Apple had some kind of issue on their end that caused iCloud links for shortcuts to stop working. Since shortcuts no longer rely on files within the Shortcuts folder in iCloud, the only way to back up your shortcuts is by generating an iCloud link. The links are working again but only for new iCloud links. Old links don’t work anymore. I’ve been using two shortcuts that I created as a backup. The first one will generate a link for every shortcut you have and create a note in Apple Notes with the links. The second one can back up a single shortcut at a time and appends it to that same note as well as a text file. They can, and should, be modified to fit your own needs and file system. Update: Multiple reports on Friday suggest that old links are working again.
Andrew Orr
Since 2015 Andrew has been writing about Apple, privacy, security, and at one point even Android. You can find him most places online under the username @andrewornot.
Articles by Andrew Orr
Brother-Sister Duo Charged With Stealing MacBooks From Stanford
Two people pleaded guilty to federal charges this week in a scheme to steal and re-sell hundreds of MacBooks from Stanford.
Castaneda was charged with thefts totaling around $4 million, while $2.3 million in stolen goods were attributed to her brother. Authorities say the computers were sold on Craigslist to an uncharged co-conspirator, a Folsom man, who resold them to people living in other states.
The article mentions approximately 800 MacBooks.
Scooter-Sharing Service ‘Lime’ Adds iOS 14 App Clips
Lime’s business involves renting out electric scooters and bikes for people, and the company updated its app to add iOS 14 App Clips.
Apple Comedy ‘Trying’ Returns for Season 2 on May 14
British comedy series “Trying” on Apple TV+ will return for season two on Friday, May 14, debuting globally.
Fantastic Safari Extensions and Where to Find Them
Apple started moving Safari extensions to the Mac App Store in 2017. Here’s where to find and install extensions to add extra functions to Safari.
Apple Updates Pages, Numbers, Keynote to Version 11
Apple’s iWork suite featuring Pages, Numbers, and Keynote have been updated to version 11, with new features like precise editing controls.
Apple Studios in Talks to Finance ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’
Apple Studios is rumored to be in talks to finance “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” starring Zac Efron and Russell Crowe.
Global Semiconductor Chip Shortage is Becoming a Crisis
The world’s supply of semiconductor chips has faced shortages due to COVID-19, but things have gotten worse.
PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X shortages are just the tip of the iceberg. Big phone launches from companies like Apple and Samsung have been postponed, new graphics cards are still hard to find, and all over the world car manufacturers are either scaling back production or piling unfinished cars up in parking lots while they wait for the chips needed to power their software systems.
Darn it, I’m looking forward to the upcoming Nintendo Switch refresh.
Apple Blocks ProtonVPN Updates Over App Messaging
ProtonVPN announced in a blog post that Apple has blocked its app updates, saying this harms users in countries like Myanmar.
Apple Launches ‘Apple Teacher Portfolio’ for Educators
Apple announced on Tuesday a recognition badge educators can earn through the Apple Teacher Learning Center called Apple Teacher Portfolio.
Judge Approves Class Action Lawsuit for MacBook Butterfly Keyboards
Judge Edward Davila has approved a class action lawsuit against Apple over its butterfly keyboards.
New Studies Show no Harmful Effects to Humans From 5G
Researchers from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia analyzed studies that find no evidence of 5G harming humans.
Aside from looking at animal and lab experiments, one review also analyzed epidemiological studies of radar, which uses the same sort of RF (low-level energy fields above 6 gigahertz to as high as 300 GHz) that 5G is expected to rely on. Their conclusions, based on reviewing data from over 100 studies, should be reassuring.
Eve for HomeKit 5.1 Update adds Support for Eve Weather
The Eve for HomeKit app from Eve Systems received a 5.1 update on Friday. It adds support for Eve Weather and more improvements.
After Ad Campaign, Intel Launches ‘PC vs. Mac’ Website
After releasing its ad campaign featuring Justin Long, Intel released a “PC vs. Mac” website comparing the platforms. Juli Clover shares:
Intel positions PCs as more “personalized” to fit a user’s “specific hardware and software needs,” while the M1 Macs offer “limited” device support, games, and creation applications. “The bottom line is a PC offers users a choice, something that users don’t get with a Mac,” reads the website.
Notice how all of Intel’s examples are features of Windows, not Intel, a.k.a. actual performance statistics. What a joke.
New ‘XcodeSpy’ Malware Targets Apple Developers
A new form of malware has been discovered that explicitly targets Apple developers. It’s called “XcodeSpy.”
Facebook Introduces Security Keys for Two-Factor Authentication
Facebook announced on Thursday that it now supports two-factor authentication authentication for security keys on its mobile apps.
Physical security keys — which can be small enough to fit on your keychain — notify you each time someone tries accessing your Facebook account from a browser or mobile device we don’t recognize. We ask you to confirm it’s you with your key, which attackers don’t have.
Bacardo Announces Pocket Watch Accessory for New Apple Watches
Bucardo is introducing a Kickstarter campaign for its pocket watch accessory. This latest product works with Apple Watch Series 4, 5, 6, and Apple Watch SE. The accessory allows you to wear your Apple Watch as a classic pocket watch. Simply remove your bands and slide the pocket watch accessory into the band slots of your Apple Watch. The company worked with talented jewelry designers and engineers to create an accessory that pays attention to all the fine details, highlighting the form of the Apple Watch while creating a unique wearable experience. Right now the base reward is US$95.
iOS 14 Isn’t Safe From Forensic Extraction Technology
Elcomsoft has announced an update to its iOS Forensic Toolkit, with version 7.0 working on iPhone 12 models and iOS 14 through iOS 14.3.
Starting April 15, TikTok Won’t Let You Opt Out of Personalized Ads
Starting April 15, TikTok will make personalized ads mandatory whether you want them or not.
TikTok says it is “committed” to respecting the privacy of its users, according to a TikTok spokesperson. “We will continue to be transparent about our data privacy practices and help users understand their privacy choices on our Safety Center.”
People will still be able to control whether TikTok personalizes ads based on data pulled from other apps and websites.
Committed to respecting the privacy of its users. Eye roll.
FCC Readies Next 5G Auction so Service Reaches More Americans
The FCC is preparing a 5G auction that will begin in October. It will offer frequencies that will cover millions of more Americans.
Twitter Announces Multiple Security Key Support for Accounts
Twitter announced an update to its two-factor authentication security feature. Users can now enroll and log in with multiple security keys.
Justin Long is Now ‘PC Guy’ in New Intel Ads Mocking Macs
Apple fans are familiar with the ad campaign in the mid-2000s. Justin Long was Mac Guy and John Hodgman was PC Guy, and they compared the different platforms. In a series of new ads from Intel, Justin Long is now PC Guy, mocking Apple’s Macs as Intel is surely still reeling from the announcement of the M1 chip. There are five ads in total of the “Justin Gets Real” campaign: 2-in-1 Flexibility, PC Gaming, Having Choices, Touch Screens, and 3 Monitors.
The Ulysses Group Wants to Sell Location Data to US Military
A contractor with the U.S. military called The Ulysses Group wants to start selling vehicle location data to the military.
Ulysses can provide our clients with the ability to remotely geolocate vehicles in nearly every country except for North Korea and Cuba on a near real time basis. Currently, we can access over 15 billion vehicle locations around the world every month.
T-Mobile Partners With Pandora, SiriusXM on Streaming for Customers
T-Mobile announced on Wednesday that it’s teaming up with Pandora and SiriusXM to offer its customers exclusive streaming benefits.