Vector

Toronto-based concept art and storyboard artist Rob McCallum has been using iPad Pro for all of his work since 2015. And his body of work is extraordinarily impressive, with a resumé that includes: Pacific Rim, RoboCop, Total Recall, It, Suicide Squad, and most recently, Star Trek: Discovery. Armed with the new 2018 model and his go to drawing app of choice, Procreate, he shares his experiences in being able to push the creativity and complexity of his work even further than before. He and Rene talk about workflows, personal work vs. client work, and abandoning his drafting table and blue pencils. SPONSOR: Brilliant Go to http://brilliant.org/vector and sign up for free. First 200 people get 20% off the premium course! LINKS: @Rob McCallum on Twitter @Robmccallumart on Twitter rob_mccallum on Instagram Rob McCallum Art web site MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE:

I’ve been thinking about an Apple TV streaming stick for the last couple years but now it looks like the next couple of years could make it a reality. Currently, Apple’s only answer to television is a starting at $179 box that runs apps and plays up to 4K HDR. But what if there was something else? Something smaller that, instead of sitting beside any tv, could plug right into the back. Something that gave you all the power of Apple’s TV app, but could go with you in a pocket… or maybe was already in your pocket or bag? What if there was a tiny Apple TV dongle? An AirPlay Express? SPONSOR: Brilliant Go to http://brilliant.org/vector and sign up for free. First 200 people get 20% off the premium course! MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS YouTube  

These are the actual gifts I’m giving this year. And I can’t think of a higher personal recommendation than that. You can’t escape holiday gift giving — and receiving — at least entirely. So, when I shop for others and myself, I try really hard to only buy only a few, well made things. Things that give value. Things that will last. It can make Black Friday — or Blackvember Fest as I called it in my video last week — trickier to navigate. Like HALO jumping into a brand new massively online shooter on launch day, deals and temptation exploding all around you. Even as you’re desperately trying to respawn and respawn and just let me spawn, you damn deals! If you have a strategy and a list, though, you really can win. I went over the strategy last time. Now I’m going to share my list. SPONSOR: Brilliant Go to http://brilliant.org/vector and sign up for free. First 200 people get 20% off the premium course! LINKS: Spigen Style Ring Mophie Wireless Charger David's Tea Advent AeroPress Philz Coffee VECTOR Pin

I received a lot of great feedback on my iPad Pro (2018) review and I appreciate it. But, I also got some criticism and I think it was valid and fair. I didn’t have as many negatives on my list as some other reviewers because I reviewed the new hardware and most of the negatives deemed directed at the not so new software. Also, I didn’t address the iPad Pros ability to replace a laptop, which is something almost every other review focused on extensively. So, after spending two weeks now with Apple’s third generation iPad Pro, I decided to make this re-review all about what I missed last time: iPad Pro as laptop replacement and the iPad Pro software story. In other words, what I got wrong — and what I still think many other reviews got wrong. Yeah, it's like that. SPONSOR: Molekule Go to molekule.com and enter VECTOR at checkout to save $75. MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie

Rumors have been percolating for years already about a third great Apple silicon transition, this time to ARM. By many accounts, Apple has had MacBooks on ARM, running both iOS and macOS since, well, there was any ARM to run them on. As Apple’s chipset prowess has grown and Intel’s fortunes have faltered, the buzz has gotten louder. Not around an iOS clamshell or desktop box, mind you, interesting as both those products might be. But proper macOS running on proper Apple silicon. And since the iPad Pro shipped with the Apple A12X, a desktop-as-in-i7-class processor, the buzz has become deafening. But is it signal or is it just more noise? SPONSOR: Molekule Go to molekule.com and enter VECTOR at checkout to save $75. MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS YouTube  

Apple is releasing Final Cut Pro X 10.4.4, Motion 5.4.2, and Compressor 4.42. So, what's new? SPONSOR: Audible: Go to http://audible.com/vector or text VECTOR to 500-500 to start your 30-day trial and get your first audiobook for free! LINKS: Final Cut Pro X 10.4.4 brings Workflow Extensions, Comparison Viewer, more! MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS YouTube  

So here's the thing. We weren't able to publish audio versions of our hands-on videos that were made following Apple's event on October 30, 2018. These three videos about the 2018 versions of iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini represent Rene's initial impressions of the devices. Full reviews have since been published — but in the interest of making the Vector audio podcast a complete chronicle of happenings in the Apple-verse, we present them now. Enjoy! SPONSOR: Eero Get $100 off a package that includes an eero base unit, two eero Beacons and one year of eero Plus. Visit eero.com/vector and use promo code: VECTOR LINKS: iPad Pro (2018) Review MacBook Air (2018) Review Mac mini (2018) review MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS YouTube  

You can save $100 on a HomePod. And 20% on iTunes Cards. And get $300 back on an iPhone. And... Now, it’s no secret Apple gear is priced at a premium. And that can make it expensive to get what you want, especially everything you want. But, the Black Friday and Holiday Sales can give you a very real break. So, if you’ve been looking to get a new iPhone or Mac or Home automation, to save some cash on games or movies or a new subscription, now’s the time to do it, and all you and I need to know are the best ways to do it. For that I got Dan DeSilva on the line. Full disclosure, Dan works for Thrifter, my personal go-to-deals-site, which is owned by the same company that owns iMore, Android Central, and Windows Central, which host the transcripts of this show and my other editorial work. But he’s also simply the best discount hound in the business, and his ready to share his top tips. SPONSOR: Molekule Go to molekule.com and enter VECTOR at checkout to save $75. LINKS: Thrifter Thrifter's Daily Newsletter Dan

Maybe Apple always intended to update the Mac mini but got distracted by more urgent projects? Maybe Apple was waiting to do something... different with the mini, but it was taking too long? Or maybe Apple never meant to update the mini at all but changed its mind after seeing just how much its customers missed the littlest Mac? I don’t know. But I do know this: After four long, fallow years, Apple has finally updated the Mac mini. So, is this the Mac mini we’ve all been waiting for? Yes and no. It’s not a bold new take of the original switcher or re-imagining of the desktop for the post-Intel world. It’s not even really entry level any more, based on the price, except compared to every other Mac. It may be a placeholder, it could be a resurrection, but it could also be pragmatic. Most Macs sold are notebooks not desktops, and most desktops sold are iMacs not Mac mini’s. So, where does that leave us? SPONSOR: Brilliant Go to http://brilliant.org/vector and sign up for free. First 200 people get 20% off the p

“Just slap a Retina display in the MacBook Air and ship it!” is what a lot of people have been clamoring for Apple to do for a long, long time. This isn't that. On one extreme, you have the 12-inch MacBook for those who want ultimate portability and are willing to pay a premium for it. On the other extreme, the MacBook Pro for those who want ultimate power and are likely willing to pay for it. In the middle, the broad middle, you have the new Air for those who want a balance of portability and power and don’t want to pay as much of a premium. That it’s confusing is the result of legacy branding and SKUs. In a perfect world, the 12-inch would be the Air and this would be the new MacBook, and everyone would understand naked is the baseline and modifiers are the two extremes. But given how popular the Air brand is, and how it’s come to be associated with entry-level, Apple is stuck with things the way they are. At least for now. So, where does that leave the new MacBook Air? SPONSOR: Brilliant Go to http://bril

Hear that? That was the sound of Apple snapping its fingers and killing half the bezels in its product universe. iPhone went first. Then Apple Watch. Then MacBook Air. Now, iPad Pro. (Somewhere out there, iMac is whispering, “I don’t feel so go…”) Edge-to-curved-edge Liquid Retina display in 12.5- or 11-inches, Face ID and True Depth Camera, A12X Bionic notebook-crushing processor, new Apple Pencil, and new Smart Keyboard Folio — this is the new iPad Pro. But is it any good? SPONSOR: Brilliant Go to http://brilliant.org/vector and sign up for free. First 200 people get 20% off the premium course! LINKS: iPad Pro (2018) Review MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS YouTube  

Tom Boger is Sr. Director of Mac Product Marketing at Apple. He's worked on projects including the original iMac. Earlier this week, he took to the Apple keynote stage to introduce the new Mac mini. The following day he sat down with me to talk about that new Mac mini as well as the new MacBook Air and Apple's complete current line-up of Macs: What the design goals are, how to choose the right Mac for you, and how Apple sees the Mac now and into the future. Links Mac mini at Apple MacBook Air at Apple VECTOR on YouTube is here — Subscribe now! VECTOR on YouTube Subscribe via: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS Follow on: Web Twitter Instagram Facebook

The invitations have gone out — 370 odd unique invitations, actually, as it seems like Apple has sent custom art out to everyone invited. In a myriad of styles, from abstract to pop — and the event date is set: October 30, 2018, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Howard Gilman Opera House. So, what does art and music have to do with iPads and Macs? New iPads Pro, maybe a new iPad mini, new Mac mini, new entry-level MacBook Air replacement, maybe new AirPods and... AirPower. It's all coming our way in just a couple days at Apple's 'There's more in the making' event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Howard Gilman Opera House. And here's you last minute rumor rundown and analysis! SPONSOR: Brilliant Go to http://brilliant.org/vector and sign up for free. First 200 people get 20% off the premium course! MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket

iPhone XR starts at $749. That's $250 less than XS and $350 less than XS Max. And one of the biggest reasons for the difference is the 326ppi LCD display instead of the 458ppi OLED.. So, is that worth the $250 or $350 — or more, depending on the storage — price tag difference? The bottom line for me is this: Once you dive deep into display nerdery, things like “1080p in 2018” just sound utterly uninformed. It’s a factor, sure, but it’s not even close to the top of the list of what makes for a first class display experience in 2018. Don’t just take my word on that either, take a bunch of words. SPONSOR: Brilliant Go to http://brilliant.org/vector and sign up for free. First 200 people get 20% off the premium course! LINKS: iPhone XR Review: Almost all the best for way, way less iPhone XR Screen Explainer iPhone XS and XS Max Review MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIB

iPhone XR starts at $749. That's $250 less than XS and $350 less than XS Max. And one of the biggest reasons for the difference is the camera system. The front-facing TrueDepth camera is the same but the back facing camera on iPhone XS and XS Max is a dual system with one wide angle and one telephoto. XR only has the wide angle. So, does that worth the $250 or $350 — or more, depending on the storage — price tag difference? I asked professional photographer and YouTuber Tyler Stalman to help me figure it out! SPONSOR: Brilliant Go to http://brilliant.org/vector and sign up for free. First 200 people get 20% off the premium course! LINKS: Tyler Stalman YouTube Channel iPhone XR Review: Almost all the best for way, way less iPhone XR Screen Explainer iPhone XS and XS Max Review MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS YouT

If you want a next-as-in-X-generation iPhone but you don't want to pay a thousand or more bucks for it, you want an XR. iPhone XR — never mind what the R means, it's just a new letter for Apple, one before S, "racing" if you're into cars, "reflex" if you're into cameras, cool-sounding either way. It's everything you need in a next-as-in-X-generation iPhone, minus some bells and whistles... and the higher price tag. LCD instead of OLED display. Single instead of dual camera system. Haptic touch instead of 3D Touch. LTE Advanced and 2x2 MIMO instead of Gigabit and 4x4. Aluminum instead of steel bands. Back glass that's stronger than iPhone X but not quite as strong as iPhone XS. It does come in a range of fancy new finishes though: black, white, blue, yellow, coral orange, and Product (RED). And at that lower price — $250 lower — starting at $749. It does have the new edge-to-curved-edge design language, Face ID and the True Depth camera up front, the latest 12 megapixel, Smart HDR camera on the back, the indus

Apple's last event of the year is set for October 30, 2018, in Brooklyn New York, and one of the biggest — er, smallest! — rumors is the return of the Mac mini! The Mac mini was the original switcher machine. It was announced back in 2005 as a small, inexpensive way for you to swap out a Windows PC for a Mac. But now the switchers have switched and the Mac mini appeals more to pros who want to rack mount it in server rooms or hook it up to media centers or production pipelines. So, what does Apple have in store for its original entry-level Mac? SPONSOR: Audible: Go to http://audible.com/vector or text VECTOR to 500-500 to start your 30-day trial and get your first audiobook for free! LINKS: New Mac mini (2018) Preview: What will it be and why? MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS YouTube  

I wasn't going to post a show today. I've been traveling — three cities in three days — and I'm under the weather, and I'm working on a big video for tomorrow, but then I saw Linus... And it looked like he needed help to better understand and enjoy his iPhone XS. Since helping people understand and enjoy their technology, primarily Apple technology, is literally what I do, I dove in and tried to provide the absolute best answers, and sometimes sympathy, I could to his questions and concerns.

Drones are good. Drones are great. Drones are fantastic. But they have one huge problem: Humans. Humans that crash their drones so goddam always. Especially on YouTube. Now, if only there was a way around that. A way to get all the good, great, and fantastic without having to worry about humans getting in the way. Well, now there is. And all you need is a Skydio R1, an Apple Watch, and a dream. The Skydio R1 , which the company refers to as a self-driving camera, isn’t new. It’s been available since February. What’s new is the Apple Watch app that lets you guide it from your wrist. I said guide rather than control because the whole point of the Skydio R1 is to let the AI — the artificial intelligence — do the flying. You don’t tell it to go up or down, left or right, pitch or yaw, you just tell it to lead, follow, orbit, boomerang, and the like, and the AI figures out the details. SPONSOR: Audible: Go to http://audible.com/vector or text VECTOR to 500-500 to start your 30-day trial and get your first audiobo

If you want to, you can legitimately turn the iPhone into one of the best Google phones in the world. Especially if your definition of “best” includes a heavy focus on privacy and security. Android is all about choice and, because of that, not using Android has to be a valid choice as well. Not for everyone, of course, but for those of you who were either so disappointed in the latest Pixels or so concerned with Google’s current direction that you want to explore a change. SPONSOR: Audible: Go to http://audible.com/vector or text VECTOR to 500-500 to start your 30-day trial and get your first audiobook for free!   LINKS: Disappointed in Pixel 3? Make iPhone XS your ultra-Google Phone! MORE: Gear: https://kit.com/reneritchie Podcast: http://applepodcasts.com/vector Twitter: https://twitter.com/reneritchie Instagram: https://instagram.com/reneritchie SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Overcast Pocket Casts Castro RSS YouTube