Apple M1 MacBook - XCode update panic issues

I ordered a first-edition Apple MacBook Pro (with M1 chip) following the product announcement in August 2020. There were some challenges getting my favorite tools on-board but I ultimately got them all resolved and the system has been working great!

This past couple of days, however, the system has started taking spontaneous panics occasionally 😟 I can't be sure, but it seems like it may be related to the recently distributed XCode 12.5.1 update. First, the update never completes - it seems to just hang towards the end. And ever since it went partially on, the panics have started.

I hope Apple will resolve the issue soon, as the user experience is currently like driving down a road with random landmines! 😨🤞

Mac Dock!

Getting all the external I/O connections hooked up to your MacBook can be a daunting task! This nice tethered dock by Henge Docks provides a nice all-in-one solution via USB 3.1 for around $199 MSRP. When you consider that a single Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter goes for around $30, the price tag to "Solve Everything" may not be that bad.

Better on-line photos!

A little photo juju for folks who like to post pictures: Use your phone or computer's built-in photo-editing features before posting that picture! Fix it up for better results:

• Use the "Auto-enhance" feature for starters.
• Too dark? Use the "Light, Shadows" control to bring the subjects and background out from the shadows. Or use the "Light, Brightness" to increase the overall lighting.
• Dull look? Use the "Light, Contrast" control to increase the separation between lights and darks.
• More pop? Use the "Color, Intensity" to add more color and the "Color, Saturation" control to increase the wash.
• Zoom in on the subject or straighten the picture? Use the "Crop" or "Rotate" controls.
• When posting a picture on-line, it's usually better to brighten it up rather than posting it "as is". This is because most cameras expose for prints, not monitors.

With just a little attention, you'll see the difference - and so will your friends!

The evolution of human-machine interaction

Anyone who's used a mouse & keyboard for over a decade knows that this method of human-machine interaction is growing more clunky and burdensome with each passing year. It's only a matter of time before better (or at least complementary) systems emerge, sort of like when drawing tablets, handwriting / speech detection, and optical character recognition systems first appeared on the scene.

So what will the future of human-machine interaction (HMI) look like?

We already have some possible prognostications available. Wearable Tech being one (e.g., Google Glass and Apple Watch), and gesture-based technology being another. And given that the Big G and the Big A are researching, investing in, and developing both, it's not a stretch to conclude that we will see both emerging alongside conventional keyboard & mouse interaction soon.

Other technologies that will likely influence HMI refinement: Natural Language recognition (speech) and immersive Virtual Reality (VR).

Microsoft Office jumps to the net

Remember when Google Docs came on the scene and some commentators said it was the beginning of the end for Microsoft Office? Well, it seems Office may have turned the tables. See here, too.