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.
Judge Allows Lawsuit to Proceed That Claims Siri Violates Privacy
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White has given the green light to a lawsuit that claims Siri violates user privacy. He did dismiss part of the complaint.
AirTags For Your Dog!
Have you tried AirTags for your pup? Learn more in this Mini-Segment from Mac Geek Gab 886. If you decide to do it, buy your dog’s AirTag Holder Here.
Shard Labs Brings Liquid Staking to Polygon via Lido
On Thursday Shard Labs announced that it has chosen the Polygon blockchain to develop a liquid staking protocol for the MATIC token.
Apple Changsha Store in China to Open Saturday
Apple Changsha, the first Apple Store in the Hunan province of China, will open on Saturday, September 4 at 10 a.m. CST.
Apple’s AirTags Find Lost Items
Dr. Mac says Apple’s AirTags are the best tracker for lost items to date but finds Apple’s accessories way overpriced.
Watching TV+ Updates and Releases – TMO Daily Observations 2021-09-01
Charlotte Henry joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss the latest announcements and releases on Apple TV+ including Jon Stewart and James Bond.
Apple Silicon Success Means Google Will Design Chromebook Processors Itself
Following on the heels of Cupertino’s success with Apple Silicon, Google has plans to design Chromebook processors itself.
'Ted Lasso', 'For All Mankind', and Other Apple Themed T-Shirts Available to Buy
As we try anddecipher just who Rebecca is speaking to on Bantr, Giant Squid Productions (run by John Moltz – podcast host and guest over on the Incomparable Network) have made t-shirts branded with the fake dating app from Ted Lasso. The range also includes one with the Jamestown space base from For All Mankind, and another with Tim Cook saying “goooood morning,” which made me chuckle. They come in all shapes and sizes!
Apple Releases AirTags Firmware Update
Apple has released an update to AirTags firmware – moving from internal build number 1A291c to 1A291a. As MacRumors noted, the release comes just a week after the previous iteration was released.
We don’t know what’s included in the new firmware and no new features were found following the first release, so it likely focuses on bug fixes and other under-the-hood improvements. There is no way to force an AirTag update, as it’s something that’s done over-the-air through a connected iPhone. To make sure the update happens, you can put your AirTag in range of your iPhone, but you have to wait for the firmware to roll out to your device.
HBO Max App Now Available on Vizio SmartCast TVs
There is now a dedicated HBO Max app available on Vizio SmartCast TVs, The Verge reported. It means users can access the service directly instead of having to find workarounds like AirPlay.
Prior to today’s announcement, Vizio TVs lacked a native app within SmartCast, Vizio’s smart TV interface. Instead, they’d have to cast its content to their televisions using Apple AirPlay or by casting with Google. The addition of the app directly from the apps menu should make accessing HBO Max far more intuitive for SmartCast users. To mark the launch of the app on its sets, Vizio will also introduce a custom homescreen carousel to showcase HBO Max’s new teaser freebies. HBO Max no longer offers free trials, though it recently announced a limited sampling of the pilot episodes of more than a dozen of some of its most popular series, which can be streamed in-app without paying for an HBO Max subscription. Vizio users will be able to access these rotating teasers directly from the Vizio carousel.
AccuWeather Creates Alert System Exclusively for T-Mobile Customers
AccuWeather announced a new alert system called AccuWeather Alerts. Exclusively for T-Mobile customers, it pushes severe weather alerts for iPhones and Androids.
With this newly developed system, T-Mobile customers can received Up to the Minute alerts that read “Severe Weather Potential,” “Severe Weather Threat,” and “Dangerous Weather Imminent!” on their iOS or Android mobile phones for free. Integrated into AccuWeather’s award-winning app, these alerts provide details on upcoming and developing severe weather events, including notifications for hurricanes, snow, tornadoes, flooding, hail, heatwaves, cold waves and other types of threatening weather.
In-Store 'Today at Apple' Sessions Returning in Europe
In-store ‘Today at Apple’ sessions are returning in various countries in Europe, but not in the U.S. due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns.
New Twitter Safety Mode Filters Replies, Blocks Accounts
Twitter is rolling out a new feature called Safety Mode. When you enable it for your account, it temporarily blocks accounts for seven days for using potentially harmful language or sending repetitive and uninvited replies or mentions.
You can find information about the Tweets flagged through Safety Mode and view the details of temporarily blocked accounts at any time. Before each Safety Mode period ends, you’ll receive a notification recapping this information. We won’t always get this right and may make mistakes, so Safety Mode autoblocks can be seen and undone at any time in your Settings. We’ll also regularly monitor the accuracy of our Safety Mode systems to make improvements to our detection capabilities.
I think a lot of things can be said about Twitter, but at least they’re trying (unlike Facebook).
Virtual Meeting Miscues Can Get You Fired
If you don’t believe virtual meeting mistakes can get someone fired, nearly 25 percent of executives in one survey can prove you wrong.
Report Shows 30% Increase in Mobile Shopping in Early 2021
A new report from Liftoff, App Anni, and Poq shows the pandemic has not slowed down mobile shopping. This sector increased 30%.
Backblaze Offers Alternative to Amazon EC2 With 'Vultr' Partnership
On Wednesday Backblaze announced a partnership with Vultr. It offers an alternative to Amazon S3 and EC2 for developers.
'9/11: Inside the President's War Room' Out on Apple TV+ and BBC iPlayer
9/11: Inside the President’s War Room has started its global rollout on Apple TV+ and is available on in the UK via the BBC iPlayer.
Apple’s Bias Against Discussing Pay Equity Rears Its Head in Slack
Apple recently barred employees from discussing pay equity on Slack. Jeff Butts believes this censorship clearly demonstrates Cupertino’s reluctance to deal with an important issue.
Is It Safe To Download Synology's DSM 7.0? A Synology Update
Is It Safe To Download Synology’s DSM 7.0? A DSM 7 Update from Mac Geek Gab 886.
Here are the First States to Support iOS 15 Digital IDs
On Wednesday Apple revealed which U.S. states are the first to support storage of IDs within Apple Wallet in iOS 15 and watchOS 8.
'Masterchef: Let's Cook!' And 'Layton's Mystery Journey+' Coming to Apple Arcade September 3
‘Masterchef: Let’s Cook!’ and ‘Layton’s Mystery Journey’ are both expected to become available to Apple Arcade subscribers from Friday.
Today at Apple Creative Studios Launches in Chicago, Washington, DC
Apple announced on Wednesday that its Today at Apple Creative Studios endeavor will expand to Chicago and Washington, D.C., in September.
Apple Watch 7 Faces Production Issues And Delays
Production of the forthcoming Apple Watch 7 has been hit by delays following quality issues potentially due to the new, more complex, design.
Use Your Keyboard and Mouse in Games With IOGEAR KeyMander 2 Mobile
If you want the power of being able to use keyboard and mouse in your games, this accessory is just what you need.