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Category: iPhone, iPad, & iOS

Adam Engst 1 comment

Federico Viticci’s Hacked-Together Mac-iPad Convertible

In a stunning feat of hackery, Federico Viticci of MacStories removed the screen from a MacBook Air and replaced it with a detachable iPad for the best of both worlds… and a better Mac Virtual Display for the Vision Pro.

Adam Engst 21 comments

iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 Add Podcast Transcripts, Fix Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

Apple has released updates to the last three versions of iOS and iPadOS, adding features and fixing security vulnerabilities in iOS/iPadOS 17, addressing vulnerabilities in iOS/iPadOS 16, and fixing bugs in iOS/iPadOS 15.

Adam Engst 38 comments

Apple Launches iPhone Sports App

Apple has released a free Apple Sports app for the iPhone with schedules, scores, and standings for a handful of professional and college sports. It's only available the in US, UK, and Canada, and shows betting odds by default.

Adam Engst 40 comments

Turn On Stolen Device Protection in iOS 17.3

Apple has made good on its promise to add Stolen Device Protection to iOS 17.3, allowing users concerned about iPhone passcode and snatch-and-run theft to require biometric authentication and sometimes a delay to carry out critical security and financial actions. We look at what it does and doesn’t protect, how to turn it on, and who can’t use it.

Adam Engst 24 comments

iOS 17.3 Stands Out from Other OS Updates with Stolen Device Protection

Apple has released a large set of operating system updates, including iOS 17.3, iPadOS 17.3, macOS 14.3 Sonoma, watchOS 10.3, tvOS 17.3, HomePod Software 17.3, macOS 13.6.4 Ventura, macOS 12.7.3 Monterey, iOS 16.7.5 and iPadOS 16.7.5, and iOS 15.8.1 and iPadOS 15.8.1. New features include Stolen Device Protection in iOS 17.3 and Apple Music collaborative playlists.

Adam Engst 2 comments

Adjust Touch Duration for Haptic Touch on the iPhone and iPad

You can adjust the length of time necessary for a touch-and-hold action to activate. That might be a welcome customization for many people.

Adam Engst 22 comments

Do You Use It? Widgets See Middling Adoption

The results of our poll asking how frequently you use widgets show that roughly 50% of users never use widgets at all, with 25% to 50% of people using them slightly or heavily. But those numbers are complicated by the availability of three types of widgets on the iPhone and iPad, two on the Mac, and one on the Apple Watch.

Julio Ojeda-Zapata 2 comments

Evaluating New Features in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 9, and AirPods Pro

Julio Ojeda-Zapata took the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the Apple Watch Series 9, and the recently tweaked second-generation AirPods Pro on a trip as a tech experiment: How would their new features fare in a travel capacity? He renders his verdicts. 

Adam Engst 11 comments

Joanna Stern Interviews iPhone Passcode Thief in Prison

For additional background and color surrounding the Wall Street Journal’s reporting on iPhone passcode thefts, watch Joanna Stern’s interview with a convicted thief.

Adam Engst 7 comments

Apple Releases macOS 14.2.1, iOS 17.2.1, iOS 16.74, and iPadOS 16.7.4

A handful of iOS and iPadOS updates address unspecified bugs, and the update to macOS 14.2.1 Sonoma fixes a bug that could share random windows via Screen Sharing.

Adam Engst 35 comments

Apple to Introduce Stolen Device Protection in the Upcoming iOS 17.3

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple will introduce a new feature, Stolen Device Protection, to deter the kind of significant digital damage that iPhone passcode thieves have inflicted on victims.

Adam Engst 4 comments

Apple Self Service Repair Adds Remote Diagnostics and Supports New Devices

Although the addition of the iPhone 15 lineup and Macs using the M2 family of chips to Self Service Repair is welcome, the release of the remote Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair troubleshooting tool is more interesting.

Adam Engst 44 comments

Apple’s End-of-Year OS Updates Add Promised Features, Security Updates

Apple has released iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, macOS 14.2 Sonoma, watchOS 10.2, and tvOS 17.2 with notable improvements and several features promised early in the year. HomePod Software 17.2 received only unspecified bug fixes. Apple also published security updates for iOS 16.7.3, iPadOS 16.7.3, macOS 13.6.3 Ventura, and macOS 12.7.2 Monterey.

Adam Engst 40 comments

How I Use the iPhone to Listen to Music While Biking

Given New York State laws against biking with a pair of earbuds, Adam Engst explores other options and settles on a handlebar mount for his iPhone, discovering that it also provides a perfect opportunity for reading song lyrics.

Adam Engst 14 comments

WebKit Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Prompt iOS 17.1.2, iPadOS 17.1.2, macOS 14.1.2, and Safari 17.1.2

Apple has released updates to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Safari to block a pair of WebKit vulnerabilities that have been exploited in the wild. Don’t panic, but update soon.