eXtensions - Friday 20 December 2024
By Graham K. Rogers
Apple updates have added more AI features, although not all have made users happy. A survey tries to suggest that AI is not being used on the iPhone. The ethics of writing with AI. Television output, a look back to great movies on the BBC, and live theater notes. I used film in the 1950s, then moved to digital cameras. I now use film regularly and it saw something of a resurgence in 2024 with new cameras and new films.
Like many people, I organize my day and will sometimes overlap tasks. Some call this multitasking, but my first use of this was on police driving courses. A basic example these days is checking messages, updates, weather, and air pollution first thing. When breakfast is underway, I sit down and start work on the iPad: email, updates, Facebook (work-related), then news, via Newsify, the RSS reader. Then I switch to the Mac. I also check mail during the day on the iPhone.
When I had a quick look at mail on the iPhone early this weekend, it did not occur to me initially that the list of messages was different on each device. I had read a notification of an email from the Eclectic Light Company in the RSS feed, so when I went to the iPhone and saw it was not there, I started to check. Indeed, in what was now called the Primary section, nothing had appeared since earlier in the day.
The messages were on the iPad but not visible on the iPhone. Instead, Apple had decided - like they did with photos a couple of months ago - that my mail needed organizing into arbitrary groups, but only on the iPhone, which makes it all the more confusing (although I do like the new icons with the mail messages). Tim Hardwick (MacRumors) also notes this and other differences. He highlights the 4 categories: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. He also notes, as I soon discovered, that the new feature can be turned off
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I was at a loss to figure out why Mutual Art Magazine, PetaPixel, the Morning Star newsletter, Netflix, et al were now listed in Promotions, while other messages were just as oddly classified in Transactions and Updates. As with Photos, time is being spent on cosmetic organizational changes (taking me time to remove) while more valuable changes, such as the juvenile interface in Photos on the iPad are in dire need of reworking. I hate to fall in line with those who want the iPad Pro to be a Mac-lite, but the iPhone-like interface would be better if it returned to what the Mac now has, although that also needs work on the editing tools and workflow features. Perhaps, now that Apple has acquired the developer of Pixelmator, Photomator could become the new Photos for the iPad.
A number of others commented on these unwanted changes to Mail, including Jason Snell (6 Colors), who is just as mystified as me, calling Mail a "misfire". In a long analysis of what we are now presented with, he comments that he is "trying to be flexible and not immediately dismiss new stuff out of hand, but that positive attitude is at odds with my desire not to make something in my life more difficult just because someone else thinks they've got a hot, new take on things" [my italics]. Instead of playing about with micro-organization, it might be better to spend some time on how Mail deals with junk messages: legitimate messages sent to junk, needing time to recover and act on, while the Inbox is often littered with phishing messages, unsolicited advertising, and other time-wasting messages.
I had had problems on the Mac mini at the office trying to download the new versions of Keynote, Numbers and Pages. The MacBook Pro had updated these with no difficulty, so I guess this could be something with the network at the office and its glacial speeds. The App Store panel still shows No Updates on the Mac mini, while the MacBook Pro shows which apps have been downloaded recently and if any are available.
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Apart from this minor-misfire, the Mac mini sits on my desk doing what I ask with no demur. When it was announced, I saw immediately what a significant update this was to this less-heralded member of the Mac family. My initial delay in ordering (apart from it not being available in Thailand right away) were my two concerns: do I really need this with the problem-free M1 Mac mini that I already have; and can I really afford it. It did not take me long to sweep those questions aside. Although I do not agree with all the comments on other Macs in his article, Ryan Christoffel (9to5Mac) writes an enthusiastic note on the M4 Mac mini, and includes the iPad Pro in the praise. I am glad I bought the Mac mini (and the iPad Pro). As a side note on misfires, I liked the Cube and the Trashcan Mac Pro, which was launched 11 years ado today (Hartley Charlton, MacRumors).
Zac Hall (9to5Mac) notes how the latest OS updates have included AI features: writing tools, Image Playground, and access to ChatGTP (also now in Notes). I had a look at Image Playground last time and was unimpressed. I had already tried the writing tools when they arrived with iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1, with mixed results. However, after the 18.2 update, I again tried the Proofread tool, this time on an early version of this text with some good input from the AI. ChatGTP is now available in the writing tools panel but I have no plans to use it at this time.
Many are not using the features and this is the same on Samsung apparently. Apple couldn't NOT provide such features, but having spent millions the response is lukewarm: damned if you do and widely castigated in the press if you had not (Hartley Charlton). To put this in more context, Malcolm Owen (AppleInsider) looks at the survey used to draw these conclusions and suggests this was done too early.
My own observations are first reactions and that is more likely to focus on problems, although I do note (above) that the proofreading with iPadOS 18.2 is better than with 18.1. That is as it should be. Apple Intelligence is beta and the feedback should be helping the development team to improve the output. As I use it (not much admittedly), I can include it - or the parts I like - in my workflow on the iPad Pro.
With the release of Apple Intelligence, some are dismayed by the lack of interest that users are showing in its features. Apart from technology publications and a few pundits, there has been little more than a few ripples, but no one should really be surprised. iPhone and Mac users have a rich toolbox to work with under normal work conditions. When new tools arrive, my approach is to have a look, think about what I could use, then carry on as normal, incorporating the new as I go along. The enhancements are not simply a separate set of tools, with most being part of the apps we already use. Ryan Christoffel (below) for example, notes the way Clean Up is integrated into Photos, replacing the Mac Repair tool and (at last) providing a [repair] tool for iOS devices and the iPad.
A survey on how users are adopting Apple Intelligence has tried to put the cat among the pigeons, but commentators are not having it. Ryan Christoffel, (9to5Mac) outlines the survey by SellCell [not mentioned in the content] that reports Apple Intelligence is not changing the world. Most iPhone users suggest that it is adding little or no value to their experience. Note however, that the survey was done before the release of 18.2 (11 Dec). The first AI release (iOS 18.1), was out on 28 October which gives about 4-5 weeks for users (only those using America English) to download, use and answer the survey, which takes time to collate and release; so we are looking at a small window some time in November.
Mercifully, The Macalope puts this in an even better context explaining some of the antecedents of SellCell with regard to iPhone surveys. This particular survey took the opinions of 2,000 smartphone users, including 1,000 iPhone users. I presume they all had the latest iPhones and had AI installed. The Macalope notes that "Despite the fervent desires of venture capitalists, AI has so far not taken the world by storm." I am afraid it has where I work and I am fighting a rearguard action with regard to ethical writing.
I spoke to my sister about this over the weekend. She has just completed her Bachelor degree at the age of 68, so some applause is called for. When I mentioned this in the office, I was asked if she was going into politics, which shows different motivations here. The same person was open mouthed when I mentioned she had deliberately avoided AI when writing her essays for the course. I had made comments and suggestions while she was working, but any changes were her decisions.
She told me that she had been too concerned about academic honesty (ethics) and did it herself. She added, ". . . at the end of the day if you use AI for uni work, surely others will have the same response and be inputting the same" - uniform blandness. In the conversation, she mentioned that her son (my nephew) uses AI frequently for company output, explaining that this is for sales tools and Terms & Conditions, but always checks thoroughly. For him it is a timesaver: to start writing a procedure, for example.
Note that my nephew always checks the output. I have been asked to examine several examples of writing in which I have been able to confirm the use of AI (I asked) and in which there were errors: grammar, word-choice, factual statements and references that did not exist. Even before AI use became common, output was rarely checked. The starting point for me is the style: no two people write in exactly the same way, unless they are copying. This sometimes makes it harder for non-native speakers, because of the limited inputs, which are more often than not textbook or journal-related. That leads to software, such as Turnitin flagging sentences or phrases which may not actually be plagiarized, so I am wary of these tools. References are slightly different, but as I read through these, I tend to check for the source if I am wary of a spelling (name, journal or other word in the citation).
Much has been made of a summary produced by Apple AI that summarized news sources and erroneously suggested that the assassin of the United HealthGroup CEO. Chance Miller (9to5Mac) reports that the words used, suggested that Mangione had shot himself. Other headlines in the summary were correct. The BBC also complained that another Apple-generated headline on Bluesky was wrong about the Israeli PM. Although a lot has been made of this error (which it is), Miller notes that these problems are not unique to Apple Intelligence.
My problem with the whole story, apart from the point that the BBC has declined to produce the full text, is that no one seems to have checked the output before sending it out. Malcolm Owen (AppleInsider) comments that "The instances of incorrect summaries are referred to as "hallucinations"" inferring that these are not isolated. Owen outlines a number of ways in which these can occur, so of the source material cannot be trusted, check before putting it online.
Notification Summaries clearly states, "Summary accuracy may vary based on content." Several sources - for example David Snow (Cult of Mac) - are now reporting that Apple is being pressured to drop AI news summaries after this headline mis-step. There is an interesting quote from a Reporters Without Borders spokesman: "AIs are probability machines, and facts can't be decided by a roll of the dice". I wish those pushing the use of AI, particularly in academic writing, would remember that. It is like using beta software for critical tasks then complaining when something goes wrong.
Note also that, in a slightly different context, Google tells users in updated Terms & Conditions that it is ok to use its AI in high risk domains like healthcare, "so long as there's a human in the loop" Kyle Wiggers, TechCrunch): as it should be. And as it all should be. Check. Verify.
A note on source material, I see the occasional surge in site statistics. In the past I put this down to search engines refreshing their sources, but these days I am less happy about the way my figures are being skewed. It happened again this week and it was clear that a site with an IP number beginning with 4 had hit eXtensions on Tuesday evening (Apple uses IP numbers beginning with 14). When I used the Network Utility (the one on the Mac has gone now so I use a replacement from DevonTechnologies) the answer was Microsoft. Each page of course is marked as copyright protected (right at the bottom, in bold). Maybe I should ask for a fee. Or send a Cease & Desist letter.
I am still watching Silo and Before on Apple TV. It is reported that Silo has just been renewed for seasons 3 and 4 (Patently Apple), but then it will end, matching the book series it is based on. Over on Netflix, having tried an uneven but slightly compelling, Black Doves, with Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw, I see that this has apparently been renewed for a second season, despite some criticism. I am now immersed in 100 Years of Solitude. I read the translated English version of Gabriel Garcia Marques' lengthy work several years ago and only a few points now remain with me. The 10-episode version on Netflix is in Spanish. Although I recognise a few words - it is a Romance language - I am grateful for the subtitles. With the changes in television delivery, it makes some sense for major works to be produced as series, rather than attempt a blockbuster movie.
Both Netflix and Apple have a number of foreign language series and films available and I have never found any problems enjoying TV or movies with these. Apple for example is adding a new Spanish romance, "I love you to Death" (A Muerte). Details are available via MacDaily News. As well as Silo continuing, I am pleased to hear that Apple is to renew Bad Monkey for a second season, although it will not be the same as the book sequel, Ryan Christoffel (9to5Mac) writes explaining that the sequel may form the basis of a later series. News just released reports that Apple has just signed a deal with Playtime (that is the Tom Hanks movie company) to produce output based on an upcoming novel: Sheepdogs, with a former CIA operative recruited for a job in Africa (Dennis Sellers, AppleWorld Today).
In my late childhood and early teens, I particularly remember the great cinema that the BBC put out on Friday nights, like Hiroshima mon Amour ( 1959), and a vivid movie set in wartime Warsaw at the time of the Uprising: Kanal (1957). That had memorable scenes set in the sewers of the occupied city, although I found out years later that the floating matter in the tunnels was made of cork. I guess that by the time I saw these movies and others in the season, considering the release dates and where we were living at the time, it was in the early 1960s. I know I saw a couple of Eisenstein movies around the same time: Alexander Nevsky, with its iconic defeat of the Teutonic Knights on a frozen lake (since copied in many movies); and Battleship Potemkin, with its unforgettable scene on the Odessa steps. At around the same time I also watched the magnificent BBC series, the Wars of the Roses (1965): Henry VI (parts 1, 2 and 3) through to Richard III, although I think now that the Ian McKellan movie of Richard III was one of the best versions I have ever seen.
I have since seen other, related plays that precede these (historically), including Richard II (which started the whole thing off) at Stratford with Alan Howard; and on one day at the Barbican, parts 1 and 2 of Henry IV, with the late Joss Ackland as Falstaff. Other notables in the production were Patrick Stewart (the King), Miriam Karlin, Hugh Quarshie, Timothy Dalton (one of the Bonds), and Gemma Jones. Both were memorable productions.
In the late 1970s I spent a lot of time at Stratford and was acquainted with several of the actors. I also re-met David Troughton there with whom I had been at school in the 1960s. As he lived not far from me, I visited the house on occasions and also met his father, Patrick, before he became the second Doctor Who. I tied up with one of my Stratford friends in 1987 when I was invited to New York for Thanksgiving. At the dinner I met an English man who offered to take me round Greenwich the next day photographing the streets. He had a SLR camera and all I could run to was a 110 (now becoming popular again). The couple of hours in the streets taught me more about photography - looking at things, setting up a scene - than all the books I had read. He had won a Best Movie Oscar a couple of years before for The Lion in Winter (Peter O'Toole, Katherine Hepburn). My thanks to Tony Harvey who died in 2017.
That note on my 110 camera (above) is interesting as the 110 and the film has made a bit of a comeback of late. Film itself has seen some growth in popularity in recent times. These days I almost always a carry film camera. Abby Ferguson at PetaPixel looks at what she describes as the best year for analog photography in years. With a list of 14 film cameras and 6 new film arrivals, as well as more industrial investment in film-related technology it does seem as if things are looking up. The list does not mention the release of Harman Phoenix. Although the 35mm rolls were made available in late 2023, Harman expanded its production of Phoenix to 120 this year, so that should be on the list. I have used 4 of the 5 rolls I ordered with 1 still in the fridge and I far prefer the 120 output to the 35mm (grain and exposure).
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Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. After 3 years writing a column in the Life supplement, he is now no longer associated with the Bangkok Post. He can be followed on X (@extensions_th). The RSS feed for the articles is http://www.extensions.in.th/ext_link.xml - copy and paste into your feed reader.
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