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The Secret Security Features in macOS Big Sur

Andrew Orr ·

There are security features that Apple tells us about on stage at keynotes, and then there are hidden improvements it doesn’t mention.

macOS has gradually made the UNIX security model irrelevant. For example, even the superuser is only allowed to access the private documents of a regular user with the user’s permission—permission that is given on a per-application basis, through that protector of users and bane of developers known as the Transparency, Consent & Control (TCC) framework.

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Today at Apple Session Shows How to Shoot Portait Pics with Mark Clennon

Jeff Gamet ·

Apple released a new Today at Apple video on Friday with tips on shooting portrait photos on an iPhone with professional photographer Mark Clennon. Mark is a New York-based photographer who has worked with TIME Magazine, Netflix, Esquire, Marvel, Forbes, Sony/RCA, and a long list of other companies and publications. The video has some great tips and is worth checking out.

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How Apple Lobbyists Defeated Two App Store Bills in Georgia

Andrew Orr ·

Politico published a report on Friday that examines how lobbying from Apple defeated two app store bills in Georgia and other states.

Apple’s aggressive lobbying efforts in Georgia, the extent of which were previously unreported, highlight a pattern that has played out with little national attention across the country this year: State lawmakers introduce bills that would force Apple and its fellow tech giant Google to give up some control over their mobile phone app stores.

Then Apple, in particular, exerts intense pressure on lawmakers with promises of economic investment or threats to pull its money, and the legislation stalls.

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Video Editor 'DaVinci Resolve' Now 3 Times Faster on M1 Macs

Andrew Orr ·

Blackmagic Design announced on Friday that its DaVinci Resolve video editor is now up to three times faster on M1 Macs. It also gives customers up to 30% longer battery life.

DaVinci Resolve 17.3 also supports a new option on Mac computers with M1 for H.265 hardware encoding. Customers can choose to prioritize speed vs quality when rendering, further improving render times up to 65%. Plus, DaVinci Resolve will now decode AVC Intra files using the media engine built into the Apple M1 chip, making decoding and playback faster when working with these file formats.

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Plex Apple TV App Offers Customizable UI

Jeff Butts ·

One of the coolest thigs about Plex is that it works on so many different platforms and devices. You can run the Plex app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Raspberry Pi, or almost anything else. The app is very helpful in managing your media library and watching your favorite content. With the latest version of the Plex Apple TV app, you’ve got new options for how your library looks and feels. You can customize the app and home background, what artwork should be displayed, and how much of a title’s metadata shows up.

[O]ur challenge is that since Plex is used by so many different types of users (a great problem to have!), each one of you has different habits and desires and styles as well as a vast variety of TVs with different resolutions and brightness and contrast ratios.

Get a Discount on a Subway Footlong With Apple Pay
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Get a Discount on a Subway Footlong With Apple Pay

Jeff Butts ·

We all like free stuff, but sometimes even just a few dollars off is still a great thing. Cupertino has offered discounts in the past to use its mobile digital wallet, and now has a new offer. Apple is offering a great discount on a Subway footlong. US customers who use Apple Pay with the Subway app can get a $2 discount off a footlong sandwich. All you have to do is install the Subway app on your iPhone or iPad, and order your sandwich in advance. If you use Apple Pay along with the promo code APPLEPAY, you’ll get two dollars off your order. This promotion only lasts until August 25, so take it advantage of it while you can. Define print states that the offer is only valid at participating subway locations in the United States, and extras, add-ons, and taxes are additional. You can’t use any other discounts or coupons with this offer, and Footlong PRO™ and Signature Wraps don’t count.

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IMF: Credit Scores Should be Based on Browsing History

Andrew Orr ·

As if reality couldn’t be more dystopian, researchers for the International Monetary Fund proposed that credit scores should include data from peoples’ browsing, search, and purchase history.

Citing soft-data points like “the type of browser and hardware used to access the internet, the history of online searches and purchases” that could be incorporated into evaluating a borrower, the researchers believe that when a lender has a more intimate relationship with the potential client’s history, they might be more willing to cut them some slack.

What an insane, stupid idea. Too poor to afford a Mac? Sorry! Your credit score won’t be rising above 600.