In an effort to bring Xbox Game Pass to the iOS App Store, Microsoft tried compromising with Apple. Apple reportedly refused to budge.
Apple Arcade: Mini Motorways Free Challenge City Update Arrives
Mini Motorways, the minimalist strategy simulation about designing growing cities’ road maps from developer Dinosaur Polo Club, cuts the ribbon on the Challenge City Update, expanding each metropolis with new maps, missions, leaderboards, accessibility options, and more, available now for free download on Steam via Windows PC and macOS as well as Apple Arcade. The Nintendo Switch version planned for next year will include this new content at launch.
Security Friday: No News is Good News – TMO Daily Observations 2021-12-10
Andrew Orr and Kelly Guimont discuss Security Friday topics. They say no news is good news, and this week is FULL of news.
TV Casting May Finally Get Standardized with Matter
TV casting streaming media is a hot mess, with at least 5 proprietary protocols. A new specification, included in Matter, may change that.
'Total War: ROME REMASTERED' Releases Patch 2.0.4 for Gamers
Feral Interactive announced that patch 2.0.4 for Total War: ROME REMASTERED is now available on Steam for Windows, macOS and Linux. Patch 2.0.4 brings greatly expanded modding abilities to ROME REMASTERED, including the removal of limits to the number of possible cultures, building types and factions. In addition to these modding changes there are a number of interface improvements, tweaks to AI, sound and more. The full patch notes are available at the link below.
Ledger Wallet Adds Support for Internet Computer (ICP), Staking Included
Ledger on Friday announced that its crypto hardware wallet now supports Internet Computer Protocol token (ICP) to hold and stake.
iCloud, Twitter, MineCraft, Cloudflare, All Vulnerable to a Powerful Bug
According to a report on Friday, major apps and services such as iCloud, Cloudflare, Steam, Twitter, and others are vulnerable to a bug.
On Thursday, researchers noticed that a popular Java logging library (log4j) had a bug that allows for Remote Code Execution or RCE, hacker lingo for one of the most dangerous types of vulnerabilities, one that essentially allows hackers to take control of the target. GitHub labeled the vulnerability as “critical severity,” and many researchers, as well as the Director of Cybersecurity at the NSA, are sounding the alarm.
If the NSA is publicly worried, you know it’s bad. Update: Cloudflare says they are not vulnerable, “We responded quickly to evaluate all potential areas of risk and updated our software to prevent attacks, and have not been able to replicate any external claims that we might be at risk.” The company published a blog post on the matter.
Totallee's Hybrid MagSafe Clear Case Now Available for iPhone 13 Models
Totallee’s newest case, the Hybrid MagSafe, is now available for purchase. These iPhone 13 cases can be yours for US$39.
EU Scraps Roaming Charges Until 2032
The EU has confirmed a political agreement that means citizens will not be subject to roaming charges until 2032.
‘CODA’, ‘Ted Lasso’ And More Apple Originals Recognized by AFI
The AFI announced that ‘CODA’, ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’, ‘Ted Lasso’, and ‘Schmigadoon!’ have been selected as some of its 2021 honorees.
VSCO Adds New Dodge and Burn Tool for Members
VSCO recently added a Dodge & Burn tool for members of its VSCO X subscription. It gives photographers precise control over image tones.
Netflix's New Website 'Tudum' Hosts Interviews, Release Dates, More
Netflix has created a new website called Tudum. It aims to be the one-stop-shop to feature news about renewals, release dates, interviews, and more.
Tudum will feature extra content and information about Netflix’s TV shows and movies. For example, Netflix notes that users will be able to dig deeper into its content and use the website to find out things like where else they’ve seen the cast of “The Witcher” and whether “Maid” is based on a true story. The website includes exclusive interviews, cast breakdowns, information about content that’s popular on the platform, a trending news section, details about upcoming shows, an explore section and more.
A Look at The New New York Times Audio App
The New York Times is preparing to make another significant intervention in the audio market by launching a standalone app. The beta version is set to be released on Tuesday. Axios got a preview.
The new app includes a section called “Magazine Stand,” which features narrated pieces from The Times and publishers it works with as part of Audm, a subscription narrated article company The Times acquired in 2020. Publishers participating in the beta launch of the app via Audm include New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, Mother Jones, Foreign Policy and Atavist. It also includes a new carousel that makes it easier for users to binge all of their favorite podcasts from “Serial Productions,” a company The Times acquired in 2020 that created the hit true crime podcast “Serial.”
Apple Store in Southlake, Texas Closes Amidst Following Covid Outbreak
An Apple Store in Southlake, Texas has temporarily closed its doors following a Covid outbreak amongst the staff.
Ledger Announces Plan to Launch Crypto Debit Card to Work With Hardware Wallet
At the Ledger Op3n conference, the company announced its intention to release a crypto debit card called Crypto Life.
Get A Number Pad On iPhone Instead of the Time Wheel
Learn how to get a Number Pad on your iPhone instead of the Default Time Wheel in this Quick Tip from Mac Geek Gab 903!
Washington DC Council Approves Plan to Issue Digital IDs
The Washington D.C. council approved a bill from Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) that brings the city “a step closer to the reality of digital credentials.”
Gifts for Geeks (Part I)
Dr. Mac has some low-cost (and no-cost) gift ideas for the geeks in your life, including Apple Watch suggestions, tips on getting refurbished stuff, and more.
TikTok Makes First Major Online Shopping Move in UK
TikTok’s has run its first live shopping event, based in the UK, featuring TV celebrities, influences, music performances, and a quiz.
Thursdays with Bob: Gift Guide The First – TMO Daily Observations 2021-12-09
Dr Mac joins host Kelly Guimont to share the first wave of gift picks for the geeks in your life, and some of them may even cost nothing!
Instagram Rolling Out New Teen Safety and Parental Control Features
Instragram’s Take a Break feature, which encourages younger users to stop scrolling is now available in various countries. The company also release a blog post outlining further moves it will be making in a bid to protect younger users.
We’ll be taking a stricter approach to what we recommend to teens on the app, we’ll stop people from tagging or mentioning teens that don’t follow them, we’ll be nudging teens towards different topics if they’ve been dwelling on one topic for a long time and we’re launching the Take a Break feature in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, which we previously announced. We’ll also be launching our first tools for parents and guardians early next year to help them get more involved in their teen’s experiences on Instagram. Parents and guardians will be able to see how much time their teens spend on Instagram and set time limits. And we’ll have a new educational hub for parents and guardians.
GitHub Improves its Code Search With Scopes, Directory Trees, More
GitHub announced improvements to its code searching feature to help developers find the content they need.
WhatsApp Will Add Crypto Payments Through Meta's Novi Wallet
Meta-owned WhatsApp will allow users to send and receive cryptocurrencies by integrating the company’s Novi wallet.
NordPass Password Manager Adds Biometric Authentication for Mac
NordPass is introducing biometric authentication to Windows and macOS applications. This new feature, which previously was available on mobile devices only, will add flexibility and convenience to the login process. Instead of typing in their master password, users will be able to use their fingerprint or face ID to sign in. According to a report published by NordPass, the most common password is 123456. and relying more on biometrics would help eliminate such weak passwords. But many cybersecurity professionals note that biometric authentication on its own is not enough. The best way to ensure maximum security for your accounts is to use it along with multi-factor authentication (MFA).