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TikTok Becomes First Non-Facebook App to Hit Three Billion Downloads
TikTok is the first non-Facebook app to hit three billion global downloads across the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Spotify’s Top Lawyer Leads the Monopoly Campaign Against Apple
Spotify’s top lawyer, Horacio Gutierrez, is a key player in the monopoly accusations against Apple.
The landscape looks a lot different than it did when Gutierrez first began talking about Apple. His actions “have spawned a lot of the other Apple-related activity across the globe,” says Thomas Vinje, who’s worked with Gutierrez on antitrust issues in Europe. “It’s a snowball Spotify got rolling.”
Image credit: Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg
You Could Run New Windows 365 OS on iPad
Microsoft revealed a new OS on Wednesday called Windows 365. It’s a cloud-based operating system designed to run in a browser. As Mr. Ortolani points out this means you could run it on an iPad.
The new service is only available for businesses at first, but given Microsoft’s emphasis on cloud platforms, it is highly likely that it will become available for consumers at some point in the future. Microsoft is offering Windows 365 for businesses of all sizes, whether you are a one-person show or a giant organization.
Windows 365 will be available on August 2.
Visible Introduces ‘Bring a Friend’ Program for Cellular Service
Visible has launched a program called Bring a Friend that aims to reduce customers’ phone bills while bringing new people to the service.
Is Jason Sudeikis Actually Like Ted Lasso?
Jason Sudeikis (pictured above) is the August cover star for GQ. In the accompanying feature, he reflects on “landing like an Avenger” following upset in his personal life and his time on SNL. He also reveals how his castmates think he is similar to Ted Lasso.
After a while, every time he tried to wave off Ted, fellow castmates or old friends of his would correct him to say: “No.” They’d say: “No, that is you. That is you. That’s not the best version of you.” It’s not you on mushrooms, it’s not you hanging off a boat, it’s just…you. One of Sudeikis’s friends, Marcus Mumford, who composed the music for the show, told me, “He is quite like Ted in lots of ways. He has a sort of burning optimism, but also a vulnerability, about him that I really admire.” Hearing people say this, over and over again, Sudeikis said, “brought me to a very emotional space where, you know, a healthy dose of self-love was allowed to expand through my being and made me…”
Court Rules ‘Memoji’ Trademark Owner Created App to Sue Apple
On Tuesday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the developer of the Memoji app created it solely to sue Apple over trademark infringement.
iOS 15: How to Add Two-Factor Authentication Codes to Passwords
A welcome feature in iOS 15 is the ability to add two-factor authentication codes to your passwords. Here’s how to set it up.
How to Draw Yourself as a Peanuts Character
In a new video, The Snoopy Show storyboard artist Krista Porter and Anthony from Today at Apple provide a guide on how to draw yourself as a Peanuts character. To follow along, viewers need an iPad or iPhone and the Pages app, with the Apple Pencil optional. Share your efforts in the comments below!
It's Never 69 Degrees on the Apple Weather App
Apple’s native Weather app won’t ever give the temperature as 69 degrees, The Verge reported. Yes, it’s worth a giggle, bu there’s a couple of explanations as to why this might be.
It’s not clear if this is a bug or an intentional attempt from Apple to cut down on 69-related humor. The rounding is only visible in the weather app itself: clicking through to Apple’s source data from Weather.com will show the proper temperature, as do Apple’s home screen widgets. But the iOS weather app will refuse to show 69 degrees anywhere in the forecast, whether it’s for the current temperature, the hourly forecast for the day, or the extended forecast. A possible explanation for the issue (as pointed out by several people on Twitter) is that Apple may be sourcing data for its iOS Weather app in Celsius and then converting it to Fahrenheit. For example, 20 degrees Celsius converts to 68 degrees Fahrenheit, while 21 degrees Celsius converts to 69.8 degrees Fahrenheit — which rounds up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The app appears to have similar issues with temperatures like 65 degrees (where 18 degrees Celsius converts to 64.4 degrees Fahrenheit, while 19 degrees Celsius is 66.2 degrees Fahrenheit).
Rumored ‘Apple Pay Later’ Would Introduce Installments for Purchases
A report on Tuesday claims that Apple is working on a feature called Apple Pay Later that would let people pay for purchases in installments.
Apple Spends $1 Billion to Affordable Housing in California
Apple, working with key partners, has deployed more than US$1 billion for affordable housing across California over the past 18 months.
New Twitter Feature Lets You Control Who Can Respond to You
Twitter is rolling out a new feature that lets users control who can respond to specific tweets.
Building on a 2020 feature that lets users choose who can reply when composing a message, this update could prove especially useful for folks whose posts receive unexpected attention or unwanted responses. Simply tap on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner of a tweet to modify the “Change who can reply” option.
JetBlue to Give iPad Pro to New Incoming Pilots
JetBlue will be providing an M1 iPad Pro to new incoming pilots and intends to replace older tablets being used over time.
Setapp and Yac Collaborate on Remote Work Pack of Apps
Setapp and Yac have come together to create a Remote Work Pack that includes 15 apps aimed at increasing WFH productivity.
‘ProtonVPN’ Introduces a New Smart Protocol Selection
ProtonVPN got an update on Tuesday with a new feature called Smart Protocol Selection. It will automatically detect and use the VPN protocol that works best on a given network, such as OpenVPN and IKEv2. This update also prepares the app for something called VPN Accelerator which will be in a future update. There are new Info buttons to provide additional information about features and supported streaming services, and the VPN connection stability has been improved.
Shortcuts: Starting out, and Inspiration – TMO Daily Observations 2021-07-13
Today Bryan Chaffin and Andrew Orr join host Kelly Guimont to chat Shortcuts, including tips on getting started and sources for “inspiration.”
Apple’s Latest Product is a $99 MagSafe Battery Pack
On Tuesday Apple started selling a MagSafe battery pack for the iPhone 12 product line. It’s available to purchase for US$99.
Is Apple About to Get Into The Sports Broadcasting Game? — Media+
Tom Merritt joins Charlotte Henry to discuss Apple’s rumored move into the sports broadcasting game. Could it? Should it?
UK Cops Seize US$249m Worth of Bitcoin Following Money Laundering Probe
England’s Metropolitan Police Service has seized almost £180m (US$249m) worth of bitcoin. The seizure came as the result of an investigation into international money laundering, The Guardian reported.
“While cash still remains king in the criminal word, as digital platforms develop we’re increasingly seeing organised criminals using cryptocurrency to launder their dirty money,” said the Metropolitan police’s deputy assistant commissioner, Graham McNulty. A 39-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of money laundering after the first haul was discovered and has been interviewed under caution over the £180m discovery. One bitcoin is worth about £23,500, having fallen from a peak in April of £47,126.48, meaning the sum confiscated may have been worth nearly double three months ago. The assets were seized by the force’s economic crime command and the investigation is continuing.
Verizon and Mastercard Work on 5G Contactless Payments
Mastercard and Verizon are partnering on 5G contactless payments for consumers as well as businesses. The goal is to release a product by 2023.
Google Unifies Two Desktop Apps Into a Single ‘Drive’ App
Google is merging its Google Drive sync clients on the desktop: Backup and Sync with Drive File Stream. The new app will be Drive for Desktop on macOS and Windows. The company shares a timeline with other details in its blog post.
Drive for desktop is a unified sync client that provides a consistent experience for anyone who uses Drive, whether for business, education or personal purposes. It enables you to quickly sync and access content directly from Mac or PC, which can save you time by helping you access files and folders in a familiar location.
Jon Stewart Apple TV+ Show to Shoot in Front of Vaccinated Live Audience
Jon Stewart’s return is set to be filmed in front of a live audience. Episodes of the Apple TV+ series will be recorded in New York on July 14 and 16, Deadline reported.
It is the latest “late-night” show to shoot in front of an audience after the likes of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live! brought back audiences. The Apple TV+ series will require attendees to be fully vaccinated, provide an official vaccination card and complete a wellness screening prior to entering. Audiences and crew members will be required to wear masks at all times. The show, which launches this fall, is a one-hour current affairs format with a single issue topic explored in each episode.
Charlotte Henry on DTNS - 'Where Have All The Ransoms Gone?'
The Mac Observer’s Charlotte Henry joined the DTNS crew on Monday. Amongst other things, they discussed paying ransoms following a ransomware attack, the combined theater and streaming released of Black Widow by Disney, and the future of the iPad mini.
Apple TV+: First Look at 'Schmigadoon!'
In a new video, the cast and crew of Schmigadoon! provide a glimpse of the forthcoming show. The series is a parody of iconic musicals starring Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key. The first three episodes land Friday.