To address two severe security vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild, Apple has released updates to its current iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating systems, plus the previous versions of iOS and iPadOS and the last two versions of macOS. Update all your devices right away. Continuing on the updating theme, Adam Engst shares his experience performing a Level 2 clean install of macOS 13 Ventura on his primary Mac in an attempt to eliminate recalcitrant problems. Finally, Julio Ojeda-Zapata rejoins us with a story about how he was forced to rely on smart speakers from Apple, Amazon, and Google during a months-long recovery from post-concussion syndrome. Notable Mac app releases this week include BBEdit 14.6.5, Fantastical 3.7.9, Safari 16.4.1, and macOS Monterey 12.6.5 and Big Sur 11.7.6.
We recommend updating iPhones, iPads, and Macs to protect against two security vulnerabilities that are actively being exploited in the wild. iOS and iPadOS also address issues with Siri, and macOS fixes problems with Auto Unlock with an Apple Watch.
Playing catchup with last week's urgent updates, Apple has now released iOS 15.7.5 and iPadOS 15.7.5 to address two concerning security vulnerabilities that are actively being exploited in the wild.
Faced with recurrent kernel panics and an inexplicable problem on the first boot after installing a minor macOS update, Adam Engst opts for a Level 2 clean install when upgrading to macOS 13 Ventura. What’s a Level 2 clean install? And did it work?
How smart are smart speakers, really? Julio Ojeda-Zapata put this to the test when temporarily sightless due to a medical condition.Leaning on his Amazon, Apple, and Google speakers more than usual proved an often-frustrating exercise because Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant are still pretty dumb.
Watchlist
Maintenance update with fixes for reported issues. ($49.99 new, free update, 23.6 MB, macOS 10.15.4+)
Enables Openings to be configured to request or require a phone number. ($56.99 annual subscription, free update, 68.4 MB, macOS 11+)
Patches a WebKit security vulnerability in Monterey and Big Sur. (Free, various sizes, macOS 11+)
Security patches for Monterey and Big Sur. (Free, various sizes, macOS 12 and 11)
