The MacValley blog
Welcome to the MacValley blog, your first stop for all the latest MacValley news and views.
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The MacValley blog Editor: Tom Briant
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Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for Tuesday, 3-27-2018
Video:
How to connect your HomePod to your Apple TV or Mac
https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/03/25/video-how-to-connect-your-homepod-to-your-apple-tv-or-mac
Video:
Apple's home pod brings the bass
https://www.cnet.com/videos/apples-homepod-brings-the-bass-siri-voice-control/
HomePod Diary: I want another one for sure, maybe two more
Siri is the most convenient way to control HomeKit devices, and the HomePod is hands-down the most reliable and convenient way to invoke it.
The HomePod can hear you from further away than any other device, and it’s the only thing that can understand you while music is playing.
The real convincer on the Siri front, though, has been my partner. I used Siri all the time anyway; Steph almost never did before HomePod. Now she too uses it daily.
https://9to5mac.com/2018/03/20/more-than-one-homepod/
Apple “Watch OS” finally has a competitor from Google
Google calls it’s operating system for watches “Wear OS”.
A table in this article compares their features.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/wearables/wear-os-vs-apple-watch/
People are accidentally setting off Apple’s Emergency SOS alert
If you sleep on your Apple Watch the wrong way, you might get a wake-up call from the police.
The feature is called Emergency SOS. The premise is simple enough: if you’re in danger or otherwise in need of help, holding down the right buttons will let you summon help without drawing attention to yourself. It’s a potentially life-saving feature, but of course butt dials are going to be more common than actual emergencies.
The exact sequence of buttons varies from device to device. A Watch will slip into an alert just from holding down the crown button long enough, which seems to be a particular danger if you wear it to sleep.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/18/17129440/emergency-sos-iphone-apple-watch-accident
iPhone X's Face ID is years ahead of Android competition
Android phones won't get comparable 3D tech until 2019, industry insiders estimate.
Apple's facial recognition technology, embodied by Face ID on the iPhone X, is estimated to have a two-year lead on the Android competition, according to "three major parts producers" who talked to Reuters.
Android phone manufacturers are struggling to acquire the same tech that Apple already has.
https://www.cnet.com/news/iphone-x-face-id-2-years-ahead-of-android-report/
Separate sources close to local and federal police investigations in New York and Ohio, who asked to remain anonymous as they weren't authorized to speak on record, said it was now relatively common for fingerprints of the deceased to be depressed on the scanner of Apple iPhones.
Once a person is deceased, they [legally] no longer have a privacy interest in their dead body.
You cannot assert your privacy rights when your friend's phone is searched and the police see the messages that you sent to your friend.
Report examines how police use fingerprints of dead people to unlock iPhones & how Face ID is also vulnerable
https://9to5mac.com/2018/03/22/police-fingerprints-iphone-face-id/
Apple iMac Pro review: Iron fist in a velvet glove
This is a ludicrously powerful machine. It’s intended to deal with the sorts of power-hungry tasks that bring even the most powerful consumer systems to their knees.
The iMac Pro screen’s color quality, when I tested it with our in-house colorimeter, it was absolutely spot on.
http://www.alphr.com/pcs/1008835/apple-imac-pro-review
Artists push Apple's iMac Pro to the limit using powerful rendering tools
To demonstrate the power of iMac Pro, Apple invited a group of renowned filmmakers, CG artists, and motion graphics designers to create a personal piece of work using its advanced technologies. Six different groups of people created two videos each: First, a beautiful video that took a lot of computer power to make and, second, a video on how they made their work of high-powered video art.
https://www.apple.com/imac-pro/films/
Spitfire Test iMac Pro Vs Mac Pro For Media Composition
This video will be very interesting to professional music people.
The composer who made this video compares the performance of his old Mac Pro to his new iMac Pro.
His new iMac Pro did perform noticeably better, but his old Mac Pro was still more than up to the job.
He felt that his new iMac Pro was a good investment, but he felt reassured that he could still use his old Mac Pro if anything went wrong with his new iMac Pro.
https://www.sonicstate.com/news/2018/03/17/spitfire-test-imac-pro-vs-mac-pro-for-media-composition/
Upcoming Apple iOS 11.3 Release: It’s Going to be The Big One
Apple has to deliver a satisfactory solution to the biggest iPhone scandal to date and it faces a race against time to fix a serious bug before release. But what has been forgotten is iOS 11.3 also gives Apple one big advantage over everyone else…
iOS 11.3 will change the game when it comes to battery transparency. The update will offer every user a detailed breakdown of their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch’s battery health, battery degradation over time, new performance options and reminders to replace their battery should it threaten system stability. No rival desktop or mobile operating can come close to this.
Competitors will be very hard pressed to catch up.
Apple confirms it will fix bug that caused Siri to read out hidden lock screen notifications
Apple says it will fix a bug that caused Siri to read out hidden lock screen notifications to anyone who asks.
Anyone can just hold down the home button on most iPhones or a side button for the iPhone X to activate Siri without voice recognition and ask to read notifications. The problem remains in iOS 11.3 beta and iOS 11.2.6 devices until Apple issues the fix.
The seven best iPhone or iPad apps for learning to play the guitar
Tim Cook speaks out on the Cambridge Analytica scandal, says Facebook's collection of user data 'shouldn't exist’
"I think that this certain situation is so dire and has become so large that probably some well-crafted regulation is necessary," Cook said after being asked if the use of data should be restricted in light of the Facebook incident. "The ability of anyone to know what you've been browsing about for years, who your contacts are, who their contacts are, things you like and dislike and every intimate detail of your life — from my own point of view it shouldn't exist."
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ceo-tim-cook-on-facebook-cambridge-analytica-scandal-2018-3
Apple’s privacy stance is a huge ‘competitive advantage’ over Facebook and Google
Apple has been largely insulated from privacy concerns because of its focus on monetizing hardware, not software and not advertising.
Apple's privacy policy does not allow its users' data to be shared for marketing purposes, and it could turn out to be the company's biggest “competitive advantage”.
"We view the future as consumers owning their own health data," Apple's Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams told CNBC.
Apple has maintained that all of the medical records are in full control of the user.
Amnesty International is launching a new social media campaign targeting Apple over its betrayal of millions of Chinese iCloud users by recklessly making their personal data vulnerable to the arbitrary scrutiny of the Chinese government.
“Apple’s influential ‘1984’ ad challenged a dystopian future but in 2018 the company is now helping to create one. Tim Cook preaches the importance of privacy but for Apple’s Chinese customers’ these commitments are meaningless. It is pure doublethink.”
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/03/apple-privacy-betrayal-for-chinese-icloud-users/
Remember to check this web site every day for new bargains on apps for iPhone and iPad.
How to use AirDrop with iOS and macOS
Here's how to turn on AirDrop and use it to move files between an iPhone and a Mac.
This article has everything you need to know to use this valuable tool.
https://www.computerworld.com/article/3265709/apple-ios/how-to-use-airdrop-with-ios-and-macos.html
How to increase your editing options in Photos for macOS by using app extensions
Photographers will be familiar with the editing tools offered by Photos in macOS, but sometimes the available selection just isn't enough. AppleInsider shows how to add more options to the editing roster, by taking advantage of extensions offered by other image editing applications.
7 MacOS display settings to help you see your Mac better
There's more to your Mac's display settings than just brightness.
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/7-macos-display-settings-to-help-you-see-your-mac-better/
Why Apple Is Among Those Most at Risk From a Trade War With China
Few companies have as much to lose from a U.S. trade war with China as Apple.
http://fortune.com/2018/03/26/apple-china-iphone-trump/
Mac developer slides in crypto-miner in exchange for premium features, Apple doesn’t mind
Crypto miners are tools designed to harness the processing power of users’ computers, typically unbeknownst to them. The practice is called cryptojacking, marrying the terms. cryptography and hijacking.
But in the case of Calendar 2 and its crypto-mining feature, the developer has been more than straightforward, stating loud and clear that if users want all the advanced features without paying the $0.99 a month, they can allow the app to “unobtrusively generate crypto-currency in the background.”
While not malicious in nature, mining tools are often used by webmasters or developers to essentially hijack end-users’ CPUs without their consent. These practices have become so common that AV vendors, including Bitdefender, now detect and classify browser-based crypto-miners as malware.
Bitcoin-Tracking System Used by Danish Police To Make Drug Traffickers Arrests
The recent news that the Danish police have become the first in the world to hunt down Internet drug traffickers by analyzing related transactions is, in a way, a positive for the image of the top digital currency in the world, Bitcoin.
Though researchers in the US had earlier announced they had created an analysis tool for US law enforcement that can be used to overcome the challenges of criminals using Bitcoin for transactions, the Danes consider themselves “much unique in the world at this point, because there are not really any others who have managed to use these trails as evidence.”
It's an exciting time for cryptocurrency. As of March 2018, there are more than a thousand currencies in existence, with a combined market capitalization of over USD $460 billion.
For comparison, this is a little more than half the size of Apple Inc., the largest publicly-traded company in the world, valued by markets according to its $375 billion in assets and $230 billion in annual revenues in 2017.
Just one year ago, this combined crypto market capitalization was less than $19 billion. Two years ago it was less than $8 billion. A lot of apparent wealth has been created in a very short space of time.
https://github.com/nickwb/cryptographic
Interesting Crypto-Currency Chart
https://i.imgur.com/YGwn9n9.png
John McAfee: Short-Term Crypto Investors "Can Hope for Mediocrity at Best, Oblivion at Worst”
Trying to time the rocky crypto markets right now is the fastest way to financial ruin.
That's according to cybersecurity savant and crypto guru John McAfee, who didn't mince his words Wednesday about the benefits of long-term crypto investing versus short term.
Of the 28 most popular digital coins on the market today, 27 have been and still are "in the red" so far this year.
Long-term crypto investors – those who've been in the game for several years – have seen this kind of volatility plenty of times before. And to them, these price drops mean one thing: price surges later on.
These 3D printed homes cost $4k and take less than 24 hours to make
Non-profit New Story has unveiled a 3D-printed house that may help provide safe and affordable homes in developing countries. Each printed home ranges in size from 600 to 800sqft and can be created within a 24-hour timespan. At the same time, the printing technology keeps waste to a minimum.
The homes are printed using Vulcan, a 3D printer that creates the frame of the house one layer at a time.
Using the Vulcan printer, ICON can print an entire home for $10,000 and plans to bring costs down to $4,000 per house.
The use of cement as a common material will help normalize the process for potential tenants that question the sturdiness of the structure. “I think if we were printing in plastic we would encounter some issues.”
https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/12/17101856/3d-printed-housing-icon-shelter-housing-crisis
Printing Your Own Phone Is Not Far Away Thanks to Four-in-One 3D Printer
The printer is being presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 21 March.
“Each printing technology has its own limitations,” says Jerry Qi, a materials scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, who led the design of the multimaterial printer. “We put four 3D-printing technologies under one platform.”
Although current 3D printers can already produce electronic parts and devices made of multiple materials, if a structure requires more than one printing method, a different machine is required for each. But moving an object from one printer to another is usually impractical for the micrometre-level precision that is required in 3D printing, and is inefficient if multiple materials are used in a single layer, says Qi.
Video:
Facebook deals with Cambridge Analytica fallout
Video:
Facebook scandal widens:
Obama campaign's Carol Davidsen admits Democrats sucked out "the entire social network of the US", kept the data and still have it.
So the 2012 Obama campaign was scraping data from Facebook, got caught, and was specifically told they were allowed to do things "they wouldn't have allowed someone else to do because they were on our side."
https://twitter.com/cestlaviv/status/975874116229255169
Facebook users are deleting their profiles in protest over reports that they allowed Cambridge Analytica (a political data firm) to harvest private information.
FACEBOOK users are deleting their accounts in droves following news that their personal information was harvested for use in Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Users of the world’s largest social network have begun deleting or deactivating their accounts in droves, following news that Cambridge Analytica was allowed to harvest users’ personal information for use in US President Donald Trump’s 2016 political campaign.
How Facebook made it impossible to delete Facebook
We’ve adapted our entire culture around Facebook. That makes “just quitting” easier said than done.
There are three main reasons most people can’t just up and leave Facebook, and they all serve to illustrate the extent to which Facebook has altered the landscape of our digital lives.
1) Facebook Ecosystem
Many mobile and web-based apps actually require you to have a Facebook account — and only a Facebook account — before you can use the app.
For example, up until very recently you were required to have a Facebook account to use Tinder (a dating web site).
When you create an infrastructure that assumes everyone is using only one or two major platforms for their daily internet use, you create an internet where using only those two platforms becomes a tacit requirement.
2) Some jobs or education opportunities require a Facebook account.
3) Facebook is, for better and worse, a tangible tie holding many people to their communities.
https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/3/22/17146776/delete-facebook-difficult
Leaving Facebook isn’t a clear-cut path to data privacy. As HuffPost explains, deactivating your account leaves your data intact. It’s possible to permanently delete your account—and with it, all the information Facebook has gathered about your political leanings, relationship status, and shopping habits—but it’s a long and complicated process. Besides, in our current state of surveillance capitalism, even if you get off Facebook, other tech companies like Google are busy auctioning off your data to advertisers, too.
That said, a large exodus of people from Facebook would be a way to send a message to CEO Mark Zuckerberg about the need for the company to overhaul its approach to privacy protections—and perhaps locate its moral compass.
The Complete Guide to Facebook Privacy
https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-privacy-apps-ads-friends-delete-account/
Facebook makes their money by exploiting and selling intimate details about the private lives of millions, far beyond the scant details you voluntarily post. They are not victims. They are accomplices.
https://twitter.com/Snowden/status/975106627513729024
Spooked by the Facebook privacy violations? This is how much your personal data is worth on the dark web
Facebook logins can be sold for $5.20 each because they allow criminals to have access to personal data that could potentially let them hack into more of an individual’s accounts. The credentials to a PayPal PYPL, +0.70% account with a relatively high balance can be sold on the dark web for $247 on average, the report found.
One’s entire online identity, including personal identification numbers and hacked financial accounts, can be sold for only about $1,200 on the dark web, Fractl found.
Logins for food delivery websites such as Grubhub can be sold for about $9 because they allow criminals to fraudulently order expensive food and alcohol.
And a login for the lodging site Airbnb can be sold for about $8 because it opens up “a world of scams”.
Video:
Facebook can still track you even if you delete your account — here's how to stop it
http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-tracks-people-not-on-site-ads-privacy-2016-6
Video:
How to stop your Facebook friends from giving away your data
http://www.businessinsider.com/remove-apps-facebook-privacy-issue-data-tip-fix-2017-11
Want to see what Facebook has on you (at a minimum)?
Follow the instructions at the link below.
https://twitter.com/JulianAssange/status/977447495239319553
People are freaking out that Facebook's Android apps collect call and text data — but Facebook says it got permission
Dylan McKay downloaded the archive of all his Facebook data — and found that the social network had been keeping extensive records of the calls and texts he had made from his Android phone.
Privacy fears around Facebook are at an all-time highfollowing the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where 50 million users had their data used improperly by a political research firm.
Apple's iOS, the operating system on the iPhone and iPad, doesn't allow that kind of access to call and text data at all without very specific permission. That means Apple fans don't have to worry as much about Facebook having call or text records.
The State Department Has Reportedly Purchased a $15,000 iPhone Encryption Cracking Device
The device is called “GrayKey”.
GrayKey can allegedly crack an iPhone just by attaching it to one of two Lightning cables sticking out of the side and injecting some kind of program that eventually causes the affected iPhone to display its passcode.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Use Windows on Your Mac the easy Way with No Machine
You’re in a situation where you have to run Windows software and you need Mac software on the screen at the same time. You don’t have Windows installed on your Mac either in Boot Camp or in a virtual machine. You do have a Windows machine with the software installed on it…in another part of the house. It’s a desktop enswathed in cables, so disconnecting it and moving to where you work is not possible, given the amount of time you have.
You really just need software to access that Windows machine virtually from your Mac for an hour. How can you do this? With the least amount of pain?
Easy. Just use the No Machine virtual networking software. It serves as both server for the Windows side and client for the Mac side. Then it can work in reverse, connecting the Mac to the living room Windows machine.
Where do I get it? How much does it cost? And how much pain and toil will it take to install this?
You get the software from no machine.com It’s free to use. And it’s a snap to install. Just let the installation procedure walk you through it.
I’m going to walk you through both the Windows and Mac installations. I’ll tell you where you might hit a snag.
Once you’ve downloaded No Machine for Windows, go to your Downloads folder. Double-click on NoMachinexxx.exe.
This is the first screen you’ll encounter. Simply follow the instructions on screen and click on “Next” to proceed.
The second screen: this is the license, where you agree not reverse-engineer No Machine for evil purposes. Click on the agree button and click on Next.
The third screen: Where do you want to install No Machine on your Windows machine? I’d stick to the defaults in most cases.
The fourth screen The installation begins.
The fifth screen. You wait for the computer to do its thing.
The Sixth screen: You’re almost done installing. You will have to reboot your Windows machine
The Seventh Screen: Getting Close. No Machine has identified the client, your Mac. You didn’t need to enter one command line!
I had installed NoMachine on my Mac previously. You need to have NoMachine on both computers for this to work.
The Eighth Screen: You wanna to agree to the host authenticity. Usually you can see the Windows computer. No problems verifying who should be one it.
I took out the text describing my SSH “fingerprint” You want to keep that very private.
The Ninth Screen Audio settings. You can stream your audio from the Windows server to the Mac client.
I didn’t show you the screen to log into your Mac. Here you need to know your user name and your user password.
The Tenth Screen: SUCCESS! YOU’VE LOGGED INTO YOUR MAC AND SEE ITS SCREEN ON THE WINDOWS MACHINE. YOU DID IT!
Now for the installation on the Macintosh side of things
Go to your Downloads folder on your Mac to find the .dmg file named NoMachinexxx.dmg Double-click on it.
To begin the installation of No Machine, double-click on the NoMachine.pkg file you see on your screen after double clicking on the NoMacine.dmg file.
Now you’ll do some waiting here. If the Continue button is lit up, click on it to proceed. Then click on the Continue button in the lower-right hand corner.
If you want to proceed, just click on Install. You don’t have an option to install No Machine elsewhere on your Mac.
Waiting for the Mac to do its thing, so be patient.
Your first snag in the installation process. You will get several messages that No Machine wants to install a system extension. MacOS has blocked this for now. Do you want to proceed. Click on the Allow button in the Security and Privacy preference pane.
This partial screenshot comes from the successfully installed No Machine.
You go to your No Machine icon in the Menu Bar. Click on it. You’ll see a drop-down menu. You want “Browse connections…"
Here it is again only bigger:
More instructions on how to proceed. If you want to reach this menu, ease your mouse into the upper right-hand corner. If you’re not sure, hit Control + Alt + 0
More settings for you. The captions explain what they do.
More instructions. If you check the box in the lower left-hand corner, you won’t have to go through these each time you use No Machine.
Audio settings. Do you want to stream the Window’s machine’s sound on your Mac? Do you want to mute the server?
I got a warning because my Windows machine had a higher resolution of 1920 x 1080 than my Mac of 1280 x 720 HiDPI
Finally! You’ve logged into your Windows machine. You will need the user name of the Windows machine and your password. Not your PIN code, your password.
To find your User Name, go to the Users directory on your Windows machine. Now open that up. One of those folders has your User Name on it.
Does it work? Well, here’s Word 2016 for Windows. That’s an old job application at my employer
Now for Access 2016
No Machine offers many features. Recording your session is one. Don’t use this to try to capture a Netflix movie. I can’t guarantee the video speed on the No Machine connection is fast enough for full-speed video. Better just stick to instructional videos.
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Magic Keyboard Trick organizes files into neat folders with one push!
You’ve come across this situation, I’m sure. You come across a folder on your Mac’s hard drive(s) that’s a junk folder for random files and folders. I’ve named folders “Junk Folder” for that reason. How do you get them into organized shape? I’ll show you.
I found the magic keystrokes placing files not next to each other together in a common folder. No more making the folder, then dragging files into it one by one. I make it easy for me. Now make it easy for you.
The first magic keystroke is holding down your Command key as you select files by clicking on them. If you worked with Windows, you’ll recognize this keystroke. Windows uses the Control key, but the idea is the same
The second magic keystroke places these files into a common folder that you give a recognizable name.
That keystroke is Control+Command+N. With the files selected in Step One, press Control+Command+N
You’ll see a dialog box asking you to enter the folder’s name. Enter the name and click on OK.
The files go into the folder. You’ve eliminated a bit of mess on your Mac.
Now for one more keyboard+mouse combination. If these files and folders reside on another partition or drive, you don’t need to drag them from one side to the other. Instead, hold down the Command key as you drag the files or folder over to their new home. You’ve moved it, eliminating another step.
That’s it for now. Shaving away the inconveniences makes you a Mac master!
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for 3-13-2018
I love iPhone apps that actually put effort into explaining their software updates — here are the best and worst offenders
http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-apps-software-update-explanation-why-it-matters-2018-2
Apple’s Tips on Avoiding iTunes and App Store Phishing Email Scams
Scammers are crafting more sophisticated and realistic looking emails to trick you into handing over your credit card number and other personal information, so Apple has a new support article with tips on how to spot them.
https://www.macobserver.com/news/avoiding-phishing-email-scams/
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201679
How to Discover Free iOS Apps on the App Store With IFTTT
https://www.macobserver.com/tips/quick-tip/free-ios-apps-ifttt/
Apple HomePod, Amazon Echo, Google Home and more: We put 7 speakers to the test
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-43346810
10 best smart speakers compared
And the verdict is ...
Smart speakers have different purposes. If all you want is a gizmo that will answer questions, tell you a joke and turn up the heating, the Amazon Echo Dot is enough. The Echo Spot is a tremendous alarm clock because of its highly visible clockface and compact size. But the best device, by far, for audio quality is Apple HomePod. Its smarts aren’t so advanced, but it’s easier to upgrade the software than the hardware so this is a device which will keep improving. Still, the Sonos One is a lot cheaper and sounds pretty spiffy – two together as a stereo pair are the HomePod’s main audio challenger.
http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/audio/best-smart-speaker-for-music-iphone-spotify-alexa-siri-google-assistant-a8252261.html
How To Reset Your HomePod To Factory Settings
This article explains two different ways to do this.
http://www.knowyourmobile.com/speakers/24971/reset-homepod-factory-settings
HomePod vs. Sonos One: Which should you buy?
Overall, I’d easily choose HomePod over the Sonos. And that’s not just because I’m an Apple fanboy. The speaker sounds better, so much so that even Sonos’ CEO admits it. I find it easier to use.
https://www.cultofmac.com/534211/homepod-vs-sonos-one-which-should-you-buy/
Three Things I Learned After One Month With Apple's HomePod
1. Siri is a pretty good DJ
2. Siri is still way more useful on your phone
3. It’s all about the sound
The HomePod is a music machine first and foremost, and that becomes immediately evident when listening to it alongside other smart speakers. Music sounded generally richer and more open on the HomePod compared to cheaper alternatives like the second-generation Amazon Echo or even the Echo Show, both of which sounded shallow alongside Apple’s speaker. The difference is harder to discern when comparing the HomePod against other premium speakers, like the Google Home Max and Sonos One, both of which also sound fantastic.
Ultimately, the decision to purchase Apple’s HomePod should come down to whether you’re willing to spend considerably more money for great sound but inferior voice controls compared to an Amazon Echo or Google Home device. (There’s also a chance Siri could be improved with software updates down the road.) Plus, you’ll have to commit to Apple Music to get the most out of the HomePod, since other services like Spotify are only compatible via AirPlay.
http://time.com/5187811/homepod-apple-review/
Apple HomePod: 6 things it can't do
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/apple-homepod-things-it-cant-do/
The Apple Home Pod costs $248.40 to build, according to techinsights.com
Which is more than double the cost of competing products.
http://www.techinsights.com/about-techinsights/overview/blog/apple-homepod-teardown/
2 Out of 3 Apple Devices Ever Sold Are Still in Use
https://www.macobserver.com/news/apple-devices-ever-sold/
Apple iOS 11.2.6 Is Causing New Problems
A deep dive from PiunikaWeb has found iOS 11.2.6 has problems with math. As such you shouldn’t trust your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to do important calculations.
Credit for spotting the issue first goes to former Apple employee Ryan Jones.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2018/03/13/apple-ios-11-2-6-battery-life-calculator-iphone-ipad-macos-mac-macbook/
Apple-approved Mac Store app mined crypto-coins
Annoyed users have forced an application to stop mining crypto-coins on Apple's Mac computers.
Last week the app was updated to include code that generated coins for the Monero crypto-currency.
The updated version of Calendar 2 started to generate complaints by people who said the option to opt out did not work and that the mining code sucked up so much of their computer's processing power that other applications slowed down.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43386918
Apple today announced it signed an agreement to acquire Texture, the digital magazine subscription service by Next Issue Media LLC, which gives users unlimited access to their favorite titles for one monthly subscription fee.
Texture brings over 200 of the world’s best magazines to life.
“We’re excited Texture will join Apple, along with an impressive catalog of magazines from many of the world’s leading publishers,” said Eddy Cue.
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/03/apple-to-acquire-digital-magazine-service-texture/
Working Smarter with macOS Preferences
Actually a few good hints.
https://www.macobserver.com/columns-opinions/dr-macs-rants-raves/working-smarter-macos-preferences/
I'm selling my iPad Pro because my iPhone X does everything I need
I bought Apple's 10.5-inch iPad Pro last year when it launched because I thought I'd use it for work, taking notes and watching movies.
Now I'm selling it, because I bought an iPhone X and found out it does everything I need from an iPad, and more.
The 5.8-inch screen on the iPhone X is big enough for everything I thought I needed a larger screen for.
What once fit wonderfully into my lifestyle is no longer needed. Funny it was cannibalized by an iPhone.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/27/why-im-selling-my-ipad-pro.html
The 25 Best Productivity Apps For 2018
https://www.fastcompany.com/40537294/the-25-best-productivity-apps-for-2018
The Apple Pencil is perhaps a perfect stylus for drawing and writing on the iPad Pro, but some people (like me) may find its slim, slippery shape uncomfortable to hold for any length of time. Adding the Pencil Case from Ztylus gives the Apple Pencil a thicker profile ... protects the Apple Pencil, and the thick barrel makes it easier to grip.
https://the-gadgeteer.com/2018/02/13/change-the-look-and-feel-of-the-apple-pencil-with-ztylus/
How to track back-to-back workouts with Apple Watch
https://9to5mac.com/2018/03/13/how-to-track-back-to-back-workouts-with-apple-watch/
How to use Face ID on iPhone and what to do when Face ID doesn't work
https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/iphone/face-id-iphone-3663964/
How to maximize the reliability of Face ID on the iPhone X: four tips
https://9to5mac.com/2018/03/06/face-id-tips/
How to use iCloud for Windows
Keep photos, contacts, notes, and other data on your iPhone or iPad in sync with Windows by using iCloud for Windows.
https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/windows/how-use-icloud-for-windows-3673264/
Apple confirms it now uses Google Cloud for iCloud services
Apple has confirmed that it uses Google’s public cloud to store data for its iCloud services in its latest version of the iOS Security Guide.
Apple had previously used remote data storage systems provided by Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/26/17053496/apple-google-cloud-platform-icloud-confirmation
http://bgr.com/2018/02/26/apple-icloud-storage-google-cloud-platform/
https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf
Apple's strong principles bend to China's police state
Chinese iCloud Users Warned The Government Could Access Their Data
Following an order from the Chinese government, Apple is about to open a Chinese data center where, from 1 March 2018, the keys for Chinese iCloud accounts will be stored.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ... now fear that the Chinese authorities will start trawling through the iCould data of journalists, dissidents and others at will, and imprisoning many of them.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/emmawoollacott/2018/02/24/chinese-icloud-users-warned-the-government-could-access-their-data/
What price privacy when Apple gets into bed with China?
Apple’s website contains the following bold declaration: “At Apple we believe privacy is a fundamental human right.” What ancient English adage does this bring to mind? Answer: “Fine words butter no parsnips.” In other words, what matters is not what you say, but what you do.
Apple is moving the personal data and content of its mainland Chinese users to a place inside the country’s borders to comply with China’s sweeping new cybersecurity law which requires foreign companies to store all of the data they generate from China inside China’s borders.
Henceforth, cloud services in China have to be operated by Chinese companies.
... everything that Chinese Apple users store in the cloud will be accessible to the Chinese state.
So what’s new? In one sense, nothing: we’ve known for ages that there are no bargains that western tech companies will not make with an authoritarian state in order to gain access to the fastest-growing market in the world. But until now, Apple has laid claim to the moral high ground in this area.
Corporations can blather on all they like about corporate responsibility and human rights, but, in the end, maximising shareholder value is all that counts. And Apple is determined to get to that trillion-dollar valuation no matter what.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/04/apple-users-icloud-services-personal-data-china-cybersecurity-law-privacy
How to Merge and Remove Duplicate Contacts in macOS and iCloud
Detailed step-by-step instructions.
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/merge-remove-contacts-macos/
Stolen Apple iCloud Account IDs Reportedly Being Sold For $15 Each
Compromised iCloud accounts are among the most valuable of those traded on the dark web, so Apple users must make sure they protect themselves against fraud and phishing attacks.
One of the biggest reasons Apple users need to beware of phishing attacks is that compromised iCloud accounts are among the most valuable of those traded on the dark web at $15 per account.
Think about the value of your Apple ID data: Not only is your account the golden portal into all your personal data, but it unlocks all manner of other valuable items: credit card details, online purchasing, passwords for your websites and more.
That’s why every Apple ID user really should think about the value of the data they are trying to protect and create tough alphanumeric passcodes, even if they do need to spend significant time memorizing those codes.
https://www.computerworld.com/article/3261128/apple-ios/criminals-pay-just-15-for-apple-icloud-account-ids-report-claims.html
Video: How to backup, erase, and factory reset your iPad
https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/03/13/video-how-to-backup-erase-and-factory-reset-your-ipad
Video Interview:
The rationale for buying an iMac Pro
Apple expert Michael deAgonia told Computerworld Executive Editor Ken Mingis he's getting a new iMac Pro this month, and went on to explain why.
In a word: video.
Thus ensued a debate between DeAgonia and IDG Enterprise video producer Chris Hebert – in his Mingis on Tech debut – on the merits of spending high-roller money on a computer.
Chris Hebert figures the entry-level iMac Pro offers the best bang for the buck.
https://www.computerworld.com/article/3261105/apple-mac/mingis-on-tech-the-rationale-for-buying-an-imac-pro.html
Apple will keep repairing your vintage iMacs in a new pilot program
The new offering will allow Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers to keep repairing both 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac models released in mid-2011. Because of the rate at which Apple devices age out, these seven-year-old machines will soon be considered “vintage” starting in March, but happily, that no longer means that they’re ineligible for service.
Generally speaking, you can have Apple repair or replace parts in your Mac up to five years after manufacturing ceases for a particular model. That means that computers made in mid-2011 are approaching this date.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/apple-vintage-imacs/
Apple may extend 2011 iMac repair window in surprisingly pro-consumer move
In a move that many will see as surprisingly pro-consumer, Apple has reportedly extended the period during which it will repair 2011 iMac models through the end of August this year.
https://www.techradar.com/news/apple-may-extend-2011-imac-repair-window-in-surprisingly-pro-consumer-move
Apple Launching Pilot Program Allowing Repairs of Soon-to-Be Vintage Mid 2011 iMac in United States
Apple today internally announced it is launching a new pilot program that will permit Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers to continue offering repair service for 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac models released in mid 2011, despite the fact they will be classified as vintage starting next month.
The pilot program will be available in the United States only between March 1, 2018 and August 31, 2018, subject to parts availability from Apple, according to the company's internal memo obtained by MacRumors. After the pilot ends, repairs will only be available in California and Turkey, as required by law.
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/02/27/apple-to-allow-repairs-of-vintage-mid-2011-imac/
Apple iMac Pro review: The return of the king
Pros:
The most powerful Mac ever; Stunning design; Gorgeous screen
Cons:
Expensive
Verdict:
The iMac Pro is Apple's attempt to take back the workplace, and it's come out swinging. Not only is it the most powerful Mac ever made, it's managed to fit in all that power without sacrificing any of Apple's world-class design aesthetic. If you can afford it, you won't regret it.
http://www.itpro.co.uk/hardware/30623/apple-imac-pro-review-the-return-of-the-king
It's time to update your iPhone — Apple just fixed a big text message bug
Apple released iOS 11.2.6 to fix a bug in which a Telegu Indian language character could crash iMessage and other apps.
Anyone who owns an iPhone should update now to avoid being prone to the attack.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/20/update-your-iphone-apple-just-fixed-a-big-text-message-bug.html
How to clear your private data from your iPad before you sell it
1. Make sure you have a backup
2. Turn off Find My iPad
3. Reset your iPad
Read the article for detailed instructions for each step.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/12/how-to-reset-your-ipad.html
5 reasons why iPad Pro won’t make you ask ‘What’s a computer?’
“What’s a computer,” a young girl asks in Apple’s latest change-the-world TV spot for the iPad. It’s a vision that fits well with the lazy Sunday afternoon Apple presents as the girl totes the device around parks and diners.
But for work?
I’ve used the tablet as my primary work device since 2015, and while it’s seen some impressive improvements over the years, it’s still not ready to fully usurp the MacBook. Here’s why.
https://www.macworld.com/article/3254653/consumer-electronics/5-reasons-why-ipad-pro-wont-make-you-ask-whats-a-computer.html
The used phone market is cannibalizing new iPhone sales: that's why Apple is heading into a 'third straight year of flat-to-declining units’
On Apple's last earnings call, CEO Tim Cook announced some good news: "Apple's active installed base reached 1.3 billion devices in January and is at an all-time high for all of our major products.
"1.3 billion devices represents an astonishing 30% growth in just two years."
But Cook also announced that new iPhone sales declined 1%.
Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi believes he has figured out why it is that the "installed base" can grow at 30% while new unit sales are sagging. The base is being fuelled by used, second-hand and resold devices. New iPhone replacement sales are essentially flat, and all the growth is in the second-hand market, Sacconaghi says.
If Sacconaghi is right, it means new iPhone sales are being cannibalized by older phones that still work well.
http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-installed-base-2018-3
How Capture One Completely Changed My Photography Workflow and Streamlined My Creativity
In this article, the author describes how new software improved his professional photography work flow.
https://fstoppers.com/bts/how-capture-one-completely-changed-my-photography-workflow-and-streamlined-my-225291
5 tips to make macOS more efficient on the go
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/five-tips-to-make-macos-more-efficient-on-the-go/
Siri co-founder believes Apple’s strategy with Siri is misguided (recall that Apple acquired Siri in 2010)
Siri co-founder Norman Winarsky recently opined that Apple’s goals for Siri are simply too broad. In other words, Winarsky believes that Apple — to its own detriment — wants Siri to be good at many things instead of focusing on just a few areas.
http://bgr.com/2018/03/11/siri-vs-alexa-strategy-features-too-broad/
Apple macOS malware soared 270% over the past year - with four major threats found in 2018
Mac malware increased by 270% in 2017, compared to 2016, a report by MalwareBytes has revealed, with four new major Mac vulnerabilities uncovered in the first two months of 2018.
http://www.alphr.com/security/1008785/apple-macos-malware
Meet Coldroot, a nasty Mac trojan that went undetected for years
A Mac malware that can silently, remotely control a vulnerable computer and steal passwords from a user's keychain has gone largely unnoticed by antivirus makers for two years -- even though the code is readily available to download.
Patrick Wardle, chief research officer at Digita Security, revealed in a blog post Tuesday details of Coldroot, a remote access trojan.
The malware masquerades as a document, which when opened, presents a prompt for the user's password. In the hope that a user will naively enter their credentials, the malware will silently install and contact its command and control server to await instructions from an attacker.
http://www.zdnet.com/article/coldroot-nasty-mac-trojan-went-undetected-for-years/
https://digitasecurity.com/blog/2018/02/19/coldroot/
Apple’s Swift Programming Language is now Top Tier
Apple's programming language Swift is less than four years old, but a new report finds that it's already as popular as its predecessor, Apple's more established Objective-C language.
https://www.wired.com/story/apples-swift-programming-language-is-now-top-tier/
GitHub Survived the Biggest DDoS Attack Ever Recorded
1.35 terabits per second of traffic hit the developer platform GitHub all at once. It was the most powerful distributed denial of service attack recorded to date—and it used an increasingly popular DDoS method, no botnet required.
GitHub briefly struggled with intermittent outages as a digital system assessed the situation. Within 10 minutes it had automatically called for help from its DDoS mitigation service, Akamai Prolexic. Prolexic took over as an intermediary, routing all the traffic coming into and out of GitHub, and sent the data through its scrubbing centers to weed out and block malicious packets. After eight minutes, attackers relented and the assault dropped off.
About 100,000 memcached servers, mostly owned by businesses and other institutions, currently sit exposed online with no authentication protection, meaning an attacker can access them and send them a special command packet that the server will respond to with a much larger reply.
The infrastructure community has also started attempting to address the underlying problem, by asking the owners of exposed memcached servers to take them off the internet, keeping them safely behind firewalls on internal networks.
Until memcached servers get off the public internet, though, it seems likely that attackers will give a DDoS of this scale another shot.
https://www.wired.com/story/github-ddos-memcached/
Sophisticated malware attacks through routers
It's likely the creation of a government surveillance agency.
Security researchers at Kaspersky Lab have discovered what's likely to be another state-sponsored malware strain, and this one is more advanced than most.
It has been nicknamed Slingshot. Read the article for technical details.
While text clues hint that English speakers might be responsible, the culprit isn't clear.
It rivals the Regin malware GCHQ used to spy on Belgian carrier Belgacom.
https://www.engadget.com/2018/03/11/sophisticated-malware-attacks-through-routers/
'Highly advanced' Slingshot malware remained hidden for six years
Researchers have discovered a "highly sophisticated and complicated" malware threat that has managed to remain hidden for at least six years.
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/highly-advanced-slingshot-malware-remained-hidden-for-six-years-486803
Video:
Google Has Killed Tons of Firms by Demonitization
https://www.sgtreport.com/articles/2018/2/22/google-has-killed-tons-of-firms-by-demonitization-2070
Facebook's algorithm has wiped out a once flourishing digital publisher
The digital publisher LittleThings is shutting down.
Facebook's recent algorithm tweak throttled its traffic severely, causing its profit to plummet.
http://www.businessinsider.com/littlethings-online-publisher-shuts-down-and-blames-facebook-algorithm-2018-2
Identity Theft Soars in 2017
http://blog.credit.com/2018/02/identity-theft-soars-in-2017-181502/
Interesting video introduction to Bitcoin.
Play the video. Ignore the written article on the web page.
The video has some info about investing in companies that sell computers to Bitcoin mining companies.
Right now, the video says that the best way to speculate in Bitcoin is to buy Bitcoins, not company stocks.
Not Bitcoin futures, not Bitcoin ETFs. Just Bitcoins.
https://moneymorning.com/videos/we-looked-inside-our-crystal-ball-for-bitcoin-and-this-is-what-we-found/
Artificial Intelligence (AI) vs Lawyers: The Ultimate Showdown
A new study has shown that AI can already work faster than lawyers on certain non-core legal tasks such as reviewing legal contracts.
Unfortunately for us humans, the AI predicted the outcomes with 94 percent accuracy, compared to 85 percent for the lawyers, on average. Additionally, the AI had a 100 percent accuracy rate for one document where the best result from a human was just 96 percent.
What’s more, the challenge took the LawGeex AI only 26 seconds to complete, while the human lawyers took more than an hour and a half on average.
http://wallstreetpit.com/114557-ai-lawyers-ultimate-showdown/
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Ten Ways To Save Your Eyes when using Your Mac
I am a Mac computer user with bad eyes. I found ten ways to enable me to read the screen in comfort.
#1. Magnify the screen.
Go to the Accessibility System Preference.
Select Zoom from the left-hand column.
Set your parameters for the keyboard and your pointing device. I chose to use the Control key and my mouse’s scroll wheel. You can choose another key to initiate and use your Trackpad. Slide two fingers up and down the trackpad.
You can choose to magnify the entire screen or just a portion of it with “picture in picture” You only have a rectangular window option.
Click on the “Options…” button to see this:
You can set the minimum and maximum zoom. You can trigger a temporary magnification by holding down the Alt/Option and Command keys.
#2 Zoom-It
For $2.99 on the Mac App Store, you can buy and install the Zoom It application.
Zoom It offers more options, such as a sticky window if you use Option+Z or just a temporary window by holding down the Control + Z keys.
You also get a choice of windows, either a rectangular window or a round loupe.
You can set the magnification factor in Zoom It’s preferences.
It’s worth the $3.
#3 The HiDPI Terminal Command
If you use a monitor of 1920 x 1080 resolution or higher, I can recommend this Terminal command.
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist DisplayResolutionEnabled -bool true
Copying and pasting it into your Terminal installs a scaled resolution option in your Displays System Preference, including a ¼ scale HiDPI.
If you use 1920 x 1080, your resolution goes down to 960 x 540 with larger pixels. This is the equivalent of the Retina screen. A 2560 x1440 screen reduces to 1280 x 720. It’s salvation for my old eye balls.
You can run one monitor at regular high resolution and add a second monitor just for HiDPI situation.
I’d recommend you read this Tek Revue post for more details, including utility apps for switching resolutions without using the Terminal.
#4 Changing your screen colors to grey-scale
Under the Accessibility Preference Pane is an option to change your display to grey-scale. For some users, this provides relief.
For this and #5, you’ll want to go to Display on the left-hand column of the Accessibility Preference Pane
#5 Changing your screen colors to inverse
From the Display option of the Accessibility Preference Pane, you can choose to invert your screen
Now if you like this inverted colors effect, you can set up a keyboard shortcut for it.
Go to the Keyboard Preference Pane
From the top row of buttons, select “Shortcuts"
From the left-hand column, select “Accessibility"
On the right-hand side, you want to check the box for Invert Colors
Holding down Control+Option+Command+8 inverts the display’s colors. Most of us will find this garish, but certain people will benefit from this. It’s an option.
#6 Change each app’s default font size.
Windows has an overall font size option. macOS doesn’t. You have to adjust each app’s default font size individually
You’ll have to change one on a case by case basis.
#7: Add an external monitor with higher resolution:
My 11” MacBook Air has a native resolution of 1366 x 768. I can plug a big 23” monitor with 1920 x 1080 resolution into it to help with tiny text. Look at the Fry’s Home Electronics Ads for sales on external monitors. They also have the adaptor cables to help you use your Mac with the new monitor.
#8 The Paid Options: New Glasses
Depending on the weakness of your vision, you have several choices.
Off the shelf reading glasses from the drug store may solve your problem.
You may want to consult your optometrist about specialized computer glasses.
It may be time to see the optometrist for a new prescription. Now is the time to bring up your computer issues.
#9 Have Your Mac read
Another option to consider is the Mac’s ability to read text on screen back to you. Go to the Accessibility System Preference to set this up.
Go to the left column and select Speech
In the right-hand column, you can select which voice to use, how fast it speaks, and which keys to press to have selected text read aloud to you.
#10-Get a New Mac with a Really Big Screen
My final option is the most expensive. Buy a New Mac. Go for the iMac with 5K 27” worth of display if you can. You can also check out the 21.5” 4K monitor.
The latest 13” MacBook Air will support 4K 3840 x 2160 resolution at a 60Hz refresh rate on an external monitor.
The 2014 Mac Mini will support on external monitors 4K resolutions, albeit at low refresh rates: 3840 x2160 at 30 Hz and 4096 x2160 at 24 Hz.
Thomas Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
Saturday, March 3, 2018
If you want to play your music (And That’s it!), then you need VOX.
I recently spent half an hour futzing with my iTunes installation. I’m still not sure it’s set up the right way.
I wanted to just play music, not movies, not TV shows. Just some classical music to put me in the right mood.
So I turned to VOX from Coppertino.com
VOX plays music. That’s all it does.
It plays more file formats than iTunes does. Apple doesn’t want to get into the legal equivalent of weekly food fights for using FLAC and OGG. VOX has less money, so they present less of a target to greedy patent trolls.
VOX presented me with a lot fewer problems than iTunes. If I want to play an album I already downloaded into the iTunes Music Library…just drag it across from the Finder window to the bottom area of VOX. You get a temporary playlist good for that session.
If you want to save the playlist for later, just click on the rightward facing arrow and enter a name. It’s done. If you want to export the playlist in one of several formats, just hit Command + S. A file dialog box comes up to save the playlist.
Coppertino has a great app here. They want to monetize it. So they offer you additions, such as Internet Radio and a monthly subscription based cloud service to store your music. Want to play it on your iPhone? They have an iPhone version of VOX.
If you just want to play back your music in non-DRM file formats, then check out VOX. It works fast, it works easy, and you don’t have to upgrade to a paid setup at the end of 30 days. Enjoy!
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
