Our latest Do You Use It? poll reveals that 84% of TidBITS readers use VPNs, with NordVPN and Proton VPN emerging as the most popular choices. Adam Engst examines Apple’s upcoming removal of the AFP networking protocol in macOS and its implications for Time Capsule users, and analyzes the potentially industry-shifting collaboration between former Apple designer Jony Ive and OpenAI to create new AI hardware devices. In ExtraBITS, we link to a piece by science fiction author Neal Stephenson that offers an intriguing perspective on artificial intelligence by drawing parallels to how humans interact with different animals. Notable Mac app releases this week include Audio Hijack 4.5.1, Final Cut Pro 11.1.1 and Compressor 4.10.1, and Keyboard Maestro 11.0.4.
Enterprise release notes for the recent macOS 15.5 update reveal that Apple plans to remove AFP (Apple Filing Protocol) entirely in a future version of macOS. Howard Oakley explains how this impacts Time Capsule backups and network shares, while Adam Engst offers practical alternatives for Time Capsule users.
Former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have announced a partnership to create AI devices valued at $6.5 billion in stock. The collaboration highlights Apple’s ongoing struggles with AI, potentially signaling a shift in who will define our technological future.
The results of our poll about how you use VPNs reveal widespread VPN usage, with most respondents using VPNs for security, privacy, and bypassing access restrictions.
Watchlist
Replaces the previous Text to Speech special source with the new Spoken Content special source. ($64 new, free update, 32.4 MB, macOS 14.4+)
Both professional video apps address an issue with inconsistent frame rates. ($299.99/$49.99 new, free update, various sizes, macOS 14.6+)
Maintenance release for the the automation and clipboard utility. ($36 new, free update, 36.6 MB, macOS 10.13+)
