Apple has published two white papers that cover the Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR, with details on each product’s features and hardware.
Apple, Johnson & Johnson Launch ‘Heartline’ Study
Apple and Johnson & Johnson partner on the Heartline study to determine if the accompanying app as well as Apple Watch can reduce the risk of a stroke.
Firefox Enables Encrypted DNS by Default
Starting today, Firefox will begin rolling out support for encrypted DNS over HTTPS for U.S.-based users.
We’re enabling DoH by default only in the US. If you’re outside of the US and would like to enable DoH, you’re welcome to do so by going to Settings, then General, then scroll down to Networking Settings and click the Settings button on the right. Here you can enable DNS over HTTPS by clicking, and a checkbox will appear.
You can choose between Cloudflare and NextDNS. As I mentioned in my roundup of DNS services, I’ve been using NextDNS for the past couple weeks and I love it.
Celebrate Beatles Icon George Harrison's Birthday With This Apple Music 'Essentials' Playlist
Apple Music does a great job of bringing the best tracks from the biggest artists together in an ‘Essentials’ playlist. Stars don’t come much bigger than iconic Beatles guitarist George Harrison, who would have been 77 today. His ‘Essentials’ compilation includes the likes of My Sweet Lord, Here Comes the Sun, and Set on You. It is available with an Apple Music subscription, which costs $9.99 per month, or $14.99 per month for a family subscription.
TMO Editor-in-Chief Bryan Chaffin (#2) - TMO Background Mode Interview
Bryan Chaffin is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of The Mac Observer. He is also our Editor-in-Chief. He’s been working lately as co-author of a new edition of iPad For Dummies, and so I enlisted him to discuss the future of the iPad.
We chatted about how the iPad has made enormous gains in CPU and graphics power over the last 10 years. But iOS and then iPadOS not so much. In the early days Apple wasn’t quite sure where the iPad would go, and that’s perhaps a factor in its development. We examined how multi-tasking has been implemented, the prospects for larger displays, home screen operations, consumption vs. productivity, the stagnation of sales, and whether there needs to be a new product between the iPad and Mac. Bryan resurrects the notorious concept of the ::gasp:: toaster-fridge. There’s much more.
The Mac Utility Audio Software Bundle: $24.99
We have a deal on the Mac Utility Audio Software Bundle, which includes WALTR 2, Softorino Youtube Converter 2, and iRingg Ringtone Creator for Mac. You get all three utilities for $24.99 through this bundle.
New IEEE 802.11ay Wi-Fi Standard Could be Heading to iPhones
The next generation of iPhones could support a Wi-Fi standard known as IEEE 802.11ay, which could help facilitate communication between nearby devices.
Netflix Top 10 Lists Appear Today to Show Popular Content
Starting today Netflix is rolling out a Top 10 lists feature that will update every day. It will feature the platform’s most popular content.
“Starting today you’ll notice something new when you go on Netflix: The Top 10 row,” the company said in a tweet. “The lists update daily to show what’s popular in your country and are broken into three categories: Netflix overall, shows & films.”
The most popular Netflix offerings in your country should show up in their own row once you log in to your Netflix account, the company said. “The list is rolling out globally now and should be on your homepage by the end of the day at the latest.”
Today at Apple Sessions Celebrate International Women’s Day 2020
Apple retail stores will celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 with a series of Today at Apple sessions called “She Creates”.
Apple Ups iPhone 12 Chip Orders Despite Coronavirus Outbreak
Apple has reportedly aggressively increased orders for processors to go into a forthcoming 5G iPhone. Cult of Mac learned about the situation via a note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who pushed back on the idea that the coronavirus outbreak will dent Apple’s plans.
Apple is believed to have aggressively increased its orders for the new processors, which will power this year’s iPhone and iPad Pro — as well as Apple’s first Arm-powered Mac that is said to be scheduled for early 2021. “The 5nm process will be the core technology for Apple’s new products in 12–18 months,” reads the latest report from reliable TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, seen by Cult of Mac. “Therefore, the COVID-19 has no impact on Apple’s investments for 5nm, and Apple has increased shipment forecasts and pulled in for 5nm-related equipment after the epidemic outbreak.”
UK Users Can Get a Year of Disney+ for £49.99
Disney+ is heading to Europe in just under a month. In an attempt to build up the excitement, the streaming service is offering a discount to those who pre-order. UK users can get a year of Disney+ for £49.99 instead of £59.99 if they sign up by March 23. In Europe, users can purchase an annual subscription for €59.99 instead of €69.99 ahead of launch day. A monthly subscription costs £5.99/€6.99 per month. Disney+ goes live on March 24. To get the deal, head over to https://preorder.disneyplus.com.
HackerOne Punished Researchers Who Disclosed PayPal Bugs
HackerOne is a bug bounty platform that connects companies with security researchers. Recently, when researchers used the platform to disclose six PayPal vulnerabilities, they were punished.
When our analysts discovered six vulnerabilities in PayPal…we were met with non-stop delays, unresponsive staff, and lack of appreciation…When we pushed the HackerOne staff for clarification on these issues, they removed points from our Reputation scores, relegating our profiles to a suspicious, spammy level.
This happened even when the issue was eventually patched, although we received no bounty, credit, or even a thanks…We’ll assume that HackerOne’s response is representative of PayPal’s response.
Favorite Steve Jobs Memories, Location Data Clipboard Leak - TMO Daily Observations 2020-02-24
John Martellaro and Andrew Orr join guest-host Bryan Chaffin to celebrate Steve Jobs’s birthday with some of their favorite memories. They also discuss a report that location data can be leaked through the Clipboard in iOS.
Target Inventory Indicates New Apple TV, iPod Touch, and Apple Watch Bands
Images from the Target inventory that appeared to show a new Apple TV, new iPod Touch, and new Apple Watch wristbands.
New Xbox Series Will Pack 12 Teraflops of GPU Performance
We learned new details about the forthcoming Xbox Series X console. Microsoft said it will have 12 teraflops of GPU performance, amongst other impressive specs, The Verge reported.
The biggest new confirmation is that the Xbox Series X will include 12 teraflops of GPU performance, which is twice what’s available in the Xbox One X and eight times the original Xbox One. This type of performance puts the Xbox Series X beyond most mid-range graphics cards from AMD and Nvidia, and it’s an impressive jump for a game console. It certainly shows that the next-gen Xbox and PS5 are going to go far beyond the Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro.
Here’s How to Merge PDFs on iOS Using Files
On macOS you can merge PDFs together using the built-in Preview tool. You can merge PDFs on iOS as well, using the built-in Files app.
Supreme Court Rejects Apple’s Appeal in VirnetX Case
The U.S. Supreme Court today has refused to hear Apple’s appeal to avoid paying US$440 million in damages in VirnetX patent case.
Steve Jobs Would Have Been 65 Today
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs would have been his 65 today, and CEO Tim Cook shared how he was remembering his friend and former colleague.
Location Data Can Leak Through iOS Clipboard, Apple Doesn’t View it as a Problem
Researchers found that location data can be leaked to apps on iOS and iPadOS via the clipboard. Apple doesn’t see it as a problem.
Stardew Valley 1.4 Update Finally Available for iOS
Long awaited by mobile gamers, the huge Stardew Valley 1.4 update is finally available for iOS and iPadOS. There are new 14 heart events for every spouse, a new late-game building upgrade in town, Fish Ponds for farming, over 60 new items, 24 hairstyles, 181 shirts, and other new clothing items, or create your own clothes with the Tailoring skill, sheds can be upgraded, 14 new music tracks, transfer save files on PC to mobile, and various Quality of Life improvements.
