CultCast #268 - The whacky Apple products time forgot!

This week: Apple’s weirdest, whackiest, and worst products!  Plus: how Michael Scott almost single-handedly destroyed Apple; the cool new features in the iOS and macOS betas; facial recognition is coming to iPhone; and a look at the beautiful prototypes that led to some of Apple’s most iconic products.’   This episode supported by   Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney This week’s intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ln_CmNtbvQ   Apple hires Dropcam co-founder for special project http://www.cultofmac.com/464072/apple-hires-dropcam-cofounder-special-project/

• Apple has added another high-profile hire to its roster of top tech talent by bringing on the co-founder and former CEO of Dropcam, Greg Duffy.
• Dropcam grew in popularity thanks to its cheap home cameras that connected to Wi-Fi
• Citing “people who know Mr. Duffy,” the news site suggests he is leading a special project that’s operating like a startup within Apple.

  Apple seeds first iOS 10.3 beta with Find My AirPods feature http://www.cultofmac.com/463848/apple-seeds-first-ios-10-3-beta-find-airpods/

• Finding your tiny AirPods charging case is about to get a lot easier, thanks to a new iOS 10 beta that adds a Find My AirPods feature to iPhones and iPads.
• Works via the find my iPhone app
• Works with Bluetooth  so the range is limited.
• You can make them chirp, but not while they’re in the case…
• Map will show you where they were last located.

  iOS 11 expected to bring FaceTime group calls http://www.cultofmac.com/463640/ios-11-expected-to-bring-facetime-group-calls/

• iOS 11 will finally give users the ability to hold FaceTime group calls with multiple friends, according to a new report.
• Sources familiar with Apple’s plans claim the feature will support up to five participants, and that users will be able to initiate video calling from within iMessage group chats.
• It should also be noted, though, that this rumor comes from Israeli site The Verifier, which has no track record when it comes to Apple rumors. It claims to have garnered this information from “several people familiar with iOS development.”

  Hartmut Esslinger http://www.designboom.com/technology/hartmut-esslingers-early-apple-computer-and-tablet-designs/ In the mid 1970s, he first worked with Sony on its trinitron and Wega ranges. In the early 1980s, he began working with Apple.