Don’t have nearly 2 hours to watch the WWDC keynote, fast-paced though it was? Former Macworld and iMore editor Serenity Caldwell narrates a highly edited summary that covers the key points in less than 90 seconds.
Apple unveiled macOS 11.0 Big Sur during the WWDC keynote, showing off overhauls of Messages and Maps, while improving Safari, Photos, and other apps. Mail was conspicuously absent for now.
iOS 14 promises a tight package of new features, many of which have existed in Google’s Android for years, while iPadOS 14 takes those features and mixes in a bit of Newton handwriting recognition. Egg freckles, anyone?
Described as being the biggest update to macOS since OS X, macOS Big Sur features streamlined design, more customizable controls, privacy enhancements, and increased interoperability with iPadOS and iOS. X hasn’t marked the spot for several years, but we’re now in Spinal Tap territory: it’s macOS 11.0 Big Sur, for those who are keeping score.
Updates in Apple’s just-announced watchOS are substantive if not groundbreaking. They include sleep tracking, a handwashing-detection feature suitable for the COVID-19 pandemic, and “dance” as one of several new workouts. Other improvements include watch face sharing, language translation, bicycling directions and earphone-volume detection.
The rumors finally came true. At the WWDC keynote, Apple announced that the Mac would be transitioning to custom-designed Apple processors along the lines of those that power the iPad Pro. The first such Mac should be available by the end of this year, with the full transition taking about two years.
The Slow Mo Guys have published a YouTube video with slow-motion, highly magnified footage of an Apple Watch ejecting water. Well worth a look.
Backblaze’s annual poll asking how often people back up their data shows small improvements across the board. But the percentage of people who either don’t back up at all or back up once a year or less is still far too high.
Looking for something for your kids to do this summer with in-person camps limited or canceled? Apple is offering a free online camp this summer for kids to learn about art, coding, design, and video.
With another WWDC behind us, that means it's beta season, with new versions of macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS for developers brave enough to test them. Former Apple engineer David Shayer explains what you need to do to increase the chances that Apple will fix the bugs you report.
In the unfortunate event that a family member dies without sharing passwords or other Apple account information, there’s still a way to get Apple to provide access. Read on for details.
Sony has recalled a number of its SD cards due to possible data corruption, and the company will replace them for free through 31 March 2022.
Apple has rolled out an ultra-high-end graphics option for the 16-inch MacBook Pro and do-it-yourself SSD upgrades for the Mac Pro.
Essayist Craig Mod points out that the fit and finish of software isn’t on par with what today’s tech companies are doing in hardware. He suggests that developers need to refocus on their craft.
BitBar is an open-source menu bar app with a rich library of plug-ins that are easy to adapt to your needs. Don’t see what you want? You can even create your own plug-ins!