Apple News: What the Apple Watch Says About Apple
Watching Timothy D. Cook last week as he introduced the Apple Watch to the world was almost touching, in his channeling of his predecessor. The back-and-forth pacing of the stage, the hand gestures, the cadence of his speech and the script unabashedly filled with superlatives — “We set out to build the best watch in the world” — were all reminiscent of the late Steven P. Jobs. Of course, Mr. Cook lacks the track record, life story and the showman’s flair of the Apple co-founder. But while leaders all leave the stage sooner or later, corporate values can endure. For decades, Apple has stood out in the business world for three things: taste, trust and utility. These are not words scribbled on a white board or printed in an annual report, but values that have guided Apple’s product and design decisions. The Apple Watch reflects and interprets those values — how well it has done that will be its test of success or failure. Taste was a touchstone for Mr. Jobs. It was a term he used often. To him, taste was a value and a journey, acquired through curiosity, learning and life experience. Seek out the best that your culture has to offer, he would say, and your work will be enriched with taste, whether you are a software programmer or a sculptor.
Read full story => NYTimes
Technology News: Did Apple just become a big bank
Apple’s move into mobile banking could bring the tech giant under the same federal regulations as financial institutions. At a product launch event this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook made waves by unveiling a new mobile banking system that allows consumers to wave their iPhones for purchases instead of swiping debit and credit cards. The product has generated tremendous buzz in the tech community, with some analysts predicting a revolution in the way people shop. Apple is putting its considerable muscle behind the product, promising to work with more than 222,000 merchant locations in America. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are already onboard, as are Whole Foods, Macy’s and Disney.
Read full story => TheHill
Programming News: Improving Data Management with the DMM
The CMMI Institute has launched the Data Management Maturity (DMM)SM model. It can be used to improve data management, helping organizations to bridge the gap between business and IT. Using the DMM, organizations can evaluate and improve their data management capabilities. The model leverages the principles, structure, and proven approach of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). InfoQ interviewed Melanie Mecca, Program Manager of the Data Management Maturity product portfolio at CMMI Institute, about why the Institute developed this new model, how organizations can use the DMM to improve data management, combining the DMM with agile adoption in enterprises, and the relationship between the DMM and the CMMI and People CMM.
Read full story => InfoQ
Photography News: Create Photos With IMPACT By Composing With Purpose
After I started my own critique forum I soon started to realize that composition is one of the most commonly critiqued parts of a photograph and in reality composition is the most important element of a photograph next to the subject. That said, what composition really comes down to, and what I’m talking about today, is the idea of composing with purpose. I’m not here today to tell you about the different “rules” of composition. I’m not going to tell you what is right and what is wrong, because ultimately, the “rules” themselves are both right and wrong in different situations and it’s up to you as the photographer to determine when and how to use them – to do that – you must compose with purpose.
Read full story => DigitalPhotographySchool
