Enter our new international giveaway for a chance to win the brand new iPhone 16 Pro.
Trailer For Apple TV+ Mini-Series 'Defending Jacob' Drops
Apple released the official trailer for its forthcoming mini-series Defending Jacob on Wednesday. It is based on the bestselling novel that tells the story of a boy accused of murdering his classmate. The show starts Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, Jaeden Martell, Cherry Jones, Pablo Schreiber, Sakina Jaffrey, Betty Gabriel, and J.K. Simmon. It will go live on Apple TV+ on April 24.
HouseParty: Stay at Home, See Your Friends
We are all looking for ways to stay in touch with friends and family as the coronavirus pandemic continues. One great app I’ve found for this is HouseParty. It allows you to easily have conversations – either one-to-one or a group. Once you’re in a conversation you can also play games with people – things like heads-up and trivia quizzes. You can ‘say hi’ to people to let them know you are there and even jump into conversations with people (if they haven’t locked the chat)! It all makes you feel close to your friends even when you have to be apart. HouseParty a free app, available in the iOS App Store.
Zoom Video Meeting Tips – TMO Daily Observations 2020-03-25
Just in time for social distancing, Bryan Chaffin is joined by Charlotte Henry to go over her tips for using Zoom for video meetings.
The FBI is Collecting Your Data Through its ‘FitTest’ App
The FBI has been promoting its fitness app called FitTest to help people exercise at home. It’s also collecting your data.
…an FBI spokesperson reiterated the app’s privacy statement, adding that “the app does not gather or save any personal information other than what you select for your profile.”
But the app’s privacy statement makes room for some tracking: When FitTest accesses pages from the official FBI website, it says, “fbi.gov’s privacy policy applies.” The fbi.gov privacy policy states that “individuals using this computer system are subject to having all of their activities monitored and recorded.”
I can’t wait for the FBIPhone and FBIMessage apps.
Watch Season One of 'Picard' For Free
Lots of shows have had to suspend shooting due to the coronavirus outbreak. If you need something new to watch in the meantime, you can watch Picard for free. Entertainment Week reported that there is a 30-day free trial for CBS All Access, with a coupon code making all episodes of the Star Trek spin-off available.
You’ll still have to sign up for the CBS streaming service to watch the show, but now there’s a coupon code that unlocks Picard: “GIFT.” The will unlock a one month free trial which includes all shows on the service (so if you want to check out Star Trek: Discovery or old episodes of Next Generation, you can do that too).
KeepSolid VPN Unlimited Adds DNS Firewall for Customers
KeepSolid’s VPN Unlimited added a new feature for its customers. This DNS firewall can block domains associated with malware, porn, drugs and alcohol, gambling, games, and more.
This benefit of KeepSolid DNS Firewall is closely connected with the previous one. If you don’t open a malicious website, you won’t get infected with malware. Better prevent than cure, agree? And there is really much to avoid, as malware attacks are exponentially increasing over time.
Great news for KeepSolid customers. And if you’re not a customer, I recommend reading my roundup of DNS services to use.
Zoom: How to Setup an Account, Join and Host Video Meetings
Charlotte guides you through how to set up a Zoom account, join a meeting on the platform, and host one yourself.
Use Text Expansion to Save Time While You Type
Text expansion is kind of an overlooked feature of iOS and macOS but it can save you a lot of time if you type repetitive things a lot.
Safari Now Blocks All Third-Party Cookies by Default
In an update on the WebKit blog, we learned that Apple now blocks third-party cookies by default in Safari.
Internet Archive Releases National Emergency Library With 1.4 Million Books
As of March 24 the Internet Archive suspended wait lists for its collection of books by creating a National Emergency Library.
This suspension will run through June 30, 2020, or the end of the US national emergency, whichever is later.
During the waitlist suspension, users will be able to borrow books from the National Emergency Library without joining a waitlist, ensuring that students will have access to assigned readings and library materials that the Internet Archive has digitized for the remainder of the US academic calendar, and that people who cannot physically access their local libraries because of closure or self-quarantine can continue to read and thrive during this time of crisis, keeping themselves and others safe.
Jamf Offers Same-Day Support For Apple Operating System Upgrades
Across its range of products, Jamf supports new features rolled out in the latest Apple operating system updates.
A Tale of Two GarageBands
Find out why Dr. Mac says GarageBand on an iDevice is so different from GarageBand on a Mac that it should have been called something else like, “GarageBand Touch” or “GarageBand Mobile.”
The Social Distancing Lifetime Subscription Bundle Featuring Rosetta Stone: $199
Our friends at Stack Commerce have put together a timely deal called the Social Distancing Lifetime Subscription Bundle. It features lifetime subscriptions to Rosetta Stone (24 languages), 12min (the micro book library), and KeepSolid VPN. Just the thing, or things, for being stuck at home. This bundle is $199 through our deal.
Apple Releases ARKit 3.5 With New Scene Geometry API
Apple released ARKit 3.5 today that can take advantage of the iPad Pro 2020’s LiDAR scanner to improve the realism of AR objects.
Could We See a US Digital Dollar Soon?
So right away, the answer to my headline is “probably not.” The article I’m linking to says language of digital dollars was removed from the final version of the stimulus package. But I think it’s worthwhile to think about.
The bill establishes a digital dollar, which it defines as ‘a balance expressed as a dollar value consisting of digital ledger entries that are recorded as liabilities in the accounts of any Federal Reserve Bank or … an electronic unit of value, redeemable by an eligible financial institution (as determined by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System).’
Now may not be the time to introduce entirely new technologies, especially if they slow the release of the package. But I personally like the idea, although I don’t advocate for a completely cashless society as I’ve mentioned before.
Beats 1 Presenters Now Broadcasting Live From Their Homes
Presenters on Apple’s Beats 1 radio station began broadcasting from home on Monday to comply with coronavirus social-distancing guidelines, Engadget reported. They will, of course, be using a variety of Apple products to do so.
According to Apple, they will use FaceTime on their iPhones to conduct interviews with popular musicians like Elton John and Hayley Williams. It’s not clear whether or not the anchors will use iPhones to record the non-interview sections of their shows, but it would be surprising if they opted for smartphones over more professional audio equipment such as condenser microphones and preamps. However, exclusive programs from Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and more will indeed be recorded on their iPhones.
Apple Releases Security Updates 2020-002 for High Sierra, Mojave & Catalina
Apple released Security Update 2020-002 for High Sierra and Mojave on March 24.
The same updates are included in Catalina 10.15.4.
macOS Catalina 10.15.4 Lets You Import Chrome Passwords to iCloud Keychain
Along with its other OS updates, Apple released the macOS Catalina 10.15.4 update today, adding some important Mac-specific features.
Neato Robot Vacuums Can Be Controlled With Siri Shortcuts
Neato Robotics announced today that it added support for Siri Shortcuts within its app. This means you can start controlling your robot vacuum with your voice.
By connecting your Neato to Siri Shortcuts, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, you can simply start cleaning just by using your voice.
I’d love to get a robot vacuum some day. In the meantime, if you have one of these products, try controlling it with a shortcut on your HomePod, Apple Watch, or iOS device.
ZAGG Launches ‘Slim Book Go’, ‘Rugged Book Go’ iPad Keyboard Cases
Today ZAGG announced the launch of new keyboard cases: The Slim Book Go and Rugged Book Go. Both are available for the iPad Pro.
Apple CarPlay: Better than Bluetooth
Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus takes a close look at AirPlay, which he says is better than Bluetooth for car connectivity.
Turn Your Goals Into Attainable Tasks with this Distraction-Free Habit Tracker: $21.24
We have a deal on the Goals app from Mindful Suites. This app allows you to turn your goals into action plans you can integrate into your daily life. Built to measure your progress, track deadlines, send reminders and encouragements, and build positive reinforcement, Goals is designed to help you achieve more. It’s $24.99 through our deal, but coupon code SPRINGSAVE15 brings the checkout price down to $21.24.
How the Coronavirus Outbreak is Altering Podcast Listening Habits
The coronavirus outbreak seems to be having an effect on podcast listening habits, particularly in badly hit countries like Italy
Apple Releases 13.4 Update for iOS and iPadOS
Apple just released the latest update for its operating systems: 13.4. It includes a redesigned system to support mice and trackpads, changes in Files, and more.