Charlotte Henry joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss the “fallout” of App Tracking Transparency along with Fitness+ updates and a possible purchase.
Apple Beats China Tech Giants in Ad Privacy Battle
Apple has seen off an initial attempt by some tech giants in China to navigate around its recently introduced privacy policies.
Keeping A Clean Desktop For Presentations
Here are two Quick Tips from Mac Geek Gab 879 (Out This Week) about Keeping A Clean Desktop for Presentations!
Also, Check Out Hidden Me, a Cool Stuff Found This Week.
Facebook Funds Second Study That Says Apple Is Bad
A new study is out, yet again funded by Facebook, that concludes Apple and Google have harmful practices.
MacBook Air With M2 Chip Arriving 2022, According to Leaker
Rumors are swirling about future Apple Silicon and the devices that updated chips will go in. MacRumors picked up on one leak that suggested an M2 going into Macbook Air, which will be released next year.
On Twitter, Dylandkt claimed that a new MacBook Air model is “on track” to launch in the first half of 2022, featuring an M2 chip and a more colorful design. They also claimed that the “M1X” chip is being reserved for high-end “Pro” Macs, which could include the MacBook Pro and a larger, more powerful iMac model. Dylandkt’s claim is not entirely new, given that Jon Prosser has previously said that the next-generation MacBook Air will feature a complete redesign, a range of iMac-like color options, and an M2 chip. Dylandkt has been resolute in previous comments about the “M1X” being destined for the next-generation MacBook Pro, while the “M2” will apparently be a lower-end chip for the MacBook Air, but it is worth noting that this does not seem to fit very well with the specific thoughts of reliable Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman about Apple’s upcoming custom silicon chips for the Mac.
Kaspersky’s Password Manager Created Weak Passwords
Kaspersky Password Manager was caught creating weak passwords that were easy to brute force attack.
We will first see an example of a good password generation method, to explain after why the method used by Kaspersky was flawed, and how we exploited it. As we will see, passwords generated by this tool can be bruteforced in seconds.
After a bit less than two years, this vulnerability has been patched on all versions of KPM. Vulnerability has been assigned CVE-2020-27020.
Apple Interested in Purchasing Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine Media Company
Reese Witherspoon’s media firm, Hello Sunshine, is exploring a sale, and Apple is one of those interested in making the acquisition.
Audacity: Users Hit Out Following Privacy Changes
Audacity has been very popular free audio software for a long while. However, new owners update the app’s privacy notice on July 2. It includes new data collection provisions and users are not happy, 9to5 Mac reported.
The new owners break down the two main types of data they collect including data for analytics and for legal enforcement. The analytics are limited to more specific information including the OS version, CPU, user country (based on IP), and error codes. The main issue most have with the change is the vague and overarching wording, especially within the legal enforcement section. They list the personal data they collect as, “Data necessary for law enforcement, litigation and authorities’ requests (if any)” without any limitations. That’s a significant change to Audacity after over 20 years of development. Users have not been pleased with this latest change. A large portion of the user base are advocates for privacy, and this vague from concerning change is seen as a betrayal of Audacity’s users and history.
President Biden to Enhance Right to Repair Laws
A report on Tuesday claims that President Biden will work with the FTC to create new rules in favor of the Right To Repair movement.
Advertisers Reduce iOS Spend Amid ‘Ask App Not to Track’ Introduction
Advertisers are moving their money from iOS to Android devices amid the introduction of ‘Ask App Not to Track’ notifications.
Fitness+ on iPad Now Has Full Apple Watch Features
All the Apple Watch Fitness+ features now work when accessing workouts on an iPad, with a previous bug seemingly fixed.
Mosyle Adds Apple Device Screen Sharing for Work and School
Mosyle has officially announced the latest update to its software for Mac admins. It adds a screen sharing tool for the MDM market.
Let's Get Physical — Media+
Kelly Guimont and Dave Hamilton pull on their spandex and join host Charlotte Henry to unpack Apple TV+ show ‘Physical’. They discuss how the show reflects life in the 1970s and ’80s, and whether or not they care about what happens to the characters.
Facebook v FTC – TMO Daily Observations 2021-07-06
John Martellaro joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss the dismissal of the FTC suit against Facebook, and what exactly the issues with “Big Tech” are.
iPadOS 15: How to Create a Quick Note for Apple Notes
One of the new features coming to Apple Notes in iPadOS 15 is the ability to create a “quick note.” Here’s how to create one.
Lisey's Story on Apple TV+: How Boo'ya Moon Was Created
Taking something from the mind, and page, of Stephen King to the screen is no small feat. In a recently released clip, production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas, Director of Photography Darius Khondji, and director Pablo Larrain describe how they did it for the Apple TV+ adaptation of Lisey’s Story.
Check Out These New iPhone Battery Wallpapers
Ben Vessey has released some new iPhone battery wallpapers as part of the Dynamo series. These wallpapers use shortcuts automation to automatically change depending on the state of your battery: Full, Low, and Charging. There are two new packs available: an album pack for music fans based on popular music icons; and a Mac-themed pack inspired by the Apple Macintosh. Each pack includes three sets of wallpapers optimized for the iPhone 6s and later. You install them using iCloud and Shortcuts running on iOS 14, with instructions included in the download.
I Want My, I Want My, I Want My ... USB-C! — Mac Geek Gab 879
It’s a hot one, folks, and we’re not talking about the weather! This episode is chock full of great Cool Stuff Found, answers to your questions, and more. Topics include free tools to keep your Mac running smoothly, a way to get free data on your phone, invoicing solutions for consultants, a quick way to activate your flashlight, free VPNs to use, and much, much more! Press play and enjoy learning five new things with John and Dave, your two favorite geeks!
Happy U.S. Independence Day, 2021 Edition
In honor of Independence Day—a U.S. holiday—The Mac Observer is taking off Monday, July 4th. We will return Tuesday, July 7th, with our usual Apple, Mac, iPad iPhone, and Apple Watch news. TMO’s Daily Observations podcast is taking off the holiday, too. See you on Tuesday!
A Guide to Apple Chargers in 2021
Need to replace you Mac Charger? John and I discuss picking the right cable for you in this segment from Mac Geek Gab Episode 877.
Also, find out more about the products mentioned: https://us.anker.com/pages/ankernanoii
TV Time: Your TV Show Calendar
Here’s an awesome way to find where all your favorite movies and tv shows are streaming! Check out this mini-segment from Mac Geek Gab Episode 877 on TV TIME!
New Ransomware ‘Tsunami’ Destroying Supply Chains
The REvil hacking team is back with new malware. Brand new, still developing, but their ransomware called “Tsunami” is wreaking havoc.
The software in question, Kaseya VSA, is popular among so-called managed service providers, which provide IT infrastructure for companies that would rather outsource that sort of thing than run it themselves. Which means that if you successfully hack an MSP, you suddenly have access to its customers. It’s the difference between cracking safety deposit boxes one at a time and stealing the bank manager’s skeleton key.
iOS 15: A First Look at Automating With Shortcuts
Shortcuts is getting some new features with iOS 15 as well as appearing on macOS Monterey this fall. Here are some of the new changes.
Europe Chief Tells Apple Not to Use Privacy to Limit Competition
Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s VP for technology, says that Apple shouldn’t use privacy and security to limit competitors.