We’ve had a great time covering games and other fun things in the Apple ecosystem throughout 2013. Josh Centers recaps some of our favorites, and updates you on the latest developments with each.
Our own Joe Kissell joined MacVoices host Chuck Joiner to discuss the just-released “Take Control of iCloud, Second Edition” — a must-have for Apple users. Joe discusses the full range of Apple’s cloud offerings, including iCloud Keychain, Contacts, Calendars, Documents in the Cloud, and even Apple TV.
Problems with the AMD graphics processors in 2011 models of the MacBook Pro could cause severe display artifacts or worse. Josh Centers reports on the causes and solutions.
After 22 years, Walt Mossberg is leaving The Wall Street Journal, along with his partner Kara Swisher, for a new media venture, Re/code. To wrap up his two-decade stint at the Journal, Walt rounded up twelve of the most influential tech products in that time. Many were made by Apple, but a few might surprise you.
TidBITS Managing Editor Josh Centers joined host Chuck Joiner, videographer Wally Cherwinsk, and Smile cofounder Greg Scown on round five of the MacJury Holiday Gift Guide. As always, the conversation was a lot of fun, and Josh was dressed for the occasion.
Having streaming problems on your Apple TV? As TUAW reports, there’s a hidden diagnostic tool in Netflix. Search for a video called “Example Short 23.976,” and play it. The test video displays the current bitrate, resolution, and aspect ratio. If you see a low bitrate, restarting your wireless gateway and cable/DSL modem could help, although the problem may simply be too much usage in your neighborhood.
In this chapter of “Take Control of Apple TV,” Josh Centers shows how the Apple TV can go beyond video to become the hub of your stereo system as well, thanks to AirPlay and a number of built-in apps. You’ll learn how to use each of them plus get tips on ripping audio CDs, using AirPlay for audio, and extending AirPlay’s reach with Rogue Amoeba’s Airfoil.
The first major update is out for OS X 10.9 Mavericks, patching a number of Mail and Safari issues, along with other bugs. Safari 6.1.1 addresses the same bugs and security vulnerabilities for Lion and Mountain Lion users.
A number of users have reported problems using the Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the iPhone 5s, and Macworld’s Serenity Caldwell offers some tips on reducing frustration. In particular, she advises scanning your fingerprint at the same angle that you’d most likely use to unlock the iPhone, and if that’s not enough, adding multiple scans at different angles. She also explains some situations where Touch ID might not work well, if at all.
From 26 December 2013 to 6 January 2014, Apple will be offering free songs, apps, books, movies, and more in its 12 Days of Gifts iOS app. Each day, the app will offer a new downloadable gift. This promotion has been around for a few years, but this is the first year that it has been offered in the United States.
ABC, Bloomberg, Crackle, and the Korean KORTV arrive on the Apple TV, adding even more content to Apple’s puckish entertainment device.
New revelations about the NSA continue to appear. Josh Centers summarizes all of the latest developments to keep you up to speed on just how far things have gone.
In this chapter, you’ll find tips for controlling video playback, buying and watching videos from the iTunes Store, and playing local video. Author Josh Centers also provides instructions for ripping your DVDs with HandBrake, adding metadata with iFlicks, and importing into iTunes. Bonus topics include merging multi-disc movies, ripping Blu-ray discs, and managing all this data on an external hard disk.
Aspyr Media is leading publisher of games for the Mac, and a longtime supporter of the Apple community. Please give them a warm welcome to TidBITS!
How well does the classic Star Wars role-playing game work on the iPad? Read on to find out.