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

Adam Engst

#1699: Easy steps for clearing space on your Mac, cartoonists and technology, Walmart selling M1 MacBook Air, floppy disks forever, what’s your favorite podcast app?

We have two feature articles for you this week. Glenn Fleishman leads off with a look at how today’s newspaper cartoonists rely on digital tools, but not in the way most of us would expect.

Adam Engst

#1698: OS updates add podcast transcripts, Listen Later text-to-podcast service, hybrid Mac-iPad laptop, Vision Pro in healthcare

Apple updated all its operating systems last week with new features and bug fixes, led by the addition of transcripts in the Podcasts app in iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, and macOS 14.4. The updates also…

Adam Engst

#1697: New M3 MacBook Air models, poll results and advice on macOS updates, Apple Car canceled, EU fines Apple $2 billion

This week’s big news is Apple’s announcement of the new M3-based 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air. Along with the faster chip, the M3 MacBook Air models can drive two external displays when the lid is…

Adam Engst

#1696: Living with the Vision Pro, Apple Sports app, choosing SSDs, iMessage encryption, toketaWare shut down, when do you install macOS updates?

We have a massive issue for you this week, thanks to guest writer Marc Zeedar’s in-depth look at what it’s like to live with the Vision Pro. Beyond that, we have brief coverage of the…

Adam Engst

#1695: Arc Instant Links, HomeKit 2.4 GHz mystery, Authy Desktop ending, Apple report card

If you use Authy Desktop on the Mac, you’ll need to look for a replacement within the next month. In continued coverage of the Arc Web browser that has radically increased his productivity, Adam Engst…

Adam Engst

#1694: OS text display bug fixed, CTA Tech Trends from CES, what TidBITS readers would pay for a Vision Pro, Pong Wars

The important news from last week is that Apple released macOS 14.3.1, iOS 17.3.1, iPadOS 17.3.1, and Safari 17.3.1  to address an annoying bug in WebKit that could cause text to overlap or be duplicated…

Adam Engst

#1693: Vision Pro reviews, secure sharing over the Internet, Apple Q1 2024 financials, what’s a Vision Pro worth to you?

The Vision Pro is here! We round up the best of the early reviews, and Adam Engst shares some thoughts and impressions before asking how much you would pay for a Vision Pro. We’re pleased…

Adam Engst

#1692: Stolen Device Protection, AI voice scams, Apple and the EU’s DMA, the Mac’s 40th anniversary

The big news making the rounds is Apple’s bitter announcement about how it will comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. Josh Centers rejoins us to look at what it entails and Apple’s grudging…

Adam Engst

#1691: OS updates with Stolen Device Protection, unwanted Sonoma upgrades, external payments in apps, adjusting touch duration, Blood Oxygen disabled

Apple has released a slew of operating system updates, including iOS 17.3 with Stolen Device Protection and support for AirPlay to select hotel TVs, collaborative playlists in Apple Music, and more AppleCare and warranty info.

Adam Engst

#1690: BBEdit 15 adds ChatGPT, OS widget usage poll results, Magic Keyboard firmware update

Bare Bones Software has released BBEdit 15 with around 200 changes and improvements, including a ChatGPT worksheet, a minimap for fast navigation of long documents, and direct access to document revisions (even those maintained automatically…

Adam Engst

#1689: Vision Pro ship date, evaluating new Apple device features, minor OS updates, iPhone passcode thief, Time Machine and iCloud Drive

Apple’s big news dropped today—the Apple Vision Pro “spatial computer” will ship on 2 February 2024. Before the holiday break, Apple released macOS, iOS, and iPadOS updates to fix minor bugs. Joanna Stern of the…

Adam Engst

#1688: Former Apple engineer on watchOS 10, Apple hardware testing tool, Stolen Device Protection, Apple Watch sales halted, smart TV privacy abuses

The holidays are upon us, and we’re taking a two-week break from email issues—see you next on 8 January 2024! Former Apple engineer David Shayer joins us again to look at the significant interface changes…

Adam Engst

#1687: Feature-rich OS updates, recovering from a crashing bug in Contacts, Zoom for Apple TV, how much do you use widgets?

The bulk of our coverage this week revolves around Apple’s just-released updates to iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, macOS 14.2 Sonoma, watchOS 10.2, and tvOS 17.2, all of which deliver improvements and features Apple promised earlier…

Adam Engst

#1686: Please support TidBITS, OS security updates, Apple services poll results, biking with an iPhone

We seldom make a fuss about this, but TidBITS memberships provide the revenue that enables us to continue publishing each week. Will you support TidBITS today? Content that members made possible this week includes coverage…

Adam Engst

#1685: Hidden secrets of the Fn key, Emergency SOS via satellite free access extended, RCS support in Messages, Rogue Amoeba icon evolution

We’re taking next week off for the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US, so look for your next email issue on 4 December 2023. Apple announced that iPhone 14 users will receive another free year…