Last week, Apple rolled out iOS 15.2.1 and iPadOS 15.2.1 to fix a nasty HomeKit-related vulnerability and patch a few small bugs. Police departments and the media have been abuzz with reports of Apple’s AirTag location trackers being abused by stalkers and thieves. Glenn Fleishman examines the concerns to see if they’re real or overblown. Finally, Jeff Porten is back from his virtual trip to CES in Las Vegas to share the Consumer Technology Association’s thoughts on—and his reactions to—tech trends to watch in 2022. Notable Mac app releases this week include Mactracker 7.11.1, HandBrake 1.5.1, Default Folder X 5.6.3, Fantastical 3.5.2 and Cardhop 2.0.8, Mimestream 0.32, SoundSource 5.3.9, ScreenFlow 10.0.4, Mellel 5.0.9, Bookends 14.0.4, and Microsoft Office for Mac 16.57.
Apple has released highly focused iOS 15.2.1 and iPadOS 15.2.1 updates to tackle two bugs and a nasty HomeKit vulnerability.
Mainstream and technology media report that stalkers and criminals use AirTags to track unsuspecting people and aid in car theft. Do a handful of anecdotes truly reveal a broader pattern?
Jeff Porten virtually attends CES for the Consumer Technology Association’s annual Tech Trends to Watch forecast for 2022.
Watchlist
Adds detailed information about all recent hardware and operating system releases, including macOS 12 Monterey and the M1-based MacBook Pro models. (Free, 171 MB, macOS 10.12+)
Updates the open-source video conversion program with improvements and bug fixes. (Free, 35.9 MB, macOS 10.13+)
Resolves issues with tracking recent files and addresses interface hiccups. ($34.95 new, free update, 16.5 MB, macOS 10.10+)
Maintenance updates for the two personal information management apps with improvements and bug fixes. ($39.96 annual subscription, free update, 54.7/32.6 MB, macOS 10.13.2+)
Brings new features, improvements, and bug fixes to the native macOS client for Gmail. (Free, 8.5 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Brings a couple of welcome tweaks to the audio control utility. ($39 new, free update, 25.3 MB, macOS 10.14+)
Maintenance update with improvements and bug fixes for the screencast recording and video editing app. ($149 new, free update, 84.4 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Maintenance release focused on bug fixes for the word processor. ($49 new, free update, 91.6 MB, macOS 10.9+)
Brings an all-new reference edit pane to the reference management tool. ($59.99 new, free update, 99 MB, macOS 10.13+)
Brings full support for M1-based Macs to Excel. ($149.99 new for one-time purchase, $99.99/$69.99 annual subscription options, free update, macOS 10.14+)