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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Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-Up for Wednesday 7-25-2018
Video:
This live spider stuck inside an iMac is the most literal kind of bug
Bill Gates Mug Shot Used in Advertisement on a Web Site – To Hilarious Effect
The ad appeared on a web site that covered most kinds of personal computers – Windows, Linux and Mac – along side an article about four thieves who stole stuff from an Apple store.
Notice that the name of the city was changed to "Manhattan".
It was "Albuquerque" in the original photograph.
Here's a link to the original photo:
Video:
A diehard Mac user switches to PC
In the United States, if you have an Apple iPhone or iPad, it's a strong sign that you make a lot of money.
Researchers found that "no individual brand is as predictive of being high-income as owning an Apple iPhone" based on 2016 data.
Apple Releases New 11.4.1 Update for HomePod
The new HomePod software will be installed automatically on the HomePod after you update to iOS 11.4, but you can also manually update and check your software version.
According to Apple's release notes, the 11.4.1 update for the HomePod includes "general improvements for stability and quality," with no further details provided
Today in Apple history:
July 22, 1997 – Mac OS 8 becomes an instant smash hit
Apple introduced its next-gen operating system, Mac OS 8, the first major OS refresh for Macintosh since System 7’s release in 1991.
Retailing for $99, Mac OS 8 came at a very important time for the money-losing Apple. Sales exceeded expectations by a factor of four, and 1.2 million copies sold in the first two weeks after it became available. This made Mac OS 8 the most successful Apple software product at the time.
Apple updates MacBook Pro with faster performance and new features for pros
MacBook Pro: Features, specifications, and prices for Apple’s high-end laptop
The current version of the MacBook Pro was released in July 2018. The new laptops have the same design as the previous version, but the laptops feature new processors that provide a speed boost.
Apple has six standard configurations of the MacBook Pro. Four of those models have the Touch Bar, a strip that’s located where the function keys are usually at the top of the keyboard.
This article has a list of models and prices.
Apple 15-inch 2.9GHz MacBook Pro review: A laptop that pro app users will love
The jump from four to six processing cores makes the new 15-inch MacBook Pro a beast of a performer.
2018 MacBook Pro Benchmarked After Bug Fix: It's This Much Faster
Bottom Line
The MacBook’s overall CPU performance is impressive, and it’s SSD in particular is over-the-top fast. You’ll notice a big leap in performance if you’re upgrading from a 2016 MacBook Pro and even an impressive jump from last year’s model.
The MacBook’s overall CPU performance is impressive, and it’s SSD in particular is over-the-top fast. You’ll notice a big leap in performance if you’re upgrading from a 2016 MacBook Pro and even an impressive jump from last year’s model.
These 2018 MacBook Pro models are the best values
For the 15-inch MacBook Pro, the version with the 4.1GHz Core i7 processor provides the best performance-per-dollar ratio. For the 13-inch version, it’s the 3.8GHz Core i7 version. In both these cases, it’s the slower models that are preferable for those looking for value.
Someone who actually needs the fastest MacBook Pro available should buy the most expensive device. But for anyone who doesn’t have to have the best and the brightest, and wants to be sure they are getting their money’s worth, the Geekbench per dollar figure is a good indication of where that is.
No matter the value, the 2018 MacBook Pro models are all dramatically faster than their predecessors.
No matter the value, the 2018 MacBook Pro models are all dramatically faster than their predecessors.
Top nine features of the 2018 MacBook Pro
Better keyboard, faster processors, improved speakers and more RAM – just to name a few.
2018 MacBook Pro models feature the biggest yearly CPU performance gains since 2011, according to Geekbench founder John Poole.
Geekbench 4 scores indicate the latest 15-inch models have a 12 to 15 percent increase in single-core performance, while multi-core performance is up 39 to 46 percent, compared to the equivalent 2017 models.
iFixit Tests Silicone Membrane on 2018 MacBook Pro Keyboard With Dust Exposure
iFixit tore apart the 13-inch version and discovered the presence of a new silicone membrane underneath the keyboard's butterfly keys that Apple internal documents have since confirmed has been added to prevent dust and other small particulates from causing key failures.
iFixit has done a much deeper dive, exposing the keyboard to debris to test it out.
Test results indicate that keyboard failure is less likely than with a 2017 MacBook Pro, but still possible.
Some MacBook Pro users complain about throttling issues
Dave Lee found out that the top-performing MacBook Pro can’t operate at full speed for a long time because it gets too hot.
According to him, a video export in Adobe Premiere Pro is taking longer on a brand new MacBook Pro with an Intel Core i9 CPU than on a 2017 MacBook Pro with an Intel Core i7 CPU (previous Intel generation).
Sure, if you look at benchmarks, the new MacBook Pro destroys previous models, and even many iMacs. But Apple is throttling the speed of the CPU so that it doesn’t get too hot under the heavy load.
Why Apple’s Best MacBook Pro Is Too Powerful for Its Own Good
The problem, it seems, is that Apple simply dropped Intel’s Core i9-CPU into the existing 15-inch MacBook Pro chassis, but didn’t do much to improve the system’s cooling or thermal management. So that means when people asked to peform more intensive tasks, heat quickly builds up inside a Core i9 MBP, and before long, it’s forced to throttle the CPU to prevent the system from overheating, which negatively impacts overall performance.
So for people considering buying a new high-spec MacBook now that the 2018 models are out, unless something changes, you’re probably better off ignoring the Core i9 option for now. Not only is a 15-inch Core i7 MacBook Pro just as fast, it costs hundreds less too.
Consumer Reports says MacBook Pro thermal throttling is a feature not a bug
The top-of-the-line MacBook Pro with an Intel Core i9 processor has gotten some bad press. The new laptop reportedly is subject to thermal throttling, which is a fancy way of saying that its CPU gets so hot that it slows itself down before burning up.
But before anyone criticizes Apple too much, Consumer Reports came to the company’s defense. The consumer-testing organization points out that other laptops with top-tier processors are also subject to thermal throttling.
Apple Says 2018 MacBook Pro Throttling is a Bug, Fix Available Now in New macOS Update
Apple released a new supplemental update to macOS High Sierra 10.13.6, which is designed to address a bug that caused the new eighth-generation quad-core and 6-core Intel processors in the 2018 MacBook Pro models to throttle inappropriately.
According to Apple, the throttling seen in the higher-end 2018 MacBook Pro with Core i9 chip and other 2018 MacBook Pro models is unintentional.
In a call with The Verge, representatives said that the throttling was only exhibited under fairly specific, highly intense workloads, which is why the company didn’t catch the bug before release.
The admission caps off a full week of drama over these new MacBook Pros.
When did Apple’s built-in apps get so good?
It used to be that the first-party iOS apps were only used by people who didn’t care enough to download something better. Mail, Notes, Contacts, the Calendar — all of these were immediately dumped into a junk folder by experienced users, to be replaced with a proper app. But something happened along the way to 2018. Now, Apple’s apps are every bit as good as third-party apps. (Well, mostly. The Contacts app is still awful.)
Read the list of Apple's best iOS apps.
The best paid Apple Watch apps of 2018
They'll cost you but they're worth it.
They'll cost you but they're worth it.
Here are 10 of our favorite paid apps you need to have on your Apple Watch.
The most expensive app in the list costs $9.99.
These are the 18 best iOS apps with dark mode, according to Apple
Remember to check this web site every day for new bargains on apps for iPhone and iPad.
http://bgr.com/apps-on-sale/
http://bgr.com/apps-on-sale/
Microsoft Surface Go vs. Apple iPad: Inexpensive Tablets Compared
Microsoft's new $399 Surface Go notebook/tablet is an affordable way to jump into the Surface ecosystem. Apple's $329 iPad is an inexpensive tablet that's stood on top of its field for years. Let's see how they compare.
The iPhone’s Face ID Struggles in the Morning
Thanks a lot, Apple.
Thanks a lot, Apple.
Unlike Beyoncé, we do not all wake up flawless—at least not according to the iPhone X.
Several iPhone X–owning Twitter users have taken to the latter (probably using the former) to complain that Face ID—the phone’s facial recognition technology—fails to recognize their face first thing in the morning. Like a drunken one-night stand, the iPhone X doesn’t quite know who they are in the morning light.
Several iPhone X–owning Twitter users have taken to the latter (probably using the former) to complain that Face ID—the phone’s facial recognition technology—fails to recognize their face first thing in the morning. Like a drunken one-night stand, the iPhone X doesn’t quite know who they are in the morning light.
While our fingerprints never vary, it seems our faces do, dramatically.
iPhone X sets new record for resale value
The average resale price is only at 85 percent of the original, and even those who buy the phones in bulk are paying about 75 percent of the original price — these are much higher percentages than even previous iPhone models, which sold at around 65 percent of the original price half a year after they hit the market.
iOS 11.4.1 is here, and the police may not be happy
Cops may have a hard time cracking your iPhone after this.
Cops may have a hard time cracking your iPhone after this.
While it appears to merely be a set of bug fixes, an Apple support page confirms it includes a brand-new, much talked-about feature: a USB Restricted Mode to keep police departments, governments and bad actors from breaking into your iPhone.
Apple characterizes the new mode as closing a security hole, not a way to lock out the cops, but either way, it shuts off data to new USB accessories that plug into your iPhone's Lightning port if it's been more than an hour since you last unlocked your iPhone.
How to Make Sure iCloud Is Backing Up, Syncing Your Data
If you've felt the pain of losing all the photos, videos, and documents saved on your iPhone, or want to avoid it, iCloud is your friend. Here's how to make sure everything's set up and syncing.
Apple’s iCloud user data in China is now handled by a state-owned mobile operator
If you’re an Apple customer living in China who didn’t already opt out of having your iCloud data stored locally, here’s a good reason to do so now. That information, the data belonging to China-based iCloud users which includes emails and text messages, is now being stored by a division of China Telecom, the state-owned telco.
Apple itself has said it was compelled to make the move in order to comply with Chinese authorities, and that hardly eases the mind.
Today in Apple history:
July 1, 2012 – MobileMe gets to R.I.P.
Launched in 2008, MobileMe was a subscription-based suite of online services and software created by Apple.
Apple’s ill-fated iCloud precursor was an early attempt at running a cloud-based subscription service.
On paper, it sounded great. In practice, it never lived up to its promise.
Apple releases 11.4.1 bug-fix updates for iOS, tvOS, and HomePod, plus watchOS 4.3.2
These are point releases that don’t add new features, but rather fix bugs and optimize performance.
The 2018 six-core MacBook Pro with eGPU gives the iMac Pro a run for its money
The six-core MacBook Pro is as close to having an iMac Pro in a laptop computer as you can get.
This great stand turns your iPad into a tiny iMac [Review]
Sturdy and stylish, this stand is also super-adjustable.
There’s no way to recover data from the new MacBook Pros if something breaks
A powerful reason to back up often (Apple's Time Machine is the easiest way).
Since 2016 when Apple launched the first MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, the solid-state drive (SSD) has been soldered directly to the logic board. That means that in the case of a logic board failure, there was only one way to extract data from the SSD. Apple kept a tiny proprietary port on the logic board, and by taking your laptop to a Genius Bar and having them use proprietary equipment, you could oftentimes retrieve data from the SSD.
But thanks to a teardown from iFixit, we now know that the data recovery port has vanished.
Today in Apple history:
July 17, 2002 – iMac G4 gets super-sized screen
The iMac G4 is the author's favorite iMac in Apple history.
2018 MacBook Pro review roundup: Apple unleashes a speed demon
This article has links to other reviews of the new super-powerful MacBook Pro.
The author's own conclusion?
"Deciding whether to upgrade to the 2018 MacBook Pro is easy. Do you need a quieter keyboard? Do you need a faster notebook? If you answered no to those questions, there’s no need to fork out for Apple’s most powerful machine. If you said yes, it’s time to open your wallet."
Apple MacBook Pro 2018: Everything you need to know
Lots of hardware details in this article.
How to avoid losing media when working with iCloud Photo Library
What you should know about how iCloud Photo Library works, and how not to lose anything.
Apple's 2018 MacBook Pro changes everything except the things you want
Apple just unveiled a new MacBook Pro. And I've got some good news and some bad news.
Apple is a luxury goods maker
Being an Apple fan is an expensive hobby.
Earlier this week, Apple refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup, and as The Verge pointed out, the most expensive model now costs just shy of $6,700. It’s the most expensive MacBook Pro the company has ever released, if likely not the most popular.
Apple is no longer just an electronics company. It is, and has been for quite a while, a luxury company. It sells an aesthetic, a design ethos, that many have tried to replicate, and few have done so with success. It markets its products more as lifestyle items than tech gadgets now, and Apple is one of the few brands that has been strong enough to buck the downward sales trend at physical retail stores in the last few years. Consumers have shown time and again that they are willing to pay for Apple’s premium.
Best antivirus for Mac: Protect yourself from malicious software
This is the second update of an article published earlier.
Macs may be a far less tempting target for malware and viruses, but they’re not immune from attack. Even if you don’t care about adware or being used as a means to infect users on other platforms, it’s still possible to fall victim to ransomware, password theft, or stolen iPhone backups.
Accordingly, good antivirus software will protect your Mac on all of these fronts.
Accordingly, good antivirus software will protect your Mac on all of these fronts.
Archive Offers Up All Past Mac and iOS Wallpapers
Over the weekend, Reddit user Nucleam shared photo albums containing archives of all of the different wallpapers that Apple has offered for iOS and macOS, providing an interesting trip down memory lane.
See small size versions of the pictures by clicking the link below.
Inside 'the reality distortion field': An early Apple employee told us what it was like having Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak as his bosses
Sometimes even the great Steve Jobs made a big mistake.
How to fix fingerprint registration issues on MacBook Pro with Touch ID
Mac telling you that it has no room for more fingerprints when you know that's not the case? Here's what's going on and how to fix it.
Mac telling you that it has no room for more fingerprints when you know that's not the case? Here's what's going on and how to fix it.
Step by step instructions.
Apple is rolling out iOS 11.4.1 for iPhones and iPads everywhere. There isn't anything in the way of new features, instead delivering on some bug fixes and stability improvements.
This article has detailed instructions for downloading the update.
How to subscribe to a podcast on your iPhone or iPad
Step by step instructions.
14 mind-expanding TED Talks to watch if you have 20 minutes to spare
Test Tube Born Artificial Neural Network Reads “Molecular Handwriting”
Researchers at Caltech have developed an artificial neural network made out of DNA that can solve a classic machine learning problem: correctly identifying handwritten numbers. The work is a significant step in demonstrating the capacity to program artificial intelligence into synthetic biomolecular circuits.
Artificial neural networks are mathematical models inspired by the human brain. Despite being much simplified compared to their biological counterparts, artificial neural networks function like networks of neurons and are capable of processing complex information.
“Humans each have over 80 billion neurons in the brain, with which they make highly sophisticated decisions. Smaller animals such as roundworms can make simpler decisions using just a few hundred neurons. In this work, we have designed and created bio-chemical circuits that function like a small network of neurons to classify molecular information substantially more complex than previously possible,” says Qian.
Inside WikiLeaks: Working with the Publisher that Changed the World
Italian journalist Stefania Maurizi has worked with WikiLeaks for nine years on the Podesta emails and other revelations. Here’s an insider’s view of the publisher that has incensed rulers around the world, desperate to hide their corruption.
I began working as one of WikiLeaks’ media partners in 2009, before Assange and WikiLeaks published such bombshells as the “Collateral Murder” video.
Like its work or not, WikiLeaks is an independent media organization that doesn’t have to rely on traditional media to publish its scoops. Indeed it was founded to bypass the legal qualms traditional media may have about publishing classified information.
With its 5.5 million followers on Twitter, WikiLeaks has a huge social media presence that gives its work immediate impact. But WikiLeaks has published most of its revelations in collaboration with a number of media partners.
With its 5.5 million followers on Twitter, WikiLeaks has a huge social media presence that gives its work immediate impact. But WikiLeaks has published most of its revelations in collaboration with a number of media partners.
I have no idea who WikiLeaks’ sources were for the Podesta emails: the whole concept of WikiLeaks is based on the submission of secret or otherwise restricted documents by anonymous sources. Assange said numerous times that his source for the Clinton emails was not the Russian government nor a state party.
Google has been fined a record breaking €4.34 billion (~$5BN) by European antitrust regulators for abusing the dominance of its Android mobile operating system.
Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager has tweeted to confirm the penalty ahead of a press conference about to take place. Stay tuned for more details as we get them.
Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager has tweeted to confirm the penalty ahead of a press conference about to take place. Stay tuned for more details as we get them.
“In 2012 and 2013 Amazon tried to license to device manufacturers its Android fork, called Fire OS. It wanted to co-operate with manufacturers to increase its chances of commercial success. And manufacturers were interested but due to Google’s restrictions, manufacturers could not launch Fire OS on even a single device,” she said.
I Was the Mob Until the Mob Came for Me
I once had a well paid job in what might be described as the "social justice industry". Then I upset the wrong person, and within a short window of time, I was considered too toxic for my employer’s taste. I was publicly shamed, mobbed, and reduced to a symbol of male privilege. I was cast out of my career and my professional community. Writing anything under my own byline now would invite a renewal of this mobbing—which is why, with my editor’s permission, I am writing this under a pseudonym. He knows who I am.
In my previous life, I was a self-righteous social justice crusader. I would use my mid-sized Twitter and Facebook platforms to signal my wokeness on topics such as LGBT rights, rape culture, and racial injustice. Many of the opinions I held then are still opinions that I hold today. But I now realize that my social-media hyperactivity was, in reality, doing more harm than good.
The only causes I was actually contributing to were the causes of mobbing and public shaming. Real change does not stem from these tactics. They only cause division, alienation, and bitterness.
Social justice is a surveillance culture, a snitch culture. The constant vigilance on the part of my colleagues and friends did me in. That’s why I’m delivering sushi and pizza.
Facebook says it will begin removing misinformation that leads to violence
Under the new policy, Facebook will begin reviewing posts that are inaccurate or misleading, and are created or shared with the intent of causing violence or physical harm. The posts will be reviewed in partnership with local organizations including threat intelligence agencies, which Facebook says are in the best position to evaluate threats.
Did WhatsApp messages lead to killing of 22 people across 10 states in India?
Did viral WhatsApp messages lead to the killing of 22 people across 10 states in India? Why are people being killed because of viral WhatsApp message? Why does a mob turn into a 'gang of killers' after reading WhatsApp message?
The wide spread of rumours and misinformation has never been easier before the massive growth of social media. The law enforcement agencies haven't yet figured out an effective way to deal with such a decentralised phenomena.
Mobs are killing people in India based on false rumors spread through WhatsApp
Despite efforts by the company to intervene, innocent people in India are being murdered by aspiring vigilantes who are falling prey to false information spread through the popular messaging application WhatsApp.
India is WhatsApp’s largest market, where more than 200 million people use it, often as their main form of communication and sending billions of messages a day. But many of its users are also inexperienced with smart phones and vulnerable to misinformation that spreads fast through the app.
“Even after these efforts … these mob lynchings are continuing.” – Annie Gowen, India bureau chief for the Washington Post
More
India is WhatsApp’s largest market, where more than 200 million people use it, often as their main form of communication and sending billions of messages a day. But many of its users are also inexperienced with smart phones and vulnerable to misinformation that spreads fast through the app.
“Even after these efforts … these mob lynchings are continuing.” – Annie Gowen, India bureau chief for the Washington Post
More
More than a dozen people have been killed since May by mobs convinced by messages that the people they are lynching are guilty of child trafficking, organ harvesting or other egregious acts.
The company WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, is publishing newspaper advertisements about fake news and disclosing when a post is forwarded, which can help indicate whether it is real.
The company WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, is publishing newspaper advertisements about fake news and disclosing when a post is forwarded, which can help indicate whether it is real.
Marketing Firm Exactis Leaked a Personal Info Database with 340 Million records
The United States has about 340 Million citizens.
Security researcher Vinny Troia discovered that Exactis, a data broker based in Palm Coast, Florida, had exposed a database that contained close to 340 million individual records on a publicly accessible server. The haul comprises close to 2 terabytes of data that appears to include personal information on hundreds of millions of American adults, as well as millions of businesses. While the precise number of individuals included in the data isn't clear—and the leak doesn't seem to contain credit card information or Social Security numbers—it does go into minute detail for each individual listed, including phone numbers, home addresses, email addresses, and other highly personal characteristics for every name. The categories range from interests and habits to the number, age, and gender of the person's children.
"It seems like this is a database with pretty much every US citizen in it," says Troia, who is the founder of his own New York-based security company, Night Lion Security.
"It seems like this is a database with pretty much every US citizen in it," says Troia, who is the founder of his own New York-based security company, Night Lion Security.
Aside from the sheer breadth of the Exactis leak, it may be even more remarkable for its depth: Each record contains entries that go far beyond contact information and public records to include more than 400 variables on a vast range of specific characteristics: whether the person smokes, their religion, whether they have dogs or cats, and interests as varied as scuba diving and plus-size apparel. WIRED independently analyzed a sample of the data Troia shared and confirmed its authenticity, though in some cases the information is outdated or inaccurate.
Smart Technology That Tracks People Through Walls Raises Privacy Concerns
A team of researchers from MIT have developed and tested a technology called RF-Pose, which uses artificial intelligence to track and identify the postures and movements of individuals through solid walls.
By analyzing radio signals which are bounced off people’s bodies, the technology can create stick figure interpretations of the subject with an accuracy of about 83%.
The developers say that RF-Pose could be used by healthcare practitioners to monitor diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson’s. However, the technology has been a call to concern for privacy advocates.
By analyzing radio signals which are bounced off people’s bodies, the technology can create stick figure interpretations of the subject with an accuracy of about 83%.
The developers say that RF-Pose could be used by healthcare practitioners to monitor diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson’s. However, the technology has been a call to concern for privacy advocates.
Largest Voting Machine Vendor in US Admits Its Systems Had Remote-Access Software Installed
A bombshell revelation on the security of voting in the United States has just surfaced in the form of a letter from the country’s largest voting machine manufacturer. The company, Election Systems and Software (ES&S) admitted that despite denying previous allegations of its voting systems coming installed with remote-access software, their systems did, indeed, allow for remote connections.
In a letter to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), written in April, but only released this week, the company acknowledged that it had installed software that made the systems remotely accessible from anywhere.
In a letter to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), written in April, but only released this week, the company acknowledged that it had installed software that made the systems remotely accessible from anywhere.
For those who may be unfamiliar, pcAnywhere was a remote-access software by Symantec which allowed people to remotely access other computers from anywhere in the world. In 2012, Symantec issued a press release telling all users to disable and uninstall the software after admitting that it had been hacked years prior in 2006 — at the same time ES&S was selling voting systems with pcAnywhere pre-installed on them.
Saturday, July 21, 2018
How to use Your Windows Keyboard's Print Screen key to take macOS screenshots
Here is an article I wrote from a few year’s back about changing the keyboard shortcut for copying a screenshot to the clipboard. Just like Windows XP or 7 used to do.
You don’t need to use the Terminal. You won’t use any undocumented commands. You just use a feature Apple didn’t publicize.
Now the last part of the article mentions a utility called Flavours for modifying the Mac’s appearance. Sorry, the advent of System Integrity Protection rendered this moot.
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
Hate Your Laptop's Keyboard? A Simple Fix
If your laptop’s keyboard doesn’t function correctly or stopped dead, here’s a quick fix.
Plug in a USB keyboard. Yes, even a cheap $5 Windows keyboard will work with your laptop.
If you want to continue to use a Windows keyboard with a Mac, try the following:
Go to the Keyboard Preference Pane.
You go either to the gear icon in your Dock or up to your Apple Menu in the upper left-hander corner of your desktop.
Select System Preferences.
On the second row of Preferences, select the Keyboard Preference. Its icon looks like a keyboard
Go to the Modifier Keys......
Now click on the Option Key to make its function the Command key
The old Option, or Windows Alt, key now works as the Command key for this user.
Observe that the Command key, or the Windows key, now works as the Option key.
You have a Mac configured keyboard.
Now this set of changes only works for this user. If you switch to another user, the keyboard goes back to its original configuration.
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
Fixing computers problems by just switching USB ports
IfIf If you experience problems with a USB-connected peripheral, try switching the USB port. I’ve observed this with a camera and a printer on different computers. Just switching the port I plugged the cable into fixed the problem. Just like that.
Why this occurs, I am not sure. The USB hardware must connect and a software “handshake” must take place. If one port doesn’t work, try another. Save yourself a service call.
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Voice
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Etrecheck 4 gives you answers
Etrecheck 4 gives you a comprehensive “under the hood” look at your Mac. Wondering why it runs so slow now? Why you keep seeing those spinning beachballs of death? Crashes?. This is the app to try.
Etrecheck leads you through the process of testing your Mac.
You start by checking which problem category you want to test for.
You have a drop down list tp choose from. If you choose, you can describe the problem in detail in the text box below. This will help outside technicians if you send the report to them.
You’ve made your choice and the tests begin.
First, it tests your hardware.
Second, it tests your software.
Third, it test your system’s performance.
When it finishes testing, the report interface starts up.
The report on screen will show you a sidebar of categories. When I checked on my hardware, I found out just old my core i5 processor was! Second generation. My hardware is considered “vintage”
Etrecheck will offer to send you to outside Web sites for more information. For more data about the old i5, I linked to en.wikichip.org. For information about my 32-bit apps, it linked to the specific Apple page.
Now the app costs $10 (credit card or PayPal), but gives you 5 free examinations before you have to pay.
It pinpointed my Mac’s problem; I’ve got too many apps running in the background. Time for some pruning.
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for July 2, 2018
Apple finally acknowledges ‘sticky’ keyboard issues on MacBooks, offering free fix and refunds for past repairs
An Apple spokesperson provided the statement below to 9to5Mac.com:
“Today we launched a keyboard service program for our customers that covers a small percentage of keyboards in certain MacBook and MacBook Pro models which may exhibit one or more of the following behaviors: letters or characters that repeat unexpectedly or don’t appear when pressed or keys that feel “sticky” or aren’t responding in a consistent manner.”
This article provides a list of specific models eligible for the program.
Today in Apple history:
June 23, 2003 — Power Mac G5 packs world’s first 64-bit CPU
Today in Apple history:
June 29, 2007 — The first iPhone goes on sale, giving excited Apple fans lined up outside stores their first chance at owning the game-changing smartphone.
Apple never meant for you to spend so much time on your phone, Tim Cook says
Cook said that “some” users are spending too much time on their phones and other devices, which was “never” Apple’s intention.
Apple faced calls from activist investors earlier this year that urged the company to consider the effects of smartphone usage and screen time on children.
The forthcoming iOS 12 will provide new features that increase parental control of how much time kids spend with iPhones.
Cheap iPhones are luring away Android loyalists in droves
Plenty of new iPhone buyers come from Android. Each quarter, anywhere from 15% to 20% of new Apple customers upgrade from Android to iPhone.
How to clean your Apple AirPods
Some good hints.
The Essential Tips and Tricks for Getting the Most Out of Apple AirPods
Several good hints.
Apple's AirPods have taken the headphone world by storm.
For the uninitiated, Apple AirPods are Apple's take on true wireless earbud-style headphones that have absolutely no wires.
But this article is about five other wireless earbuds out there, and they each have something a little different to offer.
The internet LOLed at AirPods when they launched. Who’s laughing now?
If history has taught us anything, it’s that when we make fun of early adopters, they tend to be right.
Every mainstream technological advancement and product you use was once viewed as the clunky version of something you’d never use.
Psychological studies have shown the power that group dynamics can have on how we perceive the world.
Many marketers make use of this sociological phenomenon. For example, Apple made a conscious effort to get AirPods into the hands (and ears) of influencers. That way, when you watched your favorite YouTuber’s new video, AirPods in their ears, it presented a lifestyle you aspired to emulate. In turn, it was common sense for you to want to purchase them, too.
How retail boss Angela Ahrendts took a risk joining Apple
Apple’s Schoolwork app is now available for teachers to use
How to remove an Apple ID from your iPhone
Is your iPhone asking for somebody else's password? It's a fairly common problem, particularly if you inherited the phone or used to share it. Here's how to get your iPhone to forget somebody else's Apple ID
Is your iPhone asking for somebody else's password? It's a fairly common problem, particularly if you inherited the phone or used to share it. Here's how to get your iPhone to forget somebody else's Apple ID
Which Macs will run Apple's macOS Mojave?
The next version of Apple's desktop operating system arrives this fall. When it does, a number of Mac models won't be able to upgrade. Here's who's left out in the cold.
Apple has not published an actual list of Mojave-works Macs, but when it rolled out the developer beta two weeks ago, the company said macOS 10.14 is "for Macs introduced in mid-2012 or later, plus 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards.”
macOS Mojave will be offered as a free download from the Mac App Store when it launches this fall, most likely in September.
Apple Ignores What's Wrong With the Mac
Last year, I needed a new Mac, and I bought a 2015 MacBook Pro. Yes, I bought a 3-year-old laptop because it's better than Apple's current models.
Apple's hardware changes in the past few years have been awful.
(Yes, I know the 2017 Macbook Pro got a PCMag Editors' Choice. We can have more than one opinion on our staff. Mine is that the last time Apple made great PC hardware was in 2015.)
Today in Apple history: Bill Gates urges Apple to license Mac OS
June 25, 1985:
30-year-old Bill Gates sent a memo to Apple CEO John Sculley and Macintosh boss Jean Louis Gassée.
His suggestion? That Apple licenses its Mac operating system and additional technology to other companies. Apple’s management ignored his advice.
How to prepare a Mac for sale or a return to an employer
When you need to give up or sell a Mac, how can you make sure you keep what you need and leave a wiped machine?
When you need to give up or sell a Mac, how can you make sure you keep what you need and leave a wiped machine?
Not preparing a computer before you return it can sometimes have consequences. A friend returned a work machine and was eventually paid a visit by police. His previous employer had examined the web history of the computer returned, and found a set of searches about news and travel they decided were suspicious but that had been conducted innocently and separately by different members of the household.
Video:
6 must-have Mac utilities
Get 10 Mac apps valued at $600 — for whatever price you choose
How to Get a MacBook or MacBook Pro Keyboard Repaired Free Under Apple's Service Program
The following MacBook and MacBook Pro models are eligible for the program:
All other MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models are not equipped with butterfly mechanism keyboards, and thus are ineligible.
• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)
• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
Four new computer advertisements from Apple.
Three of them are really good.
All Apple needs to do is make their computers as good as their ads.
Logitech's school-targeted Crayon stylus is so good, Apple should copy it for iPad
The $50 Logitech Crayon is specifically made to work only with the 2018 9.7-inch iPad and doesn't use Bluetooth. After updating to iOS 11.4, the rechargeable stylus just automatically works, as long as an Apple Pencil isn't already paired with it. It's a powered stylus and is almost like an Apple Pencil -- with a few changes. Some are for the better.
The AudioKit Synth One is a pro-level iPad synth that’s completely free
The Synth One is a robust piece of free software, and many of the volunteers involved are professional sound designers and techs who have worked with artists like Neon Trees, Rihanna, M83, and software companies like Valhalla DSP.
AudioKit’s free and open-source Synth One looks better than many paid-for iPad instruments
This is being billed as “the first ever professional open-source iOS synth”. It was built over two years by 100 volunteers, including sound designers for the likes of M83, Tycho, and Rihanna.
This looks like a no-brainer download for iPad musicians: you can do the necessary on the Apple App Store.
The AudioKit Synth One is a professional-level open-source synthesizer for your iPad. It has features that match or even rival the ones on iOS synths from Korg, Electro-Harmonix and Moog, which can run upwards of $25.
The 40 best Apple Watch apps (that we’re actually using)
AW comment:
My first thought about most of these apps is “meh”. But there are a few really good apps in this list.
How to count steps with your Apple Watch
After these tips, all that's left to do is walk.
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/count-steps-with-apple-watch/
After these tips, all that's left to do is walk.
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/count-steps-with-apple-watch/
One person’s sad and months long ordeal with a MacBook that had a defective keyboard. He wrote:
It was when I took the machine in for the repair — 9 months in to this ordeal — that I was told by a member of the Apple staff at the ‘Genius’ bar that this was a worldwide problem that had been reported for months by many customers.
He said it was a numbers game — until enough people complain about it (and until the cost of a full recall/repair programme outweighs the inconvenience and cost of annoying customers prepared to argue, or forcing them to pay for faults they know are theirs) they deny it.
Well, today I read Apple’s number is up.
They have finally accepted there is a fault with the butterfly keyboard design and all notebooks* are covered for a free repair.
Waking up to the news that Apple have finally accepted a fault across the range with the new keyboard is bittersweet.
Three ways to save web pages as read-later PDFs on iOS
There are three ways to turn a webpage into a PDF in iOS, all of which use the standard Share Sheet:
• Print.
• Create PDF.
• Save PDF to iBooks.
None of the three methods above is perfect. Each of them misses a key ingredient.
iOS jailbreaking is nearly dead and Apple wants it to stay that way
Some advanced users still feel stifled by Apple’s control but not enough to switch sides. For them, jailbreaking their iPhone is the only option but that has become even more difficult year after year.
Jailbreaking is not a straightforward process, much less a sanctioned one.
Apple is also applying some scare tactics to discourage less knowledgeable users from attempting to jailbreak phones.
Apple explicitly states that it “may deny service for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that has installed any unauthorized software.” This is almost similar to its language on voiding warranties for devices repaired by third-party services. That has been shot down by the FTC and it remains to be seen whether the same will hold for software.
What to do when your two-step Apple ID account is locked
My unlock efforts worked, and I resumed access to that account. That was in part because I’d done a reasonable amount of preparation in case this ever happened.
Summary:
1) Set up and use two-step verification for each account.
2) Set up and use a recovery key for each account.
3) Keep your personal info at the Apple ID site up-to-date, specifically:
• Backup E-mail address (i.e., non-apple)
• Phone numbers
• Use Apple’s Keychain app or use an app called 1Password to store answers to security questions.
Why I just started caring about macOS
In terms of practical, useful new features, macOS Mojave surprisingly outshined the new iOS during Apple’s on-stage demos at WWDC.
In terms of practical, useful new features, macOS Mojave surprisingly outshined the new iOS during Apple’s on-stage demos at WWDC.
The best Virtual Private Network (VPN) for iPhone in 2018
5 reasons you shouldn’t ditch the iPhone and switch to Android
How to Quickly Identify and Delete iPhone Apps You Don't Use Anymore
Did you try an app and decide you didn’t like it?
Do you want to remove it from your iPhone or iPad?
Read the article for detailed instructions.
Apple proved this week that it's not trying to force you to buy a new iPhone
• Apple's iOS 12 will be available for iPhones launched as far back as 2013.
• This is unprecedented for Apple and smartphone makers.
• It also shows that Apple isn't trying to force you to upgrade your iPhone.
Consumers will still have to upgrade eventually, but five or six years for a phone is a much better bargain than two years, and it's way better than what you can get from any other phone maker.
This July marks the tenth birthday of the iOS App Store.
The App Store originally launched alongside the release of the 3G model – 12 months after the original iPhone. The store gave developers the opportunity to write third party native apps for the iPhone, as long as they paid the 30% commission to Apple.
Unlike competing android devices, however, you can’t load apps onto an iPhone unless you get them from the official App Store. Installing apps from unofficial sources is known as “side loading”.
The App Store originally launched alongside the release of the 3G model – 12 months after the original iPhone. The store gave developers the opportunity to write third party native apps for the iPhone, as long as they paid the 30% commission to Apple.
Unlike competing android devices, however, you can’t load apps onto an iPhone unless you get them from the official App Store. Installing apps from unofficial sources is known as “side loading”.
This might be about to change. A recent court case has the potential to require Apple to open their device to sideloading of apps from outside of the App Store, overturning 10 years of precedent.
Only time will tell, but it’s clear that after 10 years of the App Store, this case could mark a change that makes the future quite different from the past.
Could Apple finally be losing their control over the way apps are installed on their platform? And was it ethical to have such a closed “ecosystem” in the first place?
Could Apple finally be losing their control over the way apps are installed on their platform? And was it ethical to have such a closed “ecosystem” in the first place?
50 Essential iOS Apps — a series on the best iOS apps around
The list is currently only 33 items long as of 2018-07-02.
The web site promises that they will add the remaining items over the next week or two.
Lifehacker Pack for Mac: Our List of the Essential Mac Apps 2018
How to fix a frozen Mac
Macs are usually reliable, but occasionally something happens that causes your Mac to freeze. Here's how to unfreeze a frozen Mac
Here are the five steps to take to unfreeze your Mac.
Apple's new macOS Mojave optimizes the Mac for iOS users, not PC switchers
Apple's macOS Mojave is still a work in progress, but the strategy is clear: Welcome to the Mac for iOS users.
If you don't own a Mac, Mojave is designed to make you want one.
It's So Great That Apple Cares About macOS Again
At WWDC, Apple showed signs that it hasn’t given up on its former show horse—at least not yet—and in fact it might just be preparing macOS for a welcomed resurgence. After more than three weeks living with the beta for macOS 10.14 Mojave (the public beta just went live) I’m breathing a sigh of relief. It feels like Apple cares about the Mac again.
iOS might be a great operating system for checking your email, reading tweets, or watching a little YouTube, but it is not great for...actual work.
Apple is in the process of making iOS apps work on macOS.
Windows is supposed to be for the person in the suit in an office. macOS is supposed to be for the aspiring artiste in the coffee house. Microsoft’s blurred the line by appealing to creator types in its last few Windows updates, but with Mojave we’re getting an OS update from Apple that feels like its fighting back.
The legendary Apple research group that shaped our world
Some very interesting Apple history and how its innovations in the 1980s later influenced the internet, show biz and virtual reality.
macOS Breaks Your Security by Caching Data From Encrypted Hard Drives
Apple's macOS surreptitiously creates and caches thumbnails for images and other file types stored on password-protected / encrypted containers (hard drives, partitions), according to Wojciech Reguła and Patrick Wardle, two macOS security experts.
The problem is that these cached thumbnails are stored on non-encrypted hard drives, in a known location and can be easily retrieved by malware or forensics tools, revealing some of the content stored on encrypted containers.
The problem is that these cached thumbnails are stored on non-encrypted hard drives, in a known location and can be easily retrieved by malware or forensics tools, revealing some of the content stored on encrypted containers.
On macOS, these thumbnails are created by Finder and QuickLook.
According to Wardle, this "leak" has been known about for at least eight years and has been a professional secret known by many forensics experts.
Apple Releases Security Updates for macOS, iOS, Safari, More
Apple has released security updates this week for seven products —macOS, iOS, watchOS, iTunes for Windows, tvOS, iCloud for Windows, and Safari.
Out of all the vulnerabilities patched this week, two stand out, mainly because they affect the kernels of macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS alike.
Out of all the vulnerabilities patched this week, two stand out, mainly because they affect the kernels of macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS alike.
People are discovering that scammers are controlling their Apple accounts using a feature for families to share apps
• Scammers in China are hijacking people's Apple IDs and making purchases via an iPhone and Mac feature called "Family Sharing."
• The feature is designed to help families share apps and music, but the scammers are using it lock out the actual owner of the account and buy in-app purchases and iTunes gift cards.
• To protect yourself, you should make sure you have two-factor authentication turned on for your Apple account.
Apple can't protect you from data trackers forever. No one can
While privacy experts applaud Apple's new features, they say it's more like putting a Band-Aid on the internet's massive privacy wound. That a company as massive and influential as Apple could struggle to adequately protect its users underscores the lengths to which trackers will go to get at your personal information. After all, Apple's move pits it directly against an industry that includes Facebook and Google -- companies that make it their business to track your information for targeted advertising.
Apple may be moving to protect your privacy, but it's severely outnumbered.
Privacy tools will never fully kill off data trackers, but it's a start.
A hacker said recently that the passcode could be easily bypassed by using an unexpected trick. What sounded like a huge scare, however, turned out to be fake. Apple, however, assured users that there’s no easy way to brute force the iPhone, and the hacker’s work incorrect.
Best antivirus for Mac: Protect yourself from malicious software
Macs may be attacked less often than other platforms, but they're not invincible.
Macs may be attacked less often than other platforms, but they're not invincible.
Even if you don’t care about adware or being used as a means to infect users on other platforms, it’s still possible to fall victim to ransomware, password theft, or stolen iPhone backups.
Accordingly, good antivirus software will protect your Mac on all of these fronts.
Accordingly, good antivirus software will protect your Mac on all of these fronts.
'Smartphone airbag' saves dropped phones from smashing
German students have invented a smartphone case that acts like an airbag for a phone, deploying small legs to absorb the impact of a fall.
See the picture.
The case, which was invented by Philip Frenzel who is an engineer at Aalen University in Germany, uses a set of eight thin metal curls that normally lie flat inside the case.
DuckDuckGo has been a profitable company since 2014 without storing or sharing any personal information on people using our search engine. As we like to say, what you search on DuckDuckGo is private, even from us!
Search advertisers buy search ads by bidding on keywords, not people.
This keyword-based advertising is our primary business model.
Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO and Chairman, famously said “Google’s policy on a lot of these things is to get right up to the creepy line, but not cross it.” But for most people, that line was crossed by Google, Facebook, and others long ago.
Alarmingly, Google now deploys hidden trackers on 76% of websites across the web to monitor your behavior and Facebook has hidden trackers on about 25% of websites.
Video:
How the Net destroyed democracy | Lawrence Lessig
The EU’s war on what makes the internet great
In an open letter to European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, a group of internet pioneers that includes Tim Berners-Lee, Vinton Cerf and Jimmy Wales spell out the danger: “Article 13 takes an unprecedented step towards the transformation of the Internet from an open platform for sharing and innovation, into a tool for the automated surveillance of its users.”
Healthy political systems sometimes pass bad laws. But unhealthy political systems pass many more of them.
It is probably too late to stop Article 13. After very little public debate, it is set to be waved through a plenary session of the European Parliament. And so, with lamentably little fuss, the EU will have taken a big step towards ruining what makes the internet so great.
Facebook Acknowledges It Shared User Data With 61 Companies
In a 747-page document provided to the US House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee on Friday, Facebook admitted that it granted special access to users' data to 61 tech companies.
All 61 companies are listed in this article.
Surprisingly, Cambridge Analytica is NOT on Facebook’s list.
The internet of things has opened up a new frontier of domestic abuse
Devices for the “Internet of Things” (IoT) are marketed with a narrative of networked devices that will make your home “smarter”.
There are, however, two things that are conveniently omitted from this uplifting narrative. The first is that there is no such thing as a secure networked device. The second is that the motivation for many manufacturers of these “smart” gadgets is to collect data about what goes on in your home. This is particularly important for three of the companies who are deep into the home device game – Google, Facebook and Amazon.
The big downside (and there is always a downside with digital technology) is that if you can turn on your shower or central heating from your smartphone, then so can a hacker who has penetrated your home network.
What has been less obvious until now is that it doesn’t have to be a hacker who can control “your” home devices. It could be a former partner, a jilted lover, a stalker, a former lodger or just someone you know who has a grievance. None of these will have to hack into your system, because they know the password – and in most cases you won’t have changed it after they left.
The people who are particularly at risk are survivors of domestic abuse.
The people who are particularly at risk are survivors of domestic abuse.
Cameras, surveillance and domestic abuse: A sinister match
A note in a dead woman's pocket read: "There are cameras inside and outside the house.”
A note in a dead woman's pocket read: "There are cameras inside and outside the house.”
Billions of connected devices are playing a frightening new role in domestic abuse, helping perpetrators harass their victims at any hour of the day, in any corner of the world.
GPS tracking is especially problematic for women with abusive ex-partners.
Some victims never know they're being GPS-tracked. The only reason they find that out is because their ex-partner happens to be everywhere they go.
Despite the frightening toll of domestic violence -- the countless lives it changes, the lives it ends -- technology can help.
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