Last week, Apple released another collection of updates for its main operating systems, fixing a few bugs and blocking an actively exploited security vulnerability in macOS 12 Monterey, iOS 15, and iPadOS 15. Do you ever get annoyed by the Apple Watch’s Mindfulness app reminding you to breathe? Josh Centers found it has a secret function: measuring your heart rate variability, a key health metric. Those who need to schedule group meetings should read Adam Engst’s review of Fantastical 3.6’s new Openings self-scheduling feature and its enhanced Proposals feature for offering additional meeting time options. In the latest edition of LittleBITS, Adam provides an update on our latest list management gremlins and explains how you can run macOS 12 Monterey on an older unsupported Mac for free. Notable Mac app releases this week include SpamSieve 2.9.48, Acorn 7.1.3, Transmit 5.8.3, and Ulysses 25.
We’ve resubscribed several hundred TidBITS readers who were inexplicably unsubscribed several months ago, and on a completely different topic, Adam shares a tip on how to run Monterey on a Mac that doesn’t support it.
The latest maintenance updates to Apple’s core operating systems fix a couple of serious bugs and a major security flaw.
To many, the Mindfulness app may seem pointless or even annoying, but Josh Centers has discovered that it serves a secret function in monitoring your health.
The full-featured calendar app Fantastical from Flexibits has received a significant upgrade in the form of Fantastical Scheduling, a two-part feature that simplifies setting up meetings with others.
Watchlist
Adds support for the forthcoming macOS 12.3 Monterey update. ($30 new, free update, 20.2 MB, macOS 10.9+)
Adds a Flatten Shape Processors menu item and remembers the canvas backdrop color on all open images. ($39.99 new, free update, 19.4 MB, macOS 10.14+)
Maintenance release for the file transfer app adds support for upgrading RSA key security. ($45 new, free update, 33.9 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Brings a few improvements and bug fixes to its macOS edition as well as some new features for the iOS edition. ($49.99 annual subscription, free update, 31.9 MB, macOS 10.15+)
Patches unspecified security vulnerabilities in Big Sur and Catalina. (Free, various sizes, macOS 11 and 10.15)