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Thoughtful, detailed coverage of everything Apple for 33 years
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Weekly Issues

Adam Engst

1676: OS dates, iPhone 15 lineup, Apple Watch Series 9 & Ultra 2, USB-C AirPods Pro, USB-C cable advice, more from Wonderlust

It’s harvest time! Last week, Apple plucked from its trees the iPhone 15 lineup, the Apple Watch Series 9, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and slightly tweaked AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case. Also…

Adam Engst

1675: Apple “Wonderlust” event, OS security updates, Apple CSAM pullback, Mozilla car privacy report, iPhone weather apps, bike tour iPhone photos, do you use the iPhone 14 Pro Always-On display?

Welcome back! After our week off for Labor Day, we have an abundance of articles for you, starting with the announcement of Apple’s “Wonderlust” event on 12 September 2023—watch it with us in SlackBITS. Apple…

Adam Engst

1674: Proxy icons boost productivity, Arc 1.5 tab syncing, Backblaze price increase, which iPhone weather apps do you use?

We’re taking a break from the email issue of TidBITS next week because of Labor Day—expect our next issue on 11 September 2023. The online backup service Backblaze will be raising its prices soon while…

Adam Engst

1673: macOS 13.5.1, watchOS 9.6.1, copy data from Web tables, what Spotlight is used for, do you use Apple’s Weather app?

This week brings two highly focused operating system updates from Apple: macOS 13.5.1 Ventura, which restores location services permissions, and watchOS 9.6.1, which fixes a bug affecting Parkinson’s disease apps. If you’ve ever wanted to…

Adam Engst

1672: The hidden power of Google Sheets, Launchpad usage levels, Emergency SOS via satellite in the Maui fires, do you use proxy icons?

It’s easy to take spreadsheets for granted, but as Adam Engst writes, modern spreadsheets can do far more than perform calculations. By way of illustration, he explains how he built a budgeting tool in Google…

Adam Engst

#1671: Apple Q3 2023 earnings, new Beats headphones and earbuds, Stage Manager adoption rate, do you use Spotlight?

This week’s feature article comes from Julio Ojeda-Zapata, who reviews the new Studio Pro headphones and Studio Buds+ earbuds from Apple subsidiary Beats. Michael Cohen rejoins us to examine Apple’s Q3 2023 earnings, which dropped…

Adam Engst

#1670: Arc Web browser hits 1.0 release, “Do You Use It?” polls about Apple features

The innovative Web browser Arc has reached 1.0 and is now available for free with no waitlist. Adam Engst looks at the new features Arc has acquired since his 7000-word review of the app in…

Adam Engst

#1669: OS security updates, ambiguity of emoji, small business payments with Melio, Twitter now X

It’s time for another round of security updates for Apple’s active operating systems. Two of the fixed vulnerabilities have been exploited in the wild, so install soon. Also this week, Adam Engst explores the cautionary…

Adam Engst

#1668: Updated Rapid Security Responses, OS public betas, screen saver bug fixed, “Red Team Blues” book review

This week, we have several small bits of news about Apple’s operating systems. First and most importantly, the company pulled and then re-released the Rapid Security Response updates for iOS 16.5.1, iPadOS 16.5.1, and macOS…

Adam Engst

#1667: OS Rapid Security Responses, 1Password and 2FA, using Siri to request music

Apple has released Rapid Security Response updates for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS to address a severe WebKit vulnerability that’s actively being exploited—update soon. Continuing in the security vein, Adam Engst explores the question of whether…

Adam Engst

#1666: Air quality websites and apps, The Password Game

Heading into the Fourth of July holiday here in the US, we have two articles for you. First, Adam Engst shares The Password Game, an amusing Web puzzle that pokes fun at password requirements while…

Adam Engst

#1665: Important OS security updates, abusive Web notifications, solve myopia with an iPhone, Self Service Repair

This issue’s biggest news comes in our shortest article. Last week, Apple updated nearly all recent versions of its operating systems to block serious security vulnerabilities that are actively being exploited by malware. Update everything…

Adam Engst

#1664: Real system requirements for OS 2023, beware Siri creating alarms instead of timers

Happy Juneteenth! We have two articles for you this week. One focuses on a recent change in Siri that causes timer commands to create alarms instead. Read on for workarounds. The other explores the system…

Adam Engst

#1663: Exploring the Apple Vision Pro, 12 more OS features coming in 2023, new Apple service features, Apollo shuts down

After last week’s WWDC coverage of new Macs and compelling features in the next versions of Apple’s operating systems, TidBITS publisher Adam Engst goes deep on Apple’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset. He describes what it…

Adam Engst

#1662: New Macs, 12 top OS features for 2023, vertical tabs in Web browsers, watchOS 9.5.1

Apple’s whirlwind WWDC keynote led off with a new 15-inch M2 MacBook Air, new M2 Max and M2 Ultra models of the Mac Studio, and the long-awaited Mac Pro with Apple silicon—read on for the…