Recent Articles

They seriously are upping their game. Still runs Windows though.

Yeah, [I’d uninstall Ghostery as quickly as you can](https://twitter.com/1BlockerApp/status/858578767039651841). FWIW, 1Blocker ([iOS](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/block-ads-trackers-more-with-1blocker/id1025729002?mt=8&uo=4&at=1l3v36d), [Mac](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/block-ads-trackers-more-with-1blocker/id1107421413?mt=12&uo=4&at=1l3v36d)) is your best option. Second, I think we can all agree on a new internet rule: if the company name ends with an exclamation mark, run away.

Charlie Savage:

> The decision is a major development in American surveillance policy. It brings to an end a once-secret form of wiretapping that privacy advocates have argued overstepped the Fourth Amendment’s ban on unreasonable searches — even though the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court upheld it as lawful — because the government was intercepting communications based on what they say, rather than who sent or received them.

The single most amazing thing about this post is that DEVONthink actually adds the items to the library quickly. (Do note how he’s not entirely sure where in the list they are added, the app is confusing by design.)

UPDATE: Wanted to post that Viticci pointed out that my aside about not knowing where the file would end up isn’t accurate. See his tweet [here](https://twitter.com/viticci/status/857974372304289792). What I mean in that comment was that he would add a file in the video and then scroll around on the list to find it. To me that seems counter intuitive to how the app should handle this. Why not just select the new file added right away in this case? That’s what the app should do, but doesn’t. Thanks to Federico for pointing out the vagueness of my comment.

I wrote up a review of a knife for Tools & Toys, go check it out if you were missing my knife writing.

Brett Terpstra on the change with iTunes App affiliate links:

> I use affiliate links on everything. I’ve built many tools, including SearchLink to make this easy, and it generates a small portion of my monthly income. Not a lot, but it’s enough to notice. On an average month, I’ll make about $200. With this cut, that same amount of traffic will bring me about $75 dollars. A popular post written for MacStories can earn me $200 in affiliate sales on its own. Again, that’s now $75. And the average post, even with MacStories traffic, earns $20 to $30… which is now $10 or less. It’s a drastic cut to mention in passing just one week before it takes effect.

I mentioned this on Twitter, but I make about $70 a month off what small affiliate linking I do for apps. At this point, with this change, it no longer is worth any effort on my part to be annoyed with making those affiliate links for iTunes. Luckily, I have a [business model which is stable](https://brooksreview.net/join). But this really sucks for a lot of great sites and writers. $200 on a guest post is nothing to bat an eye at — it’s more than most get paid directly for such articles.

Ben Bajarin on why you need mobile and desktop apps:

> The counter-argument is to say it isn’t that hard to pick up your smartphone and open the app and do what you want to do. However, having observed a range of consumers who have both desktop and mobile apps of the same software, there is no arguing that being able to do what you want or need to do on the device you are using is far superior. While it seems easy enough to just pick up your smartphone to use an app you don’t have on your desktop, it misses the reality of the increased friction in that experience.

Mike Isaac:

> In a quest to build Uber into the world’s dominant ride-hailing entity, Mr. Kalanick has openly disregarded many rules and norms, backing down only when caught or cornered. He has flouted transportation and safety regulations, bucked against entrenched competitors and capitalized on legal loopholes and gray areas to gain a business advantage. In the process, Mr. Kalanick has helped create a new transportation industry, with Uber spreading to more than 70 countries and gaining a valuation of nearly $70 billion, and its business continues to grow.

And to end it:

> But only momentarily. After all, Mr. Kalanick had faced off against Apple, and Uber had survived. He had lived to fight another day.

You likely saw the best part, where he was scolded by Cook, but these two bits are far more telling. The only way Uber stops being shady shitheads is if they face real consequences. They should have been pulled from the App Store immediately.

Well put.

MG Siegler on Amazon:

> Those magical stores where you just walk in and walk out, item in hand, without ever waiting in line to pay, may have some kinks to work out. But those kinks will be worked out. Is there really any question that this is the way this should be done in a world where every single person has a super computer in their pocket? Have you used Uber? Would you bet against this? Would you bet against this company doing this?

If it weren’t for the stigma which surrounds the work-life balance of working for Amazon, I would have to think they would be the single biggest source of talent drain across *most* industries. Astonishing what they accomplish.

Tim Hardwick:

The lawsuit alleges that Bose tracks the listening habits of users when they are wearing headsets like the company’s QuietComfort 35 headphones, gleaning information through the app such as music tracks played, podcasts, and other audio listened to.

Jack Marshall:

The ad-blocking feature, which could be switched on by default within Chrome, would filter out certain online ad types deemed to provide bad experiences for users as they move around the web.

Marshall also notes that Google pays to be part of the “acceptable advertising” program and might actually block all ads on sites with the shady ads instead of just the shady ads.

This is devious as fuck on Google’s part.

They control a major web browser, (47.4% market share in US) and they rely on ads for profits. Now they get to decide which of those ads people who use Chrome can see, by default. If you think for one moment Google is going to block Google ads, then you are wrong. This is a smart business play, but fucking devious.

Om Malik:

What I like about Japan is its subtlety. It is aloof, it is shy and almost silent. And yet when you slow your rhythm to its ways, the slow hypnotization starts to take control of your sense.

Japan is one of my favorite countries, not just because it is a part of my genetics, but in spite of the the fact I loathe most traditional Japanese food. Even still, it’s magic.

To me Japan represents the core of respect, and it can take time to pick up on that. If you do get the chance to go, I can show just exactly what I mean, in a very short time span: go to McDonalds. Yeah, I know what you are thinking, but go there and get two things: a burger and fries.

Don’t dive into it like you would in your home country, instead look at it. It looks like the fucking marketing pictures, and it’s astounding. I can’t tell you how many people don’t believe me on this.

Respect. Love Japan. Amazing country.