What we are expecting for iOS 13

An improvement from iOS 12? I think so.

At WWDC 2018, Apple unveiled a new mobile operating system, iOS 12. In the upcoming month or two, we are anticipating for apple to preview a new operating system, iOS 13, then release it in the fall along with their new iPhones. Here’s what I’m anticipating and is rumored:

Dark Mode

I think probably the biggest and most rumored feature of iOS 13 would be a system-wide dark mode. It would be easier on the eyes for people using their phones at night or in a dark atmosphere. Additionally, it would add more battery life to those who use it. I’ve seen apple slowly move towards dark mode, with little features that turn darker over time. Mainly with the transition from iOS 11 to iOS 12 with the music control center and spotlight search turning darker. So, I’m highly anticipating this feature.

Redesigned Volume hub

You’re watching a video, then it starts getting quiet. You go to turn up the volume. Then this block smack dab in the middle of the screen tells you that you’re turning up the volume, conveniently while you’re watching a video. Not in the realm of iOS 13. With the redesigned Volume notch, you won’t have to worry about any video interruptions. It will be a notch on the side of the screen. YouTube has used a similar design, when it’s in landscape mode and you change the volume, it’s just a little indicator on the top of the screen. I could definitely see apple doing this in iOS 13, so I’m going to be pretty happy for this feature when it comes out.

Mouse support on iPad Pro

Ever since the release of the original iPad, people have been wanting mouse support on it for years, making iPad more like a computer. It might become real with the release of iOS 13. It will only be available on the iPad Pro. This feature would be aimed for the people who don’t have the ability to reach up and touch the screen. Not exactly what some people were hoping for, but I would personally use this feature if I had an iPad Pro.

New multitasking features

Along with all these new features, I’ve heard of some more multitasking features. Like in iOS 11 and 12, iOS 13 will be a very iPad-focused update. There could be a new undo feature within the keyboard, where you swipe using three fingers left or right to undo or redo. They could also bring this feature to iPhone as well. Then there will be a feature that makes iPad seem more like a computer multitasking, with little windows that you can increase and decrease in size, and swipe away.

Cross platform apps

*Apple Arcade* will be a gaming service that will be available across all apple platform, except for the apple watch.

Ever Since the introduction of the app store in 2008, with only 500 apps, it has grown ENORMOUSLY. With 1.8 million apps (Q1 2019), it has become the largest app provider ever. Now the mac app store, not so much. I can say from experience that there aren’t many apps on the mac app store, and also 40% of the apps were made 10 years ago and still running on 32-bit (which is old). So they really need a refresh. Apple is introducing a gaming subscription service in the fall that will offer games across all platforms, coined Apple Arcade. With iOS 12 and macOS Mojave, Apple introduced a new framework for bringing iOS apps to the Mac, and as a test, several iOS-only Apple apps, such as Stocks, Home and Voice Memos, were ported to macOS. In iOS 13 and macOS 10.15 (I’ve heard it could be possibly macOS 11), Apple is planning to expand this functionality to developers, which will make it easy for iOS apps to be tweaked for porting to the Mac. I’m honestly so excited for this, because the mac needs more apps that the app store has.

Refreshed apps

Apple will also be refreshing some first-party apps. The new Mail app will organize messages into searchable categories like marketing, purchases, travel, “not important,” and more, plus there will be a read later queue, an option to mute incoming Mail notifications for specific email threads, and a tool for blocking contacts. It is additionally working on a new app that combines Find My Friends and Find My Phone into one, which could potentially debut. The app will include a new “find network” feature for allowing Apple devices to be tracked even when not connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network by leveraging other nearby devices. The app will include existing Find My iPhone features like Lost Mode and an option to remotely wipe a device. Location-based sharing options pulled from Find My Friends will also still be available. Also, there will be minor refreshes to the Maps, Reminders, Books, Home, Health and a Revamped Files App.

Other additional features

In iOS 13, there is the possibility that there’s going to new emojis (as seen in the picture). There will be a new animation when launching the multitasking pane along with closing apps, and the iPad’s Home screen is getting some changes. I’ve also heard some new animations could be on the way. There could also be Speed Enhancements, Live photos updates, Screen time updates, Interface updates, Font management will improve, The Share Sheet interface for sharing photos and web links is going to be smarter and additional Updates to the Messages app. Apple is working on a sleep mode available in the Control Center that will toggle on Do Not Disturb, make the Lock screen darker, and mute all incoming notifications. It will also include improvements to the Bedtime tab in the Clocks app. Along with almost every major update, Bug Fixes will be happening.

Devices to lose support

What I’m pretty sure of is that the iPhone 5s will lose support in iOS 13. It has had support for the past 5½ years, and it is running on a very timeworn dual-core A7 processor, so I think that Apple should stop support. Along with that, they should quit the iPad mini 2 and 3, and the original iPad Air; they all have the same processor. I think also the iPod touch 6^th gen and the iPad mini 4 could lose support because they run on a dual core A8 processor, and devices using that processor might be on the chopping block for iOS 13, including the iPhone 6 and 6 plus. There have been a few questionable rumors suggesting iOS 13 will drop support for the iPhone SE, but it’s not clear if this information is correct. The iPhone SE uses the same A9 chip as the iPhone 6s and the fifth-generation iPad, which are not included in the list of devices rumored not to support iOS 13, which doesn’t make a lot of sense. The only reason they might drop support is because they want all the 4-inch devices gone.

I am very excited for WWDC 2019. Many experienced technology people (a.k.a nerds like me) are very excited for this update. It will be happening from June 3^rd-7^th, 2019.

Picture credit: https: https://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2019/02/2019emojifinallist-800×800.jpg?retina

The Trudeau Legacy

Justin Trudeau has been running this country since 2015. What has he accomplished?

Since 2015, Justin has been working on growing our economy. He has introduced a “carbon tax” that has brought gas prices up to $1.70 a litre in some places. Isn’t that just great?! While he is doing that, he is also making the planet greener by encouraging people to be greener. Yes, all be it, only 10% of the revenue from to carbon tax goes to actual environmental issues! This is financial stewardship at its best!

Trudeau is also contributing to the economy in other ways. For instance, the government takeover of Alberta pipelines is certainly helping the economy. Becoming part of the International market, Trudeau has built great relationships. His relationship with our strongest and closest ally, the USA, has been a bit rocky though. His resources and focus on our military has been different from the beginning. He empathizes with a foreign terrorist, giving millions of dollars as an act of compassion. He cut veterans benefits, because we live in North America and we already have plenty.

Back in 2015, he promised that the budget would balance itself by 2019. Now that 2019 has come around the corner, it won’t balance itself by 2040. Isn’t that just great! That’ll mean more taxes to come, but as Canadians we are willing to bear than burden. As the saying goes, “tax me, I’m Canadian!”, and My children will have to pay for his decisions. Could this get any better!

Over the past few months, a major company called SNC-Lavalin has been in a court case, and Justin felt they should not be prosecuted in order to keep 8,000. The former Attorney General, Jody Wilson Raybould, was not in agreement and stood up to Trudeau. Being a woman and first nations she is, Justin Trudeau fired her. The Canadian economy really needed those jobs so we should disregard justice. We interviewed SNC-Lavalin later, and found that those 8,000 jobs were going to stay anyway! And the fact that Trudeau claims he supports women and first nations rights just really solidifies our faith in him.

Seeing all the things he’s done, wouldn’t you want him re-elected in 2019? He is politically correct, handsome and makes interesting decisions. God save Canada, and the Queen while you’re at it.

Picture Credit: https://images.thestar.com/EGzBG5cWvH9e_m7r_c6uamw9UX4=/1086×766/smart/filters:cb(2700061000)/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/politics/political-opinion/2018/12/19/justin-trudeau-passes-on-a-chance-to-acknowledge-tough-times/justin_trudeau.jpg

Article content: Jonathan McIntosh

Avengers Endgame: Marvel’s Grand Exit

All 22 movies have led up to this storyline. Is it a legitimate “Happily ever after”?

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE HAS SPOILERS!!!

over the last decade, marvel has created a fictional universe that has attracted millions of fans worldwide, Including myself. From Iron man to Infinity War, the “Infinity saga” has revolved around the Infinity stones, villains trying to acquire them, and Thanos himself. It has been building up into this one movie. Was it the ending we really hoped for?.

You probably have a few questions: what are these infinity stones? Why should I care? Why are all these people trying to get them? How come the whole cinematic universe revolves around them?

In the beginning of the Marvel universe, there was nothing, then boom! The universe was created (sounds like the big bang theory?). Along with it, six infinity stones where flung into the cosmos. Each one of them has their own power: time, mind, power, soul, reality and space. All of them are very powerful, and are capable of mass destruction. We all know that villains like power.

For years, many a villain have tried to acquire these infinity stones, and many have failed. The reason why: a batch of heroes coined “The Avengers” have stopped them. Then Thanos arrives. The Avengers fail to stop him, and When he wielded all 6 infinity stones, he snapped his fingers and annihilated half of the universe. This is where Avengers: Endgame starts its story.

After the apocalyptic extinction of half of the universe, Thanos teleports to another planet at the other part of the universe. The Avengers chase after him, finding him in a log cabin in a peaceful planet (sounds like British Columbia, I think so). They discover that he destroyed all the Infinity stones, nearly killing himself while doing it. Enraged, Thor uses his new weapon, Storm Breaker, to kill Thanos. With all the Infinity Stones, Thanos and half of the universe gone, all hope seems lost.

Fast forward five years later.

Ant-man has been MIA for the past 5 years, and he returns from the quantum realm, to find half of universe is missing. While he was in the quantum realm, time for him was 5 hours and for the Avengers it was 5 years. Then he started thinking that they might use the quantum realm to their advantage for time travel. The Avengers Assemble, and come up with a plan to bring all whom were lost back. They go into the past, gather all the Infinity stones, come back to the present, then bring back all those whom where lost to Thanos. Long story short, the Avengers defeated Thanos in an epic battle.

Normally I would additionally say, “and everyone lived happily ever after”. This isn’t exactly applicable to this storyline. We see some people with very happy endings, and we have some people with not so much happy endings. Black widow had to die to acquire the soul stone, there was a moment of grieving for her. Captain America went back in time, and lived his life as a normal person, and came back to the present as an old man. Tony Stark sacrificed his life to defeat Thanos and his army, afterwards there was a funeral for him (Love you 3000). Thor left with the Guardians of the Galaxy to who knows where. That is the sweet but sad ending to the Avengers.

There are some things I like about this movie: I found it really cool how the Avengers time traveled and didn’t make it too corny. The Epic battle at the end was 11/10 for awesomeness. All the heroes that died in Infinity war comes back, against all against the waves of Thanos’ army. The movie also shows the devasting effects if you kill ½ of the population of planet earth. The ending they gave Captain America I was pretty satisfied with. I really liked the pop culture references, like how there were guys playing Fortnite and the hulk dabbing. This one REALLY surprised me: during the epic last battle, Captain America LIFTED THOR’S HAMMER!!!

The negatives: five years after Thanos’ downfall, Thor is fat. For the rest of movie. It sucked. His mental health also spiraled downhill, which made him appear more like a marshmallow than a warrior (unlike in the previous movie). There can be parts that can be really slow, unlike other marvel movies, and absent of action; but it really makes up for it in the epic last battle. Finally, in the last few minutes of Endgame, Captain America gives Sam his shield, but I personally believe it rightfully belongs to Bucky. He’s been his friend longer. He’s been there since the beginning of the marvel universe. It doesn’t make sense.

This isn’t really a negative, but rather a very sad aspect of this movie: During the epic battle Thanos destroys most Captain America’s shield. How? Isn’t his shield made of vibranuim, the strongest metal on earth? What is Thanos’ weapon made of?

I’ve been a personal fan of the Marvel universe for a very long time now. I remember when Avengers: Age of Ultron Came out and loving it so much. Overall, I think they did a very good job on Avengers: Endgame. At some parts it can be a very plot-focused movie. It was a movie full of great sadness, of great victories, and of humor. Avengers has been concluded to all this: I’m very happy but sad. The marvel universe will never be the same. Who knows? They could recreate this is another 10 years but instead make it better.

Picture credit: https://cnet4.cbsistatic.com/img/84LXTFBGUMdOqsCiarPdyOmdfqc=/2019/04/16/684eb993-9ae1-48d8-8285-479850b9952e/poster1.jpg

Article content: Jonathan McIntosh