Safari technology preview 204 rolls out
Apple has produced the latest update for its experimental browser, Safari Technology Preview. Safari Technology Preview 204 is now available to download for those who would like to test Apple’s experimental browser. It allows users to try out features that exist in the preview version. It’s worth noting that these features may or may not […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Beddit App pulled from App Store shelves
Apple recently removed the Beddit apps, specifically for the 3.5 and 3.0 models in the iPhone App Store. The Cupertino-based company has been pulling anything Beddit-related from the App Store since it acquired Beddit in 2017, in addition to the gradual exit of software and hardware support and capabilities. A year after the purchase, Apple […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Beta 3 now available for visionOS 2.1, watchOS 11.1, and tvOS 18.1 [U: Public beta]
Today Apple has released new beta updates, but not perhaps for the platforms we were all hoping for. Developer beta 3 is now available for visionOS 2.1, watchOS 11.1, and tvOS 18.1. However, new betas for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS are mysteriously absent. Update 10/2/24: One day later, the public beta for tvOS 18.1 is now also available. There’s no public beta yet for watchOS 11.1, and Vision Pro has never offered a public beta. more…

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Apple Podcasts gains transcriptions for 8 more languages
Apple Podcasts is expanding its transcriptions into eight more languages, making the text of podcasts automatically available to more international shows.Transcriptions in Apple PodcastsThe transcripts feature has been a fantastic addition to Apple Podcasts since iOS 17.4. While initially only available for English, French, Spanish, and German shows, it's being enabled for even more languages now.According to iCulture, the feature is rolling out into a number of languages starting from Wednesday. The new languages are: Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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How to watch the Charlie Brown Halloween special for free
Even though ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ is on Apple TV+, the Halloween special is still available for free in 2024. Here's how. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple’s A18 chip is unique design, not a ‘binned’ A18 Pro
New microphotographs have shed light on the internal workings of the A18 and A18 Pro chips powering the iPhone 16 lineup. These images… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Get Apple’s full-sized Magic Keyboard for its lowest price in months
Macworld The best keyboard you can possibly get to go along with your Mac setup is the Apple Magic Keyboard, and luckily for you, it’s now on sale at Amazon for the best price we’ve seen in months. Now down to $176, you can save 12 percent off its $199 MSRP, a nice price for an excellent keyboard that rarely goes on sale. This full keyboard features not only the numeric pad but also Touch ID, so you can just use your fingerprint to unlock the computer. Since this one features a rechargeable internal battery, it means you won’t ever need to worry about replacing batteries – one less thing to worry about. You’ll just have to use a Lightning cable to bring it back to 100 percent but since the battery lasts about a month or more, you won’t have to do that too often. The Magic Keyboard connects to your Mac wirelessly via Bluetooth. When you’re not using it, you can flip the switch on the back of the keyboard so you’re not wasting away the battery. So take advantage of this deal and get the Apple Magic Keyboard for $176 at Amazon since we can’t know when we’re going to see a discount again. Snatch the Apple keyboard for a fantastic priceBuy it now at Amazon

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This iOS 18 privacy change could spell doom for new social apps
iOS 18 is full of big, headline changes like new customization tools, upgrades to Photos, Notes, and Messages, and the forthcoming Apple Intelligence features. But one smaller update is causing a lot of concern for social apps, and it’s a change designed to protect user privacy. more…

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Hoping to get Apple gear this holiday? You might want to act fast
Macworld If you’re planning to buy an Apple product for a loved one this Christmas, you may want to start your shopping sooner than usual, because a perfect storm of logistical problems is likely to cause severe delays across the holiday season. In a detailed exploration of the factors, AppleInsider reports that Apple faces “giant challenges” marshalling its supply chain over the coming months. This could mean another delay-stricken Christmas, following problems in 2021 and, to a lesser extent, 2022. As in 2021, multiple factors are combining to give Apple headaches–several of them, we should stress, causing far more serious harm to affected parties than merely slowing the distribution of smartphones. Hurricane Helene, for instance, has caused the closure of a quartz mine which is crucial to Apple’s semiconductor supply. A factory in India has been destroyed by fire, necessitating a shift in manufacturing. Dock workers in the U.S. have gone on strike, and this will have more effect than it would in previous years because of Apple’s push to become carbon neutral and use ocean shipping instead of air where possible. And worldwide economic conditions are uncertain, which could reduce the appetite for new iPhones (and ironically help Apple to cope with demand) but may also hamstring the company’s funding. Just one of these factors would make life difficult over the notoriously demanding holiday shopping period, which Apple’s product launch calendar is built around. But all of them together almost certainly means stock shortages and shipping delays. So it’s probably wise to buy sooner than later if you want an iPhone in time for Christmas.

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Popular Third-Party YouTube App for Vision Pro Pulled From App Store
Juno, an app designed for watching YouTube on the Vision Pro, has been removed from the App Store, developer Christian Selig said today. From a report: Back in April, YouTube emailed Selig and said that Juno was violating the YouTube Terms of Service and the YouTube API by modifying the native YouTube.com web user interface, and used YouTube trademarks and iconography that could be confusing to customers. In response, Selig switched from using the embed player to the website player, made it clear that Juno was an unofficial YouTube viewer, and explained to YouTube that as a web viewer, Juno is not using YouTube APIs. At the same time, though, YouTube filed a complaint with the App Store, and Selig went on to warn customers that he would not fight Google on any decision regarding Juno. Juno has now been removed from the App Store by Apple in response to YouTube's complaint. Selig says that he does not agree with the decision because Juno is a simple web view and that that modifies CSS to make the player look more "visionOS like," but he does not plan to appeal the decision. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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AirPods 4 teardown reveals minor changes, no improvements to repairability
Following AirPods Max updates. The teardowns reveal there are only a few internal changes for the AirPods 4, and a continued general lack of repairability across the board. more…

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Deals: M3 Pro MacBook Pro $500 off, M4 iPad Pro new low, black Magic Keyboard, Camera Control cases, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals feature even lower prices on the official new Apple 25W MagSafe Charger as well as new lows on M4 iPad Pro configurations at up to $150 off and the official full-size black Magic Keyboard at a discount. But the real headliner is another shot at scoring an M3 Pro MacBook Pro at $500 off alongside and exclusive deal on the new metal/leather Apple Watch Ultra band from Burton Goods, the lowest price we have seen yet on a proper Camera Control iPhone 16 case at $17, and more. Scope it all out down below.  more…

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iPad users can draw a deal on either Apple Pencil version
There’s no reason to pay full price for an iPad stylus. Not when there’s a sweet deal on either Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil (USB-C). (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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iPad users can draw a deal on either Apple Pencil version
There’s no reason to pay full price for an iPad stylus. Not when there’s a sweet deal on either Apple Pencil Pro or Apple Pencil (USB-C). (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Subscription-free Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac is now available
Macworld Microsoft has released Office 2024, the latest version in its suite of apps that includes Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word. While the trend with software is to sell it on a subscription model, Microsoft offers customers the option to make a one-time purchase. Subscribers to Microsoft 365 automatically get the new version. Office 2024 has a new look, with “a more natural and consistent experience.” The new app-specific features include: Excel: Faster performance, new functions to use text and arrays, an IMAGE function to add images without changing formatting, and dynamic arrays in charts that automatically update. OneNote: Full-screen pen-focused view to use the entire screen for inking. Outlook: Search improvements, the ability to automatically check emails for accessibility issues, scheduled email sends, customizable swipe left and right gestures. PowerPoint: Ability to embed a live camera feed into slides, a recording studio for narrations, animation, transitions, and inking. Word: If the app closes unexpectedly, all the open documents that were open automatically reopen upon relaunching the app. Microsoft offers two versions of Office 2024. Office Home 2024 is $150 and includes one Mac license for the “classic” apps, which are Excel, Outlook, PwoerPoint, and Word. It does not include OneNote. The Office Home & Business 2024 suite is $250 for one Mac license and includes the classic apps as well as OneNote and it “Works with Teams.” For customers interested in buying more than a single Mac license, Microsoft offers Office LTSC 2024 volume licensing plans. Office 2024 runs on macOS Sequoia, Sonoma, and Ventura. It requires a Microsoft account and an internet connection. The Microsoft Office blog announcing Office 2024 does not state if or when the Office apps in Apple’s App Store have been or will be updated to the just-released versions. According to the App Store, the classic apps were updated a week ago with a fix for a sign-in issue.

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Teardown shows AirPods 4 still unfixable by the public
The teardown of the new AirPods shows it is still not repairable by end users, while the AirPods Max with USB-C are pretty much the same as the Lightning version it replaced.Using heat to disassemble AirPods 4 [YouTube/iFixit]Continuing the teardown trend that follows after Apple's product launches, the AirPods range are the latest to be disassembled. The latest close examination of Apple's audio gear takes a look at the AirPods 4 in both with and without ANC forms, as well as the AirPods Max with USB-C.The ten-minute teardown video by iFixit starts off with the AirPods 4, which are placed into a jig and heated to separate the enclosure. More heat is applied to the glue, which is used in large amounts in the earbuds. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iPhone users delay upgrades as Android owners are upgrading often for newer tech
Apple's iPhones last longer in users' hands, with many years waiting before an upgrade. Meanwhile, Android users are switching their phones more frequently.iPhone users delay upgradesA growing number of iPhone users choose to keep their devices for extended periods. Based on CIRP's findings, about one-third of iPhone owners who purchased a new phone in the past year had kept their previous phone for at least three years. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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There are six requirements to get Apple Intelligence features
Apple Intelligence is launching in the next few weeks. But not everyone will be able to access the first wave of AI capabilities. Here are Apple’s six requirements before you can use the new Apple Intelligence features. more…

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Bookshelf speakers kick out MacBook Air’s jams on the cheap [Setups]
Looking for affordable speakers to pump up your computer setup? This MacBook Air user enjoys 60-watt Sanyun Bookshelf Speakers. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Reddit, Snapchat Ranked Least-Intrusive Social Media Platforms
A new report ranking the top 15 social media platforms found Reddit and Snapchat as the least intrusive on their users' privacy. At the other end of the spectrum are Facebook and LinkedIn. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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Apple releases new beta firmware for AirPods Pro 2
Apple has released a new beta firmware update specifically designed for the second-generation AirPods Pro. The firmware, with the… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Today in Apple history: IBM and Apple shake and make up
On October 2, 1991, an Apple-IBM deal stunned the world as the two rivals put aside their differences to work together. Power Macs ensued! (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Backblaze review
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros No storage limit. Comprehensive backups. Private Encryption options Cons Payment per machine Our Verdict Backblaze exists for a very specific purpose, and it does that job brilliantly – just don’t expect to share files with it. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$99 a year Best Prices Today: Backblaze Retailer Price Backblaze (yearly) $99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket When looking at the best cloud-based storage services for your Mac, there’s an important distinction to make. Offerings like OneDrive, Google Drive, and even Apple’s own iCloud Drive offer a cloud-based storage area that can also be used to share files between users, usually with a link to a specific spot. Others, like Backblaze, are a storage service in the strictest term – it takes your data, ferries it off-site, and keeps it under lock and key. It’s not for quickly sharing a document or collaborating on a piece of work, it’s for recovering data you may lose if something happens to your local machine. While you could share a file with Backblaze, doing so requires using Backblaze’s separate B2 Cloud Storage service which, admittedly, comes with flexible, pay-as-you-go options. It’s worth making that distinction because services like iDrive blur the lines a little, but Backblaze exists in a spot where it’s a tool you hope you never need to use, but you’ll be extremely glad to have in your corner. Backblaze defines itself as “backup for peace of mind”, and it’s hard to argue with that. You pay your fee, download the app, and it goes about its business in the background. At $99 per year, it’s pretty affordable, and there’s no storage limit – you can keep backing up and it’ll keep duplicating, and there’s no size limit on individual files. It’s worth noting that that’s $99 per computer, so you’ll be doubling that for two machines, but if you’re using just one machine it’s well worth looking into. You can set your own 2FA options and encryption keys to ensure your data stays secure, too, and the app is so lightweight and undemanding that I’ve not noticed any slowdown as it’s backed up my entire drive. So, while I can’t share my files as easily as I would with a cloud storage solution like Google Drive, my files are safer than they’ve ever been. First Impressions Backblaze recommends continuous backups, and it’s hard to argue. Backblaze recommends continuous backups, and it’s hard to argue.Foundry Backblaze recommends continuous backups, and it’s hard to argue.Foundry Foundry The magic of Backblaze is that it really doesn’t want you to have to open the app itself. Once it’s installed you can set options like backup schedules and a quick, glanceable look at how much you’ve uploaded (split up by file type, which is nifty), but for the most part I appreciate that it just kind of gets on with things. A menu bar item lets you quickly pause your current backup or get a status update on how it’s going, while the app offers three months of version history by default. At the time of writing, you can extend this to 12 months at no extra cost, which is welcome. Backblaze Features Backblaze can give you a look at what kind of files are being backed up. Backblaze can give you a look at what kind of files are being backed up.Foundry Backblaze can give you a look at what kind of files are being backed up.Foundry Foundry Backblaze essentially comes in two apps which are both installed at the same time. The first part is the backup app, which will continually run files to a cloud server as part of its processes. While you can set a schedule for these backups, Backblaze recommends the “Continuously” option which ensures if a meteor hits your Mac, everything you were currently working on will be held somewhere. The other app is the restore side of things, and I’m impressed by the granularity with which you can drill down into its file system. The app offers your backup as a list of nested folders, and you can work your way to whatever you need, or restore the whole thing. You can restore apps to the same place they were before, or dump the regenerated versions anywhere with custom file paths. I deleted a test file from deep within my Mac’s Library, then used the Restore app to drill down and have it restore it to my desktop, and it worked well. Uploads are relatively snappy for the backup side of things, too, keeping pace with similar options, and the option to get your data posted to you as a hard drive if all else fails could be a lifesaver. Backblaze Annoyances There’s a restore option for everyone. There’s a restore option for everyone.Foundry There’s a restore option for everyone.Foundry Foundry Less an annoyance given it’s not necessarily what Backblaze is designed for, but there’s no Finder window integration here, so you’ll be relying on the aforementioned duo of apps. That makes sense, since you can’t quickly ferry data and documents between users like you can with a more straightforward cloud storage app as we mentioned earlier. Should you buy Backblaze? Backblaze is a comprehensive cloud backup solution for anyone dealing with sensitive data that needs to be kept safe. While it operates on a different playing field to the likes of Google Drive, it might just be everything you need. For more advice about Backing up your Mac read our top Mac Backup software recommendations.

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Easily delete your Mac’s system junk with JWizard Cleaner
Don't let system junk like browser cache and duplicate files slow down your Mac. Get JWizard Cleaner and clean your Mac with one click. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Wolfs quickly becomes ‘most viewed movie in Apple TV+ history’
Apple may have canceled the film’s wide theatrical debut, but Wolfs has become a hit with Apple TV+ subscribers. The company announced that Wolfs has become ‘the most viewed movie in Apple TV+ history’ and led to a huge increase in overall TV+ viewing. more…

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George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s ‘Wolfs’ quickly becomes most-watched movie in Apple TV+ history
George Clooney's and Brad Pitt's action comedy “Wolfs” has quickly become the most-watched movie in Apple TV+ history… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Tip: These are the two fastest ways to switch between iPhone apps
We all switch back and forth between apps every day. But did you know there are two separate methods that are fastest? Here’s how you can switch between iPhone (and iPad) apps faster than ever. more…

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iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Pixel 9 Pro XL camera shootout sees iPhone win
An iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Pixel 9 Pro XL camera shootout carried out in a variety of indoor and outdoor lighting conditions has seen the iPhone declared the winner, albeit by a relatively slim margin. You might not get that impression when you first start reading the piece, as Google’s flagship Android smartphone takes an early lead … more…

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Wolfs becomes most-watched film on Apple TV+
"Wolfs" becomes most-watched film on Apple TV+, topping other crowd pleasers like "The Instigators." So who needs a big theatrical release? (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Have you made the upgrade to iOS 18 yet? [Poll]
My favorite iPhone 16 accessories:

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