The big news this week is Apple’s release of OS X 10.9.3 Mavericks, which adds pixel-doubled Retina mode for 4K displays and collaborates with the new iTunes 11.2 to bring back local contact and calendar syncing. Adam Engst provides instructions for enabling the local contact and calendar syncing, and Agen Schmitz dives into iTunes 11.2’s podcast-listening improvements. Online backup service Backblaze has released data suggesting that heat does not affect hard drive lifespans, and Geoff Duncan examines a pair of topics that could have a huge impact on the future of the Internet: the current FCC net neutrality proposal and the European Union’s “right to be forgotten.” Finally, in FunBITS, Josh Centers takes a look at Beats Music, a unique music streaming service rumored to be an Apple acquisition target. Notable software releases this week include Mailplane 3.2.1, SpamSieve 2.9.14, GraphicConverter 9.2, and Logic Pro X 10.0.7. The next issue of TidBITS will be out 2 June 2014.
We’re taking a brief break from building an email issue of TidBITS next week in honor of the Memorial Day holiday in the United States, so look for the next issue in your mailbox on 2 June 2014.
In the latest update to OS X 10.9 Mavericks, Apple has restored iTunes-based contact and calendar syncing and added Retina support for external 4K displays.
After releasing an update to iTunes that improved the Podcasts user interface (as well as bringing back local contact and calendar syncing), Apple issued iTunes 11.2.1 to fix a bug that caused the /Users folder to disappear.
With OS X 10.9.3 and iTunes 11.2, Apple has restored local syncing of contacts and calendars. Adam Engst explains how to set it up, and why you might not want to use it.
Common wisdom says that keeping hard drives cool will make them last longer, but is it true? Backblaze’s backup boffins say no.
Europe’s highest court has ruled that EU citizens have a right to have old search results scrubbed from Internet search engines. Is this identity protection or censorship?
The FCC is trying to preserve net neutrality while allowing ISPs to charge for “fast lanes” to reach American consumers. Good luck with that.
With Apple rumored to purchase the headphone giant, Josh Centers takes a look at the Beats Music streaming service to see what differentiates it from competitors — and why it may be a good fit for Apple.
Notable software releases this week include Mailplane 3.2.1, SpamSieve 2.9.14, GraphicConverter 9.2, and Logic Pro X 10.0.7.
This week in ExtraBITS, Apple’s ranking in the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s annual “Who Has Your Back?” report has risen substantially. But Apple’s policies aren’t helping developer Panic, which is pulling the next version of its Coda Web site development tool from the Mac App Store due to Apple’s sandboxing requirements. Also at Apple’s mercy are iPhone users who have switched to Android and found themselves unable to receive SMS text messages from iMessage users. In other news, Amazon is playing dirty with publisher Hachette, it turns out to be impossible to escape the watchful eye of Gmail, and TidBITS Managing Editor Josh Centers made an appearance on The Tech Night Owl podcast.