Category: Apple Insider

A Macintosh SE used by Steve Jobs at NeXT [via Bonhams]

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The History of Science and Technology including Space History auction being held by Bonhams features a wide array of documents and physical items connected to noteworthy events, companies, and individuals. Among the listings is a considerable number of lots dedicated to Apple and to Steve Jobs.

The highlight lot is a Macintosh SE computer used by Steve Jobs, while he worked at NeXT, following his initial departure from Apple.

The computer is described as having been originally set up for use by Jobs’ assistant in late 1987 to early 1988. The hard drive inside the machine is said to hold data relating to his working schedule, including task lists, recruiting work, travel, and details of a missed meeting with King Charles III, known at the time as the Prince of Wales.

It moved from the original NeXT office in Palo Alto to Redwood City, an inventory of Jobs’ office reveals, and it was still on Jobs’ desk when the current owner started working for him in 1993. There is also evidence that daughter Lisa Brennan-Jobs used the Macintosh SE when visiting the office.

The last task the Macintosh was used for before being provided to the current owner was a marketing project in 1994.

The listing for the lot puts a valuation for the Macintosh SE at between $200,000 and $300,000. It includes the 20MB hard drive, an additional backup drive, a keyboard, and a mouse.

The auction contains a number of other Apple-specific lots, including the Apple II: Ventless Rev 0, valued at between $20,000 and $30,000, and an Apple Macintosh Team Polo Shirt from the 1980s, expected to sell for between $1,000 and $2,000.

Other Jobs-related items in the auction include a NeXT performance review from 1995 signed by Jobs, thought to be worth between $6,000 and $8,000, and “Personal items from Steve Jobs’ NeXT office” at between $1,000 and $2,000. A trio of three Pixar business cards for Jobs is listed at between $2,000 and $3,000.

Bonhams’ History of Science and Technology, including Space History auction is open for bidding and will culminate in a live auction on October 25.

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The vote was 56 in favor of unionization, and 32 opposed. The union will be part of the Communications Workers of America.

“I want everyone to realize unions aren’t just for those bad and hard workplaces, it is for everyone in America, we have the right to unionize,” organizer Patrick Hart from the store said before the vote. “I just want people to realize that, because it can do a lot of good for a lot of people who feel they’re stuck in their workplace.”

“They don’t have to leave their job, they can just make their current one a better place,” he continued.

Staff at the store have said that the motivation behind the unionization effort is to “have a seat at the table and negotiate what our experience looks like.” Workers also reportedly grew tired of store management repeating “that’s just the how it is” to complaints.

Apple has not commented publicly on the vote’s results. The National Labor Relations Board executed the election.

AirTag on a bag.

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After a chaotic weekend for Lufthansa where its social media presence made it clear that Apple’s AirTags weren’t welcome in checked baggage, the airline seems to have reconsidered. In a Tweet, the airline made it clear that the trackers are now allowed.

The German Aviation Authorities (Luftfahrtbundesamt) confirmed today, that they share our risk assessment, that tracking devices with very low battery and transmission power in checked luggage do not pose a safety risk. With that these devices are allowed on Lufthansa flights.

— Lufthansa News (@lufthansaNews) October 12, 2022

It’s unclear why Lufthansa said that the Luftfahrtbundesamt shares its risk assessment of AirTags. The airline was explicit over the weekend that they considered the devices unsafe for flight, despite international airline regulations being clear about the matter.

AppleInsider contacted six Lufthansa flight employees in the US who are not authorized to speak on behalf of the company while preparing this story. Three thought that the ban was still in place, two didn’t know about the ban, and one didn’t know what an AirTag was, or how it worked. So, it’s not clear if the new guidance — or any information at all — has been promulgated completely.

Following initial reports in German media, the airline’s Twitter account was asked to confirm that a ban was in place. In one tweet, the rumor is confirmed with Lufthansa “banning activated AirTags from luggage as they are classified as dangerous and need to be turned off.”

Pressed further on the classification, the airline claims “According to ICAO guidelines, baggage trackers are subject to the dangerous goods regulations. Furthermore, due to their transmission function, the trackers must be deactivated during the flight if they are in checked baggage and cannot be used as a result.”

The airline’s claim about International Civilian Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines was entirely wrong. The regulation that Lufthansa is citing specifically talks about lithium ion battery regulations, such as those used in larger devices like a MacBook Pro that have more than 2 grams of lithium. An AirTag uses a battery with about 0.2 grams of lithium — far too small to be considered an issue under the guidelines.

If AirTags were banned because of lithium content, then most battery-powered watches would need to be as well.

AppleInsider spoke with multiple international aviation experts before our report on October 9, and more since. Universally, they have told us over several days that Lufthansa’s ban wasn’t based on anything in the regulation. One went so far as to say that the ban was “a way to stop Lufthansa from being embarrassed by lost luggage.”

AirTags have led to embarrassment for airlines and airports, such as instances where luggage got lost at an airport between flights, as well as an office full of lost luggage. It has also helped with the arrest of a baggage handler who stole thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and other items.

iPadOS 16 introduces Stage Manager, a window management tool for iPad

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Apple announced in September that iPadOS 16 would arrive in October. And now, the operating system is rumored to arrive one week before the end of the month.

If the predicted date is correct, that means that Apple will make the “release candidate” available on or around October 18. A beta is still expected on or around October 11 as well.

The company is also expected to release macOS Ventura alongside the other operating systems.

It’s not entirely clear why Apple decided to wait until October for iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura. The most likely explanation is the pair will arrive alongside as-yet unannounced hardware. Waiting on a hardware announcement to release pending operating systems will prevent code disassemblers from gleaning details about new products.

Apple has already said that the first release of iPadOS 16 will be iPadOS 16.1, to stay consistent with iOS 16 revision numbers.

Apple’s improvements to iPadOS 16 include the introduction of Stage Manager for some iPad Pro models to better handle app windows on multiple displays, along with many iOS 16 changes.

Apple’s beta testing cycle is still underway for iPadOS 16. In the fifth beta, Apple brought back the battery percentage indicator, which got a lot of social traction. That beta also had a new Lock Screen music visualizer, an audio tone for locating the Apple Watch, screenshot changes, and alterations to Music for Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio indicators.

The fourth beta of iOS 16 included changes ranging from reducing the unsend-message time to just two minutes, displaying a log of changes for edited Messages communications, Lock Screen refinements, to new wallpapers and an ActivityKit API.

The third beta added a Lockdown mode that disabled various commonly-exploited aspects, one intended for use by activists, journalists, and government officials who may become targets of hacking. Apple also included the first implementation of the shared Photos library, tweaks to the Lock Screen, and changes to Stage Manager.

Third-gen iPhone SE

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Apple’s update to the third-gen iPhone SE largely consisted of an internals upgrade, but the fourth-gen model could offer more. In a report about the next iteration of the model, it seems that Apple could modernize the package a lot.

According to Display Supply Chain Consultants analyst Ross Young speaking to MacRumors, a previous claim of a 5.7-inch to 6.1-inch LCD display from October 2021 has been refined. Now, Young forecasts for the iPhone SE to move to a 6.1-inch display with a notch.

The suggestion is accompanied by the possible hint of Apple adding the Dynamic Island to the SE in a 2024 update. If that timing is true, that could also mean Dynamic Island could be present on all four of Apple’s flagship launches.

A switch to an edge-to-edge display would also require a move away from the traditional Home button the line has long continued to use, but including a notch may not necessarily mean a transition to Face ID. There have been suggestions of a move over to a side-mounted Touch ID system, like the iPad Air.

Young’s claims seem to match those of other earlier proclamations about the device.

In December 2021, Ming-Chi Kuo reckoned a large-screen model would arrive in 2023. In August, there was speculation that Apple could use a design similar to the iPhone XR, which uses a large LCD screen with a notch, since Apple tends to reuse older popular smartphone designs in rejigging the iPhone SE.

The Aventon Pace 500 e-bike

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Biking as a form of travel is nothing new, and the United States is probably the furthest behind in maintaining it as a regular form of transport. Here in northeast Tennessee, we’re only just getting used to the bike lanes being painted throughout our town.

We are not BicycleInsider. This review is not painted as “by bicycle experts, for bicycle experts,” but instead as a primer for folks new to e-bikes and the Aventon Pace 500. From what we’ve seen, the Aventon Pace 500 is a great introduction to the e-bike phenomenon.

The Aventon Pace 500 is a step-over cruiser frame with sweptback handlebars. It weighs 52 pounds, can achieve up to 28 miles per hour with pedal assist, and has a 25 to 48-mile range on a single charge.

It has eight speeds with five levels of pedal assist. It has a 300-pound weight limit.

A digital display shows information like speed, range, battery remaining, and pedal assist level. There is also a hidden USB-A port to connect and charge your phone if needed.

Integrated headlights and taillights turn on with a button press. The taillights light up when the brake levers are pulled.

The controller for pedal assist is located on the left handlebar, right next to the throttle. Buttons for powering the bike, toggling the lights, and controlling the throttle assist level are here.

The throttle lever is next to the controller and easily be pressed with a thumb. It is helpful for getting started from a stop and speeding up on demand without pedaling.

The battery is integrated with the frame with a charging port at the top. The 500W motor is in the back wheel and doesn’t stand out.

The cross bar design reminds us of bikes we rode as a child. It is a classic design and feels sturdy when riding around town.

I was somewhat intimidated by picking up biking anew at 31 years old. The Navy did a number on my joints and back, but perhaps that’s why I was the perfect candidate to try Aventon’s bike. The low-impact exercise and pedal assist made this a much more approachable activity.

If biking is something you’re interested in for exercise, commuting, or even just for fun, the Aventon Pace 500 has proven to be a great option. There are lighter e-bikes out there, but we feel this one is the perfect combination of size, range, and durability.

The Aventon Pace 500 arrived in a few boxes and required some assembly. It didn’t take long, and the instructions were straightforward.

All of the parts and tools needed were included in the box, and an official video on YouTube guided the process. The front wheel needed to be attached, the handlebars adjusted, and the battery inserted.

After inflating the tires and checking the seat position, it was ready to ride. Note we’ve added a few accessories to this bike, a MagSafe mount keeps our iPhone in place and visible on the handlebars, and an AirTag is hidden in a reflector under the seat.

The battery takes between 3 and 7 hours to charge. It has no battery memory issues, so a recharge after each ride is recommended.

Once we adjusted to having a throttle and pedal assist, riding came rather naturally. The brakes felt great and stopped the bike swiftly, and then the throttle allowed our ride to resume quickly.

The display shows needed information brightly, even in the sun. As we rode across town, we could see exactly how fast we were going and the slowly diminishing battery level.

After crossing town to a local seafood restaurant, it showed we had ridden nine miles and had about 70% battery left. That was in line with the rated 40-mile range.

This isn’t a sport bike, so there aren’t any shocks to absorb bumps. We could feel every big bump and crack in the road.

The seat is comfortable, but it takes some getting used to. We were certainly saddle-sore after the first couple of long rides.

The bike performs excellently and has a pleasant whirring sound when the motor is operating. It isn’t loud but is audible in quiet locations.

The speed picks up quickly when increasing the pedal assist levels. Being able to hit 20 MPH in just a few pedal pushes is quite exhilarating.

While we don’t recommend repeating this for obvious safety reasons, we also rode on gravel trails with the Pace 500. Parts of the nature trail near our home are covered in gravel rather than paved. The bike was able to propel us, pedal-assisted, up a small sloped gravel trail without issue.

If the bike senses a loss of traction, the pedal assist feature turns off abruptly. The bike handled the gravel path without issue on our multiple passes, and the tires held up fine.

On paved roads, the bike performs perfectly. It glides smoothly across the pavement with little effort and makes slight inclines feel like nothing with pedal assist.

This is an e-bike with electrical components and a motor, but rain isn’t an issue — we’ve been caught in a downpour while riding. However, Aventon warns against prolonged exposure or using vehicle mounts in rain storms.

Aventon rates this e-bike at a 28 MPH top speed. We’ve come close to this number, but you’d have to pedal pretty hard at the highest gear with level 5 pedal assist to hit it. Our usual max speed was around 20 MPH.

Unlike some of the things we’ve reviewed for AppleInsider, the Aventon Pace 500 is a piece of machinery that requires regular maintenance. Aventon recommends weekly and monthly checks.

Like any bike, it needs regular checks on part tension, chain stretch and lubrication, and wiring integrity. The owner can easily perform basic cleaning and checks using the tools from the box.

Brake pads, shift cables, and tires may need replacing from time to time. In this case, it may be best to find an e-bike specialist to perform the work for you. We certainly will be.

The Aventon e-bike has a connected app experience. It provides data about rides, metrics from total ride time and distance, and can even record a trip.

The app connects to the bike via Bluetooth. The app must remain open for accurate tracking when on a ride.

The Aventon app has an in-app community where users share photos and stats from bike rides. The app’s features may be interesting and valuable for some, but it wasn’t something we cared for.

Instead, we relied on workout tracking on the Apple Watch. After a few moments of riding, the Apple Watch would detect a bike ride and offer to track it.

The Apple Health and Fitness tracking metrics are far superior to what is offered by the Aventon app. This is due to tracking the user’s health rather than just the bike.

We’d be more interested in the Aventon app if it had Apple Health integration. That would enable combining our tracked workout on Apple Watch with accurate biking data from Aventon for a better data set.

It is unlikely that Aventon would ever implement such features, so we’ll stick with Apple Health. The Apple Watch can even intelligently determine if the rider is on an e-bike with pedal assist or not.

The Aventon Pace 500 is priced at the low end of the e-bike spectrum but still has everything you’d need. It has a long-range, powerful motor and durable build.

Like any vehicle, e-bikes can range from minimum specs and build to high-end luxury devices. We’ve seen prices from $1,000 to $10,000 across the spectrum of features and designs.

The Pace 500 lands in a good spot. It isn’t in the cheapest bracket, for good reason, but it isn’t too pricey at $1,699.

We believe this is an excellent option for first-time e-bike owners.

• Long 40 mile range
• Fast at 28 MPH top speed
• Sturdy frame, good tires
• Bright display
• Easy to access controls, throttle

• Heavy at 52 pounds, but not too heavy
• Basically zero shock absorbency
• Aventon app is too basic, not integrated with Apple Health

This is an excellent e-bike, and if we were rating it based on the bike alone, we’d likely rank it closer to a 5 out of 5.

However, this is a technology website, and the tech is lacking here. The connected Aventon app experience needs a serious upgrade and tie-in to Apple Health.

The Aventon Pace 500 is available on the Aventon website. There are two color options — SoCal Sand and Midnight Black.

There are two frame sizes based on user height, Regular and Large. Both cost the same amount.