Zocdoc

This episode of the Maccast is brought to you by Zocdoc, more on them later in the show.

Apple still wants reverse wireless charging

9to5 claims their sources say Apple wanted it in the iPhone 14 Pro, but they just couldn’t get it done in time.

The ideal application would be charging AirPods or an Apple Watch from your iPhone

The key, according to the piece, is Apple’s development of a unique “wireless power out” firmware that would allow the system to manage the charging speed and control heat dissipation and charging efficiency.

They say it would also have animations, like MagSafe, to help guid users on how to use the feature.

More rumors from Barclays claiming Apple will move to solid state buttons on iPhone 15 models in 2023

There will be additional taptic engines on the left and right sides of the phone provided by Cirrius Logic.

These will drive the feel of the side button and the volume buttons

The Pro model could have a brighter 2500 nit display according to ShrimpApplePro on Twitter

Display analysts Ross Young claims he’s not heard those rumors

Sketchy claim that Apple’s USB-C implementation on the iPhone 15 models will included an “authentication” integrated circuit

Idea would be to control accessories and keep their MFi certification and licensing program

None of Apple’s current USB-C iPad devices have such a chip.

Hints that Apple could drop their requirement that all iOS browsers be based on Webkit

Mostly in response to anti-trust pressure in the UK and EU

Thoughts are Apple might drop the requirement with the release of iOS 17 this year

Google and Mozilla are reportedly already looking to port their browser engines, Blink and Gecko

HomePod 2 tear-downs

Inset display on top that is technically a smaller surface area, but is a larger active display and touch area than the original

After removing the two layers of mesh it’s now possible to separate the top and bottom from the main cylinder

There is a lot less glue according to iFixit

Has a large heatsink on the audio chip likely because heat can distort sound.

Overall the new model is much more repairable than the original

Next Apple display delayed

Display analyst Ross Young told “MacRumors” that he’s not seeing any signs of a new Apple Display entering production, so the rumored 27-inch LED display is likely delayed.

It’s believed the new model would bring 120Hz ProMotion to the 27-inch Studio display along with LED backlighting

It’s not clear if it’s meant to be an update to the existing model or something that would sit between the Studio Display and the Pro Display XDR

Young does think however that Apple is getting close to an updated 15-inch MacBook Air.

He thinks production of the speculatedpanel started this month pointing to a possible release in early April

Overall it’s likely to be the same design as the 13-inch M2 model, but with a larger display

Ming-Chi Kuo has also speculated on a 15-inch model release, but simply as a “MacBook” with M2 and M2 Pro options.

And that leaves the iMac…

Mark Gurman says don’t hold your breath for an M2 update to the 24-inch iMac

He believes Apple is waiting for the M3 which likely won’t be here before the end of this year or early next year.

The M3 is expected to use TSMCs new 3nm process, vs the “next gen” 5nm process used on the M2

It’s also possible Apple could bring back the 27-inch size for the iMac, but that remains to be seen.

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Trying to understand UPS

I had an email this week with some questions related to uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)

A UPS is a battery backup system designed to, ideally, do a couple things:

Provide power, for a limited time, for your devices in the case of a power outage. Give you time to safely shut down and save your files.

Provide consistent power. Can eliminate power fluctuations or noise, in some cases.

Provide surge protection. Power spikes, say during a lightning storm.

They are generally a good idea to protect sensitive computer electronics. Also can be handy for attaching to say, your networking equipment, so you can continue to have internet access during a brief power outage.

They generally only are designed to provide limited “emergency” power. They tend to provide run times of a few minutes to an hour or two max.

The thing that’s always been confusing to me is how to pick a UPS. Most confusing, determining the size of the UPS you need.

A few things to know first…

Probably the easiest way to figure out what you need is to be able to know the total wattage of all the things you want connected to the battery backup. More on this in a bit… but it’s not as easy as it sounds.

Standby vs Line Interactive versions

Standby, are on standby for when the power goes out.

Line interactive keep the power flowing through an inverter while also keeping the battery charged. Provide power conditioning and can switch over to batter power faster (within a few milliseconds)

These days, if you can get it, opt for line interactive as there is not much price difference and it is easier on the battery extending it’s lifespan

For all these conditions you’ll want a line interactive UPS. They offer automatic voltage regulation (AVR).

Common voltage fluctuations

Surges: brief spike

Sags: Something, like a large appliance kicking on, causes a momentary drop in power.

Brownouts: Utility company reduces voltage for an extended period to avoid a total blackout

Sine waves

Alternating current reverses its power flow smoothly 60 times each second.

This is something the UPS needs to replicate and there are two methods depending on the unit.

Pure or simulated. Pure is better, but can add to the UPS cost

Pure is also essential is you have devices attached that have active power factor correction (PFC). Common in more sensitive electronic devices.

Easiest thing to do, is just opt for a “pure” sine wave UPS if you can.

Outlets

Most UPSs have plugs that are connected to the battery and others that just offer surge protection

Make sure you get one with enough outlets on the battery side for the devices you want to keep powered. CPU, monitors, hard drives.

You might need multiple UPSs to fit your needs.

It is NOT recommended to connect power strips or surge protectors to a UPS.

Also make sure the plug design meets your need with space on the plugs especially if you have wall “wart” style plus to connect.

Wall Wart tamers, short “extension” cords

Figuring out your power needs

Here’s where I, and I think many, get confused.

There are two separate power issues to consider: the electrical load that devices connected to the UPS’s battery-backed outlets add up to, and the capacity of the internal battery on the UPS

Generally you can find the numbers you need on the device near the outlet, on the power supply, or you might need to check the manual.

Seems like the easiest thing to use the the “total wattage”, if all your devices provide that number. If they do you can just add up the numbers

If all you have is the amperes (or amps) then you can take that number and and multiply by, 120V (at least in the US), to get the Watts

But, and here’s the confusing part to me, apparently that is not 100% correct because that number is the “Apparent Power”. Devices also have a Power Factor, which is a measure of the effectiveness with which an electrical device converts volt-amperes into watts. The Power Factor is a number between 0 and 1.

So to get the Real Power in watts you need to take amps times volts times power factor.

Generally computer electronics tend to have a power factor of around 0.6 - 0.7, ~60%

Seems to me like you’ll generally be OK if you use Apparent Power because you’ll be over calculating.

Your number will need to be less than the maximum voltage on the UPS you want to get. If there is not watts rating listed and just a VA rating, use the 0.6 rule to get the watts.

For time… luckily it seems like most UPS sites the show that for you with a chart or something to calculate it based on your wattage load for that UPS.

Remember, in most cases you’re just going to get about 5-10 minutes of battery run time and that should be all you need.

Thing of the Moment: YubiKey 5Ci

So what is a YubiKey

It’s a hardware device that can generate a one-time-use password that can be used for two-factor authentication in supported system.

They also support logins using a FIDO-based public/private key pair

FIDO (Fast Identity Online), an open industry alliance that was formed to “help reduce the world’s over-reliance on passwords”. They set the standards and certifications for the protocols and devices.

Yubikeys can make a connection to your computer, via USB, lightning, or NFC and will generate a one-time-use passcode.

Some, like mine you need to touch a metal connection point to initiate the code generation (capacitive). There are keys that have fingerprint biometrics

They can be used in place of the one-time codes generated by apps like Google Authenticator or sent to you over SMS or through your devices, like when you log into Apple accounts with two-factor authentication enabled.

Basically becoming that “what you own” part of 2FA

Apple started supporting FIDO certified hardware keys for one-time-password 2FA with the release of iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, or macOS Ventura 13.2

There are some limits

You need TWO FIDO® Certified security keys (You can add up to six keys.)

You need to have iOS 16.3, iPadOS 16.3, or macOS Ventura 13.2 on ALL your devices that login with your Apple ID

Two-factor authentication set up for your Apple ID.

You need modern browsers that support security keys

Signing into an Apple Watch, Apple TV, or HomePod will require an iPhone or iPad with a software version that supports security keys.

If you lose all of your trusted devices and security keys, you could be locked out of your account permanently.

Also some thing will not work with security key enabled login

You can't sign in to iCloud for Windows.

You can't sign in to older devices that can't be updated to a software version that supports security keys.

Child accounts and managed iCloud accounts are not supported

Apple Watches that are paired with a family member's iPhone aren't supported. To use security keys, first set up your watch with your own iPhone.

[YubiKey 5Ci](https://www.yubico.com/product/yubikey-5ci/)

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