Linked List: October 29, 2019

Tuesday, 29 October 2019

The Talk Show: ‘Just the Tips’ 

Special guest John Moltz returns to the show. Topics include the just-released AirPods Pro (and the pluralization thereof), the history of remote controls, the impending launch of Apple TV+, and the undisputed highlight of the 2019 World Series.

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The Answer: Like if an Apple Watch and an iPad Pro Had a Very Ugly Baby 

The question: What does Xiaomi’s first smartwatch look like?

Dieter Bohn’s Pixel 4 Review 

Dieter Bohn, writing for The Verge:

The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are the best argument that specs don’t tell you everything you need to know about a phone — because the experience of using a Pixel 4 is better than any other Android phone.

There is a nuanced difference between saying “specs don’t tell you the whole story” and “specs don’t matter,” because they absolutely do — if only because the wrong ones can ruin the whole thing. There are a few places where Google could have done better, especially with battery life. But overall the Pixel 4 hits enough of the marks to pass, and it’s a few new features from Google that push the experience ahead of the pack.

I’ve always thought, and still think now, that the best description of the Pixel phones is that they’re for people who want to use a Google-centric version of Android on iPhone-like hardware. Even the argument that “specs don’t tell you the whole story” sounds like the lede of an Apple product review.

Joanna Stern’s Pixel 4 Review: ‘The Smartest Smartphone You Probably Won’t Buy’ 

The good:

Voice. Ah, my true love: the Recorder app. Hit record, and in real-time it instantly transcribes what’s being said. Unlike with many competing dictation apps that require connection to the cloud, this process happens entirely on the Pixel device. Even when you cut the Wi-Fi and cellular connections, it works — and works super well, as you can see in the video.

I recruited people with different voices, including one of the world’s fastest talkers. It struggled when transcribing Shakespeare, and stumbled on an Irish accent, but it held its own, especially on speed, against a court stenographer. None of the recordings or transcripts are shared with Google; no other apps have access to the recordings, unless you explicitly choose to share them.

Truly seems like an amazing feature — especially so that it’s entirely on-device. This puts iOS’s transcription to shame.

The bad:

The battery life is unforgivingly so-so. In my testing of the Pixel 4 XL, I was often in the red by 9 p.m. — substantially earlier than with the new iPhones. On the days I tested the Recorder app, I had to charge around 5 p.m. (Google warns that transcription and captioning can tax the battery.) The regular-size Pixel 4 has an even smaller battery, rated for even shorter battery life.

iOS 13.2 Emoji Changelog 

Keith Broni, writing for Emojipedia:

Today Apple has released iOS 13.2, introducing the likes of a white heart, yawning face and flamingo to the emoji keyboard. A more diverse keyboard adds options such as people holding hands with a mix of skin tones, people in wheelchairs, with a hearing aid or cane.

A lot of changes — including a bunch with gender-neutral defaults. I like the UI for choosing skin colors for both sides of the people-holding-hands emoji.

Software ETAs 

Brent Simmons:

The only reason anything ever ships is because people just keep working until it’s ready.