Skip to content
Thoughtful, detailed coverage of everything Apple for 33 years
and the TidBITS Content Network for Apple professionals
Show full articles

TidBITS#1360/13-Mar-2017

In this issue of TidBITS, we bid a fond adieu to our friend and long-time Mac writer Tom Negrino, who will soon take his life in the face of terminal cancer. In happier news, Jeff Carlson tells you how you can improve your MacBook Pro’s battery life by identifying apps that are using the high-performance graphics processor. Adam Engst reviews two inexpensive Bluetooth earbuds that are easier to find and way cheaper than Apple’s AirPods, and he also explains how to use iOS’s Wallet app to manage airplane boarding passes. Notable software releases this week include 1Password 6.6.2, Hazel 4.0.9, Lightroom CC 2015.9 and Lightroom 6.9, and ChronoSync 4.7.4.

Adam Engst 12 comments

Thinking about Tom Negrino

The veteran Mac writer Tom Negrino may be dead of an intentional barbiturate overdose by the time you read this, an act he has chosen after years of fighting terminal cancer. The Apple world will be poorer without Tom in it, and we will miss his humor, skill, professionalism, and courage.

Adam Engst 9 comments

Half the AirPods for a Tenth the Price

If Apple’s AirPods are just too pricey for you, and you’re looking for an inexpensive wireless audio solution, Adam Engst has identified a category of cheap, single-ear Bluetooth earbuds that are worthy of consideration. Just don’t expect AirPods quality from a device that costs between $5 and $20.

Adam Engst 17 comments

How to Set Up and Use Airline Boarding Passes in Wallet

If you’re still printing boarding passes on paper because you think that using your iPhone would be too hard, think again. Airline apps and Apple’s Wallet app have improved significantly over the years, and the process is now easier than fussing with printed boarding passes. Adam Engst walks you through it.

TidBITS Staff No comments

ExtraBITS for 13 March 2017

In ExtraBITS this week, Jamf’s enterprise survey reveals gains for macOS and iOS, Apple says that it has patched most of the vulnerabilities revealed in a recent WikiLeaks dump, a judge has ruled that you cannot be compelled to unlock your devices with Touch ID, and we learn that Steve Jobs initially thought the Genius Bar was an idiotic idea.