Apple Event

I only have time for some quick thoughts on today's Apple Event

Apple Watch seems like it's doing well. The changes cosmetic (new colors for aluminum and some new bands) rather than a true 2.0 with new sensors or other changes (which will probably come in the first half of next year). The fact that you can get a black steel model with a sport band instead of having to get the expensive bracelet is nice. The new faces are just new images. New complications and 3rd party complications could be interesting if you have a specific need.

The idea that Hermes is selling models that have custom faces (I think that's what's happening) is one I hadn't thought of. This might explain why people can write apps but not faces.

The IPad Pro is very interesting but I want to see it in person to get a sense of how large it is. I don't care about the (4) speakers as much but at this point a full 1.5 lbs like the first gen iPad sounds heavy. They made a big deal about the Smart Keyboard but I'm more interesting in whether the software keyboard is really full sized and how nice it would be to type with it on my lap. It's very expensive too. I could live with just wifi but I'd be happier with 64GB than 32GB, leaving the 128GB option at $949. The Pencil seems like a really nice and expensive stylus. Can wait to see tourists holding up a giant iPad Pro to take pictures with.

They now sell 5 models of iPad and that seems like two too many. Each comes in 3 colors, 3 storage sizes and with or without cellular for a total of almost 90 models. There should just be Mini, Air (or regular) and Pro and they should all be in 32, 64 and 128GB models. They're including older models at lower price points but I think they should work on more improvements to get people to replace them more often and beef up the used market as a result.

The medical apps they demoed seemed pretty nice, but I know it will be 5-10 years before I see them in my doctor's office (I still can't email my doctor, though I can get x-rays on a CD, now if only my iMac had a CD reader).

Seems like they did well with Apple TV. A TouchPad on the remote is a nice idea and while they didn't emphasize it, it acts like a Wiimote so it's better as a game controller. Depending on how well it works, the Siri interface could be really nice. The MLB app could be killer, though they didn't mention pricing or blackout details. Can someone in Boston watch a Red Sox game live on it? I'm guessing not. I don't think I'm giving up my TiVo Roamio Pro any time soon. And by the way, it's search works across my recordings, netflix, amazon, hulu and other services too, though I have to type it, the Slide Pro Remote has made that pretty painless. I hope Siri has an easy way to tell her that she interpreted the last thing you said incorrectly.

The apps and games stuff seems nice. And apparently Apps are universal across the new Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad which is really nice.

The iPhone 6s and 6s+ seem nice too. Sure we got regular improvements in chips and cameras and a new rose gold color, but they seem to have done the 3D Touch thing well. The UI is finally using the layers that were so explicitly mentioned in Ive's iOS 7 design. It does seem like iOS is finally getting a right-click. Live Photos seems like a gimmick. I've seen tweets how they're Hogwart's paintings or that Window's phone have had them (is this true? I've not heard of them).

The new iCloud storage pricing is better and the new iPhone Upgrade program is something I'd have to work out the math for to consider (particularly with Verizon's new plans). I paid $416 in December for a 64GB iPhone 6 with AppleCare (and sales tax) I plan to keep for two years. That would instead be $36.58/month or ~$440 a year but I'd get a new phone in a year.