Today, Apple, from Apple Park in California, announced the next generation of its streaming device -streaming–.
The origins of Apple TV date back to 2006 when it was introduced by Steve Jobs in September of that year as a "hobby". Since then, the Apple TV has received five renovations, the last one was presented more than three years ago.
This announcement could be quite thoughtful on Apple's part, as due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all people with broadband internet access have consumed some form of streaming video or audio. And is that, the version that precedes this new announcement fell short due to the rapid advancement of technology in terms of content transmitted in real time; for example, the ability to watch videos in 4K at 60 frames per second or the incorporation of new versions of HDR, such as Dolby Vision.
In addition, the Siri Remote, the remote control that debuted with the fourth-generation Apple TV that included, for the first time, a navigation touchpad, Lightning port for charging, Bluetooth for communicating with Apple TV, and a microphone for talking to Siri, was reintroduced.
"Apple TV 4K is in a class of its own, leveraging deep integration of Apple hardware, software and services that delivers a massive upgrade to any TV for the ultimate movie experience," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. And he noted that "with A12 Bionic and the new Siri Remote, Apple TV 4K lets customers enjoy their favorite shows, movies and more at the highest quality with simple, intuitive controls. And of course, Apple TV 4K offers easy access to Apple services, along with thousands of apps in the App Store for even more entertainment options.
New Apple TV 4K gives TV lovers a break during COVID-19 quarantine.
Today, Apple argued, via video streaming -streaming- an event to announce new features that fit the new reality. For the past year, Apple has decided to put live events with the public and press present on hold, so this spring's Apple Event could be seen through its website, YouTube and, of course, through Apple TV+.
One of the accessories accompanying Apple's ecosystem software update due next week, AirTags, small button-shaped accessories that promise to respond with sound using the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12's sensors, were announced.
On its site updated a few minutes ago, Apple says that the "AirTag helps you find your stuff really easily. Put one on your keys or your backpack so you can always see its location in the Find app. The app also lets you locate your Apple devices and stay in touch with family and friends.
The service is part of iCloud and works similarly to Apple's existing "Find My iPhone" service, which is now simply called "Find" within iOS, watchOS and macOS devices. They will have a user-replaceable battery and use a version of Bluetooth Low Energy to communicate not only with your iPhone, but with all the iPhones around it to estimate its location.
"The AirTag is splash, water and dust resistant [...] with an IP67 rating [...] (up to 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 1 m)".
"We are thrilled to bring this incredible new capability to iPhone users with the introduction of AirTag, leveraging the vast Find network, to help them track and find the important items in their lives," said Kaiann Drance, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing for iPhone. "With its design, unparalleled search experience and built-in privacy and security features, AirTag will provide customers with another way to harness the power of the Apple ecosystem and enhance the versatility of iPhone," she said.
Today, Apple's spring event was held, where they announced a change in Podcasts and, since the birth of iTunes in 2004, Podcasts has been one of the sections that has driven Apple in the area of online radio, not only making the company a leader in the market and selection of podcasts.
With that, Apple has made the announcement of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. And it's described as "a global marketplace for listeners to discover premium subscriptions offered by their favorite creators".
Apple is now focusing on podcast subscriptions with exclusive or additional content to traditional platforms. While it is true that subscription podcasts are not something new and that, for the most part, they are found on independent platforms, it does not have the scope if they cannot put on sale a service that, until now, Apple did not offer and that they had to do it via third-party applications, which was not attractive to the customer.
"Fifteen years ago, Apple introduced podcasts to the marketApple Podcasts, giving creators a world-class, open platform to inform, entertain and inspire hundreds of millions of listeners around the world," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "Today, Apple Podcasts is the best place for listeners to discover and enjoy millions of great shows, and we're proud to lead the next chapter of podcasting with Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. We're excited to introduce this powerful new platform to creators around the world, and we can't wait to hear what they do with it," he added.
The first Apple Podcasts subscriptions are expected to arrive in the second half of May available in the US. Subscriptions to the shows will include free episodes and, to access the new service, will require the latest version of iOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS software. And although the price of subscriptions was not specified, it is likely that these will be comparable to those existing in own or independent platforms.
Today, Apple held a virtual event to showcase innovative products that meet the lifestyle needs of the new normal. One of the major announcements was made by Apple CEO Tim Cook, who opened the event from Apple Park in a real-time broadcast - a virtual event.streaming- where there is still no human presence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The service, which began as Apple Pay, will expand to offer a credit service in the United States in the second half of May.
Apple Card Family - similar to the Family Sharing feature - Apple says, "allows two people to co-own an Apple Card," which is expected to allow two people to pool their credit lines "while building their credit history together.
However, the new features of the credit grants Goldman Sachs allow the integration of other family members over the age of 13 to establish "smart and safe financial habits".
"We designed Apple Card Family because we saw an opportunity to reinvent the way spouses, partners and the people you trust most share credit cards and build credit history together. There has been a lack of transparency and consumer understanding of how credit scores are calculated when there are two users of the same credit card, with the primary account holder receiving the benefit of building a strong credit history while the other does not," said Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay. "Apple Card Family allows people to build their credit history together equally."
Just this Sunday, the Oakland Police Department responded to a call at 10:16 a.m. for a shooting inside a residence in the 3300 block of Adeline Street, where officers found a man with gunshot wounds who, despite first responders' attention, died of his gunshot wounds.
Police are already investigating the incident and are in the process of notifying the victim's next of kin.
The fateful incident adds to a series of events that seem to give no respite. Given its pace and lethality, it seems that gun violence is becoming a pandemic for which there is no cure in sight.
Yesterday, Antioch police were reporting that a woman was in stable condition after a passenger accidentally shot her in her car.
The victim, who was in the driver's seat of a car parked at Antioch High School, was able to get the attention of an officer and explain that, minutes earlier, an unknown person had robbed him and shot him; however, the officer determined that the person who had pulled the gun was an acquaintance of the victim, who had accidentally detonated a handgun.
Police said the woman was shot while driving north on L Street near William Reed Drive by one of two men in the car, an 18-year-old and a 22-year-old, who got out of the vehicle and ran.
Another Antioch officer found both men at the intersection of L and W. 10th streets. One had a handgun, and a police dog found a second handgun nearby that is believed to have been fired in the shooting. Both men were arrested on suspicion of unlawful possession of firearms.
In the same area, police are searching for suspects after a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed Saturday night, April 17, at a home in Antioch.
The shooting occurred shortly after 6 p.m. at a home in the 4500 block of Shannondale Drive, a neighborhood near Antioch Water Park.
According to the local police department, when officers arrived at the scene, they were assaulted by several people who were at the scene as they attempted to reach the victim.
When the officers arrived at the garage, where the victim was found with multiple gunshot wounds, it was too late, as the young man had already died.
Officers said two suspects entered the garage and at least one of them began shooting at the victim. According to reports, the pair, whose identities are still unknown, left the scene on foot.
In San Jose the same Saturday morning, police responded to a shooting that left one person wounded.
The victim, who suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, was located in the area of Cottle Road and State Highway 85, according to the San Jose Police Department.
Just one day earlier, on Friday night, April 16, in the same city, San Jose police responded to two incidents involving gunfire.
The first shooting occurred at 11:14 p.m. in the 100 block of North 6th Street. At the scene, two adult males were wounded, one of them with life-threatening gunshot wounds.
The second incident was reported at 11:50 p.m. in the 3100 block of Silver Creek.
Add to that a shooting that sent two people to the hospital on Thursday, April 15, this time in Vallejo.
Vallejo Police Department officers responded that day at 5:30 p.m. to a shooting call in the area of Kentucky and Napa streets, authorities said.
At the scene, agents located two men alive with gunshot wounds, so they were taken to the hospital, where although they were in serious condition, they were reported stable.
That same day, but in San Francisco, officers from the local Police Department responded to a shooting call, which occurred around 6:40 p.m. in the Crocker-Amazon neighborhood.
The authority detailed that the victim was a 36-year-old man, who was sitting in his vehicle when a bullet grazed him. The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening, according to police.
Police were unable to arrest the shooter, who was described as a man in his 20s who was on foot.
The phone number for the San Francisco Police Department is (415) 837-7395. The phone number for the San Jose Police Department is (408) 277-5339.
These shootings occurred on just one weekend. It is now "normal" for residents to open a newspaper and learn of a gun incident almost daily. The same is true in cities across the country, where the pandemic of gun violence continues unabated.
As of Monday, April 19, 12,784 deaths by firearms were recorded in the country, according to the Armed Violence Archive.
The organization detailed that of that number of victims, 5,590 were for murder or without the intention of doing so, while 7,194 were due to suicide.
According to the figures detailed on their website, the number of mass shootings has been 153, while 11 mass murders have been recorded.
In just the first four months of the year, armed violence in the country has resulted in the deaths of 91 children and left another 193 injured, aged 0 to 11 years old.
Meanwhile, in the case of those aged 12 to 17, the figures reveal that 326 died from gunshot wounds, and 788 more were wounded by a firearm.
Notably, in the face of a rising tide of gun incidents in the country, President Joseph Biden will announce his first limited actions on gun control Thursday, according to a senior administration official.
According to previous statements by the U.S. president, he will order his administration to tighten restrictions on so-called ghost weapons and stabilizer mounts that allow weapons to be used more accurately.
These actions are in line with Biden's pledges to take immediate "common sense" steps to seek to curb the rising shootings.
In addition, a gun control advocate has been proposed to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
It has been more than a year since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic for COVID-19, a disease that has taken millions of people from a loved one. In the face of so much pain, fear and worry, it is almost instinctive to ask those around us or those we see again, "How do you feel?" because after so much, mental health will be the priority to move forward to a "new normal".
Concentrating on negative thoughts and emotions can make coping even more difficult, because COVID-19 is changing everyone's daily life.
For many, it means adjusting to unexpected changes in their daily routines, such as school, work, social or family life, and for others, it can be even more challenging when it involves having to put aside an important event, dealing with financial issues, pressures or coping with the loss of a loved one.
"Adjusting to these new realities and the uncertainties of the future can generate strong emotions in both adults and children that can sometimes be overwhelming. Nearly half of today's adults in the U.S. are experiencing increased distress," San Mateo County said through the Health Department's website.
Therefore, taking care of mental health, as well as physical health, is an important aspect of maintaining the overall well-being of all residents, he says.
But what can you do?
In the face of feelings like anxiety, stress, worry, and sadness, fortunately, there are things you can do to maintain your mental health and avoid harmful coping behaviors, such as substance use.
Healthy ways include practicing self-care, staying in touch, and asking for help when needed.
In that vein, San Mateo County is helping young residents stay well during this time through its "Crushing the Curve" program, a campaign designed to educate teens - and their parents or guardians - about how to stay healthy, mentally and physically, through the website crushingthecurve.me.
Talk to someone
The first thing you should know is that you are not alone. So, if you or someone you know would like immediate emotional support, you can call one of the following confidential, toll-free crisis hotlines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: English (800) 273-8255. Spanish-speaking: (888) 628-9454. Deaf and hard of hearing: (800) 799-4889.
Chat with Lifeline at suicidepreventionlifeline.org
San Mateo County Crisis Hotline -and Drug and Alcohol Hotline-: StarVista (650) 579-0350. Crisis Text Line Send BAY to 741741
Veterans Crisis Line: Call (800) 273-8255 or text 838-255, or chat at www.veteranscrisisline.net.
Also, call the disaster hotline at (800) 985-5990, text TALKSWITHUS to 66746 or log on to www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline.
For LGBTTTIQ+ youth, dial TrevorLifeline at (866) 488-7386 or text START to 678-678, or chat at www.thetrevorproject.org.
National Domestic Violence Hotline, (800) 799-7233 (SAFE), in Spanish at 1-800-787-3224; chat (Accessible in over 200 languages) at www.thehotline.org.
If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, you can call or text 9-1-1, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room if you can get there safely.
Find a mental health and substance use treatment service
If you are a San Mateo County resident with Medi-Cal or are uninsured, you can call the San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Access Call Center at (800) 686-0101, for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, dial 711 or visit www.smchealth.org/bhrsservices.
And if you have a health plan through your employer or have private health insurance, call the number on your health plan membership card to find a provider.
Remember that by being well yourself, you will be able to help others to get through these times when we need each other. You are not alone.
Cases of COVID-19 are declining for the first time since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11 of last year, when the first wave of cases of SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that originated in a market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, China, was reported.
Since last year, federal and local health officials have been calling for people to stay home to avoid catching or transmitting the coronavirus.
Suddenly, people began to move their daily lives to the comfort of their homes, taking online courses and classes, watching movies without leaving the house and minimizing meetings with people outside the home; additionally, companies did what we were always told could not be done: work remotely.
In the case of technology companies that offer digital services, like most of Silicon Valley, they integrated, without much inconvenience, their work life to their home life in a matter of weeks regardless of the complexity of their activities.
For example, in the case of Pixar Animation Studios, the now Oscar-nominated animated film had to be completed, Soul and debuting in the service of video streaming in real time -streaming- given the closure of cinema complexes around the world.
Companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Square, Microsoft and Uber's corporate activities are encouraging their workers to continue telecommuting from home after the end of security measures imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Insider reported.
Instead, Google's offices are threatening to open and require workers to relocate as soon as possible to their facilities starting this month and, if any worker requires it, they will be able to work only 14 days remotely with advance notice.
Google anticipates that all staff will be working from headquarters no later than September 1 of this year, with the limitation of appealing the decision "in specific cases" for an additional 12 months of teleworking.
As reported by CNBC, the computer giant planned a strategy of returning to the office from December 2020 and incorporating its face-to-face activities by the end of 2021 three times a week.
However, starting this April 20, some of Google's established Seattle offices will reopen again to return to face-to-face work.
The Anderson Collection and the Cantor Arts Center will be awaiting the general public beginning Wednesday to delight the senses of all art lovers.
While the doors of these venues will reopen, people will be required to reserve timed tickets through the website. sto.stanfordtickets.org.
It should be noted that only the first floor of the Anderson Collection will be reopened initially. The second floor will remain closed during this first phase of reopening, and the entire museum will be temporarily closed for the summer beginning May 3 for building maintenance. The Anderson Collection will reopen in fall 2021.
The opening hours to attend the collections will be: Monday and Tuesday: CLOSED, while from Wednesday to Sunday the opening hours are from 11 am to 5 pm.
Special hours for members will be held from April 21 to 25 from 10 am to 11 am.
"These times are reserved exclusively for our members, however, they can also book tickets during regular hours," the institution said in a statement.
To access the spaces, a "new normal" must be followed that includes: staying home if you feel unwell, timed tickets for entry, face masks for all visitors over the age of 2, maintaining a social distance of six feet between visitors.
In an effort to provide some relief from the economic stress and burden the pandemic is causing, in early April, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began providing financial assistance to cover funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020, as a result of deaths related to COVID-19 disease caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
"At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters," said the agency's acting administrator, Bob Fenton.
The official added that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense grief for many people. "Although we cannot change what has happened, we affirm our commitment to help with funeral and burial expenses that many families did not anticipate.
FEMA policy states that to be eligible for assistance you must meet certain criteria:
Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020 as a result of a death attributed to COVID-19.
If more than one person contributed to funeral expenses, they must apply under the same application. FEMA will also consider documents provided by other persons who are not listed as applicant and co-applicant but who have incurred funeral expenses for the deceased person for whom assistance is requested.
An applicant may apply for assistance for more than one deceased person.
The death attributed to COVID-19 must have occurred in the U.S. - which includes all U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
Assistance is limited to a maximum monetary amount of nine thousand per funeral service and up to a maximum of 35 thousand per request.
Assistance is intended to help cover funeral, burial or cremation expenses.
Applicants must also retain and compile the following documentation:
An official death certificate attributing the death to COVID-19 and showing that the death occurred in the U.S. The death certificate must state that the death "may have been caused by", "possibly as a result of" COVID-19 or symptoms similar to those generated by SARS-CoV-2, or other similar phrases indicating a high likelihood of such disease will be considered sufficient.
Funeral expense documents - receipts, funeral home contract, etc. - that include the applicant's name, the name of the deceased, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses were incurred.
Evidence of funds received from other sources to be used specifically for funeral expenses.
For more information on this assistance, interested parties can visit the COVID-19 Assistance website at FEMA.gov.
To apply for assistance, call 1-844-684-6333 (TTY 1-800-462-7585), which is open Monday through Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Today, Jim Ryan, president, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, announced that the store PlayStation Store - which currently offers its service for older PlayStation 3 consoles (launched in 2006), the PlayStation Vita (2011) - will continue to operate.
Upon further reflection," Ryan says, "it's clear that we made the wrong decision here," referring to the announcement of the closing of the PlayStation Store on July 2 for the PlayStation 3 and for the PlayStation Vita on August 27, which will only be effective for the PlayStation Portable.
The decision comes with criticism of Sony Interactive Entertainment, especially its executive management, for making the decision to close the PlayStation Store on those legacy platforms, which would mean that access to all video game development from the past 15 years would be lost.
Another criticism opened up the debate of planned obsolescence for current and previous generation Sony-produced consoles, after it was discovered that both as digital and physical licenses - the video games - would lack functionality once the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 could no longer keep track of the time and date after the CMOS battery power runs out in the future and cannot connect to the PlayStation Store due to its eventual shutdown.
This deliberate failure on Sony's part was proven by Spawn Wave, who set about the task of disassembling a PlayStation 4 only to discover that the device "could be rendered unusable years later".
In the video, it is demonstrated that, after removing the battery that keeps the internal clock running -emulating its lack of power- from the game console; the device loses the ability to run any kind of physical software or software purchased through the PlayStation Store to emulate a scenario where the service has been interrupted as it was originally planned to do with the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Store Vita.
