All iPods are touch. The evolution of the iPod

By looking at the server error log, you may find entries like this:
File does doesn't exist: .../public_html/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png
File does not exist: .../public_html/apple-touch-icon.png

This means that when the user entered your site, two images in png format were requested, but not found (error code 404). Please note that the image apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png is requested first, and then apple-touch-icon.png. I’ll explain later why I’m focusing on this fact, but first let’s figure out what these pictures are.

What is apple-touch-icon.png

Apple-touch-icon.png is a miniature icon that should represent your website or web page. It is intended for users accessing the site from mobile devices. operating system(iOS). What is this icon for?

Just as desktop users can bookmark any web page in their browser, iPhone or iPad users can use Web Clip to save links to their favorite sites as icons on their devices. These links, represented by icons, are called web clips.

A shortcut to your website on the device screen is powerful tool, so that you are remembered. So I think it's worth putting a little effort and spending a little time into creating the icon. What happens if you don't?

This is what happens when a user clicks the button to add your site icon to their device screen. The device starts looking in the root of the site for an icon named apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png. If it doesn't find it, look for apple-touch-icon.png. How are these two pictures different?

It's the names of the pictures. If you name the website icon apple-touch-icon.png, the device will apply standard effects typical of Apple icons to it - add highlights, shadows, and round corners. If you don't want any effects applied to your site icon, name it apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png.

If the device does not find either apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png or apple-touch-icon.png, then the touch iPod, iPhone or iPad will save the screenshot as an icon. This means that the shortcut to your site will be faceless, the log will be updated with new error warnings, and unnecessary requests will load the server.

How to create apple-touch-icon.png

The IOS 7 Apple developer website describes in some detail the requirements for icons and recommendations for their placement on the site (freely translated by the author of the article).

• Icon in PNG format with the name apple-touch-icon.png should be placed in the root folder of the site
• If you want to specify an icon for a single web page, or replace a website icon from a web page with a specific icon, add a link element to the web page:
  
  In the example above, replace custom_icon.png with the icon file.
• To specify multiple icons for devices with different resolutions, for example to support iPhone devices and iPad, you need to add a sizes attribute to each element link next way:
  
  
  
  
• The most suitable element size for the device, if sizes are not specified, is up to 60 x 60.

If the site does not have an icon that matches the recommended size for the device, the smallest icon that is larger than the recommended size will be used. If icon sizes do not exceed the recommended size, the largest icon will be used.

If your web content stands out in a special way, such as a recognizable color scheme, it makes sense to include it in the icon. To ensure your icon displays properly on your device, follow the guidelines in this table.

Many webmasters complain that Apple makes a webmaster's job more difficult. Maybe so, but I don’t see a big problem here. Monitoring some well-known web resources for the presence of an apple-touch-icon in the root of the site showed the following: Apple - icon size 152x152 px, Yandex - 57x57 px, Odnoklassniki - 129x129 px, Facebook - 57x57 px, VKontakte and Google apple -touch-icon not found.

Well, in conclusion, you can create an icon for your site of any size, with or without effect, using online generator by following this link.

In honor of the recent update to the iPod line, I decided to take a dive into history and remember all the iPod models that came out from 2001 to the present day.

This will be a short history of the iPod with photos and brief description, the most important nuances in my opinion. Including, I will touch on the latest in a little more detail iPod update Touch.

The players are arranged in order of release.

There were only two iPod models: 5 and 10 gigabytes (and the 10 gigabyte version was not released immediately). The battery could last up to 10 hours. The classic iPod had a mechanical scroll wheel. The player weighed 184 grams. First and latest model, which was supported exclusively by Mac OS.

In the second generation of iPod, the storage capacity was increased: 10 and 20 gigabytes. Touch scroll wheel. Some second-generation models were Windows-compatible through the Musicmatch Jukebox audio player program.

The third generation iPod became thinner and had a completely non-mechanical remote control. Player memory sizes: 10 GB, 20 GB, 30 GB, 40 GB. Due to the reduction in size, the model could only work for 8 hours without recharging.

The iPod Mini is not a very successful series that only survived two generations. The first one was in production for 2 months. Important Features: 4 gigabytes of memory, weight 103 grams, 8 hours of battery life, touch scroll wheel, like in the third generation of the classic iPod, but with the ability to press it (additional actions - due to this, the 4 buttons above the wheel disappeared). The iPod Mini was sold in five colors (including gold).

Initially, the generation did not foretell any surprises. The first models were 20 and 40 gigabytes, had the same monochrome screen, but with an improved scroll wheel from the iPod Mini 1 Gen.

But on October 26, 2004, the Photo model with a color screen (220 by 176 pixels, 65,536 colors) went on sale. This model allowed photographs to be stored and displayed. Versions of 30 and 60 gigabytes appeared.

A little later, the model was slightly modified and called iPod Color. But the essence has not changed.

This tiny player gave a new experience to users, forcing them to listen to music completely at random. According to Apple, many users listened to music on their iPod in random order, which is why the first iPod Shuffle was created as a reflection of the trend.

Models with 512 megabytes or 1 gigabyte were available. The iPod Shuffle weighed a fantastic 22 grams and lasted 12 hours on a single charge.

Visually, it was practically no different from the first generation. A model with 6 GB memory has been added. The gold model has disappeared. Improved battery life to 18 hours.

The iPod Nano was designed to replace the iPod Mini and combine the best of the iPod Classic and iPod Shuffle. The model came in only two colors (white and black), weighed 42 grams and ran for 15 hours on battery power. Flash memory: 1, 2, 4 gigabytes. The display was 16 bit, resolution: 176 by 132.

The fifth generation is characterized by a complete redesign of the device, an enlarged screen for watching videos. Screen resolution 320 by 240 (QVGA). In 2006, after updating the model, the maximum memory capacity reached 80 gigabytes. Also, after updating the firmware, it became possible to run some games on the iPod.

The body of the iPod Nano is made of anodized aluminum. iPod Nano received 5 bright colors. Also for the first time, a red iPod appeared, from the sales of which $10 went to charity. The models were 2, 4, 8 gigabytes, and not all volumes were of all colors: for example, the 8 gigabyte model existed only in black and red versions.

October 2006– second generation iPod Shuffle

The miniature player has become even lighter – 15.6 grams. A clip appeared that allowed the player to be attached to clothing. Memory capacity: 1 or 2 gigabytes. 9 color schemes that were added over time.

Issued in three options: 80, 120, 160 gigabytes. The player worked from 30 to 40 hours on a single charge (audio), 5-6 hours (video). The front panel of the player was made of aluminum (previously it was made of plastic).

The model lived until 2014, when it was discontinued. This event marked the end of the era of the classic iPod.

September 5, 2007– third generation iPod Nano

The player has received cosmetic improvements. Brighter two-inch color display: 320 by 240. iPod Nano received new interface and support for new iPod games (Tetris, Ms. Pac-Man, Sudoku and others).

The first iPod with Wi-Fi and MultiTouch interface came out a little later first iPhone, like its more budget-friendly and stripped-down counterpart. The player allowed you to purchase additional applications. Have worked iPod touch, like the iPhone, on iOS.

iPod Touch in first three generations had a 3.5-inch touch screen with a resolution of 480 by 320. There was only one left on the front panel Home button. Battery life is 22 hours audio and 5 hours video.

In the fourth generation, the iPod Nano was again heavily redesigned: the player was stretched again and the color scheme was completely changed. The iPod Nano now has an accelerometer and landscape mode due to vertical screen. Available models: 4 GB (limited in some markets), 8 GB and 16 GB.

Minor redesign. Important innovation: Bluetooth has been added. Battery life has been increased to 36 hours in audio mode and 6 hours in video mode.

The player was the first to use VoiceOver technology, which could voice the names of performers and song titles in 20 languages. For the first time in the series, support for multiple playlists. The player weighs a fantastic 10.7 grams. Memory capacity – 2 or 4 gigabytes.

In design, the fifth generation was very similar to the fourth. The screen was slightly enlarged to 376 by 220. A built-in video camera also appeared. There were models with 8 and 16 gigabytes to choose from.

The design has not changed. Among the important innovations: a microphone has been added to the new headphones that come with the kit. The processor performance and RAM capacity have been increased from 128 megabytes to 256. The VoiceControl voice control function has been added.

The player has become as miniature as possible. At the same time, it had a full-fledged bright touch screen (240x240), on which only one icon was placed. Video playback, camera and speakers have been removed. Weight – 21.1 grams. The same 8 and 16 gigabytes are available. The iPod Nano now has a clip (like the iPod Shuffle) and also adds the ability to attach a strap. Several options for displaying dials have been added to the interface. First signs of Apple Watch?

A triumph of minimalism in the series.

Smallest iPod ever this moment. It is still produced and sold successfully. It is in demand among athletes due to its size and the presence of a clip.

The player weighs 12.5 grams, the battery lasts for 15 hours of listening to music. Anodized aluminum body. The memory size is exclusively 2 gigabytes. In 2015, the player received a color redesign.

New sophisticated design with two cameras: for Face Time conversations and HD video shooting (720p). The screen, with the same dimensions, has become more contrasty, the resolution has increased to 960 by 640. Exactly the same Retina screen used in iPhone 4.

Apple switched from Samsung processors to its Apple A4. The iPod Touch added an accelerometer and a gyroscope. Ended support in iOS 6.1.6.

Exclusively for 16 gigabytes. The iPod Nano has been pulled out once again. Apparently the single-icon interface of the sixth generation was not a big success. The player weighs 31 grams. On April 15, 2015, the color scheme of the players changed.

The iPod Touch 5Gen received a retina screen enlarged to 4 inches with a resolution of 1136 by 640. RAM increased to 512 megabytes. Improved cameras. Rear camera allows you to shoot video in 1080p quality, 8 megapixel photos. Finally, the iPod Touch has received several bright colors. Memory sizes: 16, 32, 64 gigabytes. The port for connecting to a computer and charging has changed - now the iPod Touch comes with a USB->Lightning cable.

iPod Touch 5G has Apple processor A5, exactly the same as in the iPhone 4S and iPad 2, which means its performance is comparable to these devices. Supported by Apple up to iOS 9, released in the fall.

Well Last update The iPod Touch is a recent development. Visually, the model is completely similar to the fifth generation, but there are several important improvements and changes.

• The processor in the iPod Touch 6Gen immediately became A8 (with an M8 coprocessor). It is the A8 and M8 that are installed in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
• A 128 gigabyte variation of the iPod has gone on sale.
• RAM doubled to 1 gigabyte
• 5 updated colors: space gray, blue, pink, gold and silver.
• 8 megapixel iSight camera and improved front HD FaceTime camera. The first question that arises is: is the camera comparable to iPhone camera 6? No, it’s a little worse and shoots at about the same level as iPad Air 2.
• In the 6th generation, the recess for attaching the lace was removed. Now you can’t hang the player on your hand...

Afterword

Here's an excursion into history. I'll dwell on the new iPod Touch for a moment.

The 6th generation of iPod Touch is a significant leap in performance. There is no redesign, because the 5th generation iPod Touch is already close to ideal in this regard. To be honest, the fifth-generation player is already starting to slow down on iOS 8.4 and iOS 9 (not surprising, given the weak processor). Therefore, Apple urgently needed to do something about it... They did. The result is a nice gadget with capabilities on par with the top-end iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Should I buy an iPod Touch 6 Gen or not? You decide. The price of the player is 2-3 times less compared to the iPhone (depending on the amount of memory). The iPod Touch has always been cheap iPhone alternative without the ability to call and GPS module. Now almost nothing has changed, it’s just that with this update Apple has greatly reduced the gap between the top devices in the lines. If you have an iPhone, I don’t see much point in buying an iPod Touch. If you need a high-quality music player with a good camera and the ability to install applications from App Store, and finances do not allow you to look towards the iPhone, then the iPod Touch is a good investment.

Readers: What kind of iPod do you have? How do you use it?

When describing the design, we paid a lot of attention to the main innovation of the model: touchpad Touch Bar above the keyboard. But it is important that this is not only hardware, but also software solution. Moreover, the effectiveness of its use directly depends on the software and settings. In this article, we decided to look at the Touch Bar in all aspects and talk about the panel from the point of view of its application in various use scenarios.

To start - general information. So, Touch Bar is an OLED touch panel present in 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook models Pro 2016. Touch Bar resolution is 2170x60. The panel replaces the top row of keys and can display various information- depending on the running application, user settings and actions.

Needless to say, the panel can only fully function in an environment macOS Sierra and only if the specific application is optimized for use with the Touch Bar. Of course, everything is preinstalled macOS apps have such optimization, but third-party developers can also use its functionality. In particular, we will look at how this is implemented in Microsoft Office.

In order to take screenshots with the Touch Bar, you need to install the latest version. macOS beta Sierra. Any user can do this by registering in Apple program, however, you need to be prepared for the fact that the MacBook Pro will quickly discharge.

To the right of the Touch Bar is a fingerprint scanner finger Touch ID. It is physically separate from the Touch Bar and is not part of it, but when we open the lid of the laptop, the Touch Bar displays the words “Unlock with Touch ID” and an arrow pointing to Touch ID.

As we noted in the first article, the MacBook Pro 2016 is the first Apple laptop with a fingerprint scanner. And its support first appeared in macOS Sierra. Below we will tell you how to use this feature on your MacBook.

Touch ID

So, when you turn it on for the first time and initial setup MacBook offers us to add a fingerprint.

The procedure is the same as for iPhone/iPad. We put our finger on the scanner several times, and the screen shows how the gray grooves are filled with red.

Once a fingerprint is added, you can add another finger and also specify what types of operations Touch ID can be used for. Besides unlocking the Mac it can be used with Apple Pay and confirmation of purchases from the iTunes Store and Mac App Store.

Touch Bar: Standard Options

Now let's return to the Touch Bar itself. We have already seen what the panel shows before unlocking the computer. And this is what we see by default after unlocking. The screenshot shows the right side. On the left there is only the Esc button, between it and the one shown in the screenshot there is black space. The original screenshot is available by clicking.

So, on the right is the Siri call button. Starting with Sierra, macOS supports Siri, and Apple immediately decided to make its launch as clear as possible. Moreover, during operation you often press this button by accident, because previously the volume up button was located in this place. And it turns out that we are being deliberately pushed to use Siri, willy-nilly.

The remaining icons do not need comments. Except for the arrow. Tapping it reveals a row of touch-sensitive buttons identical to what we see on the top row of a traditional MacBook keyboard. Here is a screenshot divided into two halves: at the top is the left part, below is the right.

The decision seems quite controversial, firstly, to make this view not the main one, but accessible only after touching the small arrow (hit it again!), and secondly, to leave the Siri call icon in this row. However, if desired, all this can be configured. We will tell you how exactly further.

Touch Bar in apps

Now let's see how the Touch Bar works in applications. Once again, if the application is not optimized for the Touch Bar, the bar will always display what is shown above. However, in the case of your preinstalled Apple apps, of course, made sure that each of them really uses the capabilities of the Touch Bar. For example, Safari. The screenshots below show fragments of Touch Bar screenshots, but the original screenshot is available by clicking.

As we can see, thumbnails of open tabs are displayed here. You can move between them simply by swiping your finger. Comfortable? Perhaps. On the other hand, I can’t say that it’s very clear - the thumbnails are too tiny, and they don’t always allow you to understand which site is which. And switching between tabs in the usual ways is no more difficult. But it's certainly a spectacular opportunity.

Another useful thing on this panel in Safari is “search” and “open new tab”.

The panel may also change depending on what is open in the browser. For example, if a video is playing there, the video navigation panel appears.

And here we come to understand the main quality of the Touch Bar: it is complete variability, that is, in one application there can be an infinite number of Touch Bar options. Everything depends solely on the imagination of the developers. Main question The point is that the functionality of the panel complements, and does not duplicate, the already easily accessible application options.

A good option is in the “Calendar”. There, you can easily switch between different weeks using the Touch Bar.

Less successfully done in text editors Pages and Word. The problem is that, for example, marking a piece of text in italics is much more convenient simply with the mouse, because we select this piece with the mouse. It turns out that in order to use the Touch Bar, we first need to make some kind of gesture with the mouse, then drop it, press the button on the Touch Bar, then grab the mouse again.

In general, despite the fact that the capabilities of the Touch Bar in text editors are very wide, in fact it turns out that you either need to relearn and get used to completely new movements while working, or simply perceive the Touch Bar as some kind of optional addition that we, maybe , someday we’ll use it purely for fun, but for now we’ll do it the old fashioned way - with a mouse and keyboard.

This applies not only text editors, but also most other applications. For example, QuickTime Player.

Yes, we see a pause button, but in order to pause the video, just press the space bar on your keyboard.

And this is the main problem of the Touch Bar concept and the main challenge for developers: how to make using the Touch Bar intuitive and simpler than the usual keyboard shortcuts and mouse commands? It is clear that a lot here depends on Apple itself, because it is necessary to set an example for third-party developers to show that the Touch Bar can really be used intelligently. And there are such examples. We have already given several examples and we can give more.

Let's say Pages has word suggestions that pop up. This is exactly the option that is impossible, or at least impractical, without touch screen, and the Touch Bar is just right for its implementation.

Setting up the Touch Bar

The Touch Bar can be customized to suit you, not only in general, but also for each application separately. Access to general settings can be accessed through Settings/Keyboard.

You may notice that the “Configure Control Strip” button has appeared there. This is exactly what you need for Touch settings Bar. At the top you can also specify what should be displayed by default on the panel.

Control Strip are standard icons on the right side of the Touch Bar. An extended version of the Control Strip opens if you click on the arrow. But if you don't want to do this regularly, you can set the extended Control Strip to show immediately.

So, click “Customize Control Strip” and we see a window with icons, and above them there is the inscription: “Drag frequently used objects to the Touch Bar at the bottom of the screen.” Actually, from this it is already clear how exactly we can replace any icon on the Touch Bar with another. Just take the mouse you need and drag it down to the edge of the screen, after which it “jumps” to the Touch Bar and shakes there, like on iOS after a long press.

There is quite a large selection here. There are also useful things. For example, “Screenshot”, “Sleep”, Launchpad, “Show desktop”, “Do not disturb”... So don’t miss the opportunity to create the optimal set.

Thus, outside of applications, we have two levels of Touch Bar customization: the first level - what is displayed by default, the second level - what is the composition of the Control Strip (regular and extended options). But in addition to this, you can also customize the composition of Touch Bar icons in individual applications. For example, below is how this is done in Safari. In the “View” menu we see the line: “Customize the Touch Bar.”

Click on it - and we see a window similar to the Control Strip settings window, but with a set of icons directly for the browser. Well, then we proceed according to the familiar scheme: drag the necessary icons with the mouse and pin them to the desired place in the Touch Bar.

Therefore, software developers must take care not only about the fact of using the Touch Bar, but also about the options for customizing the panel within their application and choosing additional icons. That is, on the one hand, there must be a clear relationship between user actions and the icons that appear on the Touch Bar, and on the other hand, the initial set can be adjusted by the user.

conclusions

Touch Bar is one of the main innovations in recent years. This is very interesting and promising solution, which can significantly expand the user’s interaction with the laptop and make it easier to perform a number of tasks. Hypothetically. In practice, a lot depends on how the Touch Bar functionality is implemented in a particular application and how easy or difficult it is for the user to customize it and start using it in real life.

We can't say that the Touch Bar is really useful yet. And expecting your productivity to increase if you upgrade from a previous generation MacBook Pro to a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar would be reckless. And if you consider that most third-party software manufacturers have not yet managed to optimize their applications for the Touch Bar, there is no need to be under any illusions. But, at the same time, the idea itself seems very promising, its implementation is as competent as it can be in real conditions, and the prospects are impressive, given that Apple has repeatedly demonstrated how it can convince the entire industry of the need to introduce certain innovations. Will it work this time?

The Apple MacBook Pro (Late 2016) deserves our Original Design Award for its innovative Touch Bar and the deep integration of this hardware element into the laptop's software.