Another year, another batch of new iPhones hits the Internet to dampened-yet-still-feverish hype in the era of COVID-19. And, as always, some of us are sitting around wondering, “What’s the big deal?”

Of course, if you’re a huge Apple fan, you probably appreciate Cupertino’s iterative approach to product development. After all, why mess up a good thing for no real reason?

Such seems to be the thinking behind the FOUR new iPhone 13 models, ranging from an iPhone 13 Mini to the Pro Max (the latter sounding like a throwback to 1996 product naming conventions but we digress).

Of course, each one is distinguished from the other by the size of both the body itself, screen, and price tag. As you can imagine, the Pro Max will do just that to your available credit card balance yet that model might actually be worth it compared with some of the others that, frankly, have more of a rewarmed iPhone 12 air about them.

So what are we getting with the new iPhone 13? The iPhone 13 Mini and iPhone 13 will both have Cupertino’s bespoke A15 Bionic Chip, a pair of front cameras, a 6.1 and 5.4 inch Super Retina XDR display, and an adequate 128GB storage. Colors will be “starlight,” “midnight,” blue, pink, and, naturally, (PRODUCT)RED. As for pricing, the lower end of the iPhone 13 totem starts at $799 with a street date of September 24.

The upper echelon of the iPhone 13 family sees an impressive augmentation of the smartphone’s camera system in the form of a bunch of new photo modes. Storage goes up to 1TB and new ultrawide cameras promise better capabilities all around in that department.

“The new pro camera system offers even more pro photography capabilities like improved telephoto zoom, macro photography, Photographic Styles, Cinematic mode, as well as ProRes and Dolby Vision video. The Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion is our best display ever; it intelligently responds to the content on your screen, offers fantastic graphics performance, and is perfect for any viewing experience,” Apple’s Greg Joswiak commented of the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max.

Body colors include graphite, gold, silver, and sierra blue with the Pro and Pro Max pricing at $999 and $1099.

All of these will utilize Apple’s next-gen operating system, iOS 15 which itself promises a host of cool features for content creators and others.

In terms of what models to be excited about, it’s hard to deny that the Pro and Pro Max up the power and capabilities of the iPhone segment without changing too much else. That said, they’re still pretty similar to last-gen and that’s pretty much to be expected at this point (as we alluded to in the introduction).

If you’re looking to upgrade your older iPhone handset for something new and improved it is hard to deny that these are currently the best iPhones on the market.

https://www.lightstalking.com/apple-debuts-2-apple-iphone-13-pros-alongside-an-iphone-13-regular-and-mini-variant/

https://www.techradar.com/news/iphone-13-pro-and-pro-max-have-more-storage-more-zoom-and-more-power

[Submitted by Vince Rubiera]

Bryan Weisbard, Director and Head of Online Safety Operations at Twitter, has been appointed to the Rutgers University Big Data Advisory Board. Weisbard is an expert in Online and Cyber Security, Trust & Safety, Digital Privacy, Corporate Security, and Risk Management. He is recognized for leveraging technological innovation to solve security challenges. In his Board capacity, Weisbard will advise industry professionals on how best to solve cyber security, machine learning, privacy, online safety, and data analytics challenges.
Weisbard served in the United States Intelligence Community for several years in a variety of national security roles, both in Washington D.C. and around the world. Currently, Weisbard serves as Director and Head of Online Safety Operations at Twitter (@BryanW) where he ensures that the millions of users on the platform have a safe environment for online conversation. In addition, he leads security investigations and analytical functions globally.
Weisbard brings a wealth of experience in advising organizations on privacy, digital safety, and security matters. He is a member of Business Executives for National Security, the Pacific Council on International Policy, and a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Weisbard also holds leadership positions in ASIS International's Chief Security Officer Center for Leadership as a member of both the Advisory Board and the Membership Committee.
Weisbard received an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Miami, and a Certificate in Forensic Accounting from Georgetown University. Weisbard is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
Follow @BryanW on Twitter to hear more about Weisbard’s thoughts on security and privacy.
[Submitted by Bryan Weisbard]

A Conversation with TVTibi's Andrew Goldman TVtibi http://tvtibi.com Internet Television’s next wave. Is the next wave of choice in internet television with TVTibi? The playing field in the internet TV space continues to grow at lightning speed. While the front-runners in the OTT space have a huge lead (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime), there is a continual queu of platforms and streaming services entering the lineup almost daily — hoping to catch them or catch the next wave in the space. One of the new kids on the block with high expectations is TVTibi, owned by San Antonio-based Ready, Set, Sync, Inc. As an emerging global over-the-top (OTT) service, the start-up already offers direct to consumers a variety of channels, shows, episodes, films, and other programming, both live and on-demand. We caught up with TVTibi Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officier (CSO) Andrew Goldman to get the 411 on the fledgling start-up’s quest to join the fray as a leading contender. (C) TVTibi TVTibi Co-Founder & CSO, Andrew Goldman Goldman oversees and acquires all content acquisition and sets long-term program strategy for TVTibi. A veteran in the television programming world, Goldman comes from a lengthy stint at HBO/Cinemax, where he most recently was Vice President of Program Strategy and Planning. He was responsible for the linear and digital strategic planning of all programming for the cable networks’ 15 multiplex channels and platforms such as HBO Now (OTT), HBO Go, MAX Go, and Video On Demand. Ready, Set, Sync and TVTibi are banking on Goldman’s expertise and experience to set them apart from the pack of newbies. Here’s what he has to say. Socially Sparked News: What is TVTibi? Goldman: We are a global platform offering individually purchased channels, series, episodes and movies, Live Channels and On-Demand. Think of us as The a-la-carte network. Our tag line is Global Content for a Global Audience. Socially Sparked News: How long have you been up and running? Goldman: We launched in 2015 with a soft launch. Things are moving steadily along. In the last six months alone, we’ve nearly tripled our subscriber base. Socially Sparked News: Tells us how subscribers or those wishing to watch your programming can gain access to the platform? Goldman: They can download TVtibi from the app store. We are now available as an app on iOS; Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 TVTibi’s first exclusive boxing event is Feb. 18 Socially Sparked News: Tell us about TVtibi’s entree into live boxing and what kind of impact you anticipate for reaching the boxing fan or fair-weather fan. Goldman: Expanding into live PPV sports is a significant move for us . We are able to exhibit our extensive capabilities to deliver on a global scale and set ourselves apart as a provider of premium live content. Socially Sparked News: Are there plans to pursue this type of live action programming in the future or is this a one-off? You seem to have a lot of sports content offerings. With the addition of the upcoming live boxing event, can we assume that sports content is a niche direction TVTibi may continue to pursue to separate themselves from the pack? Goldman: You can count on seeing more live-action on-demand events from us in the very near future. As we speak, we’re working on partnering with other platforms and providers to ensure the widest reach possible for these events. (c) Socially Sparked News, LLC Sample of TVTibi Program Offerings Socially Sparked News: What sorts of programming do you currently offer besides sports? Goldman: Current channels include Newsy, MyJam TV, Britrox TV, The Children’s Reading Channel, duckTV and more.

Socially Sparked News: There has been a lot of discussion amongst the experts that the next stage of OTT is in individual channel creation by the subscriber. We are already seeing binge viewing. What are your thoughts on this? Goldman: Content is a buffet, and brand loyalty of internet TV providers only extends to the shows themselves right now. The brand of the show is more important than the provider that houses that show. Inventory is key. So, in answer to your question — yes, individual channel creation is the next wave. And, TVTibi is primed to be that a-la-carte service of choice. Socially Sparked News: – Lastly, tell us about your subscription packages.

: TVtibi offers free and individually purchased channels, series, episodes and movies through both live and on-demand content via a free downloadable app. The platform is accessible on televisions, computers, phones, and tablets globally. We offer both, a free-content, ad-supported plan and a subscription, video-on-demand version with either a pay as you go option for .99 or an opt-in plan (without commercials) for $2.99. It remains to be seen how the next wave of OTT will shape up, but it will be fascinating to watch. — Abbe is Socially Sparked! @sosparkednews TAGSOTTINTERNET TVTELEVISIONTVTIBIANDREW GOLDMANNETFLIXHULU PLUSAMAZON PRIME THE AUTHOR Abbe Sparks Abbe Sparks is the Founder of Socially Sparked News http://sociallysparkednews.com. Abbe is a social media and content influencer covering the entertainment, digital, tech and advocacy sectors, which she has been writing about for over 20 years. Socially Sparked News is her labor of love. 

Submitted by Abbe Sparks