There’s a new Mac malware threat in the wild dubbed Backdoor.MAC.Elanor that’s particularly nasty because it lets attackers take control of your Mac’s camera, download data from your computer, and remotely run code. Mac users can fall victim to the threat by downloading what otherwise appears to be a legit app and has even shown up on some mainstream Mac software repositories.
How Not to Lose Your Apple Pencil
Dr. Mac loves using his Apple Pencil, but hates misplacing it. He shares three inexpensive solutions in this week’s Dr. Mac’s Rants & Raves…
TMO Daily Observations 2016-07-06: AI Agents and Privacy, Backdoor.MAC.Elanore Mac Malware
AI agents are great for helping us, but the come with a cost that not everyone is comfortable with. John Martellaro joins Jeff Gamet to talk about the personal data we give up to make AI agents more useful, and how we can limit what we share. They also take a look at the Backdoor.MAC.Elanor malware that’s threatening Macs.
OS X: Create a One-Click Dock Folder Alias
Today’s Quick Tip is about folder shortcuts you can put in the Dock; there’s actually a really easy way to use them to open folders in Finder. Since Melissa Holt’s not the biggest fan of navigating through files from the Dock, she’s going to walk us through this productivity trick!
3 Great iPhone Apps for Learning about Juno and Jupiter
NASA’s Juno probe spent five years traveling to Jupiter, and on July 4th it safely arrived and slid into orbit. That means we’ll have loads of new information about the gas giant soon, and thanks to our iPhones and iPads, we can stay on top of the latest discoveries. The Mac Observer put together a few apps for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch so you can find out more about the mission, get the latest Juno news, and learn about Jupiter and the Juno probe, too.
Apple Continues to Leverage Its Supply Chain to Maximize Margins (Like Always)
Apple is putting pressure on its suppliers to cut prices to maintain its profit margins, according to a report from DigiTimes that’s been picked up by other publications. What’s missing from the piece, however, is that Apple is always pressuring its suppliers to cut costs for the sake of its own margins.
New Drone Footage of Apple Campus 2.0 Captioned with Construction Details
Matthew Roberts posted new drone footage of construction efforts on Apple Campus 2.0 to YouTube (via The Loop). It not only shows massive progress on the site, it’s also captioned with helpful details about the things you’re seeing. The footage is up close and personal, enough to wonder what new case law might be established if Apple had blasted the drone out of the air. I always enjoy these drone flyovers—it’s super awesome to be able to follow along as this soon-to-be-iconic building takes shape.
TMO Background Mode: Former Apple Sr. Director of Product Marketing Michael Gartenberg
Michael Gartenberg is currently the analyst in residence for iMore.com. However, before that, he spent three years as Apple’s Senior Director of Product Marketing, reporting directly to SVP Phil Schiller. Michael tells the story about how he got his gig with Apple. After years of working at various tech industry research firms, he was always on the periphery of Apple and working with Apple executives, especially Greg “Joz” Joswiak and Phil Schiller. Then, one day in 2013, he got phone call from Joz, and it didn’t sound like it was going to be a schmooze session. Michael was alarmed. What could he have done wrong? But Joz wanted to invite Michael to Cupertino for an interview. Listen as Michael tells me how he got hired and what he did at Apple for three years.
Complete iBlazr Smartphone LED Flash and Accessory Bundle: $64.99
We have a deal for you today on the iBlazr LED flash for your iPhone, iPad, or Android device that includes an accessory pack. iBlazr is designed to sync with your mobile device’s camera for lighting up a scene. This deal includes iBlazr 2 (black), USB charger, Mount clip, Key clasp, Silicon diffuser, Flexible USB Charger Mount, Cold Shoe Mount, Pack of Colored Diffusers, all for $64.99. Check out the deal listing for details.
A Big Risk for AI Agents is the Creepy Factor
How much assistance do customers really need and want from AI agents? Will the very design of AI agents lend themselves to proving their worth? Or will companies who provide them see AI agents as powerful, undisciplined tools for their own advantage and profit. It’s not clear yet where the market is going, but if any company can do it right, it’s Apple.