We finally have the winner of our iPhone 16 Pro international giveaway! Congratulations to Oliver T., and a huge thank you to everyone who participated.
Apple Extends App Store Deadlines Like Sign In with Apple
Apple published an announcement for developers saying deadlines for certain App Store requirements have been extended to June 30, 2020.
A Bug Existing Since iOS 13.3.1 Interferes With VPNs Encrypting Traffic
There’s a bug that’s been in iOS since version 13.3.1 that prevents VPNs from encrypting network traffic and could leak some of your data.
Why is Zoom Sending Our Data to Facebook?
As people are required to work from home, apps like Zoom help us with video conferencing. But why is the iOS app sending our data to Facebook?
Upon downloading and opening the app, Zoom connects to Facebook’s Graph API, according to Motherboard’s analysis of the app’s network activity. The Graph API is the main way developers get data in or out of Facebook. The Zoom app notifies Facebook when the user opens the app, details on the user’s device such as the model, the time zone and city they are connecting from, which phone carrier they are using, and a unique advertiser identifier created by the user’s device which companies can use to target a user with advertisements.
I’ll add this to my #DeleteFBSDK endeavors.
Apple Music Shows New Music From Artists in Your Library
Apple is rolling a feature that will tell you when new music is released from an artist in your library, making it easier to stay on top of the latest hits.
Review: The GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit is Great for Content Creators
Well known for its GorillaPod, JOBY recently introduced the GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit. It has a tripod, microphone, and LED light.
Luminar 4 is the Best Luminar Yet
Bob “Dr. Mac” says that Luminar 4 has all of those things he loved so much in previous releases, but that adds several “stunning” new features.
Automate Tedious Text Document Cleanup with TextSoap for Mac: $19.99
We have a deal on TextSoap for Mac, software that removes unwanted text, fix-up carriage returns, tabs, and any other text-based formatting you might come across. It features more than 100 built-in cleaners, and lets users design custom solutions for their own text-cleanup challenges. TextSoap for Mac is $19.99 through our deal.
Google Podcasts Arrives on iOS
Google Podcasts is now available on iOS and it has also had a design refresh, which is currently rolling out to Android users.
The New iPad Pro Still Bends
We’re starting to get the first wave of reviews for the new iPad Pro. Given it is meant to be a device you can take anywhere, people want to know about durability. Well, according to YouTuber EverythingApplePro, it still bends. And cracks. In lots of different places. I personally don’t think these kinds of tests, that basically have the intention of breaking a device in not very realistic circumstances, give a totally fair picture. They prove you need a case, obviously, and show some weak spots, but I’m not sure much beyond that. It is though interesting to see some of the new parts within the iPad Pro.
More Online Resources, Privacy PSA – TMO Daily Observations 2020-03-26
Andrew Orr joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss the latest resources available for online work and fun, and include a PSA about a fitness app.
Apple TV+ Trails As Streaming Services Get New Subscriber Boost
Disney+, HBO Now, and Showtime had huge spikes in new subscribers last week, but it was just a 10% improvement for Apple TV+.
Tracking COVID-19 Symptoms Across The UK
A new app is seeking to track the spread of COVID-19 symptoms across the UK, in order to highlight those most at risk and monitor how the disease is spreading, has been released. It was built by the developer Zoe Global in partnership with various UK medical research institutions, including the NHS National Institute for Health Research. It asks users to update their symptoms once a day, whether they feel well or not. Doings only takes a minute or two. The app is available through the iOS App Store.
T-Mobile Now Supports Apple Pay for Paying Bills
T-Mobile added Apple Pay as an option for customers to pay their bills with, available on its website and in the app.
Dell Mobile Connect App Now Lets You Mirror Your iPhone on Windows
Dell updated its Dell Mobile Connect app to enable users to mirror their iPhone on their Windows PC. This means your iPhone’s screen is displayed on the PC, where you can see notifications, drag and drop files, and otherwise control the phone using your PC. Requirements: A Dell laptop from 2018 or later from the Alienware, G Series, Inspiron, Vostro, or XPS line of models.
Tim Cook: Apple Able to Source Ten-Million Masks to Help in Fight Against Coronavirus
Tim Cook announced that Apple has been able to source 10 million masks for medical staff in the U.S., and “millions” for those in Europe.
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.