be wandering around looking for cool things to do. San Francisco had some sight seeing available (Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, other stuff). This is my first trip to San Jose, so I don’t know what’s around there. A worker who returned from Google I/O said there was a street someplace that was loaded with great restaurants. I hope to find it. Ethiopian if I can find it.
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WWDC 17 Packing List

by Eric DoleckiApple Inc. / Apple TV / Apple Watch / Blog / General / Objective-C / Swift / XcodeLeave a Comment on WWDC 17 Packing List

WWDC17

It’s almost time for WWDC17, this year in San Jose, CA instead of San Francisco. I haven’t been in several years because my lottery skills are obviously lacking. I managed to score one this year and I’m pretty excited. What will I take this year?

Well, to be honest, taking a laptop to sessions in the past, for me, has been serious overkill. I might jot some notes down in a Moleskine or other notebook – for transcription later. Taking notes on a laptop brings distraction to the game for me. Am I plugged in and charging? I need to get close to a plug. Oh, I can check Facebook during this session. Email. Pretend to be coding something amazing in Xcode. Taking notes on a laptop makes me feel like a court stenographer and I want to relax a bit and take the information in. I can always watch the session again later in its stored video format (to catch some details that might have gone by too quickly).

I will still take my trusty MacBook Pro R, but that will be for when I’m back in my room at night – coding, emailing, sorting photos, watching session videos again, etc. It will probably stay in my room locked up. Charged and ready for my welcome return at the close of each day. That will save me a bunch of weight to lug around too. I can use my laptop bag for other things, including hoofing multiple Odwalla juices around (if they supply those big cans of it around the venue).

For travel:

  • Bose QuietControl 30
  • Bose QuietComfort 35
  • Casio ProTrek PRW 3100y-1B (all black) watch

For the sessions:

  • iPhone 6 Plus. The most important bit of gear I have.
  • At least two portable battery chargers. Anker Astro Pro Series(20000mAH) and a RavPower (16750mAH)one I had before the Anker. Both charged up and ready to fly. The Anker needs plugged into an outlet, the RavPower does microUSB for charging.
  • Two point-and-shoot cameras – both Sony. An older one which is my favorite, and a newer model which I don’t like as much.
  • Timbuk2 messenger laptop bag.
  • Moleskine, fountain pen, EDC pens, etc.
  • Zojirushi Coffee Thermos 20oz. Über awesome and über important.
  • Various cables, USB wall plugs, etc.
  • Takeya ThermoFlask Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, 40 oz, Asphalt. Huge. Perfect. Might leave at the hotel as it could be overkill.
  • Apple Watch series 2. I’m hoping Apple updates the WWDC iOS app and it gets watch support – for keeping us on our selected schedules, getting important updates, map support, etc.
  • Sunglasses. For me, very important.

Hotel:

  • Takeya ThermoFlask Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, 40 oz, Asphalt. Huge. Perfect. No water bottles.
  • Couple of polos/shirts (a few older WWDC ones, a Swift logo one, etc.)
  • Shorts/jeans/Scarpa shoes. Scarpa Margherita rock.
  • A spring jacket in case it gets cool at night (Patagonia fold up for laptop bag) – not wearing a WWDC17 one if Apple swags those out.
  • Livionex tooth gel. Its amazing.
  • Wet shaving and beard gear. Very important to clean up daily.
  • Packing cubes. Although I’m not bringing a ton of clothes, they really, really, really help keep things tidy. I know I’ll be bringing back a few additional shirts and a sweatshirt at least.
  • Snooz white noise generator (I got from Kickstarter)
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Apple Watch notification when Mac is unlocked with it.

by Eric DoleckiApple Inc. / Blog / GeneralLeave a Comment on Apple Watch notification when Mac is unlocked with it.

I appreciate unlocking my Mac using my Apple Watch. It’s convenient. It’s not as robust as some other solutions that use my phone as a beacon and unlock as I approach. But it’s good.

One thing I don’t especially like is when the Mac is unlocked with my watch: I get a temporary notification on the watch telling me the Mac was unlocked. It goes away upon the next wrist raise, but it might be nice to just turn that notification off if possible. Maybe in the next

Maybe we’ll see such a checkbox in a future macOS release.