We have a mega-sized issue for you this week since there won’t be an email issue on 27 May 2019 so TidBITS staffers can spend the Memorial Day holiday with their families. Kicking things off, what’s ZombieLoad? It’s a new security vulnerability in the Intel chips used by Macs and many other computers, but if you update to macOS 10.14.5 or install Security Update 2019-003, you’ll be safe. Curious about Apple’s new support for TV channels? Josh Centers pulls back the curtain to explain how to subscribe, watch, and unsubscribe. If you work with PDFs a lot, you’ll want to read up on Smile’s PDFpen 11 and its new Split View and Font Bar features. Julio Ojeda-Zapata has stumbled across a previously unknown LG UltraFine Display, but sadly, it’s not even 4K, much less Retina, and it may be overpriced. Finally, in the run-up to WWDC and its associated events in early June, we’re publishing our regularly updated article listing all Mac and iOS conferences. Notable Mac app releases this week include Security Update 2019-003 (High Sierra and Sierra), Safari 12.1.1, Microsoft Office for Mac 16.25, BBEdit 12.6.4, Fantastical 2.5.8, KeyCue 9.3, Pixelmator Pro 1.3.4, and Default Folder X 5.3.7.
We’re taking a brief break from building an email issue of TidBITS next week in honor of the Memorial Day holiday in the United States, so look for the next issue in your mailbox on 3 June 2019.
Security researchers have discovered a new class of vulnerabilities in Intel CPUs dating back to 2011 and beyond. Happily, Apple’s macOS 10.14.5 and Security Update 2019-003 provide fixes.
Smile has updated its PDF editing apps, PDFpen and PDFpenPro, to version 11, offering a new Split View capability, a Font Bar for easy PDF text formatting, and other welcome conveniences.
The new Apple TV app introduces Apple TV channels, an easier way for Apple users to subscribe to streaming video services. “Take Control of Apple TV” author Josh Centers explains how to use it.
When Julio Ojeda-Zapata went to his local Apple Store for a look at Mac monitors, a staffer offered him something unexpected: the 23.7-inch LG UltraFine Display. This monitor is so new there is little public information about it—it’s not even listed on Apple’s Web store. How does it compare with LG’s 21.5-inch UltraFine 4K Display and 27-inch UltraFine 5K Display?
If you make your living in the Apple world as a consultant, developer, designer, or tech, there are a wide variety of conferences you can attend to hone your skills, learn new topics, network with your fellow wizards, and open your mind to new ways of thinking. Here’s our list for 2019. Be sure to let us know if you run across any others. Updated for Layers, try! Swift San Jose, MacDeployment, iOSDevCamp DC, and MacSysAdmin.
Watchlist
Patches the ZombieLoad vulnerability in Apple’s last two operating systems. (Free, various sizes).
Patches numerous security vulnerabilities. (Free)
Adds display of email attachments to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. ($149.99 new for one-time purchase, $99.99/$69.99 annual subscription options, free update)
Maintenance update with a grabbag of improvements and bug fixes for the long-standing text editor. ($49.99 new, free update, 13.9 MB)
Maintenance update for the calendar app now sorts event alerts by when they will appear. ($49.99 new, free update, 16.2 MB)
Small maintenance release that also celebrates the 15th anniversary of the keyboard shortcut and emoji tool. (€19.99 new, free update, 4.0 MB)
Adds new Free Transform and ML Match Colors features. ($39.99 new, free update, 171.5 MB)
Improves handling of file dialogs that are as large as the screen and improves how the toolbar handles multiple-display Macs. ($34.95 new, free update, 8.7 MB)
